New Work – RVArt Review

FIRST RESPONSES

A Festival of World Premiers Written by First Responders

FIRST RESPONSES

A Festival of One-Act World Premieres by First Responders

A Theater Review by Julinda D. Lewis

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

Performances: March 23 – April 15, 2023

Ticket Prices: $35 general admission, $20 students

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

Following the model set by War in Pieces, the 2021 festival of one-act plays written by military veterans, the focus of FIRST RESPONSES is the real-life front line experiences of four first responders. Kathryn Kahlson is a retired Captain from Chesterfield Fire & Emergency Services; Captain Anthony Jackson is Commander of the Richmond Police Department’s First Precinct; Benjamin Toderico served 18 years with the Richmond Police Department in uniform, as a Detective, and on the SWAT team; and Betty Migliaccio has been a firefighter for the past 10 years. Migliaccio and Jackson are founding members of the Frontline Writers group, a non-profit organization founded in 2020 “to provide those who serve our community — firefighters, police officers, and emergency medical technicians — intensive instruction in the art and craft of the narrative so that their experiences may be known, shared, and archived.” Classes are taught by founding board member and New York Times best-selling author David L. Robbins. The stories that are developed into plays are edited and reworked and brought to life onstage with minimal production elements – a few simple cubes, costumes, and lighting.

Mother at Work, written by Kathryn Kahlson and directed by Amy Berlin, is a tale of two mothers – a first responder and the young mother she encounters on an emergency call. How do you tell someone their baby is dead – and how do you deny them the opportunity to hold their baby one last time? Kahlson shared that first responders talk it out with their coworkers, sometimes for a week or longer, but this particular call hit so close to home it took her 10 years to process the encounter. To help actor Lindsey June get into the role of Kahlson, the author allowed June to wear her work boots.

Something So Small, by Anthony Jackson, pulls the audience along into an eerie portal of time travel where a crime scene investigation at a drug house allows the victims to be witnesses to their own demise. I only fully understood this cool plot twist by staying for the post-show talk-back. I’m not sure if it was my own lack of imagination or if the play could have made this less ambiguous – or perhaps a bit of both.

In Pillar Benjamin Toderico takes up to the top of a bridge where a young man contemplates suicide. For this, the actors took a field trip to the site, where they experienced the climb, the swaying, the wind, and the cold.

Finally, in Eight Buttons, Betty Migliaccio paid homage to her colleague, Richmond firefighter Lt. Ashley Berry who was killed on Thanksgiving Day 2019 while shielding one of her children from gunfire – the result of a drive-by shooting. For me, this was the most touching story, not just because it was a familiar news story, but because of the tenderness embodied in the simple act of Amanda Spellman (as Betty) sitting and sewing the gold buttons signifying her newly earned rank that Lt. Berry had not yet had time to sew on before her untimely death. That, and the respectful salute that ended the scene and the show encapsulated the unspoken and unspeakable that these writers have been able to express through their stories.

A diverse ensemble of familiar and new faces portrayed all the roles in these four one-act plays, directed by four different directors. The actors – Briana Creque, Dwayne Daniels II, Keydron Dunn, Enrique J.. Gonzales, Lindsey June, Jimmy Mello, Lorin Mello, David Rogozenski, and Amanda Spellman – seemed to step into the shoes of some of their characters more easily than others. One female officer, played by Creque, for example, seemed to move with an unnatural stiffness (but take note that she only recently completed her first role at VCU where she is a student in the drama department) while Jimmy Mello’s portrayal of the bridge jumper was uncannily authentic. Lorin Mello, with key roles in Mother at Work, Something So Small, and Pillar appeared to have mastered some of the most stressful of roles and high-strung characters with precision. I look forward to seeing more of June and Spellman, both of whom made their RVA debuts in First Responses. Anthony Jackson personally commended Dwayne Daniels II, commenting that Daniels played the role of Jackson in Something So Small better than he plays himself.

Producing four one-act plays by four novice playwrights – even with minimal production elements – is no mean feat. I believe in his pre-show curtain speech Producing Artistic Director Joel Bassin said there were no less than 27 artists involved in the making of this show, running approximately two hours, with one intermission. So, kudos to the four directors – Amy Berlin (Mother at Work), Mark J. Lerman (Something So Small), Andrew Gall (Pillar), and Lian-Marie Holmes Munro (Eight Buttons), as well as Anna Bialkowski (Costumes), Andrew Bonniwell (Lighting), Kate Statelman (Composer), Todd Labelle (Production Design), and the rest of the creative team for another interesting and insightful production of new and (mostly) compelling theater.

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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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FIRST RESPONSES Festival

new plays by Anthony Jackson, Kathryn Kahlson, Betty Migliaccio, and Ben Toderico

March 23-April 15, 2023

Performer Ensemble:

Briana Creque

Dwayne Daniels II

Keydron Dunn

Enrique J. Gonzalez

Lindsey June

Jimmy Mello

Lorin Mello

David Rogozenski

Amanda Spellman

Production Team:

Amy Berlin, Andrew Gall, Mark Lerman, Lian-Marie Holmes Munro – Directors

David Robbins – Dramaturg/Co-Producer

Emily Vial – Festival Coordinator

Todd LaBelle – Production Designer

Kate Statelman – Composer

Andrew Bonniwell – Lighting Designer

Anna Bialkowski – Costume Designer

Colin Lowrey II – Costume Assistant

Jake Buccella – Dramaturg/Assistant Director

Jae Austin, Dennis Bowe, Aleta Findlay, Emily Vial – Stage Managers

Performance Schedule:

ALL 4 PLAYS ARE PERFORMED EVERY PERFORMANCE

THERE WILL BE A TALKBACK AFTER EVERY PERFORMANCE

Wed March 22 @ 7:30pm (preview)

Thu March 23 @ 7:30pm (preview)

Fri March 24 @ 7:30pm (preview)

Sat March 25 @ 7:30pm (opening)

Thu March 30 @ 7:30pm

Fri March 31 @ 7:30pm

Sat April 1 @ 7:30pm

Sun April 2 @ 3pm

Thu April 6 @ 7:30pm

Fri April 7 @ 7:30pm

Sat April 8 @ 7:30pm

Thu April 13 @ 7:30pm

Fri April 14 @ 7:30pm

Sat April 15 @ 7:30pm

Sun April 16 @ 7:30pm

Tickets: $35 general admission

Photos by Bill Sigafoos

Dwayne Daniels II, Briana Creque, Enrique Gonzalez, Lindsey June, David Rogozenski, Jimmy Mello, Keydron Dunn, Amanda Spellman, photo Bill Sigafoos

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RICHMOND BALLET STUDIO THREE

Richmond Ballet Presents the 15^th New Works Festival

A Dance Review

By: The Richmond Ballet

At: Studio Theatre at Richmond Ballet, 407 East Canal Street, RVA 23219

Performances: March 21 – 26, 2023

Ticket Prices: $26 – $51 ($71 – $106 for Choreographer’s Club on Opening Night, March 21)

