Star of Stage, Screen and Richmond

Posted by Bruce Miller
Today we’re pleased to wish Betty Ann Grove a very happy 81st birthday. Betty Ann is Richmond’s own Broadway Baby—and she’s such a good friend and familiar face that it’s way too easy to forget what an amazing national career she had before moving to Richmond with her late husband Roger twenty or so years ago.

How big a deal is our friend Betty Ann? Consider these brief anecdotes from the wealth of articles that pop up when you type her name into Google.

When she was only 21 years old, Betty Ann began her seven year stint as co-star of Stop the Music, a mega-hit musical quiz show that began on radio in 1949 and soon transferred to the up-and-coming medium of television. When Cole Porter saw adorable Betty Ann on TV for the first time, his people immediately called her people and offered her the chance to replace Lisa Kirk as Lois Lane / Bianca in the original Broadway production of Kiss Me Kate—Betty Ann’s Broadway debut.

And it wasn’t just Cole Porter who loved her. Betty Ann was so popular and appeared in so many TV shows in the early 50s that her beautiful face wound up on the cover of Look Magazine over a caption that read “America’s Most Televised Women.” And what are the TV credits that earn her recognition as one of the great women pioneers of the new medium? Stop the Music, The Bert Parks Show, The Big Payoff, All in Fun, Ozark Jubilee, The Red Buttons Show, Summer Holiday, The Merv Griffin / Betty Ann Grove Show, The Arthur Murray Party, and many others.

At the peak of her success as a television singer/actress and recording artist, Betty Ann was dating her manager, Peter Dean. Peter Dean took Betty Ann with him on frequent visits to see his niece, a little girl named Carly Simon. Betty Ann had such a strong influence on young Carly that to this day Ms Simon credits Betty Ann as the singer she wanted to be when she grew up.

When Betty Ann returned to Broadway in George M! in 1968 (the second of her four Broadway shows), she was so well known in the entertainment industry that she received second billing after Joel Grey. All the advertising materials for the original production list Betty Ann’s name on its own line, just below the title, in type about twice the size of the names that immediately follow beneath her name, names like Broadway stars Jill O’Hara and Bernadette Peters.

If you decide today that you'd like to buy on an Internet auction site the autographed photo of Betty Ann you see at the top of this post, you can! And if you Buy It Now, you can pick it up for only … oh ... $399!

“Betty Ann Grove is an American actress,” Wikipedia states. “A petite redhead with a powerful voice, she recorded in the 1950s and debuted on Broadway in Kiss Me Kate.”

Even though the Wiki article goes on, it tells such a small part of her story.

Richmonders love Betty Ann for her star turns in The Music Man and Da at Theatre IV, and Driving Miss Daisy and Smoke on the Mountain at Swift Creek Mill Theatre, among others. But as we celebrate with her the joy of turning 81 years young, let’s not forget that Betty Ann Grove is not just our sweetheart, but America's sweetheart as well.

We love you, Betty Ann. Happy Birthday!!!

--Bruce Miller

In the Good Old Summertime

Posted by Bruce Miller
The books are now closed on the Summer of 09, and the good news is that our recent hit productions of Thoroughly Modern Millie, Driving Miss Daisy and Fully Committed broke last year’s records, adding up to Barksdale Theatre’s selling-est summer ever!

If you look only at the months of June, July and August, the Summer of 08 was the previous box office winner. In Summer 08 we sold or comped a total of 13,500 tickets, grossing $338,218. The box office breakdown looked like this: Guys and Dolls at the Empire (10,922 tickets, $270,260), Shirley Valentine at the Tavern (2,578 tickets, $67,958).

This past summer, Thoroughly Modern Millie never caught fire the way Guys and Dolls did the summer before. We know our audience LOVED Millie (as did the critics), so we’re guessing that sales were sluggish due to:
a. the economy
b. lower title recognition
c. our decision to compete with ourselves by remounting Driving Miss Daisy at Willow Lawn.

When all was said and done, the Millie box office released 7,698 tickets for a total revenue figure of $190,724, nearly $80 K short of the Guys total.
Fortunately, even as sales sagged a bit in the early summer at the Empire, Fully Committed proceeded to knock it out of the park in the late summer at Hanover Tavern. Somewhere in mid-July, you could almost feel consumer confidence begin to turn a corner. The Fully Committed box office released 4,181 tickets and brought in $107,553 in revenue—nearly $40,000 more than Shirley Valentine did at Hanover Tavern the summer before.

Just as we had hoped, it was dear Miss Daisy who put us over the top. Daisy pulled off an impressive performance at Willow Lawn, especially taking into account that it was a revival of a hit Tavern production that did very well in Hanover the previous fall. A total of 2,915 ticket holders saw Daisy, generating $63,955 in revenue. There was no comparable show or slot in the 2008 line-up, and so the addition of this third show made it possible to break last summer’s record.
All told, in Summer 09, we sold or comped a total of 14,794 tickets and grossed $362,232—an approximate $24,000 increase over Summer 08.

So, how do things look for Summer 2010? With the economy starting to improve, and three GREAT productions in the works (The Sound of Music in the Empire, On Golden Pond at Hanover Tavern, and a revival of Crowns starting at the Gottwald Playhouse and then transferring to Barksdale Willow Lawn), we have every reason to be optimistic.

