Posted by Bruce Miller
Here are the highlights of what’s happening at Barksdale Theatre and Theatre IV this week.
Sunday, Sept 30:
in performance -
The Member of the Wedding (Willow Lawn - 2 pm)
Deathtrap (Hanover Tavern - 2 pm)
Monday, Oct 1:
in performance -
Hugs and Kisses (Richmond schools)
Tales as Tall as the Sky (Waynesboro schools)
The True Story of Pocahontas (Hanover schools)
in rehearsal -
Jack and the Beanstalk (tour)
The Legend of Sleepy Hollow (tour)
The Song of Mulan (tour)
Stuart Little (Empire – Family Playhouse)
class -
St. Andrew’s School
Tuesday, Oct 2:
in performance -
Hugs and Kisses (Richmond schools)
Tales as Tall as the Sky (Halifax schools)
The True Story of Pocahontas (Prince William schools)
in rehearsal -
Jack and the Beanstalk (tour)
The Legend of Sleepy Hollow (tour)
The Song of Mulan (tour)
Stuart Little (Empire – Family Playhouse)
Wednesday, Oct 3:
in performance -
The Member of the Wedding (Willow Lawn - 2 pm and 8 pm)
Deathtrap (Hanover Tavern - 8 pm)
Hugs and Kisses (Bon Air Presbyterian - 7 pm)
Hugs and Kisses (New Kent schools)
Tales as Tall as the Sky (Patrick schools)
The True Story of Pocahontas (Bridgewater College)
in rehearsal -
Jack and the Beanstalk (tour)
The Legend of Sleepy Hollow (tour)
The Song of Mulan (tour)
Stuart Little (Empire – Family Playhouse)
meeting -
Bright Lights High School Internship Program
Oliver Hill Project
Thursday, Oct 4:
in performance -
The Member of the Wedding (Willow Lawn - 8 pm)
Deathtrap (Hanover Tavern - 8 pm)
Hugs and Kisses (St Catherine's and Richmond school)
The Legend of Sleepy Hollow (Rockbridge schools)
The True Story of Pocahontas (Danville schools)
in rehearsal -
Jack and the Beanstalk (tour)
The Song of Mulan (tour)
Stuart Little (Empire - Family Playhouse)
Friday, Oct 5:
in performance -
The Member of the Wedding (Willow Lawn - 8 pm)
Deathtrap (Hanover Tavern - 8 pm)
Stuart Little (Empire Theatre - 10:30 am)
Hugs and Kisses (Hanover schools)
Jack and the Beanstalk (St Michael's and Chesterfield school)
The Legend of Sleepy Hollow (Campbell schools)
Tales as Tall as the Sky (Campbell schools)
The True Story of Pocahontas (Willett Hall - Portsmouth)
in rehearsal -
The Song of Mulan (tour)
event -
First Friday - (Empire - all evening)
Saturday, Oct 6:
in performance -
The Member of the Wedding (Willow Lawn - 8 pm)
Deathtrap (Hanover Tavern - 8 pm)
Stuart Little (Empire Theatre - 3 pm and 7 pm)
Sunday, Oct 7:
in performance -
The Member of the Wedding (Willow Lawn - 2 pm)
Deathtrap (Hanover Tavern - 2 pm)
Stuart Little (Empire Theatre - 2 pm)
See you at the theatre!
--Bruce Miller
Saturday, September 29, 2007
Thursday, September 27, 2007
Barksdale on Air
Posted by Jessica Daugherty
The video currently gracing the top of our homepage is a new Barksdale television commercial produced by NBC 12's Joel Traylor, who worked with our Marketing Director, Sara Marsden and Marketing Assistant, Catherine Dudley. Look for it to air on Channel 12 beginning on Friday, September 28.
Barksdale theatre-goers will recognize several familiar faces from past productions, and the clip ends with the incomparable Ford Flannagan - an accomplished actor, and Theatre IV's Company Manager for many years. He casts all those touring actors that Bruce has been introducing in the blog posts below. Small world... Speaking of which, it turns out I went to high school with our new ad's producer back in the day. Go Lancers!
Visit our homepage to see the commercial.
--Jessica Daugherty, Internet Services
The video currently gracing the top of our homepage is a new Barksdale television commercial produced by NBC 12's Joel Traylor, who worked with our Marketing Director, Sara Marsden and Marketing Assistant, Catherine Dudley. Look for it to air on Channel 12 beginning on Friday, September 28.Barksdale theatre-goers will recognize several familiar faces from past productions, and the clip ends with the incomparable Ford Flannagan - an accomplished actor, and Theatre IV's Company Manager for many years. He casts all those touring actors that Bruce has been introducing in the blog posts below. Small world... Speaking of which, it turns out I went to high school with our new ad's producer back in the day. Go Lancers!
Visit our homepage to see the commercial.
--Jessica Daugherty, Internet Services
Meet Our Touring Actors - Part II
Posted by Bruce Miller
Theatre IV is the Children's Theatre of Virginia. Since our founding in 1975, we have toured national caliber educational programs to Virginia's public and private schools. It's a major part of our mission as a nonprofit organization.
It's also a major component of our business model. The total of the combined annual budgets of Barksdale Theatre and Theatre IV is approximately $5 million. Of that amount, approximately $1.4 million is generated by touring operations.
Yesterday and today I'm introducing you to the talented professional actors who work full time for our touring company and make all of this possible. I've tried to subdivide a picture that was taken at our annual Tourmite Party; I apologize for the photos looking a bit like puzzle pieces pulled from a larger image. That's exactly what they are.
Faith Boles, Michael Ruff and Garrett Weeda are all in the cast of The True Story of Pocahontas. Mike Bash and Stephanie Hill are in The Legend of Sleepy Hollow. Jonathan Niotis and Jennifer Zubernick will be touring with Jack and the Beanstalk. Garrett, Jennifer and Stephanie are returning to Theatre IV for a second year; Faith, Jonathan, Michael and Mike are joining us for their first season.
Michael Ruff is another one of our Memphis hires. He is a native of Oklahoma, and graduated from Southeastern Oklahoma State. His last acting contract before moving to Richmond was with the Off Square Theatre in Jackson Hole, Wyoming (pictured to the left). Nice work if you can get it. Garrett Weeda is a Madison grad, and spent the summer with the Park Playhouse in Albany, NY.
Our next group of actors, pictured to the right, includes (left to right) Renee Monico, Liz Ballard and Jon Perez. Now before you think that any of our actors are truly bizarre (they may be; I don't know them that well yet), I remind you that this group photo was taken at a party with a Western / Hawaiian / pirate theme (it's a bit of an inside joke), and our intrepid trespians outfitted themselves in their best Yee-haw, Ahoy and/or Aloha-inducing garb. Renee and Liz are new to us this year, and they both will be appearing in The Legend of Sleepy Hollow. Jon is returning for his second touring season, and he's in the cast of Jack and the Beanstalk.
We cast Renee out of our Boston auditions. She graduated from The Hartt School at the University of Hartford, and came to Richmond after a contract with New England's prestigious (and beautiful) Goodspeed Opera House, pictured to the left. Liz was cast in Atlanta, and graduated from Catawba College. She's a native of Culpepper, VA. Jon was cast in our Charlotte auditions. He graduated from Southern Illinois University, and previously toured with the California Theatre Company.
Our final group of touring actors includes (left to right) Ronnie Brown, Meghan Kelleher, Brian Tarter, Nicole Wakefield and Darrick Penny. Ronnie and Meghan are in the cast of Jack and the Beanstalk; Brian and Nicole perform in The True Story of Pocahontas. Derrick is in The Song of Mulan. Nicole is returning for her second touring season with Theatre IV; the other four are new to our company this year.
Ronnie Brown graduated from Penn State, and recently worked on the HBO Miniseries, John Adams (pictured to the left with biographer David McCullough). Last spring and this summer, he was employed on the running crews of Theatre IV's The Wizard of Oz and Barksdale's Into the Woods. Meghan Kelleher was hired in Atlanta. She graduated from Emory and Henry, and performed previously in the company at Mill Mountain Theatre. Brian Tarter (our tallest actor at 6' 4" or more), graduated from Ashland University in Ohio, and performed previously at the Huron Playhouse.
