Performing Arts – RVArt Review (2024)

A Fast-Paced Farce, Just for the Fun of It

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

Performances: May 18 – June 15, 2024

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

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

Run For Your Wife is a classic farce: fast-paced and filled with ridiculous situations and pratfalls. The play is set in the homes of John and Mary Smith and John and Barbara Smith, in the conveniently located London neighborhoods of Wimbledon and Streatham, in the Spring of 1982. Location is very important, as John Smith, a taxi driver, has a strict schedule to keep in order to balance his two households. John, you see, is a bigamist. He’s also a master scheduler who should be giving workshops in time management.

All goes well, until the day he gets mugged and ends up in the hospital where his two addresses cause confusion, leading to a police investigation. John’s injuries are not serious, but the fallout turns his life upside down, and provides fodder for a series of events that are so outrageous this play, by Ray Cooney, ran in London for nine years.

We don’t have to travel all the way across “the pond” to get in on the fun. Jeffrey Meisner plays the role of the hapless husband, with Emma Mason as his first wife, the steadfast and practical Mary, and Katherine S. Wright as his second wife, the alluring and somewhat ditzy Barbara. To help manage the comings and goings on stage, a single living room was designed to represent the two households. The décor is green on the left side (Barbara’s home) and red on the right (Mary’s home) with a sofa in the middle that blends both red and green. At times, characters onstage are in close proximity, or even pass one another, but they are in two different households in two different locations. And do you know what? It works! Tom Width’s design is simple yet functional.

The timing is fast-paced and masterful. While not a work that requires the audience to think deep thoughts, it does require the viewers to pay attention; it’s sort of the comedic version of a tennis match. As Tom Width states in his Director’s Notes, “if things slow down, the characters will realize just how crazy their behavior is and stop doing what they’re doing!”

Jeffrey Meisner steered the ensemble towards inevitable doom with a solid performance (oh, and London cabbies must have been well paid in 1982 to be able to afford two households!), but my favorite character was the Smith’s neighbor (and tenant?) Stanley Gardner, played by Kenny Putnam. Putnam wrung every possible bit of comic effect from each of his lines and even gave us a well-timed roll over a sofa. There is also a running joke about Stanley being gay, not intended to be offensive, if you accept that sexism and idiocy are acceptable devices in a farce. Similarly, Sarbajeet Das plays Bobby, Barbara’s over-the-top flamboyant new neighbor. Matt Bloch and Matt Hackman bring balance, in the form of somewhat more subtle humor, as the two detectives investigating John.

Run for Your Wife may not be your cup of tea if you are easily offended or insist on political correctness, but if a flat-out farce is among your preferred forms of entertainment, then look no further, this is your show.

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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.

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RUN FOR YOUR WIFE

Written by Ray Cooney

Directed by Tom Width

CAST

Mary Smith ……………….. Emma Mason

Barbara Smith ……………….. Katherine S. Wright

John Smith ……………….. Jeffrey Meisner

Detective Sergeant Troughton ……………….. Matt Bloch

Stanley Gardner……………… Kenny Putnam

Newspaper Reporter ………. Tom Width

Detective Sergeant Porterhouse ……………….. Matt Hackman

Bobby Franklyn …………….. Sarbajeet Das

CREATIVE TEAM

Directed by Tom With

Costume Design by Maura Lynch Cravey

Lighting Design by Joe Doran

Scenic Design by Tom Width

Technical Direction by Liz Allmon

Run Time:

About 2 hours with 1 intermission

Tickets:

Regular $49. Discounts for Seniors, Military & Veterans

Photographer: Kieran Segaloff

The New Theatre at Firehouse on the Carol Piersol Stage Presents

A WORLD PREMIERE by Chandler Hubbard

A Theater Review by Julinda D. Lewis

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

Performances: May 8-26, 2024

Ticket Prices: $0-$35

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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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.

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ROMAN À CLEF

A World Premiere by Chandler Hubbard

Directed by Sharon Ott

May 8-26, 2024

Time: Here and Now

Place: Firehouse Theatre

Act I – A Rehearsal.

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

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

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

CAST

Jack ……………………. Andrew Bryce

Mike ……………………. Alex Harris

Lois ……………………. Kelly Kennedy

Fiona ……………………. Donna Marie Miller

McKnight ……………………. Keaton Hillman

Bishop ……………………. Tatjana Shields

Queenie ……………………. Tippi Hart

Kingston ……………………. Landon Nagel

Spawn ……………………. Reese Bucher

Rookie ……………………. Lukas D/Errico

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

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

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

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

Rookie u/s ……………………. Aidan Campbell

McKnight u/s ……………. Evan Kagarise

Jack u/s ……………………. Thomas Kaupish

PRODUCTION TEAM

Direction ………. Sharon Ott

Assistant Direction ………. Molly Marsh

Scenic Design ………. Chris Raintree

Assistant Scenic Design ………. Sarah Cook

Costume Design ………. Cora Delbridge

Lighting Design ………. BJ Wilkinson

Assistant Lighting Design ………. Reid Hardymon

Sound Design ………. Kyle Epps

Intimacy/Fight Direction ………. Stephanie Hart

Movement Direction ………. Nathaniel Shaw

Developmental Dramaturgy …. Naysan Mojgani

Stage Management ………. Emily Vial

Asst. State Management ………. Juliet Grace Grochowski

RUN TIME

90 minutes with two intermissions

PERFORMANCE SCHEDULE

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

TICKETS

$35

$15 tickets available for college and high school students.

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

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

Photos by Bill Sigafoos

Starr Foster Dance Intentions are Clear

A Dance Review by Julinda D. Lewis

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

Performances: April 11-14, 2024

Ticket Prices: $25 General Admission; $35 Arts Supporter; Datenight tickets 2 for $40

Info: (804) 304-1523 or starrfosterdance.org or firehousetheatre.org

Program & Casting:

All Choreography by Starrene Foster

All Lighting Design by Michael Jarett

Familiar Stranger (Premiere): Performed by Fran Beaumont, Shannon Comerford, Madison Ernstes. Original Music Composition by Daniel Deckelman. Costumes Designed and Constructed by Starrene Foster.

