The Importance of Being Ernest has been on my radar since I was 13, when my beloved Morrissey mentioned Oscar Wilde in an interview. (Mind you, this was long before Morrissey’s far-right weirdo rants.) As a massive fan of the arch, wry, witty lyrics of the Smiths and...
The energy from The Garage open house, held a few weeks ago. Nestled on the edge of Scott's Addition, this community hub thrives as a creative space for performance and production. Captured moments by Mike Avey showcase the dynamic atmosphere and artistic spirit.
So, I finally got to see one of my favorite plays of all time (and the subject of a thesis I wrote in another lifetime), Dr. Faustus by Christopher Marlowe at Agecroft Hall, staged by the crown jewel of Richmond Summer Stock companies, Richmond Shakespeare. I say finally, because there’s a cost to producing outdoor shows in the humid South. Last...
Puppets have long been used as a storytelling device across multiple platforms. A Christmas Carol, various childhood franchises from the '80s and '90s, and now even… Cthulhu? This week, the classic H.P. Lovecraft story comes to life in the form of a musical with puppets. Based in Ashland, Oregon, the theater troupe Puppeteers for Fears is a...
One of my favorite feelings when leaving a theater is to be so confused about whether or not I liked the thing or not that I obsess over it for the next two days. Well, that’s me right now. I think I’ve finally processed my thoughts. First, let’s set the scene and tell you what I’m on about. The Yes! And Theater Company, with Katrinah Carol...
Close to a million years ago, I went to Douglas Freeman High School. Laine Satterfield of Cadence and all of its many, many educational and community offerings, was a classmate. This elegant dancer whom I totally didn’t have a massive crush on graduated ahead of me and disappeared into the footlights of New York City stages. I admired her to no...
Hello reader! The weekend of June 6-8th, Richmond is set to erupt in laughter with the 2nd Best Comedy Fest, featuring a dazzling array of talent from major comedy hubs like LA, Chicago, New York, and beyond. Taking place at the Coalition Theater and The Basement, the festival spans three days packed with improv, sketch, and stand-up comedy....
The French-derived phrase “roman à clef” refers to a story in which characters, places, and events stand in for specific avatars in the real world. Think of Hamlet's play in, well, Hamlet, where the action not so subtly mimics the actions of his traitorous uncle and mother against his doomed King. The reaction is the thing. It’s a device meant to...
I have fully adopted the mantle of theater nerd since I’ve been back in Richmond. I’ve always been one, but companies like Virginia Repertory Theatre and their satellite collaborations have really reignited a passion that started the first time I put on leggings and spoke in verse onstage—I was 12. I take opportunities to talk to the artists who...
I caught Richmond Shakespeare’s, Jase Sullivan-directed, Into the Woods, mid-run at the Cramer Center for the Arts deep in the West End last night. After a long week doing much less enjoyable things, a nice, light musical in a beautiful theater sounded just right. I clearly had forgotten much of what I thought I remembered from catching the 1991...
