All is "Well" at Barksdale

Posted by Bruce Miller
One of the strongest influences on my notion of what distinguishes a great theatre from the rest of the crowd comes from the 20 or so years I subscribed to Arena Stage, the granddaddy of all major professional theatres, still going strong in Washington D. C. I began my Arena journey in my junior year of college, 1970 – 71. Two of my professors and mentors were subscribers—Jack Welsh and Ruth Salisbury. They were looking for someone to round out the car pool. If memory serves, Jack fronted me the money and I paid him back bit by bit over the school year.

I renewed my subscription annually after that, working my way over two decades into the best seats in the house. For many years I continued to subscribe with Jack and Ruth (Phil Whiteway joined our intrepid group sometime in the early 70s). Later Phil and I struck out on my own, eventually recruiting our girlfriends / wives, Donna and Terrie. Dianne Graham was with us for several years. Then Phil and Donna dropped out around the time that PJ was born in the early 80s, and Terrie and I called it quits when she became pregnant with Hannah during the 1989 – 90 Season. After the kids, who had the time or money?

Anyway, one of the things I learned during this double decade experience was that some of the shows I enjoyed the most were the ones I knew the least about. They may or may not have been “great” plays—time is the only judge of that. They were “of the moment,” almost ephemeral, often loosely crafted works of whimsy and/or drama, not necessarily meant to stand the test of time. They were part of the zeitgeist. They gave us lots to talk about on the ride home.

I particularly recall History of American Film and The Marriage of Bette and Boo, both by Christopher Durang, Pueblo, Isn’t It Romantic? by Wendy Wasserstein, The Sign in Sidney Brustein’s Window by Lorraine Hansberry, Moonchildren by Michael Weller, Status Quo Vadis by Donald Driver, Streamers by David Rabe, and Nightclub Cantata by Elizabeth Swados, among many, many others.

I LOVED the fact that Arena, under the brilliant artistic direction of Zelda Fichandler, had the daring to mix it up. Interspersed with the Arthur Millers and Thornton Wilders, with the Ibsens and Chekhovs and Brechts, would be young and current writers who were testing the boundaries and breaking the molds.

At Barksdale Theatre, my artistic decisions are influenced absolutely by Zelda’s aesthetic. I wish we had the resources to do more Millers, Wilders, Ibsens, Chekhovs and Brechts. I’m proud that we have the daring to include in each season new, lesser known (at least in Richmond) works such as our current production of Well by Lisa Kron, and our recent productions of The Clean House by Sarah Ruhl, The Little Dog Laughed by Douglas Carter Beane, Brooklyn Boy by Donald Margulies, Intimate Apparel by Lynn Nottage, The Drawer Boy by Michael Healey, and Melissa Arctic by Craig Wright.

Only by exploring new work do we grow as artists and audiences.

If you’d like to join us on the journey, we invite you to round out the car pool.

See you at the theatre.

--Bruce Miller

Playing to a Diverse Audience

Posted by Bruce Miller

For the last couple of decades, we’ve all talked a lot about the desirability of performing for a diverse audience. In many instances, what we have meant by a “diverse audience” is one that includes a greater racial and ethnic mix. This worthy and important goal is always a major component of our planning at Barksdale and Theatre IV.

There are also other ways to build diversity. At Barksdale, we work hard to achieve economic diversity. Our many discount and needs-based ticket programs are centered on our refusal to allow lack of funds to be a roadblock to anyone who’d like to see one of our shows. We have never and will never turn anyone away based on their inability to pay.

We also have developed initiatives to increase age diversity. Barksdale Theatre Workshop consists of several efforts meant to connect us with high school and university drama enthusiasts. The Bifocals Theatre Project is a popular program designed to maintain and increase the loyalty of our senior audience. Contemporary plays like The Little Dog Laughed, Brooklyn Boy, Melissa Arctic, 5th of July, etc. have been selected each year specifically to encourage more participation from audience members in their 20s, 30s and 40s.

When considering the many ways in which an audience can include diverse individuals, one should not overlook that dividing line that separates those who experience theatre as an art form from those who appreciate theatre purely as entertainment. If you are trying to attract a relatively large audience in Richmond—and make no mistake, that's exactly what Barksdale is trying to do—you will most likely find yourself trying to appeal to both camps.

Our budgets rely on selling six to ten thousand tickets to each production. Looking at the big picture, Barksdale and Theatre IV need to sell $70,000 worth of tickets and tour shows every week in order to make ends meet. When performing for audiences of this size, we know that some ticket buyers will come with a sophisticated and knowledgeable approach to theatre, and others will come for a night on the town.