Who knows? Maybe 2010 will be the summer we break $400 thousand.

Thank you for continuing to help us keep Barksdale growing and going strong. I hope you will buy your subscriptions, group sales and single tickets soon, if you haven’t already. We need you. I look forward to seeing you at the theatre!

--Bruce Miller

PS – Revenues that came in during the first couple weeks in June for the end of the run of I Ought to Be in Pictures are added into our Spring box office tallies, and therefore not included here.

Betting Our Bottom Dollar

Posted by Bruce Miller
Between December 2007 and March 2008, the Boards of Trustees, Phil and I made two big, proactive decisions. We scheduled the elimination of five positions from the staff of Barksdale/Theatre IV, and we announced three Depression Era plays/musicals for our upcoming seasons.

It may not have been clear to everyone at the time, but for those of us whose job it was to keep our eyes on the books on a day to day basis, the writing was on the wall.

The positions we eliminated amounted to approximately 11% of our total administrative workforce (staffers, not actors and other theatre artists). Like all RIF actions, these eliminations were painful. They continue to strain our operations.

The eliminations were also necessary. They reduced annual expenditures by approximately $140,000.

The five positions that were eliminated, two by attrition, included Associate Artistic Director, Special Projects Manager, Marketing Associate, Group Sales Manager, and Receptionist/Bookkeeping Associate. If and when the economy rebounds, we hope to be able to restore each of these sorely needed positions.

The shows we announced related to the Depression, but they were all upbeat and inspirational, and reflected the current zeitgeist. They were Barksdale’s productions of A Sanders Family Christmas at Hanover Tavern and This Wonderful Life at Willow Lawn, and Theatre IV’s production of Annie, which just opened on Friday at our historic Empire.

The public seems to appreciate our decision. These have been three of the four biggest hits of our 2008-09 Seasons (Driving Miss Daisy being the fourth).

Susie Haubenstock’s review of Annie appears in this morning’s Metro section. “In tough times,” the headline trumpets, “this musical is just what the doctor ordered.”

“Think that Annie is just for kids? The 1977 powerhouse musical by Thomas Meehan, Charles Strouse and Martin Charnin is a favorite of young audiences, surely, but rarely in history has it seemed so appropriate for older ones as well. Theatre IV’s current production is big and stylish and full of fun—and loaded with Depression-era nostalgia that’s all too pertinent today. But being Annie, the attitude is sunny, hopeful and positive—a real tonic for us veterans of bailouts and layoffs.”

“The story of those plucky orphans under the yoke of the tippling Miss Hannigan still works like a well-oiled machine. There’s a super-sized cast of 26 people and one irresistible dog, and a sumptuous scenic design by Mercedes Schaum. No skimping here. Robin Arthur’s direction hits just the right note—she’s an ace with the orphans, who are cute but never cloying, and her choreography (especially for Easy Street) is fresh and funny.”

Susie continues to praise the entire cast, the remaining designers, and the production as a whole.

So no matter what your age, if you need a lift from the recession-riddled headlines, trundle on down to the historic Empire and take part in Barksdale and Theatre IV’s own stimulus program. You’ll have a GREAT evening in the theatre, laugh and cheer, and help our nonprofit companies triumph, God willing, over this economy that continues to kick us in the shins.

We need you. Hope to see you at Annie, Well, I Ought to be in Pictures, and all our other upcoming productions.

--Bruce Miller

Meet the Cast of Driving Miss Daisy: Jim Bynum – “Hoke”

By Joseph Pabst (Director of Driving Miss Daisy)

(Note: Driving Miss Daisy runs through November 2, 2008 at the Barksdale at Hanover Tavern. Over the last several weeks, we have highlighted the other two members of the cast – Garet Chester and Joy Williams.)

If you attend a performance of Driving Miss Daisy, you may find yourself wondering, “Why does the guy playing Hoke seem so familiar to me?” Depending on your familiarity with & experience in the Richmond area, the answer may be, “From TV.” Jim Bynum was one of the regular spokespersons (spokespeople?) for “The” Grocery Store, when it was still in business. Along with K Strong, another Richmond theatre favorite, Jim came into everyone’s living room on a regular basis (via television, that is) to let Richmonders know about the specials on “The” Grocery Store’s shelves. For a time, Jim & K were firmly seated in Richmond’s pop culture, although Jim concedes, “K is prettier, of course, and was the real star of the ads!”

But Jim is no stranger to live theatre by any means. He has enjoyed a rewarding on-stage career playing many diverse and challenging roles. He’s played senior citizens (Do Lord Remember Me, Driving Miss Daisy), the mentally challenged (The Boys Next Door), the physically challenged (Shadow Box), the psychologically challenged (Fences), and even the musically challenged (Mayor Shinn in The Music Man).

The most exciting roles of his career have come about as the result of “blind casting”, casting without regard to race or physical type. These highlights include Mayor Shinn in The Music Man, King Duncan in Macbeth, and Troy in Fences. “Troy is listed because the role called for a much larger man,” says Jim. “As a rotund citizen, I need to restate that. Fences called for a much TALLER actor. The director felt that my loud mouth would make up for loss in size.”

