Names (CultSha Expo)

Naming something is important. I've played a part in picking 4 children's names and a last name and it's a tricky business with lots of different factors to take in account. Naming inevitably has unforeseen consequences. When the RTCC awards were created, no one involved foresaw what that acronym would prompt and now (and probably forever more) the awards are saddled with a nickname that for some is a silly joke, others is a derisive putdown, and still others just an amusing sidelight.

I expect a lot of thought and study went into choosing Virginia Repertory Theatre as the new moniker for the Barksdale / Theatre IV mashup. I've heard discussion among some people who are confused, others who are disapointed, and still others who like the crisp, conciseness of "Virginia Rep."

Which is all lead-up to a quick discussion of the CultSha Expo. First off, everyone should go. I expect anyone reading this probably already is planning on going because your organization has a booth or a performance there. Anyone else not in that category should go because it's going to be a lot of fun and a great chance to see previews and highlights of the work that a bunch of organizations are doing.

The name, however, is confusing, particularly if you don't know the origin of it. CultureWorks is trying to create a committed group of local arts patrons, called Cultural Shareholders, which they've shortened to "CultSha" members. I think it's kind of clever but it's another one of those things that people may be confused about. Confusion shouldn't keep anyone away from the event though. Check out the line-up -- there's going to be a lot of cool things happening. Take a break from the pool and come on down!

Tempest(s)

In case you haven’t picked it up yet, this week’s Style is chock-full of theater-related stories. Most prominent is the news story talking about Richmond Shakespeare’s change of direction, switching the staging of their non-summer productions from CenterStage to St. Catherine’s. This is concurrent with the RichShakes announcement of their new partnership with St. Catherine’s but is also a reaction to ongoing issues with getting locally-produced shows up-and-running at CenterStage. I have been blissfully unaware of the specifics of these issues but I know there are folks who have grumbled about CenterStage since the beginning. I’ve never been able to tell how much of the grumbling was because of political issues and how much was actual functional issues. This article – and the clearly illustrated impact working with CenterStage seems to have on a company’s finances – makes me think there are more functional aspects to the problem than I thought.

Speaking of finances, there is also a story about Sycamore Rouge in Style as time starts to run short on their deadline to raise the needed funds to keep the company afloat. There are only so many big money patrons out there that can write the big checks so keeping the company alive seems like it is going to take dozens of us writing the small checks. Think about it.

There is a review of “Cymbeline” in Style and Richmond.com delivers the second review I’ve seen of “Spring Awakening.” I’m anxious for mine to come out next week so I can talk about the show more. In the meantime, I strongly recommend you go out and see it yourself. This is a show you’ll want to see and talk about, whether you fall into the “roll your eyes” category Ms. Jewett describes, or if you think it’s the best show ever.

The Power of Enthusiasm

I wasn’t in Chicago this past weekend. Several of my colleagues were there for the annual American Theatre Critics Association conference. Honestly, I hadn’t even thought about it until some Facebook pals started posting. Now I’m feeling a little retroactive melancholy. Not only would I have loved to be there to see all of the shows, but I haven’t been back to Chicago, the city of my birth, for more than a decade. I wonder if I would even recognize the place.

I’m sure there are people who couldn’t think of anything worse than hanging out with a bunch of critics for a long weekend. I expect the image persists that such a gathering would involve a gang of persnickety humorless sad sacks looking down their noses and harrumphing about everything they see, the hecklers from the Muppets multiplied exponentially.

In an effort to dispel any such image, here is a link to the text of the keynote “Perspectives on Criticism” address, delivered by Terry Teachout, the Wall Street journal drama critic. I love this address because Teachout says crisply and clearly things I have always thought and have at times tried to state, if perhaps less expertly. Two of the highlights: “[Criticism is] about enthusiasm, and passion, and love—and if it’s not about those things, then it’s no good.”

Furthermore, “The awful truth is that I don’t really like writing bad reviews. I can’t understand critics who live to write stinkers. Why on earth would anybody want to sit through a bad performance, just so he can pan it? I have better things to do with my evenings.”

I regularly hear from or about people who think critics serve no purpose, particularly in this age when the Internet and social media can give just about anybody the reach and impact of a “professional” critic. And even so, almost every production I’ve ever seen uses pull quotes from critics in their advertising. There must be some reason for this.

Beyond the advertising benefit, there are plenty of other good things that spring from criticism, at least 6 of them outlined in this piece from the Guardian. The people who go to conferences like ATCA's take the job of criticism seriously; it's not like a lavish corporate junket or anything. With fewer full-time critics on publication staffs than ever before, most attendees pay their own way (I did when I went). Sure, it’s a great excuse to see a bevy of shows and commiserate with others in the critical trenches. But it’s also an opportunity to reflect on the importance of the job and to gain insight into becoming better at it. It’s been a decade since I went to an ATCA conference. Methinks I need to go again.

Yellowman

What I liked most about “Yellowman” is that it’s a show that actually delves into an issue, gets to the meat of it, and dramatizes the very real effects of it on people’s lives. The issue for this play is racism, specifically racism within the African-American community where darker skinned blacks are considered brutish and ugly while lighter-skinned “high yellow” blacks are thought to be more attractive but also privileged and lazy.

I’ve felt some frustration with recent shows that have a racial element but don’t really go anywhere with it. In “Scorched Earth,” a mixed-race baby initiates the play’s action but race is just a hook to get your attention and ends up tangential to the rest of the “who-done-it” plot. I felt manipulated by “Earth.” In one of the first scenes the local plant foreman talks about a diversity committee but real issues involving race are never explored. Worst of all, in a show that uses race as its hook, none of the African-American characters end up being essential to the denouement. Even Elijah, the character at the heart of the plot, ultimately ends up being mute and peripheral.

