Fist to the Heart

As I flip through the pages of Hope Whitby's Traveling the River: poems, the sunlight is streaming through my window reflecting a perfect rainbow across the pages of the book. And just like that, with "a fist to the heart," Whitby has snaked her way into the river of my heart. With exquisite words and an even more exquisite spirit, Traveling the River is a slow amble through the terrain of the heart of a strong and brave woman. A poet.

I also discovered that Ms. Whitby is my soul sister. In her poems, she fantasizes about meeting Hemingway, one of my favorite authors. She pays homage to my favorite poet in "Reading Neruda On Top of Afton Mountain," and the effect of listening to Nina Simone, my go-to blues singer, is captured to perfection in "Nina Simone, Sing Me My Blues."

I'm in love with Whitby's haiku poems that capture the beauty of the natural world:

no two are alike
swirling sea of March snowflakes
daffodils protest.

Did I mentioned that daffodils are my totem flower? Another sign that Whitby is a soul sister.

And enthralled with her ability to capture the ordinary, as in "Apartment 1C Haiku":

Insomnia
up for no reason
my chihuahua snores softly
sleepless in RVA

And envious of the way in which she has transformed her pain - physical and spiritual - into an ode to second chances.

"Blessed is the voice that sculpts words," she writes.
"with poetry, I plant perennials of love."

Whitby is a reader and a lover of words. She is nourished and inspired by them. And those who will travel the Nottoway river with this beautiful poet will be equally nourished and inspired by her perennials of love.

Support local artists. Purchase a copy of Traveling the River here

It's Piping Hot!

Pies aren't the only thing in town that are piping hot. TheatreLab's The Basement - the "shape shifting" space of Broad Street - is on fire through March 16 with its sensational production of Sweeney Todd.

Sweeney Todd is my husband's second favorite musical. He approached Theatre Lab's production of his beloved musical with guarded enthusiasm. I'm less familiar with the classic Stephen Sondheim musical. We both left the show feeling we'd been transported to Fleet Street. The atmosphere in The Basement was electrifying. And I couldn't help but feel a shiver down my spine as we left the building. Was someone lurking in the shadows?

What's even better than a full live orchestra playing from a pit underneath the stage? A piano (John-Stuart Fauquet) and a violin (Marissa Resmini) - staged as part of the set - playing exquisite, eerie music.

And the voices. Every single one. Superb.

Alexander Sapp was so convincing as the titular character that I'm afraid to run into him in a dark alley. No way I'd let him shave my hair.

Photo by Tom Topinka

And Bianca Bryan as Mrs. Lovett was fierce and fiery, and sexy as hell. I'll take the piccolo player and the priest.

Photo by Tom Topinka



The rest of the cast was exceptional as well. Matt Polson (as Anthony Pope), Mallory Keene (as Johanna), William Anderson (as Judge Turpin), Kelsey Cordrey (as Beadle Bamford, Audra Honaker (as Beggar Woman/Pirelli) and Matt Shofner (as Tobias Ragg) lent powerful acting and voices to the leads for an ensemble performance that earned every minute of the spontaneous and enthusiastic standing ovation.

Sweeney Todd is now my favorite musical I've seen in Richmond. And my husband went twice.

Bravo to Deejay Gray and the production team (JS Fauquet, Michael Jarett, Ruth Hedberg, Joey Luck, Connor Scudder, Maggie Bavolack, Addie Barnhart, Tom Topinka, Destiny Martinez and Breezy Potter) for a fresh, sizzling take on a classic tale.

It's no surprise that the show is sold out. You might just have to kill  to get a ticket. I hear theatre patrons are quite tasty.

Once Upon a Time

Once upon a time there was a guy and a girl,  a broken Hoover vacuum and a broken heart.

Circumstances converge and the despairing Irish musician (Ken Allen Neely) and full-of-life Czech immigrant (Katherine Fried) form a special kind of alchemy. With nothing but their love of music in common, they share a five-day friendship cum impossible romance. The result of their whirlwind collaboration is a demo CD and memories of their rare, serendipitous encounter. Thank God for broken Hoovers.

