Interview with "Lend Me a Tenor"'s Frank Creasy - Part 1

Frank Creasy is among Central Virginia's most reliable character actors, and he's now playing the leading role of Saunders, the opera manager, in Lend Me a Tenor. The Buzz caught up with Frank to discuss his background, his three decades in Richmond theatre, and his backstage experiences during the run of this riotous farce. This is Part 1 of that interview.

Q - Thanks for talking with us today, Frank. You're doing a terrific job in Lend Me a Tenor. (That's Frank in Tenor to the left, with Nick Ciavarella.) It's so much fun to watch you work.

A - Thanks. All of us are having a great time because the audience is having a great time. I'm going to be really sorry when this one closes on October 16.

Q - Tell us a little bit about yourself. Where did you go to college? What was your major? What brought you to Richmond?

A - I grew up in Winchester, VA, and went to Longwood, majoring in sociology. I first moved to Richmond in the summer of 1979, between years at Longwood. I've always had relatives in the Richmond area. My father's mother grew up on Church Hill and attended St. John's Church all her life. Several aunts and uncles also live in Richmond. When I was growing up, my family always came to Richmond every Thanksgiving and Christmas. Also, a lot of the friends I made in college were from here. It just seemed like a natural place to settle down, I guess. Although I'm not sure exactly when the "settling down" part happened.

Q - What was your first job after graduation?

A - Believe it or not, my first job out of college was at Theatre IV in the 1982 production of Mister Roberts. (That's Frank in the picture to the right, just a couple years before Mister Roberts.) Theatre IV rented the Little Theatre a few years before buying the entire Empire complex in 1986. Ford Flannagan was part of that cast, along with some other terrific actors.

Q - Where do you work now? Are your co-workers aware of your theatrical activities? Do they come see you in shows?

A - Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield is my employer. I work as a help desk manager supporting the Anthem website. At least three co-workers have come to see Lend Me a Tenor, and others at Anthem outside my department have seen it and very graciously stopped by my desk to tell me how much they loved the show.

Q - After Mister Roberts, what were your next theatre jobs in Richmond? How did it feel to audition in a new city where you were not that well known?

A - I was cast in Mister Roberts almost right away, in the spring of 1982. Auditioning back then was a little scary for me, right out of college. I auditioned once for Muriel McAuley, one of Barksdale's co-founders, when she was casting Elephant Man at the Tavern. She called to tell me that I read wonderfully but I was just too young for the role. It was a lovely rejection--the first of many to come. Muriel's kindness sticks with me to this day.

Q - Like many actors, you started out in smaller roles, and over time worked your way up to leads. What was that experience like?

A - You know, I played my fair share of leads in college (Paul in Barefoot in the Park, Mortimer in Arsenic and Old Lace, among others). And I've had good experiences playing leading roles at other theatre companies in town. But as a character actor, supporting roles are often where I land, and I'm glad to do them. (That's Frank to the left, as Charlie Martin in On Golden Pond at Barksdale Hanover Tavern.)

I would like to think that my talents have improved, because I've worked purposefully to get better show by show. I've tried to take direction and carefully watch what successful local actors do onstage: David Bridgewater, Scott Wichmann, Joe Inscoe, to name a few who I've watched and worked with, studying how they approached their performances.

I've always believed that if you want to be one of the best, there's no better training than watching what the best in the field do and then modeling your behavior accordingly. It works in all walks of life; acting is no different. Of course, those guys I mentioned have talents some of the rest of us may only aspire to but never fully achieve. My hope is that one day I'll be close enough, in that regard, that someone would think of actors of that caliber as my "peers." To me, that would be the highest compliment.

(to be continued)

Where Are They Now? - The Asian Adventures of GnG

Posted by Garrett Weeda
Just a little background information, my name is Garrett Weeda and I toured with Theatre IV from September 2006 until May 2009. My wife, Grace Abele, also toured with Theatre IV from September 2008 until May 2009. After finishing our tours, we both ended up working at Busch Gardens Williamsburg (I was a Stage Manager while Grace was a singer in several of their shows).

Enough of the history lesson, now onto the good stuff!

Last September Grace and I accepted jobs in South Korea, working as “edutainers" at Gyeonggi English Village. An “edutainer” here means that we are responsible for the park’s educational entertainment. Along with performing, our department is in charge of creating shows and activities to help Koreans learn English following our central parkwide theme, which we decide on every three months. We have never had a job that has allowed us to be so creative. Grace and I are performing in our fourth show. Grace is currently writing our next show, which is a take on Robin Hood, and so far she has gotten to compose the music for our past two shows. Currently, I am in charge of props for our next two shows and was fortunate enough to direct our winter production, called The Nanny. We love our jobs so much we decided to extend our contracts another year, but hopefully we will be returning to the U.S. sometime next May.

*Sidenote – We were able to bring our beautiful pup, Zuri, and so many of our friends here have dogs that she always has someone to play with.

Now onto the GREAT stuff!

On March 21, 2011, Grace and I got married in Seoul! And you know what that means…it was time for a honeymoon! One huge perk of our job is that we are given twenty vacation days each year (and five extra because we got married). We took twenty of them in one big chunk and spent an entire month traveling Southeast Asia. In all we visited six major cities in four different countries: Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, and Bali.

The best part by far was while we were in Chiang Mai, Thailand during Songkran. That was an unforgettable adventure; anyone who has the chance must experience it. Songkran is the annual water festival during the hottest days of summer in Thailand. AKA city-wide water fight! Everyone parties and splashes each other with water in the streets. With music blaring, there are people of all ages, genders, and races dancing, singing, and spraying water everywhere. There is so much genuine good will that it was an absolutely amazing experience.

Our travelling didn’t stop there. We went to Hong Kong to celebrate the Chinese New Year and what a city! Amazing architecture, beautiful sights, wonderful food, and probably the best public transportation in the world. One day we hope to return to try living there for a year or two. But our travels will continue. We took a week to explore different areas of Korea in July, will follow that with a week in China in October, and to cap it all off, Cambodia, Vietnam, and Songkran in Chiang Mai again in April.

All-in-all life is good, even though we miss our friends and family in the States. We wish everyone could have an experience like this. We do have one favor to ask of Theatre IV and Barksdale. Can you guys stop putting on these amazing shows until we get back? We are totally jealous that we can’t see you all in these terrific productions.

--Garrett Weeda

"Becky" and Billy C Cruise Into Spectacular Opening

Posted by Bruce Miller
One of the responsibilities of a regional theatre is to provide work opportunities to the best and brightest talents within its community. In today's highly competitive arena, up-and-coming theatre artists must choose whether to earn their stripes after moving to major theatre markets like NYC, Chicago or Philly, or build the resumes they need to launch their hoped-for theatrical careers in a city like Richmond.

It's a tough decision. I would argue in favor of the latter, but only if Richmond's regional theatres continue to provide significant opportunities that allow young artists to work at the top of their game with other equally talented pros.

