Firehouse Rises to Top of Artsie Tally

Posted by Bruce Miller
Ya gotta give kudos where kudos are due. Depending on how you measure it, the Firehouse currently holds a resounding lead in the two-year race for Artsies (the annual awards presented by the Richmond Theatre Critics Circle – RTCC).

The good folks at Firehouse (Carol, Morrie et al) are revered colleagues and friends. We bow to their current supremacy, even if we are all the more determined to catch up with them next year.

But, for the moment, it is quite true that Firehouse has been awarded exactly twice as many Best Play and Best Musical Awards as any other theatre in Central Virginia. The scorecard reads like this: Firehouse – 2 (last year’s Henry Moss and this year’s Eurydice [which I’m finally learning to spell correctly]), the Mill – 1 (last year’s Urinetown), and Barksdale – 1 (this year’s Millie).

Thank God for Millie – that’s all I’m saying.

Of course, there are other ways to keep score. We have a slight lead in terms of the number of talented theatre artists who’ve worked on Barksdale shows and been honored with their own Artsie. But even using that method of tabulation, the Firehouse, the Mill and Richmond Shakes are all nipping at our heals.

And the artists themselves get to take home those chotchkies. The only ones we can keep on our mantle in the conference room are the ones (make that “the one”) we won for Best Play or Best Musical.

So, with my ego appropriately tamed, let me shout out congratulations to all of Richmond’s many fine theatres for their nominations and wins. And congrats to the Richmond Theatre Critics Circle for working hard to recognize a diverse body of great work. IMHO, that’s exactly what you should be doing. We’re honored to be in such outstanding, award-winning company.

--Bruce Miller

If you haven't heard yet, here's the 2009 roster of Barksdale's wins. Our greatest thanks and congratualtions to the honorees.

Best Musical: Thoroughly Modern Millie

Best Direction - Musical: Patti D'Beck, Thoroughly Modern Millie

Best Actor - Musical: Zak Resnick, Thoroughly Modern Millie

Best Supporting Actor - Musical: Timothy Ford, Thoroughly Modern Millie

Best Supporting Actress - Musical: Ali Thibodeau, Thoroughly Modern Millie

Best Musical Direction: Paul Deiss, Thoroughly Modern Millie

Best Choreography: Patti D'Beck, Thoroughly Modern Millie

Best Actress - Play: Robin Arthur, The Clean House

Outstanding Achievement in Costume Design: Sue Griffin, Thoroughly Modern Millie

Outstanding Achievement in Set Design: Ron Keller, Thoroughly Modern Millie

Outstanding Achievement in Hair / Makeup Design: Sue Griffin, Thoroughly Modern Millie

Mill and Firehouse Win Top RTCC Awards

Posted by Bruce Miller
Urinetown at Swift Creek Mill Theatre swept the first Richmond Theatre Critics Circle Awards last night at the Firehouse, receiving the most nominations of any production (11) and the most awards (5):

Best Musical
Best Direction (Musical) – Tom Width,
Best Choreographer – Brandon Becker,
Best Actress in a Supporting Role (Musical) – Debra Wagoner, and
Outstanding Achievement in Lighting Design – Joe Doran.

The Late Henry Moss, produced by Firehouse Theatre Project, conquered the competition in the play categories, receiving:

Best Play,
Best Actor (Play) – Justin Dray, and
Best Actress in a Supporting Role (Play) – Jennie Meharg.

All told, Swift Creek Mill Theatre garnered six RTCCAs, as did Barksdale in the very even-handed awards event. Firehouse Theatre Project earned three awards, Richmond Shakespeare captured two, and ComedySportz won one. Enjoying good company in the “no wins” camp were African American Repertory Theatre, Carpenter Science Theatre, Chamberlayne Actors Theatre, Henley Street Theatre, Mystery Dinner Theatre, Richmond Triangle Players, Sycamore Rouge, and Theatre IV.

Other awards recipients included:

Stephen Ryan – Best Actor in a Supporting Role (Play) – Richard II (Richmond Shakespeare),
Sandy Dacus – Best Musical Direction – Guys and Dolls (Barksdale),
Jason Marks – Best Actor in a Supporting Role (Musical) – Guys and Dolls (Barksdale),
Rebecca Cairns – Outstanding Achievement, Costume Design – As You Like It [indoor] (Richmond Shakespeare),
Ron Keller – Outstanding Achievement, Set Design – Guys and Dolls (Barksdale),
Audra Honaker – Best Actress in a Leading Role (Musical) – Once Upon a Mattress (Swift Creek Mill Theatre),
Scott Wichmann – Best Actor in a Leading Role (Musical) – Guys and Dolls (Barksdale),
Bruce Miller – Best Direction (Play) – The Little Dog Laughed (Barksdale), and
Irene Ziegler – Best Actress in a Leading Role (Play) –Doubt (Barksdale).