This collaboration was brought to life by Virginia Rep with direction and choreography by Artistic Director Nathaniel Shaw. And it is nothing short of magical.

Once is a Tony Award winning musical based on the movie written and directed by John Carney. The score is based on music and lyrics by Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova.

Neely and Fried are exceptional in their roles. And so are the ensemble musicians. The choreography is terrific throughout and even the choreographed set changes are beautiful and moving.

Photo by Jay Paul

This "jukebox" musical is seamlessly told. The interplay between the ensemble and the score as they bring to life Hansard and Irglova's emotional, gut-wrenching melodies and lyrics is a joy to watch. With gorgeous costumes, and a creative set, VA Rep's Once is a home run on all counts, from beginning to end.

Photo by Jay Paul 

We are accustomed to, even long for our heroes and heroines to live happily ever after. But life is so much more complicated and nuanced. And though the guy and girl's fated meeting is a brief blip in time, the results of this one-in-a-million chance encounter remain in our hearts.

Once is a not-to-be missed crowd-pleasing show that will leave you breathless and reminiscing on our own once-in-a-lifetime moments.

Once continues at November Theatre's Arenstein Stage through March 3, 2019. Click on this link for tickets.

Keeping it Relevant

Plague stricken Thebes is in chaos. Citizens demand that king Oedipus (dl Hopkins) do something about it. Oedipus's brother-in-law Kreon (R.O. Crews) delivers a message from the oracle of Delphi- - - the plague will cease when the murder of Laius - former king of Thebes - is avenged. Oedipus vows to find the murderer. 

And we know the rest. Was it his fate to kill his father King Laius and wed his mother Jacosta (Patricia Alli)? Or was it self-fulfilling prophecy? Oedipus heard the prophecy, believed it, and fulfilled it. Could he have changed course?

Textbooks have been written about the answer to that question. And Oedipus Rex, considered by many to be Sophocles' masterpiece, has been dissected, analyzed, debated by high school and college students ad nauseum. 

So how do you keep Sophocles' masterpiece relevant? Director Vinnie Gonzales sets the drama in 1920s South with wisdom (the moral) imparted by a fire and brimstone preacher (Jeremy V. Morris) and a chorus of gospel singers (Shantell Dunnaville, Shalimar Hickman Fields, and Shalandis Wheeler Smith) providing inspiration.  

Gonzalez shows that it doesn't really matter that Oedipus was written more than two thousand years years.  Its themes - incest, betrayal, state power, fate v. self-determination, hubris are timeless and universal. 

In fact, the heart of the Oedipus narrative seems to be playing out in our own government. Think of the White House as the castle and Mr. Trump the tyrannical king. Not such a stretch.

Firehouse Theatre's Oedipus under Gonzalez's strong direction, offers across-the-board top-notch performances - particularly by Morris who is the embodiment of the Southern preacher; from intonation and cadence in his oratory, to the foot stomping, hand-waving nuances of the physicality of a charismatic preacher. Yes, Morris, I do believe!

Oedipus, a gospel myth offers one of the finest endings I've seen in quite some time. I still get chills thinking about it.

Niomi Kaiser's costumes are spot-on; a perfect blend of ancient and early 20th century Southern garb. 

The play is fodder for conversation. Why do we as human beings have this capacity for evil? Is it a deficit of human nature or a consequence of our social systems and power structures? These questions are just as relevant in 2019 as they were in Ancient Greece. 

Oedipus, a gospel myth continues at Firehouse Theatre through February 23, 2019 (my 49th birthday). For tickets visit: https://oedipusgospelmyth.brownpapertickets.com/.

Care Out Loud

For how many of us is the act of stepping outside to the mailbox an act of courage?

I sometimes walk down to our front gate in my pajamas and hope the neighbors don't see me. But that is an act of privilege not bravery.

Not many.

