In the electric and perpetually sincere terrain of Richmond’s theatre culture, there are institutions that do more than merely reside, they lead. They serve as a measure of our city's potential beyond its natural aspirations. I've witnessed Firehouse Theatre inhabit...
Once again, a trip to the Firehouse Theatre has found a way to send me home with a boiling pit of emotions churning in my gut and fiery rants on the tips of my fingers. Art is made to provoke, not to placate, and this is what I signed up for. SMOKE, the current exhibition taunting audiences at the corner of Lombardy and Broad, was produced by...
A horror-comedy about America’s favorite pastime—looking the other way. It starts with a wedding on a mountaintop. A shiny McMansion. Fancy coffee. Everyone posting the perfect angle of their happiness. But something’s off—and no one wants to talk about it. Produced by Cadence and opening tomorrow at Firehouse Theatre, SMOKE is a new...
Richmond’s own Black VA Theatre Alliance brings this month’s second outing of a Dominique Morrisseau play to a local stage, following Firehouse Theatre’s excellent production of Detroit 67. Like Detroit 67, Sunset Baby explores the living room dramas that persist against the backdrop of social unrest, activism, and disenfranchisement. We are...
I flew in under the wire to catch 5th Wall Theatre’s final performance of Martyna Majok’s Sanctuary City at Richmond Triangle Players' impressive stage in Scott’s Addition. This play is a curious hybrid, a bifurcated cryptid if you will, as its first and second acts are paced in startling opposition to each other. The play begins in time-lapse...
I’ve given up on trying to write reviews of plays I see at the Firehouse Theatre immediately after leaving the show. Maybe I’m slow, but there is always so much to process that “sleeping on it” is the only way I’m going to unpack the turmoil they’ve left me with as I walk out the door.Detroit '67, currently showing, is no exception. The Firehouse...
If English is your first language and you own at least 100 books, I’d lay even odds that one of them is the Complete Works of William Shakespeare. Even if you’ve never read it. Shakespeare’s kung fu grip on the GOAT trophy is impressive for its 400-year title retention and his distant-as-all-hell competition in the rearview. When someone gets to...
A Year of Magical Thinking—or Rather Dancing (Self Care for Black Men) How does self-care show up for you, especially in the wake of January 20, 2025? As we witness rollbacks in DEI initiatives and shifts in race relations, it seems that external affirmation is becoming harder to find. More than ever, it must come from within. For me,...
When MJ The Musical hit the Altria Theater on Tuesday night, Richmond showed up. A packed house, fans rocking single sequined gloves—yeah, the energy was Thrilling (pun intended). As an ‘80s kid, walking into that kind of atmosphere was electric. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qJk6sgZPP4c The show revolves around Michael...
If you haven’t heard of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory yet, you’re missing out on a childhood classic that has stood the test of time. Roald Dahl’s unforgettable story of Willy Wonka and his magical chocolate factory has captivated generations through its book, movies, and stage productions. The latest version, now playing at Virginia Rep,...
