Theater Reviews – Page 4

LORD OF THE FLIES

There’s No Escaping the Ravages of War

A Theater Review by Julinda D. Lewis

Presented by: Richmond Shakespeare

At: Libby S. Gottwald Playhouse Dominion Energy Center, 600 East Grace Street, RVA 23219

Performances: October 17 – November 10, 2024

Ticket Prices: $15-$47 [Adults $47; Seniors 65+ with ID $42; Military with ID $27; College Students & Children $22; VTA $15 with Password] Seating is General Admission.

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

Lord of the Flies is one of those productions that’s hard to write about because there’s good, bad, and ugly. The good things are all about the production. The bad and ugly things all have to do with the things the book and this production reveal about humankind. This is not a production you can say that you liked or enjoyed, but it is a production you need to see.

If it’s been a long time since you’ve read William Golding’s book, Lord of the Flies – or if you’ve never read it – the story is about a group of boys and young men who, while being evacuated from a nuclear attack, experience a plane crash and become marooned on a tropical island. With only eleven young survivors and no adults or other authority figures in sight, they are left to figure out how to survive and soon divide into two groups. Those who follow Ralph want some semblance of order and civilization, while those who follow Jack prefer a more chaotic life of hunting and tribal dancing. They hunt wild pigs and a malevolent force known as “the beast” that they believe jumps from body to body – meaning that no one is safe from being hunted.

The boys in the original story were upper class British boys from several different prep schools. That detail seems to have fallen by the wayside, as only one or two of the boys in this cast have adapted a British accent or mannerisms. They are a diverse bunch – in real life as well as onstage – thus giving the tale a more universal appeal.

Interestingly, author Harding’s 1954 publication was based on a children’s novel that promoted the civilizing influence of British colonialism. [Not my words, I’m just reporting here.] Golding apparently found that novel unrealistic and wanted to write a book about children marooned on an island who behaved as he believed children would really behave in such circumstances. As you might suspect – it isn’t a pretty sight.

A cast of 11 young actors, ranging from a sixth grader (Hank Astoria, who already has an impressive bio with several productions under his belt – if young people still wear belts) to college students, recent graduates, and young professionals commandeers the unnamed island and captures the hearts of the audience at the Libby S. Gottwald Playhouse – the temporary location of this island. Lindsey Kelley has designed a simple, two-level set that transforms the theater space into a tropical paradise gone rogue. There’s a beach, a mountain, and a forest. Special effects include lighting, a soundscape, a realistic looking fire, smoke, and an eerie projection that the boys believe is the dreaded “beast.”

I attended on the second night of the run, and already it seemed that a high level of camaraderie and commitment to the ensemble had begun to emerge among the “boys.” This is something very necessary for a show that delves into depravity, chaos, and anarchy, a show that upends morals and tosses rules off a cliff into a swift-flowing current. If the audience is silent and contemplative while leaving (as many were), I can only imagine how much Lord of the Flies weighs on its young cast.

(BTW, I couldn’t help but think of how on the previous Sunday the RTCC or Richmond Theater Community Circle celebrated youthful energy in theater, and not one week later I viewed two plays about young people! I also saw H*tler’s Tasters on Thursday night. You can read my thoughts on that show here: https://jdldancesrva.com/2024/10/18/htlers-tasters/ But I digress.)

Tavares Taylor and Liam Storm quickly established an uneasy rapport as Ralph, the winner of the popular vote, and Piggy, his advisor and confidant. Sawyer Williams emerged even more quickly as the island’s resident bully, Jack, a section leader of his school choir who soon turned rogue leader of a band of hunters and marauders.

Anthony Hernandez owned the role of Simon, the misunderstood spiritual leader of the group whose natural discernment was both indispensable and disparaged. Abe Timm straddled the line as Jack’s seemingly reluctant sidekick, Roger. Perhaps, in Roger’s internal war between morality and immorality, survival won.

Hank Astoria won hearts, on and off the stage, as the youngest castaway, Perceval. Aiden Denton and Eli Davis mastered the roles of the twins, Sam and Eric, who often completed each other’s sentences in that simultaneously annoying and weird manner some twins exhibit. The cast was completed with Maahin Kumar as Bill, Talon Bleacher as Maurice, and Ishaan Kulkarni as Henry, all in supporting roles as a part of Jack’s band of bare-chested, face-painted, and far-from-merry men.

Jeffrey Cole directed. What en experience that must have been for both Cole and the cast. Here are his own words from his director’s notes: “Deep down, we all feel the need to belong to something that’s bigger than ourselves.” In this story, on this island, “it’s important for us in the audience to remember that, at all times, in all situations, these are children…. With no training, no preparation, and no guidance, these boys must follow their basest biological imperative: survive.” Could you have done any better? Would you have done anything different? Do you think you would have lived to tell the tale? And if you did survive, who would you be after that ordeal?

Lord of the Flies asks the hard questions. It explores the effectiveness of different leadership styles: intimidation versus compassion. It examines the consequences of war – nuclear war in particular; that’s how these boys ended up on this island, unsure if their families and friends had survived, or if they were the only ones left on earth. What would you be willing to do to survive? Do you have what it takes to keep the fire burning?

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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. Her most recent (ad)venture was the premiere of a solo work, The Waters of Babylon or Psalm 137 Revisited: a Post-Exodus Reflection in Movement Choreographed from Collective Memories for the debut of the Critical Race Theatre Project, right here at RTP in August 2024.

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Lord of the Flies

Written by William Golding

Adapted for the Stage by Nigel Williams

Directed by Jeffrey Cole

Cast

Ralph …………… Tavares Taylor

Jack …………… Sawyer Williams

Piggy …………… Liam Storm

Simon …………… Anthony Hernandez

Roger …………… Abe Timon

Sam …………… Aiden Denton

Eric …………… Eli Davis

Bill …………… Maahin Kumar

Maurice …………… Talon Bleacher

Henry …………… Ishaan Kulkarni

Percival …………… Hank Astoria

Production Team

Artistic Director …………… James Ricks

Managing Director …………… Jase Smith Sullivan

Director …………… Jeffrey Cole

Assistant Director …………… Sim Nakamura Rivers

Production Stage Manager …………… Nata Moriconi

Assistant Stage Manager/Props Design … Jordan Dively

Costume Design …………… Lindsey Ladnier

Lighting Design …………… Tristan Ketcham

Scenic Design …………… Lindsey Kelley

Sound Design …………… James Ricks

Scenic Builder …………… Brok Décor

Run Time: approximately 2 1/2 hours, including two 10-minute intermissions

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Photo Credits: Aaron Sutten

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H*TLER’S TASTERS

Making the World Safe for a Totalitarian Dictatorship, One Bite at a Time

Presented by 5^th Wall Theatre in Partnership with Virginia Rep

A Theater Review by Julinda D. Lewis

At: Theatre Gym at Virginia Repertory Center, 114 W. Broad St., RVA 23220

Performances: October 17 – November 2, 2024

Ticket Prices: $30/Adults, $15/Students

Tickets & Info: https://5thwalltheatre.ludus.com or https://www.5thwalltheatre.org/ or email info@5thwalltheatre.org

The 5^th Wall Theatre’s 2024/2025 season is billed as a celebration of empowering stories that inspire change. The “theatre beyond boundaries’” first production of the season, H*tler’s Tasters fulfills this promise on several levels.

This highly triggering tale is based on the true story of the young women who were honored with the dubious patriotic duty of tasting Adolf Hitler’s food to make sure it wasn’t poisoned. Somewhere, I think I saw this play described as a comedy, but while there are precious moments of humor between the three young women on stage at any given moment, it is not comedic. Rather, it is the kind of humor that is born of a need to survive by any means necessary. I wouldn’t describe H*tler’s Tasters as a drama, either. No…it’s more of a case study, and a cautionary tale that reminds us that “complacency is a dangerous meal.”

