theatre – RVArt Review

OUR DEAR DEAD DRUG LORD

*A Regional Premiere*

Growing Up is Messy…Especially When You’re Summoning the Dead

A Theater Review by Julinda D. Lewis

Presented by 5^th Wall Theatre

At: The Basement, 300 E. Broad St., RVA 23219

Performances: October 16 – November 9, 2025

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

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

5^th Wall Theatre opened its 2025/2026 season in its new, permanent home, the former Basement, now 5^th Wall at The Basement or 5^th Wall/Basement. In alignment with 5^th Wall Theatre’s mission “to provide insights into the human condition through theatrical expression,” the season opener provided new dimensions to the theatrical experience. Alexis Scheer’s Our Dear Dead Drug Lord is a dark comedy about 4 Miami teenaged girls, members of the Dead Leaders Club, who meet in a tree house where they hope to summon the spirit of Pablo Escobar.

In case that name sounds familiar, yes, “that” Pablo Escobar, the Colombian drug trafficker and leader of the infamous Medellín Cartel. In addition to being one of the world’s most notorious narco-terrorists, Escobar was also known as a philanthropist who built housing complexes, parks, football stadiums, hospitals, schools, and churches in some of Colombia’s poorest neighborhoods. So, what about Escobar appeals to a club (or gang?) of teen girls in Miami?

It could be the allure of the illicit, the Robin Hood element of Escobar’s philanthropy, the need to replace the powerlessness of being young and female with the trappings of power, or a misplaced coping mechanism to deal with their own personal traumas. More than likely, it is some combination of these things, along with the normal teenaged tendency to rebel.

In an interview for TheaterMania.com (September 22, 2019), the author explains that Our Dear Dead Drug Lord was created as a way for her to connect with her own roots. The Miami-born, Columbian and Jewish writer’s mother emigrated from Medellín in the 1970s. “The Colombian cartels and Pablo Escobar is a weird part of my family mythology that I don’t understand, because I feel so distant from it. So that’s where that came from. I think it’s a very American play, and part of my experience as an American is trying to touch upon the generation or two before me that was outside of this country and what they fled to get here.” (https://www.theatermania.com/news/alexis-scheer-gives-us-the-dope-on-her-play-our-dear-dead-drug-lord_89801/)

Okay. So, there’s that. But there’s also witchcraft, a Ouija board, a séance, and a special dance choreographed in honor of . There’s a diverse cast, each with a heavy burden of her own. Pipe, the club’s president, is an upper-class Cuban-American and carries the burden of grief from her younger sister’s death. Pipe’s bestie, Squeeze, is Puerto Rican-Haitian who is allergic to cats. Her father committed suicide. Zoom, Pipe’s Jewish-American neighbor, is the baby of the group, and always trying to keep up. Perhaps in an effort to over-compensate for her youth and lower status, she is also coping with the possibility of a teen pregnancy – which factors in the play’s climax. And then there’s Kit, a Columbian-American newcomer with a mysterious past that makes the other girls speculate that she may be the actual daughter of their hero, Pablo Escobar.

The intersection of this combined chaos is where these girls meet to create a sacred space, a sense of community – perhaps much like the community some young people find in gang life. Director Kaitlin Paige Longoria describes is as “an incantation, a call to the ancestors.” In her notes, Longoria writes, “It lives in that delicate space between grief and rebirth, between the ache of what’s been lost and the hope of what might still be found.”

It is in this spirit that these girls, four young women on the cusp of adulthood, seek freedom, power, and self-worth. It is in this spirit that they chant the mantra, “I will not be good. I will be loud, loud, loud. I will make the world in my image and take what I mine!”

Kylee Márquez-Downie (Pipe), Marya Brice (Squeeze), Eva Linder (Zoom), and Mary Kalinowski (Kit) form a solid ensemble, intense and darkly humorous. The séance is unsettling and the sacrifice is positively horrific and scary. It’s the kind of cast where each member has a distinct role, but it’s almost impossible to single out anyone because each plays an integral part in the whole.

Joey Luck composed an original score using the cast’s own voices and William Luther created a uniquely isolated and compact tree house environment where all the action takes place.

Our Dear Dead Drug Lord is anything but predictable. It is weird, dark, disturbing, and it resonates with the truth that society is failing our young women and if we don’t do something to shape and direct them, they will find someone – or something – to fill that void.

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Julinda D. Lewis is a dancer, teacher, and writer who was born in Brooklyn, NY and now lives in Eastern Henrico County. When not writing about theater, she teaches dance history at VCU and low impact dance fitness classes to seasoned movers like herself and occasionally performs. Julinda was recently awarded the Dean’s Distinguished Adjunct Faculty Award 2023-24 Academic Year by VCU School of the Arts and the 2025 Pioneer Award in Dance Ministry by Transformation International Worship Ministries, Newport News, VA.

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OUR DEAR DEAD DRUG LORD

A Play by Alexis Scheer

Directed by Kaitlin Paige Longoria

CAST

Kylee Márquez-Downie ………. Pipe

Eva Linder ………. Zoom

Marya Brice ………. Squeeze

Mary Kalinowski ………. Kit

UNDERSTUDIES

Natalie Tubia ………. u/s for Pipe & Kit

Kylie Metheny ………. u/s for Zoom

Jada Paul ………. u/s for Squeeze

FEATURING

DJ Cummings Herdoiza ………. Pablo

Fio Lo Presti ………. Pipe’s Little Sister

PRODUCTION TEAM

Directed ………. Kaitlin Paige Longoria

Scenic Design ………. William Luther

Lighting Design ………. Corrine Manderino

Sound Design ………. Joey Luck

Costume Design ………. Emily Andrew Mateos

Choreography ………. Kayce Sullivan & Jamie Hollman

Intimacy Choreography ….. Kerrigan Sullivan

Stage Management ……… Megan Wave

Technical Direction ………. Chris Foote

Photography ………. @ivyandlacephoto

Performance Schedule:

Thursday, Friday, Saturday 7:30PM

Saturday, Sunday 2:30PM

Tickets: $30/Adult; $15/Student

Run Time: 95 minutes, no intermission

The World Premiere of Our Dear Dead Drug Lord was presented in September 2019 by WP Theater and Second Stage Theater, NYC, NY.

CONTENT WARNING: This play contains strong language, sexual content, depictions of drug use, and scenes of violence. The play also includes references to suicide, sexual assault, and other sensitive subject matter.

Marya Brice, Mary Kalinowski, Kylee Marquez-Downie, Eva Linder

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MURDER ON THE ORIENT EXPRESS

A Theater Review by Julinda D. Lewis

By: Virginia Repertory Theatre (Virginia Rep)

At: the November Theatre Arenstein Stage, 114 West Broad St, Richmond VA 23220

When: September 11 – October 12, 2025

Ticket Prices: $35-$62

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

Train whistles and schedule announcements greet those who enter the November Theatre for the Virginia Rep 2025-26 season opener – Agatha Christie’s Murder on the Orient Express. An authentic literary and theater murder mystery classic, Murder on the Orient Express has murder, romance, conspiracy, locked doors, humor, nobility, a wide array of accents and dialects, and a dynamic set design worthy of its own program credit. All that was missing was the heady aroma of creosote, brake dust, diesel fuel, and the other components of railroad life.

Director Rick Hammerly and his talented production team kept enough of the familiar touch stones and the stereotypically drawn murder mystery characters to make us feel right at home, yet balanced these with delightful surprises that never failed to impress.

