The Mayo is here!

Sometimes it’s funny what changes your mood. I was in a very dark place in the middle of this week. At one point, my mouse was poised over a button that said “Delete” with every intention of making this particular part of my life go blissfully away.

But today the mini-mayos came. Those of you who were at last year’s RTCC awards know that one of the sponsors, the C.F.Sauer Company, supplied some very cute little 3.5 ounce jars of mayonnaise for give-aways. I just got this year’s supply and, well, they’re really cute. As I unpacked them by the dozen from a huge, overpadded box (it's mayo -- were they afraid it would get bruised?), I couldn't help but smile. And that’s when the clouds began to lift.

It probably helps that I was at the IDR for “Ugly Duckling” last night, which appears to be silly good fun and stars a couple of my favorite people in the world, let alone favorite actors.

It also helped to spend some quality time with my eldest daughter yesterday who is turning into an incredible young woman. I may be a hack writer, my job may not make the world a better place and people I work with may think my theater critic hobby is the stupidest waste of time ever. But I’ve done a halfway decent job as a dad and really, that blows just about everything else out of the water.

I also did a little work on the RTCC event program today and I started imagining all of these people – many of them among the most engaging and smart people I know – together, dressed to the nines and having a good time. And while I have been sad that some of my favorite artists were not nominated this year, I thought about some of the people I know are going to be winners and how deserving they are of recognition of some kind, any kind. I thought about the smiles I hope these silly little awards might generate for them and it made me smile even wider.

Yesterday, I interviewed two more Top 40 Under 40 honorees who were incredibly inspiring and humble and talented and earnest and who are dedicated to doing amazing things with their lives. And they live right here, in our community. Sometimes I forget how incredible some of the people in this relatively small town are.

It also helps that it’s an absolutely gorgeous day.

And, if the stars align, I’m probably going to see three shows this weekend. And thinking about that reminds me that the reason I do this blog and write for Style is because I really do love theater. I don’t really give a crap whether anyone else thinks the way I chose to express my love of theater serves any purpose in the world. I’m not writing for those people. I’m writing, ultimately, for myself. For as long as I continue to do it (which will not be much longer), I plan to enjoy it.

And if you plan on commenting in such a way that rains on my parade, you can expect your comment to be deleted. Because it’s MY freaking blog and, yes, I set it up to encourage dialogue about Richmond theater. But I didn’t set it up to encourage people to bash critics, actors, designers, other commenters, or Richmond theater. And if people have the delusion that I set it up to somehow lord my opinion over the Richmond theater community, there’s no way I will change that opinion. But in a tiny attempt to be more clear, I’ve changed the name to “Dave’s Theater Blog” because that’s what it is. I don’t speak for the Richmond theater community or even all of the critics. If you have complaints, take them to someone who cares.

As Andrew so aptly suggested, if you want to start your own conversation with your own rules, go for it. It seems half the population is already doing so. Join the party! Send me the URL and I’ll link to it. But this is my blog, plain and simple.

If this post somehow pisses you off or reinforces whatever idea you have that I’m Richmond’s biggest jerk, I have a suggestion. There are a half-dozen awesome plays showing in Richmond this weekend – go see one of them. Maybe it’ll cheer you up too.

New

Four shows opening this weekend, truly something for everyone. "Much Ado About Nothing" is Richmond Shakespeare's first offering in the new CenterStage space, "Shining City" is the first show under Henley Street's new Artistic Director, and RTP's "The New Century" -- well, it's got 'new' right there in the title. So I think 'new' -- and busy -- is the theme of this weekend. Not sure how "Ugly Duckling" at Theatre IV fits in with that theme exactly but I'll think on it.

Also, the first ad for the RTCC awards is in today's T-D. So that's kind of a new thing, too.

Bored

OK, people out there who don't like critics, I get it. You don't like critics, don't think we serve a purpose, wish there were no such thing. It's not worth arguing anymore. I'll trot out my old analogy: arguing over the value of critics in the artistic process with you all is like fighting over whether God is a man or woman to an athiest. You don't believe and never will. That's fine.

I'll offer another analogy: critics are like state-run lotteries. Some people think they're just plain fun, some think they are a vital but unfortunate aspect of the process, still others think they are evil and should be banned. Many don't even give them a second thought. The thing is: critics have been around as long as there has been theater and I expect they'll be around as long as there is any kind of performing arts, television, movies, virtual 3D interactive experiences, etc.

Before state-run lotteries, there were (and still are) illegal numbers games. If I wasn't published in Style, I would still write my opinions on this blog and some people would still be interested in them (even if it was just my wife and children). People have always been interested in opinions expressed in a literate (or even semi-literate) way, which is why newspaper have always had editorial pages.

So the bottom line to me is that, whether you like it or not, critics are here. If you don't like it, for God's sake, please stop reading my blog and wasting my time. My opinion is not worth anything to you, so why do you waste your time reading it?

Beyond that, I'm bored with this discussion and I expect others -- who come to this space to read about theater, not about critics -- are bored as well. So comment away if you like -- on someone else's blog. But this particular topic is closed as far as I'm concerned.

More notices, more posts

For those who are interested in what a critic might have to say, Mary Burruss has a review of "Boleros for the Disenchanted" in this week's Style and John Porter has made his opinion of "Souvenir" available on his blog. Of course, there are some people who are still holding their breath, squeezing their eyes tight, and hoping critics will just go away, like a commenter on Bruce's post related to Julinda Lewis on the Barksdale Blog.

I like the assertion the commenter makes that he/she just doesn't see the PURPOSE of critics. The funny thing is that publications still seem to see the purpose for them because they continue to pay us for our opinion. Another funny thing is that, while some people apparently don't value critics at all, others chastise the Times-Dispatch for not caring enough about the arts to hire a full-time, "qualified" critic. But, for the critic-haters, the best service the T-D (and Style and WCVE...) could do would be to fire all of their critics (or maybe kill them, as per Bruce's commenter) and just make more room for ad space. Heck, why not make the whole paper ads? I'd certainly pay for that paper! (not)

I also like the commenter's assertion that word-of-mouth is the "only truly accurate opinion." Hmmm... I sense a whiff of oxymoron around that one. There's the strictly definitional contradiction. But also, if I based my theater-going on word-of-mouth only, I'd see 10% of the shows I see. I've heard people -- often theater people -- rail against shows because of aspects of a production I didn't care about or didn't notice. I've heard others dismiss shows because they have the word "fuck" in them or because they involve unsavory things like, well, goat-fucking. You see, everyone's a critic. Some are just paid.

“Well, I guess that’s it”

So this past Saturday night was almost indescribable in its cumulative weirdness. But try to describe it I will. I apologize if I impugn any individuals I don’t mean to impugn in the course of relating this story; I really will try to describe only what transpired. But I’m sure some editorial commentary will slip in reflecting my bewilderment about certain specific circumstances. Restraint may end up being a vain hope before I am done.

I had made reservations for 6:30pm at the Hanover Tavern and Pub. My wife and I had promised to take my mom out to a show for nearly 9 months running and finally the stars aligned to make it happen. But when those stars align, sometimes it can be dangerous.

If you remember, it was kind of a sloppy, rainy night Saturday. We live south of the river, my mom lives in the west end and the Tavern is up near Ashland. As so often happens in Richmond, the weather intimidated some drivers so completely that they insisted on driving 10 miles per hour below the speed limit along lengthy two-lane rural roads. The cumulative effect of this over the course of our travels resulted in us arriving 10 minutes late for our reservation.

When we informed the maitre’d, she exclaimed, “Wow, you all are pushin’ it!” She handed us off to a hostess who in turn exclaimed incredulously, “You all are here for theater?!?!” She took us up to our table and instructed us, “Be SURE and tell your server you are here for theater.” Apparently, arriving only 80 minutes before the show was the cause for considerable distress among the waitstaff. I should say that I know that their intentions were good and their concern was in a way admirable. But the effect of their alarm was to make us feel in a way chastised and a bit defensive.

The very nice waitress took our drink order and then disappeared for 10 minutes. When she came back, she looked at the menus we had been dutifully studying and told us they were the wrong ones. She gave us the “theater” menus and then disappeared for another 10 minutes. When we finally ordered, taking note of the rampant anxiety about the time, we said that we are happy to take our dessert during intermission. I should note that, at this time, still being only barely past 7pm, we aren’t really worried. But still, better safe than sorry, right?

Repeatedly during the ensuing 30 minutes, we catch snippets of the waitstaff at the wait-station immediately behind us in conversation, saying “I don’t think they are going to make it.” “It’s going to be really close with them.” Etc. Etc. We are served our salads around 7:10 and our entrees by 7:20ish (“we don’t mean to rush you”) and the food is fantastic. We have a second glass of wine. All seems to be going well until we see our waitress suddenly rushing past us and then down the stairs in a near-panic. We look back at the wait-station and our hostess is coughing and gagging and generally in a bad way. We ask “are you OK?” She shakes her head “No.” We are confused and consider whether we should call 911. The waitress returns saying, “She’s gone.” The hostess is having an asthma attack and the waitress was trying to find the maitre-d to borrow an inhaler from her. The maitre-d has left for the night. The hostess puts her head in a freezer for several minutes. We hold tight, cell phones at the ready as she slowly recovers, which she does. Whew!

We finish our entrees and have coffee and it’s 7:45pm. The waitress is delightful. We’ve shared this tense situation and I think we all feel closer. The waitress says, “we could bring you your dessert now if you want.” No, we’ll stick with the original plan.

We settle up and head down to the theater. We’re in the center of the house, about 4 rows up, nice seats. After a few minutes, the lights start to go down. The recorded curtain speech. The buzz of conversation starts to fade. Except right over my right shoulder, one couple continues to talk…and loudly. “WELL, I DON’T KNOW. IT SOUNDS LIKE IT COULD BE FUNNY.” “I GUESS WE’LL SEE.” “WE CAN ALWAYS LEAVE IF WE DON’T LIKE IT.”