Last Call (2016): Costumes Designed and Constructed by Starrene Foster.

“Un” Performed by Fran Beaumont. Music Composed by Charles Dumont with Lyrics Written by Michael Vaucaire, Performed by Edith Pian, Mon Dieu.

“Deux” Performed by Madison Ernstes, Mosca Mavrophilipos-Flit, Angela Palmisano. Music Composed by Ángel Cabral with Lyrics Written by Michel Rivgauche, Performed by Edith Piaf, Le Foule. “Trois” Performed by Shannon Comerford, Molly Huey. Music Composed and Performed by Jacquees Brel, Au Suivant.

Sisterhood (2022): Inspired by a story, Sisterhood, written by Judith Bice. Performed by Madison Ernstes, Molly Huey. Music by Mike Lazarev, When You Are. Costumes Designed and Constructed by Starrene Foster.

Adjusting to the Dark (Premiere): Performed by Fran Beaumont, Shannon Comerford, Molly Huey, Mosca Mavrophilipos-Flint, Angela Palmisano with Guest Artists Roya Baker-Vahdani, Olivia Gotsch, Cassidy Kinney, Janelle Ragland, Julia Straka, Audrey Smothers. Music by Franz Schubert, Arr Prizeman, Ave Maria; Uno Helmersson, Timelapse; Jeff Russo, Zoe Keating, Savir Arrives in Oslo; Adrián Berenguer, Forzisimo, Continent; Jim Perkins, A Ritual for Saying Goodbye. Costumes Designed by Johann Stegmeir.

Deliberate yet unhurried movement. Intentional and diverse motivations. Splayed fingers, reaching, seeking, claiming, and declaring. These are words that describe my overall response to the latest performance of Starr Foster Dance – Curious Intentions.

Familiar Stranger, one of two new works, is a trio of sometimes fleeting, often exploratory movements. Remember that feeling you get when you pass someone on the street and they remind you of someone from your past, but you can’t quite remember their name? Or when someone touches you, perhaps just brushes against you in passing, and that brief contact stirs a long forgotten memory? Imagine, then, translating those feelings into movement, and you might just get Familiar Stranger. The work premiered with Fran Beaumont, Shannon Comerford, and Madison Ernstes, all performing with a sense of urgency – and sometimes a sinister touch – as they intertwine physically and emotionally. Two moments in time that that stand out are when first Ernstes and later Comerford (I think) are held and swung by the other two; it feels like a moment that could symbolize trust or danger, but – thanks to the dancers’ spiraling upper bodies and tiny hand gestures that are somehow enhanced by Daniel Deckelman’s dramatic thriller score – we’re never sure which way it might go.

A second new work, Adjusting to the Dark, is performed by a large cast – five company members joined by six guest artists – all dressed in modest dark dresses with high necks and long bell sleeves, reminiscent of choir robes or liturgical vestments. The work actually begins with a prayer, a rendition of Ave Maria, and concludes with Jim Perkins’ A Ritual for Saying Goodbye, an appropriately moody medley of what sounds like violin and electronic yearning. A tug of war of pushing and pulling, caressing and enfolding, silent screams, and a focus on small, riveting hand gestures are all supported by a symbiotic collaboration of movement, music, and an interesting use of footlights. The audience is encouraged to look, listen, and think in new ways. What is your darkness, what are the challenges of your life, and how do you adjust?

The program also included the tri-part Last Call (2016), a three-part work (solo, trio, and a duet that re-introduced returning company member Angela Palmisano, who performed in the trio). In the solo section, Beaumont is elegant, while Ernstes, Mavrophilipos-Flint, and Palmisano take a witty turn in the trio, and Comerford and Huey close with reassuring weight-sharing. The songs accompanying these explorations (self-described by Foster as “whimsical” and as a juxtaposition of gracefulness and awkward gestures, lyrical grace and protective gestures in a review I wrote for The Richmond Times Dispatch, Sept. 30, 2016, https://richmond.com/entertainment/dance-review-starr-foster-dance-project-fifteen/article_7c259614-bb43-533d-9bd0-c6e0c4d85600.html) are “Mon Dieu” (My God) and “Le Foule” (The Crowd), sung by Eith Piaf, and “Au Suivant” (Next), performed by Jacques Brel.

The company also performed Sisterhood (2022), inspired by a story written by Judith Bice and first performed for Foster’s Page to Stage II show, part of a series Foster plans to continue in December. (The company is currently accepting flash/sudden poetry submissions for Page to Stage III.) Sisterhood a duo about a toxic, dependent, love/hate sibling relationship, was performed by Madison Ernstes and Molly Huey. The dancers’ identical brown dresses only emphasize the inequality of their relationship. Michael Jarett has added some stunning lighting, including tree patterns on the floor that lead us to where the Barbies are buried. Chilling and presumably authentic, Sisterhood makes me glad I’m an only child.

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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.

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Starr Foster Dance presents

CURIOUS INTENTIONS

Artistic Director/Choreography by: Starrene Foster

Art Director: Doug Hayes

Lighting Designer: Michael Jarett

Music Director: Daniel Deckelman

Company Artists: Fran Beaumont, Shannon Comerford, Madison Ernstes, Molly Huey, Mosca Mavrophilipos-Flint, Angela Palmisano

Guest Performers: Roya Baker-Vahdani, Olivia Gotsch, Cassidy Kinney, Janelle Ragland (SFD Intern), Julia Straka, Audrey Smothers (SFD Mentee)

Art Director: Douglas Hayes

Costumes Designed and Constructed by: Starrene Foster

Lighting Designer: Michael Jarett

Music Director: Daniel Deckelman

Starr Foster Dance is a Resident Company of the Firehouse Theatre

Performance Schedule

Thursday, April 11^th 7:30PM

Friday, April 12^th 7:30PM

Saturday, April 13^th 5:00PM & 7:30P<

Sunday, April 14^th 5:00PM

Post-performance Q&A after the Thursday and Saturday evening performances

Champagne toast after the Friday evening performance

Run Time

1 hours 15 minutes

VaRep-JCC Partnership

A Theater Review

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

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

Performances: March 15-April 7, 2024

Ticket Prices: $40

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

“Zero Hour is a skillful balance of biography and entertainment. For those unfamiliar with Zero Mostel, it is informative, and for those who were already fans, it might reveal a few unknown nuggets.” – Again, I second that first impression.

