Category: Comedy

TORCH SONG

Do Four Wrongs Make a Right? – OR – Is She Still Gonna Make Us Dinner?

A Theater Review by Julinda D. Lewis

At: Richmond Triangle Players at the Robert B. Moss Theatre | Carpenter Foundation Stage, 1300 Altamont Ave, RVA 23230

Performances: February 14 – March 2, 2024

Ticket Prices: $10 – $40

Info: (804) 346-8113 or rtriangle.org

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I came late to the TORCH SONG party because of other obligations, but I am SO glad I made it! TORCH SONG (2018) is apparently a shortened and revised version of Harvey Fierstein’s original 1982 (pre-AIDS pandemic) production, Torch Song Trilogy – the production that earned Fierstein his first two Tony awards (Best Play and Best Actor). This version consists of three scenes in two acts (“The International Stud, June 1974,” “Fugue in a Nursery, Summer 1975,” and ”Widows and Children First, June 1980”) and runs about 75 minutes with one intermission. Whatever the version or length of the TORCH SONG, the work remains one of the prolific* writer’s most enduring works.

Torch Song:

to carry a torch for someone

to keep aflame the light of an unrequited love

TORCH SONG was groundbreaking in presenting the intersectionality of Jewish and queer identities with authenticity, avoiding both stereotypes and dumbing down the difficult conversations. The former – avoiding stereotypes – was no small feat, considering that main character Arnold Beckoff (played by Richmond Triangle Players own Artistic Director Lucian Restivo) is a habitual complainer who does not hesitate to use guilt as a weapon of choice. (I would describe him as a kvetch, but don’t want to appear to be engaging in cultural appropriation, although I did grow up in Brooklyn and there were mezuzahs on the doorposts of my grandmother’s house.) In the first scene, we see Restivo as a smart-mouthed, fast-talking, somewhat jaded drag queen who despite all her words to the contrary is really looking for love – the same type of enduring love their mother experienced during thirty-five years of marriage.

The problem is that Arnold’s love interest, Ed (played by Axle Burtness) is bi-sexual and is torn between the safety of his girlfriend/fiancée/wife Laurel (Emily Berry) and Arnold. The tension is palpable, and comes to a head in a most amazing scene in which Laurel invites Arnold and his new young beau Alan (Zach Barnard) to spend a weekend with her and Ed in their country home. Wow. Each member of this queer quartet gets to spend one-on-one time with the other three, leading to any number of revelations, confessions, scandals, and ordinary little moments that both Arnold and Laurel refer to as, “this is so civilized.”

As amazing as that first act quartet may be, the real highlight of TORCH SONG occurs in Act 2 when Arnold’s mother pays a visit. Alan has died, and Arnold had adopted a teen son, David (Liam Storm) – but Arnold has not explained any of this to Mrs. Beckoff. Things really come to a head when the mother and son face off in a shouting match, to determine whose grief is more valid. It’s heart-wrenching to hear Mrs. Beckoff, who had appeared to accept her son’s homosexuality when he first came out to her at age 13, speak disparagingly of his life and tell him she’s too old to change.

On Thursday night, understudy Sara Heifetz stood in for Debra Clinton, and Heifetz wore the shoes – and the wig – well. It was a delicate balancing act not to cross over that line into the stereotypical Jewish mother – she was there, hoovering, waiting in the wings. To some extent, the humor of the stereotype was a necessary antidote to the harsh reality of the hopelessness of their relationship. Kudos to Restivo and Heifetz for establishing that balance.

For me, the highlight of Act 2 was Arnold’s newly adopted/about to be adopted son, David (played by Liam Storm in his RTP debut). Storm’s compact stature, unruly curls, and unrestrained demeanor were refreshing and brought humor and energy to the storyline and to the physical space.

Speaking of the space, there was a most amazing set change during the intermission. The minimalist backstage area, dominated by a brick wall, was transformed into a homey two-bedroom Manhattan apartment. The credit for this goes to scenic designer Daniel Allen – and the team who made this happen in fifteen minutes each night. I’m not one who always pays attention to the lighting and sound design, but the work of Michaeal Jarett and Nicholas Seaver, respectively, were subtle but effective collaborations that contributed to the overall magic of RTP’s TORCH SONG, under the able direction of Gary C. Hopper. My one complaint would be that – at least from my otherwise ideal seat in Row E, the second row from the back at RTP’s Robert B. Moss Theatre – there were far too many times when some of the actors’ words got swallowed up or were just unintelligible.

Even given that, the semi-autobiographical story of Harvey Fierstein’s TORCH SONG has you laughing, crying, and laughing to keep from crying. If it doesn’t reflect your own experience, it surely reflects the experiences of someone you know. It’s emotional, revelatory, cathartic, and honest.

*Fierstein is also author of Kinky Boots, La Cage aux Folles, and Newsies. He performed onstage in Torch Song Trilogy, Hairspray, and Fiddler on the Roof, and on film in Mrs. Doubtfire, and Independence Day, and on television in The Good Wife and Cheers to mention just a few of his accomplishments.

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TORCH SONG

Written by Harvey Fierstein

Director by Gary C. Hopper

CAST

Arnold ….. Lucien Restivo

Mrs. Beckoff ….. Debra Clinton**

Ed ….. Axle Burtness

David ….. Liam Storm

Laurel ….. Emily Berry

Alan ….. Zach Bernard

**Sara Heifetz played the roll of Mrs. Beckoff the night I attended

Understudies

u/s Arnold ….. Keegan Ferrell

u/s Mrs.Beckoff… Sara Heifetz

u/s David &Alan.. Billy Heckman

u/s Laurel ….. Theresa Mantiply

Torch Song Production Team

Playwright: Harvey Fierstein

Director: Gary C. Hopper

Scenic Designer: Daniel Allen

Lighting Designer: Michael Jarett

Costume Design: William Luther

Sound Design: Nicholas Seaver

Props Design: Tim Moehring

Hair & Makeup Design: Luke Newsome

Production Stage Manager: Lauren Langston

Assistant Stage Manager: Nora Ogunleye

Intimacy Coordinator: Hannah Sikora

Dialect Coach: Erica Hughes

Dramaturg: Kendall Walker

Gender Consultant: August Hundley

Technical Director: Chris Foote

Scenic Artist: Becke Russo

Mural Artist: Liz Lundberg

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https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=1088997112419759