It's also a major component of our business model. The total of the combined annual budgets of Barksdale Theatre and Theatre IV is approximately $5 million. Of that amount, approximately $1.4 million is generated by touring operations.The same performances that we tour to Virginia schools for a significantly discounted fee (averaging about $1.40 per student) sell in the national market for approximately $3,000 per day. We regularly tour throughout Virginia, 32 other states on the eastern half of the U. S., and the District of Columbia.
Yesterday and today I'm introducing you to the talented professional actors who work full time for our touring company and make all of this possible. I've tried to subdivide a picture that was taken at our annual Tourmite Party; I apologize for the photos looking a bit like puzzle pieces pulled from a larger image. That's exactly what they are.In the first photo (seen above and to the left), we have Faith Boles at the top, with her chin half obscured by the curly head of Mike Bash. Mike's left arm is around the shoulder of Michael Ruff (wearing the baseball cap), and just below Mike Bash's curly head is Garrett Weeda, with his right arm raised in, I think, some sort of hip hop gesture. The two smiling faces below Garrett and Michael are Jennifer Zubernick and Jonathan Niotis. Stephanie Hill is the lovely face at the bottom of the puzzle piece.
Faith Boles, Michael Ruff and Garrett Weeda are all in the cast of The True Story of Pocahontas. Mike Bash and Stephanie Hill are in The Legend of Sleepy Hollow. Jonathan Niotis and Jennifer Zubernick will be touring with Jack and the Beanstalk. Garrett, Jennifer and Stephanie are returning to Theatre IV for a second year; Faith, Jonathan, Michael and Mike are joining us for their first season.Faith Boles was hired in our Memphis auditions. She graduated from Shenandoah Conservatory in Winchester, VA, and came to us after acting gigs with the Lake Dillon Theatre in Colorado. We cast Mike Bash out of our Boston auditions. Mike hails from Red Bank, NJ, and graduated from Emerson College in Boston. His previous acting work was with Zeropoint Productions and the Longwood Players, both of Boston.
Michael Ruff is another one of our Memphis hires. He is a native of Oklahoma, and graduated from Southeastern Oklahoma State. His last acting contract before moving to Richmond was with the Off Square Theatre in Jackson Hole, Wyoming (pictured to the left). Nice work if you can get it. Garrett Weeda is a Madison grad, and spent the summer with the Park Playhouse in Albany, NY.Jennifer Zubernick graduated from Wilkes University in PA, and lists the Shea Theatre in New York among her previous credits. Jonathan Niotis was cast out of our Atlanta auditions. He graduated from the University of Miami and recently performed with the Jerry Herman Ring Theatre in that same city. Stephanie Hill spent the summer in between her two Theatre IV tours working for The Lost Colony. She is a VCU grad, and appeared on Theatre IV's mainstage in Disney's Beauty and the Beast.
Our next group of actors, pictured to the right, includes (left to right) Renee Monico, Liz Ballard and Jon Perez. Now before you think that any of our actors are truly bizarre (they may be; I don't know them that well yet), I remind you that this group photo was taken at a party with a Western / Hawaiian / pirate theme (it's a bit of an inside joke), and our intrepid trespians outfitted themselves in their best Yee-haw, Ahoy and/or Aloha-inducing garb. Renee and Liz are new to us this year, and they both will be appearing in The Legend of Sleepy Hollow. Jon is returning for his second touring season, and he's in the cast of Jack and the Beanstalk.
We cast Renee out of our Boston auditions. She graduated from The Hartt School at the University of Hartford, and came to Richmond after a contract with New England's prestigious (and beautiful) Goodspeed Opera House, pictured to the left. Liz was cast in Atlanta, and graduated from Catawba College. She's a native of Culpepper, VA. Jon was cast in our Charlotte auditions. He graduated from Southern Illinois University, and previously toured with the California Theatre Company.
Our final group of touring actors includes (left to right) Ronnie Brown, Meghan Kelleher, Brian Tarter, Nicole Wakefield and Darrick Penny. Ronnie and Meghan are in the cast of Jack and the Beanstalk; Brian and Nicole perform in The True Story of Pocahontas. Derrick is in The Song of Mulan. Nicole is returning for her second touring season with Theatre IV; the other four are new to our company this year.
Ronnie Brown graduated from Penn State, and recently worked on the HBO Miniseries, John Adams (pictured to the left with biographer David McCullough). Last spring and this summer, he was employed on the running crews of Theatre IV's The Wizard of Oz and Barksdale's Into the Woods. Meghan Kelleher was hired in Atlanta. She graduated from Emory and Henry, and performed previously in the company at Mill Mountain Theatre. Brian Tarter (our tallest actor at 6' 4" or more), graduated from Ashland University in Ohio, and performed previously at the Huron Playhouse.Nicole Wakefield (partially obscured in the photo) was cast out of Memphis, but appeared as a child in Theatre IV's productions of Babes in Toyland and The Music Man. Other local theatre credits include roles at Swift Creek Mill Theatre and the West End Assembly of God. Last but not least, Darrick Penny was cast out of our Atlanta auditions. He graduated from Elon with a BFA in Musical Theatre and a minor in Spanish.
We wish all of our fine actors a most successful first semester, and thank them for their talent and hard work.
--Bruce Miller
Wednesday, September 26, 2007
Theatre IV on Tour - Meet the Company, Part I
Posted by Bruce Miller
The first Theatre IV show to hit the touring circuit this season is The True Story of Pocahontas, and it opened today in Chesterfield County Public Schools. Tomorrow, Tales as Tall as the Sky will meet its first student audiences in Henrico, followed by Hugs and Kisses, Jack and the Beanstalk, The Legend of Sleepy Hollow, and The Song of Mulan, all of which will open in Virginia schools sometime in the next week and a half, before spreading out on their national tours across 32 states and the District of Columbia.
In the photo to the right, you will find (left to right) Amy Wolf, Nicholas Jimenez, Jeremy Howard, Jordan Barwick and Jermise Bailey, all of whom are working with Theatre IV and Barksdale for the first time. Amy and Nicholas are both appearing in Tales as Tall as the Sky. Amy graduated from the University of Richmond, and has performance experience at Sycamore Rouge in Petersburg and with the Fredericksburg Theatre Company and Riverside Theatre, both in Fredericksburg. Nicholas graduated from Appalachian State University, and was referred to us by his college professor (and former Theatre IV touring actor) Gordon Hensley. Nicholas's previous credits include the prestigious Utah Shakespeare Festival.
The first Theatre IV show to hit the touring circuit this season is The True Story of Pocahontas, and it opened today in Chesterfield County Public Schools. Tomorrow, Tales as Tall as the Sky will meet its first student audiences in Henrico, followed by Hugs and Kisses, Jack and the Beanstalk, The Legend of Sleepy Hollow, and The Song of Mulan, all of which will open in Virginia schools sometime in the next week and a half, before spreading out on their national tours across 32 states and the District of Columbia.Now would be a good time to introduce 13 of the 28 talented touring actors who are working with us fulltime this fall in our six touring companies. Many of them are new to Richmond, but if tradition holds, several of these newcomers will stay in town for years to come.
Our first actor is T. J. Ellis. T. J. gets to be first because he had to leave last week's Tourmite Party early, and in so doing missed the group photo. Here he is, flying solo.
T. J. played the voice of Audrey II in Little Shop of Horrors with SPARC last summer. We thank Jamie and Rick Brindle for connecting us with T. J.
Jamie Brindle was a Theatre IV All-Star as a child (playing Alexander in Alexander and the Terrible Horrible No Good Really Bad Day, Christopher Robin in The House at Pooh Corner, etc.). He and T. J. were great pals in high school, and Jamie’s dad (TIV Board member Rick Brindle), gave us a heads up that T. J. was a young talent to keep our eye on.
T. J. is doing a terrific job as legendary folk hero John Henry in Tales as Tall as the Sky. As fate would have it, we have two characters named John Henry on stage right now. T J plays the "steel-drivin' man" of tall tale fame, and Eric Evans plays a more diminutive, ironically named John Henry in Carson McCullers' The Member of the Wedding at Barksdale Willow Lawn.