Info: (804) 344-0906 x224, etix.com, or richmondballet.com

THE PROGRAM

FLIGHT

Choreography by Nancy Paradis

Music by Peter Kater

Costume Design by Emily Morgan

Lighting Design by Nathan W. Scheuer

World Premiere: March 21, 2023, Richmond Ballet Studio, Richmond, VA

LOST KEYS

Choreography by Claudia Schreier

Music by Christopher Cerrone

Costume Design by Emily Morgan

Lighting Design by Nathan W. Scheuer

Courtney Collier Zacchaeus Page

World Premiere: March 21, 2023, Richmond Ballet Studio Richmond, VA

BIRD’S-EYE VIEW

Choreography by Norbert De La Cruz III

Music by Lara Somogyi, Riopy, and Ashram

Costume Design by Emily Morgan

Lighting Design by Nathan W. Scheuer

World Premiere: March 21, 2023, Richmond Ballet Studio, Richmond, VA

FADING CREATURES

Choreography by Yury Yanowsky

Music by Senking

Costume Design by Emily Morgan

Lighting Design by Nathan W. Scheuer

World Premiere: March 21, 2023, Richmond Ballet Studio, Richmond, VA

The Richmond Ballet started the New Works Festival 15 years ago, in 2008. The company’s Associate Artistic Director, Ma Cong, introduced Ershter Vals, his first work for Richmond Ballet during the 2009 New Works Festival.

This year, four choreographers, new to the Richmond Ballet, were each given 25 hours of creative time with the company. At the end of 25 hours, they give birth to a new work, a 10-15 minute sketch or work-in-progress. This year, the honor went to Norbert De La Cruz III, Nancy Paradis (who was an original member of the Richmond Ballet), Claude Schreier, and Yury Yanowsky.

Paradis’s process includes writing, listening to music at different times of the day – and night – and creating mind maps. Her structure translates into beautifully layered movement. FLIGHT manages to place five couples into three movements (“Wings,” “Wounded,” and “Flight”) in under 12 minutes – 12 luxurious, unhurried minutes. The men’s arms spread across the stage like wings. The blues and grays of the costumes are reminiscent of different stages and levels of the sky, while the subtle pink and purple of the back wall suggests the sunrise or sunset. The middle section could be interpreted as introducing aggression or conflict, making one wonder the nature and origin of the wounds. But then comes the final “Flight” section with hints of jazz – hitch kicks, sassy walks, swinging hips all make you want more.

Claudie Schreier’s LOST KEYS is set to a score by Christopher Cerrone, “Hoyt-Schermerhorn,” named for a Brooklyn subway station where I spent many hours of my youth waiting for the train. Dressed in unadorned body suits – nude or tan for the woman and putty for the man – the dancers performed a mesmerizing duet of contemporary movement against a background of piano and electronic jingles and jangles. LOST KEYS breaks with tradition and the usual expectations of ballet. The woman, instead of rising lightly into a lift, giving the appearance of weightlessness, instead adopts a dead weight and stares her partner down from above. The man swings his partner by her arms like a little child, and sometimes holds her in a broken pose. Schreier seeks to create architecture on stage and to pursue emotion through architecture. I find this intriguing, and it raises many questions. Are the “lost keys” the keys to someone’s heart? The piano keys? Are they symbolic of letting go and starting over? Are they metaphors for love, health, and wealth or a shifting of power and authority?

Philippine born, Los Angeles raised, and Juilliard educated Norbert De La Cruz III considers BIRD’S EYE VIEW a choreographic response to where he is in life right now. The opening view is of the dancers stacked and arranged in the shape of a tree, with dancers perched among the branches. The 9 dancers are layered in some way throughout the dance as when there are two in front with a line moving across the back like a Greek chorus crossing upstage. The dancers are attired in shades of rust, brown, and gold. Each two-piece outfit is in a different style, some with bell sleeves, others sleeveless. The movement is shaped with an almost mathematical precision, emitting strong sensations of algebraic formulae and geometric configurations. The interweaving of bodies, arms, legs set against the meditative flow of the music supports a journey, the passage of time. The movement soars and spirals, a juxtaposition of pattern and form, structure versus free flow – or what De La Cruz refers to as “volume” and “texture.” At the end the dancers are faced away from the audience, uplifted, ready. The work is absolutely beautiful.

The final new work, Yury Yanowsky’s FADING CREATURES, was inspired by Salvador Dali’s melting clocks. It is a work of time and space. The music is a collection of mechanical pulsations, while the dancers’ movements are off center, filled with slides – not slick or graceful dancer’s slides, but slide-across-the-floor-in-your-socks slides. Yanowsky likes to paint, and sees his dancers as a canvas. He uses them to paint stunning pictures in time and space.

What a successful New Works Festival. Each work was different in content and style. Each was stunning in its own way. Each challenged the dancers and the audience. Bravo! Let’s hope we see more of these choreographers in the future.

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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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Tickets start at $25. Visit etix.com or call the Richmond Ballet Box Office at 804.344.0906 x224.

Photos by Sarah Ferguson.

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AFTER DECEMBER

You Don’t Know Because You Don’t Know

A Theater Review by Julinda D. Lewis

At: The November Theatre, 114 West Broad Street, RVA 23220

Performances: March 3 – 26, 2023

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

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

If you’re looking for something traditional and familiar, this ain’t it! If, on the other hand, you’re in the mood for something daringly different and astonishingly beautiful, then you’ve found your play. In Bo Wilson’s new sci-fi thriller fantasy, AFTER DECEMBER, particle collider meets poet. It’s big bang theory meets magic mushrooms. It’s fabulously refreshing. And, if you must relate it to something familiar, it makes allegorical statements about such topics as government and discrimination and the relative value of art versus science.

AFTER DECEMBER is an immersive theatrical experience. Set in a secret government facility that conducts experiments with particle reactors, the cave-like underground atmosphere created by Tennessee Dixon (Scenic and Projection Designer) extends from the stage to the audience. BJ Wilkinson’s phenomenal lighting includes tubes of lighting around the balcony and even above the very last rows of seats, and Dixon’s multi-screen projections accompanied by Joey Luck’s sound design virtually surround the audience. Dixon has really outdone herself yet all of this technology does not diminish Wilson’s story or the words, rather it enhances the play. (I’m almost certain that if Dixon had figured out a way to make us feel the earthquake tremors it would have been done.)

The function of this facility is so secretive that even the staff can’t explain what they do. So, a malfunction in the particle collider machinery precipitates a major crisis, resulting in a temporary shutdown, but even more concerning is the sudden appearance of a mysterious woman. She doesn’t remember anything other than her name, December, and that she is a poet. How she ended up, naked, in a secret government facility two miles underground is a bit of a problem for her and the manager of the facility, Evan Garth (Jeffrey Cole) and his Machiavellian superior, Maria Staslaw (Susan Sanford).

Bianca Bryan, as the mysterious December, speaks in an oddly cadenced almost robotic voice, The imperious voice, stiff posture, and sometimes flaccid stance with both arms hanging loosely at the sides, interrupted occasionally by a lotus petal hand gesture all support the proposition that December may be something less than – or more than – human. She does, after all, appear to have superpowers, not the least of which is that when she speaks her poems aloud, they “happen” – changes occur in the physical environment and in the people around her. As disturbing as her presence may be, it also seems to be an impetus for the physicists to explore their hidden creative sides.