This production marks Jim’s second opportunity to play Hoke. He first chauffeured Miss Daisy around in a production staged by the Swift Creek Mill Theatre (or Playhouse, as it was known then) in 1991, playing opposite Betty Ann Grove as Daisy, and Joe Inscoe as Boolie. So what brought him back to the role this time? “I was drawn to Driving Miss Daisy because I love everything about the show. Actually, I would have missed the audition had Alice Shreiner not called to inform me. Thanks, Alice!”

Jim has a lot of admiration for the character he plays on stage. “Hoke is a survivor, and so am I. He is a proud man who quietly circumvents cultural and educational barriers to establish unlikely, life-long friendships.” Jim is also taken with Hoke’s loyalty and perseverance. “I would love to have those characteristics!”

Life off stage is very busy for Jim. Or “as Hoke would say, ‘… a mess.’” He has a strong background in education, even having served as the spokesperson for Richmond City Schools. “That was an exciting job, except the times when unpopular decisions caused some to want to shoot the messenger – and not with a camera!” Now, on any given day, he can be found teaching in a university classroom, conducting a workshop for educators in another city, editing dissertations, or delivering food to those who can’t get around. The work and service he provides through the Rotary Club of Richmond is enjoyable and very rewarding. His greatest joy is interacting with his grandchildren, Justin and Jayla. He’s also kept busy “loudly saying ‘yes’ to whatever my wife tells me to do around the house, around the car, around the neighborhood. (That’s what Hoke and I really have in common!)”

While Jim’s character spends most of his life driving as a career, Jim has spent most of his adult life traveling for the fun of it. He’s been to every state in the Union, and even visited five continents. “That’s right! Plans are in the works for Antarctica!”

It’s a good bet he won’t be driving to get there…

--Joe Pabst

Half Price Halloween

Treat yourself to an evening at
Hanover Tavern for only $19.


"A Godsend!
Three FINE actors
A touching, excellent ride!"
--Susan Haubenstock, Richmond Times-Dispatch

"Derives its humor and tenderness from life.
A trio of actors that bring a special synergy to the stage
It’s charming, nostalgic and just plain fun."
--Joan Tupponce, Richmond.com

Driving Miss Daisy is on stage at Hanover Tavern through Nov.2. Tickets are normally $38. This half priced offer is for October 31 only. It is not retroactive and may not be combined with other offers. Discount valid while seats are still available.

You may also take advantage of this discount by calling our box office at
(804) 282-2620.

Meet the Cast of Driving Miss Daisy: Joy Williams – “Daisy”

By Joseph Pabst (Director of Driving Miss Daisy)

(Note: Driving Miss Daisy has been extended through November 2 at Barksdale at Hanover Tavern. This is the second in a series in which we shine the spotlight on each of the three members of the cast. Part 1 is available here.)

If you were to see Joy Williams on the street or in the grocery store, you would hardly confuse her for a 72-year-old woman. She is a tall, strong vibrant woman with a friendly smile, infectious laugh and a full head of blond hair. And she runs marathons – literally!

Still, Joy transforms herself into the elderly role of “Daisy Werthan” for each performance of Driving Miss Daisy. She starts the play at an astonishingly convincing 72 years old, and then continues to age over the course of an hour or so until she reaches 97. Because of the time constraints and fluidity of the play, this can only be partially accomplished with wigs, clothes and make-up. The real transformation is in Joy’s acting, her body, her voice. Before stepping on stage, Joy is well aware of the age she must portray, and fully inhabits the character at that age.

Joy is no stranger to Richmond stages, performing steadily at Barksdale at Hanover Tavern, Barksdale at Willow Lawn, Theatre IV and the Swift Creek Mill Theatre since she moved back here 18 years ago. Some of her personal favorite roles include: Bella in Lost in Yonkers, Charlotte Hay in Moon Over Buffalo, Edith Banks in Barefoot in the Park (welcoming Barksdale audiences back to the Hanover Tavern in 2006, after 10 years), and now, of course, Daisy Werthan. She is also a resident actor in the Swift Creek Mill’s youth theatre season. Younger audiences may know her (if they don’t recognize her) as Drifty the Snowman, a character created and written by Paul Deiss.

With two boys (Cory, 12; and Sean, 9), the Williams’ house has become the hub for neighborhood kids – always busy, loud and a little crazy. Joy is very active at Sean’s school, serving on the PTA Board, helping out in class, taking charge of the after school enrichment program and talent show. “I’d like to help out at Cory’s school,” Joy says, “but he won’t let me anywhere near his school!” Joy also has the good fortune to be the stepmom to two wonderful young men: Arle, almost 24, and Michael, nearly 21. “They came into my life when they were 7 and 4 … hard to believe.” Now they are both in college, and she and her husband, Eric, try to see them as much as they can. Besides taking care of all her boys (Eric included!), Joy gets a real kick out of gardening as well. “Roses are my favorite flower. Over the years, I’ve planted over 100 rose bushes in the garden and around the yard.” And in the midst of it all, she and her wonderful husband “try to eke out moments to be together!”

Joy shares a great sense of humor with her character. And like Daisy, she is very strong willed and independent. As Daisy says, “I was brought up to do for myself.” That “do-it-yourself” philosophy is part of Joy’s personal mantra as well. But while both the actress and the character are mothers, Joy is far more demonstrative of her affections than Daisy. “I’m a very touchy-feely, huggy person. The sun rises and sets with my kids. I make sure they know it, too.” Joy has a very close relationship with her mother as well, which is also very demonstrative. Daisy’s relationship with her son Boolie is more reserved, though they know how to push each other’s buttons and do so often. (Joy gets a real kick out of playing those scenes with Garet Chester.) “My kids know my buttons also, but I’m forever hugging them, kissing them… they have to ask me to stop!”