“Dessa Rose” is a musical with some hot-button issues at its core but, to its credit and detriment, race is not really one of them. Or at least, not any cohesive perspective about race. Instead, the story uses race – or more exactly, slavery – as a pivot that individuals and relationships move around. One slave owner is bad and brutal, another is clever and opportunistic. One interracial relationship is bad, another is redemptive. Ruth is kind to slaves so she is good because all of the slaves are honorable and brave. More intricate and interesting are the relationship dynamics between Dessa and Ruth, but in those dynamics, race is a simple fact, not an issue with complicated facets.

In “Yellowman,” issues of race are about as complicated as they can be. And instead of presenting anything sanctimonious or pat, the play clarifies those issues via the lens of a long-term relationship between Alma (Patricia Alli) and Eugene (KeiLyn Jones). The two of them live in a world – a southern, intrinsically racist world – where no one truly escapes the ravages of hate based on skin color. Animosity creeps into every nook and cranny of their lives so that, while race is at the foundation, the real pain comes via familial relationships, friendships that are built and destroyed, and ultimately, self-hatred that taints even passionate interludes that are supposed to be expressions of joy.

This all sounds like heavy stuff, and it is, but Dael Orlandersmith’s script keeps things moving quickly enough and creates such engaging characters that the play rarely feels bogged down. Under J. Paul Nicholas’ steady hand, the production steers clear of the morose and, particularly when hope for escape starts building late in the play, the joy of discovery is palpable. Alli and Jones are exceptional actors. In additional to creating rich and complex central characters with Alma and Eugene, both do a great job portraying Alma’s and Eugene’s parents and friends.

As I said during the talkback session after I saw the show last Friday, what makes “Yellowman” compelling is that it’s a good story. It’s a love story, it’s a story of the urban/rural dichotomy of a particular city, it’s a story about two families, it’s both a tragedy and a redemption story. Sure, it’s an African-American story but more than that, it’s an American story. Tapping into the abundant variations of experience provided by this glorious melting pot of a country, Orlandersmith creates story about how many shades of gray – or yellow – are mixed in between the black and the white, making watching this play profoundly satisfying on emotional, historical, personal, and all sorts of other levels. Perhaps most of all, it's refreshing and invigorating to see a show that is actually about something, and that is not just an entertainment that plays bait-and-switch with more serious issues.

I tried

Yoda famously said, “Try not. Do, or do not. There is no try.” As silly as most of Yoda’s twisted syntax is, this is actually an aphorism I’ve taken to heart. But sometimes resolve cannot overcome inertia when it comes to emotional affairs.

Which is all to say that I tried to care about the Tonys. Really I did. I read predictions and previews and, even though I knew I was going to miss it live, I dutifully taped it and sat down to watch from the top perhaps 80 minutes after the broadcast began. Neil Patrick Harris – loved him. Cute bit from “Book of Mormon” to start the show. Energetic dancing from “Newsies” that seemed to confirm that every exceptional male dancer in the tri-state area got cast in this show.

But the “Follies” number had me fast-forwarding; same with the “Ghost” scene. Somewhere along the line I’ve grown allergic to Matthew Broderick and I sped through a lot of the “Nice Work” number too. “Jesus Christ Superstar” is one of my favorite scores of all time but I wasn’t fond of the electric blue Judas. Even with the great low-key jokes (Mustafa headdress!), I lost interest quickly and finally chose slumber versus more acceptance speeches.

I’ve still got the whole show on the DVR. And I’ll probably get back to it to watch the details of the “Once” sweep and watch NPH’s closing number – always a highlight. But the problem is that I didn’t see any of the shows in contention. “Once” opened 3 months ago, “Clybourne Park” less than 2. Even when I advocated a trip to “JCS,” my family was not interested. Besides the somewhat prurient cross-media interests – both Amanda Seyfried and Hugh Jackman from the “Les Mis” movie were there! wouldn’t it be interesting if Andrew Garfield won right before “Spiderman” opens? – I didn’t have an investment in anything going on.

Sorry to be a Tonys party-pooper. I think I need to arrange my life better so next year I can go to the Triangle Players’ Tonys party so that, even if I don’t care about the show, I can enjoy the company and the ambiance.

Can anyone tell me if I missed anything truly spectacular so I can fast-forward directly to it?

Also, Ms. Lewis at the T-D didn't seem totally enthralled with "Cymbeline," which opened this past weekend. Did you see it and what did you think? Beyond this one review, a more important development for RichShakes will probably be this new partnership with St. Catherine's, a good strategy to ensure long-term strength for the company IMHO.

Live Art Moments

Be sure to check out this week’s Style that is chock full o’ stories by my critical compatriot Rich Griset. He talks about the Virginia Rep announcement, quotes Scott Wichmann in a piece about Seal Team workouts, and reviews Henley Street’s “Yellowman.” You’ll see in the “Yellowman” review that I’ll be one of the panel members for the “Yellowman” talk-back this Friday. So come on out and talk back to me!

As mentioned yesterday, here is a quick listing of some of my thoughts about the Live Art concert event on Sunday. Please feel free to add your own highlights in the comments.

I was surprised and delighted by Jason Mraz’s humility and accessibility as a performer. He let himself be fussed at by one mime and then upstaged by another when raising the curtain. Even when the spotlight was on him, he didn’t just bask, he interacted with his piano player and the performers around him. He even lent his bare feet to the instant art of Dancing Feet. If there is a word that means the opposite of prima donna, it is Jason Mraz.

