Category: Theater

CLEVER LITTLE LIES

Find the Happy in That!

A Comedy by Joe DiPietro

A Theater Review by Julinda D. Lewis

Presented by CAT – Chamberlayne Actor’s Theatre

At: Hanover Arts and Activities Center, 500 S Center St, Ashland, VA 23005

Performances: February 23 – March 9. 2024

Ticket Prices: $24.00 General Admission. $22.00 Seniors

Info: http://www.cattheatre.com

Clever Little Lies is the second offering in Chamberlayne Actor’s Theatre’s season of comedy. (The first was Steve Martin’s Meteor Shower that ran at Bright Point Community College’s Lynn Theatre last September, and the final show will be Keep on Laughing in June at HATTheatre.) With Clever Little Lies, CAT has moved from Martin’s zany unpredictability to Joe DiPietro’s sitcom structured shenanigans.

Clever Little Lies seems to be the sort of play that is as much fun for the actors to perform as it is for the audience to enjoy. As with a traditional (i.e., televised) sitcom, the opportunity for audience members to anticipate and complete the actors’ lines is part of the fun. For example, Alice, a book seller, rants about the intrusion of technology into literature: “If you had told Jane Austen that someday her epic masterpiece would be read by people on their telephone, she would’ve said, well…” That leaves an opening for an engaged audience to respond, “What’s a telephone?” The actual answer is the less crisp, “She wouldn’t have said anything, there were no telephones.”

CAT’s production featured a well-chosen, tight-knit ensemble with Scott Garka (yes, the president of Richmond CultureWorks, that Scott Garka), as Bill Sr, Amy Berlin as his wife, Alice, Austen Linder as their philandering son, Billy, and Michelle Lachapelle as Billy’s wife, Jane. DiPietro lets the audience in on the first big secret in the first scene, where we meet Bill Sr and his son in the locker room of the local tennis club after the father has uncharacteristically trounced his son on the court. Noticing Billy’s distraction, Bill Sr begins to pry until Billy confesses he is having an affair with his beautiful young personal trainer. Billy’s wife, home on maternity leave with their three-month-old daughter, is unaware.

The comedy comes into play when Billy’s mother, Alice, who has the discernment of a bloodhound, a detective, and a psychic all rolled into one, figures out what’s going on and decides to organize an intervention under cover of a family get together. At one point, Alice tells Bill Sr to play along, but this is where things get complicated, and not so funny anymore.

Alice launches into a story that may be an allegory to set Billy straight, or a confession of a long-ago indiscretion of her own. What’s true? What’s a lie? How do we know the difference? The play ends with a happy resolution that leaves the audience wondering what really happened. And Bill Sr? I think he’s still sitting in his chair, a glass of scotch close at hand, wondering what just happened. In the words of one of my favorite comedians, who are you gonna believe, me or your lying eyes?

There are some things Clever Little Lies, under the direction of Zachary Owen, does exceptionally well. Early on Berlin and Garka establish a warm, loving relationship between a mature couple. Garka’s pauses and facial expressions are priceless – exhibiting a satisfying command of the comedic moment.

It’s difficult to know what to say about Linder because he plays such a despicable character – so let’s say he did that convincingly. I didn’t feel a bit of sympathy for him. Lachapelle maintained a balanced, even keel that made me think her character knew more than she let on. Her surprise announcement to Billy was both anticipated and devastating. Time and again, I almost cared about these people.

Scott Bergman’s modular set was equal parts effective and distracting. The furniture was sturdy, but the background was not and we could see too much of the structure. The off-stage babbling of the young couple’s baby was not at all realistic, and the plastic doll used for play wasn’t even one of those eerily realistic baby dolls – providing another easy laugh. Overall, Clever Little Lies was a delightful divertissement, liberally sprinkled with easily won laughter – plus a whole lot of f-bombs and TMI about Billy’s sex life – and seasoned with a touch of nostalgia.

———-

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.