The play starts. Jonathan Spivey plays and sings with cheerful confidence. He starts his narration. The couple behind us has been quiet for maybe 5 minutes before they begin to comment. “HER NAME IS FLORENCE. I THINK THIS IS AFTER SHE’S DIED.” My wife and I both turn and give the couple “the look.” They are quiet for another stretch. We meet Florence / Debra. Eventually, she sings. “OH, THAT’S BAD. THAT’S REALLY BAD.” “HOW CAN SHE NOT KNOW SHE’S SO BAD?” Again, the look. The crowd is looser now because of the laughter, and it apparently doesn’t register. “SHE WOULD HAVE TO RENT A HALL FOR PEOPLE TO COME HEAR THAT.” “DO YOU THINK SHE’S GOING TO GET BETTER?” Finally, my wife leans back and assertively Shushes them.

We then get a nice little chunk of commentary-free action before, about 30 minutes into the show, a door at the very front of the house-right section – that is, in view of everybody else in the audience – opens and three people in wheelchairs slowly roll into the house. They creep forward slowly and I – and I expect a few dozen other people in the house – try mightily to maintain our focus on the action on the stage. There doesn’t seem to be anyone attending them. Then, the woman in the first wheelchair rolls that one inch too many and – as we all look on in horror – the front wheels of her chair slip over a small step and she is thrown forward out of the chair with the chair toppling over on top of her.

A gasp goes through the crowd. No one in the house-right section seems to know what’s going on. Finally, a man in the front of the center section walks across the stage to get to the woman. At this point, Debra – the unbelievably composed and consummate professional that she is – says, “I think we need to hold.” Chase comes out from backstage. No one seems to be attending these people. Chase and the center section guy are able to get the woman back in her chair. It’s still not clear if anyone came with the people in the wheelchairs to assist them. After a couple of minutes – that must have seemed like an eternity to Jonathan and Debra – the people in wheelchairs seem to be situated. Debra asks whether everyone is ok. There is no answer. Debra asks whether it is ok for the show to continue. There is no answer. Finally, my wife – and perhaps some others from the audience – yell out to Debra that everything seems to be OK. Demonstrating her skill and composure again, Debra says to Jonathan something to the effect of “let’s take it from bar 22 then shall we?” and they bravely and flawlessly pick back up again.

Well, as if this was not interesting enough already, in addition to the three people in wheelchairs, there is another man with the crowd of latecomers who seems to have some neurological disorder. A few minutes after the action starts up again, he starts making small noises and little gestures. He appears to be cold and at one point puts a shirt or jacket over his head. Later, he’ll get up from his seat and move to another empty seat at the end of his row. I’m aware of this because his actions are accompanied by noises and, with each one, I watch the heads of the people in the four rows in front of me all turn toward the house-right section.

Let me interject that there have been shows at the Empire I have gone to where differently-abled patrons and antsy children have been in attendance. In a big theater and amidst the sounds of a big musical, small distractions can be tuned out. In the intimacy of the Tavern’s theater, they are unavoidable.

The lights come up for the end of Act I and the woman sitting next to Holly says cheerfully, “Well, I guess that’s it!”

At intermission, we retire to the Pub for our desserts (incidentally – and this kind of feels like piling on but, in the interest of completeness, my mom’s dessert ends up not being what she ordered). Crème brule and Pecan Pie -- truly delicious and I would highly recommend them. A woman that is sitting two rows behind us thanks my wife for “shushing” the loud-talkers in the row between us. We see Joe Pabst and express our support and admiration for Debra. We hear later that, at some point during intermission, Chase falls down a flight of stairs, which is why he is limping when we see him at the end of the show.

We return to our seats for the second act and the loud talkers are at it. “WELL, I JUST DON’T SEE WHAT THEY ARE GOING TO DO WITH IT NOW.” “IT SEEMS LIKE SHE’S GOING TO KEEP SINGING THAT WAY; I THINK THAT’S GOING TO BE THE WHOLE JOKE.” We give them “the look” as the lights go down and that seems to settle them down.

The second act proceeds without significant incident except for the repeated grunts, peeps, and exclamations from house-right. There is a woman not in a wheelchair with them. The noise-maker moves next to her and starts poking her. Quiet moments on stage are interrupted by high-pitched “woo”s from house right. I focus as intently as I can on Debra and Jonathan.

The show progresses with much hilarity and appreciation from the audience. The concert at Carnegie Hall wows the crowd. Things move deliberately toward the moving, magnificent final scene. Debra comes out and begins to sing. Only about 3 bars into the song and already a tear is flowing down my wife’s cheek. The crowd is rapt – even our friends in house-right. And at about this point, the sound of about 10 hard candy wrappers all being removed at once starts to rise from the woman sitting next to my wife. She has a Styrofoam container in a plastic bag with (apparently) her leftovers from dinner. At this point – at the epic pinnacle of the entire show – she decides to check to make sure her food has not somehow escaped the container. She shuffles it back and forth in her lap, loudly and persistently. My blood pressure begins to rise to dangerous levels. After about a solid minute of this wretched, interminable noise, my wife grabs the woman’s arm, prepared to chastise her. The woman is apparently shocked by this sudden contact and freezes. Debra finishes her song. It is a beautiful moment – a transcendent moment – and all I am hearing is a horrid echo of a squeaky Styrofoam container.

Our standing ovation is immediate and fervent, if for no other reason to dispel some of the built up frustration of the entire night. We leave the theater and we walk off into the dreary night, with curses on our lips for the ungracious, the inept, the ignorant and the inconsiderate. I think many thoughts that I will be ashamed of later.

Cavalcade of coverage

In the past couple of days, John Porter’s review of “Irma Vep” hit his website; Celia Wren went in-depth on Henley Street’s new Artistic Director, James Ricks; and Julinda Lewis talked about “Souvenir.” Who says there’s no theater coverage in this town? In comparison, a perusal of the Washington Post’s Sunday Style&Arts section doesn’t have a single story about theater (though it does have a full-page story on two Rockville men getting married leading off the wedding announcements, something we probably won’t see here for a while).

My lovely wife, my lovely mother and I had the most infuriating, surreal, and so-ridiculous-it-became-hilarious nights I've ever had at the theater last night, amidst which was Barksdale’s quite fine production of “Souvenir.” I’ll weigh in on the show (and the night) soon but many kudos go out to Debra Wagoner and Jonathan Spivey who held it together admirably during a night full of … um, well, challenges would be putting it mildly.

Watch the Racks

Fall is an exciting time of year for so many reasons. One that might not be on your radar is that its when Richmond magazine announces the Theresa Pollak Prizes for Excellence in the Arts. I've got a little insider info on this one and I can tell you theater fans that you might want to check out the list, for at least one honoree in particular. If you ask me, it's one of their most inspired choices to date and it makes me smile every time I think about it. The announcement will be in the October issue which I think hits the racks next week.

Speaking of the Pollak prizes, previous winner Debra Wagoner opens in "Souvenir" out at the Tavern tonight. You might want to check it out to see just why the Divine Ms. W is such a prize!

Enchanted by "the Disenchanted"

I was lucky enough to be driving when John Porter's review of "Boleros" was broadcast yesterday. But I'm very happy that John has started posting his reviews on his blog so you don't have to be tuned in to hear them. It's not the same without his mellifluous voice speaking the words but you'll just have to use your imagination for that.

Boys and Man

Mary Burruss's review of "Boy's Life" showed up on the Style site this afternoon. It's nice to see Maggie Marlin's performance spotlighted.

Also, you may have heard that Henley Street has pushed it's opening of "Shining City" back a week. If you have heard the reason, you know that it's fairly miraculous that the production is happening at all. The show's star, Joe Inscoe, had a mild heart attack this past weekend. Whereas you might think that would necessitate some serious re-working in the production, apparently Joe was telling the docs to hurry up and get him out of the hospital because he had a show to open next weekend.

As Jacquie O'Connor put it: "I would say Joe is the definition of 'The show must go on." I'll say!

Here's hoping for Joe's quick and robust recovery and for a fabulous run of "Shining City!"

Presenting the Presenters

First things first: John Porter has weighed in on Firehouse’s “Boy’s Life.” Check it out.

I only caught a little bit of the Emmys on Sunday but enough to peak my appetite for seeing beautiful people dressed up pretty. Neil Patrick Harris is a lot of fun as well as being a dashing man.

At this particular moment, I’m in the lounge of a car dealership watching Aaron Gilchrist on NBC 12 and he is one dashing man as well. And while he may not be willing to show off his singing voice like NPH, he is also a good sport and I am reminded that we are lucky to have him as Master of Ceremonies of the RTCC awards.

When we announced the nominees for the awards, we noted that two of the award presenters were going to be Mayor Dwight Jones and best-selling author David Robbins. Since then, several other great award presenters have agreed to join us for the evening.

I’ve already mentioned that Sabrina Squire is going to be a very special guest star, drawing the winner of two tickets to “Avenue Q.” Among the other people you’ll see on stage are:

Dr. Aaron Anderson, professor of Voice and Movement at Theatre VCU.

Jeanne Boisineau, renowned Hollywood casting director and local actress.

Melissa Chase, afternoon drive host for Q94 and disc spinner for XM Radio Channel 21.

David Fisk, executive director of the Richmond Symphony.

Virgil Hazelett, Henrico County Manager and recently named #1 on Style’s Power List.

Harry Kollatz, local author, senior writer for Richmond Magazine, and cofounder of the Firehouse Theater.

Keith Martin, Managing Director of the Richmond Ballet.

Rita McClenney , director of the Virginia Film Office.

And that’s just the people we’ve invited who are not active members of the theater community. I’m just as excited to have many of the RTCC winners from last year back on stage to present awards this year. Among them are: Audra Honaker, Jason Marks, Jenn Meharg, Stephen Ryan, Debra Wagoner, and Irene Zeigler.

