Bartender to Barksdaler--The Secret Life of Evan Nasteff

We've decided to save Jill Bari 3 to sneak in another plug for the final two weekends of Becky's New Car. So today we begin our--is it too soon to say "traditional"?--three-part interview with Evan Nasteff, the attractive young bartender who's setting aside his martini shaker Thursdays through Sundays to stir up some mischief in BNC at Hanover Tavern. When you're strategically seeking to attract a younger audience--and yes, Barksdale is making steps in that direction--it's not stupid to recruit the talents of a guy like Evan. He's young, he's hip, he's tatooed, he's completely comfortable appearing in swimwear--and at the same time, he's clean cut, polite, smart, and would make a good impression if you took him home to meet your mother. In short, he has the potential to attract a younger crowd while also pleasing American theatre's more traditional ticket buyer. Not a bad skill set--behind a bar or onstage at Barksdale. Becky's New Car runs this weekend and next before driving away and into the sunset. Everyone loves this quirky, contemporary comedy. What's the matter with you? You haven't seen it even once!?

Q - Hi Evan. Thanks for agreeing to talk with us. You're a new face in professional theatre in Richmond! Welcome. Where was your previous acting experience?

A - I'm four years out of college and thrilled to be returning to the theatre scene. Becky's is the first professional play I auditioned for in Richmond, and it will not be the last. I acted in high school, and ended up as a theatre major at Hampden-Sydney College. Hampden-Sydney has a small theatre program. As a result, everyone involved in it is completely immersed and extremely passionate. I had the privilege of studying under the amazing wife-and-husband team of Shirley Kagan and Matt Dubroff. Together they run the theatre program at H-SC, and they take turns directing plays, demonstrating their unique and contrasting styles. Because they're so different in their approaches, but equal in passion, their shows always feel fresh.

Q - What were your favorite shows with Kagan and Dubroff?

A - Playing Buckingham in Shakespeare's Richard III, which Matt set in the modern era and re-titled K-R:III. We were flying on wires, shooting each other, and fighting in slow motion. Very cool. Acting in Rashoman, a sort of murder mystery classic adapted for Broadway by Faye and Michael Kanin from an even more classic Japanese film, the 1950 masterwork by Akira Kurosawa. The film in turn was adapted from two dark Japanese short stories by Ryūnosuke Akutagawa. Just like many Japanese film classics, the story in the play--a murder mystery told from several different perspectives--starts out quietly, the storytelling is very subtle, and then everything slowly builds momentum. There was some incredible work done in that show.

I loved performing in Noises Off!, a farce to beat all farces--just about the funniest thing I've ever read, seen, or been a part of. Shirley pulled out all the stops and we crashed over, under and through the revolving set to packed houses every night. I also flipped out over every single second of playing Marc in Yasmina Reza's Art, and every nanosecond of working with the amazing people in that show. It was my thesis. Grant Mudge from Richmond Shakes came and reviewed me. I got an A! Fun was had.

Also, in Noises Off!, I got to have my pants systematically fall down every night exactly when I wanted them to. Gotta love that.

Q - You're a much-acclaimed bartender at Off the Hookah, or so I've been told by several of your fans. Do you find any similarities between your work behind the bar and your work on stage?

A - Actually, being a bartender has a lot in common with theatre. Whether you're grinding out crushed red pepper in fine dining or slinging vodka-cranberries at a nightclub, people come expecting some kind of show. It's my job to give them that show. In fine dining, paying customers at the bar expect to be provided for, and in most cases, engaged in some sort of conversation. At Off The Hookah, we have different actors playing different roles. We have machines, bartenders who dispense drinks as fast as humanly possible; we have the girls, the eye candy behind the bar who keep the guys coming in droves; and we have the circus, the bartenders that throw bottles way up in the air and breathe 151-proof fire. I fall in the "machine" category. I would say "eye candy," but I'm not sure a sparkling sequin glitter-bra would look very good on me.

Q - I don't know. In Becky's your character comes on stage for one scene wearing nothing but a towel. And no one in the audience complains. How do you feel being exploited as a hunk of man candy?

A - Oh shit. You know, I didn't even feel that way at all, and--I haven't told the cast this, I was going to save this story for our cast party. On Opening Night, we had a party afterwards in Hanover Tavern's tap room, and... well, there was an open bar. This cute girl comes up to me, and I had never seen her before, and she goes, "So what were you wearing under your towel?" Not, "Good job!" Not, "I'd like to discuss your political stance on withdrawal from Iraq," but, "So what were you wearing under your towel?" That's one of the few times when I sorta thought, oh, maybe they are using me as a steaming hunk of whatever-you-called-it. But, the way I see it, whatever sells tickets, man. Everyone who knows me knows that I really don't have any boundaries at all, and I'm not afraid of anything--except spiders-- so it isn't an issue for me.