CLEVER LITTLE LIES

Written by Joe DiPietro

Directed by Zachary Owen

Cast

Scott Gorka as Bill Sr

Austen Linder as Billy

Amy Berlin as Alice

Michelle Lachapelle as Jane

Creative Design Team

CAT Producer – Charles A Wax

Associate Producers – Kerrigan Sullivan and Jason Owens

HAAC Executive Director – Sara Wright-Holloway

Director – Zachary Owen

Rehearsal Stage Manager – Sue Howells

Production Stage Manager – Becki Jones

Lighting Design – Alan Armstrong

Scenic Design – Scott Bergman

Costume Design – Sheila Russ

Sound Design – Charles A Wax

Dates

February 23 – March 9, 2024

Ticket Information

www.cattheatre.com

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

Run Time

Approximately 90 minutes, with no intermission

Photo Credits: Daryll Morgan Studios

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TORCH SONG

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

A Theater Review by Julinda D. Lewis

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

Performances: February 14 – March 2, 2024

Ticket Prices: $10 – $40

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

———-

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

Torch Song:

to carry a torch for someone

to keep aflame the light of an unrequited love

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

———-

TORCH SONG

Written by Harvey Fierstein

Director by Gary C. Hopper

CAST

Arnold ….. Lucien Restivo

Mrs. Beckoff ….. Debra Clinton**

Ed ….. Axle Burtness

David ….. Liam Storm

Laurel ….. Emily Berry

Alan ….. Zach Bernard

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

Understudies

u/s Arnold ….. Keegan Ferrell

u/s Mrs.Beckoff… Sara Heifetz

u/s David &Alan.. Billy Heckman

u/s Laurel ….. Theresa Mantiply

Torch Song Production Team

Playwright: Harvey Fierstein

Director: Gary C. Hopper

Scenic Designer: Daniel Allen

Lighting Designer: Michael Jarett

Costume Design: William Luther

Sound Design: Nicholas Seaver

Props Design: Tim Moehring

Hair & Makeup Design: Luke Newsome

Production Stage Manager: Lauren Langston

Assistant Stage Manager: Nora Ogunleye

Intimacy Coordinator: Hannah Sikora

Dialect Coach: Erica Hughes

Dramaturg: Kendall Walker

Gender Consultant: August Hundley

Technical Director: Chris Foote

Scenic Artist: Becke Russo

Mural Artist: Liz Lundberg

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DRACULA

Not Just a Ballet, But a Cultural Event

A Dance Review & Cultural Excursion

By: The Richmond Ballet with the Richmond Symphony

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

Performances: February 16-18, 2024

Ticket Prices: $25 – $130

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

THE PROGRAM

DRACULA

Choreography by Ben Stevenson, O.B.E.*

Music by Franz Liszt, arranged by John Lanchbery

Staging by Dominic Walsh

Scenery Design by Thoms Boyd

Costume Design by Judanna Lynn

Original Lighting Design by Timothy Hunter

Lighting Supervisor: Christina R . Gianelli

Guest Piano Soloist: Douglas-Jayd Burn

Flying by Foy

World Premiere: March 13, 1997, Houston Ballet, Worthan Center, Houston, TX

Richmond Ballet Premiere: February 16, 2024, Dominion Energy Center, Richmond, VA

Costumes and Scenery courtesy of Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre

*OBE = Officer of the Order of the British Empire: a British order of chivalry, rewarding contributions to the arts and sciences, among other fields

The Cultural Excursion

I’d been looking forward to seeing the Richmond Ballet’s premiere of DRACULA for months. (See my preview for Richmond Magazine: https://richmondmagazine.com/arts-entertainment/richmond-events/richmond-ballet-dracula/) But even though I had read the press release and had obtained a quote from Associate Artistic Director Ma Cong about the ballet’s high production values and dramatic choreography, I was not prepared for what I saw – both onstage and offstage – when I arrived at the Dominion Energy Center for the final performance of the three day run. I am so glad I got to witness this event with my own eyes and ears. Ben Stevenson’s choreography was every bit as dramatic as promised. The set resembled a towering gothic fairytale. The music lured you in, and there was even a red-colored, vampire themed drink available at the bar. But more on the actual ballet after this brief detour. [You may avoid the detour by skipping the next three paragraphs.]

First, the event started even before I got inside the theatre. While searching for parking, and then walking to the Dominion Energy Center, I noticed a number of people who were clearly headed to see Dracula. There was a veritable fashion show of goth gear, black lace, pale foundation and black eyeliner. The number of capes – in black and red – was astounding. A car parked across from mine in the parking deck even bore a license plate with some variation of the word “vampire.” All of this made me wonder, does Richmond have a vampire community? I know about the theatre community, the dance community, the spoken word community, even the drag community and the burlesque community – but a vampire community?

