In Memoriam - Andy McCutcheon

Posted by Bruce Miller
A dear friend of Barksdale Theatre and Theatre IV died on February 12, 2012, after a relatively short battle with cancer. He was 84 years young, and sharp as a tack. Although he's been very involved for at least 20 years, many of you may not know him. Not only did he not seek the limelight, when special recognition was offered to him, he frequently, respectfully declined.

His name was Andy McCutcheon, and he was an unusually active and committed Board spouse. His wife Charlotte served on the Theatre IV Board for a couple decades, and Andy was always there, by her side, at every Opening Night, every fundraiser, every Coffee & Conversations program, every trip to NYC or London ... you get the drift.

Andy and Charlotte have been subscribers and contributors for as long as I can remember. But as much as we valued that support, that's not what we loved. We loved the friendship, the genuine caring, the gazillion laughs we shared, the cards and prayers that were immediately forthcoming when one of us or one of them hit the proverbial rough patch.

Andy was a college football player, a WWII Navy veteran, and an award-winning sportswriter for the Richmond News Leader. His heartfelt, impassioned liberalism gave him an abiding interest in politics. He left his career in journalism to serve as executive assistant to two Congressmen. Catching the attention of the Kennedy family, he was hand-picked to be the special assistant to Sargent Shriver at the U. S. Office of Economic Opportunity, overseeing a vital jobs program. Then he was drafted to run for Congress himself, trying to unseat Republican incumbent William L. Scott. Believing that if you're going to do something you'd better do it all the way, Andy and Charlotte depleted their family savings to fight the good fight against their better funded opponent. Sadly, but not unexpectedly, Andy lost the election.

In the Times-Dispatch, Randy Hallman quoted Charlotte: "We knew it was coming, but it was a great experience. Andy said it was as good as getting a Ph.D."

After his brush with politics, Andy was hired by Reynolds Metals Co. as a marketing and recycling officer. He also headed their government relations department, rising to the rank of Vice President. When family scion J. Sargeant Reynolds Sr. ran successfully for Lieutenant Governor of Virginia, Andy took a year off from his corporate career to serve as Campaign Manager. The Reynolds family so embraced Andy's commitment, values and work that, after his retirement, he was one of the very few non-family members asked to serve on the Board of one of the Reynolds' family foundations. He also was on call as speech-writer whenever one or another of the Reynolds' clan was asked to deliver a public presentation about their family's business and political heritage.

Truth be told, we always thought Andy was all ours. His commitment and attention were so focused, he made you feel that way. It was nice to be reminded in his obituary that he had also served as President of the Metro Richmond YMCA, on the Boards of the Library of Virginia and J. Sargeant Reynolds Community College Foundation, on the Screening Committee of the Virginia Sports Hall of Fame, as an active alum of Washington and Lee, and as a Trustee at St. Matthew's Episcopal.

We will miss Andy more that I can express in this blog. For those of you who didn't know him, he was an exceptional man--smart, kind, well spoken, a big forceful man's man with a true compassion for those less fortunate. He also loved theatre, and we loved him back.

Our hearts go out to our dear Charlotte. We will dedicate our upcoming production of Scorched Earth to Andy's memory--a perfect fit. And we will try our best to honor the legacy that he left for us and for everyone else in our diverse community.

--Bruce Miller

In Memoriam: Essie Simms

Posted by Bruce Miller
With great appreciation for a wonderful life well lived, I am sad to report the passing of our dear friend Essie Simms this afternoon at her home at Westminster-Canterbury. Essie is pictured above with Julie Fulcher-Davis.

Essie has been an inspiration and source of great joy to many of us in the theatre community. She attended every Barksdale theatre production from our debut performance in 1954 until the summer of 2009. Her devotion was not limited to Barksdale. She was a very familiar presence at nearly every theatre in town.

Her last attendance was during a short-lived recovery in Dec of 2009 when she was back in her front row seat for the Opening of The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee.

There will be an Episcopalian funeral service for Essie on Monday, 3 pm, in the chapel at Westminster-Canterbury. A memorial celebration of Essie's life is being planned by and for her friends in the theatre community. Information about that service will be announced on Facebook and here in the Barksdale Blog next Tuesday.

Essie's passing marks the end of an era. In the coming days, I will be writing more about her, and we will be announcing plans for a memorial service in loving celebration of her wondrous life. Until then, I share deepest sympathies with Essie's many friends and loved ones.

--Bruce Miller

In Memoriam: Jack Parrish

Posted by Bruce Miller
Sharing the sadness that so many in the Richmond theatre community are feeling this evening, I’m sorry to report on the passing of Jack Parrish (pictured to the right with Cathy Shaffner standing and Jan Guarino in Money Matters). Jack was an outstanding Richmond theatre artist and a longtime friend to many of us who’ve been walking these boards for a while. After a lengthy battle with lung cancer, Jack only recently went into hospice care and died this afternoon.

I met Jack in the early 70s when I was rising in the ranks of the theatre program at U of R and Jack was similarly placed in the theatre program at VCU. One of my favorite Jack memories from those early days was when he starred in a wonderful VCU production of As You Like It, I think during one of the FanFare summers. FanFare was VCU’s erstwhile summer theatre operation.

Jack moved out of town after graduating from VCU, worked a few years in New York, landed some soap opera work, and then worked mainly in regional theatre. He played Dexter Haven in The Philadelphia Story, Uncle Ernie in The Who’s Tommy, Petruchio in The Taming of the Shrew, and many other dashing roles (Jack was good at dashing). He appeared at prestigious professional theatres including The Alabama Shakespeare Festival, Asolo Theatre in Florida, and Mill Mountain Playhouse in Roanoke.

Jack returned to Richmond in the late 80s, maybe early 90s, to star at Theatre IV as the dashing spy in the classic Civil War melodrama, Secret Service. His other major Theatre IV roles were as The Man in the Yellow Suit in Tuck Everlasting, and as an unforgettable Captain Hook in Peter Pan.

At Barksdale, Jack starred in Gross Indecency: The Three Trials of Oscar Wilde, The Little Foxes, The Crucible, James Joyce’s The Dead, Scapino!, the world premiere of Money Matters, and Anything Goes.