And finally, two beautiful women who were also on stage last year will be featured on stage again this year: the stunning and multi-talented Dawn Westbrook-Boyd will present the Best Acting Ensemble award and the delightfully entertaining and lovely Jill Bari Steinberg will be co-presenting with the Mayor, hopefully keeping him on message.

What a lineup, ay? Have you got your tickets yet?

Doubleheader

Wow, it seems like forever since there has been two shows opening on a weekend! But “Boleros” stormed the stage at the Barksdale on Friday, followed by the stormy “Irma Vep” on Saturday. I missed them both thanks to an over-stressed lower back but Ms. Haubenstock at the T-D made them both. So you have her take on “Vep” in today’s edition to compliment the review of “Boleros” that ran over the weekend. Enjoy!

Getting Hep to "Vep"

Tonight is the first preview for “The Mystery of Irma Vep” down at Swift Creek Mill. In contrast to their season opener last year – the substantially casted “Sideshow” – “Vep” is a two-hander that will star a couple Mill faves, David Janeski and John Hagadorn. I’m a little nervous about the possible “Big Tuna”-esque nature of the show – a genre many people love but that I’m not an unconditional fan of – but I think Mssrs. Janeski and Hagadorn are both accomplished enough to make it interesting at least, and quite possibly delightful at most.

In looking over the rest of the Mill’s season, I’m a little surprised not to see any big cast musical of the “Sideshow” or even the “Altar Boyz” variety. As you can tell from the numerous RTCC award nominations, “Altar Boyz” was a definite fave among us critics last season. Personally, I brought nearly my entire clan to the show and they all had a fabulous time.

Musicals have a long and storied history at the Mill and some of my favorite locally-produced musicals of all time have been bigger Mill shows (both of the “Joseph / Dreamcoat” productions they’ve done in relatively recent history, the original “Smoke on the Mountain” of course…) So I have to admit a sense of disappointment that the musicals on their slate this season are a variety show and a two-hander (“Pete ‘n Keely”).

Still, with Stage 1’s demise, the number of musicals in general is going to be reduced this season, so beggars can’t really be choosers. And a dearth of the big cast variety will just heighten my anticipation for “Sound of Music” in the Spring.

CenterStage and Sabrina in the Sun

Just a warning: I’m going to be pretty relentless with chatter about the RTCC awards, for two main reasons. One is that there is a lot to say – news about presenters, analysis of nominees, alerts about media appearances, etc. The other is that, according to the ticket masters (not to be confused with TicketMaster) at the Empire, there are still plenty of people who have not bought tickets yet.

Here’s a nice tidbit: as part of the awards this year, we will be raffling off two tickets to the traveling production of “Avenue Q” that will be playing at the glorious Carpenter Theatre in November.

And as a special guest on hand to select the winner we will have the stunning and articulate Sabrina Squire! It will truly be a night of stars.

On the newsstands this week, Style has a nice summary of the CenterStage opening written by Ed Slipek. But that’s not all: Richard Foster goes in-depth with his look at Tony Cosby’s production of “Raisin in the Sun” and Mary Burruss explores rare territory for Style, checking out Artist’s Gang’s production of “Trial of the Catonsville 9” at the Modlin Center.

Magnet

I made it (barely) to the CenterStage open house on Sunday and, like most everyone else I've talked to, was enchanted by what I saw. The Carpenter Theatre is truly gorgeous but the other funky spaces are what particularly tickle my interest. The Gottwald Theatre and Rhythm Hall are the kind of flexible but beautifully designed venues that can be used for a myriad of interesting and exciting productions. While the Carpenter dazzles the senses -- and I can't wait to see a performance there -- the other spaces spark the imagination, IMHO.

I have a couple CenterStage magnets prominently stuck on my fridge now. The key to the whole enterprise, of course, is now that we have these beautiful spaces in Richmond, can the productions that are put up there draw audiences reliably, regularly, and sufficiently. We have the magnet; will the people feel the force of the attraction? I really hope so.

Speaking of attraction, "Boy's Life" is attracting accolades from everyone I've talked to, and that sentiment is reflected in Ms. Haubenstock's glowing review in Saturday's T-D. Seems like this is another Firehouse season opener that is full of magnetism!

Up Up and Away!

After several weeks of anticipation, theater in Richmond finally kicks off tonight with the opening of “Boy’s Life,” continuing on Saturday with the monster grand opening down at CenterStage. A huge swath of the theater pros in town are involved in one way or another – have you seen the group from SPARC doing scenes from “Les Mis?” Wow!

It’s hard for me not to feel some pangs of regret about not jumping on tickets earlier but I take some solace in knowing that I’m not alone. After a Facebook posting where I mentioned that I wouldn’t be spending this month’s school supply budget on the $85+ tickets, I heard from numerous other theater folks who won’t be at the grand opening. We’ll be wandering around during the tours on Sunday though.

As any true theater geek knows, last night was the premiere of “Glee” on TV. I have to say that this is the only TV show that has been on my wife’s radar since before I can remember. If nothing else, the success of this show will be a gauge of how big the theater geek audience is across the country.

Speaking of TV, another graduate of “American Idol” showed up on stage again, with Diana De Garmo debuting in “Toxic Avenger: the Musical” off-Broadway. So far, the reviews I’ve read, both in Entertainment Weekly and Theatre Mania, have been positive. I have to say that a show that has a song called ''Bitch/Slut/Liar/Whore” probably would have grabbed my attention even without Ms. De Garmo attached. (Still doesn’t top “Avenue Q” for provocative song titles though; I still smile at “The Internet is for Porn” years after the shock value has worn off.)

One final TV item: reading that “Lost” is casting for a teenager, maybe to play young Sawyer, I couldn’t help but think of Brian Walter who was in "Henry V" this summer. Maybe a bit too old, maybe not rough enough around the edges to be Sawyer but still, seems like a good fit to me. What do you think?

Weekly strength

This week's Style is another keeper, with the Fall Arts preview being front and center. You can skim my theater season preview or delve into Ms. Burruss's profile of the Conciliation Project or explicate our new editor's interview with John Bryan of CultureWorks. These, plus other dance and visual arts pieces, make for diverting and often entertaining reading.

I shouldn't short-change our town's daily, however, which had a great preview of this Saturday's CenterStage opening in the paper this past Sunday, plus a mention of a little ole awards show that's happening later in October. It is in print so it must actually be happening! Or maybe we have to wait until it gets mentioned on TV?

Last Year

Someone sent me a question asking where someone could find a listing of the winners of last year's RTCC awards. If you are interested, they can be found on the Richmond.com site. FYI!

A Life in Theater

The Richmond Theatre Critics Circle awards gala is in 6 weeks. Have you bought your tickets yet? Next week, I’ll have a couple exciting announcements to make regarding the event: we’ve lined up a few more award presenters that should pique your interest and there’s a special bonus gift that every attendee will have a shot at winning. Stay tuned!

In the meantime, shows are due to start opening any day now. In recent years, Swift Creek Mill has been the first company out of the starting block, premiering its fall show in late August. This year, it’ll be the Firehouse, with “Boy’s Life” hitting the stage next Thursday.

I saw this show in New York many years ago, and frankly came away not particularly excited about it. However, the Richmond production has many reasons arguing for serious consideration (many of which allow me to pimp the awards show even more…)

Among the stars are Landon Nagel and Maggie Marlin, two RTCC award nominees for their starring turns in Barksdale’s “Children of a Lesser God” and “Thoroughly Modern Millie,” respectively. Mr. Nagel was also a stitch during the 1st RTCC awards gala with his hilarious duet with Jason Marks from “Guys and Dolls.” I’ve only seen Ms. Marlin in musicals – she was an exceptional Velma in VCU’s “Chicago” – so I’ll be curious to see her in a straight role.

Joe Carlson, a 2008 RTCC nominee, put in a fervent performance as Laertes in “Hamlet” this past spring and summer for Richmond Shakespeare, one that fostered some fervent advocacy among the RTCC members this year. Mr. Carlson’s intensity makes nearly everything he does worth watching. Also featured will be Alison Haracznak who has highlighted productions by Henley Street, Sycamore Rouge and most recently for the Night Light Collective. She is another actor who is never boring on stage.

The fearless leader of these talented folks and the rest of the cast will be Morrie Piersol, who directed the winner of Best Play at last year’s Artsies, “The Late Henry Moss.” Mr. Piersol seems to be particularly talented at getting exceptional performances from his cast, “Henry Moss” picking up two acting awards as well. Firehouse’s fall offering tends to be a particular favorite among us RTCCers, with “Eurydice” being one of the most nominated shows from last season.

And lastly, but certainly not leastly, the sound design of “Boy’s Life” is being provided by Bryan Harris, a nominee for his work on “Eurydice.” I can still hear the crystal clear sound of drops echoing through the theater during key moments of that production, an essential aural element in the show.

It all adds up to what looks like a winning starter to the 2009-10 season. Break a leg, “Boy’s!”

Perhaps we could talk about theater

Wow, guess all the drama doesn’t just happen on stage, huh?

Anyway, I’ve just started subscribing to the Washington Post and have noticed quite a bit of hype about the 8th annual Page-to-Stage festival at the Kennedy Center, which is happening this weekend. Now THIS sounds like a great idea! What hole have I been living in that I hadn’t heard about this before?

Sure, as others have said, a peer-led awards recognition type thing for Richmond theater would be awesome. The challenges to creating something like that are daunting, however. I’ve corresponded with people who have set up recognition vehicles in Washington and Chicago and, to make it work, you have to have a LOT of people who are HIGHLY motivated to do it. Certainly not impossible, but daunting.