First, there was a bit of video, providing some background on the kidnapping of a little girl, Daisy. Then Hercule Poirot (Lawrence Redmond) gave a brief introductory curtain speech. In the brief time it took Redmond to speak, the crew transformed the previously bare space consisting of little more than a fat white screen into a passable representation of luxury hotel dining room. Three-dimensional set elements and two-dimensional projections and lighting effects blended in a collaboration that set new standards. Were those pedestrians moving outside the hotel windows? Or were they crew preparing for the next scene change? Either way, they added depth and nuance to the visual presentation. Kudos to scenic designer Chris Raintree, projection designer Tennessee Dixon, and lighting designer BJ Wilkinson.

Then, there is the matter of a dynamic actors, all larger than life figures who inhabited the cast of characters with enthusiasm, grace, and humor. Redmond gave us Poirot’s sharp intellect, meticulous, observant. Frank Britton in the role of Poirot’s friend, Monsieur Bouc, the director of the railroad company, played the comedic foil – up to a point. It was his simple perspective that, in the end provided a resolution to the story’s weighty moral dilemma.

McLean Fletcher portrays Greta Ohlsson as a modest and devout missionary who only wants to help children in Africa, but she is obviously hiding something. And why, exactly, is she posing as an aide to Princess Dragomiroff? Ah yes, Princess Dragomiroff, covered in layers of fine fabrics and jewels and better known to us as the talented Jan Guarino. The Princess’ embroidered handkerchief, is found (planted?) at the scene of the crime in an attempt to mislead the investigation.

As the snooty but nameless Head Waiter in the first scene, John-Michael Jalonen sets the stage for the opulence and luxury of the other characters, those who are waiting at the hotel to board the luxurious Orient Express on its way from Istanbul, Turkey to London, England. Most of the passengers are traveling in first class compartments and the trip would have taken about four days if the train had not been stranded due to a heavy snowstorm in Yugoslavia. BTW, service on the original Orient Express began in 1883 and ended in 2009, although other companies have stepped in to provide Orient Express travel experiences. But I digress.

Matt Meixler plays Hector MacQueen, personal assistant to Ratchett/Cassetti, the murder victim. MacQueen is a master of misdirection, but he is the one who reveals Ratchett’s true identity to Poirot. If there was a female lead in Murder on the Orient Express, it would surely be Susan Sanford in the role of the obnoxiously loud, hard drinking, “ugly American” Helen Hubbard. Sanford hits all the stereotypes and mixes them with steroids, making us feel simultaneously horrified and amused by Hubbard’s shenanigans. Hubbard, by the way, has the compartment next to Ratchett/Cassetti, and there is a connecting door…

Continuing with our little game of Clue, there is Ashey Thompson as Countess Andrenyi, whose key role seemed to be beautiful – a role she portrayed with apparent ease — while her real identity was kept hidden from Hercule Poirot. Charlene Hong White takes on the role of the governess, Mary Debenham – another, like Greta Ohlsson, who seems to have a lot of secrets. Poirot noted Mary with suspicion while in the hotel, before ever boarding the train or becoming aware of a murder. Both White and Fletcher are masterful at playing innocent while letting us know they are hiding something just beneath the surface of their cool, beautiful exteriors.

Nathan Whitmer is stalwart and blustering in the role of English military officer Colonel Arbuthnot. Arbuthnot isn’t too good at hiding his relationship with Mary Debenham, but Whitmer looks great in a kilt. Travis Williams plays the all-important role of Michel, the Conductor – the man who has access to all the train’s compartments, and perhaps access to an extra conductor’s uniform…

So, there you have it, the backgrounds of the passengers and other cast members. A diagram of how they are connected would further help keep everybody straight, but would definitely be a spoiler, so you’re on your own for that.

This high-powered, heavy weight ensemble took us on a most delightful journey that hit most of the elements of a great murder mystery. There was a compelling, locked-door murder. There was an intriguing setting – a train stuck on the tracks far from help, during a major snowstorm. Not only could the train not move, but communications were also lost with dispatchers. There was a victim, and a crime a murder method, and nearly a dozen suspects, with opportunity and hidden motives. A world class detective just happened to be on board, to investigate the clues and red herrings left to misdirect the audience.

What makes this story even more intereting is the moral dilemma posed near the end. Is murder ever okay? Is there ever a time when, in the words of several fictional and real-life characters, “sometimes the som’bitch needed killin’?” Pack your bags, pick up a drink before boarding, and go find out for yourself. Let me know what you decide.

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AGATHA CHRISTIE’S MURDER ON THE ORIENT EXPRESS

Adapted for the stage by Ken Ludwig

Directed by Rick Hammerly

Cast

Lawrence Redmond ….. Hercule Poirot

Frank Britton ….. Monsieur Bouc / u/s Poirot

McLean Fletcher ….. Greta Ohlsson /u/s Princess Dragomiroff

Jan Guarino ….. Princess Dragomiroff

John-Michael Jalonen ….. Head Waiter / u/s MacQueen, u/s Michel

Matt Meixler ….. Hector MacQueen

Susan Sanford ….. Helen Hubbard

Ashley Thompson ….. Countess Andrenyi

Charlene Hong White ….. Mary Debenham

Nathan Whitmer ….. Colonel Arbuthnot / Samuel Ratchett

Travis Williams ….. Michel the Conductor / u/s Arbuthnot, u/s Ratchett

Rachel Dilliplane ….. u/s Mary, u/s Countess

Lily Marcheschi ….. u/s Greta Ohlsson, u/s Helen Hubbard

Mark Persinger ….. u/s Monsieur Bouc, u/s Head Waiter

Recorded Voices ….. Frederic Blasco, Rachel Dilliplane, Emily Goodman, Lily Marcheschi, Mark Persinger, Guy Seigneuric, Travis Williams

Direction & Design

Directed by ….. Rick Hammerly

Scenic Design ….. Chris Raintree

Projection Design ….. Tennessee Dixon

Costume Design ….. Kendra Rai

Wig Design ….. Alia Radabaugh

Lighting Design ….. BJ Wilkinson

Dialects ….. Amanda Durst

Sound Design ….. Joey Luck

Fight & Intimacy Direction ….. Casey Kaleba

Stage Management ….. Ginnie Willard

For This Production

Assistant Stage Manager ….. Hannah Hoffert

Rehearsal Stage Manager ….. Justin Janke

Assistant Lighting Designer ….. Griffin Hardy

Carpenters …..Van Montes, Avery Rose

Scenic Artists ….. Julie Gallager, Van Montes

Electricians ….. Rylie Vann, Griffin Hardy

Stitchers ….. Sarah Grady, Kate Koyiades, Maggie Ronck

Fly Rail and Deck Crew ….. Daryus Gazder, Logan Graves, Bien Quiroz

Light Board Operator ….. Rylie Vann

Sound Board Operator ….. Amaya “AJ” Rose

Wardrobe Supervisor ….. Emily Andrew Mateos

Video Production ….. Tennessee Dixon, Rick Hammerly, Hannah Hoffert, Joey Luck, Hans Paul, Jonathan Pratt, Ginnie Willard, Kacey Yachuw

Photographer ……………………… Aaron Sutten

Ticket Information

Box Office: (804) 282-2620

www.virginiarep.org

Ticket Prices: $35 – $62

Performance Schedule

September 11 – October 12, 2023, with performances

Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays at 7:00 PM, select Saturdays at 2PM, Sundays at 3PM, and select Wednesday evenings and matinees.