Anachronistic touches make this bitter pill just a bit more palatable. Set in an unknown location in war-torn Germany during the height of the Third Reich, the young women have cell phones and are given to breaking out into bursts of abstract modern dancing. Their cell phones are for recording selfies during their long periods of boredom, and for timing the period after eating. They have one hour after each meal to be observed for symptoms of poisoning. The dancing serves as a stress reliever – for the audience. The actors perform a weird movement ritual three times a day, before each meal. The ritual, one of several movement segments choreographed by Kayla Xavier, is part interpretive dance, part visualization of their inner turmoil, and part religion – in the sense that it represents their only authentic representation of and communication with the truth of their reality.

Each of the young women has a distinct personality. Hilda (Rebecka Russo) is the mean girl. Unable to face reality, she lashes out at the others. “I don’t want to know about truth,” she says, and who can blame her. Liesl (Preston Bradsher) is inquisitive – dangerously so. She wants to know what is going on even if it hurts to know. Anna (Eva Linder) is innocent and asks the wrong questions and speaks too freely. The interaction between Anna and Hilda ends predictably. And then there is Margot (Kylee Márquez-Downie). The closest thing to a breath of fresh air in this psychologically dark world, Margot brings innocence and laughter and dancing into the young women’s bleak world. But the ritual that first stunned us with raw energy gradually dulls until the final performance is decidedly lackluster and uncoordinated.

The ensemble is a tight knit organism that tells the story with a combination of acting, dancing, and non-verbal cues such as glances, body position, posture, and use of space. Longoria, who tells us in the Director’s Note that she has previously spent six years as an actor and producer for this show, directs with a sense of energy and inevitability that is urgent, and manages to somehow suggest that hope never dies.

H*tler’s Tasters encompasses many important issues that are as relevant today as they were in 1932: the treatment of women and girls; politics; economics; sexuality; sexual assault; the exploitation of women and the poor and immigrants and Jewish people and Black people and anyone who could possibly be seen as “other.” As if this doesn’t sound familiar enough, Hilda says, “Jews cannot replace us,“ and “our lives will be so much better when he makes Germany great again.” Margot innocently shares a vision of the Führer arriving on a beautiful horse, with his shirt off, that

sounds a lot like a photo of another world leader that made the rounds just a few years ago.

Brooks’ play premiered in New York in 2018. She could not possibly have conceived then that H*tler’s Tasters would grow in relevancy rather than fade into the obscurity of historical fiction and artistic archives. It is triggering – so much so that the author did not even spell out the name. It drives home the truth that if we turn our heads when anyone is being exploited, we will inevitably become targets ourselves – if we aren’t already…

This is not the type of play that deserves an answer when someone asks, “did you enjoy it?” It is not meant to be enjoyed. It is meant to be experienced. It is meant to be discussed. It is meant to be absorbed, and it is meant to make better, because when you know better, you must do better.

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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. Her most recent (ad)venture was the premiere of a solo work, The Waters of Babylon or Psalm 137 Revisited: a Post-Exodus Reflection in Movement Choreographed From Collective Memories for the debut of the Critical Race Theatre Project, right here at RTP in August 2024.

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Written by Michelle Kholos Brooks

Directed by Kaitlin Paige Longoria

CAST

Rebecka Russo ………. Hilda

Preston Bradsher ………. Liesel

Eva Linder ………. Anna

Kylee Marquez-Downie …. Margot

Tory Davidson ………. u/s Hilda & Margot

Emma Rivet ………. u/s Liesel & Anna

PRODUCTION TEAM

Directed by ………. Kaitlin Paige Longoria

Choreography by ………. Kayla Xavier

Lighting Design by ………. Gretta Daughtry

Sound Design by ………. Candace Hudert

Costume Design by ………. Maggie Ronck & Ashleigh Poteat

Fight Choreography by …… Marr Hovastak

Production Associate ….. Emily Adler

Stage Management by …. Tariq Karriem

Photos by ………. Tom Topinka

Performance Schedule:

Thursday, October 17, 2024, 7:30 PM | Opening Night

Friday, October 18, 7:30 PM

Saturday, October 19, 7:30 PM

Sunday, October 20, 2:30 PM

Thursday, October 24, 7:30 PM

Friday, October 25, 7:30 PM

Saturday, October 26, 2024, 7:30 PM

Sunday, October 27, 2024, 2:30 PM | Talkback

Tuesday, October 29, 2024, 7:30 PM | Industry Night | Pay What You Will

Friday, November 1, 2024, 7:30 PM

Saturday, November 2, 2024, 7:30PM | Closing Night

Tickets: $30/Adult; $15/Student

Run Time: 90 minutes, no intermission

Content Warning: This production contains mature themes and potentially sensitive or controversial content, including discussions of sexual assault, politics, war, and race. Viewer discretion is advised.

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PAINTING CHURCHES

Where Humor Meets Heartache

A Theater Review by Julinda D. Lewis

Presented by CAT – Chamberlayne Actor’s Theatre

At: Hanover Tavern, 13181 Hanover Courthouse Rd., Route 301, Hanover, VA 23069

Performances: October 4-19, 2024

Ticket Prices: $34.00 General Admission. $30.00 Seniors 60+

Info: (804) 362-2950 or www.cattheatre.com

Fanny Church wears a wide-brimmed hat as she reminisces over each familiar object before she wraps it in bubble wrap and places it in a box. Fanny, the wife of a well-known poet, Gardner Church, is packing up to move out of their long-time Boston home. The Church’s are getting older, Gardner’s memory is not what it once was, and it is time to downsize.

In the first scene Fanny eagerly awaits the arrival of their daughter, Margaret or Mags, who is coming to help her parents pack and sort through the memorabilia of a life well lived. But the arrival of Mags, a successful artist who lives in New York, brings its own revelations and complications.

Author Tina Howe and director Kerrigan Sullivan skillfully guide us through this challenging rite of passage with an unpredictable itinerary of heart-wrenching loss, thirst-quenching humor, poignant insights on growing older, and shocking moments of cruelty.

At times, Painting Churches reminded me of Ronan Carr’s Th Barber of Moville in which the barber, Molly, realizing she has declining mental capacities, has made elaborate end-of-life plans that do not take into account her husband’s ability to carry them out. (See my review of that play when I saw it at the Firehouse in June 2022: https://jdldancesrva.com/2022/06/28/the-barber-of-moville/)

Here in Painting Churches, apparently named for Mags’ obsession with painting her parents’ portrait, the versatile Jacqueline Jones takes on the role of the mother, Fanny Sedgwick Church. It is a role that requires Jones to ride an emotional roller coaster, onemoment reminiscing about the family silver and the next joining her husband in recreating scenes from classic paintings, one moment stumbling in the darkness of forgotten memories, and the next waltzing gaily with her husband, one moment watching over her declining husband like a hawk, and the next cruelly demeaning him because of his memory and health issues. Fanny copes with laughter and copious amounts of alcohol.

Daniel Moore plays the role of Gardner Church, the poet and patriarch who appears to be blissfully unaware of his cognitive challenges as he ignores Fanny’s slights and jabs, happily reciting the poetry of William Butler Yeats and Robert Frost from memory. In a tender moment with his daughter Mags, we discover that even his pet bird can recite poetry. Gardner comes across as the “good cop” parent to Fanny’s “bad cop,” but even though he seems to be the kinder gentler parent, we eventually find that neither Gardner nor Fanny ever truly understand their daughter.

The first thing that struck me when Mags arrived, late and flushed, is that she and her parents never seem to communicate. They talk at each other, and about each other, but while speaking in the same room, it’s almost as if the audience is witnessing small snippets of several unrelate conversations. Constance Moreau, as Mags, has mastered this disconnect to the extent that it alerts us to the possibility that something is not quite right. When we finally hear the story of Mags’ childhood masterpiece, I felt – uncomfortably – that we had just been introduced to a whole new level of family dysfunction.

