Category: Theater

CARMINA BURANA

Richmond Ballet Opens New Season With a John Butler Classic & a Work by Associate Artistic Director Ma Cong

A Dance Review

By: The Richmond Ballet with the Richmond Symphony/Richmond Symphony Chorus and The City Choir of Washington

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

Performances: September 22-24, 2023

Ticket Prices: $25 – $130

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

THE PROGRAM

Thrive

Choreography by Ma Cong

Music by Oliver Davis

Costume Design by Monica Guerra

Lighting Design by Trad A. Burns

Lighting Supervision by Joseph R. Wall

World Premiere: September 20, 2022, Richmond Ballet, Richmond Ballet Studio Theatre, Richmond, VA

CARMINA BURANA

Conceived and Choreographed by John Butler

Music and Latin Text by Carl Orff

Staging by Igor Antonov and Lauren Fagone

Costume Design by John Butler

Lighting Design by Catherine Girardi after

Original Lighting Design by Richard Moore

World Premiere: September 24, 1959, New York City Opera, City Center, New York

Richmond Ballet Premiere: October 15, 1987, Carpenter Theatre, Richmond, VA

If there’s anything better than live dance, it’s live dance performed to live music. After a debut performance at Wolf Trap in August, the Richmond Ballet opened their new season with an exciting program of neoclassical ballet and ballet theatre. The program opened with Thrive, the most recent work of Associate Artistic Director Ma Cong, and concluded with John Butler’s highly immersive Carmina Burana. (Note: Founding Artistic Director Stoner Winslett will be stepping down at the end of the season and moving into an advisory role, and Ma Cong will step into the role of Artistic Director.)

First performed as the 2022 season opener of the Richmond Ballet’s Studio Series, Ma Cong’s Thrive, a classical ballet in 7 movements, and his ninth work for Richmond Ballet, had the full expanse of the Carpenter Theatre stage and the pleasure of hearing British composer Oliver Davis’s layered score performed live by a full orchestra.

An ambitious display of contemporary classical ballet that spans the gamut from the humorous or playful to the somber and romantic, the work was inspired partly by the choreographer’s interactions with Richmond’s LGBTQ+ and Asian-American communities.

Onstage, Thrive manifests as clean, neo-classical movement accompanied by classical strings, interspersed with riotous pairings accompanied by more humorous music – some instrumental and some choral. The lighting matched the music and movement, with shades of red for the lighter moments and blues and purples for the more somber sections.

Carmina Burana raises the drama to a whole new level. A full orchestra in the pit, choral groups spilling out on both sides of the stage, soloists downstage left and right, frame dancers in monks robes who process in, pausing occasionally to genuflect. The robes soon give way to the barest of body coverings, reminiscent of Adam and Eve, while Eri Nishihara later appears in flowing white. Light colored body suite for the women and tights with collars over bare chests for the men emphasize the stylized movement that sometimes appears to have been lifted from an ancient print or vase.

A wheel of fortune projected in the background reminds us that life is uncertain, that we are all subject to the ups and downs, the wins and losses. The mostly Latin lyrics and poetry just add to the drama – sometimes more like an opera than a ballet – bookending the entire experience with the “O Fortuna” Prologue and Epilogue.

There is discipline and structure, seductive moments, energetic and tortured movement – some of all that life has to offer. The very characters that bow in prayer later appear literally half-dressed (hats off to costume designer Monica Guerra) and become part of romantic triangles or what some call “entanglements.” Cody Beaton and Ira White, and Eri Nishihara with Khaiyom Khojaev guide the ensemble through the changes of luck and fate, bringing a relatable sense of emotion and sensuality to what might otherwise appear to be an obscure spectacle.

All in all, this proved to be a full-blast, magnificent evening of dance theater and certainly raises the bar for high expectations for the rest of this season.

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

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ONE IN TWO

This is the play that has no end. . .

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 20 – October 14, 2023

Ticket Prices: $10 – $40

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

———-

After seeing Donja R. Love’s phenomenal Sugar in Our Wounds, produced at Richmond Triangle Players (RTP) during April-May 2022, I was excited to see One in Two (2019) and I was not disappointed. One in Two is a three-person drama set in a waiting room, in the crossroads of “Now, until; Everywhere, nowhere.”