Shortly after his foray into Cole Porter, Jack moved to Lexington KY to share a city with his great friend, Rick St. Peter, and to lead the theatre program at a local university. He returned to Richmond during the summers to star in the Henry plays at Richmond Shakespeare, having to leave his role two summers ago when he was first diagnosed and began chemotherapy.

Jack also was an acclaimed director, rallying the forces of several of Theatre IV's touring productions. His contributions to Richmond theatre are immeasurable, and he will be greatly missed. Our deepest sympathies go out to Jack’s wife, Kathy, their son, Clay, and the rest of his family.

With love and respect, Barksdale will dedicate The Grapes of Wrath, our upcoming co-production with TheatreVCU, to Jack’s abiding memory.

--Bruce Miller

In Memoriam: Jay McCullough

Posted by Bruce Miller
Jay McCullough, a very active and well-loved member of Richmond’s theatre community, died today after a long and courageous battle with cancer. At the request of his close friends Debra Wagoner and Joe Pabst, the remainder of the run of Souvenir will be dedicated to Jay’s memory.

At Barksdale, Jay sang up a storm in Ernest in Love at the Tavern and She Loves Me at Willow Lawn. With Theatre IV, Jay starred opposite his dear friend Jackie Jones in Isn’t It Romantic?.

Jay also appeared recently at the Mill in Urinetown, at Dogwood Dell as Buddy in Follies, at Chamberlayne Actors Theatre in 84 Charing Cross Road, at Henrico Theatre Company in On the 20th Century, and in Hysterical Blindness with the Triangle Players, where he also recently directed Four Queens in Hawaiian Shirts.

Jay is survived by a full cast of friends and his longtime companion, Don Warren. Our hearts and prayers are with Don in this time of great loss.

Jackie Jones visited with Jay yesterday in hospice at St. Mary’s, and noticed that there were original cast albums playing quietly in the background, helping Jay and his friends feel at home. When Jackie mentioned how much she appreciated this, Don told her that some time before her visit, Buddy’s big number from Follies began to play. Jay’s eyes were closed, he was breathing with the help of a respirator, but as soon as the song started he knew his cue. His feet began replicating the tap steps he’d worked so hard to learn for his star turn at Dogwood Dell.

Old actors never die. Jay’s talents, his friendship and his many performances will live on in Richmond theatre history forever.

--Bruce Miller

Addendum: I've just heard from Michael Hawke that services will be at Bliley's Funeral Home - Central (3801 Augusta Ave, Richmond 23230). Visitation will be Wed Oct 7 at Bliley's from 6 pm until 8 pm. A Celebration Service will be held at Bliley's on Thursday afternoon at 2.

In Memoriam: Lou Rubin

Posted by Bruce Miller

In my 20s, I acted a lot in Richmond’s theatres. My first “professional” gig was at Barksdale Experimental, a one-season-wonder that spun off from Barksdale Theatre at Hanover Tavern and took place in the vacated Massey, Wood and West offices on Lombardy St. Barksdale Experimental lit up the Richmond theatre scene in 1969-70, and then closed, due to lack of financial resources, just before launching their second season.

Some things never change.

My second acting gig outside the University of Richmond, where I was a theatre student, was at Swift Creek Mill Playhouse. “Theatre” now; “Playhouse” then. I was called at around 3 in the afternoon and asked if I could drive out immediately, rehearse for about an hour, and play the small role of the Russian tenor that night in Fiddler on the Roof. The actor who had been playing the role had been in an accident and they needed to replace him for the run of the show. Apparently I fit the costume and rumor had it I could hit the high notes.

Rehearsal went great. I can’t remember whether it was with Wayne or Jane Batty, the two of whom shared the responsibilities of musical director. I learned the song and the simple choreography and agreed to work my way into other scenes during upcoming performances. At least the bottle dancers would have a tenor that evening to accompany their dance.

When showtime came, it turned out that the other Batty was conducting. In performance, the tempo for the song was, I swear, about twice as fast as what I’d rehearsed. The lyrics were in Russian. I totally botched the number.

I tell this story today not to criticize the Battys, whom I love. It wasn’t their fault; it was just one of those things—and they were very kind to me. I tell the story because it was immediately after my botched number that I met Lou Rubin for the first time.

He was playing Tevye, one of his three classic roles at the Mill, and he certainly had no time to spend with the new kid whom he’d never met. Nonetheless, he had heard, perhaps even witnessed, my tongue-tied performance, and as soon as we both were offstage at the same time, he ran up to me, gave me a big hug and said, “You were very good. No one out there speaks Russian. They didn’t even notice. Oh, I’m Lou Rubin, by the way. Good to meet you. I play Tevye.” Then he ran back on stage.

Today at 2, I’ll be going to Lou Rubin’s funeral. He died on Thursday at age 87. A sweeter man never lived.

The Mill was founded by two great couples: Buddy and Betty Callahan and Lou and Fran Rubin. When Buddy died earlier this year, Phil and I were in New York and we missed his funeral. I continue to be heartsick that I wasn’t there.

I loved and benefited greatly from my long association with Buddy and Betty, Lou and Fran. We dedicated our recent production of Annie to Buddy’s memory. We will be dedicating our upcoming production of The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee to Lou.

I’ll write more soon about both incredible men and the huge impact they had on Richmond theatre in general and the founding of Theatre IV.

--Bruce Miller

In Memoriam: Robby Robinson

Posted by Bruce Miller
One of the real pleasures of leading the trips that Barksdale and Theatre IV take each year to theatre capitals around the world is making new friends. When we ventured as a group to London and Paris in the spring of 2006, two of the new friends Phil and I made were Robby and Kathy Robinson. The photo above and to the left shows Phil with Kathy and Robby in front of the Louvre.
With fun memories but a heavy heart, I attended Robby’s funeral services today. Robby passed away last Wednesday after a brief illness. He was 76 years young.

Robby and Kathy were proud residents of the Crossridge community, and part of the Crossridge crowd that regularly enjoys Barksdale Theatre. Robby served in the U. S. Army during the Korean Conflict, and he retired several years ago from the Richmond City Police Department after more than 31 years of service.

For much of his law enforcement career, Robby’s beat was “the Pike,” that part of Jefferson Davis Turnpike that extends south from the Lee Bridge. Growing up on the Southside myself, I was always warned that this area was among the meaner of the mean streets of South Richmond. At today’s service, several of Robby’s fellow retired officers commented on how safe this troubled terrain remained under Robby’s watch.