At its heart, Painting Churches is a well-crafted, poetically structured tale about the stresses of an evolving parent-child dynamic in which there are no winners and no losers – there is just life. Each of these characters is given the time and space to develop into full-fleshed beings, neither all good nor all bad. That makes us laugh even harder at their antics and hurt even more deeply for their failings. Oh, and on a lighter note, special mention for the number of times Jones and Moore have to get up and down from the floor! I hope supplies of Tiger Balm for the run of the show were written into their contracts.

And finally, I would be remiss to end without mentioning that this is the Chamberlayne Actor’s Theatre’ 60 year of producing, first as a community theater company and later joining the ranks of Richmond’s professional theater community, and it is their first year in their new home at Hanover Tavern after several years as Richmond nomads after losing their long-term space in the Chamberlayne Farms area on N. Wilkinson Rd.

Painting Churches, produced by Zack Owen, with lighting design by Alleigh Scantling, Costumes designed by Lindsey Ladnier, Scenic and Properties design by Hailey Bean and Sound design by Kerrigan Sullivan, who also directed, runs through October 19.

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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, VA. When not writing about theater and dance, she teaches dance history at VCU and low impact dance fitness classes to seasoned movers like herself, and occasionally performs. Her most recent (ad)venture was the premiere of a solo work, The Waters of Babylon or Psalm 137 Revisited: a Post-Exodus Reflection in Movement Choreographed From Collective Memories for the debut of the Critical Race Theatre Project, right here in Richmond at RTP in August 2024.

PAINTING CHURCHES

Written by Tina Howe

Directed by Kerrigan Sullivan

Cast

Jacquline Jones – Fanny Sedgwick Church

Daniel Moore – Gardner Church

Constance Moreau – Margaret Church

Mary Huhmann U/S – Fanny Church

Foster Solomon U/S – Gardner

Kathrine S. Wright U/S – Mags

Creative Design Team

Producer – Zack Owen

Director – Kerrigan Sullivan

Stage Manager – Jennipher Murphy

Lighting Design – Alleigh Scantling

Costume Design – Lindsey Ladnier

Scenic & Properties Design – Hailey Bean

Sound Design – Kerrigan Sullivan

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TRUE WEST

A Tale of Dualities

by Sam Shepard

Cadence Theatre in association with Onomatopoeia Productions at Firehouse Theatre on the Carol Piersol Stage

A Theater Review by Julinda D. Lewis

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

Performances: September 20 – October 5, 2024

Ticket Prices: $35-$40; Suggested for audiences 16+

Info: (804) 355-2001 or firehousetheatre.org or CadenceTheatre.org/True-West

Duality: duality refers to having two parts, often with opposite meanings, like the duality of good and evil. If there are two sides to a coin, metaphorically speaking, there’s a duality. War and peace. Love and hate. Up and down. Black and white

“Americans make movies; the French make films.”

We first encounter Lee and Austin engaged in a contentious discussion in their mother’s kitchen in her California home. The brothers have not seen one another in five years. Austin is house-sitting for their mother who is on vacation in Alaska. Their father is, apparently, living somewhere in the Mojave desert in dire straits. Austin, a screenwriter, is trying to work on a script – by candlelight – while Lee, a drifter who makes a living by nefarious means, sits on the counter drinking beers one after the other and interrupting Lee’s work. Nothing unusual about that. At first. But oh, it quickly becomes apparent that this sibling relationship is deeply, disturbingly dysfunctional.

“I come in through the window; I go out through the door.”

Landon Nagel and Stevie Rice alternate in the roles of the brothers, and on this Saturday afternoon Nagel wore the button down khaki role of Austin while Rice stepped into Lee’s scruffy black and white wingtips and battered trench coat. Both actors seemed to be in the exact right roles, so I’d love to have an opportunity to see this show again with the two in the opposite roles.

“Toast is kind of like salvation.”

Nagel and Rice both gave riveting performances to the sparse but attentive Saturday matinee audience in this iteration, with Rice’s character double-crossing his brother by pitching a story to his brother’s agent, effectively usurping his brother’s deal – along with his fragile self-esteem. While Act One is contentious, Act Two is nothing short of a dumpster fire (not the writing the situation), with the two brothers switching roles (not the roles they were cast in but their hierarchical roles, their roles in the family, their relationship to one another). The psychological wreckage echoes the physical wreckage of their mother’s pristine kitchen. And wouldn’t you know it – just when you think things have hit rock bottom, Mom returns unexpectedly. But her response to the emotional and material upheaval that greets her gives new meaning to the word dysfunctional.

On his website, Shepard says of True West:

“I wanted to write a play about double nature, one that wouldn’t be symbolic or metaphorical or any of that stuff. I just wanted to give a taste of what it feels like to be two-sided. It’s a real thing, double nature. I think we’re split in a much more devastating way than psychology can ever reveal. It’s not so cute. Not some little thing we can get over. It’s something we’ve got to live with.”

In the blink of an eye True West flips from the violent (e.g., Lee smashing a typewriter with a golf club or a vicious fight between the two brothers involving a garroting) to the humorous (e.g., a tale of lost teeth or an award-worthy drunken ramble involving toast – lots and lots of toast). The normalcy of the serene kitchen with its white cupboards and abundance of plants (keep your eye on the plants!) and the reassuringly normal ambient sounds of chirping crickets and barking dogs amplify the outrageousness of the brothers’ interactions, of their very relationship.

True West is a dark comedy, and so much more, The seemingly simple title is a commentary on the wild west, the American dream, and a reality check on what is real and what is mere illusion. Even though Austin and Lee are exaggerated, they are real people with real issues; they are authentic in their dysfunction.

Supporting roles were capably filled by Otto Konrad as the disingenuous agent, Saul and Jane Petkofsky as the elusive Mom – but this is basically a two-hander, and both Nagel and Rice shine in their respective roles. Rusty Wilson’s direction keeps things moving so that I was startled when intermission arrived and appropriately stunned at the ending. There’s truly no way to prepare, just hang onto the edge of your seats and go along for a truly wild ride.

NOTE: A 2020 production of True West by Cadence was postponed due to COVID. For historical reference you can find Susan Haubenstock’s review of a 2009 production of True West by Henley Street Theatre in the Richmond Times Dispatch archives: https://richmond.com/entertainment/true-west-brings-genuine-delight/article_a3b4fe56-799b-53cc-8aa9-70e7e39307e2.html . See this Style Weekly article for the backstory of director Rusty Wilson’s involvement with True West: https://www.styleweekly.com/tag/true-west/

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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. Her most recent (ad)venture was the premiere of a solo work, The Waters of Babylon or Psalm 137 Revisited: a Post-Exodus Reflection in Movement Choreographed From Collective Memories for the debut of the Critical Race Theatre Project, right here at RTP in August 2024.

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TRUE WEST

by Sam Shepard

Directed by Rusty Wilson

This performance is dedicated in memory of Carol Piersol, the beloved Founding Artistic Director of Firehouse

CAST

Austin/Lee ……………………. Landon Nagel

Austin/Lee ……………………. Stevie Rice

Saul ……………………. Otto Konrad

Mom ……………………. Jane Petkofsky

PRODUCTION TEAM

Direction ………. Rusty Wilson

Scenic Design ………. Joseph Lavigne

Costume Design ………. Sarah Grady

Production State Manager ………. Sharon Gregory

Sound Design ………. Grace Brown LaBelle

Lighting Design ………. Andrew Bonniwell

Fight Choreography ………. Aaron Orensky

Composer ………. Drew Perkins

Properties Design ………. Emily Vial

Photo Credits ………. Jason Collins Photography

RUN TIME

1 hour 45 minutes; there is one intermission

PERFORMANCE SCHEDULE

Opening Night – Friday, September 20 at 7:30PM

Running Fridays and Saturdays, September 20, 21, 27, 28, October 4, 5, at 7:30PM;

Thursday, October 3, 7:30PM; Saturdays and Sundays, September 21, 22, 28, 29, & October 5 at 2:00PM.