I don’t know whose idea it was to tie everything together with the mimes but it was pretty brilliant. And from the stalwart Xavier Dobbins to the bossy Annie Hulcher to the antic T’Arah Craig and Brendan Kennedy they were a great troupe and an entertaining sidelight all their own.

I loved Samson Trinh’s energy and the voices of Allyson Mills Steele and Terri Simpson. The Upper East Side Big Band provided a sonic foundation for almost everything that occurred and it was as rock-solid as you could ask for.

How can you not be impressed by Susan Greenbaum’s voice? I had the pleasure of chatting briefly with Anne Holton after the show and she remarked how she couldn’t believe Susan doesn’t have a bigger national reputation and following. I couldn’t agree more.

Catherine Dudley was leading the students doing sign language on stage throughout the concert. Even if you aren’t deaf, Ms. Dudley’s signage is just a joy to watch. She’s not just an interpreter; she’s a full-fledged performer herself.

Throughout the concert, I was repeatedly struck by the way so many of the professionals involved in the project seemed to glow with an inner light, people like Willie Hinton, Danae Carter, Josh Small, Jenna McClintock, and many others. I don’t think there is any way you could fake the looks of pride, joy, and jubilation that were plain on their faces.

I enjoyed the way Steve Bassett interacted with the Dreamer Theater performers and the way the crowd enthusiastically responded to the duets with each of the “guest performers.”

Though it ultimately went on a little long for my tastes, the Human Story improv dance contained amazing moments of discovery and interaction, making it among the most powerful pieces of the night. What a clear example of how movement and music – without any spoken words whatsoever – can communicate a whole universe of meaning.

I never got any sense of condescension toward any of the performers, regardless of their abilities. The event was an object lesson in how, given the right support and preparation, differently-abled people can do amazing things. One of my favorite performers was Claire Foster who took part in the impromptu painting in response to Susan Greenbaum’s first song, was a prominent dancer in a couple of pieces, and was the signing interpreter for a piece near the end. She shone with such confidence and even a bit of swagger whenever she was on stage. Another performer I noticed was Shishir Ingale. Though his affect was relatively flat, when he danced, he expressed as much buoyancy and happiness as anyone else on stage.

One of the most admirable aspects of the event: Erin Thomas-Foley – who could have asked for a moment in the spotlight and by all rights deserved one – stayed in the background during the entire performance. She may insist that she was just one cog in a gigantic machine but it’s clear she was actually the motor that made it run. The lack of any kind of official backslapping about the importance of the project and the inclusion of just the slightest ask for support showed great restraint and class, and kept the focus on what was transpiring on stage.

I’m sure there are dozens of people that deserve recognition for making “Live Art” happen but one last kudo to offer: while Ms. Thomas-Foley was obviously the principle force in getting the project going, the SPARC staffer who was officially tasked with managing it was Courtney Edwards. As she was someone who also didn’t get any stage time or official call-outs, I’d like to offer congratulations to her as one of the event's unsung heroes. Well done!

The show ended with a medley of songs celebrating Virginia, which was appropriate, but I’d say that even more specifically, this event was a celebration of Richmond and the great arts community here. Congratulations to SPARC for making this happen but also congratulations to everyone here who helps foster Richmond’s artistic livelihood. “Live Art” was a victory for every single person involved but also for all of us.

Art, Auditions, Annie, etc.

The “Live Art” concert was Sunday and, if you were there, I don’t have to tell you how incredible it was. And if you weren’t, well, I’m not sure anything I can write will capture the spirit and beauty of the event. It was the kind of show where you are smiling pretty much the whole way through, at least when you aren’t laughing out loud or on the verge of tears. The event brought more than 1,200 people down to the Carpenter Theater and shone a great big spotlight on all of the best aspects of the Richmond arts scene: the willingness of artists to experiment; the generosity that compels people to support each other and collaborate across different organizations; and the abundant delight local artists take in creating art and inspiring young people to push their limits.

I will be compiling a list of some of my favorite moments from the show because I know I’ve really appreciated when Jackie Jones put together such a list for the RTCC awards. But I need my Live Arts program for that and it’s currently lost somewhere in a stack of mail. In the meantime, there are plenty of other happenings to talk about.

For instance, have you heard that local writer and producer Jerry Williams will be stepping into the director’s chair for the first Richmond Triangle Players show next season? TVJerry has directed scores of videos but this will be his first stage play since his days at VCU when he directed a slew of shows for the Barn Dinner Theatre. I had the pleasure of being schooled by Mr. Williams nearly 20 years ago or so when I tried my hand at writing some videos for my then employer, the Dept. of Environmental Quality. He ever so gently – ok, not so gently – slapped that hand because the first draft script I wrote was so ridiculously bloated and impractical. Working as a critic for WTVR-6 for 15 years, he established himself as an uncompromising voice providing straight-forward views on movies and plays (something he continues at tvjerry.com). His connections in town run deep so it’ll be fun to see who he brings to the stage for “Regrets Only…” and what he does with them. (Auditions this weekend!)

As I’m sure you’ve seen on Facebook or elsewhere, another local actor has hit the big time. One of the highlights of the Theatre IV production of “Irving Berlin’s White Christmas” last season was the performance of young Taylor Richardson. The talented Richmond native has been cast in the Broadway revival of “Annie,” and it’s a kick to see her bio being listed in this run-down of the orphans. Richmond may truly be developing into a launching point to bigger things.

