Why "Becky's New Car" Made It onto our Tavern Season

Posted by Bruce Miller
With millions of plays out there, each one yearning for production, how and why do I pick the plays that wind up on one of our Barksdale and Theatre IV seasons? That is our #2 FAQ. #1 is, "Why did you guys name it Theatre IV?"

Beginning with Why "Lend Me a Tenor" Made It onto our Signature Season (9/08/2011), I'm starting a new blog series to address that #2 question. Each post in the series will be tagged with the label "Why," so if you ever want to go back and read previous posts in the same series, you'll be able to do so by clicking on the "Why" label that will follow each article.

Barksdale's mission is to produce in Central Virginia national caliber productions of the GREAT comedies, dramas and musicals--past, present and future. In other words, we seek to produce plays that have significance and import, plays that leave a lasting impact on the field.

If the assessed "greatness" is in the arena of literature or art, we tend to present the play in our Signature Season at Willow Lawn and the historic Empire. If the assessed "greatness" is in the arena of entertainment or popularity, we tend to schedule the play at Hanover Tavern.

Re-reading, them sounds like fightin' words--and I'm in no way seeking a dispute. Yes, I think Becky's seeks and achieves "greatness" as literature and art. I also know for a fact that it clearly has achieved already "greatness" as popular entertainment. It is one of the most frequently produced new American plays created between 2000 and 2009. Securing 24 regional productions in three short years is a feat of which most playwrights could only dream.

Only time will tell whether Becky's New Car will earn its place as one of the artistically great American comedies of the aught decade of the 21st Century. I think it might.

There is another rationale that led to our selection of Becky's New Car.

Our goal at Barksdale Theatre is to establish in Central Virginia a major, nonprofit, professional theatre of national standing. Three years ago, during strategic planning sessions, our Board of Trustees asked various stakeholders what new initiatives were needed to grow the national reputation of our company. Our audience, our artists, our funders and our colleague organizations suggested that there were four things Barksdale should do to participate more fully in the American professional theatre community, thereby enhancing Richmond's profile among the nation's great theatre cities.

1. We should create on a regular basis world premieres of new comedies, dramas and musicals that originate here and then earn productions at other professional theatres around the country.

2. We should further support new work by being an early producer of new plays created at other regional theatres, relying less on plays that have already been successful on and off Broadway.

3. We should recruit theatre artists of national standing to come to Richmond to work side-by-side with our outstanding local professionals.

4. We should mount national caliber productions here and then seek to transfer the best of those productions to New York or other major national markets.

Following in the footsteps of our productions of Boleros for the Disenchanted by Jose Rivera (2009-2010) and Legacy of Light by Karen Zacarias (2010-2011), Becky's New Car by Steven Dietz (2011-12) is our third effort to fulfill the second objective noted above. In the coming months, we will address the first objective with our world premieres of Blue Ridge Mountain Christmas and Scorched Earth.

This is an exciting time for Barksdale Theatre and Theatre IV. We're taking seriously our goal of increasing the national impact and prominence of our theatre. We're choosing not to rest comfortably on the status quo. If we (and that "we" involves a LOT of people) are able to create a theatre of national prominence here in Central Virginia, I believe it will benefit greatly every theatre, theatre artist, and theatre lover in town.

I hope you'll buy tickets to both of our current comedies: Lend Me a Tenor at Willow Lawn and Becky's New Car at Hanover Tavern. They are fun and exciting shows. We need and are working hard to earn your support.

--Bruce Miller

The Themes of Karen Karen Zacarías's "Legacy of Light"

Posted by Bruce Miller
It's cliché, but nonetheless true. You'll never please all of the people all of the time.

More and more I believe this is particularly true with theatre, that most accessible of art forms. Virtually everyone considers theatre to be something they "get." Thank God for that. Theatre has never been highbrow or esoteric; it never will be.

Sure, there are the Waiting for Godot's and Rhinoceros's of the world (Beckett's Godot will be produced this spring by Henley Street, and Terrie and I saw Ionesco's Rhinoceros last Saturday at William & Mary). But even with these purposefully nebulous masterpieces, most audience members join in on the laughs and then have further fun discussing the deeper meanings of these multi-faceted literary classics.

And there are high caliber contemporary works like Stephen Adly Guirgis's The Last Days of Judas Iscariot (currently under co-production by Henley Street and Triangle) and Tom Stoppard's Arcadia (produced earlier this season by Richmond Shakes). These great plays let the audience know early on that they intend to intellectually challenge and, perhaps, spiritually provoke. The audience "gets" this, and winds up loving the show (or not) based at least somewhat on whether they like to be invited into the fray.

Then there are plays like our current production of Legacy of Light by Karen Zacarías. Everyone seems to be appreciating this production. But some people walk away LOVING it--over the top in all caps--while others walk away with something like a shrug.

Legacy is not purposefully nebulous; it doesn't seek to challenge or provoke. So within the first few scenes, some audience members think they "get" what Legacy is all about, or they try to "get" it, and then some of them sit through the rest of the 2 hour 5 minute production somewhat indifferent as the unfolding action fails to further amplify the theme they think they "got."