That brings us to the second point. Much to my surprise, a cursory online search turned up several articles on an urban legend known as The Richmond Vampire, also known as The Hollywood Vampire. (Am I the last to know?) There is a story, dating back to the 1920s, of a vampire entombed in Hollywood Cemetery, near Oregon Hill. The legend is linked to the very real and verified collapse of a railway tunnel in Church Hill, where the train engine, flatcars, and bodies of laborers remain to this day.

Another part of the legend identifies the Richmond Vampire as one W. W. Pool, whose tomb is located in Hollywood Cemetery, as a vampire who was run out of England in the 1800s. And then, my husband reminded me of someone we know who, a few years ago, was said to have been “studying” to become a vampire. While none of this is directly related to the ballet, it does explain some of the things I saw, and some of the cultural aspects that were attached to the theatrical experience. One final note before going on to my third and final point – a discussion of the actual ballet – vampires, or vampire allies, seem to be quite friendly.

The Review

Finally, there was the ballet itself – a three act production (The Crypt, The Village, The Bedroom) running approximately two and a half hours, including two intermissions. Make no mistake, Dracula is, indeed, a ballet in the traditional sense. There is plenty of classical technique, including pointe work, and partnering. The second act, set in an Eastern European village, includes the familiar characters (an innkeeper, a matriarch, a pair of innocent young lovers) and peasant costumes and folk dances that populate many story ballets.

Dracula is also quite different from most classic ballets. The women of the corps who dance the roles of Dracula’s brides may initially remind you of the Willis in Giselle. They have been tasked with dancing gracefully and on pointe while carrying their arms stiffly in front of them, affecting the posture of the ”undead.” To do this while maintaining flexibility and gracefulness throughout the rest of the body must have been a challenge. There are flying dancers in several scenes (Anne Sydney Heatherington and Valerie Tellman-Henning were credited in the program, but I thought there was a third as well) and some impressive pyrotechnics near the end when Dracula is finally hunted down and destroyed by Frederick, Svetlana’s innkeeper father (Gabor Szigeti), and the village Priest (Jack Miller) – and while these effects proved to be delightful for adults and children alike, there were many themes that dealt with morality and sexuality that were not recommended for children under the age of 8.

For instance, Dracula’s henchman, Renfield (danced by Zacchaeus Page for the final performance) procures young women for his master. Come to think of it, Renfield’s status is little more than that of an indentured servant or slave, so there’s that issue of oppression as well. Dracula’s dozen wives would constitute polygamy by today’s standards, but then there is also the issue of them aiding and abetting the procuring of “fresh blood” which can only be obtained by kidnapping more women. If this were a TV show, I’m sure Capt. Olivia Bensen would be called in because this sounds like a case for “Law & Order: SVU.”

Irish author Bram Stoker published the gothic horror novel Dracula in 1897. British-born choreographer Ben Stevenson (who spent 27 years as artistic director of the Houston Ballet) created the masterful Dracula,the ballet, to commemorate the 100^th anniversary of Stoker’s masterpiece. (Stoker and Stevenson even share the same initials.) Given the differences in media, the two vampire tales are quite distinct, yet recognizably related.

Richmond Ballet rehearsed two complete casts for Dracula. Sunday evening, the lascivious vampire was danced by Christian Renforth, his newest bride Flora by Izabella Tokev, his henchman Renfield by Zacchaeus Page, and Svetlana, the innocent young villager on whom Dracula has cast his eye as his next prize, by Eri Nishihara. Aleksey Babayev danced the role of Svetlana’s beloved Frederick and the two of them had a wonderful chance to shine in a celebratory dance scene. After drinking too much, rather than losing his composure, Frederick demonstrated a stunning virtuosity, and Svetlana temporarily lost her shyness – turning not on her toes but on her heels.

Dracula’s cape is both a fashion statement and a work of art in blood red and black with tapestry-like designs. The brides’ white dresses, pale makeup and pale locks set a new standard for “undead” beauty. The set for Acts I and III (The Crypt and The Bedroom) are majestic and spooky, in contrast to the once-upon-a-time innocence The Village set of Act II. Last but not least, I must mention the dreadful carriage that Renfield uses to procure Dracula’s new brides. Drawn by two horses (Tekhylon Armour and Darius Mealy), the dark and ragged carriage with a hint of smoke at the top shouts “stranger danger” but even Svetlana’s strongest kicks and screams are no match for the evil that lies within.