Yes, I know of the instances when great art and great entertainment are found in the same show. Those are the plays and productions we cherish and cheer. I also know of the great many plays that are more likely to appeal to the “challenge and thrill me” crowd than to their “show me a good time but don’t make me think” brothers. And vise versa.

My recent blog post about the Broadway stagehands strike made me consider anew the diversity of the audience we are building. One commenter clearly felt that it was not necessary or appropriate for me to “explain” the strike negotiations because he/she and his/her peers were “already following the news.” A couple subsequent commenters supported my efforts to report on the labor dispute, admitting that they relied on the Barksdale blog to fill them in because they made few efforts to keep up with national theatre news through other outlets.

Within the Barksdale family, we're proud to have both those who take theatre seriously and those who want to have some serious fun. We welcome and try to program to both perspectives.

Amy Berlin (pictured to the left with one-time writing partner P. Ann Bucci) rightly called me to task months ago when I awkwardly compared Barksdale’s mission to produce “the great comedies, dramas and musicals—past, present and future” to the missions of Greater Richmond’s other theatres. I don’t want to make the same mistake again.

So, without comparing any one theatre to another, I’ll simply state how proud I am that Barksdale produces plays on our Signature Season at Willow Lawn as important, diverse and artistically satisfying as The Constant Wife by Somerset Maugham; Mame by Jerry Herman, Lawrence and Lee; Brooklyn Boy by Donald Margulies; Intimate Apparel by Lynn Nottage (pictured above with Adanma Onyedike and Katrinah Carol Lewis); Into the Woods by Sondheim and Lapine; The Member of the Wedding by Carson McCullers; Moonlight and Magnolias by Ron Hutchinson; Doubt: A Parable by John Patrick Shanley; The Little Dog Laughed by Douglas Carter Beane; and Guys and Dolls by Frank Loesser.

And for those who want lighter fare, we offer our more commercial County Playhouse Season at Hanover Tavern—our “Pops Series,” if you like to use symphony nomenclature.

In coming blog posts, I’m going to give some thought to the various institutional pros and cons of trying to appeal simultaneously to those who are arts savvy and those who are entertainment enthusiasts. As always, I encourage your thoughts as well.

--Bruce Miller

Barksdale's Women's Theatre Project

Posted by Bruce Miller

As I begin my seventh season as Barksdale’s Artistic Director, the question I’m asked most frequently is, “How do you decide which plays to produce?” The process has so many layers (and so many players) it requires its own publication.

Part of the answer, however, involves a key commitment we made when we began selecting our first Barksdale Season in 2001-02. We pledged to ourselves, our artists and our audiences that we would, each season, produce at least:
· one work by a woman author,
· one work staged by a woman director, and
· one work that focuses on a strong, central woman.

We call this commitment our Women’s Theatre Project. The Member of the Wedding by the brilliant and legendary Southern author, Carson McCullers (pictured below and to the right), will open our Signature Season at Willow Lawn on September 21. It is a part of this Project.

At first glance, the commitment seems hardly necessary. What theatre wouldn’t, without even trying, produce such a season? And yet, if you review Barksdale’s history prior to 2001 and Richmond theatre history in general up to today, you’ll find that the majority of seasons fail to meet these minimal standards.

In the last seven seasons, we’re proud to have selected 15 plays and musicals by women authors. Several of these productions have been among our biggest hits, including The Little Foxes by Lillian Hellman, Annie Get Your Gun co-written by Dorothy Fields, To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee, Crowns by Regina Taylor, and Intimate Apparel by Lynn Nottage—to mention only a few.

We’re proud that sixteen of our plays and musicals have been directed by leading women artists, including Robin Arthur, Nancy Cates, Jan Guarino, Leslie Owens Harrington, Susan Sanford, K Strong, Dawn Westbrook and Keri Wormald.

We’re proud of the powerful starring roles performed on our stage by Kathy Halenda, Dorothy Holland, Kelly Kennedy, Liz Mamana, Adanma Onyedike, Robyn O’Neill, Jill Bari Steinberg, Erin Thomas, Harriet Traylor and Irene Ziegler (to name a few), setting a standard for strong, active images of women.

In The Member of the Wedding, actress Katherine Louis (pictured to the left) and playwright Carson McCullers will join this roll of honor. We hope you’ll recognize, appreciate and support the commitments of our Women’s Theatre Project.

Throughout the run of Wedding, we will be exploring the issue of Women and the Arts in our Coffee & Conversations series, our new Cocktail Hour Conversations program, and here on the blog. Please join us in the discussion.