BORN WITH TEETH

Words Matter

A Theater Review of an East Coast Premiere by Julinda D. Lewis

By: Richmond Shakespeare

At: Gottwald Playhouse at Dominion Energy Center, 600 E. Grace St., Richmond, VA 23219

Performances: January 25 – February 11, 2024

Ticket Prices: $20 – $45

Info: (804) 340-0115 or http://www.richmondshakespeare.org

Death and life are in the power of the tongue… – Proverbs 18:21

The time is the late 1590s. The place is a private room in a London tavern. The political climate is volatile – an authoritarian regime is in charge, freedom of speech does not exist, heretics and atheists – and apparently Catholics – are tortured and killed. A plague was ravaging society – the Black Death – a pandemic that killed thousands, causing the collapse of what little social structure remained after the political purge, leaving fields unplowed, and little to eat.

There are more spies than crimes to spy out. – BWT

This is where playwright Liz Duffy Adams saw fit to open up a voyeuristic window into the world of two writers – the well-established Christopher “Kit” Marlowe (Avery Michael Johnson) and the upstart William Shakespeare (James Murphy) – as they meet in the private back room of a pub to collaborate on a series of historic plays. But this collaboration is a contentious literary partnership, rife with jealousy, political unrest, and rumors of espionage, religious persecution, and sexual tension. This collaboration is Born With Teeth.

We are subjects, not citizens. – BWT

The flexible space of the Gottwald Theatre has been transformed for this occasion. A long (perhaps 12’?) table dominates the room, slashing diagonally through the space. It is placed on a sturdy parquet floor, and surrounded by 10 leather topped rectangular stools. The audience is seated on either side of the table, close enough for the first row to be showered by scattered sheets of paper during the two playwrights’ scuffles. This awesome set was designed and constructed by W. Reed West III.

You are so much stupider than you look; how is that possible? – BWT

William Shakespeare and Christopher Marlowe did indeed collaborate on the Henry VI trilogy, Parts I, II, and III, Marlow was stabbed to death in the summer of 1593. But much of the relationship between Shakespeare and Marlowe – both their authorship and personal – is a matter of speculation and mystery. So that raises the question, how much of Born With Teeth is historical clarification, and how much is pure fantasy? And given the truths expressed and exposed of human interaction – oppression, suppression, persecution, ego, love – does the former question matter?

Worse than nowhere is somewhere you don’t want to be. – BWT

Avery Michael Johnson and James Murphy literally burst onstage, and give us a solid 90 minutes of drama, melodrama, angst, bravado, fear, backstabbing, lust, equivocation, love, revelation, caution, optimism, conciliation, espionage, and more. Born With Teeth is loud, frightening, and funny – sometimes all at once. Marlowe denigrates the upstart Shakespeare, until he reads a page or two of the play they’re working on and realizes that Shakespeare can, indeed, write. But at a time when there is not such thing as freedom of speech or religion, words can cut more sharply that a sword, and speech can be the currency of life or death.

I don’t deny God, I just don’t like him very much. – BWT

Murphy plays the role of Shakespeare with a bit of caution, much more reserved than his more outgoing and outrageous counterpart who may, in turn, be overly confident in the sovereignty of his benefactor. Johnson’s Marlowe never walks but strides. He stomps about in his tall boots – there’s a knife strapped into the right one – he leaps from the floor to the top of the table and lands on the tabletop, the floor, or Shakespeare like a cross between a pouncing panther and a WWE wrestler. Sitting in the front row, I could see each bead of sweat on Johnson’s brow and distinctly hear the intake of breath when he rapaciously sniffed Murphy. Born With Teeth is a physically demanding play, fueled by quick dialogue that is alternately witty, cutting, and always demanding. It isn’t Shakespeare, but it is the essence of Shakespeare. It isn’t classical, but it is archetypal. It isn’t orthodox, but it does all the things you want live theatre to do.

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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.

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BORN WITH TEETH

by Liz Duffy Adams

Directed by Andrew Gall

Cast

Kit …………… Avery Michael Johnson

Will …………… James Murphy

Production & Design Team

Artistic Director ……. James Ricks

Managing Director ……. Jase Smith Sullivan

Playwright ……. Liz Duffy Adams

Director ……. Andrew Gall

Stage Manager ……. MariaElisa Costa

Assistant Stage Manager … Kiari Hicks

Costume Design ……. Anna Bialkowski

Intimacy Choreographer … Lucinda McDermott

Lighting Design ……. Tristan Ketcham

Set Design ……. W. Reed West III

Sound Design ……. James Ricks

Run Time: About 90 minutes; no intermission

Content Disclosure: This production contains mature themes, strong language, & sexual/suggestive content.

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Photo Credits: Promotional Video by Eric Hackler & Photos from Richmond Shakespeare Facebook

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LONELY PLANET

LONELY PLANET

Sorry, We’re Closed

5^th Wall Theatre in Collaboration with the Firehouse Theatre

A Theater Review by Julinda D. Lewis

At: The Firehouse, 1609 West Broad St., Richmond, RVA 23220

Performances: November 10-26, 2023

Ticket Prices: $1 – $35

Info: (804) 355-2001 or firehousetheatre.org or https://www.5thwalltheatre.org/

NOTE: It’s just about impossible to talk about this play without giving away some of the best parts. If you haven’t seen it yet and wasn’t to be surprised, you might want to wait until after you’ve seen it to read this. But yes – do see it – and then comment if you like. I’d love to hear what you think. -JDL

Steven Dietz’ two-person play, Lonely Planet (1993) borrows freely from (as in pays homage to) Eugène Ionesco’s absurdist play, The Chairs (1952), but while there are elements of the absurd and quite a bit of humor in Dietz’ play, it is at heart neither absurd nor a comedy – it is a play about manifested grief.