And while the pro theaters in town are readying their summer productions, you might take consider using your spare time next Monday or Tuesday to check out an evening of entertainment offered by a fledgling local effort. A group of former SPARC students have created the Full Circle Theatre Project and they are putting on a show at the SPARC theater. There’s a great slate of talent lined-up. I’m planning on going just to see if the title “Unplugged” is a riff on being “unplugged” from SPARC or if the performances are going to be all acoustic. Color me intrigued!

Pieces and Parts

I’m a little melancholy these days so I apologize in advance for any world-weariness that might seep onto these virtual pages. Memorial Day hit particularly close to my late dad’s birthday this year and I also was recently reminded of a co-worker who died 6 years ago this coming Friday. One of this co-worker’s verbal tics was to include the phrase “pieces and parts” into almost every description of a project. She was kind of a legend around the Sauer’s plant, having worked there some 30-odd years. May all of those we remembered this past weekend rest in peace.

Newspaper and magazine articles are usually referred to as “pieces,” and one of mine was in this past week’s Style. It’s a preview about “Live Art,” a somewhat generic name for what is a truly transformational project. I’m glad that Style devoted a full page to the piece but I’m also a little disappointed. They didn’t tease the article on the front cover and the picture that ran with the piece doesn’t really capture the expanse and vitality of the effort. The picture is also just a bit dark which is unfortunate for a project that is so full of light. Still, I’m glad the piece ran and I don’t know if any picture could really have given a sense of what magic will unfold this Sunday evening. I have been very excited to see several of the other local media outlets have been talking up the big concert. It should be a very cool evening.

The Style website also features a review of "The Musical of Musicals" that didn't fit in print and a preview of the Tony awards that seems to have been written by the former Richmond Ballet managing director, Keith Martin. Style loves us theater goers, really it does! (And since sarcasm and the lack of it don't always come across in print, I'm NOT being sarcastic. The Style editors really are pretty great about squeezing theater coverage into their ever-decreasing pages.)

Part 2 of the “Spring Awakening” rehearsal video diary was posted yesterday. In it, parts of a couple of songs from the show are heard. There is also plenty of energetic and goofy footage of the cast frolicking and lip-syncing. What comes across most clearly is that these are people having a great time working together. If even a small slice of that energy comes across on stage, this is going to be a hell of a show.

“Catfish Moon” and “The Musical of Musicals” close this weekend – you can see them both and still go to “Live Art” on Sunday! “Dessa Rose” was scheduled to close but was extended for another week. Clearly this show has found its audience, always a good indicator of the power of strong work of mouth.

And in case news of this slipped past in the midst of the other media clutter, RTP and the Firehouse are collaborating on a reading of “8,” the show about California’s Prop 8 legal battle that was famously read by a slew of A-list celebs in LA earlier this spring (a great series of clips from the Broadway reading are posted on the Firehouse site). The Richmond A-list has stepped up to fill the parts in the show, including Gordon Bass, David Bridgewater, Katie McCall, Melissa Johnston Price, Adrian Rieder, Irene Ziegler and more. Leave a space on your social calendar for this one, set to run June 13 and 14.

Video Bonanza

Giving people a taste, generating buzz, whetting appetites: it’s a strategy as old as the ages. It’s popular because it works. As a regular patron at Once Upon a Vine’s Friday taste-testings, I know from personal experience. I taste a beer, I like a beer, I buy a beer. Simple capitalistic magic.

There has been a little outpouring lately of great video related to local productions. You can see a trailer for “Dessa Rose” that shows you that the Firehouse has transformed it’s sometimes cramped stage into an expansive space for this expansive show. Not to mention giving you a taste of the rousing music that powers the show.

Virginia Rep has put out what I hope is just the first of a long line of promotional bits for “Spring Awakening,” highlighting the kick-in-the-pants song “The Bitch of Living” and interview snippets with some of the key cast members. Well produced and fun, this piece already has my wife (a true “Awakening” fanatic) practically peeing in her pants.

And SPARC’s “Live Art” project has been putting out a regular stream of video pieces on their blog, also incredibly well-produced and snappy and giving people a nice slice of what to expect. For a project where people won’t necessarily have a clear idea of what they’ll see the night of the performance, this is a great way to get potential patrons to shake loose that $35 for a ticket.

If I was someone working on “Rocky Horror” this summer, I’d take note. Nothing like a little “Time Warp” promo to get people excited for that one.

Discoveries

It's been a week full of discoveries for me, these last 7 days or so. I discovered -- thanks to an alert by Phil Crosby at Triangle Players -- that this blog was offline for a half-day or so because of attempted hacking. I think that's somewhat comical -- was someone looking for a venue to post some malicious theater gossip?

I discovered just how amazing the "Live Art" project that SPARC is organizing is going to be. Or more specifically, I got a more complete sense of what it's going to be and it is indeed going to be an extravaganza. Erin Thomas-Foley has brought together an incredible fleet of people, all of whom seem to have a special glow emanating from them, and they are working with scores of kids whose earnest dedication is a real inspiration. Get tickets now.

I also had the chance to discover what people have been talking about as far as "Scorched Earth" goes -- both good and bad -- as it closed down its world premiere run at (what was) the Barksdale at Willow Lawn. I'll write more about that in the next day or so.

Style came out with its “Best Of 2012” issue, though good luck discovering a copy at a local newsstand (I hear there are some out there but haven’t yet seen proof). Among the theater-related entries are: Best Local Actor, Best Local Actress, Best Local Comedy Group, and Best Local Theatre Company. A couple of “wild cards” I threw in were Actress Most Likely to Suffer Psychological Whiplash (there were a few options for this one) and Best Under the Radar Theatre Company.