Part of this may be my fault. Early on I've discussed with our various marketing staffers that Legacy can be viewed as a "girl power" play, focusing as it does on the lives of two great women scientists. I've called it a "mother/daughter" play, and indeed it is. "Girl power" and "mother/daughter" are two strong marketing themes you can hang your hat on. Those people who study these things tell us that, unless you're the Triangle Players or mounting a production of Lombardi, between 70 and 80% of all your ticket buyers will be women. And so, as we've attempted to sell Legacy to the Richmond theatergoing public, we've been hyping the "girl power" and "mother/daughter" themes.

Maybe this is why some people think that Legacy is principally about women trying to balance their personal and professional goals, or gender equality. Certainly the play addresses those themes, and was inspired by the playwright's personal experience of those issues. But I don't think that's what the play is principally about. And the trouble is, if one decides that Legacy is meant to thoroughly discuss those concerns, then the contemporary scenes, as Karen Zacarías has written them, may fall a little flat. In the contemporary scenes, "gender equality" is more or less a given.

May I humbly suggest that the principal themes of Legacy of Light are:
1 legacy - what do we get from our forebears and what do we leave to our children;
2 life, death and immortality; and
3 the interconnectedness of all things across time and space.

Among the many who LOVE Legacy of Light, these three themes are the ones most frequently discussed. The play examines these themes in terms that are scientific, spiritual and personal.

Like our previous productions of Boleros for the Disenchanted, The Clean House, Well, Melissa Arctic and James Joyce's The Dead, Legacy of Light is about lots of things. With plays like these, I think there is a danger, while watching and after, in trying to pin them down. They are best experienced, in my humble opinion, by allowing them to wash over you and lead you simultaneously on two or five different spiritual and intellectual journeys.

The fun, for me, comes at the end, in trying to piece all the various journeys together.

These productions are not esoteric, but, like great poetry, or music, or art, or dance, they also may take a while to pin down.

That is their strength.

--Bruce Miller

Who's in the pics? - 1 Ricardo Melendez and Patricia Duran, 2 Tamara Johnson and Maggie Horan, 3 Larry Cook and Tamara Johnson

"Break a Leg!" "Grrrrrrrrrr!!"

Posted by Bruce Miller
Happy Friday the 13th--a perfect day to think a little about superstitions in the theatre.

Over the years, I've heard of 10 to 20 irrational but nonetheless traditional beliefs that seem to have been passed down from one theatre artist to another over the centuries. There are certainly three that are observed with regularity right here in River City. Let's talk about the best known first.

Throughout the ages it’s been considered bad luck to wish an actor “good luck” before a performance. If you want theatre artists to have a successful Opening Night and/or run, superstition requires that you wish them ill fortune rather than good. Whether in London, New York, Richmond, or anywhere else in the English-speaking world, the accepted way to wish an actor bad luck (when you really want them to have good luck) is to say “break a leg.”

I’ve heard many explanations as to why this particular phrase for bad luck was chosen as the standard. My favorite explanation goes back to the Elizabethan age and the Blackfriars Theatre, the first indoor venue for Shakespeare’s plays.

In 1597, during Shakespeare’s prime, Richard Burbage (that's him to the right) inherited the Blackfriars from his father. Richard Burbage was the principal actor with the Lord Chamberlain’s Men (Shakespeare’s company), the wildly popular troupe that performed with great success in the Globe. For years the Blackfriars had been home to the Children of the Chapel, a juvenile performing company. In 1608, Burbage and several partners took over management of the Blackfriars, kicked out the kids, and opened the elegant theatre in the winters for use by the King's Men—the new name given to Shakespeare's company after King James ascended to the throne in 1603.

The big difference between the Globe and the Blackfriars, other than the fact that the Blackfriars was an indoor venue, was that the audience at the Blackfriars was often considerably more well-to-do than the groundlings who paid a penny to get into the Globe. When a show met with approval at the Blackfriars, delighted patrons tossed coins onto the stage during curtain call, aiming at the feet of the actors who pleased them the most. When this happened, the showered-upon actors humbly dropped to one knee to accept the accolades (and scarf up the tokens of appreciation), therein “breaking” the line of their legs.

With this kowtowing for coinage custom in mind, a well-wisher says “break a leg” to fulfill the requirement of wishing bad luck, all the while knowing that there is a double-meaning to the phrase, a positive subtext that actually means “I hope the audience loves your performance enough to throw money at your feet causing you to break the line of your leg to pick it up.”

No one throws money anymore, more’s the pity. But once in a while someone throws flowers, which springs from the same tradition. Of course, when we produced The Full Monty, women in the audience often threw panties. Seriously.

Another theory regarding the etymology of the phrase “break a leg” comes from the Yiddish Theatre that was so popular in New York’s Lower East Side in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. In those early days, the Yiddish Theatre District that centered on Second Avenue in what is now the East Village equalled Broadway in both quantity and quality.