Robby’s favorite pastimes were travel, fishing, and rooting for the Atlanta Braves. I feel privileged to have joined him in the first of these pursuits. Throughout our London and Paris tour, Robby and Kathy were fun, involved and ready to roll—definitely one of the couples we recall with great affection. The bulletin for today’s memorial service says that Robby’s life philosophy was to “always have something to do, something to look forward to, and someone to do it with.” That’s certainly the Robby I remember. Personally, I can’t think of wiser words to live by.

Robby was your basic nice guy; there wasn’t a fancy or pretentious bone in his body. So it’s with a wink to his meat-and-potatoes spirit that we will be dedicating our upcoming production of Fully Committed at Hanover Tavern to his memory. Scott Wichmann stars in this hilarious one-man comedy about another man of simple tastes who finds himself working at the reservations desk for the most pompous and chichi restaurant in NYC. When I hear Scotty’s character talking on the phone with his meat-and-potatoes dad in the play, I’m going to think of Robby, and appreciate that this dad character makes Fully Committed a perfect show to dedicate to Robby’s warm and genuine spirit.

Robby is survived by Kathy, his wife of 19 years, his two sons and daughters-in-law, two step-children and their spouses, seven grandchildren and four great grandchildren. He was a good man. Along with many others in the Barksdale family, Phil and I will miss him and remember him fondly.

--Bruce Miller

In Memoriam: W. R. Hutch Hutchinson

Posted by Bruce Miller
There were/are a couple handfuls of great men in Richmond theatre. These men will long be remembered for extraordinary talent and for modeling selfless commitments to theatre as an art form. For them, theatre was much more than an avocation or job. It was a calling.

Richmond theatre would be nowhere without them.

These men were committed not only to the art form but also to Greater Richmond. They pursued their callings here by choice. They were leaders and servants, forward thinkers and caretakers of the past.

Among those who have died, Barksdale co-founder Pete Kilgore certainly belongs in this fraternity of honor, as do fellow Barksdale legends Fred Haseltine, Mallory Freeman, Jay Lundy and Kim Strong. (Fred and Mallory also acted extensively and provided leadership at Virginia Museum Theatre; Kim acted at Swift Creek and acted and provided leadership at Theatre IV).

William Robert Hutchinson, whom everyone knew as Hutch, died on Thursday. Attention must be paid. Anyway you look at it, Hutch was one of the few who earned the honor of being among the Great Men of Richmond Theatre.

There’s a nice tribute piece in this morning’s Times-Dispatch. Unfortunately, some of the Richmond theatre history noted in the T-D is incorrect.

Hutch’s greatest contribution to Richmond theatre history, in my opinion, was his founding and artistic direction of the Experiential Theatre, and his creation of The Empty Space theatre facility in the basement of the Boys’ Club facilities located at the intersection of Robinson and Kensington.

The Times-Dispatch says, “In 1995, three years after retiring from the Boys’ Club, he founded the award-winning Experiential Theatre in the club basement. After a short run, the group folded, but Mr. Hutchinson continued to rent the venue, dubbed The Empty Space, to other experimental groups for several years.”

I don’t pretend to have the exact dates in front of me, but I know the T-D dates are about two decades off. Hutch founded the Experiential about the same time Phil and I founded Theatre IV, which was 1975. I hope Matthew Costello will weigh in with a comment—I’ll phone him on Monday—because when Matthew was in his early 20s he was very involved with the Experiential and with Hutch.

The Experiential had a huge impact on theatre in Richmond, and then slowed down in the late 70s or early 80s. By approximately 82-83, Theatre IV was renting The Empty Space for its adult audience season.

It was during our watch, and I report this with a significant feeling of guilt, that The Empty Space was shut down by the Richmond Fire Dept. due to inadequate sprinklers and egress. The facility had stayed “under the radar” during the Experiential days, but the increased scrutiny brought about by Theatre IV’s use of the space brought about its undoing. About six years later, the Fire Dept. also shut down Stanley’s Backstage for the same reasons after Theatre IV assumed residency there.

Hutch was not retired from the Boys' Club when he founded the Experiential and created The Empty Space. He was very much large and in charge. By the time he retired in ’93, and then began new theatre ventures in ’96 (perhaps reviving the name Experiential--I can’t remember), he was producing at the Windy River Winery. I hope Erin Thomas, who was in Hutch’s production of The Seagull at the Winery, will weigh in with some accurate info. Stephanie Kelly, who was a good friend of Hutch's, may also be able to shed some light.

I’ll be writing more about Hutch, the Experiential, and The Empty Space in the next few days. I’ll try to get the facts straight. It’s important to me that Richmond theatre history is honored, or at least accurately recorded. Please feel free to pass on any and all info you may have about Hutch. He's deserves our remembrances.

Hutch was an amazing, hard working and inspiring talent. With affection and respect, we will dedicate our upcoming production of Children of a Lesser God (which Theatre IV originally produced in The Empty Space in the early ‘80s) to Hutch’s memory.

--Bruce Miller

In Memoriam: Lloyd Shockley

Posted by Bruce Miller
Today, I'm afraid, is not turning out to be a good day. Within a couple of hours of hearing of the passing of Elizabeth Prevatt (see the post that follows), I’m saddened again to report the death of a key figure among Barksdale’s legendary actors, Lloyd Shockley. Tom McGranahan called our office this morning with the bad news. Apparently Lloyd's obituary appeared in the newspaper over the weekend but I missed it. We had heard that Lloyd was suffering from cancer and that the prognosis was not good. But no one expected things to progress so quickly.

Lloyd first appeared on the Barksdale Hanover Tavern stage in 1973 as the handsome new actor who starred as Jonathan Harker in Dracula and Paul Bratter in Barefoot in the Park, back to back. He performed in those early years under the name Lloyd Wayne. In ‘75 he joined Barksdale's all-star cast of That Championship Season, followed immediately by the comedy thriller, Catch Me if You Can. In ’76 he appeared in one of the funniest plays I’ve ever seen at Barksdale, My Fat Friend, and in ’77 he channeled John Barrymore in The Royal Family (see both photos).