The quartet of talented young women in the photo to the left includes (left to right) Alia Bisharat, Winter Bailey, Ellie Atwood, and Jamie Sprovach. Alia, Winter and Ellie are in the 25th Anniversary Tour of Hugs and Kisses, Theatre IV’s internationally acclaimed child sexual abuse prevention program, co-produced with Prevent Child Abuse Virginia and the Virginia Department of Social Services. Jamie is in The Song of Mulan.
Alia returns to our employ after starring as Dorothy in last spring’s mainstage production of The Wizard of Oz. Winter (who has been Alia’s best friend since they both appeared in Disney's Beauty and the Beast at Theatre IV in the spring of 06) is a "military brat" who's lived all over the U. S., most recently in Petersburg. This is Winter's second year touring with Theatre IV.
Our first actor is T. J. Ellis. T. J. gets to be first because he had to leave last week's Tourmite Party early, and in so doing missed the group photo. Here he is, flying solo.T. J. played the voice of Audrey II in Little Shop of Horrors with SPARC last summer. We thank Jamie and Rick Brindle for connecting us with T. J.
Jamie Brindle was a Theatre IV All-Star as a child (playing Alexander in Alexander and the Terrible Horrible No Good Really Bad Day, Christopher Robin in The House at Pooh Corner, etc.). He and T. J. were great pals in high school, and Jamie’s dad (TIV Board member Rick Brindle), gave us a heads up that T. J. was a young talent to keep our eye on.
T. J. is doing a terrific job as legendary folk hero John Henry in Tales as Tall as the Sky. As fate would have it, we have two characters named John Henry on stage right now. T J plays the "steel-drivin' man" of tall tale fame, and Eric Evans plays a more diminutive, ironically named John Henry in Carson McCullers' The Member of the Wedding at Barksdale Willow Lawn.
The quartet of talented young women in the photo to the left includes (left to right) Alia Bisharat, Winter Bailey, Ellie Atwood, and Jamie Sprovach. Alia, Winter and Ellie are in the 25th Anniversary Tour of Hugs and Kisses, Theatre IV’s internationally acclaimed child sexual abuse prevention program, co-produced with Prevent Child Abuse Virginia and the Virginia Department of Social Services. Jamie is in The Song of Mulan.Alia returns to our employ after starring as Dorothy in last spring’s mainstage production of The Wizard of Oz. Winter (who has been Alia’s best friend since they both appeared in Disney's Beauty and the Beast at Theatre IV in the spring of 06) is a "military brat" who's lived all over the U. S., most recently in Petersburg. This is Winter's second year touring with Theatre IV.
Ellie was hired in our Memphis auditions. She graduated from Southern Illinois University and toured nationally with the California Theatre Center before joining us at Theatre IV. Jamie was hired in our St. Louis auditions. She graduated from Western Illinois University and performed with Bard in the Barn and the Western Illinois Summer Music Theatre before moving to Richmond to join Theatre IV.
The two men in Hugs and Kisses are Jonah Bowles and Christopher Schoen, pictured left to right in the cell phone photo to the right. Jonah was cast out of our Atlanta auditions. He graduated from Coastal Carolina University, and appeared in The Lost Colony before returning to Richmond, his home town. Chris is also a native son of our fair city, and the son of the chair of U of R's Theatre Dept., Walter Schoen. Chris is returning for his second year of touring with Theatre IV. At Barksdale, Chris has served as an assistant stage manager and appeared as the bear who chased a character across the stage in Melissa Arctic.
Another man who was unable to make it to the Tourmite Party and therefore missed the group photos is Beau Forbes, pictured in another cell phone pic to the left. Beau will be touring with The Legend of Sleepy Hollow, and will be in his second year with our company. He graduated from Southern Illinois University, and is an alum of The Johnny Appleseed Outdoor Drama in Ashland, Ohio.
There is one final group of five actors featured in this Part I post. Remember, I can’t include more than 20 names in the labels for any given post, so I frequently have to subdivide larger groups so as to be able to index everyone.
The two men in Hugs and Kisses are Jonah Bowles and Christopher Schoen, pictured left to right in the cell phone photo to the right. Jonah was cast out of our Atlanta auditions. He graduated from Coastal Carolina University, and appeared in The Lost Colony before returning to Richmond, his home town. Chris is also a native son of our fair city, and the son of the chair of U of R's Theatre Dept., Walter Schoen. Chris is returning for his second year of touring with Theatre IV. At Barksdale, Chris has served as an assistant stage manager and appeared as the bear who chased a character across the stage in Melissa Arctic.
Another man who was unable to make it to the Tourmite Party and therefore missed the group photos is Beau Forbes, pictured in another cell phone pic to the left. Beau will be touring with The Legend of Sleepy Hollow, and will be in his second year with our company. He graduated from Southern Illinois University, and is an alum of The Johnny Appleseed Outdoor Drama in Ashland, Ohio.There is one final group of five actors featured in this Part I post. Remember, I can’t include more than 20 names in the labels for any given post, so I frequently have to subdivide larger groups so as to be able to index everyone.
In the photo to the right, you will find (left to right) Amy Wolf, Nicholas Jimenez, Jeremy Howard, Jordan Barwick and Jermise Bailey, all of whom are working with Theatre IV and Barksdale for the first time. Amy and Nicholas are both appearing in Tales as Tall as the Sky. Amy graduated from the University of Richmond, and has performance experience at Sycamore Rouge in Petersburg and with the Fredericksburg Theatre Company and Riverside Theatre, both in Fredericksburg. Nicholas graduated from Appalachian State University, and was referred to us by his college professor (and former Theatre IV touring actor) Gordon Hensley. Nicholas's previous credits include the prestigious Utah Shakespeare Festival.Jeremy, Jordan and Jermise are all touring in The Song of Mulan, and were all cast out of Atlanta. Jeremy graduated from Chattanooga State where he particularly enjoyed performing for young audiences in Cinderella and Once Upon a Mattress. Jordan hails from Kinston, N C. He and his wife Aubrey are the proud parents of twin daughters, Alana and Alexis. Jermise graduated Cum Laude from North Carolina Central University, after attending Henrico High School right here in Metro Richmond.
Tomorrow I'll introduce our remaining 15 actors. We're proud and privileged to be working with each and every one of these talented theatre pros, and looking forward to a terrific year.
--Bruce Miller
Monday, September 24, 2007
Meet the Stars for Cocktail Hour Conversation
Posted by Bruce Miller
Join us tonight, Monday, Sept 24, in the lobby at Barksdale Willow Lawn for a fun, free evening, as we kick off a brand new Community Connections series: Meet the Stars!
Director Scott Wichmann, leading lady Katherine Louis and several other members of our cast and creative team of The Member of the Wedding by Carson McCullers will be on hand to give you an insider’s glimpse behind the scenes of this exciting and important new show.
A fun and informative panel discussion will be accompanied by light hors d’oeuvres (free) and a cash bar. Attendees will sit at tables cabaret style as the informal panel fills you in on all the behind the scenes activity that will really bring the production to life.
The cash bar opens at 6:30, and the panel discussion takes place on the welcoming lobby stage from 7 until 8. The bar will remain open during the entire event, and we hope you’ll buy a drink if for no other reason than to help us cover our expenses. Otherwise, attendance is free and open to the public.
So come one, come all. Be there to Meet the Stars!, and end your Monday with a little luster.
--Bruce Miller
Join us tonight, Monday, Sept 24, in the lobby at Barksdale Willow Lawn for a fun, free evening, as we kick off a brand new Community Connections series: Meet the Stars!Director Scott Wichmann, leading lady Katherine Louis and several other members of our cast and creative team of The Member of the Wedding by Carson McCullers will be on hand to give you an insider’s glimpse behind the scenes of this exciting and important new show.
A fun and informative panel discussion will be accompanied by light hors d’oeuvres (free) and a cash bar. Attendees will sit at tables cabaret style as the informal panel fills you in on all the behind the scenes activity that will really bring the production to life.The cash bar opens at 6:30, and the panel discussion takes place on the welcoming lobby stage from 7 until 8. The bar will remain open during the entire event, and we hope you’ll buy a drink if for no other reason than to help us cover our expenses. Otherwise, attendance is free and open to the public.