A favorite phrase for good luck in Yiddish is “Hatsloche un Broche,” meaning “success and blessing.” Knowing that wishing good luck was verboten backstage, Yiddish actors resorted to the similar sounding German phrase “Hals- und Beinbruch,” meaning “neck and leg fracture.”

The wishing-of-bad-luck superstition seems to cross all barriers of language and ethnicity. On the Opening Night of Boleros for the Disenchanted, our Latino actors, in keeping with Spanish theatre tradition, wished each other "¡Mucha mierda!"—which translates roughly as “Lotsa shit!”

In Stanislovski’s day, the great actors of the Moscow Arts Theatre wished each other "ни пуха ни пера" (ni puha ni pera). This literally means "neither down nor feathers." It was the traditional Russian blessing uttered to a hunter before he trekked into the woods, rifle in hand. Apparently Russian hunters fell into the same category as actors, and the only appropriate way to wish them “good luck” was to wish them something horrible. Wishing them “neither down nor feathers” was the same as saying “I hope you come home from the hunt empty handed.”

Sure enough, when an acclaimed Russian company was in residence in our historic Empire last fall performing The Humpbacked Horse, hardy calls of “ni puha ni pera” rang out prior to curtain from the dressing rooms and the darkened corners of backstage.

Whether you are a hunter or an actor, Russian or English, tradition states that you never say “thank you” when someone appropriately wishes you “bad luck.” In Russian, they reply “к черту" (k chertu), which literally means "go to the devil." At the Comédie-Française, when someone wishes you “Merde!” on Opening Night, you are supposed to respond with a robust growl. In Italy, after hearing the blessing “In bocca al lupo,” which means “In the mouth of the wolf,” an actor's recommended response is “Crepi!” or “Crepi il lupo!”, which translates as “May the wolf die!”

With so many Opening Nights fast upon us, we should all be getting our blessings, curses and guttural rumblings ready. And when you shout one out to a beloved theatre colleague, be prepared to hear a response something akin to a friendly, grateful growl.

Coming soon, superstition #2—The Scottish Play.

Till then, see you at the theatre!

--Bruce Miller

Mary's Must See List

Posted by Bruce Miller
A third rave review is now out to add luster to all the great word-of-mouth surrounding our current smash hit, Boleros for the Disenchanted. Mary Burruss wrote glowingly in today’s issue of STYLE, under the headline “Boleros Speaks from the Heart.” There are only four more weeks to catch the first major triumph of the Fall Season! I hope you’ll call for tickets today – 282-2620.
"Jose Rivera’s Boleros for the Disenchanted is an exquisitely written Latino love poem,” Mary writes. “This eloquent waterfall of words and flawless storytelling is beautifully dramatized because of collaboration between Barksdale Theatre and the Latin Ballet of Virginia, which brings the flavor of authentic Latin theatre to Richmond.”

Here are some review quotes we’ll be pulling:

“Exquisite!

A Masterwork of the human experience

Eloquent, Enchanting, Refreshingly Real

Flawless Storytelling ~ Full of Hope and Bitter Sweetness

A MUST SEE for lovers old and new!”

--Mary Burruss, STYLE Weekly

Hope to see you at the theatre.

--Bruce Miller

No Extra Qualifier Needed

Posted by Bruce Miller
Thanks to Dave Timberline's blog, I found John Porter's blog, where John publishes print copies of his reviews. You can find it too, at John Porter's review of "Boleros" .

John wrote a very lovely review, which I appreciate.

So far we've received two raves and possibly the best word of mouth we've had in years. And the phone's not ringing. There's always a danger, when you reach out to an underserved part of the metro population, that your regular ticket buyers will think this play is not for them.

In my opinion, nothing is further from the truth. As Susie Haubenstock stated in her review, "Funny yet poignant, Boleros touches a universal chord." Jose Rivera is such a gifted writer that this very personal story about his parents becomes everyone's story. I LOVE the play, and I hope everyone will come.

Anyway, John Porter's entire review is worth reading, so I encourage you to click on the link above and check it out. Until then, here are the review quotes we're pulling to include in our future marketing efforts:

"Remarkable!

This play is one of the most exciting evenings I have spent in a theatre. No extra qualifier needed.

Who knows how long it will be until we are treated to something so beautiful again?"

John Porter, WCVE-FM

If you'd like to meet the amazing cast of Boleros, please join us tomorrow morning at 11 a.m. for our monthly Bifocals meeting. All six cast members will participate in a panel discussion entitled, A Long Way from West Side Story - What it means to be Latino in the USA Today.

Hope to see you at the theatre!

--Bruce Miller

Random Ramblings on "Boleros"

Posted by Bruce Miller
I'm told by friends who heard the review on WCVE-FM yesterday afternoon that John Porter has written a glowing assess-ment of Boleros for the Disenchanted. This would be great. The show is getting amazing word-of-mouth, but it's a lesser known title. Every bit of positive PR helps. As of this morning, John's review is not posted on the WCVE-FM website. I'll let you know how to access a copy as soon as I can figure it out.