Case in point - Billy Christopher Maupin. He's been passionate about theatre since Hector was a pup. He left his small hometown in Kentucky to venture to Cincinnati to audition for a touring actor position with Theatre IV. (TIV had an office and tour operation in the Queen City from 1996 to 2006.) After touring for a year with our Ohio-based team, BC asked to transfer to our larger operation in Richmond. Ford Flannagan, who handles all our tour casting, said "yes" and brought him right here to River City.

After working in our national tour for a couple years, Billy Christopher transitioned into the Theatre IV / Barksdale marketing position he continues to hold today. His salary sucks--not quite as much as it did initially--but it allowed him to keep body and soul together as he set out to build a resume and career. Like a lot of talented theatre artists, BC chose to complete his training in the school of work experience rather than a university theatre program.

There was that year early on when BC left Theatre IV and moved to New York. Because he's a talented guy, and, I suspect, in part because of the touring experience he had with us, he was cast in a national tour with TheatreWorks USA (Theatre IV's biggest national competitor). Like hundreds of other young hopefuls, he earned his union card through this gig, but soon thereafter encountered the stigma that comes with earning your card, perhaps, too soon. (go to Google, type "stigma theatreworks")

Billy Christopher, like many other talented theatre artists before and after, left New York and moved back home to Richmond. He took a leave of absence from Equity (it's really hard to get union gigs in Richmond if you're young), and set about auditioning and campaigning for directing assignments as if his life depended on 'em.

Carol Piersol, artistic director at the Firehouse, and I are of a similar mind when it comes to the responsibilities our two nonprofit theatres have to eager, talented young artists. Directing jobs are THE HARDEST positions to get in Richmond, probably in any theatre city. The stakes are so high. Nonetheless, through perseverance, patience, passion and talent, Billy Christopher earned the chance to direct a reading at Firehouse, then a cabaret at Barksdale, then more readings, and finally several mainstage directing assignments.

Along the way, Kaye Weinstein Gary at K Dance became a BC "believer." Grant Mudge at Richmond Shakes also gave him a shot. And later this season, Chamberlayne Actors Theatre is giving BC the chance to direct his first Lillian Hellman. It took several years. You can ask him whether or not it was worth it.

Which brings us to last night. Carol Piersol and I were both in the house for the Opening Night of Becky's New Car, the sparkling new comedy by Steven Dietz that Billy Christopher directed at Barksdale / Hanover Tavern. I can't speak for Carol, but I'll bet that, like me, she watched the proceedings with a significant sense of pride.

It's taken several long years, and what seems like a gazillion projects, for Billy Christopher to earn the shot he had last night. And the great news is ... he came through with flying colors.

Becky's New Car is top notch--a perfect marriage of script, actors and director. Billy Christopher had the chance to work with a major new play, a cast as professional and accomplished as any you'll find anywhere (see the show pics of Melissa Johnston Price, David Bridgewater, and Gordon Bass), first-rate designers, a reasonable budget, and a fairly large and discerning audience.

What he has delivered is worthy of the confidence others have placed in him. Becky's is an exceptionally enjoyable show that is sure to be one of the highlights of Richmond's 2011-12 season.

It would be foolish for me to oversell it. It ain't King Lear or Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf. But, in my humble opinion, it's a significant step forward for a major young talent who, hopefully, will be revving up the engine of Richmond theatre for years to come.

With 20/early 30-something directors like Chase Kniffen and Billy Christopher Maupin--and Justin Amellio (assistant to Patti D'Beck for White Christmas, RTCCA-nominated director for [title of show]) starting to come on strong--it seems like Richmond theatre is in capable hands.

--Bruce Miller

Oliver Hill - One of America's Greatest Civil Rights Heroes

Posted by Bruce Miller
One of the several things I love about my job is the variety. The late, great Oliver Hill, one of Virginia’s most renowned civil rights heroes, will be added to Virginia’s Standards of Learning next school year, and Theatre IV is creating a new play to help teachers introduce Mr. Hill to their upper elementary and middle school students.

I began my research this week. The 55-minute, touring instructional program will open with a gala performance in the historic Empire Theatre in January 2012. Along with My Fair Lady, the as-yet-unnamed Oliver Hill project will be a cornerstone of the Empire’s Centennial Celebration. The Empire first opened its doors on Christmas Day, 1911.

Oliver Hill was born in Richmond 4 ½ years earlier, on May 1, 1907. As a child, he moved with his family to Roanoke, and later Washington, D. C., where he graduated from Dunbar High School. He earned his undergraduate degree from Howard University and entered the School of Law there in 1930, studying under Charles Hamilton Houston, the chief architect of national efforts to challenge Jim Crow laws through the legal system. In law school, Hill was a classmate and friend of future Supreme Court Associate Justice Thurgood Marshall. Hill graduated second in the Class of 1933; Marshall was first.

After serving in WWII, Hill set up his law office in Richmond, and from here he worked on several important cases of the civil rights movement. He helped to win equal pay for African American teachers, access to school buses for black students, voting rights, inclusion of blacks on juries, and employment protection against racial discrimination. His work on behalf of the students of Moton High School in Farmville became part of the landmark case of Brown v. Board of Education that helped to end the national policy of "separate but equal."

Oliver Hill retired in 1998 after 60 years of exemplary work. He was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by President Clinton in 1999. He died at age 100 in Richmond on August 5, 2007.

I'm extremely honored to have the opportunity to write this play, and to interview so many great civil rights heroes who worked along side Oliver Hill, including Hill's longtime law partner, Sen. Henry Marsh, pictured above. I'm proud that Theatre IV continues to be the nation's leading producer of theatrically based, African American history programs for schools. We regularly tour these instructional programs to every school district in Virginia, and throughout 32 neighboring states.

--Bruce Miller

"The BFG" Works His Magic on Three Generations

Posted by Bob Wall
When it comes to critics, our brilliant, hard-working marketing staff always touts this simple truth: At Theatre IV, the critics who matter the most are the children, mothers and grandmothers who come to see the play.

Word of mouth is our best sales tool, second to none. We’re delighted that Theatre IV’s current production of The BFG (Big Friendly Giant) seems to be earning raves from all the members of the Richmond Theatre Critics Association, but we’re even more thrilled with the assessments that are rolling in from children and their multi-generational moms.

Like the following note we recently received from a very young grandmother named Cathy Down Pemberton. Cathy was born into a theatrical family; her aunt Mary Dowd was a stalwart Richmond theatre supporter and practitioner in the 60s, 70s and 80s. Today Cathy works as Director of Social Services for Powhatan County. Cathy and her granddaughter are pictured below.

“My daughter Cate and I took her daughter, Catie Beth, to see BFG last Friday. We had taken her to see Velveteen Rabbit and she just loved it, so we wanted to take her to the theater again. She is a true theater fan now, at age 5, and when her mama asked her which play was her favorite, she said "I just don't know, they were both great."