Set in an unnamed American city during the 1980s, Lonely Planet tells the story of two friends, Jody and Carl, who are each in his own way handicapped by the AIDS epidemic that is raging outside the doors of Jody’s quiet little map store.

Jody copes by withdrawing into the safety of his store, where the distortions of the Mercator map become a metaphor for the distortions of the world around him. At one point Carl quotes some frighteningly high number of deaths among people they know. Where Jody withdraws, Carl feels compelled to do something.

One day a single chair appears in Jody’s shop. Then another and another, until his safe haven is cluttered with chairs – each representing a dead friend. Carl’s place is too small to hold these monuments. He describes his apartment as so small that he has only one chair – a silver kitchen chair with a turquoise seat. In the final scene, Jody – who has finally found the strength to venture back outside – arrives at his shop to find Carl’s chair in the center of the space.

An impossibly balanced jumble of chairs greets the audience on entering the space, and Daniel Allen’s set filled with racks of rolled maps and map tables and all things cartographic is stunning and immersive. Todd LaBelle’s sound design likewise lulls us willingly and unsuspectingly into Jody and Carl’s world – before we realize that this world’s foundation is grief, loss, and tragedy.

Eddie Webster brings a gentleness and vulnerability to Jody that is both endearing and authentic. Adam Turck infuses Carl with an intensity that at times leaves us breathless. The two characters appear to be polar opposites, and yet they are long-time friends. More than that, they each understand things about the other that they cannot share with anyone else. Add to that Carl’s propensity to lie about his true profession and Turck’s character takes on mythic proportions.

Carl’s manufactured occupations are just as metaphorical as the chairs. He says he restores paintings, but appears to know nothing about art. His art restoration represents a way to commemorate the memories of his friends. He says he works for an auto glass repair shop, but what he is really trying to repair are the shattered pieces of broken lives. He says he writes for a tabloid newspaper, but what he really wants to do is preserve the stories of his friend’s lives.

Just as the Mercator projection was designed to help improve navigation, at the expense of distorted shapes and sizes of all but the local or most immediate locations, these two friends have found ways to navigate through the deadly waters of the AIDS epidemic by distorting the world around them. It’s amazing that Turck and Webster, director Nathaniel Shaw, and the author have been able to pull this off and still maintain a sense of humor and humanity.

Along the way to its crashing conclusion the play is grounded by the mundane details of daily life: the yellow pages, a standard black desk phone, self-adhesive stamps, a cell phone (?) In the final scene, Jody – who has finally found the strength to venture back outside – arrives at his shop to find a silver legged kitchen chair with a turquoise seat in the center of the space.

Lonely Planet is a play that will linger long after the two actors take their final bows.

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Julinda D. Lewis is a dancer, teacher, and writer who was born in Brooklyn, NY and now lives in Eastern Henrico County.

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LONELY PLANET

By Steven Dietz

Directed by Nathaniel Shaw

November 10 – 26, 2023

CAST

Carl ………. Adam Turck

Jody ………. Eddie Webster

u/s ………. Alex Harris and William Vaughn

PRODUCTION TEAM

Director ………. Nathaniel Shaw

Scenic Design ………. Daniel Allen

Costume Design ………. Colin Lowrey, II

Lighting & Sund Design …. Todd LaBelle, Jr

Dramaturgy ………. Kendall Walker

Stage Management ………. Emily Vial

Production Consultant ….. Michael Hawke

Performance Schedule:

● Opening Night – November 10, 2023 at 7:30 PM

● Running Thursday – Friday – Saturday at 7:30 PM through November 25, 2023

● Running Sundays at 2:00 PM through November 26, 2023

● Pay-What-You-Will shows on November 12 at 2:00 PM and November 16 at 7:30 PM

● Post-Show Talkback on November 19 after the 2:00 PM performance

Tickets:

$1 – $35

Run time:

About 2 hours, with one intermission

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MARTHA MITCHELL CALLING

“If it hadn’t been for Martha Mitchell, there’d have been no Watergate.” – Richard Nixon

A Theater Review by Julinda D. Lewis

At: Hanover Tavern, 13181 Hanover Courthouse Rd, Hanover, VA 2309

Performances: September 29 – October 29, 2023

Ticket Prices: $52

Info: (804) 282-2620 or www.virginiarep.org

Some plays are notable not because they are entertaining but because they are revelatory. Martha Mitchell Calling is that type of play. It is more than an historic docu-drama based on the real life story of the wife of former U.S. Attorney General John Mitchell, a key figure in the Watergate Scandal (1972-1974). Martha Mitchell Calling fills in some important parts of U.S. history that have been ignored or re-written – all because a key figure in the story was a woman.

Debra Wagoner has stepped into Martha Mitchell’s designer shoes to spill all the tea, right the wrongs, fill in the blanks, and teach us all a thing or two – while simultaneously making us laugh and acknowledge her considerable skills as an actor. Wagoner embraces the title role while her real-life husband, Joe Pabst, steps into character as her John Mitchell. Pabst literally steps into the role, as he starts most scenes as a portrait on the wall and steps out of the frame to join his wife in increasingly contentious interactions.

I was finishing high school and beginning college during the Watergate Scandal, certainly old enough to be aware of what was happening. But I don’t recall anything about Martha Mitchell – and that’s the whole point of this play. It starts out as a love story, but before our very eyes Mrs. Mitchell transforms from a traditional, if somewhat flamboyant, stand-by-your-man southern belle to a political pariah. She converted her husband from Democrat to Republican and introduced him to Richard Nixon. But then there was Watergate – when the Nixon administration broke in to the Democratic National Committee headquarters in Washington, D.C., at the Watergate Office Building on June 17, 1972. Martha Mitchell Calling fills in some of the missing details, including an alleged kidnapping, a suspected drugging disguised as a mental breakdown, a missing weekend, and many other unanswered questions.