Two days from now, on Friday Sept 25 at 11 a.m., the cast of Boleros will assemble on our Willow Lawn stage for the first of two panel discussions: A Long Way from West Side Story - Being Latino in the USA Today. Two of our six actors are of Puerto Rican lineage, three have Mexican roots, and one is of Cuban ancestry. All are proud Latino Americans. I'll be moderating the discussion, and we'll be talking about the many gifts that their heritage has bestowed upon them. This panel discussion is one of the monthly meetings of our Bifocals Theatre Project. It is free and open to the public.

Immediately following the one hour discussion, we'll move to the lobby for a casual buffet lunch consisting of lunchmeats and cheeses, breads, lettuce and tomatoes, snack and dessert items, and beverages. A $5 free-will donation is suggested for lunch.

Jose Lorenzo, the Cuban balladeer who opens the show with his stirring rendition of the classic bolero Toda una vida, is also the artist who painted the beautiful and evocative landscapes on display in our lobby. More about Jose later.

We expanded our lobby stage by approximately 64 sq ft to create the Plaza Stage used as a performance space by the Latin Ballet during intermission of Boleros. Dance has been a central component of Hispanic and Latino theatre since its inception. In Hispanic tradition, the dancers are not confined to the stage of the theatre. The dances, always designed to reflect the themes of the play, frequently spill out into the audience and onto plaza stages constructed outside the theatres walls. Rather than invade the Willow Lawn parking lot, we’ve constructed our Plaza Stage inside. Audiences are enjoying this cultural exploration.

Simple platform plaza stages similar to ours have been growing in popularity over the last several years as the impact of Latino culture spreads nationally. You will find plaza stages in most major cities throughout the west, southwest and Florida. Perhaps the most well known plaza stages are the ones used by the Today Show for their summer music series, and the ones found at Disneyland in California and Universal in Orlando,

John Glenn, former artistic director of Barksdale, and R. L. Rowsey, former associate artistic director of TheatreVirginia, are in town to direct and music direct Souvenir, opening this Friday at Barksdale Theatre at Hanover Tavern. I was honored that both talented men were able to join us for opening night of Boleros. It was GREAT to have a few minutes to visit with these two friends, and to hear how much they enjoyed the show. For John, it was his first visit back to Barksdale since he left a dozen or so years ago.

Bernardo Cubria, the WONDERFUL Mexican American actor who plays Manuelo in Boleros and thrills audiences during two of the plays funniest scenes, is also a professional translator. It is his voice that can be heard speaking in Spanish on our pre-show announcement (along with Janine Serresseque, speaking in English). Bernardo is also creating the translation that will be used in October when we begin projecting the dialogue in Spanish super-titles onto the western wall of the theatre during selected performances.

Last tidbit—Michelle Guadalupe, the talented actress who charms as Petra, has now added a second “Whiteway” to her resume. Two summers ago, Michelle acted with the prestigious Eugene O’Neill Theatre Center in Connecticut. The Executive Director of the O’Neill is none other than Preston Whiteway, Phil’s super-achieving, 27/28-year-old nephew (pictured to the left). Those of you who knew Phil in his late 20s will note the strong family resemblance.

See you at the theatre!

--Bruce Miller

"Boleros for the Disenchanted" Earns a Rave

Posted by Bruce Miller
Boleros for the Disenchanted opened Friday night surrounded with gala celebrations, and our first review appeared in this morning’s Times-Dispatch. Few things are more rewarding (and more of a relief) than to go through a rigorous tech week and then read a rave review prominently featured in the Metro Section of Sunday morning’s paper.

Here are the review quotes we’ll be pulling from this morning’s review:

“Spectacular!

Funny yet poignant,
Boleros touches a universal chord

A Comedy with the Ring of Truth

Acted with Brilliance:
Patricia Duran and Jorge Alberto Rubio dazzle
with their searingly honest portrayals.

Carmen Zilles is deeply affecting.

Luis Vega is endearing.

Bernardo Cubria is a delightful heartthrob.

Michelle Guadalupe is a coy spitfire.

Beautifully, feelingly directed by Bruce Miller.

A delicious, funny, heartbreaking journey

Love Abounds!”

--Susan Haubenstock, Richmond Times-Dispatch

It would be impossible for me to give too much credit to this outstanding cast. The theatrical process frequently astounds me. Five and a half weeks ago, I had yet to meet or hear of a single one of my cast of six. Then in two days of NYC auditions, I picked them from nearly a hundred auditionees, and ten days later they began arriving in Richmond for a whirlwind round of rehearsals. During the last three weeks, we’ve spent a LOT of time together. We’ve discussed all the things you discuss when mounting a show with this emotional depth, and we’ve become good friends.

Tricia, Jorge, Carmen, Luis, Bernardo and Michelle are six of the most talented actors with whom I’ve ever had the privilege of working. They have helped me immeasurably to understand the rhythms of Jose Rivera’s beautiful script. Together with our designers and our partners in the Latin Ballet, I think we’ve mounted a first-class production of this major new play.