“All of this, and more, is lovingly and capably captured by Marks under the director of Debra Clinton. Clinton, in the Director’s notes, paid homage to Mostel’s individuality – his commitment to standing up for what he believed even to the detriment of his career – “his honesty, passion, and empathy.” – ditto

And finally, I often find it weird to read things I’ve written previously, but this holds true. That’s my story and I’m sticking to it: Sometimes it was hard to tell where Marks ended and Mostel began. I am sure playwright Jim Brochu who originally starred in his own play, would approve of Marks’ interpretation.” There are a FEW opportunities remaining to see this production of Zero Hour. I suggest you go see it. You won’t be sorry.

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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.

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ZERO MOSTEL

Written by Jim Brochu

Directed by Debra Clinton

Cast List

Zero Mostel – Jason Marks

Direction & Design

Direction – Debra Clinton

Set & Lighting Design = Todd Schall-Vess

Wig Design = Kevin S. Foster II

Stage Management – Hayley Tsutsumi

Zero Hour runs March 15 – April 7, 2024

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

Run Time

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

Tickets

Box Office: (804) 282-2620

Information: http://www.virginiarep.org

Full Price Tickets: $40.00

Discounted Group Rates available

Show Photography by Jay Paul

What Would You Be Willing to Do for a Free Dream House?

Presented by 5^th Wall Theatre

A Theater Review by Julinda D. Lewis

At: The Basem*nt, 300 East Broad St, RVA 23219

Performances: March 14-30, 2024

Ticket Prices: $22

Info: https://5thwalltheatre.ludus.com/index.php or https://www.5thwalltheatre.org/

Unaffordable housing. Gentrification. Homelessness. These are serious issues that Philip Ridley has addressed in a two-act dark comedy, a satire that crosses the line from morality to immorality again and again and again.

Jill and Ollie are expecting their first child, but they reside in a drug and crime ridden neighborhood – Red Ocean Terrace. One day they receive a miracle; a hand-delivered letter offers the too-good-to-be-true deal of a free house. The house is in need of renovation, and therein lies the thick of the plot. The young couple accidentally discovers an unorthodox method of renovating their house, room by room. This involves Ollie driving the streets in search of anonymous homeless “renovators” – the “vermin” of the title. (For an explanation of the “radiant” part, you’ll need to see the show to figure it out.)

5^th Wall’s Creative Producer, Kaitlin Paige Longoria, plays the role of Jill and Matt Mitchell is Ollie. Longoria wears a child-like dress with short socks and a bow in her hair, while Mitchell wears a button down shirt and – I think – khakis. Jill is a bit manipulative, and Matt somewhat of a push-over. They both look fresh, clean cut, and innocent, and speak clearly in standard English, all of which makes their nefarious renovation activities all the more creepy.

Miss Dee, their ersatz realtor/benefactor, who represents a government program for Social Regeneration Through the Creation of Dream Homes, knows entirely too much about them. Ollie seems to protest briefly, but then both he and Jill all too easily accept that Miss Dee seems to have psychic abilities. But it’s worse than that. Miss Dee’s red coat subtly or not-so-subtly reminds us of Satan, and at the end she addresses the audience with a stack of contracts and offers for us to accept.

Emily Adler, who plays the snide and omniscient Miss Dee, also briefly takes on the role of Kay, one of the homeless “renovators.” This scene brought me near tears, as Kay, after sharing the testimony of her traumatic childhood and life on the streets, gladly offers herself as a sacrifice, giving Jill a kiss on the cheek before heading off to meet her demise at the end of Ollie’s “magic wand.” Whew!

As disturbing as it was, I was able to follow the story and found a certain clarity and logic until the end, when Jill and Ollie held a garden party – “the birthday party from hell,” for their son’s first birthday. During the party, they enact the roles of all the guests – their nearby neighbors – using different body language and accents for each couple. This section was simultaneously hilarious and even more disturbing than the main storyline that led up to it. It was as if the characters morphed and time-travelled from a Get Out situation to a Monty Python platform, from a classic morality play to a really bad Saturday Night Live skit.

Radiant Vermin is performed with a minimalistic set designed by Daniel Allen. A simple white wall – wainscotting or molding, I think it’s called – and a trio of matching white boxes with hinged lids that hold the few simple props, such as some candle sticks and party hats. There is no other furniture and we depend on the actors to create the changes of scene.

Both Ollie and Jill frequently speak directly to the audience, as does Miss Dee at the end. Ollie and Jill share the task of narrating the story, starting after the birth of their first child, then going back in time in an extended flashback with breaks to inform the audience of the changes in time and location.

During the garden party, Ollie experiences a mental breakdown and when they are alone Jill begins to see and hear things, and is eventually overcome by a choking sensation that we can attribute to her conscience. Ollis is also briefly overcome by this choking, but neither of them is willing to give up their pursuit of more and more material things, even if it costs them everything.

Radiant Vermin leaves much to the audience’s imagination, and Longoria and Mitchell prove to be pretty effective story tellers. Director Morrie Piersol successfully lures us in so that we barely realize when we begin to support the atrocities committed by this oh-so-ordinary couple and we feel uncomfortable – and rightly so – when this is brought to our attention. I could hardly believe two hours had passed at the end of the show. If you have a strong moral compass, this show may not be for you. But if you are intrigued by the weird or enjoy psychological thrillers, or – like me – have a penchant for reading about mass murderers, this might just be your cup of tea.

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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.