--Bruce Miller

Helping "Into the Woods" into their clothes

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

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

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

-Russell Rowland

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

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

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

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

Barksdale Theatre and Theatre IV employees void.

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

First Fridays at the Empire

First Fridays June 1 at Theatre IV's Empire Theatre! The groundbreaking for CenterStage Richmond, the exciting new performing arts complex, started off the evening. The facilities will be ready to welcome the public in 2009. CenterStage Richmond will incorporate:

* the renovated 1760 seat Carpenter Theatre (formerly the Carpenter Center, home to the Richmond Ballet, the Richmond Symphony, the Virginia Opera and an occasional touring show),

* the new 176-seat Libby Gottwald Community Playhouse (home to African American Repertory Theatre and Richmond Shakespeare),

* the wide open Rhythm Hall (with full catering facilities, casual seating and intimate acoustics, a major rehearsal space for the Richmond Symphony), and

* the Genworth BrightLights Education Center (giving local students the chance to see, participate in and learn through the performing arts).

Our own Tony Foley (star of Barefoot in the Park and Agatha Christie’s The Mousetrap at Hanover Tavern) served as Master of Ceremonies for the groundbreaking. And our own Alia Bisharat, (Dorothy in Theatre IV’s The Wizard of Oz) sang "Over the Rainbow" while the groundbreaking began. The crowd then set off for the First Fridays Artwalk, most on foot following a brass band and others by trolley.

Rosanna Bencoach and Catherine Dudley, two true theatre enthusiasts, share their perspectives on the Empire’s most recent First Friday.

Rosie –

The afternoon had kicked off with the ceremonial groundbreaking
for Richmond CenterStage, which will incorporate a renovated Carpenter Center and other, new performance spaces.

Alia Bisharat, wearing the blue gingham dress and ruby slippers from her role as Dorothy in Theatre IV’s The Wizard of Oz, capped the ceremony with a lovely performance of “Over the Rainbow.”

Oversized versions of Dorothy’s ruby slippers were still perched atop the Empire marquee, immediately drawing the visitor’s attention. The display window by the main doors featured posters from Barksdale Theatre's upcoming production of Stephen Sondheim’s Into the Woods and brand-new color publicity photos from the show.

Inside, all the photos on the walls and cast board had been replaced with photos from outstanding Theatre IV and Barksdale Theatre productions from recent seasons. The newly framed color photos down the hallway brightened the space, and led to numerous “I remember that!” comments. Labels below the photos helped those who didn’t immediately recall the show or year, or hadn’t caught that production.

Visitors streamed into the auditorium for a better look at the 1911 theater, and helpful staff answered questions about the building (Virginia’s oldest extant theater) and productions. Large set pieces from The Wizard of Oz (including Dorothy’s house and parts of the Emerald City) were arranged on the stage, and the yellow brick road was still in place. (They looked much different without stage lighting.) Staff explained that they don’t have room to store set pieces for reuse, so they create them individually for each show. They’re presently busy building Into the Woods sets for Barksdale Theatre at Willow Lawn.

At one end of the lobby, a video about 10 minutes long looped continuously on a wall-size screen, showing highlights from recent Theatre IV musicals. My compliments to whoever selected and edited the clips they did a great job, capturing some the spirit -- and sheer joy -- of those shows.

But the highlight of the evening was the opportunity to see a collection of costumes from various Barksdale Theatre and Theatre IV productions, up close. The display included costumes from Disney's Beauty and the Beast, Seussical The Musical, The Magic Flute, Intimate Apparel and others, gowns to hats, elegant to comical, with photos of the actors wearing the outfits in the shows. The detail in the costumes was amazing, and showed beautiful workmanship. Great care had obviously been taken in selecting the costumes and properly arranging the display. I hope that such displays will become at least a semi-regular feature of First Fridays at the Empire. (I hear that they have a treasure trove of shoes in the Empire’s attic!)

-- Rosanna B.

Blog editor’s note: Rosie is one of Barksdale Theatre/Theatre IV’s fantastic volunteer ushers. For information on volunteer opportunities, visit the Barksdale Theatre and Theatre IV websites. Many thanks, Rosie, for the generous and passionate personality you share with everyone you meet!

And now, an additional note from Catherine Dudley, the staff member who coordinates Barksdale Theatre and Theatre IV's First Friday participation.

