Opportunity for Dialogue (More RVA Mag, Part 1)

Sorry Ms. Robin Arthur, but like it or not, blogs are where it’s at! (There’s more to that story but it’ll have to wait for some other day.) Why do I say this? Because only in a blog-filled world could I have gone on a low-grade rant about RVA Mag (and theater coverage in general) just a few days ago and then today get a considerate and interesting response from Mr. Anthony Harris, publisher of said mag. His response provides several opportunities for dialogue, I believe. So let’s get to it:

First off, thanks so much for your comment, Mr. Harris. It was a nice and unexpected surprise. You raise many good points and I’ll try to address what I can.

You ask, “Is there a theater scene in Richmond?” Oh my, yes. In fact, for a city the size of our town, there is a pretty remarkable theater scene. There are more than a dozen professional theater companies in Richmond and its environs and that doesn’t take into account the several dozen community, parochial, and scholastic programs in town. An average of one professional show opens every week here. Literally hundreds of people make their living producing, writing for, or acting in theater in Richmond. We have one of the largest children-oriented theater companies in the country with Theatre IV, one of the most respected GLBT-oriented theaters in the country with Triangle Players, and a theater festival (“Acts of Faith”) that has received national press coverage. But perhaps the best answer to your question springs from a source very close to you -- your own alma mater. VCU has a burgeoning theater scene led by a nationally-known fight director, David Leong, which has companions in programs at U of R, Randolf Macon, and Virginia Union.

I could go on and on about the theater scene here but trust me, its pretty fervent. Enough so that a magazine focused solely on Richmond Theater (Richmond Marquee) has sprung up to cover it. And maybe it’s just the circles you run in versus the ones I do but – between Theatre IV’s children’s shows, focused theater groups like Bifocals, seasonably popular offerings like Richmond Shakespeare’s summer shows, and educational programs like SPARC – I know a lot more people (regular people, not just theater people) who experience theater on a much more frequent basis than visual art. And as far as theater people go, I can’t go to Ukrop’s without running into a person (if not multiple people) I know from the theater world. They’re everywhere!

Gotta get to bed but as soon as I get a chance I’ll post my response to your question: does [theater] still have a place in the modern world except for the high minded elite? I have to say that the question is a little mind-boggling to me particularly if we are considering comparisons between theater and visual art (and given the “huh?” response I hear from so many people when they try to appreciate contemporary visual art). But I’ll try to keep my emotion in check when I respond.

Thanks again for your response, Tony, and please check back if you want to read more. And anyone else in “the scene” who wants to pipe up, please do!