Billy Christopher Maupin as Billy Christopher Maupin

Posted by Bruce Miller

Theatre people have so much love to give. Not all theatre people, I guess. Not all the time. But quite often I see and feel such a genuine and open outpouring of affection from and among my colleagues and friends, that it reminds me of what makes this world where I’ve lived my last 33 years so touching.

People who need people are the luckiest people in the world. Everybody sing along. I’m being sincere here so please don’t read in a tone of sarcasm or cynicism.

All this love and need are our greatest strengths and our most endearing weaknesses.

Billy Christopher Maupin’s cabaret, Mad About the Boy(s), presented for one night only last Sunday evening at ComedySportz, was one of those times when the love felt almost palpable. That was not a banker on stage, or an insurance salesman. Billy Christopher can seem like a raw nerve. He practically explodes with talent, and the rawness and exuberance are as much a part of the performance as is the talent. The extent to which you love it or are a little taken aback depends on your willingness to accept someone who gives his all plus. The filters and controls are sorta set aside, and the love and emotions and pride and raw talent are sent up to the trapezes with no net in sight.

Being someone who’s always been all about the safety net, I can’t help but envy and admire someone who lacks such stifling caution and reserve. I enjoyed BC's performance very much. I’ll give him some notes (he’s asked me to), but the first note will be to pay no attention to my notes. It was Billy’s show, Billy’s truth, Billy’s spotlight and Billy’s high C. And that’s as it should be. (That's Billy Christopher above and to the left, by the way, playing the earnest reverend in Smoke on the Mountain at Barksdale Hanover Tavern.)

Three cheers for Mr. Maupin, for his talented pianist Stephen (who wouldn’t you know is moving to PA), and for ComedySportz for making the evening possible. Three cheers more for the large audience that filled the space almost to capacity and embraced BC with an open heart.

If you missed it, that’s too bad for you, but you can catch his final number, Maybe This Time --



And the next time Billy Christopher sings, consider going along for the ride.

--Bruce Miller

We Open Tomorrow, No "Doubt" About It

Posted by Phil Whiteway
One of the most interesting things about Doubt is “what’s it about?” It’s about a nun and a priest, but not really. It’s about race relations, but not really. It’s about how much influence women had in the Catholic Church before the closure of Vatican II, but not really. It’s about child molestation, but not really. At least that’s what I keep hearing when I listen in on discussions in the Barksdale offices.

Doubt is our entry in the Acts of Faith Festival. It is about the role that doubt plays in faith, but also a lot more.

To me, if I see something on stage, what I see is at least part of what the play is about. A lot of people think like that. But Doubt is also about what we don’t see on stage and what we don’t hear. Doubt is about how we listen and process what is said to us … how we form an opinion … how quickly we lock into conviction and how comfortable we are to remain in uncertainly.

Playwright John Patrick Shanley (pictured above in front of my favorite Broadway marquee) has written a thrilling, moving and brilliant play. It won the Pulitzer Prize in 2005, which is awarded to the play that best illuminates American culture. It also won the 2005 Tony for Best Play of the Year.


There’s an interesting interview with Shanley and the original Broadway cast on Charlie Rose. You can find it at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aBYIReuLh9E.

Watch the interview if you like, and then please come see the play. We appreciate your business.

--Phil Whiteway

Jamie Brindle Films Documentary to Help African Children

Posted by Bruce Miller

As a child, our good pal Jamie Brindle (pictured to the left) played Christopher Robin in Theatre IV’s The House at Pooh Corner, the title character in Theatre IV’s Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible…, and a young ensemble member in Barksdale’s Carousel. Jamie’s now all grown up, and recently returned from his volunteer work with the Child Rescue Center in the African country of Sierra Leone, one of the most impoverished nations in the world.

Jamie filmed a lot of what he saw and many of the children whom he met, and now plans to create a documentary from this footage. He’s in contact with Whoopi Goldberg’s people in hopes of recruiting her to participate in this project. To that end, Jamie created a “trailer” for the documentary and has posted it on YouTube.

We couldn’t be more proud of this talented, young Theatre IV and Barksdale alum. If you’ve ever wondered how all those child actors turn out, please check out Jamie’s remarkable work at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fynZEXQNT5U.

We wish him the greatest success.

--Bruce Miller

Wichmann Steps Up to the Plate and Answers Lipton's Questionnaire (Is that a long title? I'll work on it.)

Posted by Billy Christopher Maupin

So...once upon a time...wait...Into the Woods just closed (that was the first line of the show)...umm...Seems to me this old arbor has shrunk...ok...so maybe the first line of Carson McCullers' beautiful play, The Member of the Wedding, also isn't the best way to start this post, even though this post bears a strong connection to Barksdale's upcoming production of said play in our very exciting Signature Season at Willow Lawn.