Catherine -

I just wanted to let you guys all know… if you’re not coming downtown on the first Friday of every month- you’re missing out! Every event the streets are swarming with people and the energy is amazing. The restaurants are packed, the art galleries are filled to max capacity, the music is spilling out into the streets from numerous storefronts and we, here at the Empire Theatre, are proud to show off our beautiful and historic building. Some months our lobby presents live music from awesome bands around the Richmond area, and some months we have a video montage of several of our past productions playing on a large screen in the lobby. Every month there is a gallery display of some kind- photography, artwork, sculpture, costume display, etc…, but there is always a ton to be seen. The bar is ready to serve and the theatre space itself is ready to be admired. So come on down and join us every first Friday night and see what you’ve been missing! The theatre beckons…

Behind the Iron Corset

This is Jennifer Massey (aka Mrs. Van Buren in Intimate Apparel). I see Andy Nagraj (Mr. Marks) has set the Barksdale blog bar pretty high. He gave an excellent account of the onstage atmosphere surrounding the show, so I figured it might be fun to go behind the scenes, give a few insights into the backstage "drama behind the drama", if you will.

For starters, there's a reason we ladies no longer wear corsets. Without going into too much detail, any woman who's ever had a mammogram will have an idea of what I'm talking about. "Ow, pain... Ow!"

Not to mention that whenever I don a new corset, I burp – loudly. It's sad, but quite unavoidable. If you don't believe me – drink 13 brandies and lace yourself into a straight jacket and see what happens. As ladylike and refined as Mrs. Van Buren is on stage, she's like a truck driver behind closed doors (no offense to any actual truck drivers out there).

It doesn't help that we ladies are actually wearing old-fashioned lace-up corsets. A lot of what we wear in the show has to be physically put on us in the dressing room. It's ridiculous. I don't know how anyone got anything done back at the turn of the century – seems like they must have spent a good portion of their day just changing clothes.

Luckily, we have a wonderful woman, Renee Jones, who assists with all the wardrobe changes and other backstage hoopla. If it weren't for her, Esther would be wearing the same outfit throughout the whole show. And, I'd be wearing my costumes home every night.

Also backstage with us is Audra Honaker, who most of you know better for her fabulous onstage work than her fabulous offstage work. Suffice it to say -- if Renee isn't doing it, Audra is – everything from repatching electrical wires to setting props. That Audra is a talented gal!!

Something rather anachronistic about the dressing room is that many of us bring our laptops with us to the theatre -- which was particularly helpful during tech rehearsals (which are traditionally long and tedious). We have a high-speed internet connection at the theatre (well... sometimes) so many of us boot up backstage to go online, check e-mail, write plays of our own. It's quite interesting. We're onstage being very old-fashioned women, and backstage being very modern women. I can't speak for the men, but I'm sure they're doing interesting things, as well.

Sadly, I rarely even see the men – on or off stage. Anyone who's been to the show knows that the characters in this play rarely cross paths... except with Esther (played by Adanma "Ida" Onyedike). She's our through line, and we all sort of circle around her. Even so, this is definitely an ensemble piece -- we all have a strong sense of the show as a whole, and we all feel the connection, not only with Esther, but with each and every member of the story. I reckon we love each other (as Esther says) "about as much as you can love someone you ain't seen."

I'm a little hurt that there's been no specialty drink created for our show yet. I understand that The Full Monty had the "Full Montini". And, that Mame even had TWO drinks to choose from. Where's ours?!??! Granted, off the top of my head, I can't think of a word that rhymes with "corset". But, surely there's something: Raspberry Ragtime Daiquiri, Mrs. Van Bourbon, Panama Smash... Bartender????

Coffee & Conversation Audio - "Intimate Apparel"

As a courtesy to our patrons who are not able to attend our wildly popular Coffee & Conversations series, sponsored by Rostov Coffee & Tea, we will begin providing links to audio recordings of highlights from these intriguing dialogues, recorded live from the lobby stage of Barksdale Willow Lawn.

Here's your chance to learn the backstage story of every onstage performance, and finally hear the answers to the questions you’ve been eager to ask. Join us on the second Tuesday of each month (with a few exceptions) for informal, moderated discussions with Barksdale’s leading actors, directors, and designers.

This first installment includes actors from the cast of Intimate Apparel - Adanma Onyedike, Chris Lindsay, and Tawnya Pettiford-Wates, moderated by Joy Corbin.



Click here to listen to the Coffee & Conversations audio

*Audio edited and recorded by Chase Kniffen

To hear the next full discussion and meet the actors and other theatre professionals join us Tuesday, May 8, 2007 for Sidekicks & Second Bananas: Your Favorite Supporting Actors from the Season Discuss their Work--Jan Guarino, moderator.