I was very intentional in my use of the word “crossroads.” While the literal meaning of a crossroads is an intersection, a place where two roads meet, it is commonly used figuratively and spiritually to refer to life-changing situations that require special attention, a decision, and are often marked by rituals of protection or transition.

One in Two is a masterful example of storytelling, but not the kind of story that is meant to entertain. This story is autobiographical – written by the playwright around the tenth anniversary of his own HIV positive diagnosis. It is not an entertainment, but rather a call to action, the urgency of which is suggested by the knowledge that Love began writing this play on the Notes app of his phone, from his bed. Presumably he, like the character Number One, was struggling with the need to define himself aside from a diagnosis that many considered a death sentence.

There is an experimental and inclusive nature to this work as well. Audience members are asked to take a number from a ticket machine as we enter. While the purpose is never explained, it eventually becomes clear that each ticket has been re-designated as either a “1,” a “2,” or a “3.” The three actors do not know, at the start of the show each night, which of them will be playing the role of “1,” “2,” or “3” until the audience chooses, by applause. [I applauded equally loudly for each because I know and admire Keaton Hillman and Tedarryl Perry as actors and was immediately drawn to Garrett D. Reese’s “extra-ness.”]

The actors begin to drift onto the stage one by one, about ten minutes before the show starts. They stand, stretch, linger. The action begins with a scream. On Friday, opening night, Perry was chosen to be Number One, and soon after a “safe word” was established. Overkill? No. It is, indeed, that intense.

One in Two is not lacking in humor. The three romp in a recreated memory of their youth. Perry progressed through the role of Dante from a carefree little boy to a young man exploring his sexuality until stumbling at the crossroads of an HIV positive diagnosis. Hillman played a number of roles, from bossy, king-of-the-hill kid to bartender to supportive [female] nurse, and even a member of an HIV support group – whose marriage was surrounded by secrecy and the unwillingness of his in-laws to accept their son’s marriage to another man. Reese also took on various roles, from the playground mediator to a streetwise booty call or, to put it more graphically, trade, to Dante’s warm but worried mother.

Director Shanea N. Taylor pulls us into this world that unfolds in a non-linear, sometimes dream-like format that carries the audience from laughter to the point of tears in a matter of seconds. The stark white background, with a nurse’s station, a bathtub, and a bar hidden behind convenient cabinet doors, supports this fragile paradox – there’s nowhere to hide, while hidden in plain sight.

While it is impossible to know exactly how someone feels in this situation, One in Two takes us as close as humanly possible with a roller coaster of emotion including shock, shame, anger, depression and despair, compassion, fear, and more. The trauma is real. The acting, the play, is just an effective delivery vehicle.

Oh. That title? At the time this play was written, according to the CDC statistics: One in fourteen gay white men will be diagnosed with HIV in their lifetime. One I four gay Hispanic men will be diagnosed HIV positive. And one in two gay Black men will be diagnosed with HIV. That is why, at the end of this play, there is no bow. There is no applause. There is no end. Yet.

FROM THE PLAYWRIGHT: “There is still trauma that’s hard to write, there are still remnants of fear that tremble the voice found in my writing. I’ve gotten to a point where there are no words, characters, dialogue, or subtext to hide behind anymore. Fear can no longer overshadow truth.”

Bravo to this cast and creative team and to Richmond Triangle Players for moving past fear and presenting us with the cold, harsh truth.

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

———-

ONE IN TWO

Written by Donja R. Love

Directed by Shanea N. Taylor

CAST:

Keaton Hillman – Person on the Left

Tedarryl Perry – Person in the Middle

Garrett D. Reese – Perso on the Right

Understudies: Da’Rek Early Bennett and Larry Lewis, Jr.