The parent/child dynamic in Driving Miss Daisy really speaks to Joy. “It’s a show that everyone can relate to on some level, whether you’re in the position of watching a parent age and faced with those challenges, or you’re the one aging and having to come to terms with giving up some of your independence.” Then there’s the unlikely friendship that develops between Daisy & Hoke. “I love the way their relationship remains throughout their entire lives. I love the humanity and the realness in the play. I love their friendship. And it’s a gift to be able to play this role with Jim Bynum.”

Oh, and about those marathons: She’s run 3 full and 5 half marathons. “I like the personal glory of running the full marathons, but it takes an amazing amount of time to train for them. And right now, I don’t have the time to devote to the extensive training.” She’ll be running her 6th half marathon in November. So marathoners beware: You may be outrun by “little ol’ Daisy”!


Tickets to Driving Miss Daisy are available online. Many performances have sold out, so please reserve early to avoid disappointment.

Three More Rave Reviews

Posted by Bruce Miller
We received three more rave reviews this week, drawing crowds of laughing, loving theatregoers.

Weighing in on The Clean House, Dave Timberline provided the following quotes:

“Masterful!
A Smart Story ~ an Air of Enchantment
Amusing, Moving and a Little Bit Magical
Exceptional Performances ~ Sweet, Supportive Chemistry
Refreshing and Inspiring!”

--David Timberline, STYLE

Adding their kudos to the glowing review written earlier for Driving Miss Daisy by Susie Haubenstock of the R T-D, Joan Tupponce and John Porter contributed the following:

“Remarkable!
Depth and Feeling ~ A Joy to Watch
As comfortable as a plump easy chair
Derives its humor and tenderness from life
Just Plain Fun!”

--Joan Tupponce, Richmond.com

“Tremendous!
A Great Script ~ A Good Cast
The chemistry between Williams and Bynum is especially strong
An old sweet song, fresh in our hearts
A Great Evening!”

--John Porter, WCVE-FM

Daisy is joining Barefoot in the Park and Smoke on the Mountain as our biggest Hanover hits since reopening the theatre almost three years ago. Joy Williams, Jim Bynum and Garet Chester continue to earn standing ovations at every performance.

The Clean House is proving to be a real crowd pleaser at Barksdale Theatre Willow Lawn, adding immeasurably to the success of the Sara Ruhl Festival, coproduced by Barksdale Theatre and the Firehouse Theatre Project. Audiences are loving discovering a joyous new play by a dazzling new playwright.

If you still haven't seen Driving Miss Daisy or The Clean House, why not make your plans today. They are both wonderful shows that I know you'll enjoy. $15 rush tickets are available for all seats that remain unsold three hours before curtain. Call the box office for more information - 282-2620. We're extremely proud of this outstanding pair of heartwarming hits.

See you at the theatre!

--Bruce Miller

Meet the Cast of Driving Miss Daisy: Garet Chester – “Boolie”

Posted by Joseph Pabst (Director of Driving Miss Daisy)
(Note: Driving Miss Daisy runs from September 19 through October 26, 2008 at the Barksdale at Hanover Tavern. Over the next several weeks, we will shine the spotlight on each of the three members of the cast.)

Garet Chester has been on hiatus from the professional stages of Richmond theatre for nearly 15 years. But Driving Miss Daisy has drawn him back onto the boards. Why? “Because of its wholesome nature,” says Garet. “It’s a show that you can bring your teenagers to see. This show is not just wholesome … it’s warm, touching, thought provoking, and it will definitely make people laugh and smile.”

Portraying “Boolie Werthan” (Daisy’s son) has given Garet an acting challenge as well. He is a comedic actor at heart, but this character is written to be a bit of the straightman – providing some humor while basically being a thread that keeps the show level. Like Boolie, Garet is a very playful guy who loves to “get people’s goat” whenever he can. However, Garet is less concerned about keeping up appearances than his on-stage counterpart. “I don’t think I’m afraid of what people will think about certain unorthodox actions I may take. If I believe it, I do it. I don’t worry about the status quo.”

On the stage, Garet considers playing the Wizard in Theatre IV’s The Wizard of Oz among his personal favorites. Having grown up watching the movie, it allowed him to play a childhood fantasy role. It was also an acting challenge to play three different characters – the Wizard, Professor Marvel and the Emerald City Gatekeeper. In Rosencrantz & Guildenstern Are Dead, Garet took the opportunity to stretch his acting skills playing Alfred, the young man who plays all the female characters in a Shakespearean troupe. He portrayed Allistair Spenlow in a production of Move Over Mrs. Markham, a mistaken-identity role which kept the audience guessing… and laughing a lot – a reaction he never objects to!

But rather than his stage work, Garet is probably best known to Richmonders for his voice. His career on Richmond radio stations as the “morning guy” made him a celebrity all over town, affording him the opportunity to speak in person at all kinds of events and to be the frontman for a number of charities and causes. On television, he has hosted telethons, appeared on interview programs, and even had his own show on Channel 8 for over 2 years: All Night Long. Garet describes the show as:

“… a cross between USA's Up All Night or Elvira and Saturday Night Live...with one cast member. It was a great experience in improv and quick-change comedy. Since it ran from 11:00 PM to 6:00 AM, my audience was ‘diverse’. My usual stream of fan mail included regular correspondence from several of Virginia's finest correctional facilities. That was quite interesting!”

