Richmond Boys Choir Earns National Award

Posted by Phil Whiteway
Congratulations to the Richmond Boys Choir! Out of 350 nominations nationwide, the RBC was selected as one of only 18 nonprofit organizations in the nation to receive the prestigious Coming Up Taller Award 2007 from the President’s Committee on Arts and Humanities. The award ceremony took place in the East Room of the White House, with First Lady Laura Bush presiding.

For ten years, the Coming Up Taller Awards have honored youth organizations that make extraordinary contributions to the arts and culture in their communities. The Richmond Boys Choir is the first and only Richmond group to receive this national recognition for artistic and community service excellence. The honor was accompanied by a $10,000 cash award and a plaque.

The current Richmond Boys Choir was founded as a subsidiary of Theatre IV in 1996. At that time, Bruce learned that the original Richmond Boys Choir had fallen into non-existence in the three years following the death of its founder. He decided that Theatre IV was in a position to reinvigorate the Choir. He convinced me, and we convinced the Theatre IV Board of the validity of this idea.

Billy Dye (pictured to the left), who was at that time a fulltime staff member of Theatre IV, was assigned the responsibility of serving as the artistic director of the new Choir. He’s continued to serve in that role ever since.

I. B. Taylor, a Theatre IV Board member, was asked to chair the committee that provided governance for the new choir. From 1996 until 1999, Theatre IV mentored the Richmond Boys Choir, paid its staff, built its Board, managed its finances, and raised funds on its behalf. During this three year period, the choir was housed in Theatre IV’s offices and rehearsed and performed in Theatre IV’s historic Empire Theatre.

In 1999, the Richmond Boys Choir fulfilled its strategic plan and became the fully independent nonprofit organization that it is today. I. B. Taylor resigned from the Theatre IV Board and became the first President of the Board of the RBC. Bruce served as a charter Board member. Nine years later, our two independent companies continue to be the closest of allies.

The Richmond Boys Choir welcomes members from all socio-economic, religious and cultural backgrounds. They have opened for and/or performed in association with Wynton Marsalis, Lily Tomlin, former Supreme Mary Wilson, James Earl Jones and Archbishop Desmond Tutu. Their spirit and talents have been showcased at the Governor’s Inaugural Prayer Breakfast and broadcast nationally on The Today Show, winning praise from Katie Couric.

First Lady Laura Bush had this to say during the award presentation earlier this week:

Mrs. Bush - “Thank you all for coming, and thanks to each and every person in this room for your work to promote the arts and humanities—especially through these Coming Up Taller Awards. The 2007 winners are outstanding. Choirs and theatre groups entertain. Museum and heritage programs educate. Art and dance studios delight and inspire. And every single Coming Up Taller program helps young people use their energy and creativity to succeed. In Philadelphia or Fort Worth, what all of these programs have in common are dedicated adults, eager to help young people make the most of their talents and their lives.

The voices of the award-winning Richmond Boys Choir have delighted audiences across Virginia. They've also delighted audiences from “across the pond.” This year, the choir performed for Queen Elizabeth at the opening ceremonies of Jamestown's 400th Anniversary. In addition to learning protocol for meeting the Queen, and proper table manners for a formal banquet, choir members develop teamwork, patience, and outstanding musicianship.

Congratulations to all of the recipients of the 2007 Coming Up Taller awards. Because of the great programs you represent, young people are discovering the humanities and the arts. They're building the confidence to paint, dance, speak, and sing—and in every one of their communities, to walk taller. Thank you all very, very much.”

(At this point in the program, the Richmond Boys Choir was introduced to perform before the assembled body, under Billy Dye’s direction.)

Mrs. Bush – “Thank you very much to the Richmond Boys Choir. You were terrific, and that was a really wonderful way to end this Coming Up Taller awards program. I like that you sang Stevie Wonder's song "Always," because I think that's what children in each one of these programs that we've represented today will learn in your programs, and that is that somebody will love them always.