TICKETS

$35 – $40

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FIVE LESBIANS EATING A QUICHE

Respect the Egg

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: September 11 – October 5, 2024

Ticket Prices: $50

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

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NOTE: For the last review I wrote for this space, I confessed that I was unfamiliar with the play prior to seeing it, but someone kindly pointed out that I had actually reviewed the Richmond premiere several years prior. I wasn’t caught off guard this time. I remembered seeing this play before – in the same theater! – and my review of that earlier production was published in the Richmond Times Dispatch, February 20, 2015.

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September 13, 2024:

The leaders and members of the Susan B. Anthony Society for the Sisters of Gertrude Stein are gathered in the newly renovated community center for their annual Quiche Breakfast, but all is not as picture perfect as it appears on the surface. It’s 1956 and the country is uneasy about the prospect of impending nuclear attack and many – let’s be honest, all – of the widows (wink, wink) share a secret that no one dares speak aloud. When the security system signals a nuclear attack, everything changes.

The authors, Evan Linder and Andrew Hobgood – and the artistic team at Richmond Triangle Players – were eerily prescient. Change the year from 1956 to 2024 and the political climate, the threat of terrorism, and the challenges (dangers?) of being yourself are pretty much the same. I’m sure it was accident, no mere coincidence, that this production was planned for this pre-election period.

William Luther’s near cartoon-style set and gorgeous 1950s style dresses with their swinging skirts – some fluffed up by crinolines – stunning vintage shoes, hair bows, fascinators, and lace gloves are a feast for the eyes. The very demure outer appearance only makes the underlying sexual tension, innuendo, and banter that permeate each scene that much steamier. When Ashley Thompson’s character, Ginny Cadbury, the over-eager newest member of the group ends up atop a table with her face buried in a plate of quiche it’s as if a group of church ladies had suddenly put down their needle point to engage in an orgy. But I’m jumping ahead.

Theater-goers aka members receive name tags on arriving at their seats. Everyone gets a “female” name. I was Virginia this time. There is a lot of audience interaction, and one front-seat viewer in particular – “Margery” on opening night – gets to have an on-going supporting role. Nora Ogunleye as Wren Robin is the club’s event chair. Ogunleye, looking fabulous in a purple ensemble with matching hat and shoes brings over-the-top optimism and a mile-wide smile to the role. Kendall Walker plays Dale Prist, a wide-eyed innocent who looks like an animated Barbie doll and serves as the group’s historian with a classic Eastman-type film using camera around her neck.

Rachel Dilliplane brings barely repressed butch energy to Veronica “Vern” Schulz, the group’s buildings and grounds manager. Vern is the only one of the five women bold enough to wear pants, and in spite of her tight control over just about everything in her immediate world, Vern is the one who dropped the ball when it most mattered. Ashley Thompson slays as Ginny Cadbury, the newest member and recent British transplant who serves as the secretary. We never learn why – or if we did, it went over my head – Ginny is ostracized by the rest of the leadership team. Last but not least, Donna Marie Miller has the role of the group’s President, Lulie Stanwyck. A stickler for rules and protocol, who lives by the motto “no men, no meat,” it is Lulie who drops the biggest bombshell (I actually did not know that pun was coming) after the five find themselves confined to the shelter – with the possibility they may have to remain there for four long years.

Everything was moving along according to plan, you see, although there is a hint that things are not as they appear – when suddenly the lights flicker, the alarm sounds, and the safety door locks everyone inside against a nuclear attack. With seemingly nothing left to lose, it’s time to finally let go of long-held secrets. It turns out that “widow” is used here as a euphemism for lesbian. Once that is out in the open – and some are more reluctant to name their truth than others, and not even the audience is not exempt from participating in the apocalyptic confession – the floodgates open to reveal all sorts of secrets and Dale has an opportunity to earn a special place in the history of the sisterhood.

This cast is bright and snarky and generally hilarious. The costumes and set are visually delightful. The lighting and sound effects are appropriately over-the-top. The audience’s immersion pushes the edge of an unnamed boundary that gives heightened meaning to the word inclusion. What other play do you know of that encourages the audience to sing along to the theme song of an elite society and have everyone shout out, “I am a lesbian!” The issues are real: nuclear warfare, loyalty, discrimination, oppression, same-sex marriage. The timing of lines by the ensemble and the overall pacing set by director Kelsey Cordrey never attempts to belittle any of this, while at the same time guaranteeing there is never a dull moment. In short, 5 Lesbians Eating a Quiche is breathlessly entertaining.

———-

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. Her most recent (ad)venture was the premiere of a solo work, The Waters of Babylon or Psalm 137 Revisited: a Post-Exodus Reflection in Movement Choreographed From Collective Memories for the debut of the Critical Race Theatre Project, right here at RTP in August 2024.

———-

5 LESBIANS EATING A QUICHE

Written by Evan Linder & Andrew Hobgood

Directed by Kelsey Cordrey

Cast

Rachel Dilliplane as Veronica “Vern” Schultz [Note: the program spells her name Dillaplane but I used the spelling I’ve seen virtually everywhere else including her own social media]

Donna Marie Miller as Lulie Stanwyck

Nora Ogunleye as Wren Robin

Ashley Thompson as Ginny Cadbury

Understudies

Kendall Walker as Dale Prist

Emils Berry u/s for Wren Robin & Veronica “Vern” Schultz

Sydnee Graces u/s for Dale Prist & Ginny Cadbury

Jen Hines u/s for Lulie Stanwyck

Production & Design

Playwright – Evan Linder & Andrew Hobgood

Director – Kelsey Cordrey

Scenic & Costume Design – William Luther

Lighting Design – Gretta Daughtry

Sound Design – Lucian Restivo

Props Design – Tim Moehring

Hair & Makeup Design – Luke Newsome

Production Stage Manager – Corrie Yarbrough

Assistant Stage Manager – Finn Thomason

Intimacy & Fight Director – Lucinda McDermott

Gender Consultant – August Hundley

Master Electrician – Griffin Hardy

Technical Director & Scenic Artist – William Luther

Scenic Construction – David Ballas, Josie Carter, Becka Russo, Kendall Walker

Setting

A community center in middle America where the annual Quiche Breakfast of the Susan B. Anthony Society for the Sisters of Gertrude Stein is being held. Today, 1956.

Run Time

Approximately 70 minutes without intermission

Ticket Information

$50, Info: (804) 346-8113 or rtriangle.org

Photo Credit: unattributed

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JOHN & JEN

When Love Hurts – or – Hate Feels Like the Taste of Tomatoes

At: The Swift Creek Mill Theatre, 17401 U.S. Route One, Chesterfield, VA 23834

Performances: September 7-28, 2024

Ticket Prices: $44-49. Ask about discounts for students, seniors, and veterans.

Info: (804) 748-5203 or https://www.swiftcreekmill.com

Until a few weeks ago I had never heard of JOHN & JEN and I usually do not read about a show prior to seeing it in order to remain as unbiased as possible when I do see it. But now that I have seen this heart-warming sung-through musical, created for a cast of two actors playing three roles, it has earned a place as one of the most memorable musicals I’ve ever seen. [See the addendum at the end of this review!]

JOHN & JEN started out as a 10-minute musical – a labor of love created by two artists – a composer and a lyricist – who wanted to work together. Their 10-minute work became a full one-act musical, and eventually a second-act was added, with a twist that proved to be a natural outgrowth of the first act.

POSSIBLE SPOILER ALERT

It’s difficult to talk about JOHN & JEN without giving away the plot twist, so if you plan to see this show and want to be surprised, I suggest you stop reading now and come back to finish after you’ve seen the show. This little discussion starter will still be here.