I was not sure how she would enjoy live theater--kids seem to see so many amazing things--3D movies, wide screen tv's, Barnum and Bailey, that you have to guess if the wonder of a live play will have an impact. Does it ever! At Velveteen Rabbit, after the narrator spoke at the beginning of the play, Catie Beth was so excited she turned, speechless, and just squeezed her mom. She recognized the boy's bedroom as soon as we sat down, and was awestruck. Her big blue eyes were round as saucers when the fairy dust fell on the rabbit and made him real. It was a magic night for her. So naturally, we couldn't wait to take her to the theater again.

She just loved BFG. She loved the dreams the best, and when we walked out of the theater into the lobby and there they all were, Sophie and the Giant and the Queen--what a treat. Catie Beth, who hardly speaks to my mother because she is a shy child, went right up to the Giant and got his autograph. He said to her "Did you have fun? I did."

I saw Nunsense a few weeks ago. My best friends and I all laughed until we cried . Having been raised Catholic, it was particularly funny to the three of us. It was priceless, and I have my holy card pinned up on my bulletin board at the office. Try explaining holy cards to someone who isn't Catholic....

Thank you so much for some wonderful memories, Cate and Catie Beth are looking forward to Honk! and The Little Red Hen."
.........

Thanks, Cathy. We do it all for you and yours, so your positive words made our day!

Theatre IV Accomplishments - 2009-10

Posted by Bruce Miller
As the end of the year approaches, it's always good to look back and see what we all accomplished. Nonprofit theatres rely on contributed funds, and we have to earn those contributions every year.

Today I'm listing highlights from the 2009-2010 Theatre IV Season, which ends on June 30 (tomorrow). Tomorrow I'll post a similar listing for Barksdale.

During the fiscal year that will end on June 30, 2010, Theatre IV served a total audience of 581,950 children, parents and teachers.

We produced and presented 129 performances of six plays and musicals on our mainstage Family Playhouse Season in our historic Empire Theatre: The Ugly Duckling, A Christmas Carol, The Song of Mulan, Jack and the Beanstalk, Buffalo Soldier, and The Sound of Music.

These six mainstage productions received excellent reviews from the critics and audiences (and yes, there were a couple times we got burrussed). They were well attended by 42,140 children, parents and teachers.

In partnership with Prevent Child Abuse Virginia, we produced and presented 175 touring performances of Hugs and Kisses, Virginia’s principal child sexual abuse prevention program.

The 2009-2010 tour was seen by 56,270 children in 127 schools spread out over every region of the state. One hundred and eleven children, slightly less than 2% of the total audience, were referred to the Virginia Department of Social Services based on post-performance disclosures. An additional 661 children came forward following the performance to ask pertinent questions.

In other touring, we produced and presented 16 additional instructional programs, including Ben Franklin and His Kite, The Boy Who Cried “Wolf!”, Buffalo Soldier, A Christmas Carol, Harriet Tubman and the Underground Railroad, "I Have a Dream" – The Life and Times of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., The Jungle Book, The Legend of Sleepy Hollow, Lyle Lyle Crocodile, Patchwork – The Little House Life of Laura Ingalls Wilder, The Shoemaker and the Elves, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, Sojourner Truth, The True Story of Pocahontas, ‘Twas the Night Before Christmas, and The Velveteen Rabbit.

We performed these programs live before 187,950 Virginia students in 537 Virginia schools. These same touring shows were performed live before an additional 277,350 students who saw the touring shows in 394 performances in 28 states.

In partnership with CenterStage, the Latin Ballet of Virginia, Richmond Public Schools, Chesterfield Public Schools, and Henrico Public Schools, we launched the FIELD Project (Family Involvement in Early Literacy Development), addressing the reading deficits faced by economically disadvantaged students in Central Virginia’s pre-school programs. We serve as the administrator and controller of this landmark arts-in-education program.

As a part of our partnership with Richmond Public Schools in the Kennedy Center’s national arts-in-education program, Performing Arts Centers and Schools, we produced and presented three continuing education workshops with a total of 46 teachers. The three workshops were: “Beyond The Wiz—The Multi-Faceted History of African American Theatre,” “What It Takes to Produce a Musical,” and “Using The Sound of Music to Teach the Holocaust” (co-produced with the Holocaust Museum).

Through our Tickets for Kids program, we made free tickets available to 2,345 economically disadvantaged children in Greater Richmond. Our 2009-2010 partners included 64 local nonprofits including Art 180, Association for the Support of Children with Cancer, Big Brothers Big Sisters, Children’s Hospital, Dominion School for Autism, Flagler Home at St. Joseph’s Villa, Friends Association for Children, Garfield Childs Memorial Fund, Hospital Hospitality House, International Hospital for Children, Massey Cancer Center Children’s Ward, Richmond Area Association for Retarded Children, Ronald McDonald House, Sacred Heart Center, Salvation Army, STEP, United Methodist Family Services, Very Special Arts Virginia, Virginia Home for Boys, William Byrd Community House, and Whitcomb Court Community Center.

With our holiday mascot, Snow Bear, we provided free-of-charge entertainment for the annual Christmas Party at the Children’s Hospital. Snow Bear also participated in numerous community events during the holiday season.

With St. Andrew’s School, we assisted in our fourth year of after-school instruction for economically disadvantaged fourth and fifth graders. This year SPARC took the lead, and we were happy to partner with them.

With Barksdale, we implemented our annual Stage Explorers Summer Day Camp, serving 117 children over a six-week period.

We staged the 13th Annual Fairy Tale Ball, Richmond’s only family gala, entertaining 703 children, parents and grandparents while raising funds for our outreach programs.

We participated as full partners in the Acts of Faith Festival and Minds Wide Open: Virginia Celebrates Women in the Arts.

At the request of the Virginia Commission for the Arts, our artistic director, Bruce Miller, facilitated the annual meeting of Virginia’s major arts organizations, held during the Art Works for Virginia conference.

Working in partnership with the Virginia Commission for the Arts and the National Endowment for the Arts, we managed Virginia’s statewide Poetry Out Loud national recitation contest. Virginia’s winner was among the top nine finalists nationally.

With Commonwealth Girl Scouts, we hosted four theatre overnights and/or learning days in the historic Empire, providing workshops and performances necessary for 208 girls to earn their theatre badges.

With CenterStage, we participated in and loaned sound equipment for the Grand Opening. We also offered leadership, master classes, workshops and performances for Lights Up - CenterStage’s Open House for Young Artists.

At the request of Henley Street Theatre and Actors’ Equity Association, we served as paymaster whenever union actors accepted contracts at Richmond's smaller theatres. This was our 9th year volunteering our services in this manner.

Our staff volunteered their time for 14 career days; we provided 356 free tickets to charity auctions throughout Greater Richmond.

We owned, operated and maintained the historic Empire Theatre on behalf of the greater community, sharing the facility, often free of charge, with eight other nonprofit groups.

We achieved all of this while maintaining a balanced annual operating budget of $3,167,403 (Theatre IV only, pre-audit) in a very challenging year.

None of this would have been possible without the tireless work of our exemplary staff, and without your support. Many, many thanks.