I hope you will all come to see Boleros for the Disenchanted. It's a beautiful play, the first in our three year commitment to Richmond’s growing Latino community. Our Hispanic Theatre Project is exciting and important, and Boleros is funny and very moving. I’m especially proud to be a part of it all.

--Bruce Miller

L is for Language

Posted by Bruce Miller
I love our audience. I think you folks are smart, adventurous and appreciative. I admire your receptive imaginations and expansive hearts.

I know many of you are sensitive to language. I’m thankful for that. Language is a key ingredient in theatre—perhaps the key ingredient. Sensitivity to it is a very good thing.

Boleros for the Disenchanted has some of the most beautiful, evocative and distinctive language you’ll hear from a contemporary playwright. Like Sarah Ruhl, the playwright who gave us The Clean House, Jose Rivera can turn a phrase in a way that sends your spirit soaring.

Talk about sensitivity to language. Jose Rivera is SENSITIVE to language. I like to think I am as well.

I also know that sensitive people are the easiest to offend. This is because our feelings are readily accessible. We wouldn’t have it any other way even if we could. In many ways, that too is a very good thing.

A great playwright—and I believe Rivera is a great playwright—paints with language chosen to evoke strong feelings from the hearer. Particular words and phrases are chosen to stimulate a comic or dramatic effect. Characters speak from their authentic places; they live in real worlds. When they speak, they use real words.

They sometimes use real words that we ourselves may not use. They are not us.

As we all know, real worlds and real words can delight, injure, inspire and offend us in equal measure.

On occasion, I hear from audience members who are offended by the language they hear on our stage. "Why didn’t you warn us?", they ask. This is a reasonable question. I’ll try to provide a reasonable response.

I believe that 85% to 95% of the people who attend our plays are not offended by the language they hear on our stage. Or they are appropriately offended, I should say.

When they hear vulgar, coarse or profane language, they sometimes gasp. They may even be stunned. Nonetheless, they appreciate the way in which the playwright's carefully chosen words and phrases illuminate the character or the situation and draw them into the play. They enjoy experiencing a world that is not their own. They want to ride the emotional roller coaster with the characters, and language helps them do so.

For maybe 10% of you, offensive language jars you out of the world of the play. You hear a word or phrase that you don’t want to hear, a word or phrase that you would never use yourself, a word or phrase that you were always taught should not be spoken in polite society, and the moment you hear it, you are so shaken that you’re no longer taking a journey with the actors. You find yourself sitting self-consciously in a theatre, feeling embarrassed and even a little angry, concerned solely with what just happened in your world, not the world of the play.

I know this; I respect this. I don't like it. I apologize for it.

The theatre artists involved in each production share the job of drawing the audience into the characters’ world. When we suddenly send you reeling into a personal reaction happening in real time, we fail to transport you. We fail at our job.

When faced with this failure—not a failure of intent, but a failure of effect—I struggle deciding what to do.

Here’s what I’ve decided. We will continue to produce plays with strong language—who wants to produce plays with weak language? When a play contains language that approximately 10% of our audience may find personally offensive, I’ll ask our marketing department to place an L in the lower left hand corner of our promotional materials for that play.

L is for language. S is for sexual activity that is seen, not just discussed. N is for nudity. V is for violence.

These letters are not “ratings.” Every play I select to present to you is rated W for Wonderful. If I don’t think the play is Wonderful, then we’re not going to produce it.

These letters are not “warnings.” I would never select any play that I felt required me to warn audience members not to come.

These letters are “advisories.” Understated advisories to be sure. Understated because I don’t want to misrepresent the content of the play and advise anyone that the content is improper or ill conceived. I believe in and stand in support of every play we produce.

These understated advisories are there to prepare the 10% or so of you who find that offensive language takes you out of the play. If you see such an advisory, you can call our box office or check our website and we will provide you with a very detailed description of the content that is being referenced. If you choose not to attend a play after seeing such an "advisory," we will, of course, be happy to refund your ticket price.

This may not all be in place immediately. It will all be in place soon.

Regarding Boleros, the L will soon be appearing in our ads. Boleros is a beautiful, spirit-lifting, heart-warming play. It is filled with wonderful characters and magnificent language. The script includes a few words and phrases that may take some of you out of the play. I encourage each of you to see it.

As always, I welcome and ask for your thoughts. Thanks for your support of Barksdale Theatre.

--Bruce Miller

Look to the Snow and Flowers

Posted by Bruce Miller
We all come from somewhere. And that somewhere is not just a place. It is an identity and a heritage made up of people and spirit. It is language, culture and music. Religion and dance.

My late father grew up in the small Amish / Mennonite farming community of Springs, PA, about 200 miles west of its sister community in Lancaster, and 100 miles southeast of Pittsburgh. Springs is located on the Appalachian Plateau at the foot of Negro Mountain, so named to honor the heroism of a freed slave who died in battle during the French and Indian War.

Springs lies in the snowiest populated area of the United States, receiving on average 200 inches of snow per year.
My grandfather was the Mennonite minister in Springs. In accordance with custom, he was not paid in cash. Instead, the farming community provided for my grandfather, grandmother and their six children. One year, when the weather was particularly bad, none of the families had crops to share with their pastor, and so with a heavy heart my grandfather moved his family 100 miles southeast to Inwood, WV, where he found a job at the new Musselman’s apple processing plant.