This style of character comedy mixed with improv became Garet’s trademark. He was Chameleon Boy, making personal appearances in costume as famous movie stars, presidents or other crazy characters. And he continues his “impressionovisational” work to this day. Lite 98 listeners will be glad to know that Garet Chester and “Bubba Massey Valentine III” are one and the same! (Now you know why they never appear in the same room together…)

His life offstage is filled with a mixture of work and family. Most Richmonders may be unaware that Garet is a successful businessman in his own right, constantly ranking in the top 5-10% of Richmond Real Estate agents. Because his business is home-based, he is fortunate to spend lots of quality time with his wife and family. His daughter, son-in-law and two grandchildren live with him; and his son and daughter-in-law live close by as well.

Garet considers his life a ministry, and his musical and comedic talents are his tools. He sings for seniors around Richmond, and performs slapstick for the underprivileged around the world. For the past twenty years, he has spent a few weeks each year on foreign mission trips.

“Bringing a smile to otherwise somber faces is my most rewarding pastime.”

--Joseph Pabst

Miss Daisy Wows the Crowds and Wins Raves

Posted by Bruce Miller
Driving Miss Daisy, our funny and poignant fall show at Hanover Tavern, opened on Friday evening and today earned it's first rave and fourth standing ovation! Daisy was directed expertly by Joe Pabst. The heartwarming play stars Joy Williams, Jim Bynum and Garet Chester.

In this morning's T-D, Susan Haubenstock writes: "Nostalgia is the first emotion elicited by Driving Miss Daisy--nostalgia for the play's period, the post-WWII years up through the civil rights era, and for the 1987 play itself. Alfred Uhry's Pulitzer Prize-winning work pointedly and touchingly looks at race relations in the South by focusing on one well-to-do elderly Jewish widow and one slightly less elderly black man. Through their interactions over 25 years the playwright delicately reveals the prejudices, blind spots and humanity representative of many Americans, yet particular to these two people."

Susie goes on to praise just about everything. Here are the review quotes we'll be pulling and publishing for anyone who'll read them:

“A Godsend!

Three FINE actors:

Joy Williams is a marvelous Miss Daisy.

Jim Bynum inhabits Hoke fully, giving us his dignity, warmth and humor.

Garet Chester is the mirror for both of them.

Joe Pabst directs with emphasis on the comedy,
but he doesn’t short-change the serious moments at all.

A touching, excellent ride!”

--Susan Haubenstock, Richmond Times-Dispatch

The wonderful costumes, wigs and make-up are by Sue Griffin. The attractive set design is by Amy Bale and David Powers, with outstanding scenic painting by Terrie Powers. The evocative lighting is by Bennett Fidlow. But at the end of the day, it's Joy, Jim and Garet who will knock your socks off.

The show is already selling well, and the box office should catch fire after this morning's review. So please plan to join us now for this very funny, very touching look at a meaningful and good-humored American story.

Hope to see you at our Hanover Tavern theatre!

--Bruce Miller

Singing to Help Others

Posted by Bruce Miller
A concert reading of the songs from the Tony Award-winning musical Parade will be presented tonight and tomorrow in benefit performances at Barksdale Willow Lawn. Thirty-three great singers will join together to celebrate the music of Jason Robert Brown, one of Broadway’s hottest “new composers.” The benefit concert is being coordinated by Hannah Zold, an alum of several Barksdale musicals including Into the Woods, The Full Monty and Mame. Music direction is by Damas E. Boudreaux.

The volunteer cast is comprised of many of the finest theatre voices from Richmond and beyond. All funds raised are being contributed by Zold and her performers to Barksdale’s Bifocals Theatre Project (which takes touring one-acts into senior centers throughout Greater Richmond at little or no charge) and Barksdale’s hospital audience program (which makes tickets to musicals and comedies available free-of-charge to families who come to Richmond to be with a child undergoing treatment at an area hospital).

Parade, with music and lyrics by Jason Robert Brown and book by Alfred Uhry, is one of the most acclaimed new musicals of Broadway's last decade. It opened at Lincoln Center ten years ago, and received the 1999 Tony Award for Best Book (Uhry) and Best Score (Jason Robert Brown). It was nominated for Best Musical, but lost that year to Fosse, the tribute to Bob Fosse’s legendary choreography.

Quoting from Wikipedia, “The musical concerns the real-life 1913 trial of Jewish factory manager Leo Frank, who was accused of raping and murdering a 13-year-old employee, Mary Phagan. The trial, sensationalized by the media, aroused anti-Semitic tensions in Atlanta and throughout Georgia. When Frank's sentence was commuted due to possible problems with the trial, he was transferred to a prison in Milledgeville, Georgia where a lynching party kidnapped him from the prison. Frank was taken to Phagan's hometown of Marietta, Georgia, and he was hanged. The Anti-Defamation League was formed partly in response to Leo Frank's trial and lynching.”

Broadway director Harold “Prince turned to Brown (pictured to the left) to write the score after Stephen Sondheim turned the project down. Prince's daughter, Daisy, had brought Brown to her father's attention. Uhry, who grew up in Atlanta, had personal knowledge of the Frank story, as his great-uncle owned the pencil factory run by Leo Frank.”