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RADIANT VERMIN

Written by Philip Ridley

Directed by Morrie Piersol

CAST

Jill ………. Kaitlin Paige Longoria

Ollie ………. Matt Mitchell

Miss Dee & Kay………. Emily Adler

PRODUCTION TEAM

Directed by ………. Morrie Piersol

Produced by ………. Tom Kazas

Scenic Design by ………. Daniel Allen

Lighting Design by ………. Michael Jarett

Sound Design by ………. Roger Price

Costume Design by ………. Kayli Warner

Vocal Coach ………. Amanda Durst

Technical Director ………. William Luther

Stage Management by …. Jamie Wilson

Asst Stage Management by Constance Moreau

Front of House Manager … D.J Cummings

Photos by ………. Tom Topinka

Performance Schedule:

● Opening Night – March 14, 2024 at 7:30 PM

● Running Thursday – Friday – Saturday at 7:30 PM through March 30, 2024

● Running Sundays at 2:00 PM through March 23, 2024

Tickets:

$22

Run Time: about 2 hours with one intermission

Once Upon a Time, Later – or – What Happens After “Happily Ever After?”

A Musical Theater Review by Julinda D. Lewis

Presented By: Richmond Shakespeare

At: Cramer Center for the Arts, The Steward School, 11600 Gayton Rd., RVA 23238

Performances: March 7-24, 2024

Ticket Prices: $22-$47 [Adults $47; Seniors 65+ with ID $42; Military with ID $22; Students $22]

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

What happens after “happily ever after?”

Sondheim and Lapine’s extravagant musical, Into the Woods (1987), has a lot going on. For one thing, there is a large cast of characters drawn from various Grimm’s fairy tales, from Little Red Riding Hood to Jack (of the magic beans and giant fame). There are princesses in towers (Rapunzel) and elsewhere (Cinderella) and princes who do not live up to expectations for “happily ever after” – Cinderella’s prince and Rapunzel’s prince, who are brothers with lustful, wandering eyes for the purpose of this plot. There are peasants and royalty, a wicked witch, a wolf with pedophilic tendencies, and a little girl with an implied eating disorder. There is a narrator that the other characters, in a rare show of solidarity, throw under the bus – and that’s just for starters. And just in case you were wondering – as you should have been – despite the Disney inspired costumes and light-hearted, guffaw-inducing moments that pepper Act 1, this is not a family-friendly show. Half the lead characters meet untimely deaths in Act 2. The bloody demise of those who are smushed by the giant’s foot is indicated by a red wash on the background, and sometimes accompanying sound effects.

Be careful what you wish for.

At the center of the main plot we find The Baker and The Baker’s Wife (Durron Marquis Tyre-Gholson and Maggie Marlin-Hess). The childless couple wish more than anything for a baby, but soon discover that their barrenness is the result of a witch’s curse that goes back a generation when The Baker’s father helped himself to the witch’s garden. Tyre-Gholson (who, much to my surprise, is making his Richmond Shakespeare debut) deftly establishes himself as a reluctant hero. He tries on the cloak of an alpha male, but it doesn’t fit him well, yet we find ourselves cheering for him and his persistence in the face of probable defeat as he sets off on a life changing scavenger hunt in the woods. Marlin-Hess, similarly, achieves a delicate balance. She is, at once, the supportive wife of the baker, a woman with an independent mind and a resolute disposition (think, by any whatever means necessary), who holds an emergent passion that finds unforeseen fulfillment in the woods.

The prettier the flower, the farther from the path.

Into the Woods is very much an ensemble show, with strong leads and strong voices singing what I would characterize as challenging music, but some characters nevertheless stand out. My hands-down favorite is Little Red Riding Hood (Gracie Berneche) who wrings every last drop of humor and drama from each line she speaks. Now, normally, it is bad manners to mention an actor’s size, but in this case, Berneche’s stature is key to her role. Constantly referred to as a “little girl,” this Riding Hood makes a running joke of scarfing down the goodies she’s supposed to be taking to Grandma’s house. She deliberately talks with her mouth full, and creates one of the show’s funniest physical comedy moments as she and The Baker’s Wife juggle sweets and cakes as Riding Hood tries to fill her basket – a basket, by the way, that she commandeered from The Baker’s Wife. Berneche’s childlike allure makes it all more creepy when The Wolf (Terence Sullivan) peppers her with sexual innuendo, while diverting her from the path to her grandmother’s house in the woods. The dual role of The Wolf/Cinderella’s Prince emphasizes the lustful, narcissistic nature of both characters as they seduce, respectively, Little Red Riding Hood and The Baker’s Wife, in the woods. Sullivan’s dual roles are masterfully delicious and shiver-inducing – perhaps playing on the appeal of the bad boy. But also, the wolf’s ears, tail, and leather jacket are one of the best, most fun costumes, as well.

“You’re so nice. You’re not good, you’re not bad, You’re just nice. I’m not good, I’m not nice, I’m just right. I’m the witch.

Going back to the idea that this is an ensemble, it seems both appropriate and anathema that The Witch (Susan Sanford) had the star’s turn during the closing bows. The Witch, after all, is the only character that has the ability to fill in any of the backstory. At the same time, she does not have the most lines or greatest stage time. But Sanford’s rich vocals and The Witch’s makeover from old hag to bewitching diva, are worthy of recognition. Speaking of which, The Witch’s Act 2 costume and the costumes and wigs of Cinderella’s Stepmother (Hannah Zold Story) and Stepsisters Florinda (Katherine S. Wright) and Lucinda (Kylee Márquez-Downie) reminded me of drag queens – but without the expected sassiness. The Witch loses her powers and Florinda and Lucinda have their eyes pecked out. These characters’ journey into the woods do not bring about the desired results.

Slotted spoons don’t hold much soup.

In my humble opinion, Jack’s Mother (Lauren Leinhaas-Cook) was decidedly more evil than The Witch. She certainly wouldn’t win any awards for mother of the year. She berates and belittles Jack, then defends him when it’s time for him to face the consequences of his actions. These are the actions of an enabler. This role gives Leinhaas-Cook an opportunity to enjoy being nasty, and we don’t feel any great loss at her accidental demise. Let’s face it, Jack (Lukas D’Errico) would never be able to grow up under her nagging eye. In the end, he’s left looking for someone to take care of him, because his mother never taught him how to be an adult. She just sent him off on fruitless and self-serving quests into the woods. The Witch, who had whisked away Rapunzel (Sara Dabney Tisdale) from her parents at birth was no model mother, either. Locked away in a tower in the woods, Rapunzel ended up the single mother of twins, lost her Prince, her mind, and eventually her life as well. Apparently, one does not develop good life coping skills living in isolation in the woods.