I had the honor and privilege to attend Richmond Triangle Players' production of Trans Scripts, Part 1: The Women and even serve as a guest moderator for the talkback following the performance. I was nervous, sure, but brave . . . not really.

Courage is stepping out the door as your authentic self knowing much of the world fears, misunderstands, even hates you. For many trans women stepping out the door can literally be a matter of life and death. 

Playwright Paul Lucas spent five years conducting interviews with trans women and men. His interviews have been edited into this beautiful play which won several awards at the 2015 Edinburgh Fringe Festival. Lucas is currently working on transforming his interviews with the men into Trans Scripts, Part II: The Men.

Co-directors Melissa Rayford and Keri Wormald crafted the stories of Josephine (Mario Bernier), Luna (Vita Cleveland), Eden (Alex Davila), Tatiana (Eden Lane), Zakia (Zakia McKensey), Violet (Boomie Pedersen) and Sandra (Michael Stailey) with care and sensitivity. 

Bravo to the actors who held space for these women's stories with integrity and love. Bravo to the actors who step out in courage in their own daily lives as trans women. And Bravo to the creative team for making sure the show was performed by trans women. 

Representation matters.

Kudos to Richmond Triangle Players for producing this important piece of theatrical activism. Those of us in the audience are better for it. Provocative and moving, the play was also a call to action to put our "Ally" buttons where our mouth is. 

I was struck by the diversity of the audience. There were more people of color and colors of our rainbow represented than any show I can remember. 

Representation matters.

It is human nature to categorize and homogenize. One of the play's most important messages is that there is no single trans narrative. Trans women have rich, essential, personal stories uniquely their own. During the talkback Vita Cleveland, in response to a question asking what the commonalities were among trans women, answered "Death and oppression." Bam. 

Another audience member took the opportunity to commend the women, their bravery and remind them that they were beautiful. And to say essentially (and I'm paraphrasing) that she just wants people to get along. Something along the lines of "if you are nice to me and care about me and my family, I'm happy to care about you and the people you love." One of my favorite moments of the entire evening came in Cleveland's response . . . "THEN CARE OUT LOUD!"

It really isn't enough to forward a meme or two on Facebook showing your support. We need to care when it isn't convenient; when it might even cost us something. Care in the ballot box. Care when you see a trans sister being bullied or worse. Inaction in the moment, but condemning it later over social media is not caring.

Care out loud. 

Trans Scripts was presented with the support of Diversity Richmond with proceeds benefitting Nationz Foundation, a non-profit providing "education and information related to HIV prevention and overall health and wellness. Nationz Foundatin "inspires the community to take responsibility for their health; and works towards a more inclusive Central Virginia for LGBTQIA+ identified individuals."

Who Knew?

Who knew that one of the most popular Shakespearean actors of the mid-late 1800s was an African-American man who performed throughout the world? I hadn't heard of New York born Ira Frederick Aldridge until I attended Red Velvet. And that's a shame. Evidence of how education can be white-washed leaving gaping holes in even a solid liberal arts education.

Fortunately, Quill Theatre's official entry into the 2019 "Acts of Faith Festival" helps fill that knowledge deficit; just one of the reasons theatre is so important to a well-rounded education.

Red Velvet by playwright Lolita Chakrabarti is the story of Ira Aldridge and the price of being a black actor in the mid-1800s. Facing discrimination in the United States, Aldridge emigrated to England and built his impressive career throughout Europe. In Europe too, however, Aldridge faced suspicion and prejudice. He paid a heavy emotional price for his celebrity.

While Red Velvet is not specifically a play about religious faith, Artistic Director James Ricks writes "You don't have to be a history professor to recognize that for an African-American man to pursue this course at this particular point in history is in itself an act of faith . . . "

Red Velvet is an essay on theatre and history and the courage of one man to pursue his dream against all odds.

Against the backdrop of public riots in the streets of London over the abolition of slavery, Ira Aldridge (Jamar Jones) steps in to the lead role in Othello after the great Shakespearean actor Edmund Kean has collapsed on stage. The replacement is met with fury by Kean's son, Charles (Cole Metz), who believes the role should be his by birthright. The rest of the cast is bewildered at best. They question director Pierre LaPorte's (Eddie Webster) judgment in making such a controversial choice.