The Richmond Symphony, under the direction of Erin Freeman, with guest pianist Douglas-Jayd Burn played Franz Liszt’s haunting and dramatic score arranged by John Lanchbery specifically for Stevenson’s ballet. Dracula is truly a collaboration of elements: the choreography, the music, the story, the set, the costumes all work together to create theatre magic.

The Richmond Ballet offered this production of Dracula the weekend after Valentine’s Day. I have often complained that Romeo and Juliet was not my idea of a proper Valentine’s offering, since they both end up dead. Cinderella has been a happier alternative. Dracula has many of the elements – both pros and cons – of other romantic ballets, but the addition of a vampire somehow makes it sooooo much more satisfying…

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MEMORIES OF OVERDEVELOPMENT

The New Theatre at Firehouse on the Carol Piersol Stage Presents

A WORLD PREMIERE

A Theater Review by Julinda D. Lewis

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

Performances: February 7 – 25, 2024

Ticket Prices: $0-$35

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

I know I’ve said this before, but every now and again a new play comes along that is quite unlike anything I’ve ever seen before. Caridad Svich’s new play, Memories of Overdevelopment is one such play. It’s a play about a filmmaker interviewing people for a documentary. Or maybe its documentary play about a filmmaker and the people they are interviewing for a documentary. Or maybe it’s a film that plays out on a stage.

Let’s try this approach. Memories of Overdevelopment is a two-person play that can be performed by a cast of 2-8 people, and it runs from 60-90 minutes. It is also a stage play in which technology is virtually a character in its own right. Video and projections are so fully integrated into the production that the play would be unrecognizable without them.

Now, how do I tell you about the awesomeness of Memories of Overdevelopment without giving away too much? That might not be possible, so be forewarned.

As directed by New Theatre at Firehouse’s Artistic Director Nathaniel Shaw, Memories of Overdevelopment is a two-person play that runs 90 minutes without intermission. Keaton Hillman (who started as the show’s understudy and stepped in at the eleventh hour for Juliana Caycedo, due to health reasons) plays Actor 1. Katrinah Carol Lewis (who was publicly announced as the New Theatre at Firehouse’s new Associate Artistic Director just days before opening) plays Actor 2. But sometimes Lewis and Hillman switch roles. And sometimes they are “acting” as the people being interviewed for a documentary that follows the stories of people who grew up in dictatorships (underdeveloped countries?), escaped, and lived to tell the tale of how they survived.

There’s a former shop owner, a university student, a professor, a dancer, an artist, a former friend, and a fascist. Interspersed with the sometimes intense and edgy interviews are a series of “memory reels” and while the work is not interactive the audience is inevitably drawn into the mist of the proceedings by sometimes larger than life, real-time video projections of the actors – and the characters they portray – on a backdrop of panels in a workspace intended to replicate a recording studio.

Memories of Overdevelopment has a unique worldview on politics, society, tyranny, resistance, art, immigration, assimilation, fascism, globalization, and all things rebellious. Inspired by true stories, the author reveals uncanny insight and wisdom and challenges us to rethink, well, everything. “Becoming everything you believe in” may be a blessing and a curse and both things can be true at the same time.

Hillman opens the play with a brief overview, seemingly forgetting to introduce his documentarian, Lewis, who calmly sets up cameras and tests light intensities and does all the other things a filmmaker does to prepare – and the next thing you know they have switched roles. Things rapidly progress to a Level 10 out of 10 of intensity, and stays there for most of the next 85 minutes.

Nonetheless, a couple of scenes stand out. When Lewis interviews Hillman and the subject of fascism comes up, Lewis ramps up the intensity even further. What started out as a documentary interview becomes an interrogation. Hillman matches Lewis word for word, phrase for phrase. At one point Hillman blurts out, “We’re just sheep,” and offers a strident, “baaa, baaa.” And at the end, Lewis, returning to the role of the shopkeeper, exclaims, “Everyone just want to buy things,” and concludes with an eerily unhinged giggle that, more than her words, more than her expression, more than her posture, expresses who and what we have become.