Barksdale Willow Lawn
9:30 - 10:30 AM
Admission is FREE
Free Coffee, Tea, & Pastries Provided

*All dates and topics are subject to change. For confirmation of programs, please call the Box Office at 282-2620 on the Friday prior to the discussion.

-Russell Rowland

Response to a Reader's Comment Regarding "Intimate Apparel"

We established this blog to enable an open conversation between Barksdale Theatre and others in the Metro Richmond family. We believe that open conversation is healthy and positive. Progress is never achieved through silence; understanding and respect come with patience and candor.

Today we received a comment from an anonymous reader responding to an earlier blog entry about Intimate Apparel. If you go to our archives and click on the “1 Comments” (sic) tab that follows the entry entitled “Intimate” Opening Wins Hearts and Minds, you will find it.

The comment reads: “Why is it that when white drama groups do plays about black people, they always show black women in their underwear and/or in sexually compromising positions with men? Living Word Stage Company, Richmond’s only black drama group, treats black women with respect. That’s why Living Word is so needed. Is this what we want our daughters to see?”

First, I agree with the opinion that Living Word Stage Company is needed. I believe that Living Word is a vital member of Metro Richmond’s cultural community, and we are all richer for their presence. In addition to working as Artistic Director of Barksdale Theatre, I’m the Artistic Director of Theatre IV, Barksdale’s sister company. Under my leadership, Theatre IV helped to get Living Word on its feet by allowing the young company to use our Empire Theatre home for free for their entire 2005-06 Season.

Second, I agree that black women have faced and continue to face cultural denigration that must be addressed. At the risk of alienating those who hold an opposing view on this complex issue, I am among those who support firing or boycotting entertainers who use their celebrity to promote misogyny and racism, whether it’s Don Imus or Snoop Dog or Nelly.

Finally, I applaud any parent who takes his or her responsibility seriously. I believe parents should always speak out when they feel like their child, or children in general, are being exposed to “entertainment” that is potentially hurtful or dangerous.

The deeply held principles that are reflected in the three paragraphs above are the same principles that make me so proud of our production of Intimate Apparel. Beautifully and sensitively written by a black woman playwright, Lynn Nottage, Intimate Apparel is, above all, a play about the respect that is due to every human being, even if an individual seems inconsequential or unimportant within the ruling social context of the day. The play is about the dignity and power of the human spirit, and the strength that can be marshaled by even the most powerless to rise above their circumstances and command their world. The play has universal themes, but chooses to focus on the power and glory of black women.

I do not know, but I suspect that our anonymous commenter has not seen Intimate Apparel. I suspect that she is reacting to photos that appear in our blog entry, depicting, as she says, women in their underwear and in positions with men that have the potential for sexual compromise.

The play uses these images and situations not to define black women as sexual objects or victims, but rather to exalt their ability to rise above the circumstances into which they have been placed by society. The play is about triumph. Is this what I want my daughter to see? You bet.

Perhaps this is a good time to mention my perspective on matters of race as they relate to professional theatres. Although I understand and respect the perspective of the commenter, I do not consider Barksdale Theatre to be a "white drama group" or a "white" theatre. I don't think theatres have color unless their mission specifically stresses a particular racial focus.

Barksdale's mission indicates a commitment to the entire community. It is this commitment that led Barksdale in the 1950s to become the first performing arts group in Virginia to admit racially mixed audiences, thereby breaking the back of the Jim Crow laws of that time. It is this commitment that led Theatre IV to become the first major arts organization in Virginia (with a budget of $1 million or greater) to elect an African-American Board President. In fact, Theatre IV has now been led by three African-American Board Presidents. Anthony Keitt, Barksdale's current Board President, is also African-American.

I thank and respect the opinions of all those who choose to comment on our blog entries. I encourage you to see our work, particularly Intimate Apparel, and hope that our plays will prompt continuing conversation.

Note: Subsequent to this posting, Living Word Stage Company changed it's name to African American Repertory Theatre. We have amended the labels to reflect this change and link this post with future posts for African American Repertory Theatre.

**Please be aware that some of the following comments contain spoilers. Some people who have not yet seen the show should be aware that comments discuss the show's ending.

Getting "Intimate" with Andy Nagraj

Hi everyone, this is Andy Nagraj, aka Mr. Marks, from the cast of Intimate Apparel. The venerable blogmaster asked if I would share some of my thoughts on this production. I thought about it for a while, and finally realized that I could take this opportunity to discuss what (for me) has been the most intriguing and thrilling aspect of this show – the audience.

