Chatterbox

Jason Mark’s appearance on Seth Rudetsky’s Chatterbox is now available online. This is a link to the entire show – Jason doesn’t show up until about 13:30. But it’s worth checking out another version of “Take Me or Leave Me” from Rent that starts the show. As good as Joy Newsome’s and Jaci Camdem’s? I’ll let you be the judge.

I love the “builds character” quip. Way to go, Jason! And if you want to follow Jason's New York adventures, be sure to check out his blog (soon to be added to the left-hand side of this blog).

Who could possibly keep up?

Clearly, Richmond did not get the memo that summer is supposed to be “down time” on the stage scene. Or perhaps theater companies have finally realized that a lot of the people that spend $10+ on movie tickets during the summer really just want to get out of the heat and would just as readily pay that (or a few dollars more) to see a play? Hm. Not sure about all of the motivations but there continues to be too much theater around here for me to keep up with even a fraction of it. “Midsummer” at Sycamore Rouge is ending up passing me by. “Pippin” at Dogwood Dell looks great and that’ll also fall by the wayside for me. And these are the free shows! Oy. Just because I can’t go doesn’t mean you shouldn’t so grab a lawn chair and get out there before it gets too late. I’m just glad I slipped in to “On Golden Pond” last weekend because it’s looking like it’ll be going the way of “Rent” and selling out a lot of the rest of its shows.

Opening this weekend, “As You Like It” will be the first offering from Theatre at Battery Park, also a free show and also with a great looking cast. I have hopes of getting out to my former stomping grounds on northside to take this one in…and hopes that temperatures might moderate from the forecasted upper 90s so that it’s not such a steamy evening.

While family obligations prevented me from trucking down 95 to Sycamore Rouge last weekend, they dovetailed perfectly with me going to see the workshop production of Julie Fulcher’s “Company of Angels.” One way or another I was NOT going to miss this show; I’m still kicking myself for letting one of the big events of last season – Bo Wilson’s home-grown musical “Mona’s Arrangements” – pass me by. One of the most exciting parts of this production has little to do with the show itself. As RTP’s Artistic Director John Knapp writes in the program, “RTP [is entering] a new realm in nurturing, through workshops, world premiere plays and musicals in what we promise to be an ongoing series.” Along with the Firehouse’s Festival of New Plays, this adds fuel to the growing fire of theatrical innovation and discovery in Richmond.

Of course, there’s also plenty to be excited about as far as “Company of Angels” goes. Ms. Fulcher has crafted some great songs in support of a fresh and innovative plotline. And, as the show’s director, she’s brought some great performances to the stage. This is a show that offers unexpected gifts almost constantly. Terri Moore and Scott Melton are a hoot from the very beginning and provide a solid foundation of vocal talent and comedic hijinks. They engage in a hilarious battle with Diva and her Divanettes, led by a big voice with an even bigger attitude, Chloe Williams, and supported by the energetic Andrew Etheridge, Georgi Hicks, and Leah Hicks. The Hicks girls are cute as a button with Leah in particular lighting up the stage with her animated expressions. Mr./Ms. Etheridge is just not-subtle enough in his/her pursuit of fellow angel, James.

I also loved the antic Jason Campbell as Robert (not Bob or Bobby!) But just when you think it’s all fun and games, Robyn O’Neill and Tyler Houchins (as Toby and Joey) are as honest and poignant as all get-out in their tear-jerking second-act scenes. Not every aspect of this show thrilled me but the vast majority of it did. And among the most subtle yet still delightful things was how Toby’s relationship with a female partner was kept in the background, it’s exact nature needing neither to be explicit nor hidden.

All in all, it is a very polished effort for a “workshop” and I will be intrigued and hopeful about its prospects for the future. Congrats to Julie and her whole crew!

Did you hear it?

Casa Timberline was power-free most of the night last night so I was not able to tune into Jason Marks' debut in NYC. But there were Timberlines in attendance who said he was awesome. Way to go, Jason! I'm looking forward to getting more details today.

The storm/power outage also scuttled my plans to head to Sycamore Rouge's "Midsummer" last night so I'll have to try again this weekend. Only 2 more performances!

Update! As people have commented, "Midsummer" actually runs through next weekend too. Since I can't see it next weekend, only two more chances for me to see it (yes, again, the critic thinking the world revolves around him...) Sorry for the confusion.

A to Z

Congrats to the folks at the Firehouse who have sold out the rest of the run of their summer production of “Rent.” I’m glad I got to see it when I did or else I’d be crying in my beer now.

When I first starting writing reviews I invested in a handy little reference book called “Shakespeare A to Z” that has information on all aspects of Shakespeare, historical background, biographical context and fairly detailed analyses of his plays. After attending “Antony and Cleopatra” on Sunday, I pulled it off the shelf and saw that it calls the tragedy “one of Shakespeare’s most complex and rewarding plays.” While I have found the book to be very useful, I only half agree with this assertion.

Based on the Richmond Shakespeare production of “A&C,” which is the only production of the play that I’ve seen, the work is complex but also often crosses the line over into downright confusing. Without the summary in the playbill, there would be no way to follow some aspects of the action. As just one example, after intermission two relatively major characters (Pompey and Lepidus) essentially disappear. I believe there is some reference to their deaths but, still, I found their absence pretty jarring (particularly given Nolan Carey’s fine work as Pompey). The shifts in time and place throughout the play – not to mention the attitudes and affections between the characters – are often surprisingly abrupt.

As far as rewarding, I agree to the extent that, when you are faced with a challenge and you overcome it, it feels rewarding when you are done. But not everyone wants to face a challenge when they go out for a night of theater. I appreciate the challenge that this play represents – the complicated counterpoints between public and private, West and East, sexual and political, comedy and tragedy, love and power. But I have to agree with a couple of my critical colleagues when they’ve pointed out ways that the production falls short of making the process a thorough delight. But I also disagree with some of the points made, both positive and negative.

Mr. Griset of Style pointed out that the play presents pretty unique staging demands – numerous locales in different countries, not to mention a naval battle and some final dramatic action at Cleopatra’s monument. Tucking the monument back into a corner of the stage removed from the audience did seem an odd choice. It seemed to throw off the dynamics of the whole scene.

In some ways, this dovetails with Ms. Haubenstock’s mention of the off-kilter goofiness of some of the scenes. In general, I believe director Bob Jones played up the comic elements of Cleopatra’s character. This was most jarring to me in the run up to her death and the introduction of the “rural fellow.” I understand that there might be elements of comedy in this scene but it’s undeniably tragic as well. In my mind, comedy in this context should be pretty dark not necessarily slapstick.

I also have to agree with Ms. H when she points out the costuming. There were some nice elements – Octavian’s striking red gown was one and the Roman robes flowed grandly. But the soldiers’ outfits in particular were either ill-fitting (they all seemed too small to me) or just ill-considered. The Cairns/Hoskins duo has been able to evoke grandeur in the past but fell short here. Nice work on the lights, though a lighting designer wasn’t listed in the program.

Unlike Mr. G or Ms. H, I had issues with Zach Brown’s Enobarbus. While his smoldering stare was impressive, I didn’t believe him as an expert soldier and right-hand man. He did fine work with his regretful laments near the play’s end, though.

I also thought David Bridgewater and Shirley Kagan had a good amount of sexual zing between them. However, I go back to feeling like Kagan ended up being undercut by the emphasis on comedy in her scenes. There is some ironyin this: an actress playing one of her servants, Sarah Jamillah Johnson, proved that comedy could be sexy in her portrayal of Beatrice in “Much Ado About Nothing” earlier in the RichShake’s season (both she and fellow handmaiden Bonnie Morrison are delightful). Kagan has a bigger challenge here – she has to be sexy, funny, dynamic, and domineering. It’s a role that I don’t think many actresses could really conquer and she doesn’t seem to get much help in the effort from her director.

What is pretty undeniable is the strength of Bridgewater’s portrayal of Antony, which is certainly to be expected given his long and impressive body of previous work. He brings formidable physicality to his performance and has a strong growling voice that lends energy to his later scenes. Still, it is the chill in his delivery of simple lines like “I have thee” when he embraces Caesar or the naked emotion of “He makes me angry” that is the most bracing.

In the end, I was glad to have seen “A&C” though it may not represent RichShakes’ best work. Even when their shows aren’t stellar, they always have at least a few elements that I find myself remembering with appreciation later on.

An “i” device is apparently becoming imperative

Big weekend for me: saw “On Golden Pond” and “Antony and Cleopatra” but unfortunately had to forgo “Standup vs. Improv” due to familial obligations. More on that in a second.

Richmond Shakespeare was doing ‘tweet from your seat’ night, which essentially encouraged people to have their cell phones or other digital devices out and to send their thoughts on the show to Twitter and Facebook during the action. Unfortunately, I’m a luddite without a smart phone type device (though I’ve made it known wherever I can that I covet an iPad…) and so could not take full advantage of the event. I did text some thoughts to my wife and such but it wasn’t the same. Which was OK because I enjoyed the tweet-free performance just fine, though I would have been curious, for instance, to know what the particularly lovely young lady in the front row tweeted when she got splashed during the Pompey party scene.