The facility’s Physician’s Assistant, Christine Keeler (Patricia Austin) is the first to soften, seeming to find inspiration in December’s differentness. Next to develop a relationship with December is Garth; December seems to bring out repressed feelings and memories that bring balance to his scientific mind. Nat Carroll (Andrew Firda) wasn’t as hard a nut to crack; he was already starting to write a novel when we first meet him. His partner, Marten Root (Andrew Etheridge) is all about the business of math until he hears the poem December has created specifically for him. He then reveals unmined depths of emotion. The only one who seems unchanged by December is Staslaw (Sanford). Could it be that she knows more about this than she lets on?

One can only imagine the creative and collaborative process that occurred between director Rick Hammerly, designers Tennessee Dixon, BJ Wilkinson, and Joey Luck, and the cast members. Precise timing was needed to successfully execute the wrinkles in time and other effects. The result was one of the most amazing and delightfully surprising evenings I’ve spent in the theater – ever.

Kudos to the cast and design team – including Sue Griffin for her neutral tunics that straddled the line between primitive and futuristic and provided a blank palate for the colorful lighting effects. Etheridge and Firda provided most of the comedy, with Etheridge acting as straight man to Firda’s more lighthearted role. Bryan was a powerful presence who nonetheless elicited empathy which was freely offered by the characters played by Austin and Coles. Susan Sanford remained unmoved – unless you count a downward spiral with a singularly cruel act towards Etheridge’s gentle nerd.

Is the important stuff that matters what happens after December arrives, or after December leaves? Or is the important stuff that matters in the power of December’s (i.e., Wilson’s) words? See it and decide for yourself – I’d love to hear what you think about AFTER DECEMBER.

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

AFTER DECEMBER

A New Play By Bo Wilson

Directed by Rick Hammerly

Cast

Christine Keeler ……………….. Patricia Austin

December ………………………… Bianca Bryan

Evan Garth ……………………… Jeffrey Cole

Marten Root ……………………. Andrew Etheredge

Nat Carroll (Evan Garth u/s) Andrew Firda

Nat Carroll u/s …………………. Joshua Mullins

Maria Staslaw …………………. Susan Sanford

Direction & Design

Direction …………………………. Rick Hammerly

Scenic & Projection Design.. Tennessee Dixon

Costume Design ………………. Sue Griffin

Lighting Design ………………… BJ Wilkinson

Sound Design ………………….. Joey Luck

Stage Management….……….. Justin Janke

Assistant Stage Managers … MariaElisa Costa, Leica Long

Ticket Information

Box Office: (804) 282-2620

http://www.virginiarep.org

Tickets range from $39 – $59

Discounted Group Rates and Rush tickets are available.

Run Time

The play runs 1 hour 45 minutes, including one 15-minute intermission.

Discounted Group Rates and Rush tickets available.

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.

Andrew Etheredge and Susan Sanford. Photo by Aaron Sutten.

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FIREBIRD with SERENADE

Richmond Ballet Presents a Balanchine Classic & an East Coast Premiere

In the Battle of Classic vs Contemporary, Everyone Wins

A Dance Review by Julinda D. Lewis

By: The Richmond Ballet with the Richmond Symphony

At: Dominion Energy Center’s Carpenter Theatre, 600 E. Grace St., RVA 23219

Performances: February 17-19, 2022 at 7:00 PM

Ticket Prices: $25 – $130

Info: (804) 344-0906, etix.com, or richmondballet.com

THE PROGRAM

Serenade

Choreography by George Balanchine

Music by Peter Ilyick Tchaikovsky

Staging by Jerri Kumery

Costume Design by Karinska

Lighting Design by Ronald Bates

Lighting Supervision by Joseph R. Walls

World Premiere: March 1, 1935, Adelphi Theatre, NYC

Richmond Ballet Premiere: February 10, 1990, Norfolk Center Theater, Norfolk, VA

Firebird

Choreography by Ma Cong

Music by Igor Stravinsky

Scenic and Costume Design by Emma Kingsbury

Lighting Design by David Finn

Lighting Supervision by Joseph R. Walls

World Premiere: February 14, 2020, Bass Performance Hall, Fort Worth, TX

Richmond Ballet Premiere: February 17, 2023, Dominion Energy Center, RVA

Preview: https://www.facebook.com/100063444205389/videos/480459615956932/

FIREBIRD, created by the Richmond Ballet’s Associate Artistic Director Ma Cong, is a magical blend of fairy tale, fantasy, drama, and dream. The ballet is set to Stravinsky’s beautiful score and set in a gorgeous environment that weds the classical with the contemporary. What at first appeared to be a museum – but I later found out was a garden – contained a swing suspended from the above, six life-sized “statues” that turned out to be six enchanted Princes, and a ginormous Faberge egg. Cong has taken the traditional Firebird story ballet – choreographed in 1910 by Michel Fokine for the Ballet Russes – and placed it in a more contemporary setting.

There is still a hero (Prince Ivan, danced by Khaiyom Khojaev) – and, of course, an evil sorcerer (Koschei the Immortal, danced by Ira White). Cong has kept Fokine’s thirteen princesses, including Prince Ivan’s love interest (Tsarevna, danced by Eri Nishihara), and, of course, the magical Firebird (Cody Beaton). What is new is the context. Nishihara begins as a young woman in a swing, visiting the sculpture garden with her mother (Celeste Gaiera). While reading her favorite book, The Firebird fairy tale, she dozes off, and much like little Clara in The Nutcracker Ballet, finds herself the central figure in a dreamscape filled with magical creatures. Her Prince doubles as a Photographer in the sculpture garden, and instead of party guests, there are museum visitors. A dropped scarf is the talisman that links the two worlds.

Khojaev, the dashing young prince – handsome, lost, and sporting a quiver of bows – encounters the magical, mystical Firebird in an enchanted garden plucking golden apples from a magical tree. In exchange for her life, the Firebird plucks one of her red feathers and presents it to Ivan, to be used in case of an emergency that can only be resolved using magic. The encounter is one of the ballet’s few traditional features – a pas de deux of soaring leaps and spiralling runs marked by Beaton’s fabulously quirky arm movements. They part, and of course it is only a matter of time before Prince Ivan runs into the evil sorcerer Koschei who has enchanted thirteen beautiful princesses and turned to stone the six young princes who have attempted to rescue them.

White, as Koschei, reminds me of an ancient Japanese war lord (but wait, considering that Cong studied Chinese classical dance, let me revise that to an ancient Chinese warrior), and his minions are clad in black body suits with vaguely skeletal imprints on the spines – thoroughly embracing the role of malevolent sycophants as they scamper about the space. The choreography is a refreshing brew of ballet and contemporary movement, a contrast of soaring heights and scampering lows, classic lines and grounded enfolding. A friend likened the results to the subterfuge of The Wizard of Oz.

A battle ensues, requiring Prince Ivan to call upon the Firebird for assistance, and Koschei and the forces of evil are eventually overcome. The climax of the battle, however, involves one of the most explosive special effects I have ever seen in a ballet. Remember that Faberge egg I described earlier – and Ivan’s quiver of arrows? Well, this is where it all comes together. The egg – okay, so maybe not a Faberge egg, but you get the idea – is where Koschei had hidden his evil soul for safekeeping and the climax of the battle involves the destruction of the egg and all the evil it contains. What a stunning concept and even more spectacular execution!

