The Night I Spent on Henley Street

Posted by Bruce Miller
I have good news and good news.

1 - The Night Thoreau Spent in Jail, the inaugural production of the new Henley Street Theatre, is well worth seeing, and …

2 - Good seats are still available for every performance between now and the show’s closing on October 13.

If you haven’t purchased two full-price tickets for Thoreau yet, why not do so right now? You can find Henley Street online at http://www.henleystreettheatre.org/.

Henley Street Theatre needs the support of everyone in Richmond’s theatre community if they are to succeed. From the quality of the acting and directing now on display in the intimate theatre at Pine Camp, Henley Street deserves to succeed. Alex Previtera and company are working their hardest to earn your support.

If you care about growth in Richmond’s professional theatre scene, now is the moment to invest 2 ½ hours of your time and $40—the price of two full-price tickets. Talk is cheap; professional theatre isn’t. Let’s all put our money where our mouths are. You’ll see an interesting show, and make a sound investment in Richmond theatre’s future.

Tonight at Thoreau I saw at least ten fine performances from Richmond actors whom I’ve never seen or heard from before. I all too frequently delude myself into thinking that I know all the good actors in town. Tonight's visit to Walden Pond, pictured to the right and above, was proof positive that such delusion is spun from pure air.

Alan Criswell as Ralph Waldo Emerson (pictured to the right) knocked my socks off. Laurie Follmer was completely believable and persuasive as Emerson’s wife, Lydian. Rebekah Spence made a fine, grounded Mrs. Thoreau (Henry’s mother). Patrick Bromley demonstrated real charm and great acting chops as older brother John.

Julia Rigby, David Bromley, Kern Dowdy and Dean Knight all established well-rounded characters and made the most of their scenes. Stan Baranowski, Kaye Weinstein Gary, Josh Lushch and David Settle equipped themselves well in smaller roles.

Max Follmer has to be the most delightful second grader you’ll see on stage this year. My good friend Frank Creasy, the one actor with whom I have significant experience, prompted an evening’s worth of laughs and tears. What a sweet and genuine stage presence.

Michael Sater as Thoreau himself was terrific, honestly embodying Thoreau’s energy, idealism, prickliness and humanity in every second of a large, large role.

I’d be proud and lucky to work with these actors in the future, and I hope to see them at Barksdale and Theatre IV auditions throughout the coming months.

Thoreau, Emerson and their contemporaries are fascinating and intriguing company. I’ve seen this script produced twice before, at the University of Richmond and TheatreVirginia. Of the three productions, this was my favorite—principally because of the compelling chemistry between Thoreau and the Emersons.

Would the show be better with bigger production budgets? Of course. But those budgets don’t exist yet, and Alex Previtera and his designers make the most of their modest resources.

I don’t write reviews, I cheerlead and offer encouragement regarding shows I enjoy. I enjoyed The Night Thoreau Spent in Jail, and I encourage you to go see it. Thanks.

--Bruce Miller

Beckett via Pinter via Tuggle

Posted by Bruce Miller
A couple people lately have said, “I liked your review of Henry IV (or Little Shop, Austin’s Bridge, This Is Our Youth etc etc). I appreciate their gracious comment, and so I thank them before quickly adding that I don’t write reviews. I understand the confusion and know that I’m responsible for it. So let me explain.

I write cheers, toasts and compliments, but I don’t write reviews. I’d be a lousy critic. I’ve found things to admire, but I’ve never honestly enjoyed a production of Annie, Cats, Joseph / Dreamcoat, and Nunsense. On the other end of the spectrum, I seem to always walk away cold from anything by Strindberg, Gorky’s The Lower Depths, and most Mamet. Need I say more? I’d be a terrible critic.

But almost every time I go to the theatre, there’s something that gets me excited. I love going, and watching, and talking about it afterward. Theatre is in my life blood, and so I’m happy to talk about those things in any given production that make me happy. I’m aware that the position I’m blessed to hold has certain responsibilities, and one of those responsibilities is being a cheerleader for all of Metro Richmond’s theatres. It’s a responsibility I take seriously and enjoy. It's one of the reasons that this blog exists.