POSSIBLE SPOILER ALERT

JOHN & JEN is a story of familial love and dysfunction. It is a multi-generational tale that spans nearly 4 decades, from 1952 to 1990, and is liberally sprinkled with social references that define each era. JOHN & JEN is also a story of family trauma and the resulting fallout. Most of all, JOHN & JEN is the story of a brother and sister and an inextricably linked story of a mother and son, a story of learning to let go in order to move on.

Nicole Pearson plays the role of Jen, and Malcolm Holmes plays the roles of John – and that’s not a typo, but it is the spoiler.

Act 1 opens with young Jen welcoming her baby brother “Welcome to the World” offers words of caution about the dangers he may face, and promises to always protect him. As we watch the two grow up, we learn that all is not well in this household – at least, not as seen through the eyes of Jen who seems to shoulder adult-level responsibilities at a very early age. It is Jen who explains why Santa can’t come one year. It is Jen who dominates a hilarious game of playing school, where we learn about George Washington and his dog Martha crossing the parted waters of the Potomac River. Yet, despite her best intentions to never leave her little brother, Jen seems to jump at the chance to leave home to attend college in New York where she quickly finds her tribe among the community of hippies and Viet Nam draft dodgers. It is this last that causes an irreparable rift.

Malcolm Holmes plays the role of the young John with an uncanny mastery of the nuances of a young boy that manages not to appear mocking or dismissive. While both Pearson and Holmes bring a sort of “every-man” energy to their roles, by which I mean they lull us into feeling we know these people, there is one scene that really resonated with me. When 12 year old John begged 17 year old Jen to take him with her when she leaves for college, I was transported back to a time when my 5 year old son would suddenly burst into tears because he missed his 18 year old sister who was attending college in another state. This is the kind of energy Lippa and Greenwald wrote into JOHN & JEN. It is the kind of energy Tom Width brought to his direction, and it is the essence of the energy Pearson and Holmes manifested throughout the play.

While there are clear mile markers along the way, one thing JOHN & JEN never does is tell us where the family lives, leaving the door open for it to be wherever you live or lived at that time. The play takes us on a stroll through memory lane – or along the paths of history, depending on your age. 1964 is a Beatles collage. 1966 is an increased US presence in southeast Asia. 1967 is the “summer of love” and the Generation Gap. 1968 is Richard Nixon – and Jen has missed 2 years of John’s baseball games and Dad says you don’t love us anymore. 1969 is men walking on the moon and the NY Mets win the World Series.

John and Jen part on less than good terms, Jen to move to Canada with her draft dodging boyfriend and John to join the Navy. Act 1 ends with Jen unfolding a flag and draping it over a box as an uncharacteristically silent figure of John, wearing dress whites, observes from a distance. Pearson’s facial expressions and body language tell the subplot of the words that emerge from her throat. Holmes’ general exuberance make his moments of quiet watching and discernment all the more poignant.

In Act 2 we see a reprise of Jen singing her “Welcome” song over a cradle, but this time the cradle holds her son, also named John. As Jen’s son grows, she makes the same promises to protect him she once made to her brother, even showering her son with her brother’s old clothes and toys, something this new generation John cannot relate to. As the years pass, Jen seem incapable of distinguishing between the two Johns, finally reaching the point of breakdown – or breakthrough – as she sits perusing a photo album. That, along with a visit to her brother’s grave on what would have been his 32^nd birthday, jars Jen to accept a new reality and to finally move on. This come out as the final song, “Every Good-bye is Hello.”

For those who – inexplicably – do not like musicals, JOHN & JEN may not be for you. This is, after all, a sung-through musical in which most of the dialogue is sung rather than spoken, straddling that gray line you may never have known existed between musical and opera. Not only is it a musical, but it is also a two-person musical, so there are no distractions, no avoiding the fact that even simple statements are sung. But – and this is a big but – Pearson and Holmes are fantastic singers!

I’ll say it again, Pearson and Holmes are fantastic singers. They are really, really, really, really, really good! And while I don’t know the technical terms (I was a dance major, not a theater or music major), their voices are clear and they have the ability to lift you with them when they soar, to drag you down with them when they mourn, and to make you smile and feel hope when they harmonize. This is even more amazing in that Lippa and Greenwald did not write the kind of toe tapping sing-along songs that audiences find themselves humming for days or months after. This is music in the role of a character that moves us through the acts and scenes. This is music that entertains, but does so almost peripherally as it marches along doing the job of immersing the audience in the telling of the story.

Width also, as he usually does, executed the scenic design. The set for JOHN & JEN is an attic with its steep walls and rough-hewn beams and shelving. Just as Holmes and Pearson infuse their characters with a sense of familiarity, so Width does with the set. There are boxes and bins, errant toys, a boom box, books, a clothing rack, camping equipment, a poster of Michael Jackson, along with most of the props the two actors will need. I felt like I was back in my great aunt’s attic where I used to play as a child, and found myself scanning the corners to see if I would find her old Singer sewing machine hiding there.

During his pre-show curtain talk, Width remarked that JOHN & JEN is a show that is much loved by theatre professionals, but little known to audiences. It is an unexpected treasure worth sharing.

FYI: Hate feels like

———-

Julinda D. Lewis, EdD is a dancer, teacher, and writer who was born in Brooklyn, NY and now lives in Eastern Henrico County. When not writing about theater and dance, she teaches dance history at VCU and low impact dance fitness classes to seasoned movers like herself, and occasionally performs. Her most recent (ad)venture was the premiere of a solo work, The Waters of Babylon or Psalm 137 Revisited: a Post-Exodus Reflection in Movement Choreographed From Collective Memories for the debut of the Critical Race Theatre Project.

———-

JOHN & JEN

Music by Andrew Lippa

Lyrics by Tom Greenwald

Book by Tom Greenwald and Andrew Lippa

John & Jen premiered at the Goodspeed Opera House,

East Haddam, Connecticut in 1993

Directed by Tom Width

CAST

Malcolm Holmes as John

Nicole Pearson as Jen

CREATIVE TEAM

Directed by Tom With

Musical Direction by Paul Deiss

Scenic Design by Tom Width

Lighting Design by Joe Doran

Costume Design by Maura Lynch Cravey

Technical Direction by Liz Allmon

Setting:

Somewhere in the USA and Canada, between 1952 and 1990

Run Time:

About 90 minutes with 1 intermission

Tickets:

Regular $44-49. Discounts for Seniors, Military & Veterans

Photographer: Daryll Morgan Studios

ADDENDUM: OMG. I was just reminded that I reviewed the Richmond premiere of this work in 2018 at HATTheatre! I had 4 surgeries and 20 radiation treatments in 2018 so my memory of that year may be more than a little bit clouded. Here is a link to that review, offering a totally different view of this show.

JOHN & JEN: A Musical of Second Chances

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MISERY

The Number One Fan & The Dirty Birdy (IYKYK)

A Theater Review by Julinda D. Lewis

By: Virginia Repertory Theatre (Virginia Rep)

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

When: August 31 – September 29, 2024

Ticket Prices: $39-$60.

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

The 1990 film version of Stephen King’s, Misery was a memorable thriller – so much so that it earned Kathy Bates an Academy Award for Best Actress for her portrayal of Annie Wilkes. There are so many layers to Annie Wilkes, the antagonist of Misery, that in a 2022 interview King himself singled her out as his personal favorite among all the characters he has created. I generally go to see a show without any pre-conceived expectations – or at least, as few expectations as one can expect of one who sees as much theater as I do. I had read King’s book and I had seen the film directed by Rob Reiner, but I had never seen Misery on stage before, and I did have high-ish expectations for this production.

Misery, for all three of you who don’t know, tells the story of best-selling romance novelist Paul Sheldon who, after a horrible car crash, wakes to find himself in the home of former nurse Annie Wilkes who rescued him from a snowbank. The fact that she was available to do this because she – his self-described “number one fan” – had been stalking him for some time is eventually revealed. But soon becomes obvious that Annie is unhinged and her “care” takes a deadly turn when she discovers that, in his recently released novel, Sheldon has killed off her favorite character, Misery Chastain. Fueled by mental illness, Annie begins a campaign of mental and physical torture as only Stephen King could conceive.