This is a two-person show, but Wagoner is undeniably the star of this show. She portrays Mrs. Mitchell as a mover and shaker, a bit unsteady on her feet from her close relationship with her ever-present gin bottle, princess phone close at hand and ready to be wielded like a cowboy’s pistol. We feel the toll taken by the series remarkable events that started with Mrs. Mitchell calling her favorite journalist with gossip in support of her husband and the Republican party to the heart-wrenching decision to stand up for truth and expose the corruption that had consumed her beloved GOP and her adored husband.

These events even gave rise to a condition known as Martha Mitchell Syndrome, which is what occurs when a medical professional labels a patient’s accurate perception of real events as delusional, resulting in an intentional misdiagnosis. Mrs. Mitchell’s commitment to the truth led to the loss of her husband, her daughter, and her health. She died alone and in disgrace.

This role is no small feat and Wagoner does a star turn as the ostracized socialite. Pabst is no slouch either. He admirably balances the seemingly contradictory role of loving husband and father with that of political villain, carrying loyalty to a fault and beyond.

Is it coincidence that Virginia Rep produced two female-led political productions at the start of their new season (POTUS at the November Theatre and Martha Mitchell Calling at Hanover)? Hmm. Whatever the explanation, both productions have contributed to an intriguing and provocative start to the local theater season.

Julinda D. Lewis is a dancer, teacher, and writer who was born in Brooklyn, NY and now lives in Eastern Henrico County.

MARTHA MITCHELL CALLING

by Jodi Rothe

Directed by Rick Hammerly

Cast

Martha Mitchell Debra Wagoner

John Mitchell Joe Pabst

Direction & Design

Direction Rick Hammerly

Scenic & Production Design Dasia Gregg

Costume Design Sue Griffin

Lighting Design Matthew Landwehr

Sound Design Kelsey Cordrey

Stage Management Crimson Piazza

Ticket Information

Tickets: $52

Discounted Group Rates and Rush tickets available.

Box Office: 804-282-2620 or www.virginiarep.org

Run Time: 2 hours including a 15 minute intermission

Photo Credits: Aaron Sutten

Debra Wagoner and Joe Pabst. Photo by Aaron Sutten.

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METEOR SHOWER

A Comedy by Steve Martin

A Theater Review by Julinda D. Lewis

Presented by CAT – Chamberlayne Actor’s Theatre

At: The Lynn Theatre at Brightpoint Community College, 800 Charter Colony Pkwy, T Building, Room T112, Midlothian, VA 23114

Performances: September 16-29, 2023

Ticket Prices: $24.00 General Admission. $22.00 Seniors

Info: http://www.cattheatre.com

Steve Martin’s comedic play METEOR SHOWER is probably one of those shows you will either love or hate. Either way, you will laugh. A lot.

For some, knowing that the author is THE Steve Martin may be all you need to know to decide whether to go or not, whether you will like it or not, and most importantly, whether or not you will ever again speak to the person who invited you.

The plot is simple (in more than one sense of the word): In 1993 a meteor shower occurs in Ojai, CA, where Corky lives with her husband Norm. The two are a solidly united loving couple who have obviously attended one too many couples’ therapy sessions. Corky and Norm decide to invite another couple over to have dinner and watch the meteor shower, only to find that Laura and Gerald are not who they appear to be or what Corky and Norm expected.

Over the course of the evening, the plot twists and turns, the story stops and restarts. Remember when you were a kid and things went wrong and you wanted a do-over? Well, METEOR SHOWER is the repository of all your childhood do-overs.

There is a minimalist set of “a modern home in Ojai, California,” and a backyard dominated by two of the most uncomfortable looking lawn chaises I have ever seen. These chairs, however, play a key part in the evening’s events. A privacy fence cleverly disguises a walkway that leads to the house. And the audience is treated to a soothing, looping projection of a meteor shower. There is also a pre-show audio recording that is quite amusing – the first time we hear it…

Before the evening is over, you will experience a tale of cannibalism, learn about “bug flux” and exploding head syndrome, and find out what happens when one gets hit by a meteor.

The cast, all making their CAT debut, consists of Paul James and Jennipher Murphy as the host couple, Norm and Corky, and Skye Whitcomb and Constance Moreau and Skye Whitcomb as the guest couple, Gerald and Laura. Moreau and Whitcomb successfully juggled multiple plot twists fueled alternately by sexual innuendo, explosive outbursts, and intentionally dysfunctional exchanges. James maintained a mostly stable personality as a super sweet, super nice guy. As annoying as Norm could be, he actually started to grow on me – but then, the alternative was soooooo much worse. But it was Murphy who had the most complex, amusing, and devious character development and plot twists.

As a play, as a story, METEOR SHOWER has very little substance. It exposes the strengths and weaknesses of marriage and relationships, but doesn’t really have anything to say about any of it. It makes us laugh at things we would ordinarily be embarrassed to admit we watched, much less laughed at. If you need a night of senseless laughter, no strigs attached, this show might be meant for you. Go. Laugh. Enjoy. As for me – it was definitely not my cup of tea.

Julinda D. Lewis is a dancer, teacher, and writer who was born in Brooklyn, NY and now lives in Eastern Henrico County.

METEOR SHOWER

Written by Steve Martin

Directed by Kerrigan Sullivan

Cast

Jennipher Murphy as Corky

Paul James as Norm

Skye Whitcomb as Gerald

Constance Moreau as Laura

Creative Design Team

CAT Producer – Kerrigan Sullivan

Lynn Theatre Production Manager – Alleigh Scantling

Director – Kerrigan Sullivan

Stage Manager – Ari Silva

Lighting & Projection Design – Alleigh Scantling

Scenic & Properties Design – Hailey Bean

Costume Design – Lindsey Ladnier

Sound Design – Kerrigan Sullivan

Dates

September 16 – 29, 2023

Ticket Information

www.cattheatre.com

Ticket prices: $24.00 General Admission, $22.00 Seniors.