Mr. Musselman, also a devout Mennonite, hired my grandfather to engineer, build and maintain the equipment that Musselman’s used to make applesauce. One of my grandfather’s inventions was a new, more efficient apple coring machine. This invention transformed Musselman’s into the industry leader it is today.

The mother of Jose Rivera, playwright of Boleros for the Disenchanted, grew up in the small Puerto Rican village of Miraflores (translation: look to the flowers). Puerto Rico is popularly known by its people as La Isla del Encanto – The Island of Enchantment.

The Puerto Rican economy traditionally thrived on agriculture and small family farms. In the late 1940s, a series of U. S.-led projects codenamed Operation Bootstrap transformed Puerto Rico from an agricultural to a manufacturing society, causing the economic collapse of many farm communities. As men and women could no longer support their families, they migrated from Puerto Rico to the Continental U. S. Emigration peaked in 1953, when 75,000 Puerto Ricans made the journey north.

Today, the U. S. Census Bureau estimates that more people of Puerto Rican birth or ancestry live in the 48 contiguous states than in Puerto Rico itself.

The hardships that prompted my father and Rivera’s mother to leave their very different lands of enchantment also enabled their two families to find a different magic forged in love, heritage and faith.

Boleros for the Disenchanted is based on the true story of Rivera’s parents. It is a story of love tempered by time, heartbreak and change. I love this story; it reminds me of my own.

I hope you'll join us at the theatre.

--Bruce Miller

"Boleros for the Disenchanted"

Posted by Bruce Miller
On September 18, Barksdale will open Boleros for the Disenchanted as the first play in our 09-10 Signature Season at Willow Lawn. Boleros also will be the first instalment in our three-year Hispanic Theatre Project.

During each of the next three seasons, we will produce one play from the rich treasures of Hispanic culture. All three of the plays will be presented in English, with super-titles for Spanish-speaking audiences.

The first time I read Boleros, I fell in love with this funny and deeply moving new play. It is written by Jose Rivera, an important and highly respected voice in American theatre. Rivera has written several successful stage plays, and last year he was nominated for an Academy Award for his screenplay for Motorcycle Diaries.

Barksdale is proud to be among the first theatres in the nation to be granted the rights to produce this important new work.

Our Hispanic Theatre Project is produced in association with the Latin Ballet of Virginia, Ana Inez King, Artistic Director. Support for this access program comes from the Community Foundation and the Sara Belle November Fund of the Community Foundation.

The goals of the Project are:
1. to create a welcoming atmosphere at Barksdale Theatre for Greater Richmond’s Latino citizens, the fastest growing segment of our metro population;
2. to provide Richmond’s Anglo audience with the opportunity to experience and appreciate the magnificent works of Hispanic culture, both new and classical;
3. to develop and sustain new relationships with Hispanic playwrights, actors, dancers, musicians and other theatre artists; and
4. to strengthen our community by establishing a common ground upon which multiple cultures can come together to experience, celebrate and respond to the universal language that is art.

These are lofty goals. We’re giving them our best shot.

During the last two years of planning, there has been a lot of talk about the terms Hispanic and Latino. I’ve asked a great many people for their opinions, and I’ve learned a lot about how diverse the opinions are. In most corners, both Latino and Anglo, the two terms are interchangeable. The U. S. Census Bureau, for one, considers the terms to have the exact same meaning.

Those who prefer one term over the other tend to do so for the following personal reasons.

To some, “Hispanic” describes the cultures and peoples of countries formerly ruled by Spain—nations in which Spanish is spoken by the majority of the population. These countries include, of course, Spain, plus Mexico and its Southern neighbors in Central America (with the exception of Belize, where English is the official language), the nations in the Western half of South America (in other words, not Brazil, where Portuguese is the official language), and most of the Greater Antilles (Cuba, Haiti, the Dominican Republic, etc.). Many also consider the former Spanish East Indies (the Philippines, Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands) to be “Hispanic.”

Those who don’t like the term “Hispanic” feel that it recalls the violent conquests that supported the age of the Spanish Empire, which thrived between 1492 and 1898. This feeling was more prevalent in the 60s and 70s than it is today. It was during the 60s and 70s that the term “Latino” grew in popularity, particularly among U. S. residents of Latin American ancestry, mainly because it honored the identity of the surviving and evolving countries rather than their former conqueror.

Those who dislike the term “Latino” mention that the term exists only outside of Latin America, not inside it. The term was created, they believe, to separate and isolate men and women with Latin American ancestry from the rest of the U. S. population. Therefore they find the term to be slightly pejorative. They feel that the term “Hispanic” is used in Spanish-speaking nations to unite, and the term “Latino” is used in the States to divide.

Like all things political, it’s very complicated. There is no one “correct” or universal opinion. People just feel the way they feel. And as I mentioned, most people, both Latinos and Anglos, feel that the terms are interchangeable.