There are many such poignant moments, duly captured in this dynamic collaboration between playwright, director, actor, and scenic/projection designer Tennessee Dixon. Dixon has truly outdone herself with the integration of projections and real-time video.

My first encounter with The New Theatre was with a reading of The Red Bike, also by Caridad Svich, a prolific playwright, and one that seems to have captured the heart of Shaw. After seeing Memories of Overdevelopment Svich may capture your attention as well.

———-

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.

———-

MEMORIES OF OVERDEVELOPMENT

A World Premiere by Caridad Svich

Directed by Nathaniel Shaw

February 7 – 25, 2024

CAST

ACTOR 1 ………. Keaton Hillman

ACTOR 2 ………. Katrinah Carol Lewis

PRODUCTION TEAM

Production ………. Nathaniel Shaw

Associate Direction ………. Sarbajeet Das

Scenic/Projection Design ………. Tennessee Dixon

Costume Design ………. Ruth Hedberg

Lighting Design ………. Andrew Boniwell

Sound Design/Original Music ….. Kate Statelman

Videography ………. Andrew Keeton

Stage Management ………. Grace LaBelle

Assistant Stage Management ..…. Isabel Stone

RUN TIME

90 minutes with no intermission

PERFORMANCE SCHEDULE

Previews Wednesday – Thursday, February 7 -8 at 7:30pm
Opening Night – Friday, February 9 at 7:30pm
Running Thursday – Sunday through February 25, 2024
Members Only Post-Show Mixer on Sunday, February 11 after 2:00pm show
Post-Show Talkback on Friday, February 16 after 7:30pm show
Pay-What-You-Will on Saturday, February 17 at 2:00pm
ASL Interpreted and Pay-What-You-Will Performance on Saturday, February 17 at 2:00pm
ASL Interpreted Show on Thursday, February 22 at 7:30pm
Post-Show Talkback on Friday, February 23 after 7:30pm show

TICKETS

$0-$35

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BKLYN THE MUSICAL

There’s a Little Fairy Tale in Every Reality

BKLYN THE MUSICAL

There’s a Bit of Truth in Every Fairy Tale…and Vice Versa

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

Performances: January 27 – February 17, 2024

Ticket Prices: $49. Discounts available for students, seniors, and veterans.

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

There’s been a lot of discussion recently about people who were outraged that a certain popular movie was a – gasp! – musical. I, personally, love a good musical. The first paycheck I ever earned was for working in a summer youth program that put on a production of West Side Story. (I played Anita.) I love a good musical, but one thing I love even more is a musical I never heard of that blows you away with phenomenal singing, and BKLYN THE MUSICAL almost brought me to tears with the first song, an ensemble piece called “Heart Behind These Hands” that comes even before the “Prologue.”

Thank you and kudos to Dorothy Dee-D Miller, Desirèe Dabney, Michael McMullen, Kamaron Carter, and Lindy Pokorny. This ensemble of five powerhouse vocalists remind us that the Richmond-area theatre community has no lack of talented professionals who are second to none. They played the leading roles of a magical Streetsinger, a local diva named Paradice, Taylor – a missing father, Faith – his long-lost love, and their daughter Brooklyn – the title character. These five are ably supported by the City Weeds, a band of homeless musicians, played by Garrett D. Reese, Larry “Akin” Smith, Nocole Pearson, and Anthony Hernandez. All the City Weeds except Hernandez, who is currently a Junior at Appomattox Regional Governor’s School, also serve as understudies for one of the leads.

Schonfeld and McPherson put together a nominal story-within-a-story or perhaps more accurately a play-within-a-play. Set in a homeless encampment under the Brooklyn Bridge, the actors are members of the City Weeds, who make music to support themselves. Never mind that the set doesn’t much resemble the Brooklyn Bridge I used to walk across most Saturday mornings for a large part of my young adulthood, or that you’re not likely to find a bodega (corner store) under the pillars of said bridge – the set designer and creative team exercised creative license to construct a world of chain link fences, discarded mattresses, and colorful graffiti that evokes the grittiness of the stereotypical inner city. The costume designer crafted a collection of shabby chic ensembles and a few masterful garbage-sack gowns for the divas who, the story would have us believe, engage in a singing dual at Madison Square Garden. The stakes are high: if Bklyn wins, she will use all the money to help the homeless, but if Paradice wins, she will keep all the money for herself.