Run Time

The play runs for approximately 2 hours with one 15-minute intermission

World Premiere produced by the American Repertory Theatre at Harvard University, August 2, 2015

Originally Staged by McCarter Theater Center, Princeton, NJ

Photo Credits: Aaron Sutten

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Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812

Gender-bending Pop Opera Adaptation of Tolstoy’s War and Peace

A Theater Reflection by Julinda D Lewis

Presented by: Firehouse Theatre | A Firehouse Mainstage Production

At: Firehouse Theatre on the Carol Piersol Stage, 1609 W Broad St., RVA 23220

Performances: August 20 – September 7, 2025

Ticket Prices: $45

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

It’s not fair that the new theater season started with the Firehouse production of Dave Malloy’s sung-through musical (aka pop opera) Natasha, Pierre & the Great Comet of 1812. This production has set the bar so high that all other productions will have a lot to live up to.

Where to start…This is the second time in recent memory I’ve walked into the Firehouse Theatre space and had my flabbers gasted by a stunning stage set. Craig Napoliello’s interpretation of Tolstoy’s war-torn 19^th century Moscow features a broken wall, a large asymmetrical frame that creates a sense of the audience looking in as voyeurs, and a general vintage patina that reinforces the weight of history and the passage of time.

Then there’s the opening number that starts at a level 10 and sets the tone and pace for the dynamic range of the rest of the evening. The opening also introduces us to each of the characters from this complicated Russian novel in which everyone has “nine names.” Well, nine names plus a nickname: Natasha is young, Anatole is hot, Hélène is a slut, and Andrey isn’t here, for starters.

One thing I don’t often talk about is choreography, which you might find curious given my obsession with the art of dance. One of the reasons for that is that the choreography for musicals – even good to excellent ones – too often underwhelms me. But not this time. Firehouse producing artistic director Nathaniel Shaw, assisted by Shauna Paddyfote, has created choreography that is dynamic and immersive. The cast doesn’t break out into a random dance to get our attention, take up time, or fill space. The choreography includes full-out dancing, such as an occasional Russian folk dance, and high-kicking show dancing by women wearing heels and full skirts (Shannon Schilstra and Emily Dandridge), as well as choreographed movement that unites the scenes and creates a sense of zeitgeist. And then there was the brilliant, energetic “Troika” dance that involved several cast members – some in the role of horses. Their costumes, a piano, and an accordion were all part of the choreography. One prop in particular, earned its one “bio” in the program. A doorframe created in the Firehouse shop that is used in several scenes has been given the grande title of Framecesca Doormitryevna.

The cast is powerful and multi-talented (singing, dancing, acting) – and some of them multi-task (playing instruments in the band). Each of the main characters gets a chance to shine with a solo (or aria if we’re being operatic), as part of a duet or trio. Kudos to Ally Dods, Drew Seigla, Shinji Elspeth Oh, Taylor Baltimore, Durron Marquis Tyre, Katrinah Carol Lewis, Madison Hatfield, Eddie Webster, Tessa DeGrace, Elle Meerovich, Shannon Schilstra, Chewie Lo Moore, Toby O’Brien, and Emily Dandridge. Ally Dods and Drew Seigla may have had the title roles of Natasha Rostova and Pierre Bezukhov, but siblings Anatole Kuragin and Helene Kuragina Bezukhova (Durron Marquis Tyre and Katrinah Carol Lewis), and Natasha’s loyal cousin Sonya (Shinji Elspeth Oh), and Anatole’s faithful friend Fedya Dolokhov (played by Madison Hatfield) were all shining stars and each and every one of them deserved a standing ovation. I didn’t mention every character, but that was not to short-change anyone – even those designated only as Ensemble were essential to the plot. A family tree diagram was included in the program to help keep the relationships straight.

Ah, the plot. Yes, there is one. But first, let me add here that somewhere near the end of Act One or shortly into Act Two, I recall thinking that it didn’t matter what the plot was – or even if there was one – because the performance was of such a high caliber that I didn’t care if there was a plot or if the plot made sense.

Many, like me, may not be familiar with this musical. Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812 is a modern, immersive musical adaptation of a 70-page segment from Leo Tolstoy’s War and Peace – Volume 2, Part V. (The full book is 1,200-1,450 pages, or more than half a million words!) The plot revolves around the beautiful but naïve Natasha, a young woman in 19th-century Russia who falls in love with the charming Anatole while visiting her godmother in Moscow. However, Natasha is already engaged to Andrey, who is away fighting in the Napoleonic Wars (France invaded Russia in 1812), and Anatole is married to a woman he apparently left behind in Poland. Natasha finds herself torn between the two men and Pierre, a close friend of Andrey, attempts to help Natasha navigate her romantic struggles while grappling with his own existential crisis – which he does by reading and drinking, both to excess. Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812 explores multiple themes, including love, betrayal, forgiveness, and the complexities of human relationships (e.g., the contentious relationship between Andrey’s sister Mary (Tessa DeGrace) and their father, the elderly and lecherous Prince Bolkonsky (Eddie Webster), for whom Mary is a loving but reluctant and frequently abused caretaker.

The program for Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812 conveniently included a full page of History and Context in addition to the aforementioned family tree. Yes, there was an actual comet in 1811-1812. It lingered so long it became associated with all sorts of ominous things from earthquakes to the Napoleonic wars and earned a place in the writing of Sherlock Holmes, Victor Hugo (Les Misérables), and of course, Tolstoy. Comets were often seen as portents of impending disaster by the Russian aristocracy of the 19^th century. Coupled with the Napoleonic Wars, the invasion of Russia in 1812 and the burning of Moscow, it is no wonder that comets became symbolic of monumental change and existential crises.

Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812 has love, romance, infidelity, drinking, dancing, revelry, drama, humor, war, politics, music…all the makings of a great musical. It did not disappoint. Far from it – it has earned a place as one of my favorite musicals of all time.

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NATASHA, PIERRE & THE GREAT COMET OF 1812

Written by Dave Malloy

Directed by Chelsea Burke

CAST

Natasha ….. Ally Dods

Pierre ….. Drew Seigla

Sonya ….. Shinji Elspeth Oh

Marya D. ….. Taylor Baltimore

Anatole ….. Durron Marquis Tyre

Hélène ….. Katrinah Carol Lewis

Dolokhov ….. Madison Hatfield

Bolkonsky/Andrey ….. Eddie Webster [u/s for Pierre]

Mary/Opera Singer ….. Tessa DeGrace

Balaga/Opera Singer ….. Elle Meerovich

Maidservant ….. Shannon Schilstra [u/s for Natasha]

Servant ….. Chewie Lo Moore [u/s for Dolokhov]

Ensemble ….. Toby O’Brien [u/s for Balaga & Bolkonsky]

Ensemble ….. Emily Dandridge

u/s for Sonya, Mary, Maidservant ….. Korinne Brier

u/s for Anatole, Servant ….. Wayne Parker

u/s for Marya, Hélène ….. Rachel Sper

BAND

Cello ….. MJ Laskey

Violin ….. Marisa Resmini

Clarinet, Bass Clarinet ….. Jale Wise

Piano, Accordion ….. Elle Meerovich

Oboe, Piano ….. Emily Dandridge

Drums ….. Joe Lubman

Guitar ….. Toby O’Brien

PRODUCTION TEAM & CREW

Director ….. Chelsea Burke

Music Director ….. Elle Meerovich

Choreographer/Asst Dir. ….. Nathaniel Shaw

Assistant Choreographer ….. Shauna Paddyfote

Dramaturg/Asst to the Dir ….. Claire Wittman

Scenic Designer ….. Craig Napoliello

Lighting Designer ….. BJ Wilkinson

Costume Designer ….. Ruth Hedberg

Sound Designer ….. Grace Brown Labelle

Stage Manager ….. Emily Vial

Asst Stage Manager ….. Makaila Henderson

Asst Sound Designer/Scenic Charge ….. Patrick Rooney

Dance Captain ….. Shannon Schilstra

Shadow/Observer ….. Merit Lavelle

Stage Crew ….. Marcely Villatoro

Tickets: $45. A 15% discount is available to active-duty military and veterans. $15 tickets available for college and high school students. Pay-What-You-Will performances will be offered for both preview performances, as well as all matinees (excluding closing, September 7th).