Now, at the risk of sounding like a complete dummy, I’d like to clarify: yes, I have previously been onstage, and yes, I have been aware of the audience. They’ve even laughed and applauded on occasion. However, when the word “Intimate” is half of the title and every scene in the play is between just two people, the work quickly takes on a certain sense of privacy, particularly in the rehearsal process when the only people in the room are you, your scene partner, the director, and the stage manager.

So you can imagine how surprising it was on opening night to notice people audibly reacting to and participating in the show. Once we got past the initial shock, it became completely invigorating and infused the show with a whole new energy. The audience of Intimate Apparel has consistently been a living, breathing entity that shares the stage with us and makes our jobs as actors very easy every night. I don’t want to give anything away from the plot, but during every performance Chris Lindsay and I sit back in our dressing room and eagerly listen for a specific audience reaction, and it never fails to produce an intake of breath from everyone in the theatre! It is extremely rewarding to know that the audience is so willing to give themselves over to the story and participate with us on stage. I salute you, I thank you, and I look forward to seeing you at Willow Lawn!

Cheers,

-Andy “Blog”-raj
(I can’t tell whether that’s clever or annoying…)

"Intimate" Earns Rave in Times-Dispatch

The first Intimate Apparel review is in, and everything’s coming up roses. Susan Haubenstock’s assessment appears in this morning’s Times-Dispatch (Sunday, April 15), and it begins as follows: “What an excellent synergy of writing, acting, directing and design is Barksdale’s Intimate Apparel, the Lynn Nottage drama that played off-Broadway in 2004 and won the 2004 Outer Critics Circle Award. With director Steve Perigard at the helm, Nottage’s carefully plotted tale is realized with perfectly tuned sensibility.”

If you’re a regular reader of this blog, you know how excited we at Barksdale are about Intimate Apparel. We’re excited because Intimate Apparel is a beautiful new play by Lynn Nottage, a playwright who is now establishing her place in the top tier of favorite playwright lists all around the country. This production is a Central Virginia premiere, and the latest product of the Women’s Theatre Project we kicked off in 2001. Through this project, we commit to the production of at least one work by a woman playwright each season. Intimate Apparel is beautifully plotted and written with a real reverence for character and language. It has been a delight to produce.

We’re excited because we have been able to recruit an exceptional cast. “Adanma Onyedike’s Esther is beautifully realized, lacking in self-possession at first but growing through her difficulties to become very much herself,” says Haubenstock. “There are wonderful discoveries in the performances of Tawnya Pettiford-Wates as Mrs. Dickson, Jennifer Massey as Mrs. Van Buren, and Katrinah Carol Lewis as Mayme. Andy Nagraj is touching as Mr. Marks, and every move of Chris Lindsay’s George is charged with feeling.”

We’re excited to have the chance to again experience the organic power of Steve Perigard’s sensitive direction, the full-flavored beauty of Kim Parkin’s handsome scenic design, the magnificent period costumes created by Sue Griffin, and the spellbinding lighting of Lynne Hartman. Paul Deiss has written a wonderful rag that is performed by Katrinah and Ida (the name by which everyone knows Adanma). It sounds like Scott Joplin reborn. And, as always, Amanda Durst has created an entire world with her dialect direction.

We’re trying to live up to the standard we have set for ourselves, a standard that is appropriate for Central Virginia’s leading professional theatre. I think Intimate Apparel is representative of the artistic growth we seek. I’m proud of our production.















For the full review go to: Richmond Times-Dispatch

"Intimate" Opening Wins Hearts and Minds

I just returned from the great Opening Night of Intimate Apparel by Lynn Nottage. Joining in the warm reception awarded the show were past and present Board leaders Ric and Rhona Arenstein, Roy Burgess, Phyllis and Paul Galanti, and Charlotte and Andy McCutcheon; Bifocals stalwarts Carlene and Tom Bass, Vaughan Gary, Lyde Longacre and Tom McGranahan; and audience member extraordinaire Essie Simms (a painful bout of sciatica was not about to keep her away from an Opening Night).

Also making merry were beloved volunteers Bob Boyd, Jean Hartley and Elizabeth Prevatt; loyal staff members Ford Flannagan, Jackie Gann, Lucas Hall, Russell Rowland, Wendy Vandergrift, Jennings Whiteway and Ginnie Willard; and alumna of our recent London/Paris trip Anne Ayer.

As always, several of our treasured actors were at the head of the line to welcome this terrific show to its new life in Richmond, including Robin Arthur, Tony Foley, Scott Melton, Robyn O’Neill, Stacey Reardon, Jill Bari Steinberg, Eddie Tavares, Erin Thomas and Robert Throckmorton. To whomever I’m leaving out, please forgive me. It’s late.