In other iNews, a REAL theater blogger acquaintance of mine (New York variety) dropped me a note about his new iPhone app that provides info on what’s available at the TKTS booth. Here’s a link to the application itself plus a link to a laudatory article in Entertainment Weekly. Just hearing about it made me want to run out and take the iPlunge. Maybe someday soon…

I’ll write more about “A&C” and “OGP” soon but in the meantime, did you catch the Thomas Silvestri editorial on the power of arts in the community? Good stuff. Also out there on the Internets are new reviews of “On Golden Pond” from John Porter and “Rent” by Joan Tupponce (link forthcoming...).

So one daughter saw “Inception” last weekend and loved it, immediately meaning that my second daughter was itching to check it out. Saturday night was the only window for such a thing so I had to kick my pal and colleague Mr. Porter to the curb and submit to the teenager. She didn’t exactly have to twist my arm to get me to go since “Inception” has turned into one of those curious phenomena that transcends just the narrow confines of cinema. Much the same as the popularity of “Avatar” turned into a discussion of how endemic 3D technology is going to become, the cycle of response to “Inception” has led to some conversation about our “everyone’s a critic” culture. Read this piece from an EW movie critic that ends up talking about what distinguishes a critic from a “fanboy” for more, if you are interested.

I would think that this is the kind of back-n-forth that only interests a critic like me, but apparently, given the number of comments, this is something that more than just a few people think about. It might also be assisted by the fact that the ending of “Inception” has so many people talking about the movie in general (here’s a piece on that, as well. Don’t read if you haven’t seen the movie!”

Personally, I thought “Inception” was very entertaining, the visuals were stunning, the story was pretty preposterous (I found myself just shaking my head at different times) and that the last scene makes the whole movie seem better than it is. Regardless of my reaction to the specifics of the movie, I have a wider-ranging reaction that the movie’s popularity shows that people are still open to art that makes them think. As dumbed-down as our culture sometimes seems (“Jersey Shore” anyone?), it’s heartening to think there are still brains out there that want to be nourished and exercised.

How'd I miss this?

There's another great article about Jason on the T-D site today. While browsing that, I clicked the link to get Jason singing the "Mad Attorney General" song. A real hoot! Definitely check it out if you haven't before.

Exodus

People leave town. Sometimes it’s for a little while, sometimes it’s forever. Shakespeare called parting “sweet sorrow.” That phrase only captures a slice of the experience. Depending on the circumstances, it can also be exhilarating, scary, frustrating, or matter-of-fact. The one thing that’s the same regardless of the circumstance is that someone is, or several someones are, left behind.

I’m preparing to be left behind (not in the biblical, salvation sort of way) as half my family heads out of town for a couple of weeks. When I’m not feeling my own little self-involved whirl of emotions about it, I’ve been thinking about the many others who are also leaving town. There are the very public exits – the contest-winning Jason Marks who will open his first New York gig next freaking Thursday! – and the more quiet and private ones (Eric Stallings took off for Chicago shortly after “The Who’s Tommy” closed back in the springtime).

But there are at least four other theater peeps who have recently or will soon hit the road. Neither member of the adorable couple of Ellie Atwood and Jonathan Perez was chosen as the Big Broadway Break winner but my understanding is that they’re still heading to the Big Apple to try their luck up there. Ellie and Jonathan lent their considerable talents to a number of great local productions.

In particular, their roles in Stage 1’s “Summer of ‘42” and Theatre IV’s “Sideways Stories from Wayside School” will live on fondly in my memory. Jonathan has a great propensity for creating slightly nerdy characters that are not caricatures and, thanks in part to his natural charm, remain compelling even if they are doing somewhat silly things on stage. Ellie is beautiful, of course, but also brought a nicely sassy attitude to her roles. I wish them the best of luck in their future forays both onstage and off.

Also, as most everyone has probably heard, both Brett Ambler and Audra Honaker will be leaving Richmond this fall (Brett to Colorado, Audra to Chicago, I believe). Whether either of them is planning to be away permanently or temporarily, I’m not certain but regardless the blow to the local theater scene will be substantial. These are two actors who have had a significant impact on Richmond both individually and as a couple (as they are currently playing in the Mill’s “Moon Over Buffalo.”) The Stage 1 production of “tick, tick..Boom!” may have been a highlight of the two working together but it was only one among many exceptional performances each turned in.

The first time I believe I spoke to Brett was during an interview for Barksdale’s “The Drawer Boy” back in 2005. The way he held his own amongst the prodigious talents of David Bridgewater and Joe Inscoe was impressive; it may still be my favorite of his performances (though his awesome musical turns in the Mill’s “Joseph” and Theatre IV’s “Seussical” can’t be overlooked). My favorite memory of him, however, will always be his inspired ad-lib to cover a missed voice-over cue in “Children’s Letters to God.” Sometimes a drummer who also happens to be a great actor is an unexpected godsend.

Audra seemed to be in virtually every show in town for a while there and was often most memorable when unleashing bundles of energy on stage (as per “There Goes the Bride” or “Once Upon a Mattress” out at the Mill or “I Ought to Be in Pictures” at the Tavern). She has a delightful facility for somewhat extreme characterizations (the driven champion speller in “25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee” or the ragamuffin girl in “Urinetown”) but she is also a treat in less flashy roles – her “nice girl” ensemble role in “Summer of ‘42” being the only example that comes immediately to mind. I’d always hoped to someday see her take a shot at sublimating her energetic tendencies in a role like Marian the Librarian in “The Music Man.”

Richmond will miss all of these folks but it’ll also be a kick to have an excuse to travel out of town to see them in some new production in some far-flung locale. Also, as the recent return of Susan Sanford and Foster Solomon proved, good people sometimes come back. In the meantime, I hope they find whatever it is they want to find out there in the big wide world. And I’ll look forward to the new young local actors who may be itching to step into their shoes.

Three sentences

Rich Griset’s review of “Antony and Cleopatra” is in today’s Style. Also, I missed this article on the Sycamore Rouge “Midsummer” production last week. Nice background if you intend to attend.

Just a Click Away

Though I’ve been out of town intermittently over the past couple of weeks, I have been able to keep at least vaguely in touch with what’s going on stage-wise in Richmond thanks to the Internets. Facebook was alight with links to the Times-Dispatch review of Barksdale’s “On Golden Pond” on Sunday. Ms. Haubenstock also weighs in on Sycamore Rouge’s “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” in today’s paper.

And like Fleetwood Mac famously wrote in song, we can’t stop thinking about tomorrow thanks in part to the Swift Creek Mill season preview that was also in the Sunday T-D. Thinking about future productions shouldn’t inhibit anyone from checking out “Moon Over Buffalo,” however, which plays there this weekend and next.

I’ll be unpacking today but hope to come back with something more cogent commentary-wise in the next day or two. A little more hopping up and down to get all of that lake water out of my ears might knock a moderately interesting idea into my head.

Coverage

Melissa Rugieri at the Times-Dispatch wrote a nice piece about Jason and his Big Broadway Break win for today's paper. I'm glad to see the coverage and also to learn that Jason will be blogging about his NYC experience. I'll be reading with rapt attention!

The T-D also did a short preview on Sycamore Rouge's "A Midsummer Night's Dream" at Battersea. I heard there was intermittant rain through opening night's performance. Was that just a Facebook rumor? Did it still go on? I'm curious. I'm also making my plans to come see the show next weekend. It sounds like a beautiful location.

JASON WON!!!

Yes, I'm shouting. If you haven't heard already, Jason Marks won the Staybridge Suites Big Broadway Break contest! Six months in a Times Square hotel plus $5,000 plus an interview with Seth Rudetsky and meetings with casting directors, etc. etc. It's an awesome opportunity and it couldn't have been given to a nicer guy. Congrats, Jason!

Double Moon

There's a double-shot of "Moon Over Buffalo" reviews out there in the world these past coupla days. This week's Style has Ms. Burruss's review and Mr. Porter's WCVE review has been posted on his blog. He also took a trip down the road to the Virginia Shakespeare Festival to see "As You Like It." If you want some assistance in figuring out whether it's worth it for you to take a similar trip, check out his review.

And don't forget "Pulp" runs through this weekend at RTP. You can check out the mocked up pulp novel cover showing Jeanie Rule leering at Christy Mullins and you'll have an idea of what you're in for.

Antony and Cleopatra

I had a vague idea about getting back in town in time to see the Sunday performance of "Antony and Cleopatra" but it didn't happen. May try again for next Sunday. In the meantime, I'll be keeping my eyes peeled for reviews, like this one from Ms. Haubenstock that is in today's T-D.