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

Performance Schedule: August 20-September 7, 2025

Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays @7:30PM

Saturdays & Sundays @2:00PM (Pay-What-You-Will, except for September 7)

Previews: August 20 and 21 (Pay-What-You-Will)

Opening Night: Friday, August 22

Closing: Sunday, September 7 @2:00PM

Run Time: about 2 hours 30 minutes with one 10-minute intermission

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WAITRESS

A Musical Journey to Empowerment

A Theater Review by Julinda D. Lewis

By: Virginia Repertory Theatre (Virginia Rep), The Barksdale Season

At: the November Theatre Arenstein Stage, 114 West Broad St, Richmond VA 23220

When: June 21 – August 3, 2025

Ticket Prices: $39-$68

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

It’s summer, and that means it must be time for a great big musical. That is exactly what VaRep delivered with Waitress, a popular musical, based on a 2007 film. The staged version ran on Broadway from April 2016 until January 2020 and returned for a limited engagement in 2021. Now, it’s right here in River City and friends who know wear big smiles as they tell me – who did not see it on Broadway – that the set is “just like” the Broadway set.

Whether it is or not, Mercedes Schaum’s scenic design is filled with simple, multi-tasking moving parts that evoke the feel of a small-town southern diner, but easily transforms into a living room, an ob-gyn office, or a bus stop. The diner even serves as a wedding venue for one of the waitresses.

Jenna, played by Emelie Faith Thompson, is the main character. Jenna, a waitress and pie chef at Joe’s Pie Diner, is trapped in an abusive marriage, and at the beginning of the show she discovers – much to her chagrin – that she is pregnant. The thick of the plot involves joining along on the journey as Jenna navigates the twists and turns of life, following an unlikely path to empowerment. Along the way, she has an unlikely affair with her doctor, resorts to hiding money from her husband, Earl, and explores the possibility of following her dreams via a pie baking contest. Her goal – and the moral of the story – is to achieve a life that is more than just “happy enough.”

Currently based in the Washington, D.C. area, Thompson may be familiar to Richmond audiences who saw Mamma Mia on this same stage the summer of 2022 [https://jdldancesrva.com/2022/06/26/mamma-mia/]. Thompson was well cast as Jenna, bringing empathy and authenticity to the role. Jenna is a complex character, given to indecisiveness and questionable choices, while balancing – no, while juggling – kindness, caring, the need for self-fulfillment, and the restrictions of real life. Thompson does all of this with the help of a strong voice that soars in all the right places – and the assistance of a stellar supporting cast.

Fellow waitstaff Becky (Miya Bass) and Dawn (Kylee Márquez-Downie), and the sometimes curmudgeonly Cal (William Vaughn) the short order cook and manager of Joe’s Pie Diner are the regulars who form the backbone of the diner and the musical. Becky appears to be the oldest of the three. She offers wisdom and wit, both of which come with the territory of having a disabled husband at home. Like Jenna, she enters into a surprising relationship. Dawn is the youngest and her social insecurities and awkwardness make her appear even moreso. All three share an unshakable, enviable love and loyalty.

Equally essential are Terence Sullivan as Dr. Pomatter – a caring and supportive physician who takes things beyond the intent of the hypocritic oath, and Jenna’s controlling and insecure husband, Earl, played by Greg Twomey. Dawn’s love interest, Ogie (Bear Manescalchi) is an unforgettably quirky and endearing character, but my personal favorites among the supporting characters are Nurse Norma (played by Imani Blair Crosby) and Joe, the owner of Joe’s Pie Diner, played by none other than Joe Pabst.

Nurse Norma turns a blind eye to the shenanigans perpetrated by Jenna and Dr Pomatter , and Crosby’s facial expressions, double-takes, and comedic timing in the most awkward situations are pure gold. Did I say that Cal was curmudgeonly? I should take that back. Joe takes the prize for being curmudgeonly, but he is quietly observant and becomes a significant source of support for Jenna. Since this was my first time seeing Waitress, I cannot imagine anyone other than Pabst in this role. Warm, prickly, paternal but not patriarchal in the toxic sense – Pabst/Joe is the source of the pivotal, transforming moment that changes everything for Jenna.

While filled with music and comedy, Waitress is also about friendship, loyalty, empowerment, self-efficacy, and the healing power of baking. Yum!