On opening night there were a few times when the sound was uneven and sone parts of the dialogue got lost – especially when actors were on the opposite side of the stage from where I was sitting. I trust this will be ironed out shortly.

The important thing is that for 100 minutes, with no intermission, this 9-member ensemble blew away the audience with strong vocals, dynamic performances, enough of a story to keep us interested, enough humor to make us feel loved, and enough interaction to keep us on our toes – all under the masterful direction of Shanea N, Taylor and the musical direction of Leilani Fenick. You never knew what outrageous outfit Dabney would sport next – or what stereotypically offensive utterance she would pronounce in love. You never knew when to expect a homeless person to push a shopping cart down the aisle. You never knew when Pokorny, Miller, McMullen, or Dabney would open their mouth and emit an endlessly long, clear, and perfect note.

It’s not all roses and cliches. There is homelessness, suicide, war, the mystery of an unfinished lullaby, and the aftermath of drug-addicted veterans – and of course, the toll these events take on innocent children. Yet, as far as narratives go – as far as fairytales go – none of this can compare to the real-life backstory of the musical’s authors. Apparently Schoenfeld and McPherson worked together in the 1980s. McPherson sang in cabarets and Schoenfeld wrote music. When McPherson traded in the stage for suburban family life, she and Schoenfeld lost contact. Then, according to the real-life fairytale, on a trip to New York one day McPherson heard a familiar voice and found a now homeless Schoenfeld performing as a streetsinger for $40 a day. She then invited her old friend and business partner to come live with her family while he got himself back on his feet – and the result was BKLYN THE MUSICAL. Ta da! As I said, I love a good musical. The musical based on the authors’ story might be an even better one than the one they produced.

BKLYN THE MUSICAL is fun. It’s dynamic. Much of the music is foot-tapping good, and the singing is often excellent. It’s corny and sassy. It’s as innocent as Brooklyn (the character, not the place) and as in-your-face and confident as Paradice – and you’ve got to be confident if you parents named you after a pair of gambling cubes. It’s a well put together show that offers hope and a happy ending in spite of, well, reality.

———-

BKLYN THE MUSICAL (Stage premiere April 30, 2003, Dener, CO))

Book, Music, and Lyrics by Mark Schoenfeld and Barri McPherson

Directed by Shanea N. Taylor

CAST

Brooklyn ……………….. Lindy Pokorny

Streetsinger ……………….. Dorothy Dee-D Miller

Taylor ……………….. Michael McMullen

Faith ……………….. Kamaron Carter

Paradice ……………….. Desirèe Dabney

City Weed/Taylor U/S ………. Garrett D. Reese

City Weed/Streetsinger U/S …. Larry “Akin” Smith

City Weed/Paradice U/S …….. Nicole Pearson

City Weed ……………….. Anthony Hernandez

ORCHESTRA

Musical Director/Keyboard One ….. Leilani Fenick

Keyboard Two …………………….. Ian Krauss

Reeds ……………………………… Sheri Oyan

Guitar ……………………………… Ed Drake

Bass ……………………………….. Beatrice Kelly

Drums ……………………………… Bentley Cobb

CREATIVE TEAM

Directed by Shanea N. Taylor

Musical Direction by Leilani Fenick

Scenic Design by Dasia Gregg

Lighting Design by Joe Doran

Costume Design by Maura Lynch Cravey

Choreography by Suzi Redling

Technical Direction by Liz Allmon

Run Time:

About 100 minutes with no intermission

Tickets:

