Some Behind the Scenes Financial Info

Posted by Bruce Miller
Let's face facts. The recession has kicked Barksdale Theatre in the shins just like it has everyone else. Sadly, recovery in the nonprofit sector lags about two years behind recovery in the for-profit sector.

Contributions donated by governments, corporations and foundations are based on earnings from the previous, not the current, fiscal year. So these contributions always fall one year behind recovery. In fact, they usually fall two years behind. Institutional givers tend to hang on to their funds until they have two years worth of evidence that the recovery is real, not just an aberration.

They're wise to do so.

Ask any nonprofit and they'll likely tell you that 2010-11 contributions from governments, corporations and foundations are at a five-year low. Gifts from individuals are starting to turn the corner, thank goodness.

That means we're re-energizing our efforts to ask for financial support from the community. Just like our good friends at public television and radio, we're going to have to keep asking until our budget revenue goals are met.

We're also increasing our cost-cutting.

Our biggest expense cuts thus far have been the elimination of six staff positions (mostly through attrition), elimination of company contributions to staff retirement plans, 25% reduction in company contributions to staff health insurance, and a graduated, across-the-board reduction in staff salaries (with those earning the most taking the biggest cuts).

The last few years have been all about belt tightening. No one here makes very much. At least we all know that the suffering here is reflective of the financial pain felt by much of the nation.

Our priority now is to protect current staff positions from additional job elimination and salary/benefit cuts. If we are able to maintain that status quo, our next goal is to restore salary reductions. Thereafter we want to decrease stress by restoring some of the cut positions. Finally, we're committed to funding a staff pay raise, something our incredibly loyal employees haven't seen in four years.

This hoped for recovery and progress won't be easy, but we're giving it our best shot. Competition for ticket buyers, school field trips, and contributions increases regularly. Competition is good, but it can also put a strain on earned revenues.

We've already made all the big expense cuts we can make. Expenses this year between our two nonprofit companies are more than $100,000 under budget. So now we're going after some smaller expenses.

Starting immediately, we're eliminating two long-established perqs: closing cast parties for Barksdale productions (we eliminated closing parties at the end of shorter Theatre IV runs about four years ago), and company dinners held between the afternoon and evening tech rehearsals of Barksdale shows.

We will have nine Barksdale mainstage productions next year--five on the Signature Season and four at Hanover Tavern. Each closing party is budgeted at $200, and each tech dinner at $350. Annual savings, therefore, will be about $5,000.

We know many of you who work with us on our shows will miss these fun fellowship opportunities. We'll miss them too. We also know you wholeheartedly support our efforts to keep Barksdale growing and going strong.

Thanks for your understanding, talent and hard work.

--Bruce Miller

Poetry Out Loud State Final 2011

Thank you, Virginia's 2011 Poetry Out Loud: National Recitation Contest participating teachers and high school students! This year 227 teachers and 8,653 high school students participated in Poetry Out Loud holding recitation contests in their classrooms, schools and advancing their school champion to the regional contests throughout the commonwealth.



Of the 76 school champions competing in the regional contests, 16 regional finalists advanced to the State Finals in Richmond at Theatre IV's historic Empire Theatre on March 17, 2011. After three rounds of poetry recitation, Carol V. Decker of Tuscaroara High School in Leesburg, Loudoun County was declared the highest scoring student and Virginia's 2011 Poetry Out Loud State Champion. Colleen Murphy of William Monroe High School in Greene County was declared State Runner-Up.



The National Endowment for the Arts and the Poetry Foundation, partners with state arts agencies across the nation to support Poetry Out Loud. The contest serves 350,000 students throughout the nation. Poetry Out Loud encourages the nation's youth to learn about great poetry through memorization and recitation and helps students master public speaking skills, build self-confidence, and learn about their literary heritage. Here in Virginia, the Virginia Commission for the Arts, Peggy J. Baggett, Executive Director sponsors the contest. Theatre IV and Barksdale Theatre are proud to be the administrator of this program throughout Virginia.

The Themes of Karen Karen Zacarías's "Legacy of Light"

Posted by Bruce Miller
It's cliché, but nonetheless true. You'll never please all of the people all of the time.