So she says, "What were you wearing under your towel?" and I said, "A top hat."

(Coming Soon - Part 2. Photo captions: top right - promo shot for Becky's with Melissa Johnston Price, center left - at the Artsies with his new friend Audra Honaker, bottom right, on stage in Becky's New Car)

"Becky" and Billy C Cruise Into Spectacular Opening

Posted by Bruce Miller
One of the responsibilities of a regional theatre is to provide work opportunities to the best and brightest talents within its community. In today's highly competitive arena, up-and-coming theatre artists must choose whether to earn their stripes after moving to major theatre markets like NYC, Chicago or Philly, or build the resumes they need to launch their hoped-for theatrical careers in a city like Richmond.

It's a tough decision. I would argue in favor of the latter, but only if Richmond's regional theatres continue to provide significant opportunities that allow young artists to work at the top of their game with other equally talented pros.

Case in point - Billy Christopher Maupin. He's been passionate about theatre since Hector was a pup. He left his small hometown in Kentucky to venture to Cincinnati to audition for a touring actor position with Theatre IV. (TIV had an office and tour operation in the Queen City from 1996 to 2006.) After touring for a year with our Ohio-based team, BC asked to transfer to our larger operation in Richmond. Ford Flannagan, who handles all our tour casting, said "yes" and brought him right here to River City.

After working in our national tour for a couple years, Billy Christopher transitioned into the Theatre IV / Barksdale marketing position he continues to hold today. His salary sucks--not quite as much as it did initially--but it allowed him to keep body and soul together as he set out to build a resume and career. Like a lot of talented theatre artists, BC chose to complete his training in the school of work experience rather than a university theatre program.

There was that year early on when BC left Theatre IV and moved to New York. Because he's a talented guy, and, I suspect, in part because of the touring experience he had with us, he was cast in a national tour with TheatreWorks USA (Theatre IV's biggest national competitor). Like hundreds of other young hopefuls, he earned his union card through this gig, but soon thereafter encountered the stigma that comes with earning your card, perhaps, too soon. (go to Google, type "stigma theatreworks")

Billy Christopher, like many other talented theatre artists before and after, left New York and moved back home to Richmond. He took a leave of absence from Equity (it's really hard to get union gigs in Richmond if you're young), and set about auditioning and campaigning for directing assignments as if his life depended on 'em.

Carol Piersol, artistic director at the Firehouse, and I are of a similar mind when it comes to the responsibilities our two nonprofit theatres have to eager, talented young artists. Directing jobs are THE HARDEST positions to get in Richmond, probably in any theatre city. The stakes are so high. Nonetheless, through perseverance, patience, passion and talent, Billy Christopher earned the chance to direct a reading at Firehouse, then a cabaret at Barksdale, then more readings, and finally several mainstage directing assignments.

Along the way, Kaye Weinstein Gary at K Dance became a BC "believer." Grant Mudge at Richmond Shakes also gave him a shot. And later this season, Chamberlayne Actors Theatre is giving BC the chance to direct his first Lillian Hellman. It took several years. You can ask him whether or not it was worth it.

Which brings us to last night. Carol Piersol and I were both in the house for the Opening Night of Becky's New Car, the sparkling new comedy by Steven Dietz that Billy Christopher directed at Barksdale / Hanover Tavern. I can't speak for Carol, but I'll bet that, like me, she watched the proceedings with a significant sense of pride.

It's taken several long years, and what seems like a gazillion projects, for Billy Christopher to earn the shot he had last night. And the great news is ... he came through with flying colors.

Becky's New Car is top notch--a perfect marriage of script, actors and director. Billy Christopher had the chance to work with a major new play, a cast as professional and accomplished as any you'll find anywhere (see the show pics of Melissa Johnston Price, David Bridgewater, and Gordon Bass), first-rate designers, a reasonable budget, and a fairly large and discerning audience.

What he has delivered is worthy of the confidence others have placed in him. Becky's is an exceptionally enjoyable show that is sure to be one of the highlights of Richmond's 2011-12 season.

It would be foolish for me to oversell it. It ain't King Lear or Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf. But, in my humble opinion, it's a significant step forward for a major young talent who, hopefully, will be revving up the engine of Richmond theatre for years to come.

With 20/early 30-something directors like Chase Kniffen and Billy Christopher Maupin--and Justin Amellio (assistant to Patti D'Beck for White Christmas, RTCCA-nominated director for [title of show]) starting to come on strong--it seems like Richmond theatre is in capable hands.

--Bruce Miller

Many Good Thoughts on "Much Ado"

Posted by Bruce Miller
I thoroughly enjoyed seeing Much Ado About Nothing this evening, produced by Richmond Shakespeare at the spanking new Gottwald Playhouse. I’m ashamed to admit there have been more Richmond Shakespeare productions I haven’t seen than ones I have. Having thus disclaimed, let me say that this was my favorite Richmond Shakespeare production thus far.