“The show was Brown's first Broadway production. His music has ‘subtle and appealing melodies that draw on a variety of influences, from pop-rock to folk to rhythm and blues and gospel.’ The plot hews closely to the historical story. The true villains of the piece are portrayed as the prosecutor Hugh Dorsey (later the governor of Georgia and then a judge) and the rabid publisher Tom Watson (later elected a U.S. senator).”

The Murder of Mary Phagan, a movie based on the same historical incident, was filmed in locations throughout Greater Richmond in 1987, starring Jack Lemmon as Georgia Gov. John Slaton and Peter Gallagher as Leo Frank.

Parade is the third in playwright Alfred Uhry’s “Atlanta Trilogy.” The first play in the trilogy, Driving Miss Daisy, will be presented at Barksdale Hanover Tavern this fall, starring Joy Williams, Jim Bynum and Garet Chester, and directed by Joe Pabst.

Jason Robert Brown's new musical 13 (pictured to the right) is set to open on Broadway this September. The entire cast of 13 is made up of 13 teen actors, and the entire band is comprised of teen musicians. The story of the musical concerns a happy 13-year-old from NYC who, weeks before his bar mitzvah, moves with his parents to Indiana where he must begin a new life.

If you love great singing, new musicals and/or stirring drama, or if you want to support this cast of magnificent performing artists as they raise funds for two worthy programs, please come to Barksdale Willow Lawn for the 8 pm performance tonight (Sunday) or tomorrow (Monday). Tickets are available at the door for $15, or you can purchase them in advance at the box office for $12.

Having listened in on two rehearsals, I can report that the singers are amazing. I can’t wait to see and hear this huge and talented cast performing these rousing songs.

See you at the theatre!

--Bruce Miller

Casting and Comments

Posted by Bruce Miller
As I’ve mentioned before, I read and appreciate Dave Timberline’s informative blog, http://www.richmondvatheater.blogspot.com/. A lot of important theatrical issues and perceptions are raised and discussed on his electronic bulletin board.

Recently Dave hosted some interesting and well intentioned chat about casting in Richmond theatres. It all began when an anonymous commenter reported on remarks made by an unnamed director at the start of an unnamed audition. In his remarks, the director asserted that his unnamed theatre was open to newcomers. The anonymous commenter suggested that these remarks were somewhat disingenuous, noting that when the auditions were over, a well-known Richmond star was cast in one of the leading roles and a talented newcomer was overlooked.

This initial comment was followed by a lot of dialogue about whether or not the anonymous commenter should have stated these opinions anonymously since they could be perceived as being critical of the director, the theatre, and/or the actor cast.

It’s all good.

Now I’m going to pull a Warren Beatty. At least I’ve always heard it’s a Warren Beatty. When in 1973 Carly Simon wrote and sang, “You’re so vain, you probably think this song is about you,” Warren Beatty, one of Ms Simon’s former romantic interests, called to thank her for the song.

After reading all the chat about the unnamed director, I’m pretty sure it’s me and that the unnamed auditions being alluded to were the recent auditions for Shirley Valentine and Driving Miss Daisy. If I’m wrong, I’m sorry. If I’m right, then I guess I am that vain. Now, if I only looked like or had the talent of Warren Beatty.

Before the auditions for Shirley V and Driving Miss D, several actors called to ask if roles had been pre-cast. When I told them “no,” they expressed disbelief. Several had heard from the “best of sources” that Irene Ziegler was playing Shirley and Betty Ann Grove was playing Daisy. It’s no surprise to anyone that I love Irene Ziegler and Betty Ann Grove, and both women have ably owned these roles in the past. But I assured all comers that the roles had not been pre-cast for the 2008 productions.

That can’t be true, some actors intimated. No theatre would pick shows like these without having someone in mind for the demanding roles of Shirley and Daisy. There are some actors we’re interested in seeing, I intimated right back, but no roles have been pre-cast. Everyone has an equal shot. Please come.

That was the truth.

Before the auditions began, I was pleased to see a large turnout and several new faces in the crowd. I’m humbled by large turnouts and new faces.

I made a few welcoming remarks and thanked people for coming to the auditions, particularly the new people. I reiterated that all roles were open. I stated what I believe to be the truth, that Barksdale theatre and every other theatre in town welcome newcomers, and frequently cast newcomers. I acknowledged that we also cast Richmond’s best actors on a continuing basis, because of their talent.

When the auditions were over, four actors were cast. Two of the four (Jill Bari Steinberg and Jim Bynum) will be acting at Hanover Tavern for the first time. The third actor (Garet Chester) will be appearing at Hanover Tavern for the first time since 1976. The fourth (Joy Williams) will be reappearing at the Tavern after a starring gig there two and a half years ago.

All four were cast because I thought they were the ones best suited to the roles. I feel really blessed to have these four wonderful actors in the two shows.

The anonymous commenter on Dave’s blog notes that there was a very talented actor from out-of-town who auditioned for one of these four roles, and that there was considerable buzz about this actor’s talent. That is completely true. That actor’s talent did not go unnoticed. And let me extend that thought, if I may. There were several very talented actors there, all of whom were top contenders for the parts. None of their talents went unnoticed.