In the final scene, the daughter (Nishihara) awakens, back in the safety and peace of the sculpture garden, where the exchange of the dropped scarf and a pointed glance are all that remain of the events that have just transpired.

The evening started and ended on a high note – with two ballets completely different in style and execution. The program started with a performance of George Balanchine’s Serenade (1934). Historically significant as the first Balanchine ballet created in America and one of the New York City Ballet’s signature works, the ballet began as a lesson in stage technique for student dancers and the choreography even incorporates ordinary rehearsal events, such as a dancer’s fall. But Serenade opens with one of the singularly more stunning moments of stillness ever choreographed.

The curtains parts on a sea of 17 women standing in complete stillness. Each has one arm lifted. When they all move their feet from parallel to an open first position. So simple. So basic. So beautiful. In spite of its simplicity, Serenade is not an easy ballet, and set against Tchaikovsky’s score on a bare stage, save for romantic lighting, it remains a favorite for balletomanes and novices alike.

No disappointments, no complaints. Just a satisfying evening of beautiful ballet and memorable music, played live by the Richmond Symphony, conducted by Erin Freeman. Bravo.

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JUMP BABY

An Original Musical About War and Love

A Studio Series Production at The Lynn Theatre at Brightpoint Community College, 800 Charter Colony Pkwy, T Building, Room T112, Midlothian, VA 23114

Reviewed by Julinda D. Lewis

Performances: January 27 – February 5, 2023

Ticket Prices: $10

Info: (804) 796-4000 or email theatreinfo@brightpoint.edu

I usually don’t do much preparation prior to seeing a new show so as not to arrive with preconceived expectations. It didn’t take long before Rachel Landsee’s new musical, Jump Baby, began to feel familiar. This feeling solidified right around the time lead character Amelia West (played by Rachel Rose Gilmour) remarked that the plane banked just before she jumped out. It turns out it wasn’t the plane, hence the title, Jump Baby.

In September of 2021 I attended a wonderfully unique performance of four one-act plays at the Firehouse Theatre. Each had been written in workshop by a veteran, with one, SOAR, being penned by a female veteran. It made an impression:

The first half of the program closed with SOAR,
the only one of the four one-act plays written by a woman veteran, Rachel Landsee. Irene Kuykendall was outstanding as the military lawyer and wife, Rachel. Her husband, Adam (Dean Knight) was also an officer, and the focus of SOAR included the strains military life puts on relationships, the demands made on women, especially if they become pregnant while in service, as well as philosophical discussions of the validity of sending US troops to Iraq and
Afghanistan. For me, this was the most complex and layered of the four pieces, and its appeal is enhanced by the presence of a sort of Greek chorus meets four-part harmony a cappella group composed of four of the male ensemble members. SOAR turned out to be a mini-musical, powered by foot-stomping, finger-snapping military cadence, soulful rhythms, and the bluesy strains of Nina Simone’s “Feeling Good.”

Birds flying
high, you know how I feel

Sun in the
sky, you know how I feel

Breeze
driftin’ on by, you know how I feel

It’s a new
dawn

It’s a new
day

It’s a new
life for me…

https://wordpress.com/post/jdldancesrva.com/2727

Nearly 18 months later, SOAR has grown into – or provided a foundation for – a full-fledged two-act musical with an original score by Mark Messing. The a cappella quartet has doubled in size and this iteration features a full ensemble of cast members who play multiple roles, sing, and dance. The military cadences are still there, but now there is a list of a dozen songs and a trio of live musicians, under the direction of Cassie Cipolla. The story of Amelia and Jack has been placed in context, providing more of a backstory and fleshed out relationships.

There’s Jack and Amelia’s marriage, their struggle to understand the role of war and justice, the place of women in the military, and more. At one point, all the women are pregnant, opening the door to but leaving unanswered questions about sexuality, sexual harassment, and sexual assault in the military. Kerrigan Sullivan’s deft direction – and Kayla Xaiver’s choreography – keeps everything and everyone moving at a nice clip that echoes the military cadences.

The inaugural production of the Lynn Theatre’s new Studio Series, Jump Baby is a collaboration involving the development of new work by underrepresented voices (Rachel Landsee, a female veteran and military attorney), professional actors (Rachel Rose Gilmour and Adam Turck), and students (onstage and behind the scenes). It has catchy tunes, cadences, a logical story line, and humor. The minimalist set of boxes and graded planes studded with rivets provides an appropriate and versatile background, especially when creatively lit in a kaleidoscope of colors – or in red, white, and blue. Little touches, such as having the ringing of a cell phone voiced by an actor instead of a recording of an actual cell phone demonstrate a commitment to the process.

I fully expect to see and hear more of this project. “You can do so much with music that you can’t do with words,” Landsee said during the closing show talkback. “Musicals are a fantastic way to express an American way of life.” I don’t think Landsee is finished yet, and it’s been a pleasure to see the growth and development to date. The production closed February 5, but I think I heard from a friend that you may be able to see a streaming version if you contact The Lynn Theatre.

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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JUMP BABY

Written by Rachel Landsee

Music by Mark Messing

Directed by Kerrigan Sullivan

Cast:

Amelia West: Rachel Rose Gilmour

Jack West: Adam Turck

Staff Sergeant Michaels/Soldier: Jay Bynum

Deputy Big Boss/Jumpmaster/Soldier: Conner McGowan

Branch Chief/Soldier: Mac Owens

Acting Deputy Big Boss/Jumpmaster/Soldier/Assistant
Director: Russell Paulette

Big Boss/Soldier: Harrison Phillips

Soldier: Mahala Redden

Missy/Soldier: Ariana Silva

Military Doctor/Soldier: Julianna Velasquez

Band:

Pianist: Justin Lee

Trumpeter/Auxiliary Percussionist: August Redden

Percussionist: Elliot Loucks

Song List:

War Game

Homicide Rhymes with Lullaby

Jumping Hollywood

Death from Above

Undone

Called Away

59 Days and a Wakeup

Christmas Bells

On the Daily

Run, Gun, and Done

Mail Call

Green Light Go

Production Team:

Producing Artistic Director/Director: Kerrigan Sullivan

Playwright/Lyricist: Rachel Landsee

Composer: Mark Messing

Musical Director: Cassie Cipolla

Choreographer: Kayla Xaiver

Creative Team & Designers:

Production State Manager/Lighting Designer/Master Electrician: Alleigh Scantling

Scenic Designer/Technical Director/Properties Master: Hailey Bean

Sound Designer: Grace LaBelle

Costume Designer: Lindsey Ladnier

Assistant Stage Manager/Spot Operator/Costume Shop Supervisor: Claire Bronchick

Marketing Manager/Graphic Designer/Photographer/Videographer/Website Designer: Ian Glass

Assistant State Manager: Michelle Rubinstein

Sound Engineer: Lillian Foster

Crew:

Sam Richardson, Casey Allen, Sadie Tucker, Kenya Saunders

Performance Schedule:

Friday, January 27, at 7:00 p.m.