More and more I believe this is particularly true with theatre, that most accessible of art forms. Virtually everyone considers theatre to be something they "get." Thank God for that. Theatre has never been highbrow or esoteric; it never will be.

Sure, there are the Waiting for Godot's and Rhinoceros's of the world (Beckett's Godot will be produced this spring by Henley Street, and Terrie and I saw Ionesco's Rhinoceros last Saturday at William & Mary). But even with these purposefully nebulous masterpieces, most audience members join in on the laughs and then have further fun discussing the deeper meanings of these multi-faceted literary classics.

And there are high caliber contemporary works like Stephen Adly Guirgis's The Last Days of Judas Iscariot (currently under co-production by Henley Street and Triangle) and Tom Stoppard's Arcadia (produced earlier this season by Richmond Shakes). These great plays let the audience know early on that they intend to intellectually challenge and, perhaps, spiritually provoke. The audience "gets" this, and winds up loving the show (or not) based at least somewhat on whether they like to be invited into the fray.

Then there are plays like our current production of Legacy of Light by Karen Zacarías. Everyone seems to be appreciating this production. But some people walk away LOVING it--over the top in all caps--while others walk away with something like a shrug.

Legacy is not purposefully nebulous; it doesn't seek to challenge or provoke. So within the first few scenes, some audience members think they "get" what Legacy is all about, or they try to "get" it, and then some of them sit through the rest of the 2 hour 5 minute production somewhat indifferent as the unfolding action fails to further amplify the theme they think they "got."

Part of this may be my fault. Early on I've discussed with our various marketing staffers that Legacy can be viewed as a "girl power" play, focusing as it does on the lives of two great women scientists. I've called it a "mother/daughter" play, and indeed it is. "Girl power" and "mother/daughter" are two strong marketing themes you can hang your hat on. Those people who study these things tell us that, unless you're the Triangle Players or mounting a production of Lombardi, between 70 and 80% of all your ticket buyers will be women. And so, as we've attempted to sell Legacy to the Richmond theatergoing public, we've been hyping the "girl power" and "mother/daughter" themes.

Maybe this is why some people think that Legacy is principally about women trying to balance their personal and professional goals, or gender equality. Certainly the play addresses those themes, and was inspired by the playwright's personal experience of those issues. But I don't think that's what the play is principally about. And the trouble is, if one decides that Legacy is meant to thoroughly discuss those concerns, then the contemporary scenes, as Karen Zacarías has written them, may fall a little flat. In the contemporary scenes, "gender equality" is more or less a given.

May I humbly suggest that the principal themes of Legacy of Light are:
1 legacy - what do we get from our forebears and what do we leave to our children;
2 life, death and immortality; and
3 the interconnectedness of all things across time and space.

Among the many who LOVE Legacy of Light, these three themes are the ones most frequently discussed. The play examines these themes in terms that are scientific, spiritual and personal.

Like our previous productions of Boleros for the Disenchanted, The Clean House, Well, Melissa Arctic and James Joyce's The Dead, Legacy of Light is about lots of things. With plays like these, I think there is a danger, while watching and after, in trying to pin them down. They are best experienced, in my humble opinion, by allowing them to wash over you and lead you simultaneously on two or five different spiritual and intellectual journeys.

The fun, for me, comes at the end, in trying to piece all the various journeys together.

These productions are not esoteric, but, like great poetry, or music, or art, or dance, they also may take a while to pin down.

That is their strength.

--Bruce Miller

Who's in the pics? - 1 Ricardo Melendez and Patricia Duran, 2 Tamara Johnson and Maggie Horan, 3 Larry Cook and Tamara Johnson

"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!

Tim Bethea and Family Lose All Furniture, Clothes in Fire

Posted by Bob Wall
I’m sad to report that the house rented by Tim Bethea, Barksdale’s Willow Lawn custodian of many years, burned to the ground on Tuesday of last week. Thankfully, Tim, his wife and five children all escaped unharmed. However, the Bethea family lost all of their furniture, clothes, household goods, etc.

Thankfully, Tim and his family have been able to move into his mother’s home for the time being. Bruce Miller and Phil Whiteway have started a fund to help Tim manage this financial disaster. If you would like to help this family in need, you may send contributions to:

Tim Bethea Fire Fund
c/o Barksdale Theatre and Theatre IV
114 W Broad Street
Richmond, VA 23220

Checks should be made payable to “Tim Bethea.” Contributions are NOT tax deductible.