As several folks mentioned on Dave’s blog, there is a lot more involved in a casting decision than what may be perceived listening to three audition speeches.

Scripts call for specific physical types, which some actors meet and others don’t, no matter how well they may read.

Budgets allow for certain expenditures that enable the employment of some actors and discourage the employment of others, based on their financial requirements.

Ticket sale goals encourage the casting of actors who have earned positive name recognition in the Greater Richmond marketplace—and I stress the word “earned.”

Barksdale accepts its responsibility to professional actors who have earned (there's that word again) their place in Greater Richmond’s top tier, and who may not stay in Richmond if they can't find professional employment opportunities.

To me, all of this supports my contention that:
1 newcomers are welcome and frequently cast
2 Richmond’s best actors are cast over and over again because they are Richmond’s best actors

If newcomers fail to come to auditions because they think they have no chance, Richmond theatre will suffer. If our most talented veterans leave Richmond because they can’t find enough employment, Richmond theatre will suffer. In an attempt to address these conflicting realities, producers juggle to the best of their abilities.

As a final note, Guys and Dolls is currently employing 26 actors. Thirteen of them are acting with Barksdale for the first time.

--Bruce Miller

Word(s) of the Week - RUTTING HUNK

Posted by Hannah Miller
Today’s theatre artist is the legendary Broadway and Hollywood actress JESSICA TANDY, born on June 7, 1909 (pictured to the right). The world celebrated her 99th birthday a week ago Saturday. Tandy died in 1994 of ovarian cancer at the age of 85, but last week she was remembered by her legion of fans as one of the great actors of the 20th Century.

Tandy is the first woman to have made it into this blog series. In recognition of her ushering our gender into Word of the Week, I’m giving her (or I should say that Tennessee Williams gave her) two Words instead of one. Her Words comprise the provocative phrase, RUTTING HUNK.

Now please don't get offended or mad or nervous just yet. Jessica Tandy was a highly esteemed actor of the stage and screen, and enjoyed a career that lasted over sixty years. She was born in London as Jessie Alice Tandy, and became involved in theatre as a child when her parents enrolled her in the Ben Greet Academy of Acting.

Her early years were marked by one success after another. She made her professional debut at the age of 16 in a regional production of The Manderson Girls, and was soon invited to join the full time acting company of the Birmingham Repertory Theatre. At the age of 20 she made her West End debut in London. One year later she achieved transcontinental success when she appeared on Broadway in The Matriarch. A short two years after that, she was featured in her first Hollywood movie, The Indiscretions of Eve.

Throughout her 20s and 30s she remained busy focusing on her stage career, and charming audiences on two continents. In 1942, she met and married actor and director Hume Cronyn, beginning a 52-year partnership that was destined to become one of the most successful and respected marriages in America’s entertainment industry.

Tandy’s encounter with history came in 1947 when, at the age of 38, she created the role of Blanche DuBois in Tennessee Williams’ masterpiece A Streetcar Named Desire. She is pictured with Kim Hunter and Marlon Brando to the left. She won the Tony Award and immediate national recognition. Since '47 she has been, and will continue to be, inextricably associated with the iconic Southern stage role of her era.

When the film version of Streetcar was produced, all of Tandy’s Broadway costars were invited to recreate their characters: Marlon Brando as Stanley, Kim Hunter as Stella, and Karl Malden as Mitch. Ironically, it was another British superstar who was invited to play the role of Blanche.

Vivien Leigh (pictured to the right as Blanche with Marlon Brando as Stanley) was four years younger than Tandy. Leigh had won her first Oscar and become an international household name playing another iconic Southern belle in the 1939 blockbuster Gone with the Wind. When the film version of Streetcar was made in 1951, Hollywood had a choice—Jessica Tandy who had created the role of Blanche on Broadway to universal acclaim, or Vivien Leigh who had starred as Blanche when the play transferred to London’s West End. Internationally beloved as Scarlett O’Hara, Leigh was the more bankable star, and so she beat out Tandy for the coveted role, performing brilliantly in the film and earning her second Academy Award.

Tandy’s Hollywood superstardom was still to come.

In Act I, Scene 5 of Streetcar, Blanche begins writing down in a little notebook colorful words said by other characters. “I must jot that down in my notebook,” she tells her rough brother-in-law, Stanley Kowalski.

Blanche -- Ha-ha! I’m compiling a notebook of quaint little words and phrases I’ve picked up here.

Stanley -- You won’t pick up nothing here you ain’t heard before.

Blanche -- Can I count on that?

Stanley -- You can count on it up to five hundred.

The first phrase that Blanche records in her book is RUTTING HUNK. But here’s the surprise—at least it was a surprise to me. That term is not used to describe the musclebound Stanley Kowalski, played by the young and buff Marlon Brando. It is used by Stanley and Stella's upstairs neighbor Steve to describe his wife Eunice.

The word RUT can be applied to non-human mammals, either male or female. When used as a verb, RUTTING means to be in “a state or period of heightened sexual arousal.” It comes from the old French word rut, meaning “to roar.” When used as a noun, the phrase “in RUT” is synonymous with the phrase “in heat.”

Whereas the word HUNK today refers to an attractive man in admirable physical condition, the word HUNK historically referred to either a man or woman. It most likely was derived from the Flemish work hunke, meaning "a piece of food." HUNK is defined in the thesaurus found at Answers.com as “a person regarded as physically attractive: beauty, belle (used of a woman), lovely, stunner. Slang – babe, doll, knockout, looker, stud (used of a man).”