Saturday, January 28, at 7:00 p.m.

Sunday, January 29, at 2:00 p.m. (Talkback with the playwright follows the show)

Thursday, February 2, at 7:00 p.m.

Friday, February 3, at 7:00 p.m.

Saturday, February 4, at 7:00 p.m.

Sunday, February 5, at 2:00 p.m. (Talkback with the playwright follows the show)

Run Time:

About two hours with one intermission

Tickets:

General admission tickets are $10. Military and veteran tickets are $5. Current Brightpoint students may get their tickets for free with a Brightpoint Student ID. To purchase tickets, go to https://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/5692705

Photos: Ian Glass

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PAGE TO STAGE II

STARR FOSTER’S CROSS-DISCIPLINARY DANCE PROJECT

STARR FOSTER DANCE: Page to Stage II

A Dance Review by Julinda D. Lewis

At: The Firehouse Theatre, 1609 W. Broad Street, RVA 23220

Performances: December 1-3, 2022

Ticket Prices: $15-$25

Info: (804) 304-1523; www.starrfosterdance.org, www.facebook.com/starrfosterdance, Instagram/starrfosterdance

THE PROGRAM

Choreography by Starrene Foster

Lighting Design by Michael Jarett

Costumes by Starrene Foster

Spirits

Inspired by a story by Patricia Smith

Original Music Composition by Daniel Deckelman

Dear Me

Inspired by a poem by Tonyehn Verkitus

Music by DJ Williams Shots Fired; Iron Fist

~~Sisterhood~~

Inspired by a story by Judith Bice

Music by Mike Lazarev; When You Are

FeeJee Mermaid

Inspired by a story by Clay McLeod Chapman

Original Music Composition by Daniel Deckelman with narration by Brent\

Costume Concept Design by Johann Stegmeir, Constructed by Starrene Foster

About Us

Inspired by a story by Mary Lou Hall

Original Music Composition by Daniel Deckelman

Sky Burial

Inspired by a poem by M. C. Boyes

Music by Roger Goula; Looking Back to Self Awareness

Things That Fit Tight Around the Ribs

Inspired by a poem by Molly Todd

Original Music Composition by Daniel Deckelman

I think I have seen most of Starr Foster Dance’s Richmond performances since the company was born in 2001. I have been stunned, enthralled, mesmerized, puzzled, amused, and I have even teased Foster about her seeming preference for lighting on the darker side of the lumens scale or lux meter (or however you measure brightness). The point is, Foster has a unique style, one that most often presents women in a powerful light (no pun intended), and dares to stretch outside any semblance of a comfort zone – whether her own, the dancers, or the audience,

Foster’s latest project, two years in the making – or waiting – due to the restrictions of the pandemic, Page to Stage II, is a collection of seven short dances inspired by seven short stories, excerpts, and poems by local writers. Not only do the dances span a wide range of emotions, but the program is an actual book that contains all of the written works – the pages that found their way onto the stage – that the audience can take away to keep.

In addition to the seven writers, Foster invited six guest performers to dance with her core company of four women: Taylor-Leigh Adams, Fran Beaumont, Anna Branch, and Molly Huey. The six guest performers, Sophia Berger, Charlotte Bray, Shannon Comerford, Elena Dimitri, Keeley Hernandez, and Mosca Mavrophilipos-Flint were a perfect fit, blending easily with Foster’s core dancers and providing the needed enhancement for the stories. To my surprise and delight, I discovered that one of them had been a student of mine when I taught elementary school.

Previous performances of Starr Foster Dance took place in the intimate space of TheatreLab’s black box space, The Basement, but Page to Stage II (the sequel to a 2015 production) was performed at The Firehouse Theatre. The Firehouse seats about 4 times the number of people who fit into The Basement (sadly, TheatreLab shuttered operations at the end of the 2022 season) – and every performance was sold out! This is great for Foster and company, but it also speaks to a growing hunger for contemporary dance in RVA.

Several works on the program stood out above the others for various reasons. The opening work, Spirits, inspired by Patricia Smith’s story of the same name, explores the intentions of spirits, ancestors, and the associations we make with them. Accompanied by strings and the sounds of flowing water, the dancers, dressed in soft pats and matching tops with hems died to look muddied, move like water sprites. They seem to rise and return to a watery grave, evoking images of fictional willies (e.g., the Willis in the ballet Giselle represent the spirits of women left at the alter) as well as the spirits of all whose dreams were cut short before they were fulfilled. The nine dancers seem to float, rise up, and at the end return to their watery grave, still reaching for life – theirs? Or ours?

My absolute favorite was Dear Me. A solo, the work was performed on Friday night by Fran Beaumont. I loved Beaumont’s energy, the lackadaisical way she kicked her leg up to the side and over her head, the motif of running backwards, and even her simple, dark jumpsuit. Funny, assertive, and sassy, the solo, set to a dynamic funk rock score by DJ Williams and Shots Fired, reminded me of the jazzy and dramatic solos of the late American modern dancer, Daniel Nagrin. (If you are not familiar with him, dig back into dance history and find a video of him performing Strange Hero or Man of Action (1948).

FeeJee Mermaid is funny and creepy and deliciously weird. Set to an original score that is reminiscent of circus music and a narration of Clay McLeod Chapman’s fictitious lecture on how to make a FeeJee Mermaid. Some people are terrified of the circus, clowns, and sideshows. FeeJee Mermaid does nothing to allay these fears. Based on a real-life hoax perpetrated by P.T. Barnum and others, Chapman’s work – and Foster’s kinesthetic interpretation – is an instruction manual on how to construct a horrible taxidermist’s nightmare: a fake mermaid created by attaching the torso of an ape to the bottom half of a large fish. Foster’s quartet of dancers, clad in flesh-toned leotards dyed in a fish-scale pattern do not actually construct a FeeJee Mermaid, but their circus antics, and Daniel Deckelman’s music are sufficiently creepy to leave a lasting impression. Oh, and one of the remaining examples of a “real” FeeJee Mermaid has been in residence at Harvard’s Peabody Museum since 1897. Look it up – if you dare.

About Us is a story by Mary Lou Hall that tells of a mother who left her family (physically and/or mentally) in order to save herself. In Foster’s dance, Molly Huey (on Friday night) was supported and surrounded by a quartet of dancers who seemed to represent the various versions of her inner self. Huey danced, often with her eyes closed, moving her hands in a repetitive gesture that seemed designed to clear away the cobwebs that both clouded her vision and restricted her movements. It is a very intimate dance, one that breaks the usual rules by focusing inward rather than outward. The supporting dancers move in a very unexpected way, deliberately not drawing attention to themselves, trying not to stand out, but instead focusing on the main character – and the main character is. . .you/us.

I could find something special about each of the dances in this series. The dark dresses of Sisterhood echo the darkness of the theme that seems to be a prelude to a true-crime story about two sisters whose lives are unhealthily entwined. The women in Sky Burial interact with one another like two people feeding each other with long-handled spoons. Then there is the poignancy and steely sharpness of the pointing finger in Things That Fit Tight Around the Ribs. Like many good books, and all poems, Stage to Page II should be seen again and should definitely be discussed. What did YOU see? What did YOU feel? What did YOU take away? This is Starr Foster Dance at its finest.