If anyone has furniture they’d like to donate, or if anyone knows of other resources to which we can refer Tim, please send that information to p.whiteway@barksdalerichmond.org.

Thank you.

"Nunsense" Ends Chapter One, "The BFG" Gets Theological

Posted by Bob Wall
This afternoon, at least two exciting things happen in the life of our theatre. The first, chronologically, is that our artistic director, Bruce Miller, will lead the Acts of Faith discussion following our sold-out performance of The BFG in the historic Empire Theatre. The second, which will follow the first by about 15 minutes, is that our equally sold-out performance of Nunsense at the Tavern will end triumphantly with its final curtain call in Hanover before being revived this coming July at Willow Lawn.

Bruce takes his Acts of Faith responsibilities very seriously. When I asked him to tell me about the faith connections associated with The BFG, he referred me to this sermon, preached by Pastor Larry Wimmer at Belmont United Methodist Church, in a small town suburb of Boston, Mass in 2008.

"When I was looking for the perfect Theatre IV entry into the Acts of Faith Festival, I found this sermon on line," said Bruce. "It's why I picked the show. After seeing our production, it seems particularly appropriate."

I read the sermon, and found it full of insight, hope and wonder. Here it is.

"Fee Fi Fo Fum, I smell the blood of an Englishman!"

Usually when there is a giant in the story he is the bad guy, scary, vicious, bloodthirsty, ugly, etc. so leave it to Roald Dahl, the English storyteller, to come up with something completely different. In his classic children's novel, The BFG, a little girl named Sophie is kidnapped by a giant in the middle of the night and carried far away to a land where giants live, naturally she is terrified thinking the giant is going to eat her after he boils her first. But as the story unfolds she discovers that her giant is the BFG - the Big Friendly Giant - and is the just the opposite of everything she thought and everything she feared and it turns out that everything she had expected to be horrifying is not horrifying at all but in fact just fine. In fact, he saves the day.

I know it probably seems far-fetched to see how a silly story like this one can shed any light on the mysteries of our relationship with God but I daresay there are many ideas we have about God that are not so unlike what Sophie thought of giants before she actually met the BFG. Our views about God are often hidden even from ourselves because they are what we have picked up along the way without realizing them. God as a big scary giant is not so far-off from what we might have imagined as children and whether we know it or not what we imagined as children does not just leave us because we have grown older. Often what we have learned as children or by accident must be unlearned

Think about the image of God we get from the passage in Ezekiel. Ezekiel is a prophet in the time of exile. Early in the exile there are those in denial who still hope that things will soon be restored to the way they were but Ezekiel sees things differently. He sees a long and even more terrible exile to come and he is right. Soon Jerusalem itself is completely destroyed and those in exile are no longer just scattered in a foreign land their home is no longer there to return to. At this moment in time God does not seem all that friendly to the Israelites. After all there is at least one explanation that things have gotten so bad because the people have not been obedient. God actually punished people for disobedience in this particular way of thinking and God was most certainly scary, someone to be feared. It is interesting that when God asks Ezekiel if these bones can live Ezekiel says something akin to "you tell me" with respect of course. This after all is the God who lifted the red sea and then dropped it down on hundreds of Pharaoh's troops killing them all, the God who sent plagues to kill thousands, who, the story goes, brought the rains and a flood to destroy everything but a remnant, the God of utter devastation and wrath, a mighty God who can hold the whole earth in the palm of a hand and is as ready to crush it as to bear it up. Scary indeed. Worse than any giant of our childhood's imagination. (They weren't even that big!)

"Fee fi fo finner, I smell the blood of a nasty sinner!" Most of us have been raised with a little bit of this angry God scenario ready to crush us for our evil ways.

Later when it is Lazarus who has died the family wonders why they have not been spared this universal horror. "Lord if you had been here this would not have happened." was the general tone and implied was, I guess, 'you don't care enough about us.' Still in the mindset of the people, God seems to be pretty monstrous if it is God who decides who lives and who dies.