Lots of Territory to Cover

Have you heard about this show currently playing in NYC called “The Grand Manner?” If not, here’s some interesting background on the show and its playwright. I mention it because the whole play is organized around a production of “Antony and Cleopatra,” which Richmond Shakespeare opens this weekend. Take advantage of the tiny break in the heat wave to go check it out.

I’ve been wondering whether I should just leave my review of “Rent” go without further commentary. It seems like I get into trouble when I try to be more forthcoming about my opinions about some shows if everything I say is not 100% positive. I guess that’s the nature of the business. But I should say that I probably thought longer and harder about this review than I have about any other one in a long time. Part of that had to do with timing. I usually write my reviews within 24 hours of having seen a show. But because of having to drive to Kentucky and back over the weekend, I didn’t sit down to write until Sunday, nearly three days after opening night. Luckily (or not, I guess, depending on your point of view), I had plenty of hours looking at the open road to try and figure out what didn’t sit right with me about the show.

There is no question that the performances were fantastic. I’ve already gushed a little about Durron Tyre’s powerhouse version of “I’ll Cover You” and Jaci Camden and Joy Newsome on “Take Me or Leave Me.” I also need to give credit to a couple of fresh faces in the cast that I hadn’t seen before – Terence Sullivan as Roger and Nadia Harika as Mimi. Though costumed a little oddly, Sullivan brings an appropriate amount of angst to his portrayal. Narika is adorable and, in the end, heartbreaking in her inability to break free either from drugs or Benny. My only complaint would be that she is maybe too adorable – I had a little bit of a hard time believing in her as an exotic dancer. But both Sullivan’s and Narika’s voices are grand and they have a distinct and compelling on-stage chemistry (see post below on Chemistry for background).

In fact, that esoteric quality of chemistry is found in abundance here. All of the couples have it and it’s ultimately what makes the show work. One of the most delightful aspects of the production is the somewhat antagonistic / somewhat empathetic chemistry between Nick Aliff’s Mark and Joy Newsome’s JoAnn. Their “Tango Maureen” was a first-act highlight for me.

Other random positivities: I loved Jaci Camden’s rendition of the performance art protest, with a mixture of defiance and absurdity and outrage and that little moment of self-reassurance when the reverb works, etc. Joy Newsome excels in her conflicted role, providing many great laughs – but also revealing a honest-to-goodness soul struggling with her love for Maureen. It took me a minute to warm up to Antonio Tillman as Angel but, when I did, I fell hard for him/her. The Tom Collins/Angel relationship really is the anchor of this show, at least in this production.

So as I was trying to figure out the aspects of the show that didn’t work for me, I reflected on some of the comments my companion for the night made. She had never seen the show before and, as I talked to her, I realized she was very confused about what was happening during much of the show. And when I thought of things in that light, I realized some of the challenges in staging “Rent” that I probably hadn’t thought about before. It’s essentially a one-set show that has to evoke many locations. There are so many ways to make this kind of thing work and not many of them were employed here. The lighting can help a lot with this -- I still remember fondly the Science Museum show about Charles Darwin where Lynn Hartman’s lights transformed a staid study full of books into a wild South American jungle. Instead, here the lights were generally too-dark with occasional flashes of brightness that I think were supposed to enhance the drama but ended up just adding confusion (IMHO).

It’s also a pretty big show that can feel pretty cramped on such a little stage. There are a lot of transitions in the show from one location to another and large influxes and outfluxes of cast members. I know this kind of thing is a challenge to stage but I didn’t notice a whole lot of order or logic in it. The sound engineering ended up being frustrating – for much of the show it was amazing: crystal clear voices with volume pumped high enough to stand clear of the band, some of the best sound I’ve heard in Richmond. But then there were interludes of feedback – always like nails on a chalkboard – and a couple key songs that got fuzzy in parts so that I missed lyrics.

A couple of random questions having nothing to do with the actual performance: no bios in the program? Maybe this was an environmental concern but I missed them. No song list in the program? Can’t think of an excuse for that one. And why does the Firehouse have “JoAnn” but on Broadway and everywhere else the character is “Joanne”?

In the end, what I ultimately came back to was the power of the source material – particularly the music – and the excellent voices employed to bring it to life. As I hope the review communicated, though it had its rough spots, this was a production worth experiencing. I have recommended it to friends who haven’t seen the show before and, when my wife goes to check it out, I may tag along again just to hear the songs and to allow Durron and Antonio to rip my heart out again.

Finally, for something completely different, you should consider checking out “Pulp” at Richmond Triangle Players, opening this weekend. This show was a lot of fun even when it was struggling along in the makeshift space at the Gay Community Center the last time RTP staged it. I expect it’ll be a lot spiffier in their new space.

Irene and Review

My review of "Rent" is in today's Style. I'll be augmenting it soon, hopefully tomorrow. Also, don't miss this piece on the lovely and talented Irene Ziegler, the talented actress whose career as a writer just keeps gaining more and more acclaim.

New Additions / New Voices

I finally have added blogs from Mr. Cole and Theatre in Battery Park to the navigation thingie there to the left. I've also put in Cadence Theatre Company's website link. Sorry for the delay. By the way, have you seen the casts for TBP and Cadence's upcoming shows? Very nice! It's great to see some of my favorite VCU folks (Kimberly Exum who was such a great Roxie in their "Chicago" and the lovely Lauren Hafner from "Tommy") in action. And "The Fantasticks" has some very fine folks as well.

There are a couple of closings this weekend but no pro opening that I know of. It's a chance to sneak out and enjoy SPARC's "Festival of New Works" performances (Friday and Saturday), if you are so inclined. It's a chance to see what the future of theater might include. Also, you're sure to see something you've never seen before.

Chemistry

There have been questions thrown about since the first review came out about the romantic chemistry between the leads in “The Sound of Music.” In the conversations I’ve had on the subject since then, it’s clear to me that “chemistry” is one of those non-descript descriptors that perhaps gets invoked a little too readily. Still, it’s one that I’m sure I’ve used before and I’m sure to use it again. In fact, I plan to use it most distinctly in this post.

Chemistry may be an elusive trait but, like so many things, you know it when you see it. It’s both the ability an actor has to make you thoroughly believe the feelings they are supposed to be having for another actor but also that magic spark that happens between two actors. It can probably be broken down technically – where is the actor looking? What gestures, big and small, is he/she using to indicate affection? How does their voice, their body language, their expressions reinforce the power of their emotions? Is he/she acting like someone in the throes of love would act? And is his/her partner responding in kind? But beyond any technical analysis, there is also usually a secret ingredient, something that can’t be easily distilled from the interaction. For that reason, lack of chemistry may not necessarily be an actor’s or a director’s “fault.” It’s part of the mysterious energy that happens on stage that makes a production work. “Chemistry” is one word used to encapsulate all of this, which makes it both useful and dangerous.

I think back to productions where I thought there was some great chemistry going on. Sycamore Rouge’s “A Streetcar Named Desire” was full of it, with Bill Brock, Terry Gau and Angie Shipley all working the intense emotions of that play for all they were worth. And speaking of Ms. Shipley, I thought she shared some fine romantic chemistry with Brett Ambler in “Urinetown” at the Mill a couple of years back. And speaking of the Mill, chemistry isn’t always romantic: John Moon, Jodi Strickler Smith and Paul Deiss shared a fantastic familial chemistry in “Greetings.” Ronnie Brown and Jimmy Glidden nearly crackled with antagonistic chemistry in “Take Me Out.”

And now I turn to “Twelfth Night,” Richmond Shakespeare’s current production that wraps up this weekend. I really enjoyed this show. In particular, the comic bits with the hilarious trio of Foster Solomon, Stacie Reardon Hall, and David Janosik (and assisted at times by Jonathan Conyers and their foil, Thomas Cunningham) are delightful. These actors are totally going for it – something that must be particularly difficult in the oppressive heat. Whenever any of these folks were on stage, I was happy.

However, the matter of chemistry comes in when I think about the principal love quadrangle between Viola and Orsino, Sebastian and Olivia. Susie Haubenstock called Laurel Maughan charming and I couldn’t agree more. I am also a big Katrinah Lewis fan and I love that she is given so much to dig into with Olivia. Her big beautiful expressive eyes are almost all she needs to convey the many moods of the tempestuous beauty. Both Andrew Ballard as Orsino and Zachary Page as Sebastian do fine work.

But even with all of these actors making the most of their roles, there were misfires among the romantic sparks. Page and Lewis did well together; I think Page’s surprise and delight at his character’s unexpected good fortune provided much of the energy that made that coupling pop. But I had a hard time really believing that Maughan was stricken with affection for Ballard, or that he similarly fell for her by the play’s end. Maughan and Lewis also didn’t click as intensely as I wanted them to. Particularly given that Olivia is supposed to be so disdainful, I did not feel the heat between them that would melt Olivia’s cold demeanor.