I’ve read that numerous A-List actors turned down the roles of both Annie and Paul for the film version of Misery, and I don’t know if Rick Hammerly and Virginia Rep had similar troubles casting this play, but the casting of Susan Sanford as Annie Wilkes and Matt Meixler (in his Richmond debut) was inspired. I am not familiar with Meixler, but Sanford is a familiar face on Richmond stages. In Misery, I did not recognize Sanford on that stage – I saw Annie Wilkes.

Sanford’s portrayal of Wilkes – who, BTW, is supposedly based on a real-life nurse, Genene Anne Jones, a serial killer believed to have killed more than 50 patients, including infants and children – is chilling. She glides smoothly and unpredictably from modest and temperate to manic and then to depressed. She is simultaneously sympathetic in her illness and vile in her violent episodes.

Meixler is forced to work with severe physical restraints. For most of the play, he portrays the bedridden Sheldon, recovering from two broken legs and a dislocated shoulder. His pain is palpable, and radiates through the space almost like another character of its own. At one point Wilkes remarks that Sheldon is sweaty, and Meixler was probably genuinely clammy after his restrained exertions.

The only other character is Buster, the local sheriff. Buster is suspicious, but clearly this abduction and torture case is above his pay grade and his intellectual capacity. Buster, at one point, even seems to be developing a fondness for Wilkes; I guess that’s what happens when you live in a small, remote town and don’t get a chance to speak to many people. Andrew Firda plays Buster, with all due earnestness and a sprinkle of ineptitude.

Performed without intermission, Misery is well-paced and avoids being predictable even when you already know the story. (Granted, the stage version is not the same as the film version or the book, in several significant ways that I will refrain from spoiling; go see it for yourself and then compare.)

Kudos to Chris Raintree for a beautifully detailed three-sided set built on a revolving turntable. Highest admiration to the stage management, under the direction of Donna Warfield, for the quick changes that occurred seamlessly, even on opening night. (There was one moment when I thought I saw Annie when I wasn’t supposed to, but overall, the blocking and timing were skillfully executed with all the moving parts). More generous praise is due for Joey Luck’s chiller-thriller sound design and BJ Wilkinson’s shadowy and evocative lighting. All these element worked together with the precision of a fine Swiss watch to create a delightfully fearful night of theater – a noteworthy, strong start to the new Fall season.

———-

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 and dance, she teaches dance history at VCU and low impact dance fitness classes to seasoned movers like herself, and occasionally performs. Her most recent (ad)venture was the premiere of a solo work, The Waters of Babylon or Psalm 137 Revisited: a Post-Exodus Reflection in Movement Choreographed From Collective Memories for the debut of the Critical Race Theatre Project.

———-

MISERY

Written by William Goldman

Based on the Novel by Stephen King

Directed by Rick Hammerly

Cast

Annie Wilkes ……………….. Susan Sanford

Paul Sheldon ……………….. Matt Meixler

Buster (u/s Paul) ……………….. Andrew Firda

u/s Annie ……………….. McLean Fletcher

u/s Buster ……………….. Joe Pabst

Direction & Design

Direction ……………….. Rick Hammerly

Scenic Design ……………….. Chris Raintree

Costume Design ……………….. Marcia Millr Hailey

Lighting Design ……………….. BJ Wilkinson

Sound Design ……………….. Joey Luck

Projection Design ……………….. Dasia Gregg

Stage Management ……………….. Donna Warfield

Fight Direction ……………….. Casey Kaleba

Wig Design ……………….. Jeanne Nugent

Ticket Information

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

Tickets range from $39 – $60

Run Time

The play runs for approximately 1 hour, 40 minutes; there is no intermission.

Photo Credits: Aaron Sutten

Matt Meixler and Susan Sanford in Misery.

PETER AND THE STARCATCHER

“To Have Faith is to Have Wings”: The Backstory – or – A Prequel To the Tale of the Boy Who Would Not Grow Up

A Theater Review by Julinda D. Lewis

Presented By: Firehouse Theatre

At: 1609 W. Broad Street, RVA 23220

Performances: August 16 – September 1 2024

Ticket Prices: $1.00 – $35

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

While it is based on a children’s book, Peter and the Starcatcher, a play with music (as opposed to a musical) is filled with innuendo and powered by linguistic and cultural references that are aimed at adults. So, yes, it is family friendly. It is also a fantastic fantasy adventure that delights the eye and ear and keeps the audience laughing. I don’t want to spoil it for you, but the Act 2 opening is one of the most memorable scenes ever; sit in the first row if you can.

Peter and the Starcatcher provides the backstory to Peter Pan as well as Captain Hook and Tinker Bell. Based on the 2004 novel of the same name, written by Dave Barry and Ridley Pearson, Rick Elice adapted the story for the stage. The play premiered in California, opened Off-Broadway in 2011 and on Broadway in 2012. Some may recall that the play was produced by Va Rep in 2015.

Chase Kniffen has designed an appropriately fantastical set that helps provide a big stage feel and Kasey Brown’s costumes are whimsical and extremely creative. Nathaniel Shaw’s direction is seamless, all the best lines are perfectly times and the pacing is swift enough to keep the audience on our toes but paced to keep us from getting lost. There is music, but not the kind where characters burst out into song for no reason, and at one point we are treated to a near-show stopping Rockettes-style high kick line. Kudos to the entire production team for making this production look and sound great.

This is one of those productions where, in addition to working their butts off, it also looks like the cast had as much fun as the audience. The casting was perfection. It’s hard to think where to begin, so I’ll just follow the program order. And yes, this is one of the few times I will make mention of each and every cast member – because they deserve it.

It was great to see Scott Wichmann back on stage and his role of the Black Stache, who is affected by chronic malapropism, is undeniably and devilishly over the top. Shannon Schilstra plays Molly, a young woman liberated ahead of her time, with youthful exuberance and a level of confidence most of us wish we had at that age (her character is 13 years old). Lukas D’Errico is the Boy (also 13) who eventually earns the name Peter and the right to wear the Hero’s hat. The scene in Act 2 where Boy first sees sunlight is heartwarming.

Peter’s companions, Ted and Prentiss, also orphans who are sold into slavery along with him, are played by Madison Hatfield and August Hundley. There is a running joke about Ted’s obsession with food that culminates in a hilarious scene in which, after struggling to figure out how to eat a pineapple, one of the pirates accidentally slices a pineapple in half providing Hatfield the opportunity to finally satiate her character’s fixation. Hundley finds and maintains a delicate balance as their character Prentiss seesaws between declaring himself the leader and just wanting to be a boy. Both are starved – for both food and love – and Ted occasionally slips and, endearingly, calls Molly Mother.

Paul Major plays Black Stache’s bumbling first mate, Smee, who actually spends much of his time correcting Stache’s wildly humorous misuse of words, and occasionally – an accidentally – coming up with some life-saving ideas. Elle Meerovich takes on several roles, including the flask-toting headmaster of the boys’ orphanage, a pirate, Fighting Prawn (king of the Mollusk tribe), and a sailor but their most memorable moment was holding an unwavering note in a song for a thrillingly long time. Whew! But wait, there’s more…

Chewie Lo Moore really digs in as Bill Slank, the cruel captain of The Neverland who switches the treasure chest with the decoy trunk at the start of the adventure, thus activating the action adventure aspect of the play. He also plays Hawking Clam, the son of the Mollusk king, Fighting Prawn. Joshua Mullins plays a supporting role as the good Captain Scott, the captain of the Wasp, based on a real-life British Royal Navy Officer of the same name, as well as – ironically – an incompetent sailor named Mack.