But really, the whole point is to generate interest, right? Turn mildly interested citizens into ticket-buying audience members, right? And something like this Page-to-Stage thing would be just the ticket. It essentially means taking something like the CenterStage grand opening / open house and doing it every year (oh, and not charging admission for it; oh, and inviting performers outside the resident companies; and probably some other things too…)

To me, if anyone wants to generate more interest in Richmond theater and if anyone at CenterStage is reading and wants ideas for making their new venue beloved and popular, they might do well to have a conversation with the folks behind “Page-to-Stage.” Just a thought.

Official Notice

Commenting on my recent "failure to communicate" post, Anonymous complains that nominees for the RTCC awards have not received "any official sort of notice." S/he goes on to say: "Talk about a failure to communicate - don't assume everyone reads your blog. Take the time to at least contact the producers and ask them to send the messages...they have these odd pieces of paper handed out to every company member of a production...called a "Contact Sheet." I'm sure you've seen one before.

Wouldn't it be embarrassing to have someone win who wasn't there because they didn't know they had been nominated???"

Embarrassing? Hmmm. Maybe. Mostly, it would be unfortunate and I would be disappointed. But to me it would be more unfortunate if some individual who DOES read this blog didn't point out to a nominee that they were nominated if they happen to be in touch with them, perhaps by saying "hey congrats on your nomination!"

Anyway, more to the point and just so you know: members of RTCC were in contact with producers and artistic directors from each theater company months before the nominees were announced. An email with the nominee press release went to representatives of each theater company. And just for good measure, last night I sent out messages via Facebook to everyone I could think of asking them to contact those who I don't have direct contact with.

Last year, with the help of people at many different theater companies, I tracked down emails, phone numbers and sometimes home addresses for every single nominee. I sent messages, called and sent invitations. And even then, there were people who I never heard from. There are nearly 100 nominees for this event -- I will not be spending the hours it takes to make sure that every single person who is nominated has been personally contacted.

I am hopeful that the theater companies the RTCC has been in contact with care about the awards at least enough to contact nominees who were working on their productions to let them know they've been nominated. If someone does not get notified, that's unfortunate and I'm sorry. But frankly we're doing what we can and we're dependent on you all for the rest. Thanks for your help.

Others who write

It's back to school week for my kids, a decidedly mixed bag: more madness but at least it's regularly scheduled madness? Anyway, it's also back to school time for an old friend, director and former theater company AD, Rick St. Peter, who is chronicling his pursuit of a Ph. D. – and his reading of 125-odd plays – in a new blog. Definitely worth checking out.

Also, my critical co-conspirator, John Porter, has a blog going as well. His latest post talks about the RTCC awards, an event that he is a vital part of this year. I’ll be doing some more blogging about the awards as well, as soon as I re-teach myself how to make school lunches in less than 30 minutes.

What we have here is a failure to communicate

Deep within the sporadically fascinating correspondence between representatives of CenterStage and Roy Proctor, you can find this exchange:

CS: “[This] is very interesting and a wonderful piece for the book depicting exactly the type of historical activity we want to commemorate.”

RP: “I never saw this book as a matter of the commemoration of historical activity, whatever that means, and I was never told that that was its intent, either.”

To me, this exchange pretty much captures the essence of this spat: two parties that had very different goals and who both realized way too late in the process that they were on different pages. If I had to pick two words to sum it all up, I’d have to go with “miscommunication” and “unfortunate.”

As he is wont to do, Bruce Miller has written an exceptionally even-handed blog post about the conflict with a “Viva la difference” theme that reflects many of my sentiments about the whole thing. And maybe most of the world (or at least Richmond) has moved on from this and really doesn’t care to hash it out any more. That’s fine.

But what still holds fascination for me are the suppositions and tendencies evident in the back-n-forth between the two parties. When I first read about the situation, I was ready to chock this up to another public miscue on the part of the CenterStage folks, trying to spin history and quash negativity. Being at least marginally a journalist, I was all set to take up the side of Mr. Proctor and defend his journalistic integrity.

But I have been on both the hiring side and the "being hired" side of the client/freelancer equation and, looking at things in that light, I find that neither of the parties in this situation are blameless.

It seems clear (to me, at least) that the CenterStage folks had no idea what they were getting with Roy and even approaching him to write a piece of marketing (which is what they wanted, not a piece of journalism) was an error in judgment. Having secured Roy’s services, they seem to have compounded the error by not being specific in exactly what they expected from him – an error I’ve seen many clients make and that can lead to all sorts of confusion and frustration later on in a project. Any number of folks could have steered CenterStage to one of the other equally talented writers in town who could have delivered exactly what they wanted, but nobody did. Unfortunate.

Peruse the correspondence, however, and you get a sense of a writer who does not appreciate being edited, even a little. I’ve had clients tell me to toss out entire pieces, reorder and rework large swaths, and focus more distinctly on this or that, for whatever reason. And, as an employee being employed, and as long as I’m not lying or committing slander, I’ve generally done what I’m told. Instead, Roy responded thusly:

CS: “The focus on TheatreVirginia on page 2 and 3 feels like an unnecessarily large part of the narrative.”
RP: The demise of TheatreVirginia and its place in the Richmond CenterStage scheme of things is one of the most dramatic chapters in the entire saga of Richmond CenterStage…I think the length is justified, and I oppose changing it.

Excuse me? Your editor tells you to cut, you cut. Or you quit and forfeit your commission.

Beyond this kind of testy exchange, there is also some professorial editorializing in Roy’s responses that, again, seem to me wildly out of place in a client/freelancer relationship:

CS: “We have a fear that the number of mentions of the News Leader and RTD are so numerous that the copy reads as a recount of newspaper clippings. Is there a way to minimize the number of mentions?”
RP: “Newspapers, with their day-in-day-out, on-the-spot, you-are-there reporting, are an incomparable source for the kind of writing we’re dealing with here. They reveal the truth and essence of a situation in a way that any number of after-the-fact interviews with image-conscious people or document perusals cannot.”

Again, excuse me? First there is the simple editing thing: the editor says fewer clips, generally I would tend to say OK, I’ll cut some clips. Furthermore, I do a lot of historical research as part of my graduate program and, while newspapers are undoubtedly an invaluable historical resource, they have their own inherent biases, some of those biases making them virtually useless in historical research. Also, they are only one source among many. But perhaps most relevant in this situation: if I’m going to give my client a lecture, I tend to do it in a slightly more friendly tone.

But my favorite exchange of them all is this:

CS: “Can we not refer to CenterStage as ‘costliest?’”
RP: “Again, why? I have a vast knowledge of Richmond theater history going back to the building of the New Theatre in 1784, and Richmond CenterStage is indeed the most expensive and extensive arts project ever achieved in downtown Richmond. I oppose changing it.”

This is a clear case of CenterStage trying to mince words and dodge the thornier aspects of a project that has had its problems from the start. But Proctor’s response where he talks about his “vast knowledge of Richmond theater” (is he talking about firsthand knowledge of the 1784 theater???) is dripping with ego. Whoever the people were that were laughing and chatting amiably when this project started, these people are clearly not the ones interacting anymore. The naked intent of the marketer had run head-on into the naked ego of the veteran journalist. If Mr. Proctor wants to write a journalistic history of CenterStage, he is still free to do so and maybe a publisher will buy that book. But that doesn’t seem to be what CenterStage thought they were buying.

In the end, I agree with Mr. Miller: this is not a fight with a clear winner. But it’s also an instructive example to everyone involved in this venture – and I include all Richmond-area artists, writers, and citizens in that cohort. It’s easy to see CenterStage as the “big bad” here and I’ll be the first to say that I think many –maybe most -- of the ways that this project has been pursued have left me scratching my head.

But there is plenty of ego, prestige, influence, and plain old money on the table here. There’s a lot at stake. When that’s the case, even a simple client/freelancer relationship can be fraught with complication and nuance that blurs the simple good guy / bad guy dynamic into a murkier post-modern stew of intention, misperception and clashing purposes.

Front and Center

Not to be too naked in my advocacy of my part-time employer, but Style with its truly comprehensive coverage of the opening of CenterStage (listing of all the articles here) is absolutely a cover-to-cover read this week. I say that because, beyond all the nice and informative pieces including Ms. Burruss's interview with Richmond Shakespeare's Grant Mudge, you really need to keep going all the way to the end and take in Roy Proctor's Back Page piece on his commission to write the CenterStage history.

I am delighted to see Mr. Proctor's byline in Style, I think it is an intriguing story, and it marks another puzzling aspect of this whole 70-plus million dollar excursion into the unknown. The countdown to the grand opening continues...stay tuned!

Fully Committed nearly fully committed

Are you doing anything this Saturday afternoon? If you haven't seen "Fully Committed" out at the Tavern, that's looking like your last chance to do so. As I'm writing this, there are a handful of seats left for the 2pm show but there may not be by the time you read this.

I saw FC last Thurs with the whole family and we all left the show thoroughly star-struck. This feeling only increased during our brief interaction with Scotty after the show, during which he was totally interactive with my kids in a charitable, empathetic way that is unusual for most adults (at least in my experience). It took me back to an interview I did with the stars of “Ella and her Fella Frank” ten years ago where I had my girls with me, 4 and 6 years old at the time. Scott was engaging and friendly back then in much the same way.

As I get older, I am more surprised by the things that don’t change than by the ones that do. I think part of the cynicism of advanced age grows out of continually being disappointed about reality not living up to memory. Among the few things that combat that process are those things that remain true. It sure appears to me that, while his talent and interests have obviously grown over the past decade, Scott’s core attributes – funny, generous, smart – have not changed. It’s enough to give an old man hope.