So, scratch all that, I'm just gonna jump right in: Marcel Proust used to do this questionnaire thing that inspired Bernard Pivot, who among other things was a French talk show host, he himself being French as well, not just the talk show...anyway...at the end of his show, Bouillon de Culture(1990-2001), he would ask all of his guests a set of questions. James Lipton, host of Inside the Actor's Studio, was inspired by this and decided to adapt it (just slightly) to end all of his shows. (Inside the Actor's Studio airs on Sundays at 8 pm, I believe, and is often incredibly interesting. You can also find a lot of the episodes with some really great stars-Kevin Spacey, Kate Winslet, Teri Hatcher, the cast of Will & Grace-on YouTube...oh how I love YouTube.)

But what I thought would be way cool would be to put those same questions to some our Richmond artists and have a sort of series of these posts. In the coming weeks, leading up to and during the run of The Member of the Wedding, you will get to read what these actors, designers, technicians, etc. had to say in response the questionnaire. Today...I'm getting goosebumps, I'm so excited...we have director Scott Wichmann's responses to the Bernard-Pivot-Slightly-Adapted-for-Inside-the-Actor's-Studio- Questionnaire (I keep spelling questionnaire wrong...oh, how I also love spell check- which it is now telling me is two words).

LET THE FUN BEGIN!
(Oh, wait, before the fun begins, I suppose we should note that all comments and opinions expressed in these responses are the sole opinion of the interviewee and do not represent the opinions of Barksdale Theatre or its affiliates, blah blah blah:)

And now the fun!:

1. What is your favorite word?
MUKLUKS!! The eskimo footwear made popular by the Sketch Comedy troupe 'Radio Free Vestibule' in their classic four-minute sketch 'Bulbous Bouffant' back in 1994. You can listen to the audio of 'Bulbous Bouffant' at http://www.ferin.com/words.mp3/ it is HILARIOUS. Having fun with words and their goofy sounds always makes me happy.

2. What is your least favorite word?
NO. I think I've always been averse to that one. Especially when it is in answer to my query, "Honey, are there any more cookies left?"

3. What turns you on [creatively, spiritually or emotionally]?
I really get a charge out of being plugged into the creative process with other committed artists who are not afraid to take risks and fall on their faces. I think as I get older, and hopefully more emotionally mature, I'm learning that it is best to just put yourself out there (whether onstage or off) and let yourself respond honestly and fearlessly. That's where the good stuff always is, and that is how you learn to evolve as a human being.

4. What turns you off?
The perpetuation of willfull ignorance, the current info-tainment based political and cultural scene, Brussels sprouts, and the New York Yankees.

5. What sound or noise do you love?
My dog Elliot's hound-dog bay, the crack of a wooden bat, the lightsaber noise, the Godzilla roar, and the meditation bell. Oh, and the words "The Red Sox Win!"

6. What sound or noise do you hate?
Styrofoam. I absolutely cannot stand it. It's like my kryptonite. I hear it, and I'm like, "If.. just...can..reach...utility belt..."

7. What is your favorite curse word?
It isn't a curse word, per se, but my father used to say "You can just go pound sand" whenever he was really upset at someone for something. The futile image of someone 'Pounding sand' was just hilarious to me as a kid. Every now and then I'll use that one, keeping in mind that I hope one day I can turn out to be the kind of gentleman my father is.

8. What profession other than your own would you like to attempt?
I would seriously love to go into politics one day. I'm very concerned about the state of the country right now, and I feel that to a large extent, the people in Washington don't really address the pressing concerns of everyday Americans. I continually find that people of all party affiliations deeply share that view. It is really sad that one has to be a quadrillionaire to run for President in this day and age. I could probably talk politics all day long with anyone, anywhere. I love it.

9. What profession would you not like to do?
Anything that harms animals or makes me have to juggle fire. Or chainsaws.

10. If Heaven exists, what would you like to hear God say when you arrive at the Pearly Gates?
MUKLUKS!!! Then I'd know we're cool with each other.

So come check out Scott's direction of Carson McCuller's The Member of the Wedding, September 21 through October 28 at Barksdale Theatre at Willow Lawn. I'm really excited about seeing this production for several reasons, not the least of which is that I think it's a marvelous, beautifully written play. Another being that once upon a time, I worked on Theatre IV's production of Ben Franklin and His Kite (Shout out to BFK'04!) that Scott wrote and directed, creating a really fantastic production. Oh, I should mention that to get tickets to The Member of the Wedding, you can call the box office at 282-2620 (or you can order them online, but my recommendation is that you call and speak with one of the fabulous box office staff)!

-- Billy Christopher Maupin
w/Scott Wichmann's illuminating responses