We chose to call our initiative the Hispanic Theatre Project for two reasons:
1. that is the phraseology that our friends at the Latin Ballet preferred, and
2. “Hispanic” is the broader term and allows us to include for consideration plays that originated in Spain rather than Latin America.

We are very excited about our new Project, and eager to share Boleros for the Disenchanted with ALL of Richmond’s theatregoers. I think you'll love the show. I certainly hope you’ll join us!

--Bruce Miller

Laughter is the Best Medicine

Posted by Bruce Miller
Richmond is looking pretty good the past couple days.

Yesterday, we did NOT make it onto Forbes.com’s list of the 40 Most Stressful Cities in America. Northern Virginia did (as part of Metro DC), and so did Virginia Beach. What’s with that? Stressed out at the beach?

Today, our fair city DID make it into the BOTTOM ten on MSN.com’s list of American Cities and Their Addiction to Fast Foods. With a grade of A-, Richmond was the 7th LEAST addicted city in the nation, sandwiched between the respectable eaters in Bangor, Maine and Providence, Rhode Island. Once again, Norfolk scored only a B+ and NoVA a B-.

I’ve always felt particularly competitive with Charlotte, N. C.—all that banking brouhaha. So I took shameless pleasure in learning that Charlottonians are not only among the most stressed out citizens in America, they also rate third from the top in per capita consumption of fast food, earning a grade of F.

As any curmudgeon can tell you, there’s got to be some sort of correlation between reliance on fast food and stress. So what’s Richmond’s secret that keeps us calm and well nourished?

It’s got to be our theatres. Central Virginians love their theatres, and Richmond’s theatres love their comedies.

Stress relief from laughter? Seriously, it’s no joke.

According to a recent study from the Mayo Clinic, laughter is powerful stress-relief medicine. When you laugh, it doesn’t just lighten your load mentally, it actually induces physical changes in your body.

“Laughter can stimulate your organs,” state the fine doctors at the Mayo Clinic, and honestly, who doesn’t enjoy stimulating their organs every now and then. “Laughter enhances your intake of oxygen-rich air, stimulates your heart, lungs and muscles, and increases the endorphins that are released by your brain.”

And the positive effects of a few chuckles and the occasional belly laugh don’t stop there. “A rollicking laugh fires up and then cools down your stress response and increases your heart rate and blood pressure. The result? A good, relaxed feeling.”

“Laughter can also ease digestion and stimulate circulation,” which helps “soothe tension and stomach aches.”

And the health benefits of a rousing comedy aren’t just short term. Laughter has been proven to improve your immune system, relieve pain, and increase personal satisfaction over the long haul.

So, wanna keep Richmond as a low-stress winner? Then make an appointment today with the good doctors at Hagadorn, Guadalupe, and Bass. Here are the upcoming comedies you won’t want to miss:

The Mystery of Irma Vep, opening Sept 17 at the Mill. “A werewolf, a vampire and a resurrected Egyptian princess come together with the denizens of Mandacrest Manor for the ultimate spoof of Gothic melodramas. Starring John Hagadorn and David Janeski.

Boleros for the Disenchanted, opening Sept 18 at Barksdale Willow Lawn. There’s a lot of robust humor in this new poetic masterpiece by Jose Rivera. Starring Bernardo Cubria, Patricia Doran, Michelle Guadalupe, Jorge Rubio, Luis Vega and Carmen Zilles.

Souvenir, opening Sept 25 at Barksdale Hanover Tavern. Debra Wagoner and Jonathan Spivey star as the legendary Florence Foster Jenkins and her intrepid accompanist, Cosme McMoon, in this true story of a tone-deaf New York society matron whose foghorn croonings became the toast of Carnegie Hall. Directed by John Glenn and co-produced with Company of Fools.

The Ugly Duckling, opening Oct 2 at Theatre IV’s Empire Theatre. Why should we adults be the only ones to enjoy stress-reduction? Treat your kids to this fun and frolicking musical about finding self-esteem through having and being a friend. Starring Gordon Bass, Eric Pastore, Ali Thibodeau, Duron Tyre and Aly Wepplo.

The New Century, opening the Triangle Players season on Oct 7. The New York Post exclaimed that “the evening contains so many gut-busting one-liners that those with heart conditions are advised to steer clear.” Starring Jackie Jones and Michael Hawke.

Hope to hear you laughing at the theatre!

--Bruce Miller

August 30, 2009

Posted by Bruce Miller

Resonance.

Richness or significance, especially in evoking an association or strong emotion.

Intensification and prolongation of sound, produced by sympathetic vibration.

Yesterday was a wonderful day. It was the last show of Fully Committed and a packed house once again leapt to its feet in appreciation of and wonder at Scott Wichmann’s talent.

It was also Scott’s 36th birthday. Twenty-six of his family members were there, along with over a hundred friends from Richmond’s theatre community. Love, friendship and respect were palpable.

Immediately after curtain call, Scotty made a heartfelt speech about how special this all was. “I moved here ten years ago,” he said. “I had no intention of staying. I also had no idea of the community I was joining—a community that immediately embraced me and has supported and sustained me. A community like family, that even introduced me to my beautiful wife. This is an amazing birthday because all of you are here.”