Questions, questions

Since my post of the nominees yesterday, I've received a lot of questions, some highly rhetorical, some just wanting more information. Here are a couple answers, more will come later, others will have to remain unanswered:

All nominees, presenters and critics will need to buy tickets to attend the awards events. We kept the ticket price low so that this hopefully does not inhibit anyone from coming. We realize that it's a little weird to require people to pay for entry into an event where they've been nominated for an award. But it's the only way we can make it work, both administratively and financially. No one is lining their pockets with the prodigious sums that will be collected: Any and all profits from the event will be donated to the Theatre Artist's Fund.

Most people can purchase tickets online (there's a link on the Theatre IV site) but nominees need to call the Theatre IV box office directly. Some seating has been reserved to allow nominees easier access to the stage should they need to accept an award. Nominees are also encouraged to send an email to rtccva@gmail.com if you want to be kept apprised of any nominee-specific (mostly logistical) news that might be pertinent down the road.

The Critics Circle selected nominees and winners for the awards in a collaborative process involving all 6 members. Those who are preparing to rail against me personally – or who have already done so – can cool their jets. Just like other theater lovers, I am disappointed that some of my favorites are not included among the nominees and bewildered about some of the ones who are included. But I have a “defending the First Amendment”-like assertion about the nominee list: I may not agree with everything on it, but I staunchly defend the process – and the people who slogged through it – that resulted in the final list.

Is the selection process perfect? Of course not. Are worthy candidates overlooked? Very likely. But in some categories, there were 10 or 12 worthy contenders. Consider this: I know for a fact that there is at least one person out there who thinks the entire Best Actor nominee list should be Scott Wichmann (Richard III), Scott Wichmann (This Wonderful Life), and Scott Wichmann (Fully Committed). Given the breadth and depth of choices, and the wide variety of tastes and opinions among us critics, I am both proud of the final list and moderately amazed that we were able to come up with one at all.

This event was organized last year by advocates of theater who believe it will assist in raising the profile of live theater in Richmond. We really believe that by doing our small part in drawing more attention to this often-overlooked arts discipline, all boats will rise, as it were. Recognizing some people and productions because of our perception of their excellence is not meant to diminish the hard work and exceptional talent of the scores of worthy theater artists who are not on this list. Whether you are listed among the nominees or not, I strongly encourage you to please come to the event on October 18th. It really is a party for everyone. And, if last year was any indication, it should be a blast.

Nominations announced

Sorry for the delay in getting these out. Below is the text of a press release that will go out later this evening. Sorry if the formatting makes it hard to read. Congrats to all of the nominees. If you are getting to this page from Facebook and have questions, some may be answered by this post. More commentary to follow...

Theatre awards to feature new categories, special recognitions
Second annual "Artsies" to be held at Empire Theatre on October 18th

Richmond, VA - The Richmond Theatre Critics Circle (RTCC) has announced the nominees for the Second Annual RTCC "Artsies" Awards for the 2008-09 season, including several new nomination categories and several special recognitions. The group, which was organized to recognize excellence in professional theatre produced in the Richmond area, will hold a black-tie awards gala at 7:00 P.M. on Sunday, October 18th at the Empire Theatre with local NBC newscaster Aaron Gilchrist acting as Master of Ceremonies. Nominations for the Awards are listed below.

"We really hope to kick it up to the next level with this year's awards," asserts RTCC's newest member, John Porter, theatre critic for WCVE Public Radio. "A bigger venue, more star power, and an expanded number of nominees should help us build on the tremendous success of last year's inaugural event." The awards ceremony will feature musical performances from productions nominated for Best Musical. Scheduled presenters include Mayor Dwight Jones and best-selling author David L. Robbins.

RTCC has made nominations in twenty categories, adding recognition for Best Ensemble Acting, Outstanding Achievement in Sound Design, and Outstanding Achievement in Hair or Makeup Design. The Liz Marks award in recognition of extraordinary ongoing contribution to the Richmond-area theatre scene will be presented to the families of Wamer "Buddy" Callahan and Lou Rubin, two of the co-founders of the Swift Creek Mill Theatre.

"There were so many wonderful productions this year, it was difficult to narrow many of the categories down," adds Mary Burruss, an RTCC co-founder and theatre critic for Style Weekly magazine, citing the seven nominees included in the category for Outstanding Achievement in Set Design. RTCC is also giving special recognition for outstanding Fight Choreography to Vanessa Passini for her work on Richmond Shakespeare's "Henry V" and for Outstanding Dialect Direction to Amanda Durst for her work on several productions this past season.

Winners in each of the categories will be announced at a black-tie gala awards ceremony is being sponsored in part by the C.F. Sauer Company and Richmond CenterStage, with media sponsorship provided by the Richmond Times-Dispatch.

All proceeds from the awards ceremony will go to support the Richmond Theatre Artists Fund, a fund established by the Richmond Alliance of Professional Theatres to help those in the Richmond theatre community who fall on hard of times due to illness, injury or extenuating circumstances. Members of the RTCC include Mary Burruss (Style Weekly magazine), Susan Haubenstock (Richmond Times-Dispatch), Julinda Lewis (Richmond Times-Dispatch), John Porter (WCVE), David Timberline (Style Weekly magazine), and Joan Tupponce (JoanTupponce.com).

Formal attire is encouraged for the awards ceremony, which is open to the public. Tickets for the event are $10 and can be purchased from the Theatre IV box office by calling 344-8040.

Nominations for the Second Annual Richmond Theatre Critics Circle Awards
for the 2008-2009 theatre season

Category
Best Musical
Altar Boyz, Swift Creek Mill Theatre
Annie, Theatre IV
The Great American Trailer Park Musical, Firehouse Theatre Project
Thoroughly Modern Millie, Barksdale Theatre
tick, tick...Boom!, Stage 1 Theatre Company

Best Direction - Musical
Robin Arthur, Annie, Theatre IV
Patti D'Beck,, Thoroughly Modern Millie, Barksdale Theatre
Chase Kniffen, Children's Letters to God, Stage 1 Theatre Company
Chase Kniffen, tick, tick...Boom!, Stage 1 Theatre Company
Tom Width, Altar Boyz, Swift Creek Mill Theatre

Best Actor - Musical
Brett Ambler, tick, tick...Boom!, Stage 1 Theatre Company
Gordon Bass, Annie, Theatre IV
Zak Resnick, Thoroughly Modern Millie, Barksdale Theatre
Christopher Stewart, Summer of '42, Stage 1 Theatre Company
Paul Valley, The Great American Trailer Park Musical, Firehouse Theatre Project

Best Actress - Musical
Kim Jones Clark, The Great American Trailer Park Musical, Firehouse Theatre Project
Audra Honaker, tick, tick...Boom!, Stage 1 Theatre Company
Maggie Marlin, Thoroughly Modern Millie, Barksdale Theatre
Robyn O'Neill / Angela Shipley, Side Show, Swift Creek Mill Theatre
Joy Williams, Annie, Theatre IV

Best Supporting Actor - Musical
Timothy Ford, Thoroughly Modern Millie, Barksdale Theatre
Chris Hester, The Great American Trailer Park Musical, Firehouse Theatre Project
Christopher Hlusko, Thoroughly Modern Millie, Barksdale Theatre
Drew Seigla, Summer of '42, Stage 1 Theatre Company
Sean Williams, Altar Boyz, Swift Creek Mill Theatre

Best Supporting Actress - Musical
Ellie Atwood, Summer of '42, Stage 1 Theatre Company
Nancy McMahon, The Great American Trailer Park Musical, Firehouse Theatre Project
Linda Poser, Thoroughly Modern Millie, Barksdale Theatre
Maggie Roop, Annie, Theatre IV
Ali Thibodeau, Thoroughly Modern Millie, Barksdale Theatre

Best Musical Direction
Sandy Dacus, tick, tick...Boom!, Stage 1 Theatre Company
Paul Deiss, Altar Boyz, Swift Creek Mill Theatre
Paul Deiss, Thoroughly Modern Millie, Barksdale Theatre
Jimmy Hicks, Children's Letters to God, Stage 1 Theatre Company
Tony Williams, Summer of '42, Stage 1 Theatre Company

Best Choreography
Robin Arthur, Annie, Theatre IV
Patti D'Beck, Thoroughly Modern Millie, Barksdale Theatre
Mickey Nugent, Altar Boyz, Swift Creek Mill Theatre

Best Play
Children of a Lesser God, Barksdale Theatre
The Clean House, Barksdale Theatre
Eurydice, Firehouse Theatre Project
True West, Henley Street Theatre Co
Well, Barksdale Theatre

Best Direction
Steve Perigard, The Clean House, Barksdale Theatre
Bruce Miller, Children of a Lesser God, Barksdale Theatre
Bo Wilson, True West, Henley Street Theatre Co
Rusty Wilson, Eurydice, Firehouse Theatre Project
Keri Wormald, Well, Barksdale Theatre

Best Actor - Play
David Clark, True West, Henley Street Theatre Co
Tony Foley, True West, Henley Street Theatre Co
Joe Inscoe, Eurydice, Firehouse Theatre Project
Landon Nagel, Children of a Lesser God, Barksdale Theatre
Scott Wichmann, Richard III, Henley Street Theatre Co

Best Actress - Play
Robin Arthur, The Clean House, Barksdale Theatre
Bianca Bryan, The Clean House, Barksdale Theatre
Laine Satterfield, Eurydice, Firehouse Theatre Project
Erica Siegel, Children of a Lesser God, Barksdale Theatre
Jody Strickler, Well, Barksdale Theatre

Best Ensemble Acting
A Midsummer Night's Dream, Richmond Shakespeare
Altar Boyz, Swift Creek Mill Theatre
Children's Letters to God, Stage 1 Theatre Company
The Great American Trailer Park Musical, Firehouse Theatre Project
Driving Miss Daisy, Barksdale Theatre

Best Actor in a Supporting Role - Play
Larry Cook, Eurydice, Firehouse Theatre Project
Brandon Crowder, One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, Henley Street Theatre Co
Richard Gregory, Children of a Lesser God, Barksdale Theatre
Michael Hawke, Arsenic & Old Lace, Swift Creek Mill Theatre
Steve Moore, One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, Henley Street Theatre Co