As I said, chemistry is elusive and also subjective. Many people may have picked up all sorts of electricity in the performances that they saw. And, if I were writing a review for print with a limited amount of words, I may not even mention this aspect of the show. There is so much that is right with this production, including excellent costumes and consistently exceptional supporting players, that I might not find room for it.

One last note on “Twelfth Night:” Billy Christopher Maupin plays a beguiling fool in a performance that I still find myself mulling over. My first impression was that he brought a little too much darkness and not enough sense of play to this role. I tend to like my fools a bit, well, foolish. But there was a certain genius to making his character somewhat muted, and at times, surprisingly contentious. I’m still not sure I loved the approach but it definitely intrigued me. (I should note that, having to skip out before the very last scene of the show, I apparently missed a final jig that I’ve been told is BC’s finest moment. So my characterization of his performance is therefore incomplete.)

If you want to see what I’m talking about, grab your tickets for “Twelfth Night” soon. Only 3 performances left. And any thoughts you have on chemistry -- good, bad or indifferent -- please share.

Sitting in Judgment

I'm off to be a different kind of theater critic: jury duty! In the meantime, here's Mr. Porter's positive take on "Rent."

Quaffle or Perfection

Though my review is written and out there in the effluvium somewhere awaiting publication, I continue to mull over “Rent.” It took a while for the enthusiastic rave by the T-D’s Ms. Haubenstock to show up online but I finally found it last night. In the meantime, I had been mulling over suggesting to the editors of Style that they hire Ms. Honaker as my replacement, due to her entertaining take on the show.

I must congratulate the casts of “A Servant of Two Masters” and “Twelfth Night” who suffered through some powerfully oppressive heat to put their shows on this past weekend. The old deodorant commercial said, “Never let them see you sweat,” but no amount of Dry Idea could stop the torrents of perspiration I’m sure sprang from these devoted actors. I hope everyone stayed good and hydrated.

Just as “Servant” came and went in a flash last week, so did the revue “A Slice of Minelli” at Richmond Triangle Players. Here’s Ms. Lewis’s review in the T-D for those who want to read about what they missed. And just when you thought it’d be going on forever, “The Sound of Music” comes down this weekend. If you’ve been putting off checking it out, time is running out.

Flash Review

OK, so the week went by and I didn’t have a spare brain cell to devote to CYT’s “Peter Pan” or Richmond Shakespeare’s “Twelfth Night.” Believe it or not, I actually think a little before I write about shows and I wouldn’t want to put anything out there without putting at least a little thought into it. I’ve got 16 hours of driving ahead of me this weekend so perhaps I’ll have some time to think then.

Right now, however, thoughts of “Rent” are crowding everything else out of my brainspace. I was at opening night last night and am still processing what I saw/heard/experienced. I loved this show when I saw it on Broadway so one thing I’m having to do is cleanse myself of the expectations I might have had and, to paraphrase Maureen and Joanne, take this production as it is.

There are some amazing moments in this show. As Tom Collins, Durron Tyre has a searing second act show stopper that is almost worth the price of admission all by itself. The ensemble’s “La Vie Boheme” is a delightful romp and I think I could hear the duet between Jaci Camden and Joy Newsome on “Take Me As I Am” over and over again without getting tired of it.

But great moments aside (are there are many more I haven’t mentioned but plan to highlight in my review for Style), I am also trying to integrate some niggling questions I have about staging, lighting, and sound engineering that veered from crystal clear to fuzzy and full of feedback. I’ll try to bring all of that into something cohesive in the next couple of days but in the meantime, I’ll provide this one sentence flash review: Stoked by the prodigious vocal firepower of a jubilant young cast and sustained by Jonathan Larson’s rollicking rock-and-roll score, Firehouse Theatre Project’s production of the acclaimed musical “Rent” has so much power and intensity that it threatens to explode the confines of the intimate Firehouse stage.

My lovely mom-in-law arrived in town this week bearing a program from “Fences,” the result of a recent New York trip. In the program was a story written by Seth Rudetsky about quick changes and their potential for causing onstage disaster. He highlights a particular incident involving Richmond-born Emily Skinner. I couldn’t find that exact story online but here’s a link to the same story encapsulated in one of Seth’s columns from two years ago:

Speaking of Broadway, here’s an interesting story about the Great White Way in the wake of the recent Tony Awards. Weird how an award can have an impact…or not.

Two for Tues…er, Wednesday

Two reviews in this week's Style, one for "Twelfth Night," and another for "The Sound of Music." 'Nuff said.

Servant / Rent / As You Like It / Etc.

My first big theater-related disappointment of the summer comes this weekend. I’ll be heading out of town for a wedding – that’s not the disappointing part. But because of that commitment, I’ll miss the restaging of “A Servant of Two Masters” at Dogwood Dell this weekend. This delightful little romp produced by Henley Street featured a couple of my favorite performances of the past season: Richard Koch as the lead character Truffaldino and Christina Bellew in a couple different roles. If you missed it the first time, don’t make the same mistake twice!

Seeing the teaser from Firehouse’s “Rent” on Virginia This Morning yesterday really got my blood pumping in anticipation of this show. The looong, awkward pause before they start singing notwithstanding, both these women are powerhouses and I can’t wait to see them tear up the stage, along with the rest of their castmates. (Side note: when I was in the studio for the “Sound of Music” appearance on VTM, they ran the music off of a miked boom box. Not exactly high tech and I expect a glitch with that kind of setup was the cause of the awkward pause.) I’m also tickled that a song about lesbian love got performed so boldly on morning TV. Welcome to the 21st century, Richmond!

I’m glad some folks took the opportunity to shamelessly promote their upcoming work in the comments of a recent post. As I said there: it’s my blog but your forum, if you choose to use it. I know a tiny fraction of what goes on in this town and I started this blog to generate conversation, not to provide a platform from which to expound. My hope has been that it would leak out into the larger community and be another venue for promotion of Richmond theater in general. I don’t know how successful it’s been but that’s still my focus.

Anyway, along those lines, the talented Mr. Carlson has started a blog to talk about his upcoming Theatre in Battery Park production of “As You Like It,” another entry in the local Shakespeare sweepstakes. I know he’s got some good folks lined up to perform so it’s certainly a project that warrants attention.

Buffalo

I’m a little exhausted after a busy weekend including a fun-filled Father's Day and a theater double-header on Saturday where I was able to check out CYT’s “Peter Pan” in the afternoon and Richmond Shakespeare’s “Twelfth Night” in the evening. The big opening of the weekend was Swift Creek Mill’s “Moon Over Buffalo;” you can read Ms. Haubenstock’s measured response to the show in today’s T-D. While you’re reading that, I’ll try to recover enough to write up my impressions of the Saturday shows. Oh, and have you voted for Jason, Ellie and Jon yet? You can do so once a day!

Big Broadway Breakers

As mentioned before, here's the link to Jason Mark's Big Broadway Break audition. Vote now!

And Jason isn't the only local making a play for their big break. The adorable couple, Ellie Atwood and Jonathan Perez, who have done great work together in Stage 1's "Summer of '42" and Theatre IV "Sideways Stories from Wayside School," are leaving for the Big Apple in August. A little boost to their careers wouldn't hurt. Here's Ellie's audition and here's Jonathan's. Support your local faves!

Do Your Part

There are two unique opportunities over the next few days for anyone / everyone to play an active role in the local theater world whether you are a performer, technician, designer, or audience member.

First, beloved local composer/performer Jason Marks has entered the “Big Broadway Break” contest. This contest represents is an incredible opportunity for an artist to spend some time in New York and really focus on breaking into the biz there. Finalists are selected by popular vote and voting starts midnight on Saturday. As soon as I have a link to where you can vote, please go there and help get Mr. Marks get his break!

Second, Richmond.com is in the midst of its Adventure Quest, a wide-ranging contest where you can win 2 tickets to “The Sound of Music” and also be in the running for a $500 Apple gift card. The catch is that you have to sing a song from the show on the Empire stage. The judging will happen starting at noon next Monday. So, if you want a good excuse to get out of the heat, check out the details and plan to come on down. You might want to check out the other “quests” listed for the next couple of days – some of them look pretty fun.

In Conversation and In the Studio

An alternate title for this post might be: Why They’re Pros. The “Sound of Music” machine continues to chug through the summer and I continue to find additional reasons to be impressed with the production’s company. And, before I get in too deep, let me say that, while I may heap praise on these folks because I’m most familiar with what they go through, I’m also well aware that nearly every production has its share of amazing stories and challenging circumstances that it has to overcome.