Going by this historical definition, not only was it appropriate for Tennessee Williams to have Steve refer to his wife Eunice as a RUTTING HUNK, it would also have been appropriate for Frank Loesser to have renamed his classic musical, which opened on Broadway only three years after Streetcar, Guys and Hunks.

Isn’t it interesting how the popularly perceived meanings of words change over time?

But one thing that doesn’t change is talent. Jessica Tandy may not have been selected to make the film version of A Streetcar Named Desire, but she did go on to make many other films, including Alfred Hitchcock’s The Birds in 1953, The World According to Garp in 1982, and Cocoon in 1985. Finally, in 1989, Tandy starred as another memorable Southern woman, the octogenarian heroine of Driving Miss Daisy, earning her first Oscar at the age of 80.

Driving Miss Daisy will play at Barksdale Theatre at Hanover Tavern this fall, starring one of Richmond’s great actresses, Joy Williams.

--Posted by Hannah Miller

RAPT and Other Acronyms

Posted by Bruce Miller
A grand time was had by all tonight at the annual Open House hosted by RAPT, the Richmond Alliance of Professional Theatres. The guest speaker was Peggy Baggett, Executive Director of the Virginia Commission for the Arts and one of the most able state arts leaders in the nation. Peggy informed the 100 or so attendees about Virginia’s upcoming Minds Wide Open celebration, slated for March through June 2010. The theme of this statewide initiative will be Virginia Celebrates Women in the Arts. Peggy invited all artists and arts organizations in the Commonwealth to participate.

Phil Whiteway, our Managing Director, introduced Peggy and welcomed the diverse crowd of actors, directors and other miscellaneous theatre practitioners to Barksdale Willow Lawn. Barksdale was proud to co-host the festivities for the third year in a row. Christine Walters, the head cheese at Comedy Sportz Richmond and this year’s RAPT Pres, introduced the theatre producers who were there and generally emceed the evening’s announcements.

David Sennett (pictured to the right) announced the upcoming RAPT auditions and the free audition workshop, which he generously conducts. He explained that he doesn’t act in Richmond because he “can’t afford to,” and suggested to me publicly that if Barksdale should ever become “LOA” I should give him a call. As we all retired to the lobby, several actors came up and asked me what he was talking about.

Perhaps now is a good time to review a few of the AEA (Actors’ Equity Association) acronyms so that people can understand David's announcement. I hope no one will get the wrong impression, however. AEA works tirelessly on behalf of its members, and wants each member to be gainfully employed. They never prohibit a theatre, any theatre, from meeting David’s or anyone else’s salary requirements.

Having said that, lets go wading into the alphabet soup. LOA stands for Letter of Agreement, and it specifies a particular AEA contract. In fact, Barksdale has operated under an LOA contract for several shows, Crowns at the Empire being a recent example.

At Willow Lawn, Barksdale normally contracts with AEA actors using an SPT contract (Small Professional Theatre). Our minimum SPT contract pays marginally less than our minimum LOA contract, but we are always allowed to pay more to get the actors we want.

At Hanover Tavern, we work under a GA (Guest Artist) contract, and even though Hanover Tavern has fewer seats than Willow Lawn, we pay more under the GA contract because fewer contracts are awarded for any particular show. Some Hanover shows, like the upcoming Driving Miss Daisy, have no GA contracts at all.

Another AEA contract is the TYA (Theatre for Young Audiences) contract. There were several years when Theatre IV employed actors using TYA agreements. Still another is the SA (Special Appearance) contract. Firehouse and Henley Street use SA contracts when employing AEA actors. SA contracts are similar to GA contracts except they are for smaller theatres and have no health insurance requirements.

The big daddy of the regional theatre contracts is the LORT contract (League of Resident Theatres). TheatreVirginia was the only Richmond theatre to employ actors under a LORT contract. TheatreVirginia went out of business in 2002. Perhaps it was a LORT contract that David meant to refer to instead of an LOA.

Of course, David is right in one regard. Like a lot of smaller cities, Richmond underpays its theatre artists, whether they are actors, directors, designers or administrators. Barksdale continues to work faithfully to raise all salaries, including actor salaries, to more acceptable levels. The reason we proceed cautiously and responsibly is because we are determined not to suffer the fate of TheatreVirginia (see the vacated theatre seats pictured above and to the left in STYLE's 2002 coverage of TVA's closing). No one in Richmond or at AEA wants to see another Richmond theatre go belly up.

Whatever combination of initials a theatre may use, no talented actor should be discouraged from auditioning because of the contract a theatre employs. If a theatre wants to work with an actor, and the actor wants to work with the theatre, then the actor can always try to negotiate a contract that meets his or her needs, despite its initials. No matter which contract a theatre uses, AEA doesn’t prohibit a theatre from paying more than the minimum if an actor’s unique contributions to the production justify the payment.

Also present at tonight’s RAPT Open House were two of Barksdale’s high school talents, Hannah Miller and Jack Schultz from Trinity Episcopal School. Their video coverage of the evening will be added to this post soon as the first edition of Barksdale Backstage, our new video blog commentary. Stay tuned. We’ll post the video as soon as it’s edited into shape.

--Bruce Miller