His most famous role at Barksdale was as McMurphy in One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest in 1979. I use the word "famous" because: a) Lloyd was terrific in the part (I saw him Opening Night and was blown away), and b) early in the run he broke his leg and had to be replaced with no notice by John Tayloe, a talented young actor who had recently appeared in the same role at TheatreVCU. Lloyd’s last role at Barksdale may have been the 1981 world premiere of Bad Day at Black Rock.

Since then, Lloyd has been focusing on his very successful career in marketing, representing clients from around the country, including, I’m told, Walt Disney World.

Lloyd had an edgy energy that drove audiences wild—it was a Jack Nicholson sort of thing. The last couple times I saw him, we talked about his return to the stage. He may have been humoring me, but he always seemed at least somewhat interested. It was like acting was something he looked forward to revisiting sometime after he retired.

After initially posting this memorial, I was reminded by colleagues that Lloyd's last acting gig may have been Theatre IV's production of Hamlet in the Little Theatre, sometime in the early to mid-90s. Hamlet was directed by Gary Hopper (one of Lloyd's co-stars in Bad Day at Black Rock), and starred David Bridgewater. One of the funniest Hamlet stories (and we all know what a laugh riot Hamlet can be) involves Lloyd, so I'll retell it now.

Any of you who have ever been involved in a production with either Gary Hopper or Dave Bridgewater know that these guys relish quirky creativity. Put them together and it's time to sing Katie, Bar the Door.

Lloyd was playing Claudius to Dave's Hamlet. During the rehearsal process, Dave was flipping channels one night and happened upon The Godfather Part II on TV. Dave saw the amazing scene where Al Pacino as Michael goes up to John Cazale as Fredo (Michael's brother) and delivers the "kiss of death," indicating to the world that Fredo must be killed for betraying his family. "Il bacio della morte." You can find the scene at http://www.boxxet.com/Al_Pacino/video:the-godfather-the-kiss-of-death/.

Dave thought this would be a GREAT inspiration for the scene where Hamlet kills Claudius. When he shared the idea with Gary, Gary agreed. So the two of them sat down with Lloyd. They explained to Lloyd their idea: Hamlet (Dave) would stab Claudius (Lloyd), then take the poisoned wine. Hamlet would toast the fallen (but not dead yet) Claudius, take a big swig of the wine (Hamlet knows by this time that he's been poisoned, so what's he got to lose), and then give Claudius the "kiss of death."

From all accounts, Lloyd, who was a pretty straight-forward actor, listened to their idea with this twisted, skeptical smile growing on his face, eyebrows rising higher and higher as the details emerged. The look on his face has been described to me as "priceless." Then, just as everyone thought Lloyd was going to laugh them out of the room, he snorted and said, "Well, all right. But no tongue!"

They wound up playing the scene with the "kiss of death" every night, and it never failed to elicit a gasp from the audience. Thanks to Dave for reminding me of this story.

Good ole' Lloyd. He was only in his mid-60s. He left us far too soon and will be greatly missed. May "flights of angels sing thee to thy rest."

In keeping with our tradition, we will dedicate our holiday production of A Sanders Family Christmas at Hanover Tavern to his memory. And we will always honor his on-stage talent and his off-stage friendship.

Note: Both photos come from Barksdale's 1977 production of The Royal Family. The women in the top photo are Rebecca Barrows as Della and Nancy Kilgore as Julie Cavendish. Lloyd played Anthony Cavendish.

--Bruce Miller

In Memoriam: Elizabeth Prevatt

Posted by Bruce Miller
I am sad to write today about the passing of our dear friend, Elizabeth Prevatt. With love and respect, we will dedicate our upcoming production of The Clean House to her memory. Her physical house (a neat-as-a-pin apartment on Malvern Ave.) and her spiritual home (her army of friends from Miller & Rhoades and Barksdale) were always comfortable, welcoming and especially well tended.

Elizabeth worked for years at M & R as Assistant Merchandise Controller, using her watchful eye to ensure that product sales and purchases stayed in proper balance. After her retirement, Elizabeth soon became one of Central Virginia’s most hard working and omnipresent volunteer theatre ushers, not only at Barksdale, but, on occasion, at venues all around town.

Many of you will remember her as the elegant, prim, white haired lady who tore your tickets as you entered the lobby at the top of the stairs. Elizabeth was here for almost every performance, year after year. She worked throughout the run of Guys and Dolls. She was a kind, loving, openhearted member of our theatre family, and we will miss her and treasure her memory for years to come.

Elizabeth was pre-deceased by her beloved son, and well cared for by her loving daughter-in-law, Gloria. A memorial service will be held in her honor on Friday at 1 pm at Battery Park Christian Church, 4201 Brook Road.

--Bruce Miller

In Memoriam: Reid Ashe III

Posted by Bruce Miller
Our friend Reid Ashe III died on Saturday engaging in one of the many outdoor adventures he loved – skydiving. Reid was a 23-year old Georgia Tech student, studying industrial engineering. Five years ago, when he was still a student at Collegiate, Reid spent the summer with us as a production intern.

He was a hard worker, with a real interest in theatre and a noticeable talent for figuring out how to make sets fit together. He was one of our most responsible interns. Reid had a strong work ethic and a great sense of humor. He was quiet, at least in the shop, where he focused on his work. But he made friends quickly and easily, and we all grew fond of him. We had high hopes for his future. Reid was one of those kids for whom it was easy to have high hopes.

Our love goes out to Reid III's parents, Reid and Lisa, who are also our friends, and to his younger brother David. We are remembering them in our prayers, and holding them in our hearts.

A memorial service will be held Saturday at 11 a.m. at the Richmond YMCA's Camp Thunderbird Outdoor Center, 9300 Shawonodasee Road, in Chesterfield County.

This November, in keeping with our tradition, we will dedicate our production of This Wonderful Life to our memory of Reid’s talent, spirit and promise. With all his many friends and family, we mourn his tragic passing.

--Bruce Miller

In Memoriam: Liz Marks

Posted by Bruce Miller
Leave it to that all too familiar Circle of Life. July 5 brought us the sheer joy of the birth of Sophia Elizabeth Foley and the marriage of Tom and Carmela McGranahan. And then on July 6, all of us in the Richmond theatre community lost a fun, fabulous, dearly beloved friend.

