Wednesday, May 26, 2010

Style and BarksTales

My summer theater preview posted on the Style site today as did Ms. Burruss’s review of “A Doll’s House,” which closes this weekend so don’t dawdle if you’ve been wanting to check it out. Also this weekend, CAT’s “Kitchen Witches” opens and it looks like it’s going to be a hoot.

Theater has always been related to wish-fulfillment for me at some level, which may be why it means so much to me. As a confused teenager in high school, I wished I had a girlfriend and then had my first quasi-mature love affair during a production of “Once Upon a Mattress.” I was hoping for some entrée into life in Richmond after moving here knowing nobody in town almost 25 years ago and I found one – as well as the love of my life – during a production of “Quilters.” While his mother and I wondered what might calm my over-eager young son, he found theater and launched a new and exciting chapter in all of our lives.

But on another level, working in that strange intersection between theater and journalism has allowed me to realize one of those overwrought platitudes that is regularly asserted clumsily on TV and in the movies, that is, that sometimes you can make your wishes come true. It may be on a rather simple and banal level, but still, wishes are wishes. For instance, many years ago I thought it’d be cool to have a theater awards in Richmond. I pushed that little pebble down the hill and now, thanks to the work of scads of people, the planning for the 3rd annual awards is in motion.

And speaking of overwrought, this is all a rather insanely grandiose introduction to the simple thought that came to me yesterday which was: “I wish there was a quick way to pull up any or all of the BarksTales episodes on YouTube.” I’ve been enjoying these regular reports from the intrepid “sage of the stage,” David Janeski, and have often wanted to pull one up to check it out a second time. I now know that there is a way to get to the Barksdale “channel” on YouTube and scroll through everything they’ve posted. But I figured that out after compiling the following list of the episodes and their links. Maybe someone else out there will find this useful as well.

Episode 8: Sound of Music Opening Night
SOM Interviews
SOM Night of Premiere
Episode 7: Scene Shop
Episode 6: Fairy Tale Ball
Episode 5: Costume Shop
Episode 4: Is He Dead?
Episode 3: Butterflies Are Free
Episode 2: Hugs and Kisses
Episode 1

5 comments:

To you forever from me to you said...

Shakespeare in Battery Park
August 6th, 7th, 13th, 14th, 15th at the Historic Battery Park on the Northside of Richmond. This is a FREE Production in an environmental, site specific space, in an area of town under served by the arts sector. This production features a young power house cast and is reshaping the face of Shakespeare in Richmond VA. Attendees are encouraged to bring a blanket, a basket of snacks, a funny bone ready to be tickled, some heart strings to be tugged, and a ear to be pleasured by Shakespeare's sweet verse/prose and the swinging tunes of zydeco, funk, and blues.

Directed by James Alexander Bond
Fight and Movement by Joseph Carlson
Music design by Andriene Wilson

Starring Kimberly Exum, Olivia Luna, Dallas Tollentino, Charley Raintree, Tony Sanchez, Freddy Kaufmann and a host of other fresh faces.

Stay tuned for more info on what will prove to be the splash of the summer!

Jacquie O. said...

One more for you...Henley Street Theatre is bringing back A SERVANT OF TWO MASTERS to Dogwood Dell - June 24th - 27th at 8:30pm. Free theatre under the stars and Richard Koch being REALLY funny - you can't beat that!

Anonymous said...

Considering recent and recurring dust-ups on this blog over reader comments on reviews, I'd like to point out that the (so far only - first)responder to Mary's Doll's House review was measured and respectful to my eyes. I'm not voicing an opinion on the production one way or another, and I'm a different anonymous than the comment leaver, but I think it's worth mentioning.

Dave T said...

Excellent point, Anonymous. I found the comment to be very astute and well-stated, much more effective and meaningful than most. It's the kind of comment that can be beneficial to both the reader and the reviewer. Perhaps it'll start a trend!

Dave T said...

Oh, and thanks for the details Joe and Jacquie! I'd love to see "Servant" again and look forward to checking out another Shakespeare variant in town!