Careful the things you say…children will listen.

While Act 1 is a quest to find fulfillment of all the characters’ wishes, Act 2 shows us what happens after “happily ever after.” With Act 1 running approximately 90 minutes, it almost seems as if the show is over at the end of Act 1. But wait, there’s more. Act 2 shows us the consequences of getting what you wished for. There is a fantastic scene in which the surviving characters – after much of the slaughter and bloodshed – all point the finger of blame at each other: The Baker, The Baker’s Wife, The Witch, Jack, Jack’s Mother, Little Red Riding Hood (who is never at a loss for snarky comments, with accompanying facial expressions and body language). It’s a comedy. It’s a parody. It’s a satire. It’s a musical. It’s a morality play. It’s a metaphor for Life. Into the Woods is where life happens. Some emerge triumphant, some do not emerge at all. As 2010 Internet sensation Antoine Dodson once said, “Hide yo’ kids, hide yo’ hide yo’ husbands ‘cause they’re rapin’ everybody out here.” Go see Into the Woods, but leave your kids at home.

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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.

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INTO THE WOODS

Book by James Lapine

Music and Lyrics by Stephen Sondheim

Directed by Jase Smith Sullivan

Musical Direction by Kim Fox

Cast

Narrator/Mysterious Man …………… J.C. Bussard

Cinderella …………… Grey Garrett

Jack …………… Lukas D’Errico

Jack’s Mother …………… Lauren Leinhaas-Cook

Milky White …………… Katherine Malanoski

The Baker …………… Durron Marquis Tyre-Gholson

The Baker’s Wife …………… Maggie Marlin-Hess

Cinderella’s Stepmother …………… Hannah Zold Story

Florinda …………… Katherine S. Wright

Lucinda/US Cinderella …………… Kylee Márquez-Downie

Little Red Riding Hood …………… Gracie Berneche

The Witch …………… Susan Sanford

Cinderella’s Father/The Steward ……….. Eddie Webster

Cinderella’s Mother/Granny/The Giant … Heidi Johnson Taylor

The Wolf/Cinderella’s Prince …………… Terence Sullivan

Rapunzel …………… Sara Dabney Tisdale

Rapunzel’s Prince …………… Field Oldham

Ensemble/US The Wolf/Princes ………… Thomas Kaupish

Ensemble/US Jack …………… Milo Jones

Ensemble/US Little Red Riding Hood ….. Belén Tarifa

Production Team

Artistic Director …………… James Ricks

Managing Director …………… Jase Smith Sullivan

Music Director …………… Kim Fox

Production Stage Manager ……… Shawanna Hall

Assistant State Manager/

Properties Design …………… Jordan Dively

Assistant State Manager/

Character Double …………… Diandra Chiaffino-Butts

Hair and Makeup Design …….…. Amanda Blake

Costume Design …………… Keith Walker

Lighting Design …………… Michael Jarrett

Puppet Design …………… Heidi Rugg

Scenic Design …………… Todd LaBelle

Scenic Design …………… Katherine Malanoski

Sound Design …………… Grace Brown LaBelle

Production Manager/

Sound Board Operator ……….. MariaElisa Costa

House Manager/

Production Assistant ………… Kiari Hicks

Costume Assistant …………… Susan Frye

Master Electrician …………… Emily Vial

Follow Spot Operator …………… Parker Beard

Follow Spot Operator …………… Wyatt Roberts

Box Office …………… Nata Moriconi

Musicians

Conductor/Keyboard 1…………… Kim Fox

Bass …………… Bea Kelly

Drums …………… Steve Raybould

Cello …………… Lauramarie Laskey

Clarinet …………… Marc Krauss

Flute …………… Stephanie Shumate

French Horn …………… Gretchen Georgas

Keyboard 2/Synthesizer ………… Ian Krauss

Trumpet …………… Steve Fenick

Violin …………… Marissa Resmini

Run Time: approximately 3 hours, with one 15-minute intermission

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Photo Credits: Photos from Richmond Shakespeare Facebook page

DR. RIDE’S AMERICAN BEACH HOUSE*

“If one of us is brilliant, maybe it’s not you,” or

Four Queer Women Lift-off on the Eve of Sally Ride’s Historic First Space Flight

A Theater Review by Julinda D. Lewis

By: Yes, And! Theatrical Company

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

Performances: March 7-23, 2024

Ticket Prices: $37 general admission

Info: Email: yesandrva@gmail.com; Website: yesandrva.org; Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/yesandrva/

When I say that Liza Birkenmeier’s 4-character, one-act play, DR. RIDE’S AMERICAN BEACH HOUSE is weird, please understand that is an observation, not a judgment. There is a reason why the Yes, And! Theatrical Company – now in its second year of production –- chose this play. I suspect it has something to do with exploration (inner, and self, more than space) and identity (woman as subject, not object, as well as gender and sexuality), and history (personal history as well as the history of Dr. Sally Ride and the American space program).

Set on a rooftop in St. Louis in June 1983, on the eve of the launch of the Challenger space shuttle that carried Dr. Sally Ride, the first American woman to go into space, DR. RIDE’S AMERICAN BEACH HOUSE is both non-linear and non-conforming. Two long-time friends, both poetry majors who have apparently simultaneously run into a writing block, come to the rooftop for the weekly meeting of The Two Serious Ladies Book Club. The club is named for a novel by Jane Bowles in which two women explore – depending in which review you read – “living outside themselves” or descend in debauchery. After forming the book club, however, our leading ladies, Harriet (Ashley Thompson) and Matilda (Rachel Marrs) realize they don’t really like to read, so they spend the time drinking beer and talking.