Liz Marks (casting director, singer, actress, producer, jane-of-all-trades and master of quite a few) died yesterday morning, July 6. Her family's note to friends said it well:

"She was beautiful, talented, happy, and unstoppable, mother to Elizabeth and sister to Bob, Kathi, and Tracy Marks and their families. She fought her long brave battle with breast cancer with all she could. She will forever live in all our hearts."

Many of us have been touched personally by Liz’s largesse, and have been served professionally by her dedication to Uptown Talent. Prior to focusing on her work representing others, Liz was an actress (Fanny Brice in Funny Girl at Swift Creek Mill, The 1940's Radio Hour at Barksdale, Agnes in I Do!, I Do!), a producer (two seasons of dinner theatre at the former Captain George’s Seafood House in the same Broad Street building that now houses off track betting), and a notable cabaret performer.

We will be dedicating our upcoming production of Shirley Valentine, which opens this Friday at Hanover Tavern, as follows:

With love and respect, we dedicate this production of Shirley Valentine to the joyous memory of Liz Marks, who starred here at Hanover Tavern in The 1940’s Radio Hour. Throughout a long battle with cancer and all the other ups and downs, Liz never lost sight of the beauty and exuberance of who she was. She will be greatly missed.

The following information appears on Liz's page of the CaringBridge website:

"Services will be held in Richmond, VA. Please join us.

Tuesday, July 8, 2008
Private Family Viewing at 4pm
Family will receive friends between 5-8 pm.

Wednesday July 9 at 12 noon.
Funeral & Celebration of Liz's Life

Bliley's Funeral Home
3801 Augusta Avenue
Richmond, VA. 23230
http://www.mapquest.com/maps?city=Richmond&state=VA&address=3801+Augusta+Avenue&zipcode=23230

Graveside Service - everyone is invited to join us.
Berea Baptist Church
15421 Pouncey Tract Road
Rockville, VA 23146
http://www.mapquest.com/maps?city=Rockville&state=VA&address=15421+Pouncey+Tract+Road&zipcode=23146

Immediately after the ceremony, the family will receive friends:

Tracy Marks Residence
4309 Northwich Court
Midlothian, VA 23112"

Many, many thanks to John Moon, Irene Ziegler and Jackie Jones who, in cooperation with the Theatre Artists Fund, helped to raise the over $10,000 that enabled Liz to keep body and soul together during her final weeks. And many thanks to the countless generous hearts in our theatre community and beyond who contributed to the cause.

And let none of us forget, as Liz sang to us so many times, "you gotta ring dem bells!"

Liz certainly did. And we're all a little richer for it.

--Bruce Miller

In Memoriam: Murry DePillars

Posted by Bruce Miller
Our friend Murry died last Saturday at his Richmond home. He was only 69 years old, which surprised me. It’s not that he seemed older; he didn’t. Spiritually he was perpetually vibrant and young. But he was such a towering figure in the Richmond arts community, I always imagined that he had to be more than a mere 12 years older than I.

I’m elevating Phil and myself by calling Murry our “friend.” If he thought of us at all in recent years, I’m sure he didn’t honor us with so personal a moniker. It would be more accurate to call Murry a mentor—a mini-mentor perhaps, not one of the ones who made it into our playbill bios, but a mentor nonetheless. More than anyone else, Murry DePillars convinced us that the arts were meant to be populist rather than elitist. He taught us that an artist who elevated himself over his community may not be an artist at all.

After serving as an assistant dean, Murry was promoted to Dean of VCU’s School of the Arts in 1976, one year after Phil and I founded Theatre IV. He held that position for 19 years. During his entire tenure, there was little institutional reason for Murry to take notice of Phil or me. He was a visual artist and a lover of jazz, and we were theatre upstarts with, during most of those years, little influence and even less power in the Richmond arts community.

And yet, from day one, Murry acted like we were worthy of his notice and friendship. He was Dean of the School of the Arts—a huge deal—and yet he willingly and eagerly gave us his attention and respect. And it wasn’t just us. He gave full credence to artists who chose to remain in Richmond, and never made us feel like anyone worth their salt would have moved on to New York. If anything, he made us feel like he awarded extra points to those who chose to grow where they were planted.

When Theatre IV purchased the historic Empire in 1986, Murry was among the few who made it possible.

Here's a brief history. In the mid-70s, a dashing and successful Varina home developer named Mitchell Kambis bought and cosmetically renovated the Empire. After a financially challenging stint as an impresario, Mitchell turned over ownership of the Empire to the mortgage holder, Central Fidelity Bank. The late Carroll Saine, who was Chairman and CEO of CFB at the time, was a close friend of the late Richmond icon Nina Abady. In the early 80s, Nina was a volunteer on the Theatre IV Board, but she was employed as Director of the Virginia Opera Association (VOA) – Richmond Office. Central Fidelity Bank donated the Empire to the VOA, under the condition that they continue to own it for at least two years.

Unfortunately, the Empire was too small for most operas. So as soon as the VOA’s two-year commitment concluded, they sold the Empire to a real estate developer from Roanoke.

In 1986, this developer began to actively seek buyers for the facility. Three parties expressed interest in the building: a Richmond-based developer who planned to convert the building into retail space and condos, Murry DePillars on behalf of VCU’s School of the Arts, and Theatre IV. Obviously, VCU could have outbid Theatre IV (we had no assets to speak of at the time), but the minute Murry learned that we were interested, he called us in for a meeting.

He said that his main interest was in preserving the historic building and keeping it out of the hands of those who wanted to convert it into commercial use. He said that if we were seriously interested, VCU would support us in our efforts to buy the building rather than bid against us. He made suggestions as to where we could go for financial support, and stood by our company until the building was purchased later that year and securely in our hands.

There were no power plays and no conditions—only encouragement and support.

Phil and I have missed Murry DePillars ever since his retirement from VCU in 1995. And we’ll continue to miss him and remember him with the greatest affection and respect. He was a giant in the development of Richmond’s arts community. When Theatre IV produces A Year with Frog and Toad in the Empire next spring, complete with a jazzy score Murry would have loved, we will dedicate the show to the memory of Dr. Murry N. DePillars, our mentor and friend.

--Bruce Miller

In Memoriam: Ruan Woolfolk

Posted by Bruce Miller
Ruan Woolfolk, our good friend and a talented Richmond actor, died in a Chicago hospital on May 13. He was 36 years old. He had been pursuing his career outside Richmond for the last few years. We do not know the cause of death.