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WAITRESS

Book by Jessie Nelson

Music and Lyrics by Sara Bareilles

Directed by Rick Hammerly

Based upon the motion picture written by Adrienne Shelly

Cast

Jenna …………………………….. Emelie Faith Thompson

Becky …………………………….. Miya Bass

Dawn ……………………………… Kylee Márquez-Downie

Cal ………………………………… William Vaughn

Joe ………………………………… Joe Pabst

Earl ……………………………….. Greg Twomey

Nurse Norma/

Ensemble/U/S Becky….. Imani Blair Crosby

Dr. Pomatter …………………….. Terrance Sullivan

Ogie ……………………………… Bear Manescalchi

Ensemble, U/S Jenna ………….. Lindy Pokorny

Ensemble, U/S Dr. Pomatter……Calvin Malone

Ensemble, U/S Dawn…………… Brie Ramirez

Ensemble, U/S Ogie …………… Mason Jett

Ensemble, U/S Earl …………….. Patrick Rooney

Ensemble, U/S Cal……………… David Ramirez

Ensemble, U/S Nurse Norma…. Sarah White Pruden

Ensemble ……………………….. Audrey Baker

Ensemble ……………………….. Jennifer Lent Hamilton

Ensemble ……………………….. Garrett D. Reese

Lulu ………………………………. Emily Goodman, Phoebe Janosik, Josie Sledd

Swing …………………………….. Maria Carpinelli

Swing …………………………….. Joey Gravins

Band

Keyboard 1/Conductor ……….. Leilani Fenick

Keyboard 2 ……………………….. Ian Krauss

Guitar 1 ……………………………. Forrest Link

Guitar 2 ……………………………. Jeremiah Martin

Cello ……………………………….. Ned Haskins

Bass ………………………………… Beatrice Kelly

Drums ……………………………… Bentley Cobb

Direction & Design

Directed by ……………………… Rick Hammerly

Music Direction …………………… Leilani Fenick

Choreography ……………………. Paul Dandridge

Scenic Design …………………….. Mercedes Schaum

Costume Design ………………….. Sarah Grady

Lighting Design …………………… Joe Doran

Production Design ……………….. Dasia Gregg

Sound Design …………………….. Jonathan Pratt

Stage Management ………………. Abby Bobb

Fight & Intimacy Direction ….. Casey Kaleba

For This Production

Assistant Stage Manager ……… Donna Warfield

Production Assistant ……………. Katie Willard-O’Neill

Dance Captain ………….…………… Calvin Malone

Assistant Lighting Designer …. Kacey Yachuw

Carpenters ……………………………… Liz Allmon, Avery Glenn, Van Montes

Scenic Artist …………………………… Julie Gallager

Electricians …………………………….. Liz Allmon, Weston Corey

Stitchers ………………………………… Genna Beth Davidson, Sarah Grady,

Mary Nagler

Deck Crew ………………………… Lilith Fulcher-Davis, Daryus Gazder, Amber

Hooper, Devon Kistler

Fly Rail Operators ………………… Justin Janke, Mark Persinger, Shawn

Goodman, Hans Paul

Wardrobe Supervisor ……………. Emily Andrew Mateos

Dresser …………………………….. Rowan Sullivan

Audio Engineer …………………… Jonathan Pratt

Light Board Engineer …………….. Jeff Meisner

Follow Spot Operators …………… Terra Comer, Logan Graves, Reese Hardy,

Kacey Yachuw

Photographer ……………………… Aaron Sutten

Videographer ……………………… Austin Lewis

Front Cover Photography ………… Ben White

Ticket Information

Box Office: (804) 282-2620

www.virginiarep.org

Ticket Prices: $39 – $68

Performance Schedule

June 21 – August 3, 2023 with performances

Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays at 7:00 PM, Saturdays at 2PM, Sundays at 3PM, and select Wednesday evenings and matinees.

Run Time

The play runs for approximately 2 hours 15 minutes; with one 15-minute intermission

World Premiere produced by the American Repertory Theatre at Harvard University, August 2, 2015

Originally Produced on Broadway by Barry and Fran Weissler, Norton and Elayne Herrick

Musical Numbers

Act 1

What’s Inside ………………… Jenna and Company

Opening Up ………………..…. Jenna, Becky, Dawn, Cal and Company

The Negative …………………. Jenna, Becky, Dawn

What Baking Can Do ………. Jenna

When He Sees Me ………..…. Dawn

It Only Takes a Taste ………. Dr. Pomatter, Jenna

You Will Still Be Mine ……… Earl

A Soft Place to Land …………. Jena, Becky, Dawn

Never Getting Rid of Me …… Ogie and Company

Bad Idea …………………………….. Jenna, Dr. Pomatter

Act 2

I Didn’t Plan It ………………. Becky

Bad Idea (Reprise) …………. Jenna, Dr. Pomatter, Becky, Cal, Dawn, Ogie

and Company

Mama’s Pie Song …………… Jenna

You Matter to Me …………… Dr. Pomatter, Jenna

I Love You Like a Table ….. Ogie, Dawn and Company

Take It From An Old Man ….. Joe and Company

She Used to Be Mine …………… Jenna

What’s Inside (Reprise) ……… Company

Everything Changes (Part 1) .. Jenna, Becky, Dawn

Everything Changes (Part 2) .. Jenna and Company

Opening Up (Finale) ……………… Company

Photo Credits Aaron Sutten

Kylee Márquez Downie, Emelie Faith Thompson, Miya Bass. Photo by Aaron Sutten.

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Richmond Ballet: Moving Art Two

A World Premiere, A Virginia Premiere, and A Revival

A Dance Review

Program By: The Richmond Ballet

At: Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, Leslie Cheek Theater, on the Armstrong Family Stage in Honor of Richmond, 200 N. Arthur Ashe Boulevard, RVA 23220

Performances: May 8-18, 2025

Ticket Prices: $25 – $85 ($85 – $125 on opening night)

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

THE PROGRAM

SLUMP

Choreography by Joshua L. Peugh

Music by Klezmer Juice, Yma Sumac, Ella Fitzgerald

Costumes Provided by Richmond Ballet

Lighting Design by Nathan W. Scheuer

World Premiere: June 21, 2012 by Bruce Wood Dance Project at Booker T. Washington’s <Montgomery Arts Theater, Dallas, TX; Richmond Ballet Premiere: May 8, 2025, Leslie Cheek Theater, Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, Richmond, VA

ECHOING PAST

Choreography by Stoner Winslett

Music by Fanny Mendelssohn-Hensel

Costume Design by Susan Cologne

Lighting Design by Nathan W. Scheuer

Pianist: Joanne Kong

World Premiere: May 15, 1996 by Richmond Ballet at Leslie Cheek Theater, Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, Richmond, VA

FADING CREATURES

Choreography by Yury Yanowsky

Music by Senking and Henryk Gorecki

Costumes by Christi Owen after Original Costume Design by Emily Morgan

Lighting Design by Nathan W. Scheuer

Following their March 2025 return to the VMFA’s Leslie Cheek Theater after an absence of 30 years, Richmond Ballet’s Moving Art Two program offered an audience pleasing trio of works. In order, the audience enjoyed a quirky modern Richmond premiere, a revival of a more classically themed ballet by founding artistic director Stoner Winslett, and a world premiere of a work that began as an entry in the Richmond Ballet’s 2023 New Works Festival. Interestingly, and to my surprise, most of the people I chatted with after the show were most drawn to the more contemporary works.

The program opened with a colorful, upbeat work by Joshua L. Peugh, the New Mexico-based founder and artistic director of Dark Circles Contemporary Dance. Slump defies categorization with its musical environment ranging from Klezmer Juice (described online as Jewish Soul musicians) to Peruvian singer Yma Sumac to jazz icon Ella Fitzgerald. The women are dressed in 1950s-style party dresses with crinoline underskirts that give a sassy nod to tulle tutus while emphasizing the pointedly un-classical and often upside-down lifts with one leg hooked around the partner’s neck.

At one point the men perform a rubbery, jelly-legged movement that used to be known as “eccentric” dancing, and later they walk with what my grandmother would have called a “switch,” as if mocking their female partners. The partner dancing includes the kind of weight-bearing that remind me of when little girls dance with their feet planted atop their daddies’ feet like life-sized rag dolls. They slouch, they drop, they roll in joyous freedom. The women’s wide-legged stance, the men’s swirling hips, the flirtatious and irreverent partnering all seemed to be as much fun for the dancers as it was for the audience.

Stoner Winslett’s Echoing Past was in stark contrast to the shenanigans of Slump. Described as a ballet about one woman’s journey, looking back while moving forward, the work is set to music by Fanny Mendelssohn-Hensel and played live by pianist Joanne Kong. Originally titled “Das Alte Jahr” (“The Old Year”), the ballet was choreographed in honor of Leslie Peck, a former member of the New York City Ballet, a recognized authority on Balanchine ballets, and a former ballet mistress with Richmond Ballet.

Eri Nishihara represents this woman, with Annika Kuo, Kaitlin Roemer, and Kennady Jackson dancing the roles of her past selves. Nishihara wears pink while the past selves are dressed in gray. Nishihara seamlessly trades places with her past selves, sometimes dancing back-to-back or mirroring the other women, as the peace evolves into a rich and satisfying conclusion. The ballet may be a metaphor for the company itself. Echoing Past was first performed at the VMFA in 1996, and Winslett formally stepped down as Artistic Director just under a year ago, in July 2024. So, the ballet somewhat mirrors Winslett’s own journey as artistic director, choreographer, and a woman in a position that is still dominated by men.