Of course the big discovery -- the big unveiling really -- was the introduction of Virginia Repertory to the world. It was a move that had been rumored to be happening for years and Mr. Miller actually had a chat with a group of critics in town more than a year ago where he laid out the rough plans for this move. As such, my excitement about the reality of it was somewhat muted until I happened to drive by the November Theatre yesterday and saw the new marquee. There is something about seeing the name big and bold that really makes an impact.

Of course, my excitement also comes with some melancholy. Theatre IV, in particular, is a name woven into the fabric of many of my memories. I met some of my first friends in Richmond working a Theatre IV show. I met my wife during one of their productions and one of my sons and both of my daughters have spent time working on Theatre IV shows. It’ll be a while before Virginia Rep rolls off my tongue as easily as Theatre IV or Barksdale did. But, unlike a huge swath of Richmonders, I’m not a stasis-obsessive – I like change. And this is a big, bold change that bodes well for the future of local theater, I think. So welcome, VA Rep! I can’t wait to see what fun you have in store for all of us.

Awakening Indeed

Given the generally sparkling reviews for “Dessa Rose,” I was wondering whether folks would rise up in indignation after my not-always-positive ramblings about the musical a couple of days ago. In case anyone is holding back, I’m more than open to well-reasoned or at least articulate rebuttals to the things I said about the show. If I’ve missed points other people got, I’d love to be enlightened.

Kind of suddenly – or at least suddenly for me since I’ve been kind of out of the loop for a few weeks – spring is full of music in Richmond. At the beginning of 2012, we had “Patsy Cline” and hardly anything else musical-wise (“Stinky Cheese” notwithstanding). But now, “Church Basement Ladies” is still hanging on and three musicals opened over the course of the past 3 weeks. And Facebook is already rumbling about the beginning of rehearsals for “Spring Awakening” and talk of “Rocky Horror” is starting. And there’s this little thing SPARC is doing called “Live Art” – OK, I jest; it’s going to be huge – that’ll have its day in the sun in a couple of weeks. Tunes are flowing freely now from our stages – it’s a good time to see, and listen to, a show.

A few weeks ago, the eloquent John Porter talked about themes running through local productions. Personally, I’ve been noticing an interesting willingness so far this year for local companies to jump into the race discussion. This will move to a new level with Henley Street’s “Yellowman,” opening next week, but we’ve already had the subject put out there for consideration in “You Don’t Know Me,” “Scorched Earth,” “Dessa Rose,” and maybe even a little bit in “Topdog/Underdog.” I find this very intriguing. It’s been my thinking for years that Richmond could be a particularly potent location to bring the American conversation about race to new places. We have a diverse community in here – there are significant African-American, Latino, and Asian-American enclaves – but, in my own probably very limited view, there isn’t a whole lot of intermingling between these populations. Any time race is brought to the fore, certainly the potential for conflict and a rise in tension is possible. But particularly when art is the medium, I think the potential for insight and even revelation is great.

I’ll look forward to hearing what people say about “Yellowman.” And maybe, someday, I’ll be reading something in some national publication about the boldness of a Richmond artistic community willing to plumb the depths of Richmond’s tortured legacy when it comes to race.

Dessa

(Note: after writing this blog post, I realized that I expose MANY plot points of “Dessa Rose.” So please take this as a big fat SPOILER ALERT and don’t read on if you don’t want to know what happens in the show.)

The production of “Dessa Rose” at the Firehouse has received many accolades and I’m glad for that. The show has clearly moved several of my critical compatriots in town and they have responded with hearty endorsements. Which is great: producing the show was a bold move and the Firehouse deserves as much audience as it can get for it.

I certainly was impressed by the production. Just walking into the theater, with the surprisingly deep stage populated with finely costumed actors and infused with atmospheric stage fog, was a transformative experience. The technical elements were stunning. I didn’t have space in my Style review to do justice to the fine work by Rebecca Cairns and Ann Hoskins, whose costumes firmly places the characters in the antebellum south, or to the moody, nuanced lighting design of Robert Perry. 

But it wasn’t long after the show started that my enchantment dimmed. The generation shifting narration that forces both Desiree Roots as Dessa and Stacey Cabaj as Ruth to switch back and forth between youth and age is simply cumbersome. Also, for me, the narration seemed to echo the “why we tell the story” format of “Once on this Island” but in a clunkier and more pedantic way. Perhaps it was unfair to open my review by comparing “Dessa” to other Ahrens-Flaherty shows – why would the average theater-goer care, right?

Well, for this theater-goer, part of my eager anticipation for this show was the result of my adoration of their previous work and I couldn’t help but hear those echoes and find them wanting in comparison. The narration also highlighted a “…this happened and then this happened…” kind of feel to the episodic first act, complete with a complicating extended flashback. Part of the reason I enjoyed the second act so much more is that the focus was more on the relationships of the characters, the wonderfully unexpected dynamic of a plantation owner taking in runaway slaves almost inadvertently and her feeling their derision and having them teach her important lessons about life. These were quietly surprising and engaging scenes. They still had little hiccups – as incredible a performer as Durron Tyre is, in Ahren’s story his noble Nathan strays dangerously close to one of those magical Negro stereotypes – but they affected me more then all of the escapes and pregnancy-related melodramatics of the first act. 