--Bruce Miller

Great Family Fun This Weekend

Posted by Bruce Miller
Lights Up - Youth Open House at CenterStage is a free event for you and the children in your life. It takes place this weekend, Saturday and Sunday, and everyone is invited! The mini-festival will occur, of course, at CenterStage, marking the public opening of the Genworth BrightLights Education Center.

Theatre IV and Barksdale are proud to be resident companies of CenterStage, and we're excited about helping to produce and present the free performances and workshops that are part of the weekend's festivities. Other resident companies that are participating include African American Repertory Theatre, Elegba Folklore Society, Richmond Ballet, Richmond Shakespeare, Richmond Symphony, SPARC and Virginia Opera.

The Jazz Society is also a resident company. They will not be joining in this weekend because all events are designed to involve children and teens, and the Jazz Society has no performers in and presents no workshops for this age group.

Theatre IV and Barksdale have invited two of our partnering companies to share our allotted time slots: The Latin Ballet of Virginia and the Richmond Boys Choir. African American Repertory Theatre has done the same with one of their partners, City Dance. The Richmond Symphony also will be working in one activity with a community partner, the Richmond Philharmonic.

I served on a steering committee of three that has been working hard for several months to pull the Open House together, with lots of leadership and help from CenterStage staff and volunteers. Area arts educators have also been key leaders in this effort.

To give credit where credit is due, the bulk of the work was done by the other two members of the steering committee--Aimee Halbruner, Director of Education and Community Engagement with the Richmond Symphony, and Brett Bonda, Director of Minds in Motion with the Richmond Ballet. These two outstanding artists are cornerstones of our community's arts leadership.

Events will begin on Saturday, Jan 23, with an afternoon of fun and informative arts workshops, master classes, lecture-demos and live performances for children and teens. Attendees must register for the activities of their choice. Registration begins at 10:30 a.m. in the Carpenter Theatre lobby. Everything is free, but on-site registration is required, on a first-come first-served basis.

The interactive fun will begin at noon and continue throughout the facility until 5 pm. Theatre IV and Barksdale will be offering the following:

I Have a Dream: The Life and Times of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. - A live performance of one of Theatre IV's acclaimed touring productions, co-produced with the Virginia Historical Society. In the Gottwald Playhouse, Saturday, 1:30 pm. Most appreciated by audiences age 9 and up.

Let's Make a Hat! - A hands-on workshop conducted by our brilliant costume shop. Participants will use everyday materials to construct fun and festive hats. In room 3137, Saturday noon. Most appreciated by children of all ages.

Puppets on Parade - Using Theatre IV's extensive puppet collection, kids will learn about hand puppets, marionettes, rod puppets and body puppets. In room 3140, Saturday noon. Most appreciated by children of all ages.

Careful Combat - Produced in association with Richmond Shakespeare and co-led by Slade Billew, our fight coach extraordinaire, this workshop will teach kids how professional actors can appear to fight on stage, with nobody getting hurt. In room 3140, Saturday 3 p.m. Most appreciated by kids age 11 to 14.

Master Class: Musical Theatre Dance - Our brilliant director and choreographer, Leslie Owens Harrington (Crowns, Annie Get Your Gun, Peter Pan, Anything Goes, many others) will offer a 75-minute intensive class for experienced dancers ages 16 to 18, covering tap, jazz and myriad other musical theatre styles. Pre-registration required by this Friday. Interested participants should contact Christina Billew at (804) 783-1688 x 1132 or c.billew@theatreivrichmond.org. Non-participants can observe the class as well. On the stage of the Carpenter Theatre, Saturday 3:30 p.m.

In addition to the open house activities, a concert program featuring many of Richmond's most talented young performers (ages 6 to 21) will be presented in the Carpenter Theatre on Saturday night at 7 and Sunday afternoon at 3. Both performances are free. To obtain tickets or more information, visit the CenterStage website at http://www.richmondcenterstage.com/. Free tickets will be awarded on a first-come first-served basis.

The wonderful Sabrina Squire will be our host for both performances. Bo Wilson leant his impressive talents to the short script that will hold each performance together.

Young artists from Theatre IV will present the opening number from Seussical the Musical, accompanied by the Richmond Youth Symphony.

Theatre IV and Barksdale are proud to participate in the leadership of exciting arts education events like this one. Hope to see you at CenterStage this Saturday and Sunday!

--Bruce Miller

Thanksgiving Soup

Posted by Bruce Miller
During the first three years of Theatre IV (May 1975 – April 1978), our new nonprofit company netted enough revenue to pay all its actors, directors, designers etc., except for Phil and me. No one was paid much, mind you, but everyone received something. Phil and I worked for three years as 40-hour per week volunteers. We earned our living, mainly, acting and waiting tables at Swift Creek Mill Playhouse (now Swift Creek Mill Theatre) and the Haymarket Dinner Theatre. Each of us worked at whichever dinner theatre cast us in a show.

The Mill was the nicest place to wait tables, and if you arrived early, you could eat Mary’s wonderful cooking for $3 a dinner—a super deal. Mary was the chef at the Mill in those early days, and she was also co-owner Betty Callahan’s aunt. There were always quarter or half loaves of delicious Sally Lund bread left on customers’ tables when the meal was over, and the Mill let waiters take these uneaten remnants home with them. I got fat on many a sandwich made with leftover Sally Lund bread from the Mill.

The Haymarket had fewer perks, but it was the more lucrative place to work as a waiter. That’s because the waiters at the Haymarket collected the cost of the theatre tickets, dinner and bar at intermission. Your customers had the chance to see you on stage in Act I, and then you presented them with a bill that included everything. Frequently they would tip you 10% to 15% on the entire bill, including the cost of the theatre tickets.

Even in the mid-70s, I once made just over $100 in tips one night at the Haymarket.

At the Mill, the only money the waiters collected from the customer was for the bar tab, and customers would frequently leave the 15% tip only on that smaller amount. Plus, you collected that amount before curtain, so your customers had yet to have the opportunity to see your work on stage.

Phil and I acted some at Barksdale and the Barn during those years, but both of those theatres employed mostly waiters who were not actors in the show, so waiting gigs there were hard to come by.

We also worked during the first two summers at Kings Dominion. Kings Dominion and Theatre IV both opened at the same time. The personnel department at KD recruited performers from VCU to work the shows in the park, and cash control officers from the University of Richmond Law School. Somehow we heard about the U of R gig, and went to KD to apply.

We told them we were from U of R, neglecting to mention that we were not from the Law School. They hired us anyway. We’d arrive at work many nights at midnight, after completing our gigs as actor/waiters, and then count money till about 3 or 4 a.m. On weekends, we walked around the park pretending to be tourists, but popping into the back of each store and restaurant we’d pass to collect several thousands of dollars and then walk it back to cash control headquarters. Sometimes we’d be strolling through the park carrying upwards of $20 K in a plastic KD shopping bag.

During the 75-76 and 76-77 school years, we also directed (me) and choreographed (Phil) the shows at Collegiate School (mostly evening work). I’m blessed to have friends today who were my students during those two great years.