Best Actress in a Supporting Role - Play
Jolene Carroll / Jackie Jones, Arsenic & Old Lace, Swift Creek Mill Theatre
Elise Boyd, Inspecting Carol, Sycamore Rouge
Jan Guarino, The Clean House, Barksdale Theatre
Marta Rainer, Rabbit Hole, Firehouse Theatre Project
Stefani Zabner, Of Mice and Men, Swift Creek Mill Theatre

Outstanding Achievement in Lighting Design
Joe Doran, Altar Boyz, Swift Creek Mill Theatre
Joe Doran, Of Mice and Men, Swift Creek Mill Theatre
Lynne Hartman, The Clean House, Barksdale Theatre
Kenny Mullens, Children's Letters to God, Stage 1 Theatre Company
Kenny Mullens, Summer of '42, Stage 1 Theatre Company

Outstanding Achievement in Costume Design
Rebecca Cairns / Ann Hoskins, Henry V, Richmond Shakespeare
Sue Griffin, The Clean House, Barksdale Theatre
Sue Griffin, Thoroughly Modern Millie, Barksdale Theatre
Elizabeth Weiss Hopper, Sideways Stories from Wayside School, Theatre IV
Charlotte Schiff / Betty Williams, All My Sons, Chamberlayne Actors Theatre

Outstanding Achievement in Set Design
Brian Barker, Sideways Stories from Wayside School, Theatre IV
Phil Hayes, Eurydice, Firehouse Theatre Project
Lin Heath, All My Sons, Chamberlayne Actors Theatre
Ron Keller, Thoroughly Modern Millie, Barksdale Theatre
Keith Saine, Translations , Sycamore Rouge
Mercedes Schaum, Summer of '42, Stage 1 Theatre Company
Tom Width, Of Mice and Men, Swift Creek Mill Theatre

Outstanding Achievement in Sound Design
Buddy Bishop, Chapter Two, Chamberlayne Actors Theatre
Derek Dumais, Sideways Stories from Wayside School, Theatre IV
Bryan Harris, Eurydice, Firehouse Theatre Project
Derome Scott Smith, From the Mississippi Delta, African American Repertory Theatre
Wendy Vandergrift, Summer of '42, Stage 1 Theatre Company

Outstanding Achievement in Hair / Makeup Design
Sue Griffin, Thoroughly Modern Millie, Barksdale Theatre
Sarah Grady, Annie, Theatre IV
Junior Oxendine, Pulp, Richmond Triangle Players
Elizabeth Weiss Hopper, Sideways Stories from Wayside School, Theatre IV

Outstanding Achievement, in Dialect Direction
Amanda Durst, Multiple productions

Outstanding Achievement in Fight Choreography
Vanessa Passini, Henry V, Richmond Shakespeare

Liz Marks Memorial Award for Ongoing Contribution to Richmond Area theatre
Wamer "Buddy" Callahan, Lou Rubin

Antici…pation

There’s a sense, at least in my little corner of the world, of a lull in the action. Summer camps and swim teams are largely done, kids are hustling up to finish their summer reading before school starts, several coworkers are on vacation.

However, it’s not exactly a lull time as far as local theater goes. Theatre IV is readying its bazillion tours to go out into the field once schools open; other local companies are in -- or soon will be in – audition for their first Fall show. And so I think – and I’m totally projecting here so I may be totally off -- there may be more of a feeling of anxious anticipation among many of the theater folk in town rather than the enjoyment of a brief respite.

There are three things that do have me feeling some of that eager anticipatory feeling: 1) the opening of CenterStage in a few weeks (have you seen the sparkly stars that trail your mouse on their website – it’s pretty way cool!), 2) the arrival of my new boss at Style, Don Harrison, who while running his popular website, SaveRichmond.com, has had many pointed and insightful things to say about CenterStage, and 3) an eminent awards-related announcement. So while I can never fully empathize with my pals deeply engrossed in the business, I can sorta get a glimpse of what it may be like in some corners of the theater world right now. Here’s hoping all of our endeavors turn out well!

Adding it up

Next Thursday, I’ll be seeing “Fully Committed” at Hanover Tavern. I just checked my geeky little spreadsheet where I keep track of company schedules and various other details and noted that it’ll be the 40th distinct local professional theater production I’ve seen between September 2008 and August 2009.

I say “distinct” because I saw Stage 1's “Children’s Letters to God” at least 4 times, maybe 5. I saw Theatre IV’s “Annie” twice all the way through and other additional snippets during its run.

I say “local” because I saw “Oliver!” in Charlottesville 3 times and “South Pacific” in NYC, just once.

I say “professional” because I saw two VCU productions, an exceptional CYT show and a few endearing school plays.

And I also saw a few shows that I don’t exactly know where they fall along these various spectra (is the Playhouse at Fort Lee local? Is it professional? I don’t honestly know either answer.)

So if you add it all up, I can pretty confidently say that I saw, on average, one play a week this past year. Out of all of those productions, I wrote 20 reviews. (I also wrote an indeterminate number of features and interviews, maybe 8 or 10?) This leads me to make a few comments:

People wonder – some out loud, some just to themselves I’m sure – what qualifies me to be a critic. If I was lost in a fit of braggadocio, I could maybe outline some journalistic qualifiers. But one of the most important aspects of being a good critic, I think, is seeing a whole bunch of shows. I’ve been doing this for almost 10 years now and so have seen at least 500 distinct local theater productions during that time. Nothing has given me as much perspective on the range of talent and skill available here in Richmond or versed me as well in the differences between just a good show and a truly amazing one.

I’m realizing slowly but surely that this level of viewership is unsustainable for me. A couple of years back, I was going to fewer plays because I was writing fewer reviews but this past year, because of my son’s activities and because of the whole Critics Circle awards thing, I’ve been seeing more shows. And I am regularly encouraged / invited to see the ones I’ve missed. I can’t keep it up. There’s simply not enough nights in the week or hours in the day.

I’m really lucky. Not many people get to see so much theater. And fewer get paid to do it. If seeing theater and writing about it paid enough to feed my family, I’d do it as my sole vocation (maybe). And whether the number of shows I see diminishes or not, I’ll never stop going. Theatre is simply too much fun.

Style Weekly Names Don Harrison as Arts & Culture Editor

Below is a bit of news released late yesterday afternoon. It's good news for local theater folks to have someone well-versed in the local scene at the Arts helm at Style. I worked tangentially with Don at 64 magazine and am looking forward to working with him more directly at Style.

RICHMOND – Award-winning journalist Don Harrison, a longtime Virginia arts advocate, has been named Arts & Culture Editor of the 27-year-old Style Weekly, an alternative newsweekly covering news, arts, culture and opinion in the state capital.

Harrison, a Style contributor, also has served as contributing editor of the bimonthly lifestyle magazine Virginia Living, associate editor of the former regional arts publication 64 Magazine and helped launch the former Soul of Virginia magazine. He’s contributed to Parade Magazine, AOL-Digital Cities, C-Ville Weekly, the Daily Press and The Virginian-Pilot.

In July Harrison completed a two-year project as chief researcher and writer for “Virginia Rocks! The History of Rockabilly in the Commonwealth,” a 2-CD set and museum exhibit produced in conjunction with the Blue Ridge Institute and Museum at Ferrum College. The project, in partnership with Brent Hosier and Grammy-winning sound specialist Chris King, was partially funded with a grant from the Virginia Foundation for the Humanities.

Harrison also has been a Richmond representative to the Virginia Commission for the Arts’ Central Virginia advisory council and served on the Arts Council of Richmond’s Arts and Cultural Funding Consortium. (He will step down from those positions in assuming this new role with Style Weekly.) Since 2006 he’s been an active member of the programming committee for the widely acclaimed National/Richmond Folk Festival.

In accepting this position with Style, Harrison will retire from his participation in SaveRichmond.com, a six-year-old blog that received the 2005 Laurence E. Richardson Freedom of Information Award from the Virginia Coalition for Open Government.

Harrison can be reached at Style Weekly beginning Monday, Aug. 17, at 804-358-0825, ext. 347, and at don.harrison@styleweekly.com.

Oh what a night

"Late December back in ’63, what a lady, what a night…"

Oh, sorry, just having a little “Jersey Boys” moment. But, speaking of nights, I caught up with “Night of January 16th” at Sycamore Rouge last Friday and was glad that I did. A show that has a real danger of being a “gimmick” show ended up being a thoroughly involving drama under Shanea Taylor’s focused direction. And even though I have read dozens of detective / mystery type books and should have seen it coming, I ended up being nicely surprised by the second act reveal.

But what made me think of the old “December ‘63” song was Beth Von Kelsch’s excellent performance as “superwoman” Karen Andre. If you read Ayn Rand when you are fairly young (which I did) and then grow up to discover irony, moral relativism, and all the ways that Rand’s philosophy runs into trouble in the real world, the “John Galt” uber-mensch stuff can be almost a little embarrassing. But Von Kelsch made Andre human as well as commanding and convincing as the willing follower of the bigger-than-life industrialist we never meet, Bjorn Faulkner. My favorite moment may have been the mixture of haughtiness, annoyance and impatience when she was offered the Bible to swear on.

Also worthy of special note was David White who essentially owns the third act of the show. He pulled off some startling emotional outbursts, but really shines in the smoothly sinister ease in which he deflects the questioning of the dogged District Attorney. It was definitely worth hanging in there until the end to see Mr. White’s fine work. It was also fun to see his lovely fiancé spending time in the jury box at the performance I attended.

I thoroughly enjoyed Ryan Tiller as the firey Defense Attorney – and have to compliment whoever outfitted him with those fancy shoes in the third act – as well as Marie Weigle as the not-so-convincingly grieving widow, Nancy Lee Faulkner. Both of their performances leaned toward a certain one-notedness but, particularly in the context of a courtroom drama, they were entirely appropriate.