Regular $49. Discounts for Seniors, Military & Veterans

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

BORN WITH TEETH

Words Matter

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

By: Richmond Shakespeare

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

Performances: January 25 – February 11, 2024

Ticket Prices: $20 – $45

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

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

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

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

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

We are subjects, not citizens. – BWT

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

—–

BORN WITH TEETH

by Liz Duffy Adams

Directed by Andrew Gall

Cast

Kit …………… Avery Michael Johnson

Will …………… James Murphy

Production & Design Team

Artistic Director ……. James Ricks

Managing Director ……. Jase Smith Sullivan

Playwright ……. Liz Duffy Adams

Director ……. Andrew Gall

Stage Manager ……. MariaElisa Costa

Assistant Stage Manager … Kiari Hicks

Costume Design ……. Anna Bialkowski

Intimacy Choreographer … Lucinda McDermott

Lighting Design ……. Tristan Ketcham

Set Design ……. W. Reed West III

Sound Design ……. James Ricks

Run Time: About 90 minutes; no intermission

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

———-

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

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LONELY PLANET

LONELY PLANET

Sorry, We’re Closed

5^th Wall Theatre in Collaboration with the Firehouse Theatre

A Theater Review by Julinda D. Lewis

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

Performances: November 10-26, 2023

Ticket Prices: $1 – $35

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

———-

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

———-

LONELY PLANET

By Steven Dietz

Directed by Nathaniel Shaw

November 10 – 26, 2023

CAST

Carl ………. Adam Turck

Jody ………. Eddie Webster

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

PRODUCTION TEAM

Director ………. Nathaniel Shaw

Scenic Design ………. Daniel Allen

Costume Design ………. Colin Lowrey, II

Lighting & Sund Design …. Todd LaBelle, Jr

Dramaturgy ………. Kendall Walker

Stage Management ………. Emily Vial

Production Consultant ….. Michael Hawke

Performance Schedule:

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

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

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

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

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

Tickets:

$1 – $35

Run time:

About 2 hours, with one intermission

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https://www.nbc12.com/video/2023/11/03/hamlet-continues-through-nov-17/

HAMLET

A Theater Review [with post-credit cookies] by Julinda D. Lewis

By: Richmond Shakespeare

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

Performances: October 19 – November 12, 2023 | EXTENDED to November 17

Ticket Prices: $20 – $45

Info: (804) 340-0115 or quilltheatre.org

Everyone has heard of Hamlet. Some of us read it in high school. Some have seen productions on stage or film. Others have avoided it like the plague. Wherever you sit along this spectrum, Richmond Shakespeare’s Hamlet will bring out a new-found love and admiration for Shakespeare’s most well-known drama. Seriously. I personally know people who either knew little to nothing about Hamlet or had an aversion to Shakespeare in general, who raved about this production after seeing it.

Hamlet is a play about loss, unbearable grief, betrayal, revenge. . .and a ghost. When Prince Hamlet’s father, the King of Denmark, dies suddenly – under suspicious circumstances – Hamlet’s mother marries his uncle Claudius. Hamlet and members of the king’s guard experience a visitation from a ghost who appears to be the spirit of Hamlet’s father, and set the stage for a revenge plot.

Joshua Carter is an engaging and intense Hamlet, who cunningly slips in and out of madness. His grief appears authentic and his unhinged rants convincing. Physically he is controlled and seems always on the verge of erupting like a human volcano. His voice is beautifully resonant, well-modulated, and his gestures are tight and just eccentric enough to place him outside of our time. This is significant because this Hamlet is clothed in contemporary garments.

At the celebration of the new King’s court, the attendees wear tuxedos and most of the women wear semi-formal or business attire. Interestingly, Ophelia, Hamlet’s sometime love interest, favors cowboy boots – glittery ones for special occasions.

Joseph Yeargain, as Claudius, is suave and slimy at the same time, and it’s never clear whether Hamlet’s mother, Gertrude (Lucretia Marie) is involved in the murder and power plots or if she just goes along with whatever the men in her life tell her to do. Neither scenario is enough to stir any real sympathy for her.

The same cannot be said for Ophelia. Rosemary Richards tugs on our heartstrings as she plays her heart out, from the heights of love to the depths of despair, from beautiful fair maiden to a wretched shell of herself.

All is not doom and gloom. Avery Michael Johnson gives new meaning to the word “loyalty” as Hamlet’s friend, Horatio, and someone made an absolutely brilliant and hilarious decision to cast Toby O’Brien and Rachel Garmon-Williams as Hamlet’s friends Rosencrantz and Guildenstern. Did I remember to say Hamlet’s stoner friends?

The entire ensemble, including Jody Ashworth as the Ghost of Hamlet’s father, MaryBeth Adams as the king’s counselor, Polonius, Robbie Winston as Laertes (son of Polonius and brother to Ophelia), John Moon as an unintentionally witty gravedigger are deserving of recognition, individually and as a collective. James Ricks’ direction is intuitive and when the play is over it comes as a shock to discover that nearly three hours have passed.