Lest you think this all sounds noble, be assured we were having the time of our lives. We were young bachelors, sharing a Grove Ave. apartment which also served as Theatre IV’s office, without the burdens of mortgages, car payments or college funds eating away at our meagre earnings. In many ways, I felt fewer money worries then than I have at any time since.

It was in those early years that I began my fall ritual of making Thanksgiving Soup, a ritual I continue to this day. The recipe was one I was given by my dad, Curt Miller, who grew up dirt poor on a Mennonite farm in Pennsylvania.

Turkey is one of the least expensive meats you can buy, back then in 1975 and still today. Like my dad before me, I cook a Thanksgiving turkey for the main event, and then on the day after, carve off whatever remaining meat is easy to get to, and then boil the turkey carcass and unused giblets to make soup.

Thanksgiving Soup is delicious, and really gratifying if you’re in a waste-not want-not frame of mind. It freezes well, and can provide many a super-cheap and inviting meal for months to come. I’ve often heard that the best way to give thanks is to be a responsible steward of the many blessings you receive. In that case, Thanksgiving Soup is aptly named.

The recipe is far from original, I’m sure. But as a family tradition, it means a lot to me. And it always reminds me of the early days of Theatre IV.

Curt Miller’s Thanksgiving Soup

To make the stock, break the turkey carcass into pieces and toss it and the giblets into a big soup pot. Add water until it just covers the turkey carcass. To the pot add 2 chopped carrots, two chopped onions, 2 stalks of chopped celery (leaves and all). Chop everything into large pieces. Toss in 2 cloves of minced garlic, a few shakes of salt, some basil and a bay leaf or two. Bring the whole thing to a boil, and let it continue on a low boil over medium heat, covered, for two to three hours.

Pour the stock through a colander into a large bowl—I usually get about 12 cups of thick liquid. Let it cool for a couple hours, and then skim off the fat (there isn’t that much).

Let the turkey cool, then sort through the bones and pick out all the meat. I usually get another four cups of meat, even after carving off all the easy stuff before cooking the carcass.

Throw away the bones and the vegetables, unless you want to save them for another use.

I usually freeze half the stock—about 6 cups. With the other half, I make my first batch of Thanksgiving Soup.

Soup

6 cups turkey stock
¼ of a large onion, chopped small, a generous half cup
3 peeled carrots, chopped into thick pennies
2 stalks celery, chopped into ¼ inch pieces, about ¾ cup
1 ½ cups cooked or frozen green beans
1 cup cooked long grain rice
1 can mushrooms, stems and pieces, 8 oz drained
2 cups cut-up turkey (about half of what came from the carcass)
2 cloves garlic, chopped small
Basil
Salt
Pepper
1 tablespoon butter
2 tablespoons flour

In the soup pot, melt the margarine and cook the onions and garlic for about 10 minutes over medium heat, stirring.

Add the can of mushrooms, liquid and all. Add the chopped carrots, celery, and green beans and continue cooking for about 5 minutes, stirring.

Add the flour and cook for another 3 minutes, stirring.

Add the turkey stock, about 12 shakes of basil, salt and pepper, and continue cooking over low/medium heat for about an hour.

Add the cooked rice and turkey and bring to a boil. Once it’s boiling, turn it off and serve.

Makes 6 servings.

--Bruce Miller

"Ugly Duckling" Earns Beautiful Review

Posted by Bruce Miller

Julinda Lewis has penned a nicely written review of The Ugly Duckling, the theatrical divertissement now delighting pre-K through 2nd graders at Theatre IV's Empire Theatre. I'm not saying this simply because the review is favorable. I think it's a well written review, and I appreciate it.

You can find the full review at http://www2.timesdispatch.com/rtd/entertainment/theatre_arts/article/UGLY05_20091004-230803/297547/, or you can read the quotes we'll be pulling, which are as follows:

“Rollicking Good Comedy!
Bright and child friendly
Sweet and charming ~ Clear and confident
A combination of classic and contemporary
An enjoyable evening of theatre
Very Agreeable!”

--Julinda Lewis, Richmond Times-Dispatch

Many thanks to all of Richmond's critics for their hard work and dedication. I'm looking forward to the "Artsies" next week.

--Bruce Miller

Something Old, Something New

Posted by Bruce Miller
We decided to try something different this year on Theatre IV’s mainstage season at the Empire. Change is good.
Our audience for this series includes children age 3 to around 12—and their families. In the past, we’ve offered four shows for everyone. We’ve asked the wigglers to stretch to reach the shows with more developmentally advanced content; we’ve asked the children approaching adolescence to remain comfortable with shows clearly directed to their younger siblings.

This year we’re offering six shows and allowing subscribers to choose the three or four best suited to their child’s age and maturity. For the pre-schoolers and primary grades, we have The Ugly Duckling (which opened last Friday at our historic Empire Theatre), The Song of Mulan, and Jack and the Beanstalk. Upper elementary types may find more enjoyment in A Christmas Carol, Buffalo Soldier, and The Sound of Music. Families are free to mix and match to their hearts’ content.

The Ugly Duckling is one of our oldest and most successful shows for the squirm and learn set. It was written and composed about 30 years ago by Richard Giersch, a former Richmonder now living in Northern Virginia. Throughout the decades, it’s been one of our most parent-and-teacher-requested titles for K-3.

For me, watching The Ugly Duckling is like being visited by the Ghost of Children’s Theatre Past—an oddly satisfying experience. There’s audience participation (everyone is invited to stand in front of their seats and join in dancing the Funky Eagle), humans in animal suits, a moral lesson that is clear as day--even a chase scene. It’s a revival of a classic form, to be sure. Nothing like this would be written today.

It even asks children to have an attention span of more than 60 seconds and listen to extended narrative. How well I remember when extended narrative was the norm. But those were before the days of the explosion of rapid-fire children’s television.

So if you’d like to see an old fashioned play in our new format, please join us for The Ugly Duckling, running two more weekends, in Technocolor, starring Gordon Bass, Eric Pastore, Ali Thibodeau, Duron Tyre, and Aly Wepplo under the direction of Jan Guarino,

Hope to see you and your little ones at the theatre!

--Bruce Miller

Laughter is the Best Medicine

Posted by Bruce Miller
Richmond is looking pretty good the past couple days.

Yesterday, we did NOT make it onto Forbes.com’s list of the 40 Most Stressful Cities in America. Northern Virginia did (as part of Metro DC), and so did Virginia Beach. What’s with that? Stressed out at the beach?

Today, our fair city DID make it into the BOTTOM ten on MSN.com’s list of American Cities and Their Addiction to Fast Foods. With a grade of A-, Richmond was the 7th LEAST addicted city in the nation, sandwiched between the respectable eaters in Bangor, Maine and Providence, Rhode Island. Once again, Norfolk scored only a B+ and NoVA a B-.