The fact that major artists (and exceptional productions) like Katherine Louis, Laine Satterfield, David Bridgewater, Patti D’Beck, Leslie Owens Harrington, Paul Deiss, Joy Williams, Richard Koch, Robert Throckmorton, Sue Griffin, Liz Hopper, Lynne Hartman, Rachel Abrams, Ford Flannagan, Steve Perigard, Morrie Piersol, Keri Wormald, Margarette Joyner, Katie McCall, Susan Sanford, Duke Lafoon, Doubt, and Guys and Dolls failed to win in their appointed categories is a testament to the depth of talent in the Richmond Theatre Community.

As she herself mentioned during her hosting duties, Jill Bari Steinberg wasn’t even nominated.

A special award recognizing an Ongoing Contribution to Richmond Area Theatre was named in honor of Liz Marks, and presented to her daughter and brother. The festivities were fast moving and fun, and helped call attention to many, many achievements in Richmond’s 2007-08 theatrical season. Next year the awards ceremony will be at the Empire, which will allow for far greater attendance. Mark Sunday evening, Oct 18, 2009 on your calendars now. They’ll be plenty of tickets, and all proceeds will go once again to support the Richmond Theatre Artists Fund, an outstanding cause.

Congratulations and three cheers to all the winners and nominees. Congratulations also to the Richmond Theatre Critics Circle and the Firehouse for making the first iteration of this new annual event such a soaring success.

--Bruce Miller

One Pair of Turtle Doves for Another

Posted by Billy Christopher Maupin

This weekend in our smash-hit production of The Odd Couple at Hanover Tavern, two of the stellar cast members will be stepping out, making room for two stellar pinch-hitters.

Scott Wichmann, who plays neat freak Felix, and Jen Meharg, who plays the delightful Cecily Pigeon ... or is it Gwendolyn? ... will be stepping out of the show this weekend. Richard Koch and Vicki McLeod will be filling their shoes. The fun thing is that Scott and Jen are a married couple and so are Richard and Vicki.

Major replacements isn't something that happens too frequently on Richmond stages because generally our shows don't run for months or even years, like shows can on Broadway or Off-Broadway. Take Line by Firehouse favorite Israel Horowitz, which is often called the longest running show in history. Granted it only plays one night a week. Or consider Forbidden Broadway which has been running in one incarnation or another since 1982.

The only Broadway production that I have seen twice was John Doyle's incredible re-imagining of Hugh Wheeler and Stephen Sondheim's Sweeney Todd. I saw it with Patti Lupone (who was awe-inspiring) and then when she was on vacation, with her replacement Judy Kaye. I had heard such great things about Judy Kaye's work in other productions of Sweeney Todd and in her Tony-winning turn in Souvenir, I went back to see her. My favorite moment of hers was when she was upstage-right playing the xylophone (this is one of those John Doyle shows where the actors are also the orchestra) with a look of abject terror on her face. Now, it should be noted that she was up in the corner and maybe wasn't too concerned with being seen, and she did learn the show knowing that she'd be subbing for only a week or two. Nonetheless, her performance was fantastic (very different from Ms. Lupone's, but fantastic still).

It was very funny when I was calling Ticketmaster to order tickets and check on availability because every time I asked about the show they said "Patti Lupone will not be appearing in this performance. Judy Kaye will be taking her place." I KNOW! That's why I'm going back!

But I digress...sometimes, in Richmond, especially with a long-running show like The Odd Couple, there is a time when some of our performers have to step out for a few performances. The last time I remember this happening was several years ago during Barksdale's production of Where's Charley? when the late, great Jim Hilgartner had to leave a couple of weeks before the end of the run and the side-splitting Joe Pabst took over the role of Mr. Spettigue. Incidentally, Joe is the director of our hit production of The Odd Couple! (Not to say that it hasn't happened since, but that's the last time I remember.)

So this was really supposed to be about Vicki and Richard and now I've gotten off-track and...well...anyway...so when I asked Vicki about Richard and herself, I got a very fun response, which I had thought I would use as information for writing about them, but it seems more fun to leave in her voice and just post her own words (I'm awaiting permission from her to do this):

"Let's see...Richard and I met in 1987, working on a locally written, produced and performed comedy pilot for WCVE, Channel 23. The show aired on all the PBS stations in Virginia, with the hope that it would be picked up and become a regular show. Alas, it did not and so we have remained cloaked in obscurity, rather than rising to become Famous PBS Stars.