It seems too long since we’ve seen Alexander Sapp onstage, yet here he is as Lord Astor, Molly’s father, a Starcatcher on a secret mission that endangers everyone to some extent or another. Some of the funniest scenes occur when Lord Astor has to communicate with his daughter Molly. Because of the nature of his mission, they communicate in Dodo – yes, the language of the extinct bird – or Norse Code, apparently an ancient Viking precursor of Morse Code. After causing all this havoc, Sapp just strolls off at the end with utter nonchalance that makes you wonder, did that just happen?

One of my favorite roles was that of Molly’s nanny, Mrs. Bumbrake, played by Robert Throckmorton in the role of the “pantomime dame,” a woman’s role traditionally written for a male actor. Throckmorton also played Teacher, a wise mermaid who is instrumental in changing the direction of the Boy for the better. This was not Throckmorton’s first time in this dual role in Neverland or Mollusk Island, but the intimacy of the Firehouse Theatre certainly made it the memorable for me. The pairing of Throckmorton with William Vaughn, in the role of the smitten Alf, was a winning combination, but let’s not forget that Alf’s first claim to fame is a really potent case of flatulence.

Peter and the Starcatcher has adventure, magic/fantasy, whimsy, humor – and pirates. It also touches on serious topics like love and loyalty, friendship, greed, perseverance, and commitment. It truly has something for everyone, and reminds us why we love to go to see live theatre.

—–

PETER AND THE STARCATCHER

Written by Rick Elise

Music by Wayne Barker

Directed and Choreographed by Nathaniel Shaw

Cast

Black Stache ………. Scott Wichmann

Molly ………. Shannon Schilstra

Boy ………. Lukas D’Errico

Ted ………. Madison Hatfield (Molly u/s)

Prentiss ………. August Hundley (Boy u/s)

Smee ………. Paul Major

Grempkin/ ………. Elle Meerovich

Fighting Prawn/

Sanchez

Bill Slank/ ………. Chewie Lo Moore

Hawking Clam

Capt. Scott/ ………. Joshua Mullins (Stache u/s)

Mack

Lord Aster ………. Alexander Sapp

Mrs. Bumbrake/ …….. Robert Throckmorton

Teacher

Alf ………. William Vaughn

Grempkin/Mrs. Bumbrake u/s………. Gracie Berneche

Capt. Scott/Lord Aster u/s ………. Thomas Kaupish

Ted/Prentiss u/s ………. Jovan Long

Alf/Smee/Bill Slank u/s ………. David Rogozenski

Production Team

Direction/Choreography ………. Nathaniel Shaw

Music Direction ………. Kim Fox

Assistant Direction ………. Katie Logan

Scenic/Projection Design ………. Chase Kniffen

Costume Design ………. Kasey Brown

Lighting Design ………. BJ Wilkinson

Assistant Lighting Design ………. TJ Washington

Sound Design ………. Grace Brown LaBelle

Props Design ………. Tim Moehring

Dialect Coach ………. Erica Hughes

Percussionist ………. Steve Raybould

Directing Observation ………. Christian Trimmingham

Stage Management ………. Emily Vial

Assistant State Management ………. Isabel Stone

Run Time: About 2 hours 10 minutes; there is 1 intermission

———-

Photo Credits: Firehouse Facebook page

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ROMAN À CLEF

The New Theatre at Firehouse on the Carol Piersol Stage Presents

A WORLD PREMIERE by Chandler Hubbard

A Theater Review by Julinda D. Lewis

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

Performances: May 8-26, 2024

Ticket Prices: $0-$35

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

Chandler Hubbard, local actor (Corpus Christi, The Altruists, Mr. Burns, a Post-Electric Play, and Stupid F!%king Bird) and playwright (Animal Control reviewed here in April and July 2019)and Molly House) has done it again! And by “done it again” I mean that he has taken as subject matter “real-life subjects and their accompanying emotions – anger, blame, justice, and ultimately compassion. Sometimes it’s difficult to decide whether to laugh or cry” https://wordpress.com/post/jdldancesrva.com/1249). By “done it again” I mean that Chandler’s work delivers a surprising play that “presents many sides of a story, demonstrating how difficult it is to judge others. It makes subtle parallels between the behavior of people…[and] mostly it reminds us that even the most unlikely person may be deserving of compassion” (https://wordpress.com/post/jdldancesrva.com/15140). I am not saying that Roman À Clef is anything like Animal Control, but that Chandler has a unique vision, a wonderful way with words, and – together with his production team – an insightful and humorous eye for presenting his words and vision to an audience.

Roman À Clef is a family play, but not a family-friendly play. First, in English, the title means “novel with a key,” a French phrase for a literary device in which real people, places, and things are given fictitious names, blurring the line between reality and non-reality, fact and fantasy, fiction and non-fiction. In Roman À Clef, a theater company rehearses a play that is about the fictitious playwright’s real family. But, one wonders, how much is based on reality?

Sharon Ott ably directed the three-acts of shenanigans, all of which were executed by a stellar cast. Andrew Bryce, in his Firehouse debut, leads the ensemble as Jack, the director of the fictional play, whose work blurs the line between fact and fiction and creates new perspectives and reveals new dimensions of family trauma. eventually – inevitably?—it is revealed that the reason Jack’s cast can never satisfy his unattainable demands is because he has not yet put to rest his own demons. Even the title of Jack’s play, Apple, Tree: Far From, Not is a pretentious portent of things to come.

Among the well-cast cast members of the play-within-a-play and Jack’s family are a mix of familiar and new faces: newcomer Reese Bucher, Lukas D’errico (Firehouse debut), Richmond newcomer Alex Harris, Tippi Hart (a VCU professor of theater movement in her first full Firehouse production), Keaton Hillman, Kelli Kennedy, Donna Marie Miller, Landon Nagel, and Tatjana Shields (Firehouse debut).

While this was a true ensemble, there were a few who stood out to me. Reese Bucher as Spawn, a newcomer in the character she played as well as on this stage, brought a genuine freshness and energy that that exploded off the stage and landed like glitter on her cast-mates. Likewise, Keaton Hillman in the role of McKnight, whom I’ve had the pleasure of watching develop as a theater artist on various Richmond stages over the years, gave a seamless performance in a role that seemed to have been written expressly with him in mind. Not to mention, seeing his lanky frame rocking bootie shorts and a propeller beanie was hilarious.

There were also some striking performances from the ranks of the more seasoned cast members. Kelly Kennedy strikes an interesting balance between frailty and perseverance, equal parts victim and victor as Jack’s mother Lois. Tippi Hart as the stage version of Jack’s mother, Queenie, is lovable but confused, looking kind of like a drag queen in the early stages of dementia. And Donna Marie Miller convincingly plays Jack’s sister Fiona as the family conciliator, the one who tries to smooth things over at all costs.

The problem is, there is no smoothing over the family trauma that fuels Jack’s family and bleeds into his present. The masks we wear are symbolically represented in Chris Raintree’s stunning set. It starts off as a cartoon caricature of a home, centered around the kitchen – the metaphorical heart of every home. In act two, the mask is removed to reveal the real kitchen of Jack’s childhood home, and begins to cover the source of his family’s dysfunction. Hubbard calls this act “A Family Home (without a family). For the third act, the mask is returned, but there are cracks in it, and bits of reality peak through. This is “A Performance, A Reckoning. All of it. All together. Now.”

And that title pretty much sums it up. There isn’t much more to say, other than: Hubbard has created a masterful piece of theater. His words tell hard stories with beauty, and humor, and truth. Roman À Clef is immersive; details matter, from the script to the costumes to the set to the character’s names (e.g., McKnight, Bishop, Queenie, Kingston, Spawn, Rookie). Sharon Ott’s direction tapped into the trauma and helped dissipate the energy in a way that made it palatable for an audience, the ensemble appeared to be committed to the work, and Chris Raintree’s set design captivated us in ways that words alone could not convey. Chandler Hubbard’s Roman À Clef manages to tap into areas many shy away from, and makes us glad he went there – and invited us to join him.