As I think I’ve said before, sometimes it’s quality in the smaller roles that really push a production from good to great. Dean Knight and Elise Boyd both were given opportunities to chew the scenery in their relatively small parts and both did a fine job of it. And Jack Lambert was a stitch as Elmer Sweeney; I hope to see him in something else that will give him more of a chance to show his stuff.

The show isn’t perfect – it starts out pretty slow and some of the courtroom conventions are a little clunky. A couple of the performances were a bit stiff. The night I went, the intermission was fairly interminable, going on for almost a half-hour, but maybe I was just anxious for things to get going again.

But that's kind of beside that point. Perhaps the most fascinating part of the show is how the bold philosophy of an author writing 70 years ago can seem so startling in our “progressive” (or maybe not so much...) culture of today. Rand professed a brazen arrogance of the gifted and an intolerance for anything that hindered their progress. These days we’ve grown uneasy with anything that pushes so hard against our embrace of structure, rules, morality, and religion. On an intellectual level, I wasn’t too surprised when kb told me that audiences had found Andre “Not Guilty” every night – if anything, the show does a fine job of sowing seeds of “reasonable doubt” in a jury. But I would have expected that an older, perhaps more conservative jury along the way would have convicted Ms. Andre.

I certainly do wish I was there on closing night when they stopped the show to allow the cast to weigh in on Andre’s guilt or innocence. Though you might think this would put the gimmick of the show a little too prominently forward, the energizing aspect of the blurred 4th wall sounds like it totally made it worth it. “Night” was an excellent end to exceptional season for Sycamore Rouge. I’ll be looking forward to seeing more of their stuff in a couple of months.

Wine, Women and Song

I know it’s late notice but if you aren’t doing anything tonight, you might check out a staged reading by Deep Water Productions, a newish company that has been doing the occasional reading or event over the past year. “Wine in the Wilderness” sounds like an intriguing show and I would hope that Deep Water will be able to do a full production of it someday (NOTE: I just doublechecked and this staged reading will actually be performed tonight and tomorrow night at the Hickory Hill Community Center. Also note that the time is non-standard: 6pm!)

And even though there continues to be productions to see in town (“Night of January 16th” closes at Sycamore Rouge this weekend!), you might look into a trip northward to see Richmond native and still favorite Emily Skinner in Signature’s “Dirty Blonde” starting next week. It’s still hard for me to think of Emily as anything but that sweet, innocent and insanely talented teenager I first met over 20 years ago. I expect seeing her do Mae West would finally and permanently change that paradigm for me!

I may reach for thuhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh gun

I did my semi-regular check of the theater-related stories at Entertainment Weekly and came across this item, which about made my stomach turn. I caught Springer on Dancing With the Stars a couple of times and he came across much more self-deprecating and normal than he has when I've seen snippets of his repugnant TV show. But still: can he really hold that note in "We Both Reached for the Gun?" I'd have to see it (hear it) to believe it. I don't have a categorical aversion to stunt casting like I know some people do (it's show biz folks!), but you gotta have at least the minimal level of talent to make the part work or it just doesn't make sense.

I also saw this nice little piece on "Burn the Floor" which made me curious enough to go read this somewhat more snarky Times review of the show. I've got at least one dance-crazed daughter that I expect would love this show to death so I hope it sticks around for a while.

The Pre-Critic

I’ve said before that I think stage directors don’t get enough credit. I’ve said this because I noticed only within the past few years that I’ve often been guilty of not recognizing or not acknowledging the tremendous work directors do. This hasn’t been a universal tendency; in fact, for me it tends to run either very hot or very cold. I’ll be enamored of the work of a director – like Rick St. Peter or Chase Kniffen, for instance – and so I’ll trumpet their triumphs nearly every chance I get. I won’t apologize for doing so because one of my true (one of my few…) pleasures as a reviewer is to dole out praise where I think it is deserved.

But I’m afraid that the impression that can sometimes be given is that productions where the director is not mentioned specifically just kind of spring into existence, the actors and technicians just doing their jobs and the pieces magically falling into place.

For instance, my last post mentioned “Driving Miss Daisy” and I had a little back-n-forth in the comments about the merits of the various actors. Neither I nor Mr./Ms. Anonymous brought up Joe Pabst who certainly must be commended for shepherding this production to success. As I mentioned below, I think it is easy for any of the characters in “DMD” to fall into caricature – crotchety old white woman, servile but proud black man, etc. For DMD to really succeed, these characters have to be real and it’s the job of the director to pull the reins when any of these really broad tendencies start to take over. Though they might not think of themselves this way, I think there are situations when a director has to be a sort of pre-critic, looking at a show the way a critic or an audience member will look at it, giving perspective and of course, imparting their own artistic vision.

Another tricky situation is a one-person show. It’s easy to think that when an actor is flying solo on stage, he’s been working that way all along. One actress who I respect tremendously, Jill Bari Organ (nee Steinberg), has always been exceedingly generous in her praise of Keri Wormald who directed her in “The Syringa Tree” and was similarly appreciative of Amy Berlin who did “Shirley Valentine.” As much as anyone else, she has opened my eyes to the true collaboration that happens between actor and director in situations like that.

Similarly, Scott Wichmann specifically gave kudos to Steve Perigard for his work on “Fully Committed;” I included one of his quotes in my piece on Scott a couple weeks back. There is no doubt that Scott does amazing work in this show but, perhaps even more succinctly than in ensemble shows where they may be some interactional correction of aberrant acting, it is also clear that Scott was guided by someone with a keen theatrical sensibility and a clear vision. As straight and true as a train may be, it'll jump the track if it doesn't have someone modulating the speed.

Beyond that, as anyone knows who has worked on a show, the director gives the final word on all aspects of a production and the good ones are aware of everything from the largest thematic issues to the smallest cut of a costume’s hemline. Another thing that I find kind of amazing about directors is most of the ones I know are among the least self-aggrandizing people in the theater world. They usually are uncommonly focused on getting the job done and, as Patti D’Beck recently told me, making everyone else look good. A somewhat unfortunate side-effect of this characteristic, however, is that when the reviews come out, or the blog posts get written, the director’s name does not get enough prominence. So this post is a small attempt to rectify that. Good work Joe and Steve with your recent dazzling successes, and retroactive kudos to all of the other directors I so often neglect. You are appreciated, if not always singled out.

From points west...

I've been secluded in a top-secret location for the past 5 days without Internet access which is one of the reasons I've been delinquent. But I'm sure you've been keeping busy, seeing the surprising number of shows still around and reading up on all the news. But while I have this brief moment released from my other responsibilities, let me please encourage you to go see "Driving Miss Daisy" and "Thoroughly Modern Millie" before they close. You'll be sad if you don't.

If you haven't seen "DMD" let me tell you this one thing: Garet Chester is awesome in it. Oh sure, Jim Bynum and Joy Williams are exceptional but that's the first thing that anyone's going to tell you. Garet is an essential third leg for the "DMD" stool and totally immerses himself in the character of Boolie. To be honest, there were times early on in the show that I felt Joy and Jim were a little too broad in their portrayals (a concern completely dispelled before intermission) but I never felt that about Mr. Chester's work. His Boolie is authentic, lived-in, and succinct. Much hearty praise should be directed toward Ms. Williams and Mr. Bynum but Mr. Chester should NOT be overlooked.

I've been meaning to write something about DMD for weeks and now that I've been away from things for a while I can't remember if I did or not. So I apologize if this is redundant. Oh, and see "Millie" because of the typing dance, Ali Thibodeau, Maggie Marlin and about a half-dozen other things. Personally, I've got to get back to town to see Hamlet, Fully Committed and Forum. Simple no rest for the wicked in this town...

They were going to do “Rent”

To me, nothing symbolizes the ambition, vision and even audacity of Chase Kniffen’s Stage 1 theater company more than the first production announced for its now sadly canceled second season. If you’re reading this, chances are you’ve seen “Rent.” Would you have ever even imagined in your lifetime seeing “Rent” in a smallish black-box-ish theater in suburban Mechanicsville? Not me. And nothing encapsulates my disappointment about Stage 1’s closing more than realizing that now I probably never will.

From its stirring, astounding debut on the Richmond scene less than a year ago with a concert version of “Ragtime,” there was something almost too good to be true about Stage 1 right from the beginning. Over the years, I’ve seen plenty of fledgling projects bubble up to the surface, poke along for awhile, and then flame out, wither and die, or just move on. Chase never seemed willing to settle for some kind of limp-along existence and his talent and drive clearly transcended one. His concert “Ragtime” was something that I could have imagined playing Lincoln Center or at least Center Stage. It was moving, exciting, emotional, and above all, featured some damn good people doing some damn good work.

This last part was what Chase then carried into Stage 1’s first season. The people who worked with him were among the best in town and he challenged them (or allowed them?) to do amazing things. I’m thinking particularly about the technical folks he employed who guaranteed that Stage 1’s shows didn’t have that slightly shabby, rough around the edges look that characterizes so many productions from young companies, often well into their third, fifth, or even tenth seasons. The sets were innovative, the costumes were consistently impressive and the lighting was simply dazzling.

And of course the actors were often phenomenal. We all knew Brett, Audra and Durron were good but I gained new respect for each of them after “tick tick Boom.” There was plenty (for me, in particular) to love about “Children’s Letters to God” but among the things I’ll appreciate most about it was that Chase brought young Mackenzie Mercer’s whopper of a voice to a wider audience. This spotlighting of young talent carried into “Normal” where Ali Thibodeau and Dave Amadee stole the show from their more experienced costars, who were no slouches either. Perhaps because Chase was a stage prodigy himself, he seemed to expect amazing things from his young actors, whether they were teens, pre-teens or even pre-adolescents. And the kids delivered for him every time.