Run Time

80 minutes, with no intermission

Photo Credits: Daryll Morgan Studios

Skye Whitcomb, Constance Moreau, Jennipher Murphy, Paul James

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POTUS

Or, Behind Every Great Dumbass are Seven Women Trying to Keep Him Alive

A Regional Premiere

By: Virginia Repertory Theatre (Virginia Rep)

At: The Sara Belle and Neil November Theatre | Marjorie Arenstein Stage

When: September 1 – October 1, 2023

Ticket Prices: $39-$59. (Discounted group rates and rush tickets available)

Info: (804) 282-2620 or www.virginiarep.org

It’s been a long time since I’ve laughed this much, this long, this loud. Selina Fillinger’s POTUS is the best kind of comedy: physical, political, slapstick, irreverent, giddy, bawdy, inclusive. I could go on but I think using more than seven adjectives in one sentence is breaking some kind of law.

If the subtitle didn’t clue you in, it only gets worse from there (and by worse I mean better). If you’re the type to clutch your pearls, you’d better leave them at home because by the end of POTUS they’ll be rolling down the aisles.

Oh, and one more thing about that subtitle. Yes, there are seven women working together – despite their diverse agendas – but that part about whether they are trying to keep the POTUS alive does come into question. That’s all I can say about that without giving away too much.

What I can say is that Fillinger has written a witty and timely play and it was performed by a superb and diverse ensemble – some familiar and some not – consisting of Elizabeth Byland, Liv Clayton, Sonja Durant, Anne Michelle Forbes, Bree Ogaldez, Catherine Shaffner, and Denise Simone. Looking at the understudies (see below) I would love to see the show again with the understudies in the key roles – there are some powerful, familiar names in that list, as well.

Loosely, the plot of POTUS involves the women of the President’s inner circle coming together to patch up his most recent political gaffe. Crudely referring to his wife during a press conference as having a “c**ty day,” the POTUS sets in motion an international disaster with potentially deadly consequences.

There truly are no leading roles in POTUS, but for me, Elizabeth Byland, in the role of Stephanie, the President’s Secretary, stood out for her physical comedy and her comedic timing. The role of the meek secretary who is obviously in over her head could be a recipe for disaster, but in Byland’s expert hands it is pure comedic genius. Loved her. According to her bio, she is the Head Professor of Improv at VCU. What a treat her classes must be! Loved her – yes, I said it twice and I meant it!

I also adored Catherine Shaffner as Bernadette, the President’s sister. Big, loud, and brash, Bernadette appears fresh out of prison on a felony charge, still wearing her ankle monitor, and carrying a duffle bag filled with “pharmaceuticals” and other tools that will come in handy during the course of the day. Shaffner guides her character through a perfect combination of unfettered chaos and much needed life skills that usually are not acquired in a liberal arts undergraduate program.

Sonja Durant was something of a beautiful enigma as Margaret, the First Lady. Durant’s tall slender frame was always draped in red – first a classy business pant suit, and later a fancy dress – but throughout she wore white Crocs on her feet to make herself appear “earthy.” Smart, composed, and apparently in command of the ability to icily detach herself from her emotions at will, Durant’s First Lady seemed very much authentic.

As the President’s press secretary, Jean, Anne Michelle Forbes skillfully navigated the insanity of the White House shenanigans, juggling professional interactions and personal relationships with the President’s sister (I didn’t see that coming!) and a beleaguered female White House reporter, Chris (played by Bree Ogaldez, seen recently in The Carole King Musical), a new mother who was constantly seeking opportunities to pump her overflowing breasts. A familiar face on local stages, this was Forbes’ November Theatre debut.

As Harriet, the President’s Chief of Staff, Denise Simone’s role seemed a bit more subdued than the others. At times she appeared to be the “straight man” who enhances the comedic projections of those around her. Simone returns to Virginia Rep after a turn contributing to the theatre community in Idaho. And last but not least, newcomer Liv Clayton made her professional debut in the role of Dusty, the President’s young girlfriend who has been invited to the White House to apply for a “position.” I am sure Clayton is really good at her role, but I just found Dusty so annoying with her cheerleader moves that I almost overlooked the character’s innate kindness and corn-fed street smarts.

Set in the White House, a series of functional and somewhat minimalist sliding sets (credit Chris Raintree for the scenic design and Steve Koehler for the lighting) keeps the focus on the actors. The only time the set seemed to intrude into my consciousness was during a madcap chase scene when the set seemed too small to allow the actors full range. Kudos to director Dorothy Holland and the dynamic ensemble for keeping it moving. There was not a dull moment in either act.

Julinda D. Lewis is a dancer, teacher, and writer who recently had both knees replaced due to a manufacturer’s recall. Born in Brooklyn, NY, she now lives in Eastern Henrico County where she can be found kicking up her heels as best she can any day of the week.

POTUS

Or, Behind Every Great Dumbass are Seven Women Trying to Keep Him Alive

By Selina Fillinger

Directed by Dorothy Holland

Cast

Stephanie …………………………… Elizabeth Byland*

Dusty …………………………………. Liv Clayton

Margaret ……………………………. Sonja Durant

Jean …………………………………… Anne Michelle Forbes

Chris ………………………………….. Bree Ogaldez

Bernadette ………………………… Catherine Shaffner*

Harriet ………………………………. Denise Simone*

Stephanie u/s ……………………. Juliette Aaslestad

Jean u/s …………………………….. Juliana Caycedo

Bernadette u/s ………………..… Kelsey Cordrey

Dusty u/s …………………………… Emily Dandridge

Margaret u/s ……………………… Jianna Hurt

Chris u/s ……………………………… MacKenzie Sheppard

*Member of Actors’ Equity Association

+Member of USA, United Scenic Artists

^Member of the Stage Directors and Choreographers Society

Direction & Design

Direction ……………………………… Dorothy Holland

Scenic Design ……………………… Chris Raintree

Costume Design ………………… Elizabeth Weiss Hopper

Lighting Design …………..……… Steve Koehler

Sound Design …………………….. Tosin Olufolabi

Stage Management ………….. Donna Warfield*

Ticket Information

Box Office: (804) 282-2620

www.virginiarep.org

Tickets range from $39 – $59

Discounted Group Rates and Rush tickets are available.

