Why "Becky's New Car" Made It onto our Tavern Season

Posted by Bruce Miller
With millions of plays out there, each one yearning for production, how and why do I pick the plays that wind up on one of our Barksdale and Theatre IV seasons? That is our #2 FAQ. #1 is, "Why did you guys name it Theatre IV?"

Beginning with Why "Lend Me a Tenor" Made It onto our Signature Season (9/08/2011), I'm starting a new blog series to address that #2 question. Each post in the series will be tagged with the label "Why," so if you ever want to go back and read previous posts in the same series, you'll be able to do so by clicking on the "Why" label that will follow each article.

Barksdale's mission is to produce in Central Virginia national caliber productions of the GREAT comedies, dramas and musicals--past, present and future. In other words, we seek to produce plays that have significance and import, plays that leave a lasting impact on the field.

If the assessed "greatness" is in the arena of literature or art, we tend to present the play in our Signature Season at Willow Lawn and the historic Empire. If the assessed "greatness" is in the arena of entertainment or popularity, we tend to schedule the play at Hanover Tavern.

Re-reading, them sounds like fightin' words--and I'm in no way seeking a dispute. Yes, I think Becky's seeks and achieves "greatness" as literature and art. I also know for a fact that it clearly has achieved already "greatness" as popular entertainment. It is one of the most frequently produced new American plays created between 2000 and 2009. Securing 24 regional productions in three short years is a feat of which most playwrights could only dream.

Only time will tell whether Becky's New Car will earn its place as one of the artistically great American comedies of the aught decade of the 21st Century. I think it might.

There is another rationale that led to our selection of Becky's New Car.

Our goal at Barksdale Theatre is to establish in Central Virginia a major, nonprofit, professional theatre of national standing. Three years ago, during strategic planning sessions, our Board of Trustees asked various stakeholders what new initiatives were needed to grow the national reputation of our company. Our audience, our artists, our funders and our colleague organizations suggested that there were four things Barksdale should do to participate more fully in the American professional theatre community, thereby enhancing Richmond's profile among the nation's great theatre cities.

1. We should create on a regular basis world premieres of new comedies, dramas and musicals that originate here and then earn productions at other professional theatres around the country.

2. We should further support new work by being an early producer of new plays created at other regional theatres, relying less on plays that have already been successful on and off Broadway.

3. We should recruit theatre artists of national standing to come to Richmond to work side-by-side with our outstanding local professionals.

4. We should mount national caliber productions here and then seek to transfer the best of those productions to New York or other major national markets.

Following in the footsteps of our productions of Boleros for the Disenchanted by Jose Rivera (2009-2010) and Legacy of Light by Karen Zacarias (2010-2011), Becky's New Car by Steven Dietz (2011-12) is our third effort to fulfill the second objective noted above. In the coming months, we will address the first objective with our world premieres of Blue Ridge Mountain Christmas and Scorched Earth.

This is an exciting time for Barksdale Theatre and Theatre IV. We're taking seriously our goal of increasing the national impact and prominence of our theatre. We're choosing not to rest comfortably on the status quo. If we (and that "we" involves a LOT of people) are able to create a theatre of national prominence here in Central Virginia, I believe it will benefit greatly every theatre, theatre artist, and theatre lover in town.

I hope you'll buy tickets to both of our current comedies: Lend Me a Tenor at Willow Lawn and Becky's New Car at Hanover Tavern. They are fun and exciting shows. We need and are working hard to earn your support.

--Bruce Miller

The Mission of Barksdale Theatre

Everything we do at Barksdale is connected to our Mission. The Mission Statement that follows was adopted unanimously by Barksdale's Board of Trustees in 2002. It is built upon practices and principles established and sustained by Pete and Nancy Kilgore and Muriel McAuley during the first four decades of Barksdale's life.

It's important to put our Mission Statement out there from time to time so that everyone, including those of us who work here every day, can remember and reflect upon what we're all about. Mission Statements are designed to guide a theatre over the long haul--decades, not months or years. They are, by design, somewhat broad, allowing for each succeeding artistic and managing director team, and each succeeding Board of Trustees, to interpret and flesh out the mission as they see fit. They are designed to allow the theatre to adjust to changing times while maintaining it's core values.

Our particular Mission Statement includes three guiding principles that our Board felt so strongly about that they chose to include them in the Mission. Over the next few days, I'm going to add comments to this blog entry, attempting to identify and lend my interpretation to the eight commitments that the Board of Barksdale Theatre has made in our Mission Statement, commitments that I believe chart a course for Barksdale that is both unique and vital to the cultural life of our community, the Commonwealth and the nation. As always, your additional thoughts and comments are most appreciated.

Mission Statement of Barksdale Theatre

Founded in 1953, Barksdale Theatre presents in Central Virginia national caliber productions of the great dramas, comedies and musicals—past, present and future. With equal enthusiasm, we explore the classics, contemporary works and world premieres, always seeking to demonstrate the unique power of theatre to engage, enthrall, educate and inspire.

Barksdale is committed to artistic excellence and professionalism. We nurture and support outstanding local, regional and national artists, and pay them at professional standards.

Barksdale is committed to community. We connect with and continually seek to expand our audience through a wide array of innovative programs and initiatives that promote both access and inclusion.

Barksdale is committed to sound management. While remaining focused on the cherished ideals of our past, we seek to maintain the responsible and sustainable balance between artistic excellence and fiscal accountability that will enable our future.

Executive Summary

Barksdale Theatre presents in Central Virginia national caliber productions of the great dramas, comedies and musicals—past, present and future—with a special emphasis on establishing and maintaining close community connections.