Even the servant Connie (Desiree Dabney), also black, keeps her distance and is skeptical of Mr. Aldridge.

The entire ensemble's performance was strong. I particularly enjoyed Jamar Jones' transition to King Lear toward the end of his career. Webster's performance as LaPorte was also strong - subtle and nuanced. And as a native German speaker, I give a special shout out to Stevie Rice (Casimir/Henry) and Rachel Dilliplane (Halina/Betty/Margaret). I'm not always able to understand when actors attempt to speak German, but I understood every word.

The heart of the play is the interaction of the cast and Mr. Aldridge as they wrestle with their prejudices. The genuine on-stage connection between Aldridge and actress Ellen Tree (Frances Saxton) proves particularly vexing to the sensibilities of the more proper cast members.

Ricks' choice for the "Acts of Faith Festival" is unexpected. And it works. Theatre ought to educate, and I admire his choice to broaden the definition of faith.

Quill's production of Red Velvet is a thoughtful and relevant reflection of the importance of theatre in continuing to break new ground - then and now.

Performances continue through February 9, 2019 at Dominion Energy Center's Libby S. Gottwald Playhouse.  For tickets call 804.340.0115.804.340.0115

Talk is Cheap

Talk Radio, the brain child of playwright Eric Bogosian and Tad Savinar was originally staged off-Broadway in 1987 at The Public Theatre and starred Bogosian himself as Barry Champlain, the caustic, sarcastic and downright cruel late night shock jock. The play has since appeared on Broadway and been made into a film by Oliver Stone. 

With the advent of social media and forums like Facebook and Twitter where anonymous cruelty has been elevated to an art form, it is hard to imagine that 32 years later Talk Radio would still be as relevant.

But talk is cheaper than therapy. And people are still drawn to train wrecks.

5th Wall Theatre's production of Talk Radio, directed by Morrie Piersol, stars Scott Wichmann as Barry Champlain. And Wichmann steals the show. He IS the show. Which is not to diminish the performances of the supporting cast. But Wichmann commands the stage and the airways. His interaction with the unseen callers (Darrelle Brown, George Dippold, Chandler Hubbard, Gina McKenzie, John Mincks, and Paige Reisenfeld) provides the heart of the show. Just like actual late night talk radio, there is no show without the faceless callers addicted to abuse at the hands of the shock jocks.

TJ Spencieri's strong set design highlight's Champlain's dominance while diminishing the roles of the team around him. Some of the most effective scenes show the team frantically reacting to something that Champlain has said - you can see but not hear them behind the glass partition.

The sound design by Roger Price is also strong. It's easy to sit back in the audience and imagine you are on a long road trip in the middle of the night listening to desperate callers pouring out their hearts just to be verbally assaulted by the shock jocks they seem to idolize.

I've been on those road trips, and tuned in to the late night shows. It's mesmerizing in the same way that motorists slow down to gawk at a terrible wreck.

The action takes place just as Champlain's show is about to go into national syndication. Producer Dan Woodruff (Chandler Hubbard) has asked Champlain to tone it down a bit prompting Champlain to be even more outrageous. The action is phrenetic; Champlain smokes, drinks, swears, and carries on multiple conversations both with his unseen callers and the production team supporting him.

And it isn't just the callers who suffer Champlain's wrath. Stu Noonan (PJ Freebourn), the loyal tech who screens Champlain's calls is equally abused by the man he idolizes. And so is Champlain's assistant and sometimes lover, Linda Macarthur (Haliya Roberts). We get insight into the off-air, private Champlain through moving monologues delivered by Stu and Linda. 

The action is at its most intense when Kent (John Mincks) calls in reporting his girlfriend has possibly overdosed and may be dying. Champlain treats Kent with the same in-your-face, insulting disregard as he does the other "pathetic souls" who call in their fears, anxieties, prejudices, and loneliness.