Throughout the show, I kept waiting for that moment where I would really care for these characters, feel their pain, experience the transformations they were going through. Musicals are generally great at engendering this kind of response because the music operates on a different level than just the words, soaring melodies or bold phrases giving the plot gyrations a big psychic push. But as well delivered as the songs were by an excellent orchestra led by Leilani Giles and the cast of exceptional voices, they struggled to resonate with me and, apparently with the rest of the audience in the theater with me that night. Most songs came and went without applause, perhaps in part because of the flow of the show but more likely, I think, because people’s emotional buttons weren’t being pushed. “In the Bend of My Arm” is a very lovely song and was the first time I really took notice of how the music was enhancing the story. Then when Katrinah Carol Lewis ripped into “White Milk and Red Blood” my heart finally raced like I had been hoping it would, in part because of Lewis’s skill and in part because I think the song really connected.

Another thing I found discomfiting was what I considered a weirdly shifting moral and emotional compass in the story. Usually I am more than happy to be discomfited in the theater; some shows that pushed me out of my comfort zone are among my favorites (“The Goat, or Who is Sylvia?” comes to mind most readily). The practice of slavery was savagely and horribly wrong; there is no question about that. But Dessa’s owner’s killing of Kaine (a fabulous performance by Keydron Dunn that I also didn’t get a chance to lavish praise on) seems so arbitrary and in contrast to later callous sentiments about “not killing perfectly good merchandise” in reference to Dessa’s unborn child. So all white people were brutal AND stupid, is that the message? When Dessa kills her potential rapist, I understand that we’re supposed to be OK with that. She is being taken advantage of by someone who sees her as nothing but property to be exploited. But then when Ruth is nearly raped later in the show, the dynamic is so completely different, with Ruth clearly flirting and enjoying it and then the attacker being run off with pillows, well it’s almost comic. Are these incidents meant to be equivalent? Are the similarities to Dessa’s earlier scene supposed to highlight something? If Ruth had killed her attacker, would the audience be OK with that?

The two strains of interracial attraction also confused me. Nehemiah (an always impressive Nick Aliff) is clearly falling for Dessa who almost callously takes advantage of that attraction to escape. Again, we’re supposed to be OK with that because Dessa is our heroine and she was unfairly sentenced to die. But then the other “forbidden” attraction, between Nathan and Ruth, where Nathan is Ruth’s savior is a completely redemptive situation. So is the subtext that relationships between white men and black women were always fraught with unfair power dynamics while those between black men and white women weren’t? I guess I would have liked to see a little more frisson as a result of the Ruth/Nathan affair to show that interracial love was always problematic, no matter what the gender mix was.

Finally, for a show about the bitterness of slavery, some aspects of it came off without the impact that I would have expected. When Dessa is traveling with a bunch of other imprisoned slaves, they sing an uptempo song, surprisingly positive about their circumstance. The scheme that Nathan hatches that essentially involves repeatedly swindling buyers seems like it would be terrifying. The slaves would be sold over and over into unknown situations, somehow confident that they would be able to escape. It seems like a plan fraught with danger but only a sliver of that comes across in one of the most intense scenes of the show, where Dessa is almost exposed because of her branding. The effectiveness of that scene made me wish for a show that was just the second act allowing more of the scheme to play out for the audience.

While that seems like a list of complaints, I found plenty to like about this show. As I mentioned in my review, I generally appreciated Richard Parison’s direction and he cast some exceptional performers. Among those who haven’t received enough recognition are Todd Patterson as Harker who makes a fine compliment to Tyre’s Nathan and Fran Coleman whose strong soprano voice I hope will be heard on more Richmond stages in the future. The most telling emotional point where Ruth realizes that she doesn’t know Dorcus’s real name is well dramatized, a high point for both Cabaj and Lewis. I also applaud a show that doesn’t shy away from the reality of breast-feeding and the underplayed importance of Ruth taking over that function for Dessa. I ended my review on a positive note because of good things like these.

As part of my reviewing process, I generally refrain from reading other reviews until I’m done writing mine. After I’m finished, though, I’m often ravenous for the opinions of others. Richmond reviewers have been positive about “Dessa Rose” but those reviewing the New York production were more mixed, with the word “dour” appearing in both the NYTimes review and the TheatreMania review. While I used that word comparing “Dessa” to “Seussical,” I don’t think that’s the final impression left by the Richmond production. It’s an ultimately triumphant experience, but I do think the road to that ending is a bumpy one.

Just the Links, Ma’am

My day just went haywire so I’m going to just have the chance to post the links related to what I planned to talk about, instead of actually talking about them. Feel free to talk among yourselves.

My profile of Matthew Mitchell is in this week’s Style.

Two not-so-positive reviews of “Scorched Earth” have come out recently, Mr. Griset’s in Style and Ms. Jewett’s on Richmond.com. I found Ms. Jewett’s “Critical Thinking” post interesting and, for me at least, very relatable.

The Broadway production of “Streetcar” starring near-local star Blair Underwood didn’t get any love from the NYTimes.

Any local actors/dancers looking for far-flung opportunities, Royal Carribean is holding auditions in Williamsburg. FYI.

Finally, an interesting piece in the NYTimes this past weekend about the Tonys and why there are so many Broadway openings happening this month.

An 8? Seriously?

There was only one flaw in Henley Street’s “The Liar” that I scampered downtown to see in the midst of Sunday’s drippy afternoon. And that was when David Clark’s Cliton, as part of his not being able to tell a lie, classified the more overtly sensual of the maidservant twins, Isabelle, as an 8. Mr. Ricks made a major casting mistake in selecting Stacie Reardon Hall for this part. Even when trying to button up her loveliness in the guise of the more persnickety Sabine, Mrs. Hall easily surpasses an 8 on any objective scale.