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

———-

Photo Credits: Douglas Hayes.

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STARR FOSTER DANCE PRESENTS:

18^th Annual Mid-Atlantic Choreographers Showcase: Celebrating Pride

A Dance Review by Julinda D. Lewis

At: The Basement, 300 East Broad Street, RVA 23219

Performances: June 4 & 5, 2022

Ticket Prices: $15

Info: www.starrfosterdance.org, www.facebook.com/starrfosterdance, Instagram/starrfosterdance

2022 CHOREOGRAPHERS

AB Contemporary Dance / Alyah Baker; Raleigh, NC

Ankita; Brooklyn, NY

Luisa Innisfree Martinez; Richmond, VA

Megan Mazarick; Philadelphia, PA

Next Reflex Dance Collective / Roxann Morgan Rowley; Fairfax, VA

Starr Foster Dance/Starrene Foster; Richmond, VA

Wow. From first to last, the 2022 Mid-Atlantic Choreographers was riveting. The six works by six choreographers from Brooklyn, NY to Raleigh, NC each embraced LGTBQIA+ themes or concepts related to gender or sexuality. Each was performed in the round – actually, in a defined square, with the audience intimately situated on all sides. For those old enough to know what I’m talking about, it reminded me of my undergraduate days watching dance at NYC’s Judson Church. (If you’re not of a certain age, I don’t know, maybe a cypher or a rave might describe the vibe.)

One of the most striking pieces was Fools+Kings, a premiere choreographed and performed by Alyah Baker in collaboration with Lee Edwards and Kahlila Brown. Accompanied by smooth jazz performed by Nat King Cole and Orchestra and CeeLo Green, the trio graced us with liquid combinations of movement and incredibly soft landings. Sometimes the arresting choreography consisted of just a gaze, a burning stare. Dressed in black vests and pants, with three low stools as mobile props, the dancers kept the movement simple, yet their virtuosity was undeniable.

Inspired by the life and legacy of composer Billy Strayhorn, Fools+Kings was escribed in the program as an exploration of “themes of connection and heartbreak through the lens of Black Queer aesthetics and embodiment.” I was particularly struck by Lee Edwards who – I swear – reminded me of a compact, femme version of Bill T. Jones. Anyone who knows me knows that Bill T. Jones is one of my favorite dancers of all time, so I do not say this lightly. Fools+Kings built up a complex structure balanced on hot and cool jazz and Afro beats and then, BAM! – without warning or preparation, it ended with a full stop. Wow. I cannot wait to see more from this group.

Backtracking to the opening, the program began with a solo, old swan, by Megan Mazarick. Dressed in a tailored suit, Mazarick delivered portions of a deconstructed lecture while executing a fusion of post-modern, classic break-dance type moves, the robot, and even a bit of disco in a humor-infused cycle of melting and resurrecting. This is the work that took me back to Judson Church. I take notes in the dark, and for this piece my page was inscribed with a large heart. While old swan may be a reference to ballet classics like Swan Lake and all the fairy tale magic that goes along with the romantic era, it may also be a sly play on the symbolism of swans representing grace, love, trust, beauty, and loyalty. The final scene of the swan “coming home to roost” reminded me of that old saying about chickens coming home to roost – meaning that the evil things you do will come back to bite you in the butt (i.e., karma). Of course, Mazarick may not have intended any of these concepts, but I felt free – even invited – to explore all of them in this wonderful solo.

Another work that resonated was an excerpt from a dance called Penumbra, choreographed by Ankita Sharma and performed by Sharma and Darryl Filmore. Penumbra is dark, very dark. I have sometimes teased Starr Foster, saying that her works are so dark, but I was referring to the lighting. Penumbra is psychologically dark, and that’s an even more terrifying kind of dark. By definition, a penumbra is a region of shadow or partial illumination, resulting from an obstruction or partial obstruction.

This section of the artist’s evening-length work is called “Aftercare,” and the work explores the question, “What does it feel like to say the dark things that remain inside out loud?” Based on the dancers’ shared experiences with trauma, the two begin on opposite sides of a small table, somehow, remarkably, performing similar movements with strikingly different dynamics. The force and counterforce reminds me of the life and death encounters being negotiated by the old men convened around Kurt Jooss’ The Green Table but her it takes only two, not a dozen, to create this howling, apocalyptic effect!

When they arise from the floor, the gentler of the two seems to transform into the dominate, or abusive partner, and the sharper mover becomes fearful and guarded. A shift to demonic red lighting carries them away. Notably, this was the only group that did not take a bow – to do so would have broken the spell and diminished the power of this work.

I was glad I tarried long enough to see Sharma and Filmore emerge from backstage to greet their friends and audience members with smiles. It was relief to see they were able to drop the heavy personas they had adopted and leave them on the stage.

The program also included Circular, a duet by Roxanne Morgan Rowley, performed by Rowley and Sara Goldman, that explores the circularity of relationships between two women; and Luisa Innisfree Martinez’s hilarious Trope in a Box. Performed in, on, and under an open sided crate, Martinez’ solo uses comedy and strong, acrobatic movement phrases to examine and deconstruct themes and tropes of femininity. The program concluded with Starr Foster’s new work, Stripped, a trio that explores identity. The three women become entangled, connect, collapse, support one another, and finally seem to reach a place of calm, peace, and acceptance.

Foster has produced the Mid-Atlantic Choreographers Showcase for 18 years, and hasn’t run out of ideas yet. This was, by far, the best Showcase yet: powerful new work, a diverse collection of choreographers and dancers, a relevant theme, and a variety of perspectives. Thank you, all of you, for a wonderful experience.

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

———-

Photo Credits: See individual photo captions

Dancers Darryl Filmore and Ankita Sharma. Photo by Lily Price.

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BONNIE AND CLAIRE

A Tender New Comedy by Bo Wilson

A Theater Review by Julinda D. Lewis

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

Performances: May 13 – June 12, 2022

Ticket Prices: $48 (subject to change during the run)

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

Richmond-based playwright Bo Wilson’s new play, Bonnie and Claire, is not only humorous, but also a gentle treatment of aging and the often unexpected and unintentional toll it takes on those we love. Two extra years in the making – due to that pesky little pandemic – Bonnie and Claire made its debut on Virginia Repertory Theatre’s Hanover Tavern stage May 13. Well worth the wait, it landed exactly right and hit all the feels.

Bonnie (Melissa Johnston Price) and Claire (Jan Guarino) are two sisters who have been estranged for decades, but life’s circumstances and advancing age have brought them together in Bonnie’s small town home. The reunion is rocky, but their niece, Zoe (Sydnee S. Graves) is there to ease the transition – and drive the two wherever they need to go. At the beginning of the play, Zoe is chauffeuring Bonnie who is hobbled by crutches after, we soon learn, a car accident. With each subsequent scene, Bonnie appears with a new injury – an arm sling, a neck brace. All are due to accidents in which she was driving – such as driving into a 7-11 – and none of them were her fault. According to her.