Don’t get thee to a nunnery, but do get thee to the Gottwald Theatre to see this marvelous production. Oh, and I sat with my husband and a friend in the front row of a bank of seats that is practically on the stage. My heart was in my mouth during the sword fight, and from my vantage point I also got to see the expressions of other audience members. Be daring – sit there! You can always change your seat after intermission if you chicken out. Your estimation of William Shakespeare, Hamlet, and Richmond Shakespeare will be forever elevated.

—–

Hamlet

by William Shakespeare

Directed by James Ricks

Cast

Hamlet …………… Joshua Carter

Claudius …………… Joseph Yeargain

Gertrude …………… Lucretia Marie

Ghost/Player King ……… Jody Ashworth

Horatio …………… Avery Michael Johnson

Polonius …………… MaryBeth Adams

Ophelia …………… Rosemary Richards

Laertes .…………… Robbie Winston

Guildenstern/Francisco/Player

Queen/Priest ……… Rachel Garmon-Williams

Rosencrantz/Fortinbras/

Bernardo ………… Toby O’Brien

Gravedigger/Marcellus/

Player …………… John Moon

Voltimand/Osric/

Player ……………. Keegan Ferrell

Ensemble …………….. Kenjae Lundy, Milind Murthy

Production & Design Team

Artistic Director ……. James Ricks

Managing Director ……. Jase Smith Sullivan

Costume Design ……. Keith Walker

Lighting Design ……. Gretta Daughtrey

Set Design ……. Frank Foster

Sound Design ……. Kate Statelman

Production Manager ……. Melissa Johnston-Price

Stage Manager ……. MariaElisa Costa

Fight Choreography ……. Aaron Orensky

Assistant Stage Manager … Diandra Chiaffino-Butts

Properties ……. Jordan Dively

Run Time: About 3 hours including one intermission

———-

Photo Credits: David Parrish Photography

HAMLET ON NBC “12 ABOUT TOWN”

AN OBSERVATION

In Act I Hamlet is seen reading – and eating the pages of – a book, Holy Blood, Holy Grail by Michael Baigent, Richard Leigh, and Henry Lincoln. The authors propose that Jesus married Mary Magdalene and had children with her whose descendants later emigrated to southern France where they became part of a secret society called the Priory of Sion. The authors further concluded that the Holy Grail of legend is both the womb of Mary Magdalene and the sacred royal bloodlines she birthed.

AN ANALOGY

Hamlet:Claudius as David:Saul

Just as the biblical David had a chance to kill the treasonous King Saul while hiding in a cave, but he chose not to, Prince Hamlet had a chance to kill his uncle, the treasonous King Claudius, as he prayed, but he chose not to.

YOU DO SPEAK SHAKESPEARE!: Phrases We Got From Hamlet

To thine own self be true.

Something is rotten in the state of Denmark.

Murder most foul.

Pernicious woman!

There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio, that are dreamt of in your philosophy.

The time is out of joint.

Although this be madness, there’s method in it. [i.e., a method to one’s madness]

There is nothing good or bad but thinking makes it so.

What a piece of work is a man.

I know a hawk from a handsaw.

The play’s the thing!

To be or not to be…

Conscience makes cowards of us all.

Get thee to a nunnery!

Oh, woe is me!

Madness in great ones must not unwatched go.

Suit the action to the word.

The lady doth protest too much!

Act your age!

Sweets to the sweet.

The dog will have his day.

The grinding of the ax.

Good night, sweet prince.

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MARTHA MITCHELL CALLING

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

A Theater Review by Julinda D. Lewis

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

Performances: September 29 – October 29, 2023

Ticket Prices: $52

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

MARTHA MITCHELL CALLING

by Jodi Rothe

Directed by Rick Hammerly

Cast

Martha Mitchell Debra Wagoner

John Mitchell Joe Pabst

Direction & Design

Direction Rick Hammerly

Scenic & Production Design Dasia Gregg

Costume Design Sue Griffin

Lighting Design Matthew Landwehr

Sound Design Kelsey Cordrey

Stage Management Crimson Piazza

Ticket Information

Tickets: $52

Discounted Group Rates and Rush tickets available.

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

Run Time: 2 hours including a 15 minute intermission

Photo Credits: Aaron Sutten

Debra Wagoner and Joe Pabst. Photo by Aaron Sutten.

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