Everything's Coming Up Halenda

Posted by John Steils

Kathy Halenda, the wonderful Richmond-raised actress who starred in Barksdale’s recent productions of Mame and Disney’s High School Musical will be lighting up another stage about an hour down the road next week. Kathy is starring as Mama Rose in the national tour of Gypsy (see photo), stopping for one night at Charlottesville’s Paramount Theatre.

Her national reviews thus far have been unanimous raves:

“Gypsy has at least three things going for it -- the beautiful melodies of Jule Styne, Stephen Sondheim's witty lyrics, and American stage veteran Kathy Halenda, a woman big-voiced enough to sing the U.S. national anthem at Fenway Park, and bold enough to make us care about the original stage mommie dearest.” – London Free Press

“Great sets, great costumes and a great Rose!” – Binghamton Sun-Bulletin

“Everything’s Coming Up Rose!” – New Haven Advocate

“Halenda—taking charge the moment she arrives onstage—brings exuberance, energy and physical bravado to her character, making Rose larger than life. The other actors rarely show as much depth as she does, and rarely command such attention.” – Yale Daily News

Also appearing in the national tour of Gypsy is another Barksdale all-star. Rachel Abrams plays Mazeepa (the stripper with the helmet to the right of the photo). Rachel starred with Barksdale during each of the last two summers. She played Janis Joplin, Connie Francis and others in Beehive in 06, and the Baker’s Wife in Into the Woods in 07. In Gypsy, she’s also understudying Kathy as Mama Rose.

Called “the greatest of all American musicals” by the New York Times, Gypsy is the story of a quintessential stage mother, her dreams for her children, and the daughter who dared to live her own dream. From the first trumpet blast to the last hot spotlight, this classic Broadway show packs a powerful wallop, serving up one popular standard after another—songs like “Everything’s Coming Up Roses,” “Let Me Entertain You,” “You Gotta Have a Gimmick,” and “Together Wherever We Go.”

The Paramount performance will be Wednesday, November 7 at 8 pm. A group from the cast of Mame is planning on going up, and we hope lots of Richmonders will drive to C’ville to welcome Kathy back to her home state.

Gypsy was written by three virtuosos of American musical theater: Arthur Laurents (book), Jule Styne (music), and Stephen Sondheim (lyrics). The original production starring Ethel Merman and directed by Jerome Robbins was an instant hit when it opened at the Broadway Theatre in 1959. Subsequent revivals have garnered a total of three Tony Awards and featured such talents as Angela Lansbury, Tyne Daly and Bernadette Peters in the role of Rose.

Tickets are $58.50, $61.50, $64.50, and $69.50. (Barksdale's prices are starting to look pretty good, aren't they?) Half-price student rush seats and group discounts are also available. Tickets are currently on sale online and through the Paramount's box office at 434-979-1933. Also, as of this writing, Chase Kniffen has a couple or three great seats that he needs to sell. You can reach Chase at C.Kniffen@BarksdaleRichmond.org.

--John Steils

Helping "Into the Woods" into their clothes

We would be a cast of bedraggled actors on Barksdale's stage if it wasn't for one special woman keeping us together during every performance of Into the Woods. That person is Renee Jones and she is the Dresser/Quickfixer/Magician, and every actors' best friend behind the scenes. Ever wonder how an actor can somehow magically appear three lines of dialogue later entering on the other side of the stage in a completely different costume head to toe and no sweat? .... No we do not conjure up magical fairy dust .... it has a name and that name is Renee Jones.

To explain more about the phenom that is Renee, we must understand where she comes from and what brought her to us here at Barksdale Theatre. She lives in the house she was born in right here in Richmond. Renee is a graduate of the dance program at Henrico High School's Center for the Performing Arts which, coincidentally is where Into the Woods director Robin Arthur was the school's first Head Director. Renee is also a graduate of UNC Wilmington. You may recognize the campus from Dawson's Creek episodes, as it was used as the set for the High School in the series. Her first professional production in Richmond was Theatre IV's Charlotte's Web at the Empire Theatre followed by Proof at Barksdale Theatre. Following other local shows she headed off to HersheyPark in PA to hone her skills even more. Recent credits since her return to Richmond include Mame, Intimate Apparel, and Beehive. On the right is a picture of Renee making sure everything is perfect on Adanma Onyedike's costume during Intimate Apparel.

It takes a person with a strong constitution to see and do the things Renee does. We're talking actors sweating buckets everywhere and people literally falling out of costumes. This woman has seen it all. Each costume change is like a choreographed dance between Renee and each actor. As you can imagine each actor has a different "modus operandi" so she has to accomodate each one. Although I do enjoy my time with Renee, I am lucky enough to have only one real costume change....of course this change is from a carniverous wolf in full make-up exiting stage left, and coming in 1/2 a page later as a dashing (sweat-free) prince entering stage right (see photo on the left). Not only does she keep us dressed, she also keeps us in good repair. The costume designers and staff do a superb job at assembling all our phenomonal costumes, but as you can imagine falls, tears, weight loss....or gain, and missing buttons happen. Renee can be seen post-show, intermission, and at many times doing upkeep on our costumes. She is a huge asset to this summer's production of Into the Woods, she is truly a star.

-Russell Rowland

* Firsthand account by Amy Hruska, one of Renee's "Dance Partners":

"After I walk onstage as "Sleeping Beauty", I have 3 lines and then appear again as "Granny". Renee has my "Granny" wig sitting atop her head and as she is velcroing me in, I snatch the wig off of her and place it on my head. A pair of glasses completes the ensemble. Remember all is done in 3 quick tempo lines. Renee stays calm through all of this and gets me back onstage on time every time."

** Sidenote: We also have a "Set" Dresser, in a way. His name is Ronnie, and among his other jobs is fitting Amy Hruska two times a show, in and out of a 9'-10' tree "costume" , moving branches and all.

*** Personally I miss my appearance as a large piece of white celery (Prize to the first person,vegetable , or mineral who can guess the show)

Barksdale Theatre and Theatre IV employees void.

Anyone else like to share their strangest or most outrageous costume?