This gets at my next biggest disappointment. Chase made a conscious effort to keep his finger on the pulse of theater appropriate for and attractive to a younger audience. And it wasn’t only just the “Spring Awakenings”-wannabe material that drips with sensuality and yells “fuck” at you at regular intervals, but shows like “Normal” that make an attempt to address real issues in a way that’s still entertaining. He, certainly more than me or anyone else I know, knew who the hot young writing talents were and kept up with what they were doing.

The final thing that I’ll miss from Stage 1 is the energy Chase infused his productions with. I heard him talk more than once about how little patience he had for lengthy transitions or awkward staging. As was clear with “Summer of ’42,” his productions moved, they practically demanded that you watch, and they rewarded people who paid attention. We’ve all seen the septagenarians who fall asleep halfway into the first act of many shows. I don’t have any stats on this, but I expect Stage 1’s “snooze index” was about the lowest in town.

Bruce Miller has written a fine and elegant post that honors the achievement of Stage 1 and rightly points out that Chase is still around and will continue to do good work. The disappointments I list will hopefully be short-lived and assuaged by future opportunities to shine that will be given to Mr. Kniffen. However, there was something particularly neat about Chase having his own place with the ability to run the show with his unflinching devotion to quality.

As great as Bruce’s post is, I am not quite as cavalier about “lessons learned.” Mostly I fear that there will be a negative lesson learned, that other young, ambitious artists will flinch in the face of the overwhelming challenges that confront a venture like Stage 1. Mr. Miller is more familiar with these than most, given that he was in the same boat a couple of decades ago or more with Theatre IV. I remember last summer, seeing the Stage 1 performance space transformed from a big empty room to an impressive performance venue largely through the blood, sweat, tears, and money that Chase and his small band of compatriots poured into it. One of the most impressive things about Chase was his willingness to work tirelessly and selflessly to make Stage 1 not just another company but something truly exceptional. Regardless of this particular outcome, I hope others will have the drive – the audacity even – to take this same kind of leap in the future. Because, while coming back to earth can be a disappointing or even a painful experience, the flight was glorious.

Throw another blog on the fire

Style is chock full of theater-related stories this week. Ms. Burruss recaps the Stage 1 situation, while I preview "Fully Committed" and post-view (?) "Night of January 16th." Still working on the verklept-itude. Hope to have actual words to write about it all in the next day or so.

Sad but True

I just had it verified that Stage 1 will be closing it's doors. The press release quotes Chase Kniffen saying, "...current economic realities make it impossible to ensure financial sustainability for the coming year." As soon as a more complete story is posted online, I'll be linking to it.

I'm a little verklempt to say much more on this right now. Perhaps later in the week after the news settles in...

Night and Dane

There have been reviews of both “Hamlet” and “Night of January 16th” in the T-D over the past couple of days. Personally, I took in the excellent production of “Driving Miss Daisy” on Friday, a show my wife had encouraged me to attend last fall and now I feel very lucky to have made it to. More specifics on that to come…

It’s hard for me to believe that it’s near the end of July, two productions just opened and there’s a few more to go before the end of the summer (“Fully Committed,” “Aloha,” “Forum” at Dogwood Dell…) I’m also going to be trying to squeeze in a trip to the student production of “Godspell” at Stage 1 before all is said and done. Is it just me, or is Richmond setting some record for busiest theater summer?

Captain’s Blog, Stardate 1600

When it comes right down to it, there are only so many blog-related puns a guy can come up with.

Anyway, I realized today that, beyond my general lack of blogging lately, I specifically have not been giving out much Hamlet love. The show opened last night, I believe, and I expect it is a very fine production, given that it is restaging the very fine indoor production from earlier this year. It’s certain to have at least one bang-up fight, perhaps some stirring melodies offered by Andrew Hamm (and maybe …sigh… Liz Blake), and some great performances. I remember Jeff Cole’s very human lead performance as making this Hamlet perhaps the most relatable I’ve ever seen.

But in one of those strange tricks of memory, the two aspects of the indoor production that stand out in my mind are Timothy Saukiavicus’s portrayal of Claudius and the performance of the old Who song, “Behind Blue Eyes” before the show. I am eager to check out the restaging to see what strikes me this time (hopefully not a stray sword during the climactic scene…)

Blogarythms

Sometimes I write a lot. Sometimes, not so much. A crazy June opened up into a July that has felt like a revolving door for me. When did the lazy daze of summer transition to the crazy days?

Anyway, the stalwarts of Richmond theater carry on regardless of the bitching about my personal life. This week, Style has my story on Night Light’s upcoming “Aloha, Say the Pretty Girls” as well as a great background piece on Richmond Triangle Players new performance space and new managing director.

I had the occasion to speak to the delightful kb saine at Sycamore Rouge yesterday and she’s talking up the positive buzz on “Night of January 16th” which opens this weekend. Somehow, I had it on my schedule that it wasn’t opening until next weekend. Silly me. Anyway, for those who have tried to avoid jury duty in the past, this show should turn that dynamic on its head. People will be hoping to get selected for the jury for this show. Will you be joining me in planning a trip southward for this one?

**snicker** Fairy Tale

Nice headline for Ms. Burruss's review of "A Midsummer Night's Dream." The show is going gangbusters, so I hear, with only the final show not sold out. Seems like a bang-up summer for Richmond Shakes!

Like Falling Off a Blog

Well, I hope everyone had a great Independence Day weekend and all. At our house, we went through the becoming-more-commonplace bittersweet cycle of another show closing. Apparently some local folks in “the community” traveled westward last week to see the boy but I haven’t heard any word on whether they made it or not. Perhaps they got stuck in one of those mothballed rest stops along the way.

Closer to home, “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” re-opened and yet another reviewer was left breathless with laughter – similar to my experience several months ago. A little announcement about “Ragtime” opening on Broadway in Nov. left me hyperventilating a bit. After Stage 1’s stunning concert version last year, the whole Tline clan has become big fans of this show.

One of the Tline’s will be enjoying “Spring Awakening’ at the Kennedy Center this weekend – one who is not me, unfortunately. Perhaps I’ll be able to provide some secondhand commentary next week. But speaking of outa-town theater, people tell me that the VA Shakespeare Festival down in Williamsburg is going great guns this summer and is featuring several Richmonders in its line-up. I’m wondering whether a wander down thatta way might be called for in the next several weeks.

Overall, this summer has been somewhat staggering in the amount and quality of the theater being produced. I never would have thought back in February that three of the shows that I’d be most intrigued or excited about in the entire 08-09 season would be the last three opening, that is, “Forum” at the Dell, the previously-named-but-now-contractually-unnamed one-man show starring Scott Wichmann out at the Tavern, and the participatory experience of “The Night of January 16” down at Sycamore Rouge. There simply is no taking a vacation from good theater in this area.

Thorough indeed

So I haven’t written anything about the big kahuna in town, Barksdale’s “Thoroughly Modern Millie,” but there are plenty of other opinions about the show out there (Mr. Porter’s summary of “Millie” – as well as ones for “Summer of ’42,” and “Arsenic and Old Lace” – showed up on the WCVE site a coupla days ago, for instance). One reason is because of my preoccupation with a certain out of town production, a review of which just turned up online recently.

But also, it’s hard to know where to begin with this show, given everything it’s got going for it. I guess I’ll start with a bit of an interpretive dance, as it were. Ms. Lewis’s review in the T-D started out with that somewhat cryptic comment about the "relentless, nonstop" nature of the show. Here’s my interpretation of that: “Millie” has many – possibly all – of the aspects of a big old-fashioned musical that annoy the hell out of people who are not fans of big, old-fashioned musicals. People breaking out in song at odd times, broad characterizations -- some of them bluntly politically incorrect, impossible love stories, extravagant plot contrivances, and improbably happy endings. But for me – and I expect for most people – I ended up loving all of the things about old-fashioned musicals that can be annoying in less capable hands.

I can’t think of anything that was not well executed in this production (sometimes you have to resort to the double-negative). Starting with Paul Deiss’s music direction, the astounding set by Ron Heller, the beautiful costumes by Sue Griffin, even an excellent sound design by Derek Dumais. The only reason I don’t include Lynne Hartman’s lighting is because she has done such spectacular work in the recent past that when she is only very good, it hardly seems worth mentioning.

In the cast, in parts great and small, there are immense amounts of talent. At the end of the show, the actor I was most enamored of was Ali Thidodeau because, as Mr. Porter points out, it’s not always easy to play the one that every man falls in love with. Ms. Thibodeau is just so, well, lovable, that she makes it work. As I’ve gotten some distance from the production, when I think about favorite moments they involve Timothy Ford’s crisp portrayal of Mr. Graydon, or Linda Poser’s hilariously tragicomic Mrs. Meers, and the imperious Miss Flanery played by Carolyn Meade. And Chris Hlusko does an exceptional job with the somewhat thankless role of Ching Ho. This boy projects such a charming personality – I wish I had seen him as Aladdin at the Riverside.

Of course the leads are incredible, Maggie and Zac just as attractive as hell and excellent in their roles, with special recognition demanding to be paid to Ms. Marlin for her seemingly effortless athletic dancing ability. Seeing Ali and Maggie dancing together may be the best dancing duo I’ve ever seen on stage. And of course it’s Ms. D’Beck who gave them some fine choreography to work with, assisted by a spry ensemble (so great to see Gray Crenshaw’s dazzling smile again!)

With all of that (and I could go on…) you really have to work hard to get to something negative to say. I guess really the only issues I had were the crotchety plot elements – two rich kids sent out to find true love, the classic she’s-my-lover / she’s-my-sister misperception, white slavery!?!? – but again, everything was done so well that those things barely registered. Any lover of theater will be doing themselves a disservice to miss this show, if for nothing else, that it’s a bright shining example of how the grand old shows can still be done up well.