Wilson and his phenomenal cast have impressively balanced the element humor with the reality that comes with aging and the declining ability to do the things we love, the things that give us our freedom and independence. It is understandable that Bonnie is cranky and even appears somewhat ungrateful that she has to rely on her niece Zoe, and at first Zoe is caring, polite, and deferential. But as the accidents escalate over the nearly ten years this play encapsulates (from 1990 to 1999) the burden of being a care-giver to Bonnie and mediator between the two sisters, who have vastly different worldviews, begins to wear on Zoe, who is trying to start a new business and a new relationship.

ADVISORY: Skip the next paragraph if you plan to see the show and want to be surprised!

Claire, who has worked as an actress for decades, lived in the city and never learned to drive. Of the three, she initially seems flighty and superficial, and her character takes the longest to develop, but gradually we see the chasm close between the two sisters. Bonnie outwardly remains her crotchety old self, but underneath the gruffness even she has some soft edges and begins to smile and even laugh a bit as the years pass and the two sisters are drawn together by past memories and the reality of the present and future challenges. The greatest change is seen in Zoe, whose apprenticeship as a caregiver and relationship with her aunts helps her transition into adulthood. Zoe learns to draw boundaries, falls in love with her business partner (who happens to be another woman), and by the final scene they are ready to start a family. So here we are privy to another dichotomy, another delicate balance, between growth and decline, between dependence and independence.

The entire play takes place in a car – first in Zoe’s fluffy ride and later in Bonnie’s old Buick. Kudos to Jacob Mishler’s sound design – every time a door was closed, an ignition was started, or any other vehicle related sound was required, it happened – perfectly timed and at an appropriate volume. Every. Single. Time. (Sometimes it’s the little things that make a big difference.) Dr. Jan Powell’s direction infused Bonnie and Claire with a satisfyingly rhythmic ebb and flow of humor and compassion. The ensemble – veteran Melissa Johnston Price with her wide range and droll humor; Jan Guarino, who directed VirginiaRep’s first show after the pandemic shutdown, Barefoot in the Park, and the wife of the playwright, Bo Wilson; and Sydnee S. Graves, who is making her Hanover Tavern debut – appeared to be a tight-knit unit even on opening night, so one can only expect their chemistry to increase throughout the run, which concludes June 12.

ADVISORY: Another possible spoiler!

After Zoe puts her foot down, takes away Bonnie’s car key, and pretty much orders her two elderly aunts to play nice and behave, the two giddily decide to go for a short ride. Bonnie had a spare key! Now, mind you, Bonnie’s license has been revoked and Claire hasn’t been behind the wheel of a car since she was about fifteen with a learner’s permit! Of course their planned outing to get ice cream ends with them getting lost and Zoe has to come rescue them.

Hijinks and shenanigans abound – and many of us can relate to the family dynamics – all of which makes Bonnie and Claire a marvelous theater experience that I highly recommend.

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

BONNIE AND CLAIRE

By Bo Wilson

Directed by Jan Powell

Cast

Bonnie ……………….. Melissa Johnston Price

Claire ………………… Jan Guarino

Zoe …………………… Sydnee Graves

Design Team

Scenic Design …….…. Terrie Powers

Costume Design …….. Marcia Miller Hailey

Lighting Design ……… Matt Landwehr

Sound and Projection Design … Jacob Mishler

Stage Management …… Joe Pabst

Ticket Information

Box Office: 804-282-2620

or http://www.virginiarep.org

Tickets prices start from $48

Discounted Group Rates and Rush tickets available.

Run Time

The show runs 90 minutes with no intermission

Photo Credits: Aaron Sutten

Melissa Johnston Price and Jan Guarino. Photo by Aaron Sutten.

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A SINGLE PRAYER

A New Play by K. Jenkins

A Theater Review by Julinda D. Lewis

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

Performances: April 20 – May 8, 2022

Ticket Prices: $30

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

A Single Prayer was originally scheduled for its world premiere in March 2020, but then along came a little disruptor call The Pandemic. This unusual and provocative play finally made its debut April 20, two years later, with a blast. A literal blast – the show opens with a storm. Blinding light, thunder, the sounds of birds and rain and waves accompany the destruction of the neatly set stage. A long table, covered with a cloth, four chairs, a bowl of fruit are all dislodged. The tablecloth becomes a billow representing the storm waves and when everything has settled down a broken and disjointed table remains centerstage – perhaps a metaphor for this tale of family dysfunction and a young person who must find their place in a blended family and navigate through the challenges that accompany all that follows.

The cast of characters is centered around Clem (Madison Hatfield). There is Juniper (Maggie McGurn), Clem’s stepmother, a nail model whose nails change color to reflect her mood, while Clem’s mother (Laura Shelton Bassin) remains mute, apparently by choice, and chooses to communicate by drawing disturbing pictures of birds. Clem’s Dan (Matthew R. Dubroff) is chained to his laptop and tries to remain distant from anything remotely emotional or ontrover3sial, while Stan (Fred Iacovo), Clem’s geneticist stepdad makes futile attempts to bring a semblance of normalcy to this family. Perhaps the most interesting character is Michael (Adam Turck), Clem’s friend, who seems to embody the spirit of the birds and all that goes through Clem’s mind. And Charlie (Ed Whitacre), who emerges from a front row seat in the audience, where he has been observing with the rest of the audience, has the unfortunate and futile task of being the family therapist for this family.

Set “Here” in the Past, Present, and Future, A SINGLE PRAYER is mythical, mystical, metaphorical, and mysterious.

Clem: This is my blended family. That’s what Charlie says, he’s our therapist. But blended isn’t really the right word. It’s more like shaken up in a ride like at the carnival where the seats are all dirty and scratched and you’re not sure if it might fall apart all at once from the rusty nails and something that got put together after a couple of beers, and then taken apart again in pieces everywhere and then put back together again so that you wonder how it all ever got together in the first place.

Jenkins, the author, holds degrees in religious studies and sociology and has written extensively on relationships, but don’t expect any answers to life’s big questions to arise from this work. It is, instead, a poetic journey that offers alternate routes to navigate life’s complex and divergent paths.

Kudos to Tennessee Dixon for the intriguingly minimalist scenic design and Joan Gavaler for the movement. It seems Adam Turck has been moving as much as if not more than speaking in several of his most recent productions, and he does it with a compelling, quirky confidence. Mark J. Lerman’s direction is organic and invisible, by which I mean the direction is not heavy-handed and the words and actions seem to flow naturally and unpredictably. Perhaps the beauty of A SINGLE PRAYER lies in its acceptance of the exceptional.