Yury Yanowsky, a former principal dancer with the Boston Ballet, first introduced Richmond audiences to his work Fading Creatures as a part of the Richmond Ballet’s New Works Festival in 2023. Inspired by Salvador Dali’s familiar melting clocks, the work begins with the feeling of a sci-fi ritual as the dancers lie on the floor with small lights hoovering over them. Once the lights have ascended and the dancers have risen from the floor, the dancers adopt an athletic style of movement – muscular, posed, poised, measured, abstract.

While inhabiting the lower level, the dancers flip, slide, reach, and lunge, but once the lights rise above them like a constellation, the dancers’ movements become bolder and more sinuous at the same time. Sometimes they appear to float or glide, only to suddenly run and freeze, or rewind and repeat, bending and stretching time, ending with a sudden stop!

What a satisfying conclusion to the company’s 2024-2025 season, the first under the artistic leadership of Ma Cong. Much like the woman in Echoing Past, perhaps intentionally so, this season has been marked by reflection and change and concluded on a rich and satisfying note.

The Richmond Ballet 2025-2026 season begins with Moving Art One, September 11-21 featuring Wild Seet Love by Trey McIntrye and a world premiere by Ma Cong.

Moving Art Two, October 16-26 is scheduled to present Slice to Sharp by Jorma Elo, a world premiere by Andrea Schermoly, and French Twist by Ma Cong. The Nutcracker will be performed at Dominion Energy Center December 6-23 and Giselle will be performed there February 13-15. The season will continue with Moving Art Three, the company’s New Works Festival with works by Natasha Adorlee, David Morse, Price Suddarth, and Serkan Usta from March 19-29, and conclude May 14-24 with Moving Art Four with George Balanchine’s Apollo, John Butler’s After Eden, and a world premiere by Val Caniparoli.

———-

Julinda D. Lewis is a dancer, teacher, and writer who was born in Brooklyn, NY and now lives in Eastern Henrico County. When not writing about theater and dance, she teaches dance history at VCU and low impact dance fitness classes to seasoned movers like herself and occasionally gets to perform.

“Slump” Virginia Premiere by Joshua L Peugh

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RICHMOND BALLET: MOVING ART ONE

Ballet Celebrates First Program on the New VMFA Stage

A Dance Review

Performance By: The Richmond Ballet

At: Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, Leslie Cheek Theater, Richmond Ballet Stage, 200 N. Arthur Ashe Boulevard, RVA 23220

Performance Dates: March 20-30, 2025

Ticket Prices: $25 – $85 ($85 – $125 on opening night)

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

THE PROGRAM

PENTAPTYCH

Choreography by Ma Cong

Music by Ryan Lott

Costume Design by Emma Kingsbury

Lighting Design by Les Dickert

Visual Artist: Eric Sall

World Premiere: September 14, 2018, Tulsa Ballet, Tulsa Ballet’s Studio K Theatre, Tulsa, OK. Richmond Ballet Premiere: March 20, 2025, Leslie Cheek Theater, Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, Richmond, VA

AFTER THE RAIN Pas de Deux

Choreography by Christopher Wheeldon, OBE

Music by Arvo Pärt

Staged by Jason Fowler and Craig Hall

Costume Design by Holly Hynes

Lighting Design by Les Dickert after Original Design by Mark Stanley

Pianist: Dr. Douglas-Jayd Burn

Violinist: Karen Johnson

World Premiere: January 22, 2005, New York City Ballet, New York State Theater, New York, NY. Richmond Ballet Premiere: March 20, 2025, Leslie Cheek Theater, Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, Richmond, VA

LAMBARENA

Choreography by Val Caniparoli

Music by Johann Sebastian Bach and traditional African (as arranged by Pierre Akendengué and Hughes de Courson)

African Dance Consultants: Dr. Zakarya Diouf, Naomi Johnson-Diouf, Ibrahima O. Diouf

Scenic and Costume Design by Lisa J. Pinkham, Recreated by Les Dickert

Staged by Maiqui Manosa

World Premiere: March 28, 1995, San Francisco Ballet, War Memorial Opera House, San Francisco, CA. Richmond Ballet Premiere: March 20, 2025, Leslie Cheek Theater, Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, Richmond, VA

—–

In celebration of the very first performance of the Richmond Ballet’s new Moving Art series – replacing the long-time, popular Studio Series – current Artistic Director Ma Cong, Founding Artistic Director Stoner Winslett, and VMFA Director and CEO Alex Nyerges shared the stage on Thursday evening, March 20, for an enthusiastic pre-show welcome. There was a full house for this gala event, and all performances of the March 20-30 program were already sold out.

Moving Art One marks the return of the Richmond Ballet to the VMFA after last performing there in the 1990s and the first major renovation of the Leslie Cheek Theater stage since it was built some 70 years ago. The renovations include widening the stage to better accommodate ballet, new lighting for the house and the stage, and upgraded A-V equipment. A press release indicates that the performers’ dressing rooms and restrooms and the green room have also been upgraded. The theater seats 472 audience members, and the seating has reportedly been refurbished but in my opinion the seats are still a bit too tight and would probably not be comfortable for all audience members, and the raking does not allow for an unobstructed view if you are vertically challenged, or if a tall person sits in front of you. But that’s just my two cents.

As with the Studio Series performances, the Moving Art series consists of a program of three works and features both classical and contemporary ballets produced in an intimate setting (as compared to, say, the 1,800-seat Carpenter Theatre where large works such as The Nutcracker Ballet or Cinderella are performed).

Moving Art One opened with the world premiere of Ma Cong’s Pentaptych (def., a work of art consisting of five panels or sections). There is a live artist onstage, Eric Sall, who interacts with the dancers and creates a large, colorful abstract painting. The bold brushstrokes are a stark contrast to the black, white, and gray costumes worn by the dancers – except for one dancer whose costume appears to be a part of or an inspiration for the painting. The ballet is of the contemporary genre, and the dancers’ monochrome costumes, paired with the abstract, ethereal, and sometimes athletic stretching motions and the original score by Ryan Lott, for a moment I had a flashback of sitting in Merce Cunningham’s Westbeth studio in Manhattan’s artists’ community, watching his company perform. (For those not familiar with Cunningham’s work – this is a positive comparison, and you should look him up!) The finished painting, by the way, is available for purchase via an online auction. The proceeds are to benefit the Richmond Ballet.

The classical portion of the program was provided by Eri Nishihara and Jack Miller, performing the pas de deux from Christopher Wheeldon’s After the Rain. Commissioned for a New York City Ballet program in honor of George Balanchine’s birthday, the ballet is in two parts. The first part is a dance for three couples, and the second part, the pas de deux, is often performed separately, as it was here on the new Richmond Ballet Stage. The dance is set to music by Arvo Pärt, played live by Dr. Douglas-Jayd Burn and Karen Johnson, and is notable for placing the ballerina in flat shoes instead of en pointe.

It is a stunningly beautiful and tender ballet in which the male dancer, Miller, sometimes lifts his partner is the most unexpected ways – for example, frozen into a position that I can only describe rather awkwardly as table-like. Another moment, Nishihara gently caresses her partner’s face while he stands strong and unmoving, or she perches delicately on his extended thigh. Burn’s piano and Johnson’s violin emit gentle, almost ambient sounds, like, yes, like raindrops. The piece ends with a silent embrace and the partners gently melt into one another.