There was a Coffee and Conversations event at the Barksdale last week, featuring Stacey Cabaj, Kara Harmon and young Cooper Timberline. It was an amiable little gathering skillfully emceed by Bruce Miller. Possibly the most amazing thing I learned during the hour-long session was some details about the journey of the lovely and talented Ms. Cabaj. You may know that she was in the running for the reality series, “How do you solve a problem like Maria?” that was focused on casting the female lead of the Canadian production of “Sound of Music.” What you probably did not know is that one of the reasons she did not make it into the final round of the London version of the show was because of concern on the part one of the producer over her recovery from a surgery where her jaw was broken in several places. After the surgery, she did not have feeling in much of the lower half of her face and she had to retrain herself how to sing again. The producer in question noticed what he thought was a small speech impediment because of this and that was enough for him to want her out of the competition.

Just this week, a subsection of the “Sound of Music” cast appeared on Virginia This Morning where they performed “Favorite Things.” Video of the spot is available online now and it sure seems like the song goes off without a hitch. I happened to be in the studio and can attest that the spot could have just as easily been a mess if not for the flexibility and professionalism of all involved. The song “Favorite Things” lasts about 2 minutes; shortly before the live broadcast, it was communicated that the spot was supposed to be 2 ½ minutes. Barksdale publicist Judi Crenshaw and director Chase Kniffen quickly improvised a way to include a piece of the scene preceding the song into the spot. Lines and blocking had to be altered slightly and the cast – the majority of them less than 10 years old – was instructed on these changes about 10 minutes before the show began. They had one brief run-through and then it was show time. Still, even with these last-minute alterations (not to mention getting their audio from a boombox versus an orchestra), everyone worked the scene as if they always did it that way.

To me, both of these anecdotes demonstrate an impressive level of professionalism. Ms. Cabaj worked through potentially crippling setbacks and has gone on to succeed in a role that puts incredible demands on her physically and emotionally up to 8 times a week. Both she and the cast of kids are flexible and adroit enough to navigate past obstacles without even a hiccup. I wish more theater-goers knew that putting on a show is a lot more than getting the lines right, figuring out some blocking and freezing it all in amber. The work than goes on before, during, and after the show requires more dedication, drive and ongoing creativity than most ticket-buyers will ever know.

All Over the Place

Any happy hangover from the star-studded Tony Awards ceremony has now faded. I’m still not sure what to make of the whole thing. The fact that so many of the big acting awards went to performers who were essentially imports from other realms sticks in the craw a little. With her performance on Sunday, Ms. Zeta-Jones raised serious questions about how she managed to score her Tony (though I have seen YouTube clips of her doing the song much better). Viola Davis’s and Scarlett Johansson’s speeches seemed earnest enough. I love Denzel Washington but, despite the times he has appeared on the New York stage, he is clearly of a different world (the “Tony Committee?”)

But the three things I’ll remember most about the broadcast are: 1) Katie Finneran’s “follow your dream” speech, 2) Green Day, and 3) Lea Michelle and Matt Morrison from “Glee.” Even though she has been a film and TV actress as well, Ms. Finneran seems to be much more a creature of the theater world and I thought her speech reflected that. I loved the varied reactions to Green Day: Nathan Lane politely clapping, Matt Morrison enthusiastically pumping his head back and forth to the beat, etc. And I think the Glee stars displayed some serious talent. After Sunday, Ms. Michelle is my new star crush of all time; sorry Catherine and Scarlett.

But in the afterglow of Sunday’s awards, something significant was happening here in Virginia that may have more of an immediate impact on local actors. Gov. McDonnell signed legislation that should stimulate the production of films in Virginia. As the impact of this bill takes hold, perhaps there will be a little flurry of opportunities for Richmond-area folks.

Two local media notes: Boomer magazine has a nice cover piece about Roger Gregory, judge and actor, who has appeared on the Barksdale stage a few times. Which is a good opportunity to mention that Amy Berlin (also of the lawyerly persuasion, I believe) and her compatriots in “Kitchen Witches” will be playing at CAT through this weekend, your last chance to catch them. Finally, Maria and the kids from “Sound of Music” were on Virginia This Morning this morning. I expect they’ll post video at some point and when they do, you can bet I will be linking to it. In the meantime, you can check out this video from a recent appearance on the show by a couple of the stars from CYT’s production of “Peter Pan.”

UPDATE: Here's that link to the appearance by the "Sound of Music" kids. Enjoy!

Sunday quickie

Recent Times-Dispatch reviews of "Twelfth Night" and RTP's "Fabulous Divas of Broadway."

Free, Glee, and Tone-ees!

So the Tonys are this weekend. I have to say that, honestly, I’m not feeling it too much this year. There’s not one specific show or performance I’m particularly excited about getting recognition. It’s a bit ironic too since two of my biggest all-time crushes (Ms. Zeta-Jones and Ms. Johansson) are nominated. Sean Hayes may be a perfectly fine host but I’m sure I’ll miss Neil Patrick Harris. I kind of hope “Ragtime” picks up a few wins as a poke in the nose of the producers who shut the production down too early but that’s a bitter attitude to bring to a more celebratory event. If you want to review of some of the highlights of previous years, you can read this piece. Remember “Avenue Q” versus “Wicked?” Now THAT was a year to be watching the Tonys. Will you be watching on Sunday?

Something that I’m more excited about than the Tonys is high-quality, free theater and it looks like Sycamore Rouge will be offering some this summer. Though in process for a while, it was confirmed yesterday that the Rouge’s July production of “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” will be absolutely free. And also held outdoors on the beautiful-looking grounds of the Battlesea Plantation. Do you need any more reasons to drive a few miles south this summer? I don’t.

In another realm, I’ve come to the opinion that “Glee” must be the most actively criticized show in history. After the season finale, my favorite rag, EW, wrote not just one but three different wrap-ups, including these two critical quibbles (one and two). It then immediately launched into dishing about next season. In the past couple of months, Facebook would light up with people in anticipation of – and then in post-show discussion of – the merits of each episode. Hey, I’m not one to try and put a damper on the critical process but I’m thinking people may want to chill out a bit. I remember when “Twin Peaks” came out (yes, I’m that old) and people went crazy over a show that was so completely different. But the joy for “Peaks” fizzled long before its second and last season clambered to a close. The fact that so many people were so excited about the show made its collapse that much more painful.

Personally, I think “Glee” has certainly made a misstep or two and the “theme” episodes have been highly divisive (I loved the “Gaga” ep, many people didn’t. On the other hand, the Madonna show was just a-ight for me.) But, in general, I have been consistently surprised at how well the show works. It may not always be cranking on all cylinders, but at least once every episode, something impresses me, whether it’s a blockbuster song, a particular arrangement, a wickedly funny line, an awesome bit of choreography or a clever plot point. And when they all work together, well, it’s still pretty magic. I’ve got high hopes for next season but also, I’m willing to overlook the small stumbles, let the show flow and soak in the overall high-quality of the whole endeavor.

She’s the Man

If you are looking for something to get you in the mood for Richmond Shakepeare’s upcoming production of “Twelfth Night,” I would heartily (if perhaps unexpectedly) recommend a viewing of the movie, “She’s the Man” from 2006. The film stars an enchanting Amanda Bynes back before she was a Twitter queen and just a promising comic actress. It also features a very hunky Channing Tatum before he became so well-known for his hunkiness. The plot updates and corrupts the general outline of “Twelfth Night” but keeps the essential mistaken-identity relationship between Viola, Sebastian, Olivia and Orsino. There are some truly ridiculous moments (i.e., most of the last 15 minutes) but there are also some hilarious scenes and great interplay between Bynes and Tatum. The movie is a family favorite (particularly with three female soccer players in the family) and so I have heard or seen it about a dozen times. If you don’t have high expectations, I think you’ll find it a nice diversion.

Speaking of expectations, the production of “Rent” that’s being assembled for the Hollywood Bowl sounds pretty amazing, with Neil Patrick Harris directing and Nicole Schwerzingsomething from Pussycat Dolls/Dancing with the Stars recently added to the cast. Personally, I’m just as impressed with the cast for the production opening later this month at the Firehouse and it’s a whole lot more convenient, so I’ll have no problem settling for that.

Sometime recently, I said something about the few shows that are about sports in reference to “Take Me Out.” Shortly thereafter, I started hearing about this new show called “The Elaborate Entrance of Chad Deity,” which is all about the “sport” of professional wrestling. It’s sounds like a hoot and like a show I’d love to see done here, though it may be a challenge to cast. Still, it’ll go on the “maybe” list for the next trip to NYC…

By the way...

...does anyone know what happened to the production of "Langston is My Man?" It's still listed on the AART website as being scheduled to open this past weekend but I don't see it on the CenterStage schedule. Was it cancelled?

What a Day!

The Facebook world lit up on Saturday with news of what happened in and around the Empire Theatre. To say it was eventful is an understatement. To be brief(ish), a patron attending the matinee performance of “The Sound of Music” had a serious wound on her foot that she was unaware of, causing a pool of blood in the lobby and the first call of the day for an ambulance. During the matinee, power went out in the whole neighborhood, causing a blackout in the theater. Both Phil Whiteway and Chase Kniffen were on hand to help stall for around 20 minutes until power was restored. During that time, both audience and performers shared a magical experience as Phil leads everyone in a sing-a-long version of “Edelweiss” (alertly captured on video by Jonathan Perez).