Except for that one misstep, ‘The Liar’ was everything the rave reviews of the production had promised, and more. A show recited almost entirely in rhyming couplets was never tiresome and used the very artifice of that construct to great comic ends. Given the penchant for mistaken identity plotlines to stretch the bounds of common sense, this one was actually relatively believable (in the scope of such things), hinging as it did on one simple assumption and goosed into madness by the title character’s well-established compulsion to never settle for a simple fib when an outrageous lie was possible.

The performances were uniformly excellent. I pretty much expected great things from the leads: I became a devoted Matthew Mitchell fan with “Kimberly Akimbo,” I thought David Clark was phenomenal in last season’s “Judas Iscariot,” and I was introduced to rising star Irene Kuykendall with Sycamore Rouge’s “Picasso at the Lapin Agile.” But what a treat when later in the play an otherwise low-key Tyler Weaver steps a bit more forward as Philliste and matches the skills of the topliners. The show was also my introduction to Olivia Luna who played Lucrece with attractive wit and grace early and with mounting outrage later on.

The wordplay and quippiness of the script were consistently delightful, enhanced by performers like Mitchell who used body language – some subtle, lots not so subtle – to punch up the jokes. The humor ran the gamut from salacious double entendres to insidery theater jokes to scatological barbs to crazy circular ramblings to groan-worthy stretching of rhymes (“my-valve”?) to some gags that almost bordered on sophistication.

Henley Street did a great service to the script with its staging at CenterStage. Margarette Joyner’s costumes were sumptuous, Seamus Bourne’s set was appropriately stately, and Andrew Bonniwell’s lights were nicely done, particularly as they subtly shifted in intensity during certain key scenes. Mr. Ricks’ attention to detail is impressive; as John Porter also mentioned, I loved hearing songs like Bowie’s “Changes” interpreted by string quartet during intermission.

Given all of that, the one moment that stretched my suspension of disbelief was easily forgotten. There are only 2 more chances to see this great production so I’d strongly suggest making room for it in the coming weekend. In fact, a double-header of “Always...Patsy Cline” and “The Liar” would be a great way to celebrate the closing weekend for both productions.

Music

This week is Style’s Music issue, which I urge you to check out. Just like non-theater people are always surprised when I talk about how much theater is happening in Richmond, I am always kind of amazed when I get a glimpse of how much music there is to enjoy here in our little burg.

There are, of course, a lot of cross-currents between the theatrical and musical worlds here in town. Three artists who I know mostly as stage actresses will be again bringing their “Three Divas” act to the stage at the Cultural Arts Center at Glen Allen next week. If you got a taste of their fabulousness at the RTCC awards last October, imagine how great a whole evening of them will be. (Also, if you haven’t seen it, don’t miss your last opportunities to see Debra in “Always...Patsy Cline,” closing this weekend.)

These aren’t the only local actors who regularly make waves as singers. One of Richmond’s favorite sons, Jason Mraz, has been popping up in national media lately promoting his new album and tour. Facebook was abuzz a few days ago when word got out that Zak Resnick, who last year got a smidge of airtime on American Idol, was cast in Mama Mia on Broadway (read this amusing story from Christine Walters related to Mr. Resnick). I’ve also enjoyed seeing Richmond stage vet, Angie Atkinson (formerly Shipley), start to gain some recognition as a singer while plying the club scene in NYC (see some of her videos here).

My current personal obsession is The Civil Wars, and not just because they have a song on the Hunger Games soundtrack. I only saw them for the first time last night on Jimmy Kimmel and am kind of staggered by how powerful just two voices and a guitar can be.

And speaking of music, we’re coming into a bit of a local musical season, with Seussical opening next weekend, followed in quick succession by Dessa Rose and The Musical of Musicals. Seems like it’s going to be a tuneful spring.

Coincidence?

I just put this together: both Firehouse's next production, "Dessa Rose," and the blockbuster superhero movie, "The Avengers," open on May 4th. Coincidental timing or canny counter-programming? You be the judge...

Spring Cleaning

It’s spring cleaning time at my house. While I haven’t been scorching the earth exactly, it has been a pretty intense process. (This turn of phrase used solely to sneak in a link to the review of “Scorched Earth” from the T-D this weekend. With this much talent in the cast, how can you NOT see this production? And speaking of you-gotta-see-it productions, I keep hearing fabulous things about “The Liar,” the GayRVA review echoing sentiments repeated by patrons and critics alike since the show’s opening.)

One of the most entertaining moments of the seasonal purging process for me was to come across an old box of materials from when I started out as a reviewer. It was from back in the day when everything was actually printed and not done via internet and email. I ended up dumping a lot of stuff into the recycling but there were several items I couldn’t bear to get rid of. Among these are:

• A program from the Theatre Gym production of “How I Learned to Drive” in 1998. It was the production where Jill Bari Steinberg first blew me away and where I first saw Gordon Bass do something besides act in a kid’s show. Cool artifacts from the program: Steven Koehler was the lighting designer before heading off to greener pastures and the stage manager was Wendy Gentile, back in her pre-Vandergrift days.
  


• A program from “Jails, Hospitals and Hip-Hop,” the Scott Wichmann tour de force, with the cool skewed-perspective cover picture of a hoodie-wearing Scott. Marcel Marceau gets a shout out as part of the credits.
  


• The simple one-page program from The Experiential Company’s production of “The Sea Gull,” the production that, in tandem with Experiential’s “The Importance of Being Earnest,” introduced an amazing Erin Thomas to the local scene. The production was staged at the Windy River Winery at in Beaverdam. I loved going out to those shows.
  


• A program from “Cry Out!” a one-man show developed by my old friend Jesse Rabinowitz for the Shard Live Performance Collective. I couldn’t help but think back to Shard when Stage B emerged recently. Two scrappy young companies, idealistic and innovative. Shard moved on and it’s seeming like Stage B has as well.