I’ve always felt particularly competitive with Charlotte, N. C.—all that banking brouhaha. So I took shameless pleasure in learning that Charlottonians are not only among the most stressed out citizens in America, they also rate third from the top in per capita consumption of fast food, earning a grade of F.

As any curmudgeon can tell you, there’s got to be some sort of correlation between reliance on fast food and stress. So what’s Richmond’s secret that keeps us calm and well nourished?

It’s got to be our theatres. Central Virginians love their theatres, and Richmond’s theatres love their comedies.

Stress relief from laughter? Seriously, it’s no joke.

According to a recent study from the Mayo Clinic, laughter is powerful stress-relief medicine. When you laugh, it doesn’t just lighten your load mentally, it actually induces physical changes in your body.

“Laughter can stimulate your organs,” state the fine doctors at the Mayo Clinic, and honestly, who doesn’t enjoy stimulating their organs every now and then. “Laughter enhances your intake of oxygen-rich air, stimulates your heart, lungs and muscles, and increases the endorphins that are released by your brain.”

And the positive effects of a few chuckles and the occasional belly laugh don’t stop there. “A rollicking laugh fires up and then cools down your stress response and increases your heart rate and blood pressure. The result? A good, relaxed feeling.”

“Laughter can also ease digestion and stimulate circulation,” which helps “soothe tension and stomach aches.”

And the health benefits of a rousing comedy aren’t just short term. Laughter has been proven to improve your immune system, relieve pain, and increase personal satisfaction over the long haul.

So, wanna keep Richmond as a low-stress winner? Then make an appointment today with the good doctors at Hagadorn, Guadalupe, and Bass. Here are the upcoming comedies you won’t want to miss:

The Mystery of Irma Vep, opening Sept 17 at the Mill. “A werewolf, a vampire and a resurrected Egyptian princess come together with the denizens of Mandacrest Manor for the ultimate spoof of Gothic melodramas. Starring John Hagadorn and David Janeski.

Boleros for the Disenchanted, opening Sept 18 at Barksdale Willow Lawn. There’s a lot of robust humor in this new poetic masterpiece by Jose Rivera. Starring Bernardo Cubria, Patricia Doran, Michelle Guadalupe, Jorge Rubio, Luis Vega and Carmen Zilles.

Souvenir, opening Sept 25 at Barksdale Hanover Tavern. Debra Wagoner and Jonathan Spivey star as the legendary Florence Foster Jenkins and her intrepid accompanist, Cosme McMoon, in this true story of a tone-deaf New York society matron whose foghorn croonings became the toast of Carnegie Hall. Directed by John Glenn and co-produced with Company of Fools.

The Ugly Duckling, opening Oct 2 at Theatre IV’s Empire Theatre. Why should we adults be the only ones to enjoy stress-reduction? Treat your kids to this fun and frolicking musical about finding self-esteem through having and being a friend. Starring Gordon Bass, Eric Pastore, Ali Thibodeau, Duron Tyre and Aly Wepplo.

The New Century, opening the Triangle Players season on Oct 7. The New York Post exclaimed that “the evening contains so many gut-busting one-liners that those with heart conditions are advised to steer clear.” Starring Jackie Jones and Michael Hawke.

Hope to hear you laughing at the theatre!

--Bruce Miller

Love On Stage

Posted by Bruce Miller

May the “rough magic” of Barksdale’s ancestral home never cease.

During the Tavern run of Smoke on the Mountain, Aly Wepplo and David Janeski fell in love. (They met during the run of Mame at Willow Lawn.) After a rousing performance of Sanders Family Christmas, David proposed…immediately following curtain call. I’m not sure who was more amazed and enamoured, Aly or the audience.

Last night, again on the Tavern stage, Aly and David were married, in one of the most beautiful and heartfelt weddings you can imagine.

It couldn’t be happening to a nicer pair. David and Aly have been sharing their many talents with Richmond audiences for a few years now, mostly at Barksdale, Theatre IV and the Mill. You couldn’t have seen Smoke, Sanders, Mame, Little Women, Altar Boys, Rumplestiltskin’s Daughter, or Of Mice and Men without getting drawn in by the special talents of one or both.

They’ve also been much in demand at Barksdale’s sister theatre, Company of Fools in Hailey Idaho, where Aly in particular has earned a significant following following her performances in Spitfire Grill and Steel Magnolias.

Last night Aly assured me that their plans are to remain in Richmond. After all, Aly is soon to charm our socks off in The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee at Barksdale Willow Lawn, and David will be prompting chills and laughs in The Mystery of Irma Vep at the Mill. Hopefully there will be many more shows to come.

Many congratulations to this wonderful, talented, much loved pair.

--Bruce Miller

Meeting with the Shubert Foundation

Posted by Bruce Miller
Phil and I go to New York two or three times a year, and during each of these business trips, we try to address several institutional objectives. Last week’s NYC excursion included our annual visit with Amy Dorfman, Program Director of The Shubert Foundation.

Amy is as informed an arts leader as you'll meet. I’m acquainted with few individuals who know more about professional theatre in the United States, in terms of either art or management. Sometimes Amy visits us here in Richmond and sees one of our shows. More often we visit her in New York. During each of these visits, Phil, Amy and I have the chance to catch up on what’s happening among regional theatres nationally and in our respective necks of the wood.

The Shubert Organization, a for-profit entity, manages the largest commercial theatre empire in the nation. Since the deaths of the founding Shubert brothers, The Shubert Organization has been fully owned by The Shubert Foundation, a nonprofit entity. It is a very unique model. Today, 100% of the profits earned by the Shubert Organization go to fund the good work of the Shubert Foundation.

According to the Foundation Center Online, in fiscal 2008 the Shubert Foundation had total assets of $323,089,815, placing it somewhere in the middle of the 200 largest foundations in the nation. Total giving by The Shubert Foundation in fiscal 08 amounted to $16,930,435.

The Shubert Organization owns and/or operates 17 Broadway theatres—the Ambassador, the Barrymore, the Belasco, the Booth, the Broadhurst, the Broadway, the Cort, the Golden, the Imperial, the Longacre, the Lyceum, the Majestic, the Music Box, the Plymouth, the Royale, the Shubert and the Winter Garden—and one Off-Broadway theatre, The Little Shubert. Outside New York, the Shuberts own both the Shubert Theatre in Boston and the Forrest in Philadelphia, and manage the National Theatre in Washington, D.C.

In the last three decades, The Shubert Organization has dedicated its energies and resources to a long-term campaign for the revitalization of the American theatre. Its many projects have included the refurbishment of all Shubert playhouses, devoted participation in civic and community affairs, and a continuing effort to rehabilitate the Times Square Theatre District.

The principal goal of The Shubert Foundation is to support nonprofit, professional resident theatre and dance companies in the United States. The Foundation provides grants “only to organizations that have an established artistic and administrative track record, as well as a history of fiscal responsibility.”

The roster of Shubert Foundation grantees includes the most accomplished nonprofit professional theatre and dance companies in the nation. Barksdale and Theatre IV are proud to be recipients of Shubert funding.