One day, their complacent little world is shaken up when (a) Harriet shares a harrowing tale of a sexual encounter with a stranger – a bearded biker, no less – and (b) Matilda invites a new friend, Meg (Kasey Britt) whose insight sheds new light on the friends’ sexual tension and life in general, and (c) their lives are all shifted by the imminent space launch that is the main topic on their rooftop radio.

Harriet is high strung and annoying, but about two thirds of the way through we find out she has good reason to be, and in spite of her irksome character, we cannot tear ourselves away from the story she weaves throughout. Perhaps Harriet’s calling was not for poetry, but for fiction or drama…Matilda, who has a husband and a sick child at home, would rather spend her time with Harriet, and is given to bursting out in song – revealing that Rachel Marrs has a stunningly beautiful singing voice and can even attempt a decent Irish step or two.

Most intriguing, however, is Meg. Back stories and character development are not a main point of DR. RIDE’S AMERICAN BEACH HOUSE, so we know that Meg works at a hospital across the street from where Harriet and Norma live, and may – or may not –- be a nurse. She does, however, provide some music therapy for Harriet in the midst of her breakdown, which leads to one of this play’s most delightful moments.

The fourth character is Norma (Jacqueline Jones) – who is either Harriet’s landlady or neighbor. At any rate, it seems that Norma is the caretaker of the Ivan Brock House, named for fictional poet and the house where Harriet lives. Norma is concerned with three things: safety, money, and Harriet’s leaky air conditioning unit. Jones’ two or three appearances are all too brief, as Norma, who seems to be on the far right of some spectrum or another, shares complaints and almost incidentally drops pearls of wisdom and insight on the younger women.

DR. RIDE’S AMERICAN BEACH HOUSE is directed by Kelsey Cordrey with a light touch, a good dose of wit, and a loving respect for words. Cordrey and the cast make us see or at least ponder connections between barbecue and beer, a beach house and a rooftop, an astronaut launching into space and an ordinary person (is there such a thing?) exploring the unexplored landscape of their life. It’s only about 90 minutes long, and the first few minutes are rather slow going, but about midway through – and even more so afterwards – it becomes clear that there is more to explore here than at first meets the eye.

Cordrey explains at least part of the “why” in her director’s note: “Pretty much every queer person I know has felt the urge to “go away” before. To escape to a place, whether literal or figurative, what would be more. More accepting, more fulfilling, more exciting, or more loving”.

Adam Dorland has designed a simple but effective rooftop setting with a couple of chairs, some stacked crates that serve as a table, an HVAC unit, and lots of brick wall constructed at an angle that juts slightly off the edge of the stage. Candace Hudert’s sound design is mostly subtle, and makes use of the ubiquitous 1980s boom box and cassette tapes – remember those???

If you like your theater to have a clear beginning, middle and end, and to tie up all the loose ends with a happy ending, DR. RIDE’S AMERICAN BEACH HOUSE won’t fulfill those needs. If you like theater that asks questions and challenges you to think about why things are the way they are, then this is your kind of play. And if you’re undecided, or not sure, I would urge you to give it a try and discuss it after – maybe with three friends, over a bottle of wine or some beers.

FUN FACTS ABOUT DR. SALLY RIDE

• Sally Kristen Ride (1951-2012) was a physicist and the first female American astronaut
• Sally Ride was married to Steven Hawley (1982-1987) and had a long-term partner, Tam O’Shaughnessy (1985-2012)
• Dr. Ride did not publicly reveal her sexuality until her death, in a carefully worded obituary she wrote before she died
• In 1972, while an undergraduate at Stanford University, Sally Ride played tennis great Billy Jean King in a mixed doubles exhibition
• One morning, at breakfast, in 1977, while she was a doctoral student at Stanford University, Sally Ride read an article in the student newspaper that NASA was opening up applications to women for the first time, so she applied
• Dr. Ride’s younger sister, Bear, is a Presbyterian minister – she is also queer
• Sally Ride was a Trekkie
• Sally Ride and her partner Tam O’Shaughnessy co-authored several science books for children
• In 2013 Sally Ride was posthumously awarded the nation’s highest honor, the Presidential Medal of Freedom; President Barack Obama presented the award to Tam O’Shaughnessy Source: https://today.ucsd.edu/story/20-things-you-might-not-know-about-sally-ride

*ONE FINAL FUN FACT

• The Astronaut Beach House is a two-story building located in Cape Canaveral, FL use to house astronauts prior to their launch. The house is also used as a conference center, and hosts barbecues for astronauts and their families prior to a launch

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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.

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DR. RIDE’S AMERICAN BEACH HOUSE

Written by Liza Birkenmeier

Directed by Kelsey Cordrey

Principal Cast

Ashley Thompson as Harriet

Rachel Marrs as Matilda

Kasey Britt as Meg

Jacqueline Jones as Norma

Understudy Cast

Juliette Aaslestad u/s for Harriet

Amber James u/s for Matilda

Davis Erney u/s for Meg

Nicole Morris-Anastasi us for Norma

Production Team

Scenic Design – Adam Dorland

Costume Design – Amber Martinez

Lighting Design – Steve Koehler

Sound Design – Candace Hudert

Properties Design – Margaret Dodson-Cordrey

Intimacy Direction – Tippi Hart

Production Manager – Todd LaBelle

Production Stage Manager – Crimson Piazza

Asst. State Manager – Marcely Villatoro

YES, AND! THEATRICAL COMPANY

in residence with NEW THEATRE at FIREHOUSE

Artistic Director – Maggie Roop

Managing Director – Nicole Morris-Anastasi

Executive Director – Matt Shofner

Dr. Ride’s American Beach House

Commissioned and Developed by Ars Nova

Jason Eagan, Founding Artistic Director | Renee Blinkwolt, Managing Director

World Premiere produced by Ars Nova, New York City, October 21, 2019

Performance Schedule

Thursday, March 7, 2024 7:30PM Preview

Friday, March 8, 2024 7:30PM Opening Night

Saturday, March 9, 2024 7:30PM

Tuesday, March 12,2024 7:30PM Industry Night

Thursday, March 14, 2024 7:30PM Understudy Performance

Friday, March 15, 2024 7:30PM

Saturday, March 16, 2024 7:30PM

Sunday, March 17, 2024 2:00PM

Tuesday, March 19, 2024 7:30PM Industry Night

Friday, March 22, 2024 7:30PM

Saturday, March 23, 2024 7:30PM Closing Night

Tickets

Ticket Prices: $35 general admission

Run Time

1 hour 36 minutes with no intermission

Notes

Please be aware that an herbal cigarette will be smoked for a brief moment onstage

