Thursday, November 17, 2011

Leaves

My lawn’s a mess. Just as I was finally going to get a chance to maybe get some of the zillions of leaves up, the rain started. And that made even more leaves fall and accumulate and now I’m feeling fairly overwhelmed just at the thought of pulling out the rake.

I’m feeling similarly about theater in town. After being proud of myself for actually going out to see two shows last weekend, this week I’m getting a rush of feeling totally overwhelmed by how much is going on in town. In this week’s Style, I write about the new Life is a Cabaret series down at CenterStage that sounds pretty cool. But, at the same time, “Torture” is at the Firehouse, “Fences” is still running out at Pine Camp, “Grease” is at VCU, SPARC is doing “Smokey Joe’s Café,” “Raisin in the Sun” is at University of Richmond and my pal John Porter’s doing a reading of his play, “It’s a Fabulous Life” on Sunday. And that’s just the stuff I can think of off the top of my head; I’m sure there’s even more going on that I’m forgetting.

One thing that was further crowding my dance card was Jason Marks’s one-person show but, due to illness and the impending opening of “My Fair Lady,” Mr. Marks has postponed that show until next In other viral news (yuk yuk), I understand Mr. Wepplo has been seriously ill and that the opening of “Blue Mtn Xmas” will be delayed as a result. Please join me in sending “get well” thoughts to Jason and Aly; here’s hoping they feel better soon.

The Blue Mtn postponement is only one of many challenges Barksdale / Theatre IV is dealing with right now. I don’t know what else to say about that except that I’m wishing the best for everybody associated. Like in many arts organizations, there are lots of good people working under lots of pressure there. I guess I’m a Pollyanna at heart: I just hope it all works out with minimal damage to anyone.

3 comments:

philcrosby said...

Dave, "The Holiday Stops" also opened last night at RTP, just to add to the overwhelming feeling you are having! John Porter's reading (also at RTP) is being postponed to a later date and Jason Mark's show (also at RTP) will be produced in January, so that Jason can be the best Alfred Doolittle possible in Barksdale's "My Fair Lady."

Our best wishes go out to both Jason and especially Aly for a speedy recovery!!

Dave T said...

Thanks, Phil! I knew I was forgetting something...

joepabst said...

Dave --

Swift Creek Mill Theatre opened "It's a Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play" this weekend as well. We have a terrific cast, and it's a fun and charming treatment of the traditional holiday story.

I hope everyone can it in to their busy holiday schedules! It's worth the trip just to "see" Paul Deiss' sound effects!