So thank you to each and every one of you. We really can change lives for the better. We really are choosing a life, a wonderful way to live, when we teach and study the arts and humanities.”

All of us at Theatre IV are bursting with pride that our brother organization has received this national recognition. Congratulations to Billy and to all the boys. Job well done! We feel like proud parents, and that’s a great way to feel.

--Phil Whiteway

It's a Wonderful City -- and Barksdale and Theatre IV Help to Make It That Way

Posted by John Steils

Barksdale Bifocal’s current production of It’s a Wonderful Life is now bringing joy on tour to senior centers and retirement living facilities throughout Greater Richmond. In honor of the central plot device of this holiday classic, we found ourselves sitting around the other day contemplating how Greater Richmond would be different if Barksdale and Theatre IV had never existed?
Among the scores of answers that marketing team members yelled out, I was surprised by this one. If Barksdale and Theatre IV had never existed, there would be no Richmond Boys Choir.

If you want to hear first-ear what a loss this would be, you can attend a free concert this evening in Oregon Hill. The Richmond Boys Choir will perform their benefit holiday program entitled A Joyful Sound this evening, Fri Dec 14, 6 pm, at St Andrew’s Episcopal Church at the corner of Laurel and Idlewood. Admission is a canned good or non-perishable food item. All proceeds will go to the Central Virginia Food Bank. No reservations are required.

Both the Richmond Boys Choir and St Andrew’s have strong connections to Barksdale and Theatre IV. And in the case of the Choir, the “connection” goes beyond strong.

The current Richmond Boys Choir was founded as a subsidiary of Theatre IV in 1996. Our artistic director, Bruce Miller, apparently charged into Phil Whiteway’s office one day twelve years ago mourning the fact that the first Richmond Boys Choir had fallen into non-existence in the three years following the death of its founder. Bruce decided that Theatre IV was in a position to reinvigorate the Choir, and he convinced Phil of the validity of his idea. Together, the two men convinced the Theatre IV Board.

Billy Dye, who was at that time a staff member of Theatre IV, was assigned the responsibility of serving as the artistic director of the new Choir. As fate would have it, he’s continued to serve in that role for the last 11 years.

From 1996 until 1999, Theatre IV mentored the Richmond Boys Choir, paid its staff, built its Board, managed its finances, and raised funds on its behalf. During this three year period, the choir was housed in Theatre IV’s offices and rehearsed and performed in Theatre IV’s historic Empire Theatre.

In 1999, the Richmond Boys Choir fulfilled its strategic plan and became the fully independent nonprofit organization that it is today. Happily, our now independent companies continue to be the closest of allies.

The Richmond Boys Choir welcomes members from all socio-economic, religious and cultural backgrounds. They have opened for and/or performed in association with Wynton Marsalis, Lily Tomlin, former Supreme Mary Wilson, James Earl Jones and Archbishop Desmond Tutu. Their spirit and talents have been showcased at the Governor’s Inaugural Prayer Breakfast and broadcast nationally on The Today Show, winning praise from Katie Couric.

Recently the Richmond Boys Choir was named one of 50 finalists nationwide for the Coming Up Taller Award presented annually by the President’s Committee on the Arts and Humanities and the National Endowment for the Arts. Should they be selected for this honor, they will be the first Virginia organization to receive this prestigious recognition as one of the nation’s top arts programs serving youth beyond school hours. Keep your fingers crossed.

When it comes to St Andrew's, staff members from Barksdale and Theatre IV have been volunteering in their after school program since September. Our artistic director Bruce Miller works with third, fourth and fifth graders each Monday afternoon in this community-based enrichment program.

Our theatres’ partnerships with the Richmond Boy Choir and St Andrew’s School are perfect examples of the vital contributions that Barksdale and Theatre IV make throughout the community every day, often without publicity or recognition. In many ways that we frequently forget, Barksdale and Theatre IV are essential cornerstones of the life of Greater Richmond.

--John Steils