CREATIVE TEAM:

Scenic Design – Dasia Gregg

Lighting Design – Michael Jarett

Sound Design – Nicholas Seaver

Projection Design – Lucian Restivo

Costume, Hair & Makeup Design – Margarette Joyner

Props Design – Tim Moehring

Production State Management – Lauren Langston

Assistant Direction – Dwight Merritt

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METEOR SHOWER

A Comedy by Steve Martin

A Theater Review by Julinda D. Lewis

Presented by CAT – Chamberlayne Actor’s Theatre

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

Performances: September 16-29, 2023

Ticket Prices: $24.00 General Admission. $22.00 Seniors

Info: http://www.cattheatre.com

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

METEOR SHOWER

Written by Steve Martin

Directed by Kerrigan Sullivan

Cast

Jennipher Murphy as Corky

Paul James as Norm

Skye Whitcomb as Gerald

Constance Moreau as Laura

Creative Design Team

CAT Producer – Kerrigan Sullivan

Lynn Theatre Production Manager – Alleigh Scantling

Director – Kerrigan Sullivan

Stage Manager – Ari Silva

Lighting & Projection Design – Alleigh Scantling

Scenic & Properties Design – Hailey Bean

Costume Design – Lindsey Ladnier

Sound Design – Kerrigan Sullivan

Dates

September 16 – 29, 2023

Ticket Information

www.cattheatre.com

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

Run Time

80 minutes, with no intermission

Photo Credits: Daryll Morgan Studios

Skye Whitcomb, Constance Moreau, Jennipher Murphy, Paul James

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TICK, TICK…BOOM!

A Musical About Musicals

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

Performances: September 9 – 30, 2023

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

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

Set in New York City in 1990, Tick, Tick…BOOM! draws many parallels to the current post-pandemic times. In 1990, AIDS was the great pandemic; 30 years later we had COVID-19. Both brought death and panic – and isolation. How ironic that 30 years proves to be. In Tick, Tick…BOOM! the author, Jonathan Larsen, is about facing his 30^th birthday with fear and dread. Should he give up his dream of being an artist, a composer of rock musicals? Is it too late? Has time passed him by?

Tick, Tick…BOOM! is an autobiographical musical. So, this isn’t exactly a spoiler alert, but if you don’t like autobiographical plays or musicals, this may not be the show for you. Tick, Tick…BOOM! also seems to be somewhat of a departure for Swift Creek Mill Theatre. Producing Artistic Director Tom Width did not direct or even design anything. He invited Dr. Jan Powell to be guest director. Musical Director Sandy Dacus, Scenic Designer W. Reed West III, Lighting Designer Michael Jarett, and Choreographer Kayla Xavier all brought a new aesthetic to the Mill stage. For the first time, the brick walls were exposed, the band was in the open, and the set was minimalist. Jarett, who has lit many Richmond stages, and often designs lighting for dance companies, designed lighting that had the kind of movement one usually expects on a dance stage; it perfectly suited the stark and multi-purpose stage pieces. A piano, for instance, separated into two separate pieces, one of which doubled as a BMW, among other duties.

Larson wrote the book, music, and lyrics for what was originally a monologue, and later became a three-person show – the version we see today. Caleb Wade – who looks much more cheerful on the program cover than he ever looks during the show – plays the lead character, the author, Jon. Malcolm Holmes, making his professional debut, takes on the role of Jon’s best friend and roommate, Michael. Rachel Rose Gilmour shares the role of Jon’s girlfriend, Susan, with Mikaela Craft. We saw Gilmour on opening night. Holmes and Gilmour/Craft play multiple roles: an actor, Jon’s father, Jon’s elusive agent, and other minor characters. One significant character who never appears onstage is Jon’s musical theatre idol, Stephen Sondheim, whose name is only ever spoken in a hushed whisper, reminiscent of the custom of showing reverence by writing G_d…

How does one turn one’s own life into a work of art?

That was the dilemma facing me.

30/90.