Run Time

The play runs for 1 hour 30 minutes, plus one 15-minute intermission.

Photo Credits: Aaron Sutten

VA-REP Covid Safety Statement

Virginia Rep encourages wearing masks for our patrons’ safety, but we do not require that you wear a mask in our lobbies or within the theatres. They are now optional. We continue to follow CDC guidelines and local risk levels. All Virginia Rep staff will continue to wear masks while serving you.

Sonja Durant and Elizabeth Byland. Photo by Aaron Sutten.

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JASON MARKS IS ZERO MOSTEL

The Third Choice: Comedy Fueled by Real Life

A Theater Review by Julinda D. Lewis

A Jewish Family Theatre Presentation

At: The Sarah Bell November Theatre at the Weinstein JCC, 5403 Monument Ave., RVA 23226

Performances: March 29 – April 2, 2023

Ticket Prices: $20 for JCC Members; $25 for non-members

Info: (804) 285-6500 or https://weinsteinjcc.org/programs/arts-and-ideas/zero-hour/

First, some housekeeping. Well…acknowledgements. And…maybe a confession. I have been viewing and writing about dance and theater in RVA for more than 25 years, but this is the first time I have seen a show at the Weinstein JCC. It’s not that I haven’t know about shows there, or been invited, I just never seemed to have found the time to fit it into my schedule. Jason Marks sent me a DM about this show, which opened while I was out of town for a performing residency, and I somehow found myself driving straight from a DC dance space directly to the Firehouse Theatre on a Friday night, then to the JCC on Saturday after spending the morning in rehearsal and the afternoon at the Nature Center celebrating my youngest grandchild’s first birthday, and ending the weekend at Atlee High School for the final performance of a CAT show. That’s how “retired” people roll.

Second – and last – I appreciate growing up in Brooklyn and attending the Bronx High School of Science. That background made many of the Zero Hour’s references familiar and the humor genuine – unforced and abundant. So I could sum up right here and just say that Zero Hour is one of the funniest shows I’ve ever seen and it appears to have been a perfect vehicle for Jason Marks. But I won’t – sum up just now – because that wouldn’t be fair or fun.

Zero Hour is a skillful balance of biography and entertainment. For those unfamiliar with Zero Mostel, it is informative, and for those who were already fans, it might reveal a few unknown nuggets. Mostel (who, like me, was born in Brooklyn and also shares my birthday, February 28) was active at a time when the US was obsessed with the Red Plague or Red Scare, when McCarthyism (which took its name from US Senator Joseph McCarthy) insinuated that the government and Hollywood, among other industries, were being infiltrated by the dreaded specter of Communism. Numerous investigations were directed at the film industry leading to the blacklisting of industry professionals – including Zero Mostel.

The freedom of any society varies proportionately with the volume of its laughter. – Zero Mostel

The heart is, truly, the source of love. The proof is that if you remove it from someone, they will almost certainly never love again. – Zero Mostel

An unfortunate encounter with a NYC bus in 1960 nearly cost him a leg. The leg was saved, but he lived the rest of his life in pain. But on the bright side, the accident saved him from having to perform in a reportedly bad play, The Good Soup. But there were plenty of memorable roles on his resume, from Tevya in the original Broadway production of Fiddler on the Roof to Pseudolos in A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, from classics like Ionesco’s Rhinoceros to special appearances on The Electric Show, Sesame Street, and The Muppet Show.

There are several explanations for how Samuel Joel Mostel came to be known as Zero. One is that his mother coined the nickname because of his poor grades in school – but one bio notes that he was a “A” student. Another explanation is that a press agent once said of him, “Here’s a guy starting from nothing.”

Known widely as an actor and singer as well as a comedian, Mostel developed a talent for painting and drawing from childhood. He took art classes provided by a community program that served Jewish immigrants and their children, and later attended City College of New York and then enrolled in a master’s program in art at New York University (which also happens to be my alma mater). Zero Hour is set in Mostel’s NYC art studio, just two months before the end of his life, on a day when he is being interviewed by a New York Times journalist – whom Mostel contentiously greets by calling him a putz (idiot; jerk) because “I don’t know your name.” BTW, Mostel didn’t care to learn the reporter’s name until near the end of the play, because “I don’t want to know your name; this is an interview, not a relationship.

“That’s it, baby, when you’ve got it, flaunt it! Flaunt it!” – Max Bialystock, played by Zero Mostel in the 1967 movie, “The Producers”

From House Un-American Activities Committee (HUAC) hearings to his mother’s displeasure at his Catholic shiksa (gentile) wife, from his dislike of choreographer/director Jerome Robbins to often being not the first or even second but the third choice for roles he made legendary, from being blacklisted to being invited to the LBJ White House where “the thought of having to eat with Texans was too much!”), all of this, and more, is lovingly and capably captured by Marks under the director of Debra Clinton. Clinton, in the Director’s notes, paid homage to Mostel’s individuality – his commitment to standing up for what he believed even to the detriment of his career – “his honesty, passion, and empathy.” Given the larger-than-life persona of Mostel, perhaps it should come as no surprise that the reporter is a disembodied and oddly reticent character, given his profession; we never actually see him or hear him. The HUAC investigator, however, is voiced by Roger Price. It probably would not have mattered how much or how little the reporter talked, there wasn’t a dull moment with Mostel’s explosive personality. Sometimes it was hard to tell where Marks ended and Mostel began. I am sure playwright Jim Brochu who originally starred in his own play, would approve of Marks’ interpretation.

“It’s not about absurdity, it’s about conformity.” – Zero Mostel

———-

Julinda D. Lewis is a dancer, teacher, and writer who was born in Brooklyn, NY and now lives in Eastern Henrico County.