These are artifacts from what I still consider a golden age in local theater, mostly because I was being introduced to actors whose work I would continue to love for years. It’s impossible to forget first glimpses of stupendous talent like Steinberg’s, Wichmann’s and Thomas’s. Luckily, fresh and exciting new actors are always popping up, like the blossoming of Matthew Mitchell from an ensemble player to a certifiable star in shows like “The Liar.”

And seasoned actors can still deliver surprises; Steinberg’s was different kinds of stunning in “Judas Iscariot” last season and then in “Kimberly Akimbo” last winter. I also hear she’s making quite an impression in “Scorched Earth.” Spring cleaning has opened up space in my closets and my attic but hasn’t put a dent in the delightful bits of clutter in my memory.

Paradox

At least one person caught on to my ruse yesterday, that I was posting a version of The Liar’s Paradox. The first line of the post was a lie – “One of the lines in the following posts is a lie” – but simultaneously not a lie. Seemed like a fitting tribute to Henley Street’s latest production, which by the way received a rave from Style’s Rich Griset this week to match the one in the T-D.

There is also another preview of “Scorched Earth” in this week’s Style. You can’t hardly look anywhere (in Richmond print media, at least) without seeing something about this show. Which is a good thing since Barksdale is clearly rolling the dice with this one, it being a world premiere and all, not to mention a big, meaty drama with a big cast. I was always told in marketing that you had to get someone to see a mention of something new or unfamiliar at least 5 times for it to register in their memory. This piece in Style (or the one in the T-D or the one in Richmond magazine…) may be the mention that pushes the show out of the subconscious into their conscious, ticket-buying mind. I guess we’ll see.

Lies

One of the statements in this blog post is a lie. Can you figure out which one?

* Henley Street’s latest production, “The Liar,” has received rave reviews so far.

* The RTCC website, which has been down recently, is back up and has a load of pictures from the 2011 awards event that you probably have not seen.

* As “Titanic 3D” was opening in theaters, a national tour of “Titanic: The Musical” was finalizing its cast.

* New York theater is being overrun by sports-related shows.

* A new Richmond-area theater-related blog has emerged.

* Numerous famous people are planning unlikely new stage productions: David Byrne, formerly of Talking Heads; Kevin Smith, director of “Clerks,” etc.; and Oscar winning actor Robert De Niro.

More on Kids

I went to a really small high school; my graduating class was only 27 people. With such a small school, a lot of the dynamics that get talked about in all of the classic high school movies didn’t play out in the same way, or maybe without the same intensity, as they seem to in other schools. Of course, I also loved my high school for the most part after a pretty wretched middle school experience so maybe someone who went there and didn’t love it so much would have a different perspective.

Anyway, perhaps this background is one of the reasons I’m fascinated by high school stories. I’ve been a “Glee” fan since the beginning; I was still curious about the “High School Musical” series long after most adults had tired of it (if it registered for most adults at all...); and my remembered affection for “Breakfast Club” made me show the movie to my children a couple of years ago, before it was appropriate for any of them to see.

So I went into RTP’s “Stupid Kids” (my review's in Style this week) with a backlog of affection for the genre and, when the first vivid scene pulsed to life, I was pretty much hooked. Music was essential to setting the context and Jason Campbell picked out some exceptional songs to instantly transport me back to those weird and wonderful mid-80s. (I know that the script suggests certain songs for the “Music Video” interludes but I don’t know whether Mr. Campbell took all of the suggestions.)

The main thing that distinguishes this show from all of the other stories that mine the high school experience for its often easily-obtained pathos is the inclusion of two gay characters. As someone points out in the “Out and About” interview with the cast, when you list the high school cliche characters, the “gay kid” isn’t always included. And the two in this show are well-drawn and then vividly realized by Kerry McGee and Joe Winters. Among my few quibbles with the production are that both of these actors are too good-looking for me to really believe they are outcasts, regardless of sexual orientation. But that’s only a slight suspension of disbelief and one that is quickly forgotten as these two actors expertly portray their particular flavor of tortured relationship. Perhaps my only other quibble is that I think a character calling himself “Nietzche” and then worrying about the spelling is just kind of ridiculous (and why not “Neechuh” for the alternate pronunciation?)

Alexander Gerber didn’t initially impress me as Jim but, as he provides glimpses beyond Jim’s tough exterior to show his desire to fit in and the humiliation he allows to befall him, Gerber’s portrayal really soars. And Courtney McCotter’s Judy is fantastic. As someone who has more exposure to teenage girls than is probably healthy thanks to my two daughters, I think McCotter does a great job of capturing the maelstrom of emotions that someone who lives and breathes a particular social scene weathers.

Among the things I really appreciate about the show is the revelation that Kimberly makes in the second act that the objects of their affection are not really worth the depth of their feelings. While that’s particularly true regarding the characters in the show, isn’t that kind of the truth about just about every high school relationship? The stakes always seemed so high and only in retrospect do you realize that your behavior was pretty ridiculous. The use of “tribal” language also brilliantly brings shape to something that is usually a vague high school dynamic. There usually is a tribal energy at play, even if no one’s running through the woods in grass skirts or skewering each other with spears.

The wanton use of “bad language” was also refreshing but, if you come out of the show feeling a little barraged by all of the swearing, drug use and sex, the Mill is offering a counterpoint in “Church Basement Ladies” (reviewed in this week’s Style). I’d recommend using one as a salve for the other; see them both in a weekend and you’ll come out perfectly balanced!