The thing is we got it all wrong. God is not a monster. God is the BFG. The big friendly God, if we only knew, the one who saves us rather than destroys us, the one who loves us rather than despises us. God tells Ezekiel that these bones will live. Lazarus after Jesus himself wept openly, rose up and walked out of the tomb. This is who God really is. God is the giver of life, the creator, not the destroyer. This is God in the deep places not the God in the shallows where what we have learned from random experiences and encounters, from the media, from what we have read or misread of the Holy Scriptures, heard or misheard from the pulpit, we carry a lot of baggage in our subconscious mind and it is not all true.

Dillard of course was aware of this when she wrote of a moment in her life when God's presence was felt: "It was as if God had said, 'I am here but not as you have known me." In another place she writes this incredible word: "Hold hands and crack the whip and yank the Absolute out of there and into the light, god pale and astounded, spraying a spiral of salts and earths, god footloose and flung. And cry down the line to his passing white ear. "Old sir! do you hold space from buckling by a finger in its hole? O Old! Where is your other hand? His right hand is clenching, calm, round the exploding left hand of Holy the Firm.

Who is our God? What do we know of God? Were we there when the foundations of earth were laid? What is our image of God, our understanding of such things? Were we there when the morning stars sang together and all the children of God sang for joy? There is the mystery, the awesome, the fearsome but there is also the kindness, the mercy, the friend, the BFG, the big friendly God who wants nothing more than to save us and to teach us what love is. Which God, if any, do we know?

How do we ever know anything?

Maggi Dawn who is a fellow in theology at the Cambridge University in the UK writes of her experience: When I was taking my first degree in theology most of the building blocks of my faith were up for serious examination. I asked one of my professors how it was possible for faith to survive this kind of intense intellectual scrutiny. He thought for a while then said, "Once upon a time I believed in a great many things. Now I believe only in a few things, but I believe in them more deeply that I ever thought possible. That God exist, that God is love, that Jesus is the son of God, these things I believe, everything else is up for debate. She goes on: I never forgot his words and as I began to allow my own rather stern vision of God to be mellowed the God who always demanded a little more than I was able to give began to give way to the God who breathed love and kindness and freedom into my heart.

The God who breathed love and kindness and freedom. (I am not making this up.) The God who breathed. Hear that. This breath of God is what will cause those bones to live again. It is what raised Lazarus and Jesus. It is what invades the very depths of our own souls and fills us with light and life. The breath of God somehow implies an intimacy that if God is a giant it is not a monster who roars flames and drips blood but it is a giant who breathes quietly and gently, and who tenderly offers life to us with each breath we take, A God who is not hard and unmoved but soft enough for love.

When I went off to seminary I had been serving three churches in the farm country and they were all terrified that I would lose something by learning theology and they were right. I too went through many beliefs, unlearned a few things, learned a few things and landed in the arms of the BFG: the big friendly God who loves us and made us for love and that is our hope. I too have learned many things and have no doubt forgotten more than I have remembered, but this is what I believe more deeply than I can even tell you: God is not neutral but deeply involved in human life. God is not mean but generous. God does not seek our end but our beginning. God is not about death but life. And God is always on the side of love.

God is different than anything else we know. Life is hard, even cruel at times, and it is easy, if we think of God at all, to think that if God is not to blame for the troubles of this world then God is surely not doing enough to help us. There are plenty of things that can destroy us, real and imaginary most frightening giants of violence and destruction. There is much to fear in this life but God is our friend, the one we can turn to rather than run from in the time of trial. Why does this matter today? Because we have to learn who to trust and what to count on to get through the night. While there are real monsters that we can rightly fear, there is also reason not to be afraid. This is the good news for those who bravely take the leap of faith and put their trust in the God who breathes life into the bones of despair and loss, who raises Lazarus from the tomb, the God who, in short, overcomes death with life.

In the story there is a moment when little Sophie discovers that she has been captured by the good giant, this is what happened:

(The Giant had been telling Sophie about the kind of human beans Giants like to eat.)

Sophie decided that this conversation had now gone on long enough. If she was going to be eaten, she'd rather get it over and done with right away than be kept hanging around anymore. "What sort of human beings do you eat? she asked trembling.