After the show, we celebrated with Scotty and each other during a picnic in the Tavern’s back yard. As you all know, yesterday was also Scotty’s last day before joining the Naval Reserve. He checks into a hotel room this evening and hops on a bus tomorrow morning for basic training.

I arrived at yesterday’s festivities leading a van filled with young actors who had just travelled from their homes in New York to connect with the Richmond theatre community for the first time. They are amazing actors, and all of them are Latino. They came here on faith to perform in our upcoming production of Boleros for the Disenchanted.

Our six Boleros actors have to be wondering … What is this Richmond theatre community like? Did I make the right choice to leave my home in New York to come here?

The minute I saw the Tavern, as I was driving up, my heart and head filled with … what? Fifty-six years ago this month, six actors from New York came to Richmond, saw the derelict tavern for the first time, and made the decision to pool every penny they had in the world, buy it, and devote their lives to saving this building and building this theatre.

Before the Richmond Symphony or the Richmond Ballet, before the Virginia Museum Theatre, these New York émigrés founded Central Virginia’s first professional performing arts organization. As they wove their passions and perspectives and talents and intelligences into the very fabric of our community, they changed it forever.

They heard about the Jim Crow laws that made it illegal to admit black audience members into their new theatre. When the county sheriff came to tell them, they offered themselves up for arrest, saying that there was no way in hell they were going to welcome some of their new neighbors into their theatre and home while excluding others. They broke the back of those insane laws by becoming the first Virginians to simply stand up for what was right.

No arrests were made.

How proud Pete, Nancy and Muriel would be, I thought, to know that Barksdale is about to launch Richmond’s first Hispanic Theatre Project. How pleased they would be to welcome these six new New York actors into the home they loved. How thrilled they would be to witness Scotty’s amazing performance, to meet his family, to see the Richmond theatre community gather here again to honor the great spirits that live in this place, in Scotty’s talent and in his heart as he ventures off to join the Naval Reserve.

I saw Phil when I arrived, and shared these thoughts with him.

As he was packing up after the wonderful day and getting ready to drive home to Ashland, Phil's heart and head also filled with a sense of ... connection. He turned the steering wheel of his car, and for the first time in four years, he visited Pete and Nancy’s burial site, located just a few minutes from the theatre. He had thoughts to share.

When he arrived, he looked down at their markers and discovered something that neither of us had remembered. Yesterday was also Pete Kilgore’s birthday. And Nancy’s birthday is Sept. 18, opening night of Boleros for the Disenchanted.

Standing in the dusk in the churchyard, Phil called me on his cell so that I would know.

Resonance.

A subatomic particle lasting too short a time to be observed directly.

I hope to see you at the theatre.

--Bruce Miller

NYC Auditions - "Boleros for the Disenchanted"

Posted by Bruce Miller
Last Thursday and Friday, Phil and I conducted two days of auditions in NYC for our upcoming production of Boleros for the Disenchanted, the wonderful new play by Oscar-nominated writer Jose Rivera (pictured to the left). We will be producing Boleros this fall in association with the Latin Ballet of Virginia.

We flew up on Wednesday on our much-loved JetBlue—the Official Airline of Barksdale Theatre and Theatre IV. If you haven’t flown JetBlue to New York’s JFK lately, you really should consider giving it a try. With roundtrip tickets for only $64, more legroom than any other US carrier, 36 channels of DIRECTV (still free), 100 channels of XM Satellite Radio (also still free), no baggage charge on your first piece of luggage, and delicious beverage and snack service (again, still free) … what’s holding you back?

All right, enough with the commercial.

We saw a total of 92 actors (mostly Latino) for the six actor cast. We auditioned AEA actors at the Equity Studios on Thursday (see sign above and to the right), and non-AEA actors at Ripley-Grier Studios on Friday (pictured in photos to the left). Many thanks to Scott and Lisa, our wonderful audition monitors.

Boleros kicks off our three-year Hispanic Theatre Project. We will be producing one play during each of the next three seasons that directly relates to Hispanic culture. Act I of Boleros takes place in Rivera's homeland, Puerto Rico. I’m eager to find Latino actors who effectively connect with the characters in the play.

Federal employment law forbids asking a potential employee about his or her ethnicity. The statement I was allowed to make, according to our attorney, was this: “Discuss with me any connections you may have with Latino culture.”

Responses varied from “I spent the first 18 years of my life in Puerto Rico” to “I haven’t missed a Cinco de Mayo celebration since I was 13” to “I sent out my famous paella recipe with last year’s Christmas cards.”

Phil and I saw some terrific actors. I am hoping to complete reference checks tomorrow and begin making offers. My goal is to assemble the most talented and authentically Latino cast that Richmond has ever seen. If luck is with us, I believe I’ll do just that.

Hope to see you at the theatre when Boleros opens on Sept 18. We're very excited about having the opportunity to introduce you to this wonderful and important new play.

--Bruce Miller