And while the listeners generally relish the verbal battles, they call in to the station to express their concern for the safety of the girlfriend. Champlain takes the shock level up a notch by inviting Kent to come to the station and get on the air with him. The on-air interaction with Champlain and Kent is fascinating. Mincks charges the stage and offers one of the shows most memorable moments.

The show (and the station's programming) is bookended with Sidney Greenberg (Darrelle Brown) a loquacious tax advisor promoting a mortgage scheme and Dr. Susan Fleming (Gina Maria McKenzie) a soft-spoken psychologist who gives the play a serene conclusion.

Talk Radio is a lively and thought-provoking and Wichmann is mesmerizing. I could listen to him for another 32 years. But Talk Radio will be off-air after January 26, 2019. Tickets are available through 5th Wall Theatre at: https://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/3921247. The show is being performed at The Basement (300 East Broad Street, Richmond, VA 23219).

My How Time's Have Changed?

It's been almost 140-years since Henrik Ibsen wrote A Doll's House. As I write this  review, we are just a week away from the 139th anniversary of the play's premier at The Royal Theatre in Copenhagen, Denmark. My how time's have changed. Or have they?

I admit I was a bit perplexed when I learned that TheatreLab, Richmond's "home of unexpected and evocative performance" was producing a play more than a century old. Even more perplexed knowing that TheatreLab's 2018/2019 season is "In Pursuit of Happiness."

Controversial, sure, but there's not much happy about A Doll's House.

We all know what happens when we make assumptions. I was wrong, of course. Director Joshua Chenard convinced me that Ibsen's work is just as relevant today as it was all those years ago. 

The plot could have been ripped from the #MeToo headlines. 

Nora Helmer (Katrinah Carol Lewis) and her husband Torvald (Landon Nagel) have, by all appearances, an ideal marriage. Torvald is devoted, they have a child, and Nora is able to use her wiles to get anything she wants. 

For a 19th-century woman, she had it all. But Nora is not a typical woman of her time. The more she realizes she is just a doll in her husband's house - something to show off, play with and dress up - the more she recognizes she is an actor playing a script that has been predestined for her. Her brave, dramatic choice - to walk away from her marriage and child - was hugely controversial when the play was originally performed.

And it is just as brave and dramatic in 2018 when women are still fighting for equality, are often still viewed as objects to be possessed, and where the decision to walk away from a marriage and children - something that is accepted when it's the man who does the leaving - is still controversial. The time's haven't changed as much as we think.

I loved everything about TheatreLab's production of A Doll's House. 

The set was a facade of a set. The doors and walls and objects are depicted in black marker, as if to say - the dining room is *supposed* to be here, the plants *should* go right here, and the floor boards and ceilings *ought* to be ornamental. 

Photo credit: Tom Topinka

The entire cast is solid. Nora's childhood friend, Kristine Linde (Amber Marie Martinez) delivers a subtle, nuanced performance as a single woman reluctantly turning to Nora's aid in search of a job.  

Anna (Jocelyn Honore) hops to her masters' commands - always present to fulfill a whim, handle a crisis, and play mother to the Torvald's son, Jon. Her performance is steady and reassuring. 

Nils Krogstad (Axle Burtness) is convincing as Torvald's bank employee, a down-on-his-luck father with questionable scruples. 

The child, Jon (Faris Alexander Martinez)'s performance bespoke the "children should be seen and not heard" sentiment of the time. 

Todd Patterson played the crusty, disabled Doctor Rank - the couples' closest friend - with great skill and precision. When he finally reveals his feelings to Nora, the audience absorbs his pain at the rejection.

Landon Nagel's Torvald Helmer was exceptional. Tender, menacing, cowardly, and domineering. The facility with which he went from impassioned lover to outraged husband was fascinating to watch.