Photos by Tom Topinka

FROM UP HERE

Photos of Strangers

A Theater Review by Julinda D. Lewis

Presented by HATTheatre

At: HATTheatre, 1124 Westbriar Dr., Richmond, VA 23238

Performances: March 2-15, 2024

Ticket Prices: $30 General Admission. $25 Seniors/Students/Military. $20 Youth

Info: 804-343-6364 or https://hattheatre.org

Set on the Brooklyn Bridge where five strangers go to seek solitude and solace, FROM UP HERE (2012) is a uniquely moving and relatable one-act musical.

There’s Henry (Doug Schneider), an older man, a widower who comes to the bridge to reminisce about his beloved wife of forty years. They met on the bridge by accident – literally. Emily (Elise Cumbia) is a sensitive young woman struggling with the news of an unnamed but apparently life-threatening illness. Her illness – likely some form of cancer – makes her reconsider her commitment to her boyfriend. Emily’s long-term boyfriend Dan (Erik DeMario) is a photographer whose current project, taking impromptu photographs of strangers on the Brooklyn Bridge, is instrumental in creating intersections between these strangers.

Jill (Alanna Wilson) is a kind young woman who discovers she is pregnant after a rare one-night stand with a man who subsequently ghosted her. And finally, there is Alan (Aaron Hoffman) is a harried businessman who seems always on the brink of calamity, leaving him little time for human interaction.

Since it’s Sunday, I’ll take a page from my preaching friends and offer just three points about this play, and then you’ll be free to go see it for yourself.

First, each and every one of these characters is likeable. They are people we care about, and even though this one-act musical runs for under 90 minutes, we feel that we get to know the character of each of these people. It doesn’t matter what happened before we met them – or before they met each other. What matters is that now we know them, and we care about them.

Second, each and every one of these actors can sing, but I (who am NOT a singer or musician) was especially impressed by Erik DeMario and Elise Cumbia. DeMario, at times, reminded me of an opera singer. It comes as no surprise to find, in DeMario’s bio, that he has performed with the Virginia Opera, VCU Opera, and the Richmond Symphony, among other companies. Cumbia’s clear tone reflects her background in musical theatre and no doubt serves her well with her work with her church choir.

Several times all five share the stage, singing the show’s motif: “This isn’t the end. This is the beginning.” This isn’t the end of life – despite the implications that, at some point, each has considered jumping off the bridge. No, it isn’t the end of life, but the beginning of a new phase of life, and during the course of a year, they help each other through the trials and tribulations that have led them to this point.

And finally, because I promised three points, FROM UP HERE seems different from most musicals. For one thing, it’s just one-act. In my experience, musicals tend to run longer than non-musical productions. Also, as I mentioned earlier, FROM UP HERE reminded me somewhat of an opera. The songs were not catchy, sing-along tunes, but seemed designed with the intention of moving the narrative. And then, this musical is not high school bullies or rivalries or romance. It is about change and choices and consequences. Why did author Lambert – a Texas born actor and writer who, after living and working in New York, now lives and works in the UK – set this musical very specifically on the Brooklyn Bridge? Perhaps it was because the Brooklyn Bridge is a kind of suspension bridge, and each of these five characters is suspended between their past and their future.

The play is set against a backdrop of a painting that strongly suggests the Brooklyn Bridge. As one who, for many years, walked across the Brooklyn Bridge and back every Saturday morning for exercise (followed by pancakes), it would take a feat of engineering to produce an accurate rendering of the historic bridge.

Lambert’s script calls for four musicians or instruments (piano, reed such as flute, clarinet or saxophone, violin + glockenspiel, and cello) but notes that the music can be performed with only a piano. The artistic team for this production decided to use piano and violin, with musical director Leilani Fenick and violinist Kristen Presley seated upstage center. The music was wonderful, as the two not only accompanied the songs but also supplied the soundscape, such as telephone ringtones. Somehow, inexplicably, having the musicians so present made me feel less intrusive as an audience member, less voyeuristic, and more like a participant observer.

Frank Foster’s direction elicits an authenticity from each character that helps lure in the audience, and once there, we are fully committed. FROM UP HERE, which could allude to the nearly 120 feet the bridge soars above the East River or the nearby Brooklyn Heights neighborhood, is a surprisingly unexpected treat: a delightful, warm, and relatable musical that leaves a lingering impression.

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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.

FROM UP HERE

Written by Aaron Lee Lambert

Developed by Perfect Pitch with Adam Day Howard, Benjamin Murray and Adrianne Salmon

Directed by Frank Foster

Musical Direction by Leilani Fenick

Cast

Doug Schneider as Henry

Elise Cumbia as Emily

Erik DeMario as Dan

Alanna Wilson as Jill

Aaron Hoffman as Alan

Creative Design Team

Written by Aaron Lee Lambert

Direction & Scenic Design by Frank Foster

Musical Direction by Leilani Fenick

Stage Management by Matthew Geniesse

Lighting Design by Weston Corey

Costumes by in:commonthreads

Set Painting by Amy Sullivan

Light Board Operation: Jordan Rypkema

Box Office/House Manager: Vickie L. Scallion

Piano: Leilani Fenick

Violin: Kristin Presley

Dates

March 2-15, 2024

Ticket Information

Ticket Prices: $30 General Admission. $25 Seniors/Students/Military. $20 Youth

Info: 804-343-6364 or https://hattheatre.org

Run Time

Approximately 70 minutes, with no intermission

Photo Credits: N/A

“I Smile for the People ‘Cause I Like to See Them Smiling Back”

and I Think to Myself, What a Wonderful World*

A Theater Review by Julinda D. Lewis

By: Virginia Repertory Theatre (Virginia Rep)

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

When: March 1 – April 7, 2024

Ticket Prices: $39-$59.