So come one, come all. Be there to Meet the Stars!, and end your Monday with a little luster.
--Bruce Miller
Sunday, September 23, 2007
Theatre Calendar - Sept 23 - 30, 2007
Posted by Bruce Miller
Here are the highlights of what’s happening at Barksdale Theatre and Theatre IV this week.
Sunday, Sept 23:
in performance -
The Member of the Wedding (Willow Lawn - 2 pm)
Deathtrap (Hanover Tavern - 2 pm)
auditions -
Children in A Christmas Story and Peter Pan (Empire - 5 pm)
Monday, Sept 24:
in rehearsal -
Hugs and Kisses (tour)
Jack and the Beanstalk (tour)
The Legend of Sleepy Hollow (tour)
The Song of Mulan (tour)
Stuart Little (Empire – Family Playhouse)
Tales as Tall as the Sky (tour)
The True Story of Pocahontas (tour)
class -
St. Andrew’s School
meetings -
Barksdale Theatre Board of Trustees
Training for Hugs actors with Prevent Child Abuse Virginia
Beulah Elementary after-school program
event -
Meet the Stars of The Member of the Wedding (Willow Lawn - 6:30 pm)
Tuesday, Sept 25:
in rehearsal -
Hugs and Kisses (tour)
Jack and the Beanstalk (tour)
The Legend of Sleepy Hollow (tour)
The Song of Mulan (tour)
Stuart Little (Empire – Family Playhouse)
Tales as Tall as the Sky (tour)
The True Story of Pocahontas (tour)
meeting -
Richmond Magazine Hugs and Kisses interview
event -
Volunteer Recognition Event (Willow Lawn - 6:30 pm)
Wednesday, Sept 26:
in performance -
The Member of the Wedding (Willow Lawn - 2 pm)
Deathtrap (Hanover Tavern - 2 pm)
The True Story of Pocahontas (Chesterfield schools)
auditions -
Adults in A Christmas Story (Empire - 7 pm)
in rehearsal -
Hugs and Kisses (tour)
Jack and the Beanstalk (tour)
The Legend of Sleepy Hollow (tour)
The Song of Mulan (tour)
Stuart Little (Empire – Family Playhouse)
Tales as Tall as the Sky (tour)
Thursday, Sept 27:
in performance -
The Member of the Wedding (Willow Lawn - 8 pm)
Deathtrap (Hanover Tavern - 8 pm)
Tales as Tall as the Sky (Henrico schools)
The True Story of Pocahontas (Hampton schools)
in rehearsal -
Hugs and Kisses (tour)
Jack and the Beanstalk (tour)
The Legend of Sleepy Hollow (tour)
The Song of Mulan (tour)
Stuart Little (Empire - Family Playhouse)
Friday, Sept 28:
in performance -
The Member of the Wedding (Willow Lawn - 8 pm)
Deathtrap (Hanover Tavern - 8 pm)
Tales as Tall as the Sky (Loudoun schools)
The True Story of Pocahontas (Henrico schools)
in rehearsal -
Hugs and Kisses (tour)
Jack and the Beanstalk (tour)
The Legend of Sleepy Hollow (tour)
The Song of Mulan (tour)
Stuart Little (Empire - Family Playhouse)
event -
Bifocals - Sept program and lunch (Willow Lawn - 11 am)
Saturday, Sept 29:
in performance -
The Member of the Wedding (Willow Lawn - 2 pm and 8 pm)
The True Story of Pocahontas (American Theatre, Phoebus)
Sunday, Sept 30:
in performance -
The Member of the Wedding (Willow Lawn - 2 pm)
Deathtrap (Hanover Tavern - 2 pm)
See you at the theatre!
--Bruce Miller
Here are the highlights of what’s happening at Barksdale Theatre and Theatre IV this week.
Sunday, Sept 23:
in performance -
The Member of the Wedding (Willow Lawn - 2 pm)
Deathtrap (Hanover Tavern - 2 pm)
auditions -
Children in A Christmas Story and Peter Pan (Empire - 5 pm)
Monday, Sept 24:
in rehearsal -
Hugs and Kisses (tour)
Jack and the Beanstalk (tour)
The Legend of Sleepy Hollow (tour)
The Song of Mulan (tour)
Stuart Little (Empire – Family Playhouse)
Tales as Tall as the Sky (tour)
The True Story of Pocahontas (tour)
class -
St. Andrew’s School
meetings -
Barksdale Theatre Board of Trustees
Training for Hugs actors with Prevent Child Abuse Virginia
Beulah Elementary after-school program
event -
Meet the Stars of The Member of the Wedding (Willow Lawn - 6:30 pm)
Tuesday, Sept 25:
in rehearsal -
Hugs and Kisses (tour)
Jack and the Beanstalk (tour)
The Legend of Sleepy Hollow (tour)
The Song of Mulan (tour)
Stuart Little (Empire – Family Playhouse)
Tales as Tall as the Sky (tour)
The True Story of Pocahontas (tour)
meeting -
Richmond Magazine Hugs and Kisses interview
event -
Volunteer Recognition Event (Willow Lawn - 6:30 pm)
Wednesday, Sept 26:
in performance -
The Member of the Wedding (Willow Lawn - 2 pm)
Deathtrap (Hanover Tavern - 2 pm)
The True Story of Pocahontas (Chesterfield schools)
auditions -
Adults in A Christmas Story (Empire - 7 pm)
in rehearsal -
Hugs and Kisses (tour)
Jack and the Beanstalk (tour)
The Legend of Sleepy Hollow (tour)
The Song of Mulan (tour)
Stuart Little (Empire – Family Playhouse)
Tales as Tall as the Sky (tour)
Thursday, Sept 27:
in performance -
The Member of the Wedding (Willow Lawn - 8 pm)
Deathtrap (Hanover Tavern - 8 pm)
Tales as Tall as the Sky (Henrico schools)
The True Story of Pocahontas (Hampton schools)
in rehearsal -
Hugs and Kisses (tour)
Jack and the Beanstalk (tour)
The Legend of Sleepy Hollow (tour)
The Song of Mulan (tour)
Stuart Little (Empire - Family Playhouse)
Friday, Sept 28:
in performance -
The Member of the Wedding (Willow Lawn - 8 pm)
Deathtrap (Hanover Tavern - 8 pm)
Tales as Tall as the Sky (Loudoun schools)
The True Story of Pocahontas (Henrico schools)
in rehearsal -
Hugs and Kisses (tour)
Jack and the Beanstalk (tour)
The Legend of Sleepy Hollow (tour)
The Song of Mulan (tour)
Stuart Little (Empire - Family Playhouse)
event -
Bifocals - Sept program and lunch (Willow Lawn - 11 am)
Saturday, Sept 29:
in performance -
The Member of the Wedding (Willow Lawn - 2 pm and 8 pm)
The True Story of Pocahontas (American Theatre, Phoebus)
Sunday, Sept 30:
in performance -
The Member of the Wedding (Willow Lawn - 2 pm)
Deathtrap (Hanover Tavern - 2 pm)
See you at the theatre!
--Bruce Miller
The Night I Spent on Henley Street
Posted by Bruce Miller
I have good news and good news.
1 - The Night Thoreau Spent in Jail, the inaugural production of the new Henley Street Theatre, is well worth seeing, and …
2 - Good seats are still available for every performance between now and the show’s closing on October 13.
If you haven’t purchased two full-price tickets for Thoreau yet, why not do so right now? You can find Henley Street online at http://www.henleystreettheatre.org/.
Henley Street Theatre needs the support of everyone in Richmond’s theatre community if they are to succeed. From the quality of the acting and directing now on display in the intimate theatre at Pine Camp, Henley Street deserves to succeed. Alex Previtera and company are working their hardest to earn your support.
If you care about growth in Richmond’s professional theatre scene, now is the moment to invest 2 ½ hours of your time and $40—the price of two full-price tickets. Talk is cheap; professional theatre isn’t. Let’s all put our money where our mouths are. You’ll see an interesting show, and make a sound investment in Richmond theatre’s future.