Val Caniparoli’s Lambarena is much more difficult to write about, not because it was not beautifully performed, but because I am not sure what to think of it. Colorful, energetic, and fun, the work is performed to a rather unique blend of music by Johann Sebastian Bach and traditional African (what part of Africa?) music arranged by Pierre Akendengué and Hughes de Courson.

Performed by the full company, the work serves as a showcase for dancer Naomi Robinson who leads the women in leaping lightly like gazelles over the savanna. (This brought back another memory, that of seeing a herd of gazelles dashing through the grasslands of Kenya.) In a later section, they held their arms back and arched, reminding me of ostriches – and the beautiful solo Awassa Astrige created by Asadata Dafora (1932). The men, at times, reminded me of giraffes – also common to Kenya and other parts of East Africa. There was lots of light footwork and hip action unlike anything one usually sees in a traditional ballet. Sometimes I heard strains of a stringed instrument that reminded me of a berimbau – a one-stringed instrument I’m familiar with from Brazilian dance and capoeira (a Brazilian martial art/dance). I believe the berimbau originated in Angola, in southwestern Africa. The music also incorporated choral sections and clapping.

Overall, the work is sassy and joyous, and performed with extraordinary energy. My dilemma, perhaps, comes from recent discussions I have been having with my dance history students at VCU, where we have been mulling over the differences between cultural appreciation and cultural appropriation. The program lists African Dance Consultants – Dr. Zakarya Diouf, Naomi Johnson-Diouf, and Ibrahima O. Diouf – and the company hosted a Community Dance Class with local dance organization Ezibu Muntu on March 16, shortly before the opening of the Moving Art One program.

Still, I felt a certain uneasiness as I watched – and enjoyed – Lambarena, and watched others enjoying it, too. I appreciated it, but there does seem to be more than a little cultural appropriation – context? accreditation? intent? Acknowledgement – beyond the generic designation of “African” – or at least an appearance thereof. I need to look more deeply into Caniparoli’s inspiration and motivation before making a final decision on this work.

In the meantime, while I’m rummaging around in the stack of dance history, if you can’t get to see Moving Art One, there will be a Moving Art Two, running from May 8 – 18. That program will include Joshua L. Peugh’s Slump, a ballet about modern courtship, Stoner Winslett’s Echoing Past (set to a score by Fanny Mendelssohn-Hensel), and Yury Yanowsky’s newly completed Fading Creatures, a work-in-progress he introduced at Richmond Ballet’s 2023 New Works Festival. It draws inspiration from the melting clocks of Salvador Dalí’s popular painting The Persistence of Memory.

—–

Richmond Ballet dancers in Pentapych by Ma Cong. Photo by Sarah Ferguson.
Richmond Ballet dancers in Pentaptych by Ma Cong. Photo by Sarah Ferguson.
Eri Nishihara and Jack Miller in the pas de deux from After the Rain by Christopher Wheeldon. Photo by Sarah Ferguson.
Eri Nishihara and Jack Miller in the pas de deux from After the Rain by Christopher Wheeldon. Photo by Sarah Ferguson.
Naomi Robinson in Lambarena by Val Caniparoli. Photo by Sarah Ferguson.
Richmond Ballet dancers in Lambarena by Val Caniparoli. Photo by Sarah Ferguson.

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WATER BY THE SPOONFUL

When Your Brain is Your Biggest Enemy

A Theater Review by Julinda D. Lewis

Presented By: The Firehouse Theatre on the Carol Piersol Stage

At: 1609 W. Broad Street, RVA 23220

Performances: November 6-24, 2024

Ticket Prices: $5.00 – $35

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

Water By the Spoonful by Quiara Alegría Hudes (who also authors the book for the musical In the Heights) is the second work in a trilogy centered around a young Puerto Rican veteran named Elliot Ortiz. Water By the Spoonful is set Elliot’s hometown of Philadelphia, as well as Japan, Dan Diego, and Puerto Rico, several years after Elliot has returned home, limping from a wounded leg, and haunted by a mysterious apparition.

But it is more than a PTSD play. It is a play about addiction, recovery, mental health, and perhaps most of all, it is about family – the kind we are born into and the kind we choose. There’s the close relationship between Elliot and his cousin Yazmin, an adjunct professor of music at Swarthmore. There’s his estranged relationship with his biological mother Odessa aka Haiku-Mom, the administrator of an online forum for recovering crack addicts, and his close relationship with his aunt, Mami Ginny/Eugenia, who raised him due to his mother’s addiction. There is his relationship to his past, which sometimes manifests as hallucinatory images. There are also the relationships between Odessa and her online community, and between the members of the forum, known at first only by their screennames: Chutes&Ladders, Orangutan, and Fountainhead.

Director Katrinah Carol Lewis, Associate Artistic Director of the Firehouse Theatre, together with Co-Scenic Designers Vinnie Gonzalez and Todd LaBelle and Projection Designer Tennessee Dixon give life and visual impact to the multi-layered relationships and sometimes overlapping action. And I hope it is safe to assume that Jeremy Morris, who is credited with “Sound Consultancy” is largely responsible for the aural saturation with the creative discordance of John Coltrane-infused free jazz

that underscores the production, most notably when Yazmin (played by Juliana Caycedo) is presiding in her professorial role.

Erich Appleby is gripping and authentic as Elliot, the protagonist. There are so many instances when he could have over-acted, but he approaches the brink and never takes that irretrievable leap. The interplay between the cousins, Elliot/Appleby and Yazmin/Caycedo is a thing of beauty; one often forgets they are acting.

When a crisis comes, in the form of the death of Mami Ginny, who never appears on stage, it simultaneously pulls the family together and tears them apart. Who’s going to pay for the funeral? Who’s going to deliver the eulogy? Will she be buried or cremated? Who gets her jewelry? What about the house? These are real questions that may, in fact, be quite triggering for some viewers.

Alana Dodds Sharp is often center stage in her role as Elliot’s biological mother, Odessa. (Why does that name sound so similar to “overdose” to me? Weird? Or premonition?) Her role as a nurturer and mentor is called into question on the death of her sister, and family secrets are revealed that shift perspectives and affect the outcome. Elliott spends most of his onstage time throughout the two powerful acts with his cousin Yazmin, but when it is time for the final bows, it is Appleby and Sharp who are featured as the leads.

Eric “Mr. Q.” Quander and Anne Michelle Forbes bring both levity and insight to their supporting roles as Chutes&Ladders and Orangutan, while John-Michael Jalonen as the late-comer, Fountainhead, plays a pivotal role in the dynamics of the relationships of the recovering crackheads. Finally, there is the versatile and mysterious Mahlon Raoufi who plays three roles, which require him to speak at least that many languages!

Water By the Spoonful takes its name from an incident in Odessa’s past, but it also represents the life-giving qualities of water. Sometimes even small sips – or a spoonful every five minutes – are enough to sustain life, while the lack of it guarantees death.

Not enough can be said about the modular set with its moving platforms and colorful strips of lighting, like directional signals on a runway or of the layered projections sometimes as subtle as an almost abstract map, sometimes as literal as moving images that support the onstage action, and sometimes as blatant as signage indicating the location of the actors.

It all comes down to an immersive theatrical experience that is intimate and familiar, instructive as a parable, and haunting in a way that you will not soon forget. You have until November 24^th to see it.