Ruan played Tom Robinson in Barksdale’s 2003 production of To Kill a Mockingbird, Jim in Theatre IV’s mainstage production of Huck and Tom and the Mighty Mississippi, and Coalhouse in Ragtime at both Dogwood Dell and the Riverside Center Dinner Theatre in Fredericksburg. He toured with Theatre IV for two years, and with the national company of Man of La Mancha. With Sight and Sound in Pennsylvania, he performed in Behold the Lamb, Noah’s Ark, Ruth, and Christmas Celebration.

On YouTube, you can find video of Ron singing in the Riverside production of Ragtime. Below is a photo of Ruan in our production of Mockingbird.
Ruan is survived by his large and loving family in Spotsylvania, Washington D. C., and Maryland. We mourn his passing. With love and respect, we will be dedicating our fall production of Driving Miss Daisy at Hanover Tavern to his memory.

--Bruce Miller

In Memoriam: Millie Jones

Posted by Bruce Miller

Our great friend Millie Jones died last weekend at age 64 after a long illness. If any single person is responsible for the turnaround of our Empire Theatre neighborhood, Millie Jones may well be that person.

From 1983 until 2003, Millie owned 322 W. Broad Street, a couple blocks west of the Empire. During most of those 20 years, the small business she founded and managed, Festival Flags, was one of the few thriving enterprises in what was otherwise a seemingly derelict commercial corridor. We joined her as urban pioneers in 1986 when Theatre IV purchased the historic Empire Theatre. Phil and I acquired and renovated the Marshall Street office building that houses most of our staff in 1990.

Today, the Empire Theatre District (or Arts District or President’s Row, depending on which moniker you prefer) is one of Richmond’s hottest neighborhoods, home to First Fridays and ten dazzling restaurants and hundreds of apartments within a two-block radius of our marquee. I know Millie must have been thrilled.

Millie was an accomplished seamstress and graphic designer. In 1971, she bought a piece of Scandinavian cloth, made it into a flag and flew it at her Fan District home to direct guests to a party. When friends and neighbors requested custom-made flags of their own, she started a small cottage industry in her basement. In 1975, she created an “It’s a Boy” flag to mark the birth of her son, Jonathan. When she did, she earned near-celebrity status as the national press from The Wall Street Journal to "Good Morning America" descended on Richmond to interview the “flag lady.”

It seems hard to believe now, but before Millie, no one hung commemorative or decorative flags beside their doorways. Her original idea soon developed a national following, and for decades, Festival Flags flourished. In recognition of her creating this national trend, Millie’s passing was covered this week by the Seattle Times, the Minneapolis Star Tribune and ABC News.

But it was Millie’s excitement about and dedication to downtown revitalization that made her our steadfast friend. She LOVED IT when we bought and restored the Empire. For years we’d see her three or four times a week. She was constantly walking up and down Broad—creating, leading and building the Old and Historic Broad Street Association, organizing us neighbors to lobby for the city’s attention, and doing whatever it took to get people interested in our little corner of downtown.

When her “It’s a Boy” son Jonathan came of age, Millie signed him up with us for a summer internship. Whenever graffiti scumbags defaced our historic buildings, Millie came running. She made sure that we removed the graffiti immediately, that the police investigated the crime with vigor, and that prosecutors sought serious punishment for the vandals if and when they were caught.

When we produced Stand-Up Tragedy in the Little Theatre, we hired a VCU art student to simulate graffiti all over the theatre’s interior walls, helping to set the scene for this urban drama. When Millie stopped by to see how everything was going, she stepped into the Little Theatre and immediately went ballistic. She swore she recognized the style of several of the “tags” that were spray-painted on our walls, and demanded to know the name of the person we had hired so that she could turn him over to the police.

We panicked. There was no way we were going to give up the name of the art student if doing so would get him into trouble. Prior to Millie’s recognition of his work, it had never occurred to us that he might be one of the ones who actually was vandalizing the neighborhood—much less a ring leader. So we met with Millie and the police, and they gave us permission to talk with the scenic artist personally without their involvement.

When we did, we soon found out that Millie was right. After learning that his work had been recognized, the art student confessed. We outlined for him all the costs that we and our downtown neighbors absorbed each month to remove the graffiti that he and his friends were creating. After hearing everything, he vowed never to deface a building again. He promised to talk with the other graffiti vandals, many of whom were his friends. In return, we pledged never to release his name—not even in the playbill. Not even in this blog.

For the next couple years, graffiti in our neighborhood decreased significantly. And it was all because of Millie Jones.

For her friendliness, her creativity, her passion and her care, we loved Millie. With affection and respect, we will be dedicating our summer production of Guys and Dolls to her memory. We will never forget her many contributions to our theatre and downtown Richmond.

--Bruce Miller

In Memoriam: Carlton Candler

Posted by Janine Serresseque
Our tight-knit theatre community bids a sad goodbye to our beloved friend, Carlton Candler, who passed away unexpectedly in his Manhattan home on January 6.

Carlton was one of the first friends I made when I moved to Richmond in 1993. I didn't know a soul, sought out the first community theatre group I could find in order to meet people, and had the good fortune to land at Henrico Theatre Company. Carlton and I were both in a production of Rumours and we became fast friends. I'm sure anybody who knew Carlton was fast friends with him. You just got drawn in by his bright, generous and exuberant spirit, not to mention the fact that he was absolutely hilarious! The man could have a whole room of people in stitches with his antics.

He was a very enthusiastic volunteer in community theatre, having performed in and directed dozens of shows for Henrico Theatre Company, Chamberlayne Actors Theatre, Fort Lee Playhouse, and Richmond Neighborhood Players.

Kids were just as captivated by Carlton as we (so-called) grownups were. Carlton was a well-loved and devoted teacher. He didn't consider teaching to be just a way to pay the bills; he was passionate about it. It was his true calling. I'm sure there are many young people in our community who had the good fortune to be his students, as he taught at HATTheatre, Center Stage for Henrico County, and at Ridge and Shady Grove Elementary Schools. After he moved to New York in 2001, he continued his teaching career at several schools in New York, New Jersey, and most recently in Harlem.