Outside of the theater, things were not so magical as an SUV and a VCU police car collided little more than a block away apparently because of traffic lights not being operational. The vehicles plowed into the building at the corner of Marshall and Adams, which then partially collapsed (luckily, none of the passengers was apparently seriously hurt). This accident caused traffic in the area to be tied up for the next several hours.

After weathering the matinee, all seemed to be restored to normal but there was additional excitement at the end of the evening performance when a pregnant patron started going into labor at the top of the Empire Theatre stairs. She was eventually helped to the bottom of the stairs and made comfortable until the second ambulance of the day could come by the theater.

I was only personally around for the last circumstance so would take offense (just kidding) if anyone considers my attendance at previously memorable performances a curse of some kind. I did talk to several cast members who said it was about the weirdest day in the theater that they can remember. As per “The World According to Garp,” I hope this means that the SOM production has had its share of craziness for one run and that that’ll be it. But you never know…

I hope the benefit for Dogwood Dell at the Byrd on Sunday, the "A Thorn Between Two Roses" production, and the James Dean show at Sycamore Rouge all went off without any similar mishaps!

Weighing In

Style’s newest theatre critic, Rich Griset, weighed in on “Kitchen Witches” a few days ago. It’s not in the print edition so you might have missed it.

No one from Style has weighed in on “The Sound of Music” yet. I couldn’t have written one for print, for obvious reasons. But I can expound here so I might as well.

Even three weeks into the run, there continues to be things that impress me about this production. Technically, it is a real knock-out. Brian Barker’s set is among the best I’ve seen at Theatre IV. And I have to give an extra dose of credit to the scenic artists who worked on this production (Julie Gallager, Ann Minerick and Terrie Powers). The Austrian landscape they have created on stage is awe-inspiring. Every time I see the show, I find myself looking into the mountains as if the light might have changed or new crags or treelines emerged. It really seems like a living thing, assisted in no small measure by the lighting Lynn Hartman has engineered.

I don’t know where to start with the cast (I know what you’re thinking, the very beginning, right?) I guess I’ll get this out of the way before I go any further: I’m fairly convinced now that Ali Thibodeau can do no wrong on stage. She is an enchanting Leisl and one of the late-in-the-show highlights for me is her duet with Maria on the “Sixteen Going on Seventeen” reprise. Two wonderful voices that blend and complement each other extremely well.

Susan Sanford and Michael Hawke have the difficult task of performing the two songs in the show that will not be familiar to most audience members. I don’t think Chase could have picked a better pair. Not only do they both bubble over with personality, they have the technical skills to render these songs in such an engaging manner that even the more tongue-twisting aspects (“Mer-ced-eses!”) are clear.

I like the Elsa / George plotline trajectory in the stage version better than in the movie. It’s a little trite to simply have a girl-on-girl fight for George’s heart. The political subplot becomes a more living and affecting aspect of the story by having it disrupt the engagement.

In the same category of things that are different about the play, I’d have to put Jody Ashworth’s portrayal of Captain von Trapp. Christopher Plummer’s performance in the movie had a singular charm but there is a humanity in Mr. Ashworth’s portrayal that breathes new life into the story. I particularly like his work in the key scene when Maria and George have returned from their honeymoon and immediately are confronted by the Nazi presence. George is alternately elated to be home, furious and heartbroken about the Anschluss, and confused about how best to protect his family. Jody takes us through each of those emotions clearly.

And Stacey Cabaj – well, she must have walked through some big angel dust storm at some point in her life because she is just illuminated with a bright, beautiful spirit. The amazing part is that really only a fraction of it comes across on stage. In person, she’s even more appealing. I have always adored Julie Andrews as Maria but there is something a little prissy or even ethereal about her performance (that gauzy movie lighting has something to do with it). If anyone could make you forget about Julie Andrews with her down-to-earth, straightforward portrayal, it’s Stacey.

Of course, the kids are cute. But they are so much more, too. The fact that as a group they nail some pretty involved little numbers every single performance is extremely impressive. Can you imagine doing what Ellie Wilson does as Gretl when you were 6? Hell, I don’t think I was tying my shoes by myself yet. The stage version gives Brigitta a more filled out character and Meghan Cordner really takes that challenge head on and succeeds every single show. Oh, and the kid that plays Kurt, well, he’s not too bad either. My favorite scene in the entire show (not just because of Kurt) may be the “Lonely Goatherd” number because it is so different from the movie and all of the kids fill it with such life and energy.

I could ramble on about this production for a long time – and I may have to augment this post at some later time to do so. In the meantime, do plan and go see it. You won’t be sorry you did. I ran into a theater friend at a matinee this week who said she felt like “scream-crying” after every musical number. That’s the kind of reaction the show is spurring. Sure, some of that is undoubtedly nostalgia because of such a well-loved show. But the production pretty much kicks butt too.

More Reviews and More Out

Mary B’s review of “Crowns” hit newsstands with the latest Style and John P's take on CAT's "Kitchen Witches" is now available on his website. Also, old friend Tim Timberlake posted some very nice (if embarrassingly Cooper-centric) comments about “Sound of Music” on his blog recently. Thanks, Tim!

I haven’t been able to let go of “Take Me Out” even though it’s been two weeks since I saw it. It's one of those rare productions that I would have gladly seen a second time. A couple of thoughts regarding the cast: I ran into Eddie Tavares and he told me that he learned the Japanese he spoke in the show phonetically with the help of a Japanese friend of his. He had to say A LOT of Japanese so this must have been a monumental task. You really have to admire that kind of dedication.

Also, I had the pleasure of meeting Jimmy Glidden last weekend before he bolted back to NYC. I usually don’t go out of my way to introduce myself to actors because a) I’m shy and, b) depending on who they are or who they’re best pals with, the possibility for awkwardness is great. But I really wanted to meet Mr. Glidden because his performance in “Take Me Out” was so all-encompassing and natural – even for a somewhat extreme character – that it made me wonder whether any traces of the shy furtiveness he displays on stage would be evident in a casual interaction. I was delighted to find that he is a bright, intelligent and personable fella with an engaging personality that doesn’t seem to contain even a shade of the naïve xenophobe that he played in the show. This, of course, makes me that much more impressed with his work in the show – and I was pretty damn impressed already. I hope NYC treats him well.

Special Events

CAT’s “Kitchen Witches” got a bit of dressing down in the T-D review by Ms. Haubenstock this past weekend. This doesn’t seem to have cast an evil spell on ticket sales if I can believe some Facebook posts which indicate full houses for upcoming shows.

Some folks have asked me to mention some special events happening this upcoming weekend, which I’m happy to do. Local thespian Bill Brock has written a new play called “James Dean: Crossing the Finish Line” and will be directing a production of it as part of Sycamore Rouge’s Six Block Series. The show runs this Thursday through Saturday. World premieres are relatively rare around here so that alone makes this worth checking out. An interesting subject doesn’t hurt either.

The folks at Bifocals are staging a run of “A Thorn Between Two Roses,” a show where Jackie Jones plays a character named Sassy so I can only imagine what we can expect from her! Only two nights for this one, Thursday and Friday, so don’t procrastinate.

Out

Among the many great things about RTP’s “Take Me Out” is that it’s got something for everyone. I’ll avoid making this gender specific but, for sports-lovers, you’ve got a play about baseball. How many plays are there about sports? You can probably count them on one hand. For people who like hunky men, there are a slew of them partially or totally naked onstage, sometimes for extended periods of time. You’ve got plenty of laughs, from nicely cerebral ones (“the world’s old, there’ve been a lot of people; I extrapolate.”) to wonderfully slapsticky ones (almost anything involving Jay Welch’s Jason). My absolutely favorite part, however, is that you’ve got a script that is wholly original, exceedingly clever, nuanced and rich. It makes me curious about Richard Greenberg’s other works – he’s written some 25 or so plays but I’m only vaguely familiar with them, many of them only getting short Broadway runs.

Most notable for the Richmond production is the simply fantastic cast that director Scott Wichmann pulled together, anchored by bravura performances by Matt Hackman and Ronnie Brown, with an electrifying assist by Jimmy Glidden and genial, heart-warming support provided by Kirk Morton. The set with working showers is impressive – nice work John Knapp! – but made me wonder how warm the water was. I hope the guys weren’t wet and freezing along with naked. This was my first visit to the new RTP space and it was also charming, about a million steps up from the Fielden’s space in terms of quality (though lacking actual steps, thank goodness). I love the little bar tables in the back of the house and the selection of goodies at the bar.

I could wax poetic about “Take Me Out” for a while but mostly I want to post something before the show closes. I would strongly encourage anyone who has not seen this to figure out a way to see it in the next couple of days. It’s a truly exceptional theater experience.