Tonight at Thoreau I saw at least ten fine performances from Richmond actors whom I’ve never seen or heard from before. I all too frequently delude myself into thinking that I know all the good actors in town. Tonight's visit to Walden Pond, pictured to the right and above, was proof positive that such delusion is spun from pure air.
Alan Criswell as Ralph Waldo Emerson (pictured to the right) knocked my socks off. Laurie Follmer was completely believable and persuasive as Emerson’s wife, Lydian. Rebekah Spence made a fine, grounded Mrs. Thoreau (Henry’s mother). Patrick Bromley demonstrated real charm and great acting chops as older brother John.
Julia Rigby, David Bromley, Kern Dowdy and Dean Knight all established well-rounded characters and made the most of their scenes. Stan Baranowski, Kaye Weinstein Gary, Josh Lushch and David Settle equipped themselves well in smaller roles.
Max Follmer has to be the most delightful second grader you’ll see on stage this year. My good friend Frank Creasy, the one actor with whom I have significant experience, prompted an evening’s worth of laughs and tears. What a sweet and genuine stage presence.
Michael Sater as Thoreau himself was terrific, honestly embodying Thoreau’s energy, idealism, prickliness and humanity in every second of a large, large role.
I’d be proud and lucky to work with these actors in the future, and I hope to see them at Barksdale and Theatre IV auditions throughout the coming months.
Thoreau, Emerson and their contemporaries are fascinating and intriguing company. I’ve seen this script produced twice before, at the University of Richmond and TheatreVirginia. Of the three productions, this was my favorite—principally because of the compelling chemistry between Thoreau and the Emersons.
Would the show be better with bigger production budgets? Of course. But those budgets don’t exist yet, and Alex Previtera and his designers make the most of their modest resources.
I don’t write reviews, I cheerlead and offer encouragement regarding shows I enjoy. I enjoyed The Night Thoreau Spent in Jail, and I encourage you to go see it. Thanks.
--Bruce Miller
I have good news and good news.1 - The Night Thoreau Spent in Jail, the inaugural production of the new Henley Street Theatre, is well worth seeing, and …
2 - Good seats are still available for every performance between now and the show’s closing on October 13.
If you haven’t purchased two full-price tickets for Thoreau yet, why not do so right now? You can find Henley Street online at http://www.henleystreettheatre.org/.
Henley Street Theatre needs the support of everyone in Richmond’s theatre community if they are to succeed. From the quality of the acting and directing now on display in the intimate theatre at Pine Camp, Henley Street deserves to succeed. Alex Previtera and company are working their hardest to earn your support.If you care about growth in Richmond’s professional theatre scene, now is the moment to invest 2 ½ hours of your time and $40—the price of two full-price tickets. Talk is cheap; professional theatre isn’t. Let’s all put our money where our mouths are. You’ll see an interesting show, and make a sound investment in Richmond theatre’s future.
Tonight at Thoreau I saw at least ten fine performances from Richmond actors whom I’ve never seen or heard from before. I all too frequently delude myself into thinking that I know all the good actors in town. Tonight's visit to Walden Pond, pictured to the right and above, was proof positive that such delusion is spun from pure air.
Alan Criswell as Ralph Waldo Emerson (pictured to the right) knocked my socks off. Laurie Follmer was completely believable and persuasive as Emerson’s wife, Lydian. Rebekah Spence made a fine, grounded Mrs. Thoreau (Henry’s mother). Patrick Bromley demonstrated real charm and great acting chops as older brother John.Julia Rigby, David Bromley, Kern Dowdy and Dean Knight all established well-rounded characters and made the most of their scenes. Stan Baranowski, Kaye Weinstein Gary, Josh Lushch and David Settle equipped themselves well in smaller roles.
Max Follmer has to be the most delightful second grader you’ll see on stage this year. My good friend Frank Creasy, the one actor with whom I have significant experience, prompted an evening’s worth of laughs and tears. What a sweet and genuine stage presence.
Michael Sater as Thoreau himself was terrific, honestly embodying Thoreau’s energy, idealism, prickliness and humanity in every second of a large, large role.I’d be proud and lucky to work with these actors in the future, and I hope to see them at Barksdale and Theatre IV auditions throughout the coming months.
Thoreau, Emerson and their contemporaries are fascinating and intriguing company. I’ve seen this script produced twice before, at the University of Richmond and TheatreVirginia. Of the three productions, this was my favorite—principally because of the compelling chemistry between Thoreau and the Emersons.
Would the show be better with bigger production budgets? Of course. But those budgets don’t exist yet, and Alex Previtera and his designers make the most of their modest resources.
I don’t write reviews, I cheerlead and offer encouragement regarding shows I enjoy. I enjoyed The Night Thoreau Spent in Jail, and I encourage you to go see it. Thanks.
--Bruce Miller
Saturday, September 22, 2007
Finding the We of Me - Opening Night at "The Member of the Wedding"
Posted by Bruce Miller
I've just returned from the wonderful Opening Night of The Member of the Wedding by Carson McCullers at Barksdale Willow Lawn. Along with James Joyce's The Dead, The Member of the Wedding is that rare commodity on our Signature Season--a highly theatrical evening that is language- and character-driven rather than plot-driven. I love the variety and depth that it adds to our roster. I especially love this production.
Scott Wichmann has directed an evocative evening that emotionally transports us back to the sultry Southern summers of Carson McCullers' early adolescence. The Member of the Wedding is a part of our continuing Women's Theatre Project, and the story it tells is certainly born in a woman's heart.
At least one vibrant post-show discussion revolved around whether McCullers' classic tale is the story of Berenice Sadie Brown, the big-hearted domestic brilliantly played by Katherine Louis in a star-making performance, or the story of Frankie Addams (or F. Jasmine Addams as she prefers to be called), the lonely and precocious 13-year-old played with staggering sensitivity by real-life 13-year-old Lexi Langs.
Part of the magic woven by McCullers, Wichmann and our two outstanding actresses is that the evening somehow manages to focus alternately and simultaneously on both. It's almost as if the soul of the play combines both women into one: half adult and half child, half grounded and half lost, half privileged and half trodden down. Not unlike Carson McCullers herself (pictured above and to the left with the original Berenice, Ethel Waters).
Joining in the standing ovation awarded the production were steadfast supporters Mr and Mrs Reid Ashe, Tom and Carlene Bass, Page Bauder, Rosanna Bencoach, Dr. John and Mary Jane Board, Cammie Carlton, Carrie Galeski, Bev Kniffen, Charlotte and Andy McCutcheon, Suzanne Pollard, Essie Simms and Isabella Witt. That's the back of Charlotte's head in the photo above and to the right talking with director Scott Wichmann at the post-show party.
Other theatre artists in attendance included Jan Guarino and her children Nora and Zack (Jan is starring in our upcoming Swingtime Canteen at Hanover Tavern); Julia Greer, Hannah Miller and Ali Thibodeau from the cast of Disney's High School Musical (Julia and Hannah are pictured to the left); Annie Hulcher from Annie Get Your Gun; Alex Samawicz and his date (Alex played trumpet in Into the Woods); Melissa Johnston-Price and her daughter Meg (Melissa rushed in from rehearsal for Spinning Into Butter at the Firehouse); Terrie Powers (our designer extraordinaire at Hanover Tavern); Stacy Reardon (actor alum from The Full Monty and The Wizard of Oz); and Russell Rowland fresh from his Princely duties in Into the Woods.
Hard working staff members on hand included Emily Cole Bitz, Andy Boothby, Judi Crenshaw, Catherine Dudley, Jackie Gann and her newlywed husband Bobby, Jean Hartley, Lucas Hall, Chase Kniffen, Sara Marsden, Billy Christopher Maupin, Steve Perigard, Joy Ross, Janine Serresseque, Wendy Vandergrift, Jennings Whiteway (responsible for the wonderful party), Phil Whiteway (laughing with our leading lady at the post-show celebration), and Ginnie Willard.