So, here’s what I loved about The Dumb Waiter, which I saw last night at the Little Theatre at Theatre IV.

I loved revisiting Harold Pinter. He won the Nobel Prize for Literature in 2005, and is generally considered the finest and most influential British playwright of the latter half of the 20th Century. In world opinion, he comes out ahead of Alan Ayckbourn, Michael Frayn, David Hare, John Osborne, Tom Stoppard and the other greats--although, if I were Pinter, I'd be looking over my shoulder for Stoppard.

I first encountered Pinter in college when Jack Welsh directed a studio production of The Lover starring Bev Appleton and Mary Atkins. I had the privilege of running the light board. I thought the show was GREAT!

Far more recently, Phil and I sat in the front row for a revival of Betrayal in London that knocked our socks off.

The Dumb Waiter is early Pinter. He was clearly connected with and influenced by Samuel Beckett in those days, and The Dumb Waiter is in many ways an homage to Waiting for Godot and Endgame. At least that’s the way it seemed to me—two existential killers waiting for instructions from a faceless master who never appears, bouncing around in a featureless landscape and exploring the master/servant aspects of their own relationship.

I loved experiencing Pinter again, and The Dumb Waiter for the first time, remembering the intellectual thrill of exploring the various themes presented by the great playwright, not only during the 45 minutes that the show was going on, but also during the ride home and long after.

I loved seeing again the crisp, boyish charm and intelligence that David Janeski brings to every role. I’m sure David is sick of hearing the word “boyish,” but that innocence and freshness inhabits everything he does. Trade on it, David; it works for you.

I loved seeing, for the first time, the talented Carl Calabrese—a new actor on the Richmond theatre scene. Sturdy, handsome young men are often what we see the fewest of in casting calls, and Carl should find lots of opportunities to share his talents with the Richmond audience. Welcome!

Most of all, I loved seeing the fluid, impassioned direction of Brad Tuggle, who clearly loves this project as much as he loves his emerging role in the Richmond theatre scene. It is the youthful energy, developing talent and mature commitment that come from the Brad Tuggles, Chase Kniffens and Alex Previteras of the world that keeps Richmond theatre at the top of its game.

I recommend this energized, 45-minute, $5 production to anyone who cares about world literature, Richmond theatre, or the unique passions of young men. Open your mind; challenge your intellect. Run, don’t walk, to the box office today!

--Bruce Miller

For The Dumb Waiter dates and ticket information, click here.

Only Wallets Make Wishes Come True

Posted by Bruce Miller

September is a ‘comin, which means the opening of Richmond’s newest theatre, Henley Street Theatre Company, named, we’re told by founder Alex Previtera (pictured), for the street address of Shakespeare’s birthplace. Alex seems like a dedicated and serious young man, and we wish him all the success in the world.

Henley Street’s first production is The Night Thoreau Spent in Jail, which hasn’t been seen in Richmond, to the best of my knowledge, since the 70s, when it was produced by both TheatreVirginia and the University of Richmond. Thoreau is by the late playwriting team of Lawrence and Lee, the same guys who wrote Mame and Inherit the Wind, two Barksdale hits of seasons recently passed.

Everyone I know is wishing the new company well, but we need to put our wallets where our wishes are. I remember what it was like to start a theatre—it’s only been 32 years. Those of you who think the words “only” and “32 years” should never be in close proximity of each other can stop laughing now. Bottom line—it’s next to impossible to start and maintain a new theatre. So everyone who’s wishing Henley Street success needs to buy at least two full-price tickets to their first production. It’s as simple as that.

Theatre people are notorious for not going to theatre, and for demanding heavily discounted tickets when they do. Let’s all give Alex Privitera a break. He’s shelling out more than you’ll ever know to get his show on the road. The least we can do, and should do, is buy a pair of tickets.

--Bruce Miller