A memorial service was held for Carlton last Saturday, January 12th at Shady Grove United Methodist Church. Memorials may be made to Fresh Youth Initiatives, Inc., 505 W. 171st St., New York, NY 10032.

Carlton, we will miss you. Thank you for all the love, compassion and humor you brought to this world.

--Janine Serresseque

In Memoriam: Patty Noonan

Posted by Bruce Miller
I was heartsick to read this weekend in the Times-Dispatch of the death of Patty Noonan, pictured to the right and below in recent photos from her work in NYC. Twenty-six years ago, Patty played Isabel, one of the Major General’s daughters, in Barksdale’s 1982 production of Gilbert and Sullivan’s The Pirates of Penzance. She also returned to Hanover Tavern the following year to appear as a Rapturous Maiden in Patience, the next production in our ‘80s string of Gilbert and Sullivan hits.
The photo shown above is from that 1982 production of Pirates. The actresses, from left to right, are Bridget Gethins, Patty Noonan, Lauren Leinhaas-Cook, Dianne Graham, Betsy Paugh, Nancy McMahon and Ruth Travis.

Patty was a student at Marymount High School during those two Barksdale productions, which made her the youngest member of our cast. She was wildly enthusiastic about theatre—particularly musical theatre. When she died of non-smoking related lung cancer last month in New York City, Patty was only 41. She is survived by her husband and 15-month old daughter, Chris and Lily Malone, both of Verona NJ; her mother, Beth Noonan of Bloomfield NJ; her father, Jack Noonan of NYC; and her sister, Kathleen Farrow of Highland Mills NY.

Prior to her death, Patty worked as the Senior Vice President of Policy and Economic Development at Partnership for New York City, a nonprofit membership organization comprised of CEOs from NYC’s top corporate, investment and entrepreneurial firms. This was a very important and prestigious position. The Partnership works closely with government, labor and the nonprofit sector to enhance the economy and maintain New York City’s position as the global center of commerce, culture and innovation.

A loving tribute to Patty has been written by her friends and colleagues in NYC, and can be found at http://www.nylcv.org/newsletter/2007/dec/articles/remembering_patty_noonan.

In 1981, Patty was in the first class at SPARC, back in the days when SPARC worked mostly with high school students. In numerous ways and without charge, Theatre IV assisted SPARC administratively for its first three years. In 1984, Jeri Cutler, SPARC’s founder, felt she had enough students to make it worth her while to incorporate SPARC independently as its own nonprofit company.

The “stars” of those first few years were Ruth Heltzer, Patty Noonan and Emily Skinner (although I’m sure there were also others). Because of the close association at that time between SPARC and Theatre IV, we got to know all three of those vibrant and talented young women pretty well. Of the three, Emily was the showbiz wonder, as one might imagine, and Ruth and Patty made up the bright and energetic supporting cast. Always smiling, always thinking, always ready to go to work, Patty seemed almost omnipresent in those days. Her well trained, surprisingly mature singing voice won her the roles at Barksdale, and she embraced the experience.

I confess I’d not kept up with Patty over the years, but I wasn’t surprised to read in the paper of her tremendous professional success. Even as a teenager, her intelligence and drive—her clear determination to make a difference—always made her stand out as someone to watch. It’s heartbreaking that someone so genuine and accomplished left us so soon.

SPARC is accepting contributions to a scholarship fund they have established in Patty’s name. To help Patty's daughter understand the important contributions she made to NYC, her family is helping to establish a fellowship in Patty's name for young women pursuing a degree in public policy at her alma mater, the Wagner School at NYU. Contributions may be sent to NYU Wagner Noonan Fund, attn Lisa Taylor, Puck Building, 295 Lafayette St., New York 10012.

In keeping with our longstanding custom, we at Barksdale will be dedicating our upcoming production of The Little Dog Laughed to Patty’s memory.

With her many friends and family, we cherish that memory and mourn her passing.

--Bruce Miller

In Memoriam: Curtis Morrisette

Posted by Bruce Miller
We were saddened to learn yesterday of the recent passing of actor and theatre enthusiast Curtis Morrisette, who died on Saturday, Nov 17, after a spirited battle with lung cancer. Curtis last appeared on the Barksdale stage as the crusty old stage door manager, Pops Bailey, in The 1940's Radio Hour.

The two photos that begin and end this post are from the Yellow House film, Hitiro the Peasant, in which Curtis appeared. Thanks to Stephanie Kelley and Justin Dray for use of the photos.

The bio Curtis wrote for the playbill of The 1940's Radio Hour read as follows:

“CURTIS MORRISETTE (Pops Bailey) is pleased once again to be on the stage of Barksdale Theatre. This is his third production with Barksdale. It has been his distinct privilege to work with Barksdale, Firehouse, CAT, HTC, RPAC, Jazz Actors, as well as the VCU Writers, Directors and Actors groups over the past several years. He gives grateful and heartfelt thanks to the present and past directors, stage managers, casts and crews with whom he has had the pleasure to work. ‘They are, and have been, my mentors. If I display any talent in my craft, it is because of their willing and unforgettable help.’”

In addition to his work as an actor, Curtis was a faithful Barksdale usher and friend.

Since 1940's Radio Hour, Curtis appeared as Vincentio with Susan Sanford as Kate in The Taming of the Shrew at Richmond Shakespeare Theatre. Susan was Curtis’s director in The 1940's Radio Hour, and both actors are pictured together in the Shrew photo to the left. The photo was taken by Eric Dobbs. Andrew Hamm, who worked with Curtis on Shrew, has written a thoughtful remembrance of Curtis on his blog, http://andrewhamm.blogspot.com/.

Curtis was subsequently scheduled to appear in Flowers for Algernon at the Mill, but had to leave the show when he was diagnosed with lung cancer and required by his doctor to undergo immediate treatment.

As many times as I talked with Curtis, I have to admit we never discussed his family. Sadly, no one thus far knows if Curtis had any family members with whom he'd been in touch. That being the case, his final arrangements are being tended to by the Veterans Administration Hospital and the manager of the Berkshire Apartments downtown, where Curtis lived. Jil Wilson-Robinson, Vice President of the Virginia Actors Forum, is working with the apartment manager. If anyone knows anything about Curtis’s family, please contact Jil at jwrobinson@toast2.net. Or you can call the apartment manager directly at 804-644-7861.