Providing all the luster were the stars of the evening: director Wichmann; designers Brian Barker (sets), Derek Dumais (sound) and Lynne Hartman (lights); stage managers Bo Wilson and Jody Smith Strickler; console operator Lynwood Guyton; props master Lynn West; and cast members Katherine Louis, Lexi Langs, Eric Evans, Carl Calabrese, Christine Schneider, David Bridgewater, Jill Bari Steinberg, Alec Stephens III, Tony Cosby (WELCOME HOME TONY!), Erin Kate Bradner, Katy Burke and Zac Wilson. That's Eric, Zac and Lexi in the photo above and to the left, at the post-show party.
No one can say what the critics will think, but please know that Phil Whiteway and I are very proud of this production. We hope you'll join us soon for this compelling, soul-stirring and uniquely American classic.
--Bruce Miller
I've just returned from the wonderful Opening Night of The Member of the Wedding by Carson McCullers at Barksdale Willow Lawn. Along with James Joyce's The Dead, The Member of the Wedding is that rare commodity on our Signature Season--a highly theatrical evening that is language- and character-driven rather than plot-driven. I love the variety and depth that it adds to our roster. I especially love this production.Scott Wichmann has directed an evocative evening that emotionally transports us back to the sultry Southern summers of Carson McCullers' early adolescence. The Member of the Wedding is a part of our continuing Women's Theatre Project, and the story it tells is certainly born in a woman's heart.
At least one vibrant post-show discussion revolved around whether McCullers' classic tale is the story of Berenice Sadie Brown, the big-hearted domestic brilliantly played by Katherine Louis in a star-making performance, or the story of Frankie Addams (or F. Jasmine Addams as she prefers to be called), the lonely and precocious 13-year-old played with staggering sensitivity by real-life 13-year-old Lexi Langs.
Part of the magic woven by McCullers, Wichmann and our two outstanding actresses is that the evening somehow manages to focus alternately and simultaneously on both. It's almost as if the soul of the play combines both women into one: half adult and half child, half grounded and half lost, half privileged and half trodden down. Not unlike Carson McCullers herself (pictured above and to the left with the original Berenice, Ethel Waters).
Joining in the standing ovation awarded the production were steadfast supporters Mr and Mrs Reid Ashe, Tom and Carlene Bass, Page Bauder, Rosanna Bencoach, Dr. John and Mary Jane Board, Cammie Carlton, Carrie Galeski, Bev Kniffen, Charlotte and Andy McCutcheon, Suzanne Pollard, Essie Simms and Isabella Witt. That's the back of Charlotte's head in the photo above and to the right talking with director Scott Wichmann at the post-show party.
Other theatre artists in attendance included Jan Guarino and her children Nora and Zack (Jan is starring in our upcoming Swingtime Canteen at Hanover Tavern); Julia Greer, Hannah Miller and Ali Thibodeau from the cast of Disney's High School Musical (Julia and Hannah are pictured to the left); Annie Hulcher from Annie Get Your Gun; Alex Samawicz and his date (Alex played trumpet in Into the Woods); Melissa Johnston-Price and her daughter Meg (Melissa rushed in from rehearsal for Spinning Into Butter at the Firehouse); Terrie Powers (our designer extraordinaire at Hanover Tavern); Stacy Reardon (actor alum from The Full Monty and The Wizard of Oz); and Russell Rowland fresh from his Princely duties in Into the Woods.
Hard working staff members on hand included Emily Cole Bitz, Andy Boothby, Judi Crenshaw, Catherine Dudley, Jackie Gann and her newlywed husband Bobby, Jean Hartley, Lucas Hall, Chase Kniffen, Sara Marsden, Billy Christopher Maupin, Steve Perigard, Joy Ross, Janine Serresseque, Wendy Vandergrift, Jennings Whiteway (responsible for the wonderful party), Phil Whiteway (laughing with our leading lady at the post-show celebration), and Ginnie Willard.
Providing all the luster were the stars of the evening: director Wichmann; designers Brian Barker (sets), Derek Dumais (sound) and Lynne Hartman (lights); stage managers Bo Wilson and Jody Smith Strickler; console operator Lynwood Guyton; props master Lynn West; and cast members Katherine Louis, Lexi Langs, Eric Evans, Carl Calabrese, Christine Schneider, David Bridgewater, Jill Bari Steinberg, Alec Stephens III, Tony Cosby (WELCOME HOME TONY!), Erin Kate Bradner, Katy Burke and Zac Wilson. That's Eric, Zac and Lexi in the photo above and to the left, at the post-show party.No one can say what the critics will think, but please know that Phil Whiteway and I are very proud of this production. We hope you'll join us soon for this compelling, soul-stirring and uniquely American classic.
--Bruce Miller
Friday, September 21, 2007
David Bridgewater meets James Lipton...OK,so not really; he just answers his questions...well, Bernard Pivot's questions...(oops...another long title)
Posted by Billy Christopher Maupin
Extra! Extra! Just look at the headlines! (A Sondheim lyric from Gypsy...get it? The Mamma Rose's to the right? Anyone? No one? OK.)
We have our latest installment from the cast of our production of The Member of the Wedding. (Opening tonight! I'm so excited!)
David Bridgewater, most recently seen in Neil Simon's The Odd Couple at Barksdale Theatre at Hanover Tavern, has joined in the fun and filled out the Bernard Pivot/James Lipton questionairre.
So here goes:
1. What is your favorite word?
Home. Make no mistake; there are all kinds of homes. You can be at home on stage, with a good book, on a basketball court, in the mountains or in the arms of a lover. It’s the feeling of complete contentment. That feeling of, “Thank God I’m here.”
Extra! Extra! Just look at the headlines! (A Sondheim lyric from Gypsy...get it? The Mamma Rose's to the right? Anyone? No one? OK.)We have our latest installment from the cast of our production of The Member of the Wedding. (Opening tonight! I'm so excited!)
David Bridgewater, most recently seen in Neil Simon's The Odd Couple at Barksdale Theatre at Hanover Tavern, has joined in the fun and filled out the Bernard Pivot/James Lipton questionairre.
So here goes:
1. What is your favorite word?
Home. Make no mistake; there are all kinds of homes. You can be at home on stage, with a good book, on a basketball court, in the mountains or in the arms of a lover. It’s the feeling of complete contentment. That feeling of, “Thank God I’m here.”
(It really brings up an image of Diana Ross singing "Home" in The Wiz, doesn't it? No? OK...well...anyway...on with David's answers.)
2. What is your least favorite word?
Goodbye.
3. What turns you on [creatively, spiritually or emotionally]?
There is nothing more powerful than passion. It doesn’t matter if you are acting, teaching children, exercising, writing a book, building a table or bagging groceries. If you are passionate and focused, that is quite the turn on.
4. What turns you off?
Condescending people. How many degrees you hold or how much money you have makes no difference. Treat everyone with respect. No matter if you are speaking with a senator or a janitor, be respectful of the person. Ignorance does not mean a lack of education. I’ve known a great many ignorant people with degrees on their walls.
5. What sound or noise do you love?
There is a sigh that’s made. You can hear dogs make it often. It’s a sigh that says, “I am so content, safe and happy right now.” When my daughters are tired at the end of a long day, they lay in my arms, they breathe in deep and sigh out slow. There is simply no better sound.
6. What sound or noise do you hate?
(Sorry, you kids!) I hate plastic, synthesized, brainless music or would-be poets screaming a rhyme to a programmed beat and calling it “music”. I like instruments. I like singing. I don’t want robots making my music.
7. What is your favorite curse word? (Have at it. I obviously won't post it for real, but in some approved somewhat censored fashion)
Ah, so many cuss words, so little time.
I have two. Neither one is all that exciting or colorful, but…
G**D*****. It has a great pop. And it’s versatile:
“G**D***** that hurts!!” or
“Did you see that girl wearing the thing, with the thing and those things? G**D*****!!!”
I’m also fond of JACKA$$. “You stupid JACKA$$!” Ya can’t beat that one either.
8. What profession other than your own would you like to attempt?
Again, so many… A counselor or therapist would be closest to my heart. A writer. A bottleneck blues musician. A wildlife photographer.