—–

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

—–

WATER BY THE SPOONFUL

Written by Quiara Alegría Hudes

Directed by Katrinah Carol Lewis

Cast

Odessa Ortiz ………. Alana Dodds Sharp

Elliot Ortiz ………. Erich Appleby

Yazmin Ortiz ………. Juliana Caycedo

Fountainhead ………. John-Michael Jalonen

Chutes&Ladders ………. Eric “Mr. Q” Quander

Orangutan ………. Anne Michelle Forbes

Professor/Ghost/Policeman ……. Mahlon Raoufi

Production Team

Direction ………. Katrinah Carol Lewis

Asst Direction/Dramaturgy………. Kyle Trice Zabala

Co-Scenic Design ………. Vinnie Gonzalez/Todd LaBelle

Costume Design ………. Keith Walker

Lighting Design ………. Andrew Bonniwell

Projection Design ………. Tennessee Dixon

Sound Design/Stage Mgt ………. Grace Brown LaBelle

Asst Stage Management ………. Kennedy Shahan

Sound Consultancy ………. Jeremy Morris

Fight Choreography ………. Aaron Orensky

Run Crew ………. Mikayla MacVicar, Jacob Simmon, Marcely (Mar) Villatoto

Booth Operator ………. Chewie Lo Moore

Run Time: About 2 hours 20 minutes; there is 1 intermission

Tickets: $5 to $35

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

Performance Schedule:

November 6 & 7: Previews 7:30PM

November 8: Opening Night 7:30PM

November 9: 7:30PM

November 10: Sunday at 2:00PM – Pay What You Will + Member Post-Show Mixer

November 15: 7:30PM

November 16: Saturday at 2:00PM & 7:30PM

November 17: Sunday at 2:00PM

November 21: 7:30PM

November 22: 7:30PM

November 23: Saturday at 2:00PM & 7:30PM

November 24: Closing performance Sunday at 2:00PM

Water by the Spoonful was originally commissioned by Hartford Stage, Michael Wilson, Artistic Director & Michael Scotts, Managing Director, through the AETNA New Voices Fellowship Program.

World Premiere by Hartford Stage, October 28, 2011

———-

Photo Credits: No photos available at the time of publication

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H*TLER’S TASTERS

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

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

A Theater Review by Julinda D. Lewis

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

Performances: October 17 – November 2, 2024

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

———-

Julinda D. Lewis is a dancer, teacher, and writer who was born in Brooklyn, NY and now lives in Eastern Henrico County. When not writing about theater, she teaches dance history at VCU and low impact dance fitness classes to seasoned movers like herself, and occasionally performs. Her most recent (ad)venture was the premiere of a solo work, The Waters of Babylon or Psalm 137 Revisited: a Post-Exodus Reflection in Movement Choreographed From Collective Memories for the debut of the Critical Race Theatre Project, right here at RTP in August 2024.

———-

Written by Michelle Kholos Brooks

Directed by Kaitlin Paige Longoria

CAST

Rebecka Russo ………. Hilda

Preston Bradsher ………. Liesel

Eva Linder ………. Anna

Kylee Marquez-Downie …. Margot

Tory Davidson ………. u/s Hilda & Margot

Emma Rivet ………. u/s Liesel & Anna

PRODUCTION TEAM

Directed by ………. Kaitlin Paige Longoria

Choreography by ………. Kayla Xavier

Lighting Design by ………. Gretta Daughtry

Sound Design by ………. Candace Hudert

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

Fight Choreography by …… Marr Hovastak

Production Associate ….. Emily Adler

Stage Management by …. Tariq Karriem

Photos by ………. Tom Topinka

Performance Schedule:

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

Friday, October 18, 7:30 PM

Saturday, October 19, 7:30 PM

Sunday, October 20, 2:30 PM

Thursday, October 24, 7:30 PM

Friday, October 25, 7:30 PM

Saturday, October 26, 2024, 7:30 PM

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

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

Friday, November 1, 2024, 7:30 PM

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

Tickets: $30/Adult; $15/Student

Run Time: 90 minutes, no intermission

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

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COMING OF AGE

Gyn Phyzz Heyr of the Dogg(y) and All That Jazz

KDance, a Company-in-Residence at Firehouse Theatre on the Carol Piersol Stage

A Theatrical Dance-Music Collaboration Review by Julinda D. Lewis

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

Performances: October 8 & 9, 2024

Ticket Prices: $10-$25

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

Sublime! This new work by KDance – a collaboration between choreographer Kaye Weinstein Gary, composer John Winn, and the string ensemble Trio 826 is a perfect gem combining Gary’s deliciously peculiar brand of movement exploration with spoken word – in this case, quotes about aging – and live music that speaks all the unspoken words. Ahhhh.

The trio is placed downstage right (the audience’s left) so we can really see their interactions – the violinist glances at the viola player, the cellist smiles at the violinist. The only problem is that from some seats, the musicians partially obscure the dancers. (Maybe if they sat a bit farther back, or at an angle?)

The four dancers enter dressed in wigs and hats, sweaters and shawls that indicate advanced age, but quickly toss off all the restricting accoutrements to reveal their agile, flexible, energetic, enthusiastic mature selves. Yes, this is a dance about aging, and it is done with thoughtfulness, humor, elegance, inspiration, and hope.

They cavort in folk-type dances in lines and circles. They play ball, jump lightly off the edge of the (low) stage and bow towards the musicians before making an exit – leaving the musicians to play for a lusciously long interlude. The music is contemplative, meditative, playful, stately, elegant, harmonious, and discordant. It is all the things it needs to be to tell this story. You can hear the violin talking, bubbling over at a party. You can see and hear the playfulness of the pizzicato section.

Two dancers wrap themselves in a single shawl while the other two share a sweater, each putting an arm in a sleeve. They play musical chairs with only two chairs, striking poses when they freeze. And it all ends with a nostalgic sing-along with the audience. The lyrics to John Lennon and Yoko Ono’s “Imagine” are printed on the back of the program. Coming of Age is short and sweet – like just the right amount of a tasty, rich dessert.

———-

Julinda D. Lewis is a dancer, teacher, and writer who was born in Brooklyn, NY and now lives in Eastern Henrico County. When not writing about theater, she teaches dance history at VCU and low impact dance fitness classes to seasoned movers like herself, and occasionally performs. Her most recent (ad)venture was the premiere of a solo work, The Waters of Babylon or Psalm 137 Revisited: a Post-Exodus Reflection in Movement Choreographed From Collective Memories for the debut of the Critical Race Theatre Project, right here at RTP in August 2024.

———-

COMING OF AGE

A music and dance collaboration between K Dance, John Winn, and Trio 826

TRIO 826

Susanna Klein ……………………. Violin

Julia Bullard ……………………. Viola

Stephanie Barrett ……………………. Cello

DANCERS

Andrew Etheredge

Gina Maria McKenzie

Melanie Richards

Kaye Weinstein Gary

DIRECTOR/CHOREOGRAPHER ……. Kaye Weinstein Gary

Hat/Wig Consultant ………. Heidi Rugg

Lighting Designer ………. Gretta Daughtrey

Stage Manager ………. Jake Buccella

Production Assistants ………. Todd LaBelle, Grade LaBelle, Emily Vial

Photo Credits ………. Jason Collins Photography

RUN TIME

About 40 minutes; there is no intermission

PERFORMANCE SCHEDULE

Tuesday, October 8, 2024, 7:30PM

Wednesday, October 9, 2024, 7:30PM

TICKETS $10-$25

Photos by Tom Topinka

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