– Jonathan Larson

Wade, Holmes, and Gilmour appear to work well together and seem to have good chemistry. The singing is excellent, although the sound seem muffled in some scenes, especially at the beginning on opening night. The crises are genuine: making enough money, holding a day job as a waiter, living in an apartment that is “quaint” rather than modern or luxurious, stay in New York or move somewhere less hectic where it might be easier to raise a family. All this and more occupy Jon’s mind and affect his relationships. Michael turns in his scripts for a management job, that comes with a BMW and a luxury apartment uptown. Michael’s revelation of his own health issues prophetically foreshadows Larson’s own untimely death. You see, Larson emerged from this period of angst and uncertainty and less than six years later produced the dynamic rock musical Rent only to die suddenly the day before the show’s off-Broadway opening – at the age of 35.

In Tick, Tick…BOOM! I noted with some concern that Jon also belittled Susan’s job as a dance teacher, saying something to the effect that she teaches ballet to rich and untalented children, yet she demonstrates admirable strength, maturity, and empathy. At Jon’s birthday party, she presents him with a gift – 1,000 pages of blank sheet music paper – that represents her faith in him, even as she moves on, going on tour with a dance company and taking a new job in the Berkshires. It is not clear if they ever tried to get back together.

There is so much going on in this show that runs just 90 minutes with no intermission – brief for a musical. It is a challenge for the talented cast as well as the creative team. Xavier enhanced the movement and Powell’s seamless direction with perhaps more choreography than prior versions may have called for, and Jarett’s lighting seemed to be part of the choreography. In some ways, it was a challenge for the audience as well, because this is someone’s life, not just a story and there is no guarantee of a happy ending. Yes, quite a departure from the same-old, same-old, and an interesting choice for the opening show of the Mill’s new season.

Oh, and what about that title? Life is truly stranger than fiction. Tick, Tick…BOOM! refers to the “twin ticking clocks of his potential and his friend’s life, both of which he feared might be about to run out.” How could Jon the character have known that just ten days before his 36^th birthday – tick, tick – Larson would suddenly die of a misdiagnosed aortic dissection – something more commonly found in men in their 60s or older. And 30/90? Turning 30 in 1990. BOOM!

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

———-

TICK, TICK…BOOM!

Book, Music, and Lyrics by Jonathan Larson

Script Consulting by David Auburn

Vocal Arrangements and Orchestrations by Stephen Oremus

CAST

Jon ………..……………….. Caleb Wade

Michael, et al. ………… Malcolm Holmes

Susan, et al. …….…….. Rachel Rose Gilmour or Mikaela Craft

ORCHESTRA

Keyboard/Conductor ….. Sandy Dacus or Travis West

Guitar ……………….………. John White or Ed Drake

Bass ……………………..…… Alex Kehayas

Drums ………………………. Bentley Cobb

CREATIVE TEAM

Directed by Dr. Jan Powell

Musical Director – Sandy Dacus

Scenic Designer – W. Reed West III

Lighting Designer – Michael Jarett

Choreographer – Kayla Xavier

Costume Designer – Maura Lynch Cravey

Technical Director – Liz Allmon

Run Time:

About 90 minutes without intermission

Tickets:

Regular $49. Discounts for Seniors, Military & Veterans

Photos: Louise Keeton

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POTUS

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

A Regional Premiere

By: Virginia Repertory Theatre (Virginia Rep)

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

When: September 1 – October 1, 2023

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

POTUS

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

By Selina Fillinger

Directed by Dorothy Holland

Cast

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

Dusty …………………………………. Liv Clayton

Margaret ……………………………. Sonja Durant

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

Chris ………………………………….. Bree Ogaldez

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

Harriet ………………………………. Denise Simone*

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

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

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

Dusty u/s …………………………… Emily Dandridge

Margaret u/s ……………………… Jianna Hurt

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

*Member of Actors’ Equity Association

+Member of USA, United Scenic Artists

^Member of the Stage Directors and Choreographers Society

Direction & Design

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

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

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

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

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

Stage Management ………….. Donna Warfield*

Ticket Information

Box Office: (804) 282-2620

www.virginiarep.org

Tickets range from $39 – $59

Discounted Group Rates and Rush tickets are available.

Run Time

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

Photo Credits: Aaron Sutten

VA-REP Covid Safety Statement

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

Sonja Durant and Elizabeth Byland. Photo by Aaron Sutten.