9. What profession would you not like to do?
Anything corporate. I hate wearing a tie and I hate the obsession of money.
10. If Heaven exists, what would you like to hear God say when you arrive at the Pearly Gates?
Two things:
“Where the hell have you been!?”
“I know, Dave. It’s okay. You did your best. Come on in.”
--David Bridgewater
Foregoing Fame for Family
Posted by Bruce Miller
The Member of the Wedding by Carson McCullers opens tonight as the latest production in Barksdale’s ongoing Women’s Theatre Project. In celebration, I’ve been researching the four remarkable women playwrights whose work made it onto our stage during Barksdale’s first decade (1953 – 1962). Two weeks ago, I profiled Nancy Mitford (see Barksdale’s First Woman Playwright – Nancy Mitford, Sept 6), and last week we explored the life of playwright and social activist Vera Caspary (see Femme Fatale / Femme Fantastique, Sept 10).
Today I introduce you to a third woman author whose relative anonymity today is emblematic of the challenges faced by women playwrights in the mid-1900s. This remarkable woman was a first-rate actress on the international stage, and the author of two smash hit plays and a novel that inspired a classic film. She was the lifelong wife of one of the world’s greatest actors, and the mother of a film star who became Hollywood’s reigning adolescent icon in the 1960s. Like Vera Caspary, this author wrote a story that was later "musical-ized" by one of the world’s foremost theatre composers—in her case, Andrew Lloyd Webber.
Can’t guess who this forgotten woman author is? Allow me to introduce you to …
MARY HAYLEY BELL (1911 – 2005)
The daughter of a well-to-do British official in the Chinese customs service, Mary Hayley Bell was born in Shanghai in 1911. She spent her childhood in the Far East, moving at an early age to Tientsin, China (now Tianjin). When she was nine, she began writing plays, most of them focusing on a person challenged by physical or mental disabilities. “I don’t know why,” she later said, “but I suppose they were heroes to me.”
As a teenager, she met a young actor named John Mills. Mills was just beginning his career in a touring company known as the Quaints. When
the Quaints toured to Tientsin, Colonel Francis Haley Bell, Mary Hayley’s father, hosted a tennis party for the touring British actors at his home. Mills met the Colonel’s daughter only briefly. He later remembered her as “the ball-boy with flaming red hair.” (She was a strawberry blond.) She later remembered him as “the young man I rescued from the courts when he became incapacitated by my father’s lethal punch.”
Mills went on his way, and Mary Hayley Bell eventually returned to England to be educated at Malvern Girls’ College and the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art. When her father lost nearly all his money in misguided Far Eastern business ventures, she had to fend for herself, and set out to become an actress. She was cast in an American touring production of The Barretts of Wimpole Street in 1932. As fate would have it, her first touring performance was in
Shanghai.
She was awarded her first London role in 1934 in the popular West End comedy Vintage Wine, a role she would later recreate on film. This was followed by other West End roles, a tour of Australia, and a Broadway debut in 1939.
Later that year, Mary Hayley Bell and John Mills were both working again on the London stage. As he was making an early exit alone one night from a party, he bumped into “a beautiful girl with red hair” stepping out of the elevator. He recognized Bell at once, and “offered to escort her down the corridor and back to the party.”
Mills was at the time working his way out of an unhappy early marriage. Mary Hayley Bell was on the rebound from an ill-conceived Australian engagement. Their relationship blossomed quickly. Just before WWII, Mills enlisted and the two sweethearts staged the mock “illicit weekend” that was required to gain Mills’ British divorce.
They were married in 1941 while Mills was on a 48-hour leave. Despite initial hardships during the war, their marriage lasted 64 years, turning out to be one of the longest, closest and happiest unions in show business. Mary Hayley Bell decided to give up acting for marriage and motherhood. The young couple had three children, Juliet, Hayley and Johnathan. Both of the Mills’ daughters became notable actresses, Juliet starring on American television in the hit 60s series, Nanny and the Professor, and Hayley becoming an international star by age 14, and Disney’s
favorite heroine in films including Pollyanna (pictured to the right) and The Parent Trap.
When Mary Haley Bell gave up acting, she took up playwriting. “It was something I could do,” she said, “while staying home and looking after my children.” She penned four hit dramas, three of which became star vehicles for her husband: Men in Shadow (1942), Duet for Two Hands (1945), Angel (1945), and The Uninvited Guest (1953). Men in Shadow was so authentic in its depiction of French resistance fighters trapped behind enemy lines that the war censors at MI5 required Bell to make certain cuts so as to not give away classified secrets. The play was a smash hit in London, with simultaneous hit productions running in Moscow and New York.
Duet for Two Hands (the play that Barksdale produced in 1959, starring Pete Kilgore with his hair dyed blond) was an even bigger success. Delving into those dark realms of the imagination that had fascinated Ms Bell since adolescence, Duet told the story of a maimed young poet onto whom were transplanted the hands of a murderer. Duet was London’s biggest hit during the post-war years, and transferred to Broadway before making its way to Hanover Tavern.
In 1961, Mary Hayley Bell wrote her first novel, Whistle Down the Wind. It was immediately made into what has become one of England’s most cherished films (starring a young Hayley Mills alongside Alan Bates). Decades later, Whistle was adapted into a major musical by Andrew Lloyd Webber. Lloyd Webber’s revival of his version of Whistle Down the Wind will be playing Chrysler Hall in Norfolk in the winter of 2008.
After a lifelong and legendary acting career (winning an Oscar for Ryan’s Daughter in 1970), John Mills became Sir John Mills (and Mary Haley Bell became Lady Mills) sometime in the 1970s. They lived happily and scandal-free well into their 90s. Mills died in 2004, and less than six months later, Mary Hayley Bell died in 2005.
She achieved international success as an author and actress, but Mary Hayley Bell regarded her greatest triumphs to involve her family. She expressed little regret and a great deal of pride when, later in life, she was recognized mostly as John Mills’ wife and Hayley Mills’ mother.
--Bruce Miller
The Member of the Wedding by Carson McCullers opens tonight as the latest production in Barksdale’s ongoing Women’s Theatre Project. In celebration, I’ve been researching the four remarkable women playwrights whose work made it onto our stage during Barksdale’s first decade (1953 – 1962). Two weeks ago, I profiled Nancy Mitford (see Barksdale’s First Woman Playwright – Nancy Mitford, Sept 6), and last week we explored the life of playwright and social activist Vera Caspary (see Femme Fatale / Femme Fantastique, Sept 10).Today I introduce you to a third woman author whose relative anonymity today is emblematic of the challenges faced by women playwrights in the mid-1900s. This remarkable woman was a first-rate actress on the international stage, and the author of two smash hit plays and a novel that inspired a classic film. She was the lifelong wife of one of the world’s greatest actors, and the mother of a film star who became Hollywood’s reigning adolescent icon in the 1960s. Like Vera Caspary, this author wrote a story that was later "musical-ized" by one of the world’s foremost theatre composers—in her case, Andrew Lloyd Webber.
Can’t guess who this forgotten woman author is? Allow me to introduce you to …
MARY HAYLEY BELL (1911 – 2005)
The daughter of a well-to-do British official in the Chinese customs service, Mary Hayley Bell was born in Shanghai in 1911. She spent her childhood in the Far East, moving at an early age to Tientsin, China (now Tianjin). When she was nine, she began writing plays, most of them focusing on a person challenged by physical or mental disabilities. “I don’t know why,” she later said, “but I suppose they were heroes to me.”As a teenager, she met a young actor named John Mills. Mills was just beginning his career in a touring company known as the Quaints. When
the Quaints toured to Tientsin, Colonel Francis Haley Bell, Mary Hayley’s father, hosted a tennis party for the touring British actors at his home. Mills met the Colonel’s daughter only briefly. He later remembered her as “the ball-boy with flaming red hair.” (She was a strawberry blond.) She later remembered him as “the young man I rescued from the courts when he became incapacitated by my father’s lethal punch.”Mills went on his way, and Mary Hayley Bell eventually returned to England to be educated at Malvern Girls’ College and the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art. When her father lost nearly all his money in misguided Far Eastern business ventures, she had to fend for herself, and set out to become an actress. She was cast in an American touring production of The Barretts of Wimpole Street in 1932. As fate would have it, her first touring performance was in
Shanghai.She was awarded her first London role in 1934 in the popular West End comedy Vintage Wine, a role she would later recreate on film. This was followed by other West End roles, a tour of Australia, and a Broadway debut in 1939.