A SINGLE PRAYER

By K. Jenkins

Directed by Mark J. Lerman

Performers:

Laura Shelton Bassin – Mom / Clem’s Mother

Matthew R. Dubroff – Dad / Clem’s Father

Madison Hatfield – Clem

Fred Iacovo – Stan / Clem’s Stepfather

Maggie McGurn – Juniper / Clem’s Stepmother

Adam Turck – Michael

Ed Whitacre – Charlie

Production Team:

Director – Mark J. Lerman

Set Designer – Tennessee Dixon

Costume Designer – Alex Valentin

Lighting Designer – Andrew Bonniwell

Composers and Sound Designers – Mark Messing, Kate Statelman

Movement/Dance Director – Joan Gavaler

Stage Manager – Emily Vial

Asst. Stage Manager – Dennis Bowe

Performance Schedule:

Wed April 20 @ 7:30pm (preview)

Thu April 21 @ 7:30pm (preview)

Fri April 22 @ 7:30pm (preview)

Sat April 23 @ 7:30pm

Thu April 28 @ 7:30pm

Fri April 29 @ 7:30pm

Sat April 30 @ 7:30pm

Sun May 1 @ 3pm

Thu May 5 @ 7:30pm

Fri May 6 @ 7:30pm

Sat May 7 @ 7:30pm

Sun May 8 @ 3pm

Tickets:

$30

Run Time: Approximately 80 minutes with no intermission

PHOTO CREDITS: Bill Sigafoos

Maggie McGurn, Matthew R. Dubroff, Madison Hatfield, Laura S. Bassin, Fred Iacovo

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STUDIO THREE: IT’S A WOMAN’S WORLD

Three For Three: Richmond Ballet Studio Three Presents Works by Three Women Choreographers

A Dance Review by Julinda D. Lewis

By: The Richmond Ballet

At: The Richmond Ballet, Canal Street Studios, 407 East Canal Street, RVA 23219

Performances: March 22-27, 2022

Ticket Prices: $26-$46. (Choreographer’s Club: $66-$101)

Info: (804) 344-0906, etix.com, or richmondballet.com

Updated COVID-19 Protocols, see below.

THE PROGRAM
LIFELINE

Choreography by Sarah Ferguson

Music by VOCES8 and Zapp4

Costume Design by Emily Morgan

Lighting Design by Jack Mehler

World Premiere: March 22, 2022, at Richmond Ballet Studio Theatre, Richmond, VA

GUESS WHO’S COMING TO DINNER

Choreography by Jennifer Archibald

Music by Jacob Banks, Ray Charles, Frank DeVol. And Leon Russell

Costume Design by Emily Morgan

Lighting Design by Jack Mehler

World Premiere: March 22, 2022, at Richmond Ballet Studio Theatre, Richmond, VA

KALEIDOSCOPIC ETUDES

Choreography by Katarzyna Skarpetowska

Music by Philip Glass

Costume and Scenic Design by Fritz Masten

Lighting Design by Jack Mehler

World Premiere: March 22, 2022, at Richmond Ballet Studio Theatre, Richmond, VA

As soon as I learned that Richmond Ballet’s Spring 2022 Studio Three production would be a program of works by women choreographers I was filled with eager anticipation. The program that was delivered did not disappoint. A combination of the Ballet’s New Works Festival and the Studio Series, the program featured two new works – by Sarah Ferguson (a VCU Dance grad who serves as a Richmond Ballet administrator and photographer) and Jenifer Archibald (a prolific Canadian-born choreographer with an extensive background that includes hip hop and theater) – and a commissioned work by Katarzyna (Kate) Skarpetowska a native of Poland and Juilliard graduate, who lists her residence as Petersburg, Russia and New York City. Skarpetowska premiered her work Polaris for the Richmond Ballet’s New Works Festivalin 2015.

The three works were widely diversified and each was glorious in its own way.

The Richmond Ballet New Works festival has supported the development of and presented 89 new works since its inception in 2008. Each choreographer is offered 25 hours of studio time with selected company members and presents their work at the New Works studio performance. Many of these short works go on to be developed from five- to ten-minute ensembles to full 20-minute ballets.

Ferguson, familiar to many as a company administrator in a variety of roles and to others as the company’s resident photographer, revived her interest in choreography during the days of the pandemic. She says that she now choreographs like a photographer, and her new work, “Lifeline,” has a juicy, languid quality. The dancers are often directly connected to one another, reaching, pulling, and stretching like an evolving organism. During the opening night post performance discussion, images of starfish and even armadillos were evoked to describe the organic and tidal movement that at times resembled the animated sculptural qualities of MOMIX or Pilobolus. The pod, the entity, the emerging and evolving unit, consisting of nine dancers in inky dresses and pants led by Sarah Joan Smith and Enrico Hipolito, were beautifully lit to create illusion of floating. The first of three works on the evening’s program, “Lifeline” received a standing ovation.

The color and flair of Archibald’s “Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner?” initially gave me a fleeting flashback of the high school dance scene in West Side Story but Archibald drew her inspiration from the film starring Sir Sidney Poitier and her own experience of growing up with interracial parents. Archibald likes to explore storytelling that is not grounded in Eurocentric narration and likes having a diverse cast of dancers to explore a range of human experiences. Her vocabulary seamlessly merges classical ballet with hip hop and jazz. Her women softly leap, are caught horizontally and lay out as if landing on a soft pillow instead of on two arms precariously molded over thin air. Then a swiping motion that could be playfully affectionate – or not – forces the receiving partner to duck. Timing is everything, and Archibald’s timing veers towards the daring and unexpected. For those familiar with modern dance history, her use of the ensemble is reminiscent of the exhilarating way Talley Beatty filled a stage with bodies and energy. If all goes as planned, Archibald is expected to return in November to lengthen “Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner?” into a full-length (i.e., 20-25 minute) ballet.

The second half of the Studio Three evening was given over to Skarpetowska’s beautifully lit and colorfully costumed “Kaleidoscopic Etudes.” Set to five Philip Glass etudes for piano and string quartet. Ferguson stressed that she choreographs like a photographer, but Skarpetowska’s new work is visually stunning with the floor and background representing two different versions of a kaleidoscope and the dancers’ playful attire carrying out the same color scheme of pink, lime green, and blue. Like an optical kaleidoscope, Skarpetowska’s movement and Glass’ music continually adjust and readjust, reflecting complex and constantly changing ephemeral patterns that seem on the brink of evoking a memory or telling a story. Sabrina Holland and Joe Seaton were featured in this work that is fueled by an exciting and slightly dangerous tension that teases with unexpected punctuation and then just as suddenly, it’s gone.

Studio Three Performance Schedule

Tuesday, March 22 @6:30PM (Choreographer’s Club)

Wednesday, March 23 @6:30PM

Thursday, March 24 @6:30PM

Friday, March 25 @6:30PM

Saturday, March 26 @5:00PM

Saturday, March 26@8:00PM

Sunday, March 27@1:30PM

Sunday, March 27@4:00PM (Final Program)

UPDATED COVID-19 Protocols (As of March 2022): Please note that we are seating at 100% capacity this season. Beginning with Studio Three in March, we will no longer require patrons to wear masks or to show proof of vaccination/negative COVID test in order to attend a performance.

MASKS: In light of the latest CDC guidelines and Central Virginia’s current “Low/Medium Community Level” status, masks are optional at these performances.

BALLET BARRE: The Ballet Barre (cashless) will be open for our spring Studio performances. Beer, wine, and soft drinks will be available for purchase pre-show as well as during intermission.

CHOREOGRAPHER’S CLUB: In addition to the exclusive Q&A session with the artists, designers, and dancers, we will host a modified post-show reception. More details will be found in your House Notes email.

WELLNESS CHECK: Patrons who do not feel well leading up to a performance are asked to stay home. If you have tested positive or have symptoms of COVID-19, please call our Box Office at 804.344.0906 x224 so that we may discuss ticket options.

Photo Credits: All photos by Sarah Ferguson.