Tomorrow, I’ll write about the history of the Shubert building in which we meet. Just like many things involving the Shuberts, it’s filled with drama.

--Bruce Miller

The Return of the "Artsies"

Posted by Bruce Miller
We were very pleased to wake up this morning to learn that Barksdale Theatre and Theatre IV have been recognized with several nominations for RTCC Awards (“Artsies”). RTCC stands for the Richmond Theatre Critics Circle. The six members of this august body include Mary Burruss, Susan Haubenstock, Julinda Lewis, John Porter, David Timberline and Joan Tupponce.

Phil called me at home this morning after reading the encouraging news on Dave Timberline’s blog - http://richmondvatheater.blogspot.com/. Phil and I are among the many who support the critics in their efforts to bring more attention to professional theatre in Richmond. Efforts like this take a LOT of work, and I’m very grateful to Dave, Joan, John, Julinda, Mary and Susan for volunteering all the time and brainpower required to pull off such a major initiative.

Like any and everyone else (including each critic, I’m sure), I think some of the nominations are a little crazy, and some of the omissions are downright criminal. But I know of no better way to get the job done, and no other group of people willing to invest the energy to make it happen. So what the heck, let’s all roll with the punches and be happy that attention is being paid.

Among musical nominations, the runaway winner this year was Stage 1, with a very impressive 16 nominations. Barksdale and Theatre IV followed, with 12 nominations each. Swift Creek Mill and the Firehouse scored an impressive 8 and 7 nominations respectively. Last year the big musical winner was Urinetown at the Mill, so it’s nice to see the kudos being spread around a little this year to other worthy productions and theatres.
Among non-musicals (and I’m counting Pulp as a non-musical, songs and all), Barksdale received 16 nods, with the Firehouse standing proud with 8, and Henley Street following closely with 7. Five nominations went to the Mill, 3 each to Richmond Shakes and CAT, 2 to Sycamore Rouge, and one each to the Triangle Players and African American Repertory Theatre--testimony to the breadth of theatrical excellence in our community.

Last year’s big winner in the non-musical category was the Firehouse production of The Late Henry Moss. (The photo above shows the on-stage view of last year's inaugural Awards Ceremony at the Firehouse.) Again, it’s nice to see the Critics Circle working hard this year to include lots of (even if not all) worthy nominees.

The Awards Ceremony will be held this year at our historic Empire Theatre on October 18. Tickets are only $10 and available at the Empire box office – 344-8040. All profits from the event will be donated by the Critics Circle to the Theatre Artists Fund.

Everyone is invited, and it should be a huge and great celebration. I hope you’ll all make time to attend and cheer on each of Richmond’s theatrical winners.

--Bruce Miller

Harnessing Honaker

Posted by Bruce Miller
First of all there’s the pronunciation. You put the emphasis on the first syllable—just like you would expect. But the first syllable rhymes with “bone,” not “don.”

Then there’s the matter of the second and third syllables. You say them just as if you were talking about an “acre” of land, with the “a” getting more emphasis than the “ker.”

So it’s Hone’-ake’-er, with each syllable getting slightly less emphasis than the one that preceded it. Like homemaker. Not Hahn’-ah-ker.

I’m talking of course about Audra Honaker, who is now starring in Barksdale’s I Ought To Be In Pictures at Hanover Tavern (see pictures above and to the right and below and to the left).

About her performance, critic Celia Wren wrote in the Richmond Times-Dispatch: “If America could harness the vim that actress Audra Honaker brings to her latest gig, the country’s energy problems would be solved.” That’s the first sentence of the review.

In STYLE Weekly, Mary Burruss issued similar compliments: “Hackman and Honaker hit dramatic heights. Honaker delivers a strong performance.”

If Richmond has stars--and I think we do--she's one.

So who is this theatrical powerhouse whose talent and energy are capable of lighting up a stage and a nation?

1. She’s the youngest of that elite group known as “the most talented professional actors in Greater Richmond.” No group’s really known as that, but you know what I mean. I’m not talking the top 50; I’m talking the top ten. I don’t use these words lightly. (That's Audra in Seussical to the right, and in Brooklyn Boy below and to the left.)

2. She’s one of the two or five actors in town so enjoyed and remembered by the theatre-going public that her name above a title can actually sell a significant number of tickets.

3. Like most of the greats, she’s a quadruple threat: she can act, sing and dance, and she’s very good looking.

4. She has a healthy self confidence. But her most endearing quality is that she honestly seems to have very little sense of her elevated place in the pecking order. I don’t think she knows there is a pecking order. And if she ever finds out there is one, I don't think she'll give a peck. She accepts roles in the ensemble just as happily as she accepts leads. In her spare time you can find her spray painting props, power washing sidewalks, laundering costumes, and tending to abandoned kittens. Whatever around the theatre needs doing, Audra is happy to do it. All these things I’m saying, she’d never say herself … or even think.

5. Like all the greats, she works all over town. Barksdale, Stage 1, Swift Creek Mill and Theatre IV (in alpha order) are all regular employers. (That's Audra with Drew Seigla, as Little Red and Jack, outside Willow Lawn on the sidewalk for Into the Woods.

6. She is equally adept at comedies, dramas and musicals. She has the instincts of a seasoned performer. She always takes direction eagerly. I’ve never once seen her roll her eyes as if she knew better.

7. She takes quickly to accents and with little or no effort can sound as eloquent and British as anyone could want. But in real life, she speaks with an unselfconscious Hopewell drawl that is easy to imitate as the Audra-voice. She probably (and proudly) has the most frequently impersonated accent in town.

8. She’s SMART. I should have put this as the first comment, because it may be the most important. (That's Audra to the left with Jan Guarino in the world premiere of Mona's Arrangments.) Audra's blog, and I won’t give you the address because it’s completely unselfconscious and I don’t want to freak her out, is laugh-out-loud-funny and warmly enjoyable. Other than boy genius Matt Hackman, Audra’s usually the first one off book. She sight reads vocal music like a pro, and is almost always the first one off score.

9. She’s nice, thoughtful and is friends with just about everybody. Seriously, does anyone know someone who knows Audra and doesn’t like her a lot?

So now for the shameless self-promotion part, except it’s not really self-promotion, it’s Barksdale promotion. Come see Audra in I Ought To Be In Pictures, playing now through June 21, and Audra may be missing a couple shows the last week, so come soon. Audra plays the wonderful role that won a Tony for Dinah Manoff (Best Supporting Actress, 1981) and should win Audra her second Richmond Theatre Critics Circle Award next fall. (Audra won Best Actress last fall for her star turn in Once Upon a Mattress at the Mill.)

I Ought To Be In Pictures is a funny and sweet play. Audra, Matt and Lisa are wonderful in it. Hope to see you at the theatre.

--Bruce Miller

Betting Our Bottom Dollar

Posted by Bruce Miller
Between December 2007 and March 2008, the Boards of Trustees, Phil and I made two big, proactive decisions. We scheduled the elimination of five positions from the staff of Barksdale/Theatre IV, and we announced three Depression Era plays/musicals for our upcoming seasons.