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THE SUNNY SIDE

Are Your Dreams Big Enough? The Songs and Story of the Original Carter Family

At: The Swift Creek Mill Theatre, 17401 U.S. Route 1, S. Chesterfield, VA 23834

Performances: April 1 – May 6, 2023

Ticket Prices: $49 with discounts for students, seniors, and veterans; rush tickets $25 at the door when available

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

One of the things I liked about KEEP ON THE SUNNY SIDE, the story of the Carter family of country music fame, is that playwright Douglas Pote didn’t sugarcoat the darker side of the story.

A.P. Carter, his wife Sara Carter, and his wife’s cousin Maybelle who was married to A.P.’s brother Ezra made up the original Carter family. A.P. toured the countryside collecting songs – ballads, blues, folk, gospel, – that collectively became a part of the foundation of the uniquely American genre known as “country music.”

Known as the First Family of country music, the Carters popularized a new style of harmonizing; Maybelle crafted “the Carter lick,” a unique style of guitar picking, and Sara sang and played the autoharp – which is how se and A.P. first met.

But the hardships of touring, and separations necessitated by work eventually led to the dissolution of the trio. Sara eventually separated from A.P. moved to California and remarried – to one of A.P.’s cousins.

Director Tom Width is clearly enamored of this foot-patting, hand-clapping story, carried along by a selection of 27 of the Carter family’s most well-known songs. Even those who are not fans of country music may be familiar with “Will the Circle Be Unbroken” and “Are You Lonesome Tonight,” which was covered by Elvis Presley. The talent was passed down through the generations, with June, one of Maybelle and Ezra’s daughters marrying country music superstar Johnny Cash. The program even includes a handy Carter Family Tree.

This musical play – as distinct from a musical – starts with A.P.’s funeral in 1960, jumps back to the day A.P. and Sara met in 1914, returns to 1960, a few days before A.P.’s death, and concludes in 1976 – six years after the family was welcome into the Country Music Hall of Fame. The cast is simply amazing, with H. Drew Perkins as the effervescent A.P. Carter, Jackie Frost as the reluctant performer Sara Carter, and Emily J. Cole as the innovative musician Maybelle Carter. Mikaela Hanrahan plays the role of Carter daughter Janette, who also acts as the play’s de facto narrator. Brian Harris and Greg DeBruyn round out the cast playing all the supporting characters.

Maura Lynch Cravey’s dresses and suits support the period and Adam Dorland’s scenic backdrop of the Virginia mountains provides an attractive to Tom Width’s simple set. The set, oddly enough, has an unfinished feel, with Sara’s Aunt Nick’s detailed front porch on the left but just the frame of a country church on the right. The focus is on the music, and the slowly unfolding story, accented by family secrets. Keep in the Sunny Side is a delightful show that provides a lot of entertainment and a bit of education.

“If you’ve never been called crazy, it’s just ‘cause your dreams aren’t big enough.” -A.P. Carter

———-

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

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KEEP ON THE SUNNY SIDE

Written by Douglas Pote

Vocal Arrangements by Eugene Wolf

Musical Arrangements by Doug Dorschug

Directed by Tom Width

Cast:

A. P. Carter ……………….. H. Drew Perkins

Sara Carter ……………….. Jackie Frost

Maybelle Carter ……………… Emily J. Cole

Janette Carter ……………….. Mikaela Hanrahan

Preacher at the Funeral, Mr. Ralph Peer, Preacher Bill, Life Photographer ……………. Bryan Harris

Ezra Carter, Assistant to Mr. Peer, Theatre Manager, Dr. Brinkley,

Joe Carter ………………… Greg DeBruyn

Creative Team:

Directed by Tom Width

Musical Direction by H. Drew Perkins

Lighting Design by Joe Duran

Costume Design by Maura Lynch Cravey

Scenic Design by Tom Width

Technical Direction by Liz Allmon

Scenic Art by Adam Dorland

Run Time:

About two hours with one intermission

Tickets:

Regular $49. Seniors, Students, Military & First Responders $44.