Style and BarksTales

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

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

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

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

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

Righting A Wrong

Call me an idiot (you wouldn’t be the first), but for months, my theatre reviewing colleague Joan Tupponce has been posting her reviews on her own blogspot/website and I have neglected to link to them. And that’s just wrong. So here are a couple of links to her most recent reviews:
"The Sound of Music" and "A Doll’s House."

I am reeling a bit due to the back-to-back finales of two of my favorite TV shows (“Lost” and “24). So I haven’t had my wits about me to write about RTP’s “Take Me Out” which I saw last Thursday and which was, to put it succinctly, incredibly awesome. It also occurred to me that I haven’t written anything review-like about “The Sound of Music.” Hopefully, I will gather a few wits today and have something on one or the other of these tomorrow. Stay tuned!

Oh, and also...

Was the Idina Menzel / Lea Michelle duet on "I Dreamed a Dream" on "Glee" last night just about the biggest musical theater geek-gasm ever? I'd say it was.

And anyone who doubts that you can build anticipation for a production with effective marketing art need look no further than the Firehouse posters for "Rent." Remaking the iconic "Rent" poster with the local cast's images is genius. I only wish I could find a copy of the image online somewhere so I could link you to it...

Grand Night to Take Me Out

This week’s Style has a review of RTP’s “Take Me Out” by Ms. Burruss. My schedule over the next couple of weeks will probably only permit me to see one show that’s currently showing and it’s looking like it’s going to be this one. As is always the case, too many shows, not enough babysitters…

There was also an online-only review of “A Grand Night for Singing” posted last week by Rich Griset, a tart pan of the Mill’s revue. I have not seen the show so I really can’t argue the merits of the review as far as describing the quality of the production. However, in terms of its journalistic merit, I greatly appreciate the specificity of the review. My biggest criticism of critics is when they make blanket criticisms without specific examples. You may not like what Mr. Griset has to say but he does an excellent job of backing up his assertions. I will say that I shy away from words like “atrocious” in my own reviews but, then again, I don’t shy away from superlatives when praising something so I can’t really fault someone from using them in criticism.

More fascinating to me than the review, however, is the response to it in the comments. If people take issue with a review, I would expect them to respond directly to the points the critic makes. Was the lighting all over the place or not? What about the set design – does the crown molding make sense or not? Was the choreography compelling or not? Saying “I've read book reports by high schoolers that were better written” is just name-calling.

But this comment in particular jumps out to me: “The other reviewers used by Style are friends and even family members of people who work in local theatre and their reviews show an avoidance of saying anything truly critical, with some rare exceptions. We need less cheerleaders and more Frank Riches.” Hmmm… I guess I resemble that remark…

It’s another iteration of what happens when a negative review gets published: many people rush to defend the object of the criticism and/or attack the critic. At the same time, a smaller subset are (sometimes secretly) thankful that somebody put in print what they’ve murmured to their closest friends, convinced that “tough love” is the what a critic is supposed to dole out. And the world continues to turn…

Cavalcade

There are scads of reviews to link to today. Ms. Haubenstock’s rave on “The Sound of Music” is old news now, having come out Sunday, but Ms. Lewis’s measured take on “Crowns” is hot of the press. Over at WCVE, Mr. Porter has held forth recently on “A Doll’s House” as well as “Sound of Music.”

Up north, Sarah Ruhl’s latest, “Passion Play” opened recently and seems to be promising. Garnering less positive notices has been “The Kid,” the musical adaptation of Dan Savage’s book about two gay men adopting. I really had/have high hopes for this one because I’m a huge fan of Savage’s writing. But I guess you never know what’s going to happen when you go from page to stage.

News about upcoming seasons here in Richmond keeps coming in. I’m excited and surprised that Barksdale might be able to land “God of Carnage” this soon. If it comes together, that may rival “Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?” on my highly anticipated shows list. Also, I hear it first-hand from Ms. kb saine down at Sycamore Rouge that their summer production of “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” is going to be something special. Want a hint? Google “Battersea: A Hidden Treasure” for a clue.

Hits

So this weekend the Barksdale opens two big shows – “Crowns” in partnership with AART and “The Sound of Music” in partnership with itself, i.e., Theatre IV. Both of these should draw some big crowds. At least, I hope they do.

However, there are a whole slew of shows going on already (take a peek to the left for a list), and they certainly deserve your attention before they close up shop. I’ve heard many raves about Sycamore Rouge’s “The Crucible” and there are only a couple performances to go. Mr. Porter at WCVE recently raved about RTP’s “Take Me Out” and “Animal Farm” at the Mill seems like it might slip under people’s radar (and in case anyone’s wondering, I’m not the ‘Dave’ who commented on Ms. Haubenstock’s review. I don’t think Orwell’s book is a dreary topic – though I think a good adaptation of ‘1984’ might make for more theatrical fun.) And BTW, did “A Grand Night of Singing” at the Mill ever get a review? I never saw one.

(UPDATE: DUH! Of course, I saw one. As was pointed out to me -- thanks Joy! -- the link to the left pulls up the T-D review. So I saw it but it promptly fell out of my overcrowded brain. Sorry about that!)

Finally, thanks to Mr. Wichmann for alerting me to Aaron Sorkin’s article that wades into the whole Newsweek hubbub. It’s an interesting take. I see his point about the ridiculous celebrity-hungry culture – I tried to allude to it in my ramblings on this topic – but to me this is almost an argument that runs parallel to the original one. It’s also ironic to me that, if you go to the Entertainment section of Huffington Post where I found the Sorkin piece, the majority of the articles are all about salacious details regarding the personal lives of “stars.” It’s like a disease.

And in even more breaking news, the author of the original article has apparently accepted an invitation to hang out on the “Glee” set. Hmmm… I’m wondering what I could write to land me a similar invitation! I'm also wondering (i.e., hoping...) that this particular little drama has played itself out.

Breaking News

Apparently, the creator of "Glee" has now weighed in on the Newsweek article, calling for a boycott of the magazine. Read about it here.

And another thing: my review of "Is He Dead?" is in this week's Style. Check it out!

UPDATE: There have been a slew of responses to the whole Newsweek dust-up but here's another one that I like. There are a bunch of good lines in this one but the key line to me is near the conclusion: 'Actors who come out aren’t “distracting” except to those who are invested, for emotional or ideological reasons, in remaining distracted by them.' I agree.

Traveling back, Looking forward

Thanks to links from Facebook friends, I had seen the response from Kristin Chenoweth to a fairly ridiculous piece about gay actors not being able to play straight convincingly that appeared in Newsweek recently. Well, the backlash continues in this “Traveling Back to the 1950s” piece in today’s online “Entertainment Weekly.” I like this piece because it repeats and reinforces a key point: whatever characterizes an actor’s off-screen or off-stage life does not, by default, determine how effective they are in a specific role. I have seen plenty of gay actors convincingly play straight. Also, going way beyond sexual identity, I have seen actors who seem to have no real affection for children in real life very effectively play caring mothers and fathers. I’ve seen actors who are extremely caring and nurturing human beings turn into very believable sociopaths on stage. And I’ve seen actors who were arguably mentally ill portraying reasonably normal people.

Another point hinted at but not fully explored in either piece (as far as I can remember) is that most audience members have little or no information about the private lives of most of the actors they see. And though there is a salacious interest in the private lives of celebs, it is only for the top 10% of the 10% of very successful actors that this is really even remotely an issue at all.

I think the focus on Jonathan Groff is particularly funny. I was familiar with Groff, I may have even seen him in “Spring Awakening” (will have to check with the wife on that one…) and yet, I had no idea he was gay. And it didn’t matter in the least in terms of my enjoyment of him on “Glee.” His highly-theatrical turn as Rachel’s rival-turned-boyfriend struck me as just that: highly-theatrical, perfectly matching Rachel’s similar vibe. To consider it “gay” is a homophobic reinforcement of the notion that boys who love singing / dancing / performing – instead of the culturally accepted sporting pursuits – must OF COURSE be gay.

My point, though, is that knowing whether or not he was gay, straight, a vegetarian, a pedophile, or an Episcopalian did not effect my perception of Mr. Groff’s performance. The key to me – and I expect to the huge majority of viewers – was whether he was convincing and engaging in the role. It’d be interesting to pose the question to the original article writer: does the fact that the actor who plays Artie is not actually disabled change the way you think about his performance? In the final analysis -- and putting it as charitably as I can -- I think the Newsweek article says much more about the writer than about the subject that he was writing about.

Switching topics, I’m always excited during this time of year when theater companies are announcing their seasons for the fall. So far, I am particularly intrigued and delighted by the choice of “Waiting for Godot” and “Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?” as the season openers for Henley Street and the Firehouse, respectively. These are both dream plays for actors providing choice tidbits for scenery-chewers to bite into. From what I’ve heard, Larry Cook and Laine Satterfield have already been cast in the Richard Burton / Elizabeth Taylor roles at Firehouse. That should be an exceptional treat. Larry won an RTCC award last year, and Laine was nominated for both the 2009 and 2008 awards.