It may not have been clear to everyone at the time, but for those of us whose job it was to keep our eyes on the books on a day to day basis, the writing was on the wall.

The positions we eliminated amounted to approximately 11% of our total administrative workforce (staffers, not actors and other theatre artists). Like all RIF actions, these eliminations were painful. They continue to strain our operations.

The eliminations were also necessary. They reduced annual expenditures by approximately $140,000.

The five positions that were eliminated, two by attrition, included Associate Artistic Director, Special Projects Manager, Marketing Associate, Group Sales Manager, and Receptionist/Bookkeeping Associate. If and when the economy rebounds, we hope to be able to restore each of these sorely needed positions.

The shows we announced related to the Depression, but they were all upbeat and inspirational, and reflected the current zeitgeist. They were Barksdale’s productions of A Sanders Family Christmas at Hanover Tavern and This Wonderful Life at Willow Lawn, and Theatre IV’s production of Annie, which just opened on Friday at our historic Empire.

The public seems to appreciate our decision. These have been three of the four biggest hits of our 2008-09 Seasons (Driving Miss Daisy being the fourth).

Susie Haubenstock’s review of Annie appears in this morning’s Metro section. “In tough times,” the headline trumpets, “this musical is just what the doctor ordered.”

“Think that Annie is just for kids? The 1977 powerhouse musical by Thomas Meehan, Charles Strouse and Martin Charnin is a favorite of young audiences, surely, but rarely in history has it seemed so appropriate for older ones as well. Theatre IV’s current production is big and stylish and full of fun—and loaded with Depression-era nostalgia that’s all too pertinent today. But being Annie, the attitude is sunny, hopeful and positive—a real tonic for us veterans of bailouts and layoffs.”

“The story of those plucky orphans under the yoke of the tippling Miss Hannigan still works like a well-oiled machine. There’s a super-sized cast of 26 people and one irresistible dog, and a sumptuous scenic design by Mercedes Schaum. No skimping here. Robin Arthur’s direction hits just the right note—she’s an ace with the orphans, who are cute but never cloying, and her choreography (especially for Easy Street) is fresh and funny.”

Susie continues to praise the entire cast, the remaining designers, and the production as a whole.

So no matter what your age, if you need a lift from the recession-riddled headlines, trundle on down to the historic Empire and take part in Barksdale and Theatre IV’s own stimulus program. You’ll have a GREAT evening in the theatre, laugh and cheer, and help our nonprofit companies triumph, God willing, over this economy that continues to kick us in the shins.

We need you. Hope to see you at Annie, Well, I Ought to be in Pictures, and all our other upcoming productions.

--Bruce Miller

Jonathan Sale Forges a Career in NYC

Posted by Bruce Miller
Back in the mid-90s when Theatre IV was still in the theatre-for-adult-audiences business, we produced what I thought was a wonderful production of a play called Stand Up Tragedy (pictured below). John Moon directed. Rusty Wilson, Ben Hersey, Rick Brandt, Richard Travis, Tye Heckman and others co-starred with several talented young teens who played New York gangbangers. One of the teens (maybe he was in his early 20s by then) was a young Richmonder named Jonathan Sale (pictured as he looks today above and to the right). Although he was a clean cut student at the University of Richmond, he had a great urban vibe that served him well in the show.

After graduating from U of R with a double major in theatre and Spanish, Jonathan toured for a year or so with Theatre IV, and then headed to San Francisco where he earned his MFA in acting from the prestigious professional theatre grad program at American Conservatory Theatre. He moved to NYC, married in 2003, and for the last several years has been building an impressive career Off Broadway and in television and film, finding work both as an actor and director.

Recently Jonathan made a fun national spot for Holiday Inn Express, using the rap skills he first honed as a street punk in our fondly remembered production of Stand Up Tragedy. You can catch his commerical star turn at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZlCLuIwuVgQ. Jonathan's the white guy, and this credit sits proudly on his resume alongside several gigs on Law and Order, Ed, Guiding Light, As the World Turns, a growing list of independent films, some Off Broadway plays, and numerous other TV commercials.

Most recently, Jonathan directed and produced the short film Sovereignty (http://www.sovereigntymovie.com/), written by Rolin Jones, the Pulitzer Prize-nominated writer and producer of Showtime's Weeds. Sovereignty began its life as a short play in the Humana Festival at the Actors Theatre of Louisville, starring Jonathan’s wife, Heather Dilly (pictured to the right, and below and to the left). Sovereignty the film just won Best Short Film at the 2008 Artivist Film Festival, the 2008 Peace on Earth Film Festival, and the 2008 Non Violence International Film Festival. Heather Dilly, star of the film as well as the play, won Best Actress for her work in Sovereignty at the 2008 Long Island International Film Festival.

As Jonathan’s career becomes more impressive year by year, it was interesting to find on the www this interesting coverage of an acting project a few years back. Prior to devoting his time to becoming an award-winning filmmaker, Jonathan made his mark on the world of video games. He was the “motion-capture” actor for the main character of Tommy Vercetti, the antihero of the video game Grand Theft Auto: Vice City. The character's snarling voice is provided by well known film actor Ray Liotta, but the body and movement are all computer generated on top of the actual movement provided by Jonathan Sale.

When asked by a video game reporter to describe the experience, Jonathan said, “I wore a Spandex/Velcro body suit that included hats and shoe wraps with 33 balls covering the suit. Each of the white spheres was a little smaller than a ping-pong ball. About 20 feet off the ground there was a grid of 14 cameras that read only the light reflected back to them from the balls. The cameras compiled this info in the computer and made a moving model that they later put the skins over for the game. They also filmed all of the scenes with two digital video cameras and later cut that footage together for the voice actors to work with. Ray Liotta spent a week in the booth matching my performance. I always thought that was pretty cool.

We filmed the project six to eight hours a day, five days a week, with two weeks of rehearsal and one week shooting . After rehearsing for two weeks we all knew each other pretty well. We were in this terrific studio in Brooklyn in which every room is decorated as a different set. And I don't mean the rooms that we shot in; I mean every room. The room where the staff would meet looked like a spaceship boardroom. The hallway looked like the inside of an Egyptian tomb; the lunchroom looked like a tropical forest. It was really cool.

The studio where we shot was a huge concrete room with a big square taped off on the floor. That was the playing area. Outside of the taped area, some of the cameras couldn't see us and therefore the computer couldn't calculate us fully and we would disappear.

When we showed up and donned the spandex for the first time, we were all a bit shy, but it wasn't nearly as embarrassing as we thought it would be. We kind of looked like blue/black or red/black superheroes. Everyone was creative and great to work with.”

Asked for any advice he could offer to future motion capture actors, Jonathan wisely offered this: “The more I treated it like a regular acting job, the better. When I was really acting well, it showed through the motion capture. Also, stuff your Spandex mo-cap suit. That's the key.”

There you have it, my friends. And all this time we thought cod pieces were only for Shakespeare.

--Bruce Miller