Here’s what I enjoyed:

Shakespeare presented with a full rather than a truncated cast;

the “major role” talent and stage presence of Chris Blake, lavished on a tiny part;

the sincerity and beauty of Liz Blake—perfect for Hero;

seeing Ryan Capps back on stage in Richmond (our gain, Philadelphia’s loss);

Jonathan Conyers demonstration, in the major role of Claudio, of his unique ability to be manly and adorable at the same time—I’m looking forward to Jonathan as Bo in Bus Stop, coming up next at Hanover Tavern;

Stacie Rearden Hall’s beautiful singing voice;

Sarah Jamillah Johnson, a drop-dead-gorgeous Beatrice with admirable mettle;

the haunted intelligence that Billy Christopher Maupin brings to Don John, even if his boyish good looks sometimes seem at odds with his intensity (enjoy the bgl while you can, B. C.);

the power demonstrated by Thomas Nowlin as he reprises his post-wedding Friar speech (Thomas appeared in the same role, to equally good effect, at the Virginia Shakespeare Festival in Williamsburg last summer);

seeing Alan Sader on stage again—it’s been too long, Alan;

the quick wit, and physical and facial dexterity of T J Simmons, who as Benedick makes Shakespearean dialogue seem like he’s making it up in the moment;

the commanding presence of Dave White;

the musical talents of James Wingo;

Grant’s and Molly’s deft direction, making it easy to understand and enjoy nearly every word.

Honestly, I thought the entire cast was good. I liked it when the house lights finally went out during Claudio’s lament after Hero’s supposed death. It says more about me than about the technique, but I’m never really at ease when the house lights are left on. Unfortunately, it was also during this quiet, darkened scene that we in the audience could hear the bass and percussion coming, I suppose, from the opera performance in the Carpenter Theatre next door.

What I really, really loved was seeing within the audience of about 100 at least 50 high school and/or college students, hanging on every word, and a diverse crowd that made you feel like you were at the United Nations.

The entire evening was spirited, intelligent, filled with talent, fuelled with energy, and flavored by 25 years of experience. Three cheers and many congratulations to Grant and his team for an excellent show!

--Bruce Miller

"Hip" No More

Posted by Bruce Miller
I’ve taken down the meanderings I posted on Dec 19 called Addressing My Dislocated “Hip.” My intentions when I wrote that misguided effort were:
• to publicize and congratulate Bianca Bryan, the wonderful actress who played Mathilde in The Clean House and recently snagged a performing gig on Letterman, and
• to poke fun at my innate lack of “hip-ness” (David Letterman being a hipster extraordinaire).

I should have stopped there. Instead, I went on to mention how some folks never come to Barksdale because they perceive we’re not as “hip” as they want us to be. I listed Barksdale shows that I thought were “hip.” I used Bianca’s uber-hip gig on Letterman to prompt this exclamation: “So take that, you hipsters!”

I should have kept my mouth shut. I intended it all to be in good clean fun. I’ve since learned that quite a few of you thought I was being serious, mean-spirited and/or critical of other theatres in Greater Richmond.

In the comments to the post—it brought in more comments than any article in months, over 20 all told—my good friends Frank Creasy and Grant Mudge advised me that a director from Richmond Shakespeare, James Bond, also had recently been on Letterman. I thought this was great to hear—a fun news item of which I had not been previously aware. I clicked Grant’s link to Mr. Bond’s appearance and had a grand old time watching James read the Top Ten.

However, in the comment I left in response to the Creasy and Mudge comments, I replied not by saying I enjoyed the James Bond video, but by saying: “Curse you Creasy and Mudge!! Out-hipped again!!!”

I’m 100% sure without even talking with them that Frank and Grant took no offense. We’re friends; they knew, I’m sure, that I was joking around. But I know now that some of you thought I was intending to disrespect them. I wasn't.

Then Angie Shipley and I exchanged a few blog comments (good-naturedly, I thought) about what is “hip” and what isn’t. I like Angie. I never thought she was “attacking” me, and I hope she didn’t think I was “attacking” her—but some of you thought both of us were going for each others' jugulars.

I should know by now—emails and blog posts scream sarcasm and evil intent to some people, even when none of that is what the authors had in mind.

To do my little bit for peace on earth (and dispel rumors of unrest), I simply took the whole thing down. I know no one intended to offend anyone. It seems odd to me that it came off that way. But if it did, it did.

Thank you, Michael Vandergrift, for your nice comment that wisely said "Forget about it," and offered a good deal more supportive and useful advice.

To those who had fun with the post, I'm glad. To those who didn't, I'm sorry. I wish each of you, gentle readers, the Happy Holidays of your choice.

And again, congrats to Bianca for landing the gig on Letterman.

--Bruce Miller