Okay, how about...Richard loves sleeping very late (whenever possible), eating pizza (he could eat it every night and never grow tired of it, or so he claims) and listening to the music of Mozart and the Beatles, among many other types of music. We both love all kinds of music, listen to it every day and have a huge collection of CDs.

I love working out (I am a personal trainer, certified through the American Council on Exercise), helping others work out and eating really healthy stuff (like a bowl of oatmeal and egg whites, cooked together, or a huge salad with chicken or tuna on it). I also like to eat junk on occasion: really unhealthy buttered popcorn, nachos and beer or big, mean pancake breakfasts with lots of strong, black coffee. I love getting up at or before dawn and going to bed early. I love reading historical diaries and being in the country. I am an introvert, though many people don't believe me when I tell them that."

I would like to add that the first time I saw Richard or Vicki onstage was in Run for Your Wife at Swift Creek Mill Playhouse. Also in that cast were Joy Williams (who appeared recently in Barefoot in the Park at the Tavern, The Magic Flute with Theatre IV and who I just taught with in the Stage Explorers session at Hanover Tavern), Paul Deiss (who is Music Director for the soon-to-open production of Urinetown at Swift Creek Mill), Jason Marks (last seen in Little Shop of Horrors with SPARC), and...Joe Pabst! It was a riot! So when I make it out to see The Odd Couple this weekend (if I can find a seat in a sold out house) I will try very hard to shake the image of Vicki McLeod looking stunning in her lingerie.

--Billy Christopher Maupin

All Halenda's About to Break Loose

When director Chase Kniffen was casting the two adult roles in Disney’s High School Musical, he decided to keep it all in the family. All in the Mame family, that is. Chase played grown-up Patrick in Mame last winter, and his character’s surrogate parents were Auntie Mame herself (Kathy Halenda) and her new husband, Uncle Beau (Michael Hawke). Starting tonight, Halenda and Hawke join the rehearsals for DHSM, playing the supporting roles of Mrs. Darbus, the over-the-top high school drama teacher, and Coach Jack Bolton, the “keep your head in the game” basketball coach and dad of leading guy Troy.

This is a textbook example of type casting in both cases. No one ever accused either Mrs. Darbus or Kathy Halenda of being restrained and demure. And both Coach Bolton and Michael Hawk are somewhat gym obsessed.

Bringing Halenda back to town was not cheap, but Chase convinced me she’d be worth every penny. It didn’t take much convincing. Not only is Kathy perfect for the part. More importantly, she’s perfect for keeping the cast’s spirits at a constant high and providing our 38 high school actors with a first-hand example of what true theatre professionalism looks like.

Kathy has been working in the theatre nonstop for the last 30 years. Immediately prior to Mame, she was the first Singing Ringmaster in the history of New York’s prestigious Big Apple Circus. Immediately following Disney’s High School Musical, she’ll be off to star as Mama Rose in the national tour of Gypsy—a 12 month gig.

Many actors with Kathy’s national credentials let it be known by their behavior and attitude that they expect to be treated like a star. Kathy’s not cut from that cloth. When you’re looking for someone to work hard, stay up late, come in on time, keep everything ahead of schedule, and respond to every up-and-down of the rehearsal process with nothing but positive energy—Kathy’s your gal. She held the Mame cast together like glue during a really difficult tech rehearsal period, with never a harsh word for the process or anyone involved.

Leads always set an example that other cast members emulate. The example set by Kathy in Mame guaranteed that we’d have a happy and healthy cast throughout the 11-week run. And indeed we did.

We can’t wait for our high school theatre students to get a taste of Kathy’s moxie and charm. If providing these kids with examples of true professionalism is part of our responsibility—and it is—then Chase scored a hundred when casting Halenda.

And as for Michael Hawk, you couldn’t find a nicer guy. He has talent to spare, and a coach-like physique to boot. He’s another one who moves easily from one show to the next. While performing in Disney’s High School Musical, he’ll also be in rehearsals for Urinetown at Swift Creek Mill Theatre.

So don’t miss Disney’s High School Musical. And if you notice two actors on stage whom everyone else seems to be looking up to, know that we’ve cast two of our nation’s finest troopers to set the perfect example for the 38 students who comprise the rest of the cast.

--Bruce Miller