Photographer: Kieran Rundle

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SILENT SKY

The Knowing of the Not Knowing

A Theater Review by Julinda D. Lewis

Presented by CAT – Chamberlayne Actor’s Theatre

At: The Stage Door Space at Atlee High School, 9414 Atlee Station Rd, Mechanicsville 23116

Performances: March 24 – April 2, 2023

Ticket Prices: $24.00 General Admission. $22.00 Seniors

Info: http://www.cattheatre.com

There are many things about Lauren Gunderson’s 2015 play SILENT SKY that are deeply satisfying. The work of historical fiction about early twentieth century astronomer Henrietta Leavitt achieves and maintains a balance between relaying a story of scientific facts and breakthroughs and exploring the development of relationships among family and friends.

A.G. Sweany and Amber James, in the roles of sisters Henrietta and Margaret Leavitt, immediately establish a relationship that is both affectionate and contrary – just what one might expect to see among siblings. They even look like they could be related. In SILENT SKY we first meet them outside their father’s church on a Sunday morning. Margaret is preparing to play the music for the hymns, but Henrietta is seeking her help to explain to their widowed father that she is about to leave home to embark on a career in science – astronomy, to be precise. Margaret is the sister who stays home, marries, and takes care of their aging father, but she is not lacking in talent and accomplishment. Besides playing the piano for church, she writes a symphony, and is not averse to breaking into song at the drop of a hat – as if she were part of a musical. But Margaret, it seems, is fictional. Perhaps she represents the non-scientific side of Henrietta – the side that balances science and religion, one of the play’s subplots. Henrietta and Margaret at one point have an interesting discussion of the meaning of the scientific heaven versus the spiritual heaven.

I enjoyed watching Sharon Hollands and Sandra Clayton, as fellow “computers” Williamina Fleming and Annie Jump Cannon warm to the presence of the new girl in the office, eventually forming an unbreakable bond of friendship. It was especially fun to watch Williamina’s tough Scottish exterior melt. Then there was Colton Needles as Peter Shaw, the women’s supervisor and Henrietta’s love interest. At the start of Act 2, he appears wearing a wedding ring, but doesn’t have the gumption to tell Henrietta he has moved on during her sabbatical. He was the weakest link in this well-cast ensemble, but this is a story of women’s empowerment. Peter is also fictitious.

But both Williamina Fleming and Annie Jump Cannon were real women, astronomers at Harvard at a time when women were paid just a fraction of what their male peers made, while their accomplishments were dismissed or credit given to their male colleagues. Fleming, Cannon, and Leavitt were employed as “human computers,” a concept I was first introduced with the 2016 film Hidden Figures that documented the life and work of a team of African-American “computers” (i.e., mathematicians) who worked for NASA during the early years of the US space program. In SILENT SKY we learn how Leavitt and her colleagues studied the stars – while denied the use of the powerful telescope to which their male counterparts had access. Leavitt eventually made a breakthrough- the cepheid variable period-luminosity relationship – that enabled astronomers to measure the distance between stars and determine the size of the galaxy and the existence of unknown galaxies. Her work laid the foundation for the Hubble telescope and subsequent astronomical discoveries.

Among Gunderson’s achievements, the author made scientific discovery entertaining and understandable, and managed to pair it with a little romance, a little music, and a fashion show of professional women’s attire from the end of the 19^th century through the suffragette movement of the 1920s. Cannon, a suffragist and real “patriot” spoke of joining a march on Washington – drawing comparisons with the contemporary meaning of the word “patriot” and the results of recent activities in Washington. Gunderson achieved all of this without being condescending. For another, perhaps final, example, when Henrietta finally opens a gift sent by her late father, she unwraps a Walt Whitman poem about an astronomer that proves to be both sentimental and prophetic.

There were a few things that raised questions. Henrietta’s hearing aide seemed amazingly modern and surprisingly compact. I did a little (very little) digging around and came away without drawing any conclusions as to whether the hearing aid used in this production was accurately depicted or, like its wearer, way ahead of its time. At one point in the play, Margaret was playing the piano while talking with her sister. She turned to face Henrietta, taking her hands away from the keyboard, but the (recorded) score kept playing. There were few costume changes during the first act, even when scenes and locations changed, but the period dresses were quite lovely, and when Annie Jump Cannon appeared in trousers in one of the closing scenes Margaret’s reaction was worth the wait. SILENT SKY, like Henrietta Leavitt, set and maintained standards in a way that was unfamiliar, a bit rough around the edges, yet undoubtedly of value.