———-

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.

———-

ROMAN À CLEF

A World Premiere by Chandler Hubbard

Directed by Sharon Ott

May 8-26, 2024

Time: Here and Now

Place: Firehouse Theatre

Act I – A Rehearsal.

Act II – A Family Home (without a family).

Act III – A Performance. A Reckoning. All of it. All together. Now.

Roman À Clef is a product of the TNT New Play Incubator.

CAST

Jack ……………………. Andrew Bryce

Mike ……………………. Alex Harris

Lois ……………………. Kelly Kennedy

Fiona ……………………. Donna Marie Miller

McKnight ……………………. Keaton Hillman

Bishop ……………………. Tatjana Shields

Queenie ……………………. Tippi Hart

Kingston ……………………. Landon Nagel

Spawn ……………………. Reese Bucher

Rookie ……………………. Lukas D/Errico

Mike/Kingston u/s ………….. Patrick Rooney

Lois u/s ……………………. Gina Marie McKenzie

Fiona/Queenie u/s ……………. Rachel Garmon

Bishop/Spawn u/s ……………. Kylee Marquez-Downie

Rookie u/s ……………………. Aidan Campbell

McKnight u/s ……………. Evan Kagarise

Jack u/s ……………………. Thomas Kaupish

PRODUCTION TEAM

Direction ………. Sharon Ott

Assistant Direction ………. Molly Marsh

Scenic Design ………. Chris Raintree

Assistant Scenic Design ………. Sarah Cook

Costume Design ………. Cora Delbridge

Lighting Design ………. BJ Wilkinson

Assistant Lighting Design ………. Reid Hardymon

Sound Design ………. Kyle Epps

Intimacy/Fight Direction ………. Stephanie Hart

Movement Direction ………. Nathaniel Shaw

Developmental Dramaturgy …. Naysan Mojgani

Stage Management ………. Emily Vial

Asst. State Management ………. Juliet Grace Grochowski

RUN TIME

90 minutes with two intermissions

PERFORMANCE SCHEDULE

Previews Wednesday – Thursday, May 8-9 at 7:30pm
Opening Night – Friday, May 10 at 7:30pm
Running Thursday – Sunday through May 26, 2024

TICKETS

$35

$15 tickets available for college and high school students.

Pay-What-You-Will performances offered for both preview performances,

as well as all matinees (excluding closing, May 26th).

Photos by Bill Sigafoos

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ZERO HOUR

VaRep-JCC Partnership

A Theater Review

Produced By: Virginia Rep in partnership with the Weinstein JCC Jewish Family Theatre

At: Theatre Gym, in the November Theatre complex, 114 W. Broad St., RVA 23220

Performances: March 15-April 7, 2024

Ticket Prices: $40

Info: (804) 390-3390; http://www.virginiarep.org

This is a rare (for me) re-review. I first saw this production of Zero Hour at the Weinstein Jewish Community Center nearly a year ago (“Jason Marks is Zero Mostel,” RVArt Review, April 6, 2023, https://jdldancesrva.com/2023/04/06/jason-marks-is-zero-mostel/). But, humor me. Don’t read or re-read that review until after you read this one, and I’ll do the same. I won’t go back and re-read that first review until I finish writing this one.

With this VaRep partnership, while the location is different, Debra Clinton is still the director, and Jason Marks is still Zero Mostel. This time, the story and the script were familiar, but the production was just as fresh and vital as it had been the first time. This did not feel like a re-run; Mostel was such a complex and dynamic person that there was still much to learn that I had missed the first time, or that I saw with new eyes after the passage of time – and world events.

Jason Marks dives so deeply into the character that it is easy to forget he is an actor – we are spending an evening with Zero Mostel. Samuel Joel “Zero” Mostel was born February 28, 1915 (my birthday, but 4 decades before me) in Brooklyn, NY (as was I).

As a comedian, Mostel rose in stature to become a headliner at New York’s Café Society, a popular night spot and as an actor, Mostel specialized in comic roles: he was, perhaps, best known for his portrayal of Tevya in Fiddler on the Roof on Broadway.

Somewhere along the way, during the presidency of Harry S. Truman, the USA became embroiled in blacklisting activities. After World War II, the USA and Russia became involved in a “Cold War,” and People – particularly actors and other creatives – who were suspected of being members of or sympathizing with the Communist Party – were brought before the House Un-American Activities Committee (HUAC) where they were questioned and expected to name names. Many citizens were tried, and many actors were blacklisted or prevented from working in film, television, or on stage. Mostel (or maybe I should say the playwright, Jim Brochu) mentions a few well-known names who were caught up in this wide-ranging net, including the renowned choreographer Jerome Robbins and the comedian and actress Lucille Ball, TV star Phil Silvers, screen writer Ring Lardner, Jr., and screen writer Martin Berkeley who is described in Zero Hour as “the Babe Ruth of stool pigeons.”

Other victims of the Red Scare: Orson Wells, Burgess Meredith (credited, in the script, with the line, “hold onto your tits, it’s Zero Hour!”), Arthur Miller, Charlie Chaplin, Lena Horne, Langston Hughes, Pete Seeger, Gypsy Rose Lee, Artie Shaw, Dashiell Hammett, and the list goes on and on and on…

There are many memorable moments in Zero Hour, both dramatic and historic. The one-hander paints a vivid picture of Mostel’s journey “from blacklist to White House in 10 years.” We learn of Mostel’s tumultuous love affair with his second wife, Kate. A former Radio City Music Hall Rockette, Mostel’s Orthodox Jewish parents did not accept Kate because she wasn’t Jewish, and his parents never met Kate or their two grandchildren.

Then there’s the horrible bus accident in 1960 that nearly ended his life as well as his career, leaving him crippled and in pain. But he stubbornly avoided amputation, and went on to star in Waiting for Godot, Rhinoceros, and the Broadway musical, A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum. Marks shares all of this and more with a wild and vivid mixture of humor, sarcasm, and melodrama while his character is being interviewed by an invisible rookie reporter. “Why do I call you putz?” Mostel asks the report early in the interview, “because I don’t know your name!”

Mostel warms up to his interview as we warm up to him. The interview takes place in Mostel’s West 28^th Street painter’s loft. In addition to being a prolific and popular performer, Mostel was also a visual artist whose abstract paintings have been sold at auction and displayed in galleries and museums. My notes from the show list 5,000 paintings, 15 Broadway shows, and 25 movies.

Zero Hour is an engaging tour de force that is equally entertaining and educational. And now, I feel, is the time to go back and read what I said about Zero Hour the first time I saw it:

“Zero Hour is one of the funniest shows I’ve ever seen and it appears to have been a perfect vehicle for Jason Marks.” – Yes, I still hold this opinion!

“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.” – Again, I second that first impression.

“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.” – ditto

And finally, I often find it weird to read things I’ve written previously, but this holds true. That’s my story and I’m sticking to it: 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.” There are a FEW opportunities remaining to see this production of Zero Hour. I suggest you go see it. You won’t be sorry.

———-

ZERO MOSTEL

Written by Jim Brochu

Directed by Debra Clinton

Cast List

Zero Mostel – Jason Marks

Direction & Design

Direction – Debra Clinton

Set & Lighting Design = Todd Schall-Vess

Wig Design = Kevin S. Foster II

Stage Management – Hayley Tsutsumi

Zero Hour runs March 15 – April 7, 2024

at the Theatre Gym at the November Theatre, 114 W. Broad Street, Richmond, VA 23220

Run Time

The play is presented in two 45-minute acts with one 15 minute intermission

Tickets

Box Office: (804) 282-2620

Information: http://www.virginiarep.org

Full Price Tickets: $40.00

Discounted Group Rates available

Show Photography by Jay Paul

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rvart review

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to show your support of RVART Review

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to help keep RVART REVIEW ALIVE

Make a donation if you like what you read here
rvart review is independently produced and received no outside funding or advertising revenue