Director Steve Perigard, Stage Manager Chase Kniffen, Lighting Designer Lynne Hartman, and Light Op Lynwood Guyton all graciously accepted kudos as the audience waited for the actors to emerge from the dressing rooms and join the party. When they finally appeared, the six actors who comprise our remarkable cast (Adanma Onyedike [Ida to her friends], Tawnya Pettiford-Wates, Jennifer Massey, Andy Nagraj, Katrinah Lewis and Chris Lindsay) were showered with justly deserved praise and affection.

I will leave it to others to critique the show, but suffice it to say that Phil Whiteway and I are very proud of the production and all of the talented artists involved. We’re looking forward to a long and glorious run of this beautiful and important new play. If you enjoy great theatre, this is one you won’t want to miss.

Meet the Cast of "Intimate Apparel"

During a recent focus group that was a part of our marketing research, I was surprised to hear a Broadway Under the Stars subscriber say that she always went to BUTS (that’s the acronym, sorry) and never to Barksdale because she liked knowing that “all the BUTS actors were on Broadway last week, and the Barksdale actors are local amateurs.” Her comment, of course, could not be further from the truth. Many of the BUTS tours featured not a single Broadway actor; many of them were non-Equity tours produced in Maryland. On the other hand, Barksdale’s Signature Season features many of our nation’s top professional talents, veterans of Broadway, Hollywood and America’s leading regional theatres.

The acting company of Intimate Apparel by Lynn Nottage is a perfect example. This wonderful show is up next in our Signature Season at Willow Lawn, and it features an amazingly talented cast of professional actors working at the top of their game. We’re proud to include each of them in our Barksdale family. Intimate Apparel is written by Lynn Nottage, one of the most popular playwrights working in our country today. It's the latest show in our Women's Theatre Project. Richmond theatre lovers of both genders would be crazy to miss it.

Adanma Onyedike plays the leading role of Esther. She last appeared at Barksdale in To Kill a Mockingbird. She is a brilliant actor at the beginning of her professional career; her performance in Intimate Apparel will uplift your heart. She is a member of Actors’ Equity Association, the union of professional actors and stage managers in the U.S.A. Adanma’s other stage credits include Luminosity at UVA, The Tempest with the Richmond Shakespeare Festival, Northstar Light with the Carpenter Science Theatre, and Tribute 9/11 with Sycamore Rouge. Adanma is now an MFA Theatre Pedagogy candidate at VCU, where she teaches Black Theatre. She also teaches at the Henrico High School Center for the Arts.

Chris Lindsay plays her love interest, George. Chris is making his Barksdale debut after just starring in the national tour of I Have a Dream – The Life and Times of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., produced by Theatre IV. Chris is also a member of AEA. Based in Florida, Chris played Valentine in Twelfth Night, the Apothecary in The Imaginary Invalid, and Shere Khan in The Jungle Book—all for the Orlando Shakespeare Festival.

Tawnya Pettiford-Wates is also making her Barksdale debut as Mrs. Dickson, but she brings to our stage the wealth of experience she has gained during a stellar international career. Dr. T, as she is known by her students, is the Head of Performance on the faculty of the VCU Theatre Department. She appeared on Broadway in For Colored Girls … before moving to the West Coast to appear on stage at Seattle Rep, the Intiman Theatre, and ACT, and on film in David Lynch’s Twin Peaks, Life or Something Like It with Angelina Jolie, and Under One Roof with James Earl Jones.

Jennifer Massey returns to Barksdale in the role of Mrs. Van Buren, after starring with us previously in Fifth of July and Light Up the Sky. Jennifer’s other regional stage credits include performances with The Alliance Theatre (Atlanta), Flat Rock Playhouse (NC), and for the new playwright’s project at Arena Stage (Washington D. C.). In Los Angeles, she appeared in numerous productions with the acclaimed Deaf West Theatre. Her extensive film and TV credits include The Wedding Crashers, One Tree Hill, The Practice, 7th Heaven, and Melrose Place. Since moving to Richmond, she has also appeared with the Firehouse Theatre Project in Dinner with Friends and The Secret of Madame Bonnard’s Bath.

Andy Nagraj is pleased to be playing the Jewish fabric merchant, Mr. Marks. A graduate of the University of Richmond and the Steppenwolf Theatre Company’s Professional School in Chicago, Andy has performed in concert in France, Italy, Germany, Austria, the Czech Republic and, most recently, Spain. Previous Virginia credits include one of the titular roles in Disney’s Beauty and the Beast at Theatre IV, Forever Plaid at Swift Creek Mill, and A Midsummer Night’s Dream with the Virginia Shakespeare Festival in Williamsburg.