Later that year, Mary Hayley Bell and John Mills were both working again on the London stage. As he was making an early exit alone one night from a party, he bumped into “a beautiful girl with red hair” stepping out of the elevator. He recognized Bell at once, and “offered to escort her down the corridor and back to the party.”
Mills was at the time working his way out of an unhappy early marriage. Mary Hayley Bell was on the rebound from an ill-conceived Australian engagement. Their relationship blossomed quickly. Just before WWII, Mills enlisted and the two sweethearts staged the mock “illicit weekend” that was required to gain Mills’ British divorce.They were married in 1941 while Mills was on a 48-hour leave. Despite initial hardships during the war, their marriage lasted 64 years, turning out to be one of the longest, closest and happiest unions in show business. Mary Hayley Bell decided to give up acting for marriage and motherhood. The young couple had three children, Juliet, Hayley and Johnathan. Both of the Mills’ daughters became notable actresses, Juliet starring on American television in the hit 60s series, Nanny and the Professor, and Hayley becoming an international star by age 14, and Disney’s
favorite heroine in films including Pollyanna (pictured to the right) and The Parent Trap.When Mary Haley Bell gave up acting, she took up playwriting. “It was something I could do,” she said, “while staying home and looking after my children.” She penned four hit dramas, three of which became star vehicles for her husband: Men in Shadow (1942), Duet for Two Hands (1945), Angel (1945), and The Uninvited Guest (1953). Men in Shadow was so authentic in its depiction of French resistance fighters trapped behind enemy lines that the war censors at MI5 required Bell to make certain cuts so as to not give away classified secrets. The play was a smash hit in London, with simultaneous hit productions running in Moscow and New York.
Duet for Two Hands (the play that Barksdale produced in 1959, starring Pete Kilgore with his hair dyed blond) was an even bigger success. Delving into those dark realms of the imagination that had fascinated Ms Bell since adolescence, Duet told the story of a maimed young poet onto whom were transplanted the hands of a murderer. Duet was London’s biggest hit during the post-war years, and transferred to Broadway before making its way to Hanover Tavern.
In 1961, Mary Hayley Bell wrote her first novel, Whistle Down the Wind. It was immediately made into what has become one of England’s most cherished films (starring a young Hayley Mills alongside Alan Bates). Decades later, Whistle was adapted into a major musical by Andrew Lloyd Webber. Lloyd Webber’s revival of his version of Whistle Down the Wind will be playing Chrysler Hall in Norfolk in the winter of 2008.
After a lifelong and legendary acting career (winning an Oscar for Ryan’s Daughter in 1970), John Mills became Sir John Mills (and Mary Haley Bell became Lady Mills) sometime in the 1970s. They lived happily and scandal-free well into their 90s. Mills died in 2004, and less than six months later, Mary Hayley Bell died in 2005.
She achieved international success as an author and actress, but Mary Hayley Bell regarded her greatest triumphs to involve her family. She expressed little regret and a great deal of pride when, later in life, she was recognized mostly as John Mills’ wife and Hayley Mills’ mother.--Bruce Miller
Thursday, September 20, 2007
On the Road Again - TIV Actors Launch Tour
Posted by Bruce Miller
Theatre IV on Tour is employing 28 fulltime company actors this fall, and 25 of the 28 gathered this evening for our annual Tourmite Party in the Empire Theatre lobby. Next week, the first of September’s six touring troupes will begin performing in schools and other theatrical facilities throughout Virginia and 32 additional states. It’s challenging and exciting work, and our talented and intrepid actors seem more than up to the task.
Between now and Thanksgiving, Theatre IV will be touring Hugs and Kisses by Terry Bliss, Bruce Craig Miller and Richard Giersch, Jack and the Beanstalk by Douglas Jones and Ron Barnett, The Legend of Sleepy Hollow and The Song of Mulan by Paul Deiss, Tales as Tall as the Sky by Cliff Todd, and The True Story of Pocahontas by Peter Howard and Ron Barnett. You can check our weekly calendar to keep up with performance locations.
Ford Flannagan, Company Manager, supervises the professional touring companies and hosted this evening’s festivities. After setting a pirate / Western / Hawaiian theme (don't ask), he distributed his annual door prizes consisting of everything from emergency ponchos to waving mechanical hands to tropical lip balm. In the photo to the right he and his assistant for the evening, Wendy Vandergrift – Assistant Technical Director in charge of our touring production needs, are about to deliver a Vibrating Soap Bar to actress Nicole Wakefield. All I can say is, every September, Spencer’s Gifts is very happy to see Ford Flannagan.
The annual touring actor party (along with our annual Fairy Tale Ball and other events) is planned by Jennings Whiteway, wearing the straw hat in the photo to the left, standing beside our Annual Fund Manager, Emily Cole Bitz. Jennings is Events, Access and Food Services Manager for Barksdale Theatre and Theatre IV. She is a trained events planner and manages Barksdale Events. Whatever your needs are for upcoming meetings, parties, weddings or other activities, Jennings and her Barksdale co-workers would be happy to discuss them with you. Just give our Artistic Director, Bruce Miller, a call at 783-1688 ext 17.
The actors in this year’s professional company come from throughout the United States, and contribute greatly to Central Virginia's arts scene. Immediately after this evening's pizza party, a van full of our touring actors rushed down the street to catch a performance of Mr. Marmalade at the Firehouse. Please join us in welcoming their talents and energies to the Richmond theatre community.
Barksdale is sister theatres with Theatre IV, the Children’s Theatre of Virginia. Our two independent nonprofit companies share a common staff.
Theatre IV on Tour is employing 28 fulltime company actors this fall, and 25 of the 28 gathered this evening for our annual Tourmite Party in the Empire Theatre lobby. Next week, the first of September’s six touring troupes will begin performing in schools and other theatrical facilities throughout Virginia and 32 additional states. It’s challenging and exciting work, and our talented and intrepid actors seem more than up to the task.
Between now and Thanksgiving, Theatre IV will be touring Hugs and Kisses by Terry Bliss, Bruce Craig Miller and Richard Giersch, Jack and the Beanstalk by Douglas Jones and Ron Barnett, The Legend of Sleepy Hollow and The Song of Mulan by Paul Deiss, Tales as Tall as the Sky by Cliff Todd, and The True Story of Pocahontas by Peter Howard and Ron Barnett. You can check our weekly calendar to keep up with performance locations.
Ford Flannagan, Company Manager, supervises the professional touring companies and hosted this evening’s festivities. After setting a pirate / Western / Hawaiian theme (don't ask), he distributed his annual door prizes consisting of everything from emergency ponchos to waving mechanical hands to tropical lip balm. In the photo to the right he and his assistant for the evening, Wendy Vandergrift – Assistant Technical Director in charge of our touring production needs, are about to deliver a Vibrating Soap Bar to actress Nicole Wakefield. All I can say is, every September, Spencer’s Gifts is very happy to see Ford Flannagan.
The annual touring actor party (along with our annual Fairy Tale Ball and other events) is planned by Jennings Whiteway, wearing the straw hat in the photo to the left, standing beside our Annual Fund Manager, Emily Cole Bitz. Jennings is Events, Access and Food Services Manager for Barksdale Theatre and Theatre IV. She is a trained events planner and manages Barksdale Events. Whatever your needs are for upcoming meetings, parties, weddings or other activities, Jennings and her Barksdale co-workers would be happy to discuss them with you. Just give our Artistic Director, Bruce Miller, a call at 783-1688 ext 17.The actors in this year’s professional company come from throughout the United States, and contribute greatly to Central Virginia's arts scene. Immediately after this evening's pizza party, a van full of our touring actors rushed down the street to catch a performance of Mr. Marmalade at the Firehouse. Please join us in welcoming their talents and energies to the Richmond theatre community.
--Bruce Miller
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