"Me!" shouted the Giant, his mighty voice making the glass jars rattle on their shelves. 'Me gobbling up human beans! This I never! The others, yes! All the others is gobbling them up every night, but not me! I is a freaky Giant! I is a nice and jumbly Giant! I is the Big Friendly Giant! I is the BFG. What is your name? 'My name is Sophie," Sophie said, hardly daring to believe the good news she had just heard.

Ours is the freaky God, the BFG, the one who is different than all the other cruel and painful and deceitful giants of the world who teach us that life is hard and mean. Our God is the one who despite all the suffering and injustices we have known, the tears of every generation, even and including the tears of God, the one God who assures us that life is good and love will save us despite all we know so far, the God who will unbind us and let us go.

Like Sophie, we hardly dare to believe the good news we have just heard.

I hope Rev. Wimmer reads this and learns the far-reaching impact of his sermon.

Oh What a Beautiful Morning / Oh What a Blustery Day

Posted by Bob Wall
Yesterday's Bifocals Monthly Meeting was a HUGE success, drawing nearly a hundred laughing theatre lovers into our Barksdale Willow Lawn lobby to hear the one and only Scott Wichmann talk about his lifelong association with A Thousand Clowns. (That's 13-year-old Scotty to the right, making his professional debut as "Nick" in a Pennsylvania production of A Thousand Clowns.) The record-breaking turn-out at yesterday's free monthly event (the previous record was somewhere around 40 attendees) was due to three factors:

1. Scott Wichmann - need I say more

2. a new influx of theatre enthusiasts recruited by our energetic Bifocals leaders, Pat Walker and Ellen Bode, to participate in and/or watch some free staged readings that immediately followed our Sandwich Fixin's Buffet, and

3. a group of 30 or so up-and-at-'em stage fans who came from one of our area retirement communities on a bus.

Word about our Rostov's Coffee & Conversations events (the second Tuesday of every other month), and our Bifocals Monthly Meetings (the fourth Friday of most months) is starting to spread. We hope you'll make plans to join us for one of these fun-filled upcoming programs:

Tuesday, March 8, coffee/tea/pastry bar opens at 9 am, panel discussion begins at 9:30 - Rostov's Coffee & Conversations, Strike Up the Band: A Peak into the Orchestra Pit of Barksdale's Musicals, moderated by Ford Flannagan, featuring three music directors from past and upcoming Barksdale shows (that's our pit band for White Christmas to the left)

Tuesday, April 12, coffee/tea/pastry bar opens at 9 am, panel discussion begins at 9:30 - Rostov's Coffee & Conversations, "All the World's a Stage" -- And I Manage It, moderated by Joy Williams, featuring three stage managers from past and upcoming Barksdale shows

Friday, April 22, lobby opens at 10:45 am, guest speaker begins at 11 - Bifocals Monthly Meeting, The History of Hanover Tavern: Bruce Miller will revisit the past glories and infamies of Barksdale's ancestral home

When yesterday morning went so well, we should have known we were headed for trouble later in the day. That trouble blew in, literally, at about 4:30 pm, when the high winds of yesterday afternoon swept down a tree in Hanover, knocking down electric lines, and causing the loss of power to Hanover Tavern. With a sold-out house eagerly awaiting last night's performance of Nunsense, Phil Whiteway stayed by his phone until 6:30 pm, when word came that the power was still off. Our terrific box office staff had already called each of our ticket holders, advising them of the situation, and telling them that the decision to cancel or not would finally be made by 6:30 pm at the latest. Phil passed on the bad news, and our valiant box office workers set to work, calling everyone again to cancel the show.

Fortunately, and by popular demand, we will be reviving Nunsense in July at Willow Lawn, so those who really want to see the show won't be disappointed, just delayed. The entire cast will be returning for the summer revival, with the exception of Shalimar Fields, who had long planned a family vacation to Rome during the month of July. Every good nun's dream, right?

Not to fear, the wonderful Ms Fields will be replaced by the equally wonderful Katrinah Lewis. Another blessing.

Fun Fun Fun Till Daddy Takes the T-Bird Away

Posted by Bob Wall
Yesterday we had one tightly-wound, sinewy ball of crazed comic energy at the Empire--I'm talking of course about Richmond's favorite high flying squirrel ... Nutzy! (Someone fire off the confetti cannons, please!)