———-

ZERO HOUR

By Jim Brochu

Starring Jason Marks as Zero Mostel

Directed by Debra Clinton

Production Team:

Set and Lighting Design + Photos: Todd Schall-Vess

Production Stage Management: Hayley Tsutsumi

Performance Schedule:

March 29: 7:30PM

March 30: 7:30PM

April 1: 8:30PM

April 2: 2:00 PM

Run time: approximately 2 hours, with one intermission

Photos by Todd Schall-Vess

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GHOST QUARTET

A Song Cycle About Love, Death, and Whiskey

An Immersive Theatrical Experience Review by Julinda D. Lewis

At: The Firehouse 1609 West Broad St., Richmond, RVA 23220

Performances: January 19 – February 18, 2023 [NOTE: This includes extended dates]

Ticket Prices: $35 general admission, $45 VIP two-top, $20 students

Info: (804) 355-2001 or firehousetheatre.org.

If you like the unique and different, if you are comfortable with ambiguity, if dramatic explorations of death and non-linear story-telling pique your interest, then GHOST QUARTET was written for you. Not fully a play, not fully a musical, more akin to an opera, Dave Malloy’s creation was first produced in 2014 and was soon after nominated for awards for Best Music and Best Musical.

While I assert that the term “musical” is too confining to describe Ghost Quartet, there is no doubt that the music – much of which is played or engineered by Amy L Oblinger – is amazing. There are vocals and instrumental music involving a piano, a cello, a violin, and percussion. At one point small percussion instruments – a tambourine, a rattle, small rattles – are distributed to audience members.

Two of the Quartet members perform a delightfully unexpected tap and clog dance. And most of the cast members are quite comfortable breaking the fourth wall and addressing the audience – some of whom, the VIPs, are seated at small table right on stage where they are served whiskey shots by the cast members who are gathered for a reunion of sorts at a bar that is apparently owned by one of the Quartet members.

Whew! That’s just by way of introduction, and doesn’t even begin to explain Ghost Quartet, Instead of Acts and Scenes, Ghost Quartet is divided into Sides and Tracks – which are announced at the top of each segment. While intentionally non-linear in structure, the sections are, in fact, related to one another. So, “The Camera Shop” in Side 1, Track 2 is related to “The Photograph” in Side 3, Track 2 and there is an “Usher” track – as in Poe’s “The Fall of the House of User” – in Sides 1, 2, and 3.

Family is another common theme woven throughout the production in which cast members play multiple characters, across generations, and encompassing – the program says – seven centuries. This makes it possible for Ghost Quartet to seamlessly discuss and conquer death, include sassy little girls and monks, have storytelling by Schéhérazade (yes, the one from Arabian nights), and sing an ode to whiskey (e.g., Jamieson, Maker’s Mark, Lagavulin), call a family meeting to deliver an ultimatum about an invisible friend, and conflate monks (the religious kind) with Thelonious Monk (the musician).

Bringing a wide range of talents, sass, and gifts to this production: Jaylin Brown, Valerie Chinn, Céilí Galante, Marjie Southerland, and Musical Director Amy L. Oblinger. They sing, they dance, they act, tell stories, play instruments, and drink whiskey for two hours (including one intermission). Todd Labelle’s design, featuring a standard wooden bar as well as a vertical “floating” bar and walls of wide-spaced wooden slats, is simultaneously minimalist and luxurious. It provides a welcoming backdrop for an unfamiliar performance genre. Andrew Bonniwell’s lighting organically partners with the live music, electronic arrangements, and some surprisingly stunning vocal moments.

If, as Director PJ Freebourn wrote in their notes, the goal is to transport the audience and take us on a surreal journey that explores, among other things, love, family, hope, memory, and emotions, then Ghost Quartet is a smashing success. If you leave still wondering just what the hell happened and why it made you feel confused and amazed, if you leave talking about it, thinking about it, or asking questions about it — it was successful. February 4 was originally supposed to be the final performance, but four additional performances have been added over the next two weekends – Friday evenings, February 10 and 17, and Saturday matinees, February 11 and 18. If you haven’t seen it yet, recommend you try to reserve a ticket or two to one of these performances – then we can talk about it together.

———-

Julinda D. Lewis is a dancer, teacher, and writer who was born in Brooklyn, NY and now lives in Eastern Henrico County.

———-

GHOST QUARTET

By Dave Malloy

Directed by PJ Freebourn

Performers:

The Ghost Quartet

Jaylin Brown
Valerie Chinn
Céilí Galante
Marjie Southerland

Musician

Amy L. Oblinger

Production Team

PJ Freebourn – Director

Amy L. Oblinger – Music Director

Niccolo Seligmann – Electronic Arrangements, Synth Programming, Foley Art

Céilí Galante – Additional Arrangements

Nicole Morris-Anastasi – Choreographer

Todd Labelle – Production Designer

Andrew Bonniwell – Lighting Designer

Katherine Brand – Costume Designer
Grace Labelle, Emily Vial, Talon Bleacher – Stage Managers

Performance Schedule:

Thu Jan 19 @ 8pm (preview)

Fri Jan 20 @ 8pm (preview)

Sat Jan 21 @ 4pm (preview)

Sat Jan 21 @ 8pm

Fri Jan 27 @ 8pm

Sat Jan 28 @ 4pm

Sat Jan 28 @ 8pm

Fri Feb 3 @ 8pm

Sat Feb 4 @ 4pm

Sat Feb 4 @ 8pm

EXTENDED: Additional Performances!

Fri Feb 10 @ 8pm

Sat Feb 11 @ 4pm

Fri Feb 17 @ 8pm

Sat Feb 18 @ 4pm

Ticket Prices

$35 general admission, $45 VIP two-top, $20 students

Run Time: Approximately 2 hours with one intermission

Photo Credits: Bill Sigafoos

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HOW BLACK MOTHERS SAY I LOVE YOU

“Do not press me to leave you,
    to turn back from following you!
Where you go, I will go;
    where you lodge, I will lodge;
your people shall be my people
    and your God my God. – Ruth 1:16 (NRSV)

A Theater Review by Julinda D. Lewis

At: Richmond Triangle Players at the Robert B. Moss Theatre,

1300 Altamont Ave, RVA 23230

Performances: February 1-25, 2023

Ticket Prices: $10 – $40

Info: (804) 346-8113 or rtriangle.org

———-

Sometimes a production takes awhile to grow on you. Some shows are hard to connect with on a personal, emotional, social, literary, cultural or any other level. Just the opposite is true of Trey Anthony’s tender and amusing two-act family drama, HOW BLACK MOTHERS SAY I LOVE YOU. The author identifies as “a queer, black, Canadian, West Indian womyn” but their story is familiar to many Black women in Canada, the US, and the UK. I attended with my eldest daughter, and throughout the evening we looked at one another knowingly over our masks, reached for each other’s hands, cried out in instant recognition, or just cried.

