Sweet Bird of Youth

Shorts 2025: Kaye Weinstein Gary’s Sequel to Coming of Age

A Dance-Theater Review by Julinda D. Lewis of

A Limited-Run World Premiere of Monologues, Music, and Dance

Presented by KDance

At: Richmond Triangle Players, Robrt B. Moss Theatre, 1300 Altamont Ave, RVA 23230

Performances: October 16-18, 2025

Ticket Prices: $30

Tickets & Info: kdance.org or rtriangle.org or call (804) 346-8113 or (804) 270-4944

Sweet Bird of Youth picks up the theme Kaye Weinstein Gary laid down with 2024’s production of Shorts (i.e., short dance-theater works that blend text, movement, and music), entitled Coming of Age. Right off the bat, Gary confirms that Sweet Bird of Youth is at least partially autobiographical by sharing a humorous tale of going out with friends, all of whom were unashamed to claim their senior discounts – all, that is, except her. Gary confesses that she threw away her AARP mail, didn’t want to claim Social Security, and eschewed senior discounts. Garys’s denial was so extreme that eventually her husband pointed out that she was throwing away money by not embracing the senior savings.

Equal parts humorous and heartfelt, this exploration of aging and life transitions is supported by Jane Cafarella’s monologue, “Sweet Bird of Youth,” Andrew Bliss’ “Cuthbert’s Last Stand,” and Tracy Letts’ August Osage County as well as other monologues, poems and songs (e.g., Nat King Cole’s “Sweet Bird of Youth”). Cafarella’s “Sweet Bird of Youth” is spread over three ensemble sections and Gripp’s “Hap Hap Hap Birthday” song appears twice; these, along with Cafarella’s words provide a sort of loose structure to this seemingly free-form enterprise.

The “Sweet Bird of Youth” theme is echoed in Frank Foster’s set – his first for a dance company – a flock of translucent birds appearing to emerge from a picture frame that rests with a corner on the floor. There is also a red cushion or hassock, 2 of those clear acrylic Ghost Chair armchairs, and 2 barstools, allowing for quick and seamless scene changes.

Between the introduction and the closing bow, the audience gets to experience a range of significant life-stage events, including the death of a parent, a confession of not being homosexual, and milestone birthdays of  40 and 50 years. The program addresses the arc of sexuality as we age, symbolized by moving from a twin bed to a double bed, then a queen-sized or king-sized bed before moving back to separate beds and finally separate rooms.

Just as Gary has staged an opposite-of-coming-out scene, she starts from the end, with the performers wearing wigs and shawls that they shed as they regress to earlier, younger versions of themselves or their characters. The audience loved every bit of it – after all, Gary has tapped into an area of need, the aging are too often socially neglected and invisible. During a talk-back with the audience, someone summed up this need and Gary’s collaborative response like this (or something pretty close): “Dance is kind of the ultimate triumph of the body…tension between words and movement.”

———-

Julinda D. Lewis is a dancer, teacher, and writer who was born in Brooklyn, NY and now lives in Eastern Henrico County. When not writing about theater, she teaches dance history at VCU and low impact dance fitness classes to seasoned movers like herself and occasionally performs. Julinda was recently awarded the Dean’s Distinguished Adjunct Faculty Award 2023-24 Academic Year by VCU School of the Arts and the 2025 Pioneer Award in Dance Ministry by Transformation International Worship Ministries, Newport News, VA.

———-

CAST of DANCERS/ACTORS

Andrew Etheredge

Kaye Weinstein Gary

Melanie Richards

PRODUCTION TEAM

Director/Choreographer   …..      Kaye Weinstein Gary

Lighting Designer               …..      Gretta Daughtrey

Set Designer                        …..      Frank Foster with Jessica Chivington

Hat/Wig Consultant            …..      Heidi Rugg

Stage Manager                    …..      Jake Buccella

Production Assistant          …..      Gina Maria McKenzie

Performance Schedule:

Thu Oct 16 @ 8pm, Fri Oct 17 @ 8pm, Sat Oct 18 @ 4pm & 8pm

Tickets: $30

Run Time: Approximately 40 minutes, no intermission

Photos by Tom Topinka