But oh my god! Katrinah Carol Lewis *became* Nora. I was completely drawn into her exquisite performance. From facial expressions, to hand gestures, to the way she walked I was watching a woman in an unhappy marriage trying to convince herself she was living the life she wanted. I agonized watching her squirm from Torvald - not wanting his touch but needing to use her cunning to get him to succumb to her will. 

TheatreLab you have done it again. It is days later and I'm still thinking about A Doll's House and how very relevant Ibsen is even today. We think that courage has to look spectacular - Dr. Christine Blasey Ford testifying during the hearings for then Supreme Court Nominee Brett Kavanuagh. We think it has to send ripple waves throughout the country - the dozens of women confronting Harvey Weinstein's predatory behavior.

But Nora reminds us that sometimes the most courageous act you can perform is to look at your sham of a life and decide you are worthy of more. When the door slams and the play ends, we know that Nora is redefining what it means to be a woman - as more than just wife and mother and doll - and we know what an act of triumph it is for women everywhere. 

Sometimes the pursuit of happiness is a revolutionary act.

In addition to the stellar cast, kudos belong to the entire production team: 

Direction by Josh Chenard

Scenic Design by Chris Raintree

Lighting Design by Erin Barclay 

Costume Design by Ruth Hedberg 

Sound Design by Josh Chenard 

Properties Design by Connor Scudder

Assistant Direction by Drewe Goldstein

Production Stage Management by Breezy Potter.

A Doll's House continues through Saturday December 22 2018. 

For tickets visit: https://tlab-internet.choicecrm.net/templates/TLAB/#/events

NORA HEL

THE TEAM

Tora

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Direction by

Fun for the Whole Family

Looking for a fun, theatrical event that's fit for the whole family?  The Whistle Stop Theatre's production of The Little Match Girl is well worth the trip to the Hanover Arts and Activity Center in Ashland, VA.

Director and Playwright Louise Ricks brings to life Hans Christian Anderson's classic fairytale in a way that retains its darker, moralistic tone while still being a delight for younger children.

The story is familiar - a poor young girl supports her family by selling matches. Sales are slow and the Little Match Girl and Gerda, her cat and only companion, are cold. The townsfolk ignore and avoid her as they go about their daily lives. Unable to sell a single match, she chances her father's punishment and three times lights a match. As the fire warms her and she drifts to sleep, her hopes and dreams come to her in visions. Upon lighting the last match, she envisions her beloved Babushka. Falling into a permanent sleep, she and Babushka are forever reunited. The townspeople, finding the Little Match Girl frozen with a smile on her face, belatedly find compassion for the girl.

Ziona Tucker is sweet and compelling as the titular character. And her sidekick Gerda the Cat played by Caroline Beals is perfectly charming. Beals' furrowed brows and cat-like hand gestures are delightful. I giggled every time she meowed.

Louise Ricks Photography 

The familiar story is bitter sweet. However, while the theme of death is clear to adults and more mature children, the younger ones won't pick up on it. There is plenty of on-stage action that is whimsical and perfect for younger children. The little boy sitting in front of me squealed in delight each time Annie Zanetti appeared. Zanetti is as terrific physical actress, and she brought her characters, particularly Babushka- to life with zany facial expressions and creatively choreographed movement. 

Each adult cast member plays several characters. Shalandis Wheeler Smith portrayal of an elderly townsperson made kids and adults laugh out loud. Marcos Martinez, Walter Riddle and Justin Sisk round out the adult actors, and all provide strong, enthusiastic performances appropriate for the audience. 

Prudence Reynolds (CHILD) has so much sass and poise, and a commanding presence.

Louise Ricks Photography 

The audience sits in the round as the action takes place all around. There are few props; the cold wind and lit flames are portrayed by the actors through voice and whimsical choreography. Some of the story's finer points are told through facial expression alone, and each cast member uses those expressions to great effect.

Kudos to stage manager Jordan Lively, and to Sarah Rose Wilkinson for music direction.

Seeing The Little Match Girl was a charming way to spend a rainy Saturday evening.

To purchase tickets visit: https://whistlestoptheatre.weebly.com/purchase-tickets.html