Jil and others are also planning a memorial service for Curtis. More word on that will be coming.

Curtis seems to be best remembered for his good natured feistiness, his comical way of inventing a line when he had trouble remembering the one that was written, and his frequent visits to Lift, the coffee shop down the street from the Empire. In every instance, he was a positive force in our community and lots of fun. There’s not a minute with Curtis that we don’t remember with a smile, and not a jot of this vital, clever, generous man that we won’t miss.

With respect and affection, Barksdale's upcoming production of Doubt will be dedicated to Curtis's memory.

--Bruce Miller

In Memoriam: Gary Douglas Wade

Posted by Bruce Miller

Gary Douglas Wade, 48, died of a heart attack this week. He was a respected theatre artist with CAT, Dogwood Dell, the Firehouse, Henley Street Theatre Company, Henrico County’s On-the-Air Radio Players, and the Jewish Family Theatre at the Weinstein JCC. I regret that I didn’t know Mr. Wade. Many of my friends thought highly of him. We will dim the lights of our theatres this week in his memory.

The following comments are pulled from this morning’s Richmond Times-Dispatch.

“Gary Douglas Wade's enthusiasm was at its British best as he coached and played soccer, designed theater sets and acted in area productions. The lean, 6-foot-plus athlete played soccer Sept. 9, but became winded as he hiked with a friend in the Blue Ridge Mountains the next day. He urged his friend to continue while he returned to their car to rest. Mr. Wade, 48, died of a heart attack before he could reach the vehicle, according to his longtime friend Anthony "Tony" Grebas.

A celebration of Mr. Wade's life will be held Sept. 23 from 4 to 8 p.m. at Art Works Inc., 320 Hull St.

Most recently, Mr. Wade had designed the set for the Henley Street Theatre Company's upcoming production of The Night Thoreau Spent in Jail. He also co-designed the set for the 2004 Chamberlayne Actors Theatre run of Blithe Spirit and did the set, as well as performing a role, in the 2005 production of Fools at the Weinstein JCC.

This week, he would have begun rehearsing for his role as a college dean in the Firehouse Theatre Project's upcoming production of Spinning into Butter. He also had performed and directed for Henrico County's On-the-Air Radio Players.

'Not only was Gary a talented actor but also a great carpenter and craftsman, designing many of the sound effects used for the radio shows,' said Marc Follmer, a Radio Players board member.
'People were immediately drawn to him,' said his friend Kathryn Dipasqua. 'He was so funny, engaging and extremely outgoing. He was tremendous at physical humor.'

Theatergoers might remember Mr. Wade as the stripper in the 2002 Dogwood Dell production of Legends -- especially the night he peeled down to a thong emblazoned with the Union Jack. That year he also appeared as a grieving husband in the Dell's The Bad Seed and as a con man in the Chamberlayne Actors Theatre thriller Wait Until Dark.

In his spare time, he loved to bring together the diverse friends he made as he acted, played midfielder with Central Virginia Soccer Association's Metro Sting team, coached the Chesterfield Flames in the Midlothian Soccer Association and served as a TV commentator for high school soccer.

Survivors include his mother, Muriel Wade, and a brother, Brian Wade, both of Worcester Park in Surrey, England.”

To all those who were Gary's friends, we offer our deepest sympathies.

--Bruce Miller

In Sympathy

Posted by Bruce Miller

I regret that I was away on vacation last week when it was confirmed that the previously unidentified drowning victim pulled from the James River was William Dale Moore, brother of our beloved actor and friend, Steve Moore. Steve is currently appearing in The Odd Couple at Barksdale Hanover Tavern, and recently co-starred in Mame at Barksdale Willow Lawn.

We are keeping Steve and his family in our prayers as they deal with this tragic loss. I know that Steve takes comfort in knowing that our community stands with him during this terrible time, providing a foundation of love and support that he can fall back on if and when he needs to.

We offer our deepest sympathy, and trust that Steve and his family will let us know if there’s anything more that we can do.

--Bruce Miller

In Memoriam: Paul R. Cramer Sr.

We are saddened to note the passing this week of Paul R. Cramer, namesake of the Paul R. Cramer Center for the Arts at Steward School, home of our current production of Disney’s High School Musical. The crew dimmed the lights on Friday evening in Mr. Cramer’s honor, and we will be dedicating The Member of the Wedding, our fall production at Barksdale Willow Lawn, to his memory.

We didn’t know Mr. Cramer well; we met him only once. When Barksdale Theatre and Steward School first revived the Greater Richmond High School All Star Musical last summer, Mr. Cramer attended our co-production of Grease. He told us how proud he was to see talented students from all over metro Richmond coming together to create a citywide musical in the theatre that bore his name.

Mr. Cramer came to Richmond and Steward School in 1975, leaving his Massachusetts home to dedicate the rest of his life to building and enriching the Steward School family and campus. When he arrived, Steward had one building and 203 students K – 10. After 19 years of Mr. Cramer’s exemplary leadership, Steward School is today a cornerstone of metro Richmond’s educational community, boasting an enrollment of 615 in grades K – 12, five academic buildings, a thriving athletic campus, and one of Virginia’s most impressive theatre facilities.

The first thing Mr. Cramer did when he came to Steward was to invigorate the curriculum by placing a new emphasis on the arts, music and theatre. It was in recognition of this visionary commitment that the magnificent theatre at the Cramer Center was built and named in Mr. Cramer’s honor.

Mr. Cramer’s legacy will live on at Steward for decades to come. Each summer, 30 to 50 high school theatre students from throughout Central Virginia will come together and benefit greatly from the arts programs that he fostered and sustained.

The student participants in the 2007 production of the Greater Richmond High School All Star Musical come from 20 different high schools and home school programs, and live in 18 different zip codes. Virtually all of them come from schools without theatre facilities that approach the Cramer Center’s level of professionalism. Mr. Cramer’s legacy will continue to benefit not only students like these, but also tens of thousands of cheering theatre fans, young and old, who come to see them perform.

With his family and friends, we at Barksdale Theatre mourn Mr. Cramer’s passing. We also celebrate with them the many great things that have been brought into being by Mr. Cramer’s dedication and hard work. His life has made, and will continue making, an undying contribution to the entire student body of all of Greater Richmond.

--Bruce Miller