The author may be a Canadian of Jamaican heritage, but the play is set in the Brooklyn, NY home of a Jamaican immigrant woman in 2014 (although I thought the furniture and kitchen appliances harkened back a decade or two – or three? – before then). Claudette (Zakiyyah Jackson), the prodigal queer daughter of Daphne (Dorothy “Dee-D” Miller) has returned home unannounced after several silent years in Montreal, Canada. Claudette finds her mother in poor health and her younger sister Valerie (Shalandis Wheeler Smith) doing her best to care for her, despite Daphne’s refusal to follow doctor’s orders – and the added complications of Valerie’s own personal struggles. Claudette has questions that her mother is not willing to answer. Daphne left Claudette and Valerie with their grandmother in Jamaica for six years while she got established in the US.

Family secrets are painfully and reluctantly revealed, along with social and cultural histories that could bringing health and healing to many families and enlightenment to many allies. The story is brought to life by a small but mighty cast, led by Miller, the matriarch. I’m not Jamaican but I married into a Jamaican family and I found Miller’s accent spot on. She dropped the “h” where you expected to hear it and added it where you did not expect it. She called children “pickney” and pronounced the word “little” as if it were spelled with two k’s instead of two t’s. She won me over completely when she spoke about the baby’s “ackee seed eyes.” That’s how my mother-in-law used to refer to my children! My daughter looked at each other and shrieked in unison as my heart melted into a puddle on the floor. (Don’t worry, RTP staff, melted hearts do not stain the carpet.) Of course I looked to see who the dialect coach was and just as I suspected, it’s Erica Hughes. Kudos to Hughes for another amazing job.

[If you are familiar with ackee, you can skip this next paragraph.]

BTW: the ackee fruit is a Jamaican dietary staple, an essential ingredient in the Jamaica national dish of ackee and saltfish (i.e., salted cod). When ripe, the ackee plant yields fleshy yellow lobes that somewhat resemble scrambled eggs when cooked with saltfish. The fruit has shiny black seeds that people – especially Jamaican grandmothers – liken to the shiny bright eyes of babies and young children. The kicker is that, in its un-ripened state, ackee is quite poisonous.

Jackson and Wheeler Smith achieved a remarkable balance between sibling rivalry and sisterly love. Their affection appeared genuine and as the story unfolded we found that it was grounded in a history of collective trauma – unique to them, but familiar to many families whose histories are defined by the African diaspora. Significantly, my daughter wondered how these themes spoke to white viewers. This would be an interesting dialogue to introduce in a talk-back…

Let me not forget to mention Cloe. The younger, American-born sister of Claudette and Valerie who died in childhood from an unnamed illness, Cloe appears as a silent ghost. Dressed in white from head to toe, Bailey Robinson, a Henrico County Public Schools student, made her professional debut as the sometimes meddlesome, but mostly caring specter of young Cloe whose presence is welcomed and visible to Daphne – and sometimes, it seems, to Valerie. Claudette knows she is there, but cannot see her. The presence of Cloe is another strong symbol of ancestors and spirituality.

The set is a Brooklyn home sturdily and lovingly crafted by William Luther and tenderly lit by Dakota Carter. I did wonder, however, why there were several long periods of darkness or dimmed lights. Perhaps these stretches were meant to serve a visual equivalent of the dramatic pause, or to contrast with the bright white heavenly light that illuminated the runway that Cloe used to transition between the present and the hereafter. Or maybe it was just to allow for a costume change.

Margarette Joyner (founder and artistic director of the Heritage Theater that formerly closed its doors in 2022) designed the costumes, with special attention to Daphne’s collection of church hats and Valerie’s collection of coordinating handbags and shoes. Desirée Dabney directed through the eyes of a storyteller. The work and words flow with a sense of real time and a feeling of intimacy and immediacy.

HOW BLACK MOTHERS SAY I LOVE YOU is a stunningly beautiful work of theatre, one I was not familiar with, one I will not forget. See it with your mother or daughter. And take tissues.

———-

Julinda D. Lewis is a dancer, teacher, and writer who was born in Brooklyn, NY and now lives in Eastern Henrico County.

———-

HOW BLACK MOTHERS SAY I LOVE YOU

By Trey Anthony

Directed by Desirée Dabney

CAST

Daphne …………….Dorothy “Dee-D” Miller

Claudette …………….Shalandis Wheeler-Smith

Valerie ……………. Zakiyyah Jackson

Cloe ……………. Bailey Robinson

Daphne Understudy: Diana Carver

Claudette Understudy: Nora Ogunleye

Valerie Understudy: Chayla Simpson

Cloe Understudy: Sydnee Logan

THE CREATIVE TEAM

Director/Sound Design: Desirée Dabney

Assistant Director/Dramaturg: Chayla Simpson

Production Stage Manager: Jennipher Murphy-Whitcomb

Assistant Stage Manager: Nathan Ramos

Scenic Design: William Luther

Lighting Design: Dakota Carter

Props Design: Tim Moehring

Costume Design: Margarette Joyner

Hair & Make Up Design: Jahara Jennae

Intimacy Choreographer: Raja Benz

Dialect Coach: Erica Hughes

Technical Director/Scenic Painter: Becka Russo

Covid Safety Officer: William Luther

Marketing Videos: Aisthesis Productions

Photo Credits: Pre-production photos from RTP Facebook page

Shalandis Wheeler Smith, Dorothy Dee D Miller, Zakiyyah Jackson

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