Last in this cast listing, but near and dear to our hearts, Katrinah Carol Lewis returns to Barksdale after starring as the Girl in our smash hit production of Crowns. A BFA performance grad from VCU, Katrinah also studied at the Levine School of Music in Washington, D. C. She was a featured soloist at the opening of the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao, Spain with the Children of the Gospel Mass Choir. With the same group, she sang at the Kennedy Center and at the Inauguration of President William Jefferson Clinton. This summer, she will be singing with Barksdale again in Into the Woods.

In an upcoming blog entry, I’ll discuss the non-actor members of our award-winning company of Intimate Apparel. Please support Barksdale Theatre and our wonderfully talented professional cast by buying your tickets today. You’ll be glad you did.

Meet the Woman Behind "Intimate Apparel"

All of us at Barksdale are excited about the next play in our Signature Season at Willow Lawn, Intimate Apparel by Lynn Nottage. Introducing this beautiful new drama to the Richmond audience doesn't exactly make us trailblazers. Intimate Apparel was America’s most produced play in 2005-06. It won the American Theatre Critics New Play Award and was short-listed for the Pulitzer Prize in 2004. And Nottage was first presented to Richmonders in Benny Sato Ambush’s lovely production of Crumbs from the Table of Joy at TheatreVirginia in 2001-02.

Nonetheless, Lynn Nottage is a brilliant, fresh and inviting voice in American theatre—a playwright whom Richmond theatre artists and audience members need to know. Last year, she was one of three women pictured and identified on the cover of American Theatre Magazine as America’s most impressive emerging female playwrights.

I’m told that Nottage rhymes with “cottage.” It’s revealing that when I first encountered this amazing African-American playwright, I mispronounced her name with a continental élan, guessing incorrectly that you put the emphasis on and softened the second syllable, rhyming it with the visual art term “collage.” It’s quite true that Nottage finds eloquence, poetry and zest in everyday lives. She explores the extraordinary exuberance of individuals who would otherwise almost certainly appear to be lost in the mundane. But I fear that what was revealed by my mispronunciation was not my enthusiasm for her joyous and poetic language or the acute sensitivity of her character studies. More likely it was the subconscious association I made between “African American woman playwright” and the exotic and rare.

Lorraine Hansberry (A Raisin in the Sun), Suzan-Lori Parks (Top Dog / Underdog) and Regina Taylor (Crowns) notwithstanding, African American woman playwrights are still struggling to find their well-deserved place in the front ranks of American arts and letters. In fact, women playwrights in general find themselves in a similar boat.

But here’s where Richmond can step forward with pride and say that Barksdale Theatre is ahead of the pack. Not only have we produced the plays of Hansberry, Parks, Taylor, and now Nottage, but we’ve included the works of women authors in every season since Barksdale and Theatre IV began working cooperatively in 2001. In fact, if you count our soon-to-be-announced seventh season (2007-08), the new Barksdale will have produced 14 plays and musicals written by women authors in half that many years. No other theatre in Virginia and few theatres nationally, can equal this record of commitment and inclusion.

Many if not most theatres produce seasons on a regular basis that include only works by male writers. In Barksdale’s ten years prior to the 2001 connection with Theatre IV, five of the ten were all male.

In 2001, we established our Women’s Theatre Project, committing ourselves to producing great plays by women authors. Many of our biggest hits have been produced as a part of this project: The Little Foxes by Lillian Hellman, To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee, Crowns by Regina Taylor, Annie Get Your Gun co-authored by Dorothy Fields, The Exact Center of the Universe by Joan Vail Thorne, The Syringa Tree by Pamela Gien, and our current Hanover Tavern hit, Smoke on the Mountain by Connie Ray.

We’re very proud of Intimate Apparel, and in the next few weeks we’ll be discussing it in greater depth in these blog entries. I hope you’ll do yourself the favor of coming to see it. Until then, please help us spread the word about Barksdale’s Women’s Theatre Project, and read more about Lynn Nottage and her important work. You can find terrific interviews with the playwright at:

www.roundabouttheatre.org/fc/spring04/nottage.htm ; www.ket.org/americanshorts/poof/nottage.htm ; www.tcg.org/publications/at/Oct05/nottage.cfm ; www.phillytheatreco.com/pdfs/PTCplaywise_2006_intimate.pdf .