Today we have that other tightly-wound, sinewy ball of crazed comic energy at Barksdale Theatre at Willow Lawn! You know who I mean. Anyone? Anyone? Bueller?

I'm talking of course about Richmond's favorite high flying actor ... Scotty Wichmann!! (No confetti cannons needed, thank you very much.)

Now that I think of it, has anyone ever seen Nutzy and Scotty in the same room at the same time? Hmmm.

When we announced that Scotty would be holding court at today's Bifocals Monthly Meeting, discussing his lifelong attachment to A Thousand Clowns, the American comedy masterpiece opening at Barksdale Theatre at Hanover Tavern in just a couple weeks, the phones began to jingle like Christmas bells. Can we bring a bus of 30 from Varina? Will there be enough food at the lunchtime Sandwich Fixin's Buffet? Will he really show pictures of his 10-year-old self performing in A Thousand Clowns under the tutelage of a famous Broadway and Hollywood star? Is it really FREE and open to everyone with no reservations required?

Yes, yes, yes and yes!!

So, Scotty won't be throwing hot dogs or riding a flamingo up and down the aisles (if you were there yesterday with Nutzy you would understand). But this morning, Friday Feb 25, our own Scotty Wichmann will be entertaining for FREE beginning at 11 a.m. in our Willow Lawn lobby. And YOU are invited to join us.

Following Scotty's one-hour presentation (yes, they'll be time for questions and answers), we'll open our once-a-month Bifocals Sandwich Fixin's Buffet and EVERYONE is invited to join the great Mr. W for lunch. Everything is FREE, so please come. And if you feel able to contribute a free-will offering of $5 to cover lunch expenses, just stick your fiver in the jar with our gratefull appreciation.

See you later this morning! A fun time is guaranteed for all!!

Flying Hot Dogs Spotted in Virginia's Oldest Theatre

Posted by Bob Wall
All right, sports fans! It’s been confirmed. There WILL be “flying hot dogs” at today’s 2 p.m. press event for the Flying Squirrels. This just in from Barksdale’s creative powerhouse and marketing boy wonder, David Janeski:

“They (the Flying Squirrels) will be introducing a new mascot, announcing the winners of their art contest, and throwing out T-shirts AND hot dogs… yes, I said throwing hot dogs.”

We're talking winners and wieners! Now that's entertainment! The historic Empire, proudly celebrating it’s Centennial Year, may never be the same.

Please come if you can, and enjoy our historic home before it is splattered with mustard.
Just kidding.

The Empire is Going Nutzy! What? No One's Surprised!

Posted by Bob Wall

"It's going to be even wackier than usual at the Empire today!" So states Sara Marsden, Marketing Director Extraordinaire of both Barksdale and Theatre IV.

As a kick-off event of the Empire's Centennial Celebration (our venerable home will turn 100 on Dec 25, 2011), the one and only Flying Squirrels will be filling our historic theatre with fans as they announce the winners of their "Nutzy is My Superhero Because ..." Art Contest.

It's FREE. And you're invited.

Bigger still, they'll be introducing their new Acorn Mascot during today's press event that begins at 2 p.m., sharing the stage with Theatre IV's beautiful set for The BFG (Big Friendly Giant).

"We have taken great pride in turning our unveilings into spectacles," said Flying Squirrels Vice President and COO Todd "Parney" Parnell. "With a setting like the historic Empire Theatre, and all of the talented folks at Theatre IV helping us out, this event will be just as memorable for those in attendance as Nutzy's introduction to Richmond!"

And it doesn't get much bigger or better than that.

The Flying Squirrels wide array of ballpark characters will be on hand to welcome the new Acorn Mascot, including Nutzy, the Vendortainers, the Molly Maids Dancing Drag Queens, and the Berks Wacky Hot Dog Vendor with Flingo the Flamingo. Fans in attendance should expect flying t-shirts, Crackerjacks, peanuts, and hot dogs.

We're not sure whether the adjective "flying" modifies "t-shirts, Crackerjacks, peanuts, and hot dogs," or just the t-shirts. You'll have to be there to find out. But if they have flying hot dogs, I'm bringing my mitt.

Please join us today for this fun community event, and help us celebrate the 100th Birthday of the Historic Empire Theatre--an upbeat theatre in downtown Richmond!