Media Bonanza

This weekend, the Times-Dispatch featured both an enthusiastic rave about Henley Street's "A Doll's House" and a fine preview of "Sound of Music," focusing on the children starring in the production. It's quite a band of kids and they're working their tales off getting ready for opening night on Friday.

Also, sometime in the last week or so, the local edition of "Skirt!" appeared with a nice piece on the lovely, talented, and simply delightful Ali Thibodeau, who will be Liesl in "SOM." It's on the newstands but I couldn't find the article on their website. Perhaps it'll show up soon.

Media coverage abounds! And I am hopeful my review of "Is He Dead?" will appear in Style this week. I guess we'll see!

"Entertaining and Provocative"

Those two words pretty much encapsulate what I consider good theater. And, according to Ms. Haubenstock with the T-D, that's what you can expect from RTP's "Take Me Out." 'Nuff said, as far as I'm concerned. Any technical concerns notwithstanding, it sounds like this one's a Must See.

If you want to see Night Light Collective's stealth production of "Alice in Wonderland," you better act fast. According to what I read on Facebook, the first weekend of the run is sold out.

And speaking of entertaining and provocative, I finally got around to reading last Sunday's Washington Post and enjoyed this mildly snarky, but also well-articulated review of the state of Broadway. It makes me think that a similar overview of the state of local theater is due, especialy since announcements of next season's plans are coming fast and furious these days. Sounds like a pitch to an editor is in the offing...

Dynamic Duo

There are scads of couples in town where both members are heavily involved in theater, couples that you can refer to just by first names: Joy & Eric, Debra & Joe, Robyn & Ginnie, etc., not to mention the recent knot-tiers Liz & David (congrats, Mr. and Mrs. White!) But this weekend it’s all about Jen & Scott. The gorgeous Jen Meharg peers out from the cover of this month’s Belle magazine as part of promoting Henley Street’s production of “A Doll’s House,” which is also previewed in this week’s Style. The Belle piece sports the byline of someone near and dear to my heart and I’ll link to it as soon as it’s available via the Style site.

Scott Wichmann is directing Richmond Triangle Players’ “Take Me Out,” a show that hasn’t received as much media attention but should benefit from great word of mouth, given the nubile young flesh that will be on display. This baseball-centric show seems like a truly original story and Scotty is the perfect guy to direct it. The show opens tonight and I’m anxious to see it (and not just for the nubile young flesh).

And if you happen to be in the downtown area for a show – taking in one of the last performances of Firehouse’s “Sex Drugs Rock & Roll” or either of the shows mentioned above, I’d recommend stopping into Tarrant’s on Broad Street for dinner, a drink or one of their amazing desserts. My beloved and I stopped in for a brief celebratory drink (19th anniversary!) last week and were delighted to see the always-charming Russell Rowland behind the bar. The black-n-tan he made me was delicious and the dessert we shared was pure decadence. (Clarification: Holly and I shared the dessert, not Russell and I. Grammar: oy!)

Congrats to Jen and Scott on what should be a very busy but very satisfying weekend!

The morning news

The Tony Award nominations are out. Have you seen them?

Mostly they make me sad, for two reasons. First, it’s an indication of how little I’ve been able to get to NYC that I haven’t seen any of the nominated productions. Sigh. Second, the several nominations of “Ragtime” is just another stab in the heart regarding the untimely demise of that production. Phooey. If you are similarly ignorant of most of these shows, you can read this commentary and be able to talk intelligently at cocktail parties when the Tonys come up (which they inevitably do, right?).

In local news, did you see this article about an original show performed at Freedom House? I didn’t until today, unfortunately. Anyone see it? Sounds interesting.

Divas

Well, my "Is He Dead?" review didn't make this week's issue of Style. But my "Sex, Drugs, Rock & Roll" review did, so you can check that out. Also, if you want to read another opinion about the just closed "The Who's Tommy" at VCU, Style put up a review last Friday that I didn't see until today.

I've been behind the curve in mentioning this but there is a truly one-of-a-kind event happening tonight at the Cultural Arts Center at Glen Allen. The "Three Divas" concert features Debra Wagoner, Cathy Motley-Fitch and Desiree Roots -- three of the area's best voices -- and they'll be accompanied by the wonderful Sandy Dacus. If you go, remember that curtain is at 7pm, not 8. You don't want to miss a note of this!

Good News

The box office news from Broadway is certainly good, with “American Idiot” apparently going gangbusters, a situation that can only be helped by Green Day’s impromptu performance after a show last week. Generally good notices on Denzel Washington in “Fences” should continue the positive receipts.

I’m not sure what the overall story is locally but I’m hopeful that the positive review of “The Crucible” inspires folks to head down to Sycamore Rouge. Also, I was pretty amazed by the full house at Barksdale’s “Is He Dead?” last Sunday. This is the kind of broad farce that has appeal for everyone – even my 6 year old – so I hope it grabs a decent audience. My review should be in tomorrow’s Style but I have to rectify some absences in my review. First off, due to space, I wasn’t able to give anything more than a listing of Millet’s partners-in-ruse, played by David Janeski, Derek Phipps and Joe Carlson. These guys are great and, if this play had been written as a modern-day movie, would warrant their own Marx Brothers kind of a spin-off. Carlson exudes an energetic jocularity that I expect typifies the 19th century American and is really the engine of the play’s plot. Janeski is a fine counterpoint as the practical German, and Phipps makes for an entertaining and somewhat dim Irishman.

I also was not able to expound on the only disappointment for me in the show, which is the squandering of substantial female talent in the cast. Joy Williams and Kimberly Jones Clark are both formidable actresses; it’s a little disheartening that they have so little to do in this show. Aly Wepplo is always fun to watch and she is a fitting object of Millet's affection here. But her role here is a bit of a stereotype, in contrast to her character in “Putnam County Spelling Bee” which was a real joy. Kristan Swanson is the only actress given much to work with and she does a great job with it.

I enjoyed Beau Marie’s performance very much, particularly his growing fervor in the second act. As would be expected, David Bridgewater tears into his bad-guy role with gusto and makes much more of it than is on the page. And the always-welcome Matthew Costello does well with his subsidiary, somewhat sad-sack role.

But I left the show remembering Joe Pabst most distinctly. His reactions onstage, whether as the snooty art buyer or the dutiful manservant, are always perfectly measured for maximum comic effect. Well done, Mr. Pabst.

It was interesting to read the little bit in the program about Mark Twain and the development of “Is He Dead?” I know a little bit about Twain’s experience with theater, which was not always particularly great. I read his collaboration with famous frontier writer, Bret Harte, called “Ah Sin,” for a class I took a couple of years ago. This play was setup to be a blockbuster: it involved two literary superstars and it starred Charles Bledsoe, a huge stage star of the day thanks to a particular sub-genre of plays that featured bumbling Chinese characters.

The character of “Ah Sin” was taken from a poem Harte had written, commonly known as “The Heathen Chinee,” that was arguably the most often reprinted poem of the latter 19th century and helped spur waves of anti-Chinese discrimination at the time. (It’s always intriguing to me to consider that, while discrimination against African-Americans is debated over and over again, the wholesale discrimination against Chinese immigrants – which transcended geography and class, was codified in American law and celebrated by an author as beloved as Twain – has mostly faded into obscurity.) The play was notable for my research because, in it, various epithets are hurled at the Chinese character; he is called everything from “a moral cancer” to a “slant-eyed son of the yellow janders [i.e., jaundice].” Good times!

The play was a dud. Not a “close after one night” abject failure, but a mediocre play that faded surprisingly quickly given the hoopla surrounding its development. Anyway, the whole experience did nothing to inspire Twain to focus any more on playwriting and reportedly left him pretty bitter. It may have been one of the reasons he never pushed “Is He Dead?” Like they say, once bitten, twice shy.

Seeing the Future

I'm only moderately embarrassed to say that I used to watch "American Idol" religiously. Only moderately because in the past there were usually several people competing that were pretty darn good. The subsequent success of people like Jennifer Hudson, Carrie Underwood, Chris Daughtry, etc., bares that out.

This season I DVR the show and skip through everything except Crystal Bowersox's and Soibhan Magnus's performances (and then skip the ridiculous "judging"). I watch Crystal because she is always exceptional, I watch Soibhan because she is always interesting.

I'm thinking that I should've been watching more closely, however, so I would have a better sense of the Broadway stars of tommorrow based on the number of people from "Idol" showing up there. It was announced a while back that Ace Young and Diana Digarmo were joining the cast of "Hair." Now there's video showing them in action. It kinda makes me wonder (and cringe a little, too) to think of Katie Stevens or Tim Urban or (gulp) Big Mike appearing on Broadway in a year or two.