Info: (804) 282-2620 orwww.virginiarep.org

I see trees of green
Red roses too
I see them bloom
For me and you
And I think to myself
What a wonderful world

American trumpeter, vocalist, and jazz innovator Louis Armstrong died in New York City, July 6, 1971 at age 69 of a heart attack. Terry Teachout’s one-man play, SATCHMO AT THE WALDORF (2012),is a work of historical fiction set in a comfortably appointed dressing room at the Waldorf Astoria’s Empire Room a few months before Armstrong’s death. The VaRep production features Jerold E. Solomon, who catches us off-guard in the first 30 seconds of the play by (a) stumbling into the dressing room and heading straight for an oxygen tank, (b) speaking in an amazingly accurate approximation of Armstrong’s gravelly voice, and (c) immediately announcing, “I sh*t my pants.”

Although it is a work of fiction, SATCHMO AT THE WALDORF has so much historical truth that it is an educational experience. We learn of Armstrong’s four wives and how he finally got it right with his fourth wife, Lucille – the first dark-skinned Black woman hired by Harlem’s Cotton Club. We share the outrage when he talks about traveling in the south during the era of Jim Crow segregation when even internationally known starts like Armstrong could not stay in a hotel or eat in a restaurant. We hear about Armstrong’s long-tern symbiotic relationship with his manager, Joe Glaser, and the heartache the followed when all Glaser left him on his death – his best friend and client/business partner – was a “tip.” There was a time spent working for the notorious crime boss Al Capone. He had beef with jazz trumpeter and bandleader Dizzie Gillespie and unpleasant rivalry with the influential jazz trumpeter and bandleader Miles Davis, who called him an Uncle Tom. We learn of Armstrong’s wide-ranging and eclectic interest in multiple music genres, including classical, opera, and country.

I see skies of blue
And clouds of white
The bright blessed day
The dark sacred night
And I think to myself
What a wonderful world

Solomon arrives onstage carrying a trumpet, which he immediately places in its case. He does not attempt to play or portray trumpet playing, nor does he sing, although he does toss off a little scatting. Solomon’s depiction of Armstrong’s voice is unwavering and I kept wondering if it was painful. But wait, that’s not all. When portraying Glaser, Solomon seamlessly shifts to a stereotypical New York Jewish accent without missing a beat. The portrayals of the outspoken Davis are less outstanding – although I think the reason lies less with Solomon than with the script. For someone known to be so outspoken and independent, Davis is written as a flat, uni-dimensional.

The colors of the rainbow
So pretty in the sky
Are also on the faces
Of people going by
I see friends shaking hands
Saying, “How do you do?”
They’re really saying
I love you

Mercedes Schaum’s set is sturdy and well appointed with a makeup area, a lounge area, two carpets, a wardrobe, an offstage bathroom and all the amenities one would expect from an exclusive venue located in a five-star hotel. Joe Doran’s lighting is mostly non-descript, but occasionally reaches for some noteworthy effects. I was surprised by the short audience on a Saturday night, the second night of the run. I’m not sure if this was due to a lack of interest in the subject matter or to the political activity occurring in the nearby downtown area, or to the 7PM curtain, or the fact that this play is a one-hander (rare for a VaRep mainstage production), or a combination of factors. Granted, Louis Armstrong may not be everyone’s cup of tea, and – as I found out shortly after the show – not everyone knows that Satchmo, a contraction of Satchel Mouth, was one Armstrong’s nicknames.

I hear babies cry
I watch them grow
They’ll learn much more
Than I’ll ever know
And I think to myself
What a wonderful world
Yes, I think to myself
What a wonderful world
Ooh, yes

I, for one, thoroughly enjoyed Solomon’s performance and the impromptu history lesson of Satchmo at the Waldorf – it appealed to my artsy side and my nerdy side. What a wonderful combination.

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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.

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SATCHMO AT THE WALDORF

Written by Terry Teachout

Directed by Rick Hammerly

Cast

Louis Armstrong/Joe Glaser/Miles Davis ………. Jerold E. Solomon

u/s Louis Armstrong/Joe Glaser/Miles Davis ………. David Watkins

Direction & Design

Direction …………………………. Rick Hammerly

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

Costume Design ………………… Sue Griffin

Lighting Design …………..……… Joe Doran

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

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

Ticket Information

Box Office: (804) 282-2620

www.virginiarep.org

Tickets range from $39 – $59

Run Time

The play runs for approximately 95 minutes; there is no intermission.

Lyrics to “It’s a Wonderful World”

Source:LyricFind

Songwriters: George David Weiss & Robert Thiele

“What a Wonderful World” lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Concord Music Publishing LLC

Photo Credits: Aaron Sutten

Find the Happy in That!

A Comedy by Joe DiPietro

A Theater Review by Julinda D. Lewis

Presented by CAT – Chamberlayne Actor’s Theatre

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

Performances: February 23 – March 9. 2024

Ticket Prices: $24.00 General Admission. $22.00 Seniors

Info: http://www.cattheatre.com

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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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.

CLEVER LITTLE LIES

Written by Joe DiPietro

Directed by Zachary Owen

Cast

Scott Gorka as Bill Sr

Austen Linder as Billy

Amy Berlin as Alice

Michelle Lachapelle as Jane

Creative Design Team

CAT Producer – Charles A Wax

Associate Producers – Kerrigan Sullivan and Jason Owens

HAAC Executive Director – Sara Wright-Holloway

Director – Zachary Owen

Rehearsal Stage Manager – Sue Howells

Production Stage Manager – Becki Jones

Lighting Design – Alan Armstrong

Scenic Design – Scott Bergman

Costume Design – Sheila Russ

Sound Design – Charles A Wax

Dates

February 23 – March 9, 2024

Ticket Information

www.cattheatre.com

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

Run Time

Approximately 90 minutes, with no intermission

Photo Credits: Daryll Morgan Studios