“I thought to write a symphony you had to be European and angry.” – Henrietta

“Stars are tonal – like music.” Henrietta

“All I have is time, and all I haven’t is time.” – Henrietta

“I choose to measure you in light.” – Annie

“How do you celebrate measuring the universe?” – Margaret

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

SILENT SKY

Written by Lauren Gunderson

Music by Jenny Giering

Directed by Charles A. Wax

Cast

A.G. Sweany as Henrietta Leavitt

Amber James as Margaret Leavitt

Colton Needles as Peter Shaw

Sharon Hollands as Williamina Fleming

Sandra Clayton as Annie Jump Cannon

Creative Design Team

Director – Charles A. Wax

Stage Manager – Joey Bishop

Costume Design – Becky Jones

Assistant Costume Design – Kristen Blair

Lighting & Projection Design – Jason Lucas

Set Design – Scott Bergman

Sound Design – Charles A. Wax

Student Designers – Parish Lewis & Pippin Sparrow

Dates

March 24 – 26

March 31 – April 2

Ticket Information

www.cattheatre.com

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

Run Time

The play runs about 2 hours with 1 intermission

Photo Credits: Daryll Morgan Studios

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JASON MARKS IS ZERO MOSTEL

The Third Choice: Comedy Fueled by Real Life

A Theater Review by Julinda D. Lewis

A Jewish Family Theatre Presentation

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

Performances: March 29 – April 2, 2023

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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ZERO HOUR

By Jim Brochu

Starring Jason Marks as Zero Mostel

Directed by Debra Clinton

Production Team:

Set and Lighting Design + Photos: Todd Schall-Vess

Production Stage Management: Hayley Tsutsumi

Performance Schedule:

March 29: 7:30PM

March 30: 7:30PM

April 1: 8:30PM

April 2: 2:00 PM

Run time: approximately 2 hours, with one intermission

Photos by Todd Schall-Vess

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FIRST RESPONSES

A Festival of World Premiers Written by First Responders

FIRST RESPONSES

A Festival of One-Act World Premieres by First Responders

A Theater Review by Julinda D. Lewis

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

Performances: March 23 – April 15, 2023

Ticket Prices: $35 general admission, $20 students

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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FIRST RESPONSES Festival

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

March 23-April 15, 2023

Performer Ensemble:

Briana Creque

Dwayne Daniels II

Keydron Dunn

Enrique J. Gonzalez

Lindsey June

Jimmy Mello

Lorin Mello

David Rogozenski

Amanda Spellman

Production Team:

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

David Robbins – Dramaturg/Co-Producer

Emily Vial – Festival Coordinator

Todd LaBelle – Production Designer

Kate Statelman – Composer

Andrew Bonniwell – Lighting Designer

Anna Bialkowski – Costume Designer

Colin Lowrey II – Costume Assistant

Jake Buccella – Dramaturg/Assistant Director

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

Performance Schedule:

ALL 4 PLAYS ARE PERFORMED EVERY PERFORMANCE

THERE WILL BE A TALKBACK AFTER EVERY PERFORMANCE

Wed March 22 @ 7:30pm (preview)

Thu March 23 @ 7:30pm (preview)

Fri March 24 @ 7:30pm (preview)

Sat March 25 @ 7:30pm (opening)

Thu March 30 @ 7:30pm

Fri March 31 @ 7:30pm

Sat April 1 @ 7:30pm

Sun April 2 @ 3pm

Thu April 6 @ 7:30pm

Fri April 7 @ 7:30pm

Sat April 8 @ 7:30pm

Thu April 13 @ 7:30pm

Fri April 14 @ 7:30pm

Sat April 15 @ 7:30pm

Sun April 16 @ 7:30pm

Tickets: $35 general admission

Photos by Bill Sigafoos

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

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