Our Friend, Essie Simms

Posted by Bruce Miller
This is a post written and submitted by Carrie Galeski, Barksdale Trustee extraordinaire. Carrie isn't actually on the Board anymore, but once a Trustee, always a Trustee. During Pat Carroll's recent visit to Richmond (Pat was a guest artist with Irene Ziegler's Virginia Arts & Letters LIVE), Carrie hosted Pat in her beautiful Hanover home (see photo to the right of Pat and Carrie). One of the highlights of the reunion was a visit which Carrie and Pat made to Barksdale stalwart Essie Simms, who now lives on the third floor of the Parsons Health Care facility at Westminster Canterbury. Essie recently entered hospice care, but, to the extent that she is able, she still welcomes visitors. Phil and I stopped by today, but we were unable to rouse Essie from her nap. We'll return next week to visit with our dear friend. In the interim, we post Carrie's lovely article about Pat's return to Richmond and their visit with the irreplaceable Essie Simms.

--Bruce Miller

Our Friend, Essie
By Carrie Galeski

No greater friend has Barksdale Theatre than Essie Simms! She was always at Opening Night, Closing Night, and oftentimes in between. Her passion is theater, and especially Barksdale. Essie was at the first performance of Gold in the Hills at Hanover Tavern in 1954, and I doubt if she ever missed a play after that.

Like many of Essie’s friends, I met her at Barksdale. In the past year, she has had several debilitating strokes, and is currently in the Health Care Unit of Westminster Canterbury. A little over a month ago, I had been told that she had gotten much worse, and some had even been told she was not to have visitors. Being an old RN myself, I don’t always follow rules, so I went to visit her. On that particular day, I found her to be alert and very much in the moment. While talking, I told Essie about Pat Carroll coming to Richmond to do an event at the Cultural Arts Center, and she immediately brightened up. “Oh, how wonderful! I wish I could go” Essie said as she continued to tell me about the many times she had seen Pat perform.

At that moment, I promised myself that I would get Pat up to visit Essie if at all possible. I called Pat at home, and told her about my idea. “We’ll make it happen!” was Pat’s response.

Pat arrived on Wednesday with a full itinerary, but on Friday morning, Pat, my friend, Linda, and I went to see Miss Essie at WC. When we got to Essie’s room, Pat went in first, with her contagious laughter and wonderful spirit to greet Essie. The response was fantastic – smiles and laughter everywhere! They talked and talked; Essie even tried to tell a couple of jokes. When we left, Pat was very touched, and told me that she had expected the visit to be about 10 minutes. Instead, it was over 45!

Friday was also the night of Virginia Arts & Letters LIVE at the Cultural Arts Center where Pat was the guest emcee and also one of the participants in performing the new works. Before the program began, Pat told the audience about our visit to see Essie, and when her name was announced, the audience gave her a round of applause. Then, Pat very graciously announced that she wanted to dedicate her portion of the evening to Miss Essie Simms, with even bigger applause, and I dare say, not a dry eye in the theater.

The next day, we took Pat out to the airport for her trip back to Cape Cod. On the way back to Hanover, we stopped at WC to see Essie. I walked in, and immediately said “Essie, Pat dedicated the evening to you, and you got not one, but two huge rounds of applause!” The biggest tears rolled down her cheeks, and I know they were tears of joy! We even had Pat do a short recording on Linda’s Iphone that we played for her. She was speechless and soooooo happy.

Pat sent several pictures that she had signed to Essie, and I have since framed and hung them on the wall next to her bed where she can see them as she lies in bed. Ursula is even in one of the pics. At times, ES forgets who they are, but not often.

Essie LOVES visitors! When you go, be patient, as some days are better than others with her. The distant past might get mixed with the present, but she loves to see her friends, past and present. Seeing that grateful smile makes it all worthwhile.

Three Wonderful Experiences

Posted by Bruce Miller
I just got home. It's 11:15 pm. I rehearsed from 10 to 5 today, teching Smoke on the Mountain Homecoming. And now I'll be up for several hours preparing for the adult Sunday School class that I'll lead tomorrow morning at 9:30 am. I have no time to write this, and three things that I have to write about:

1 -- last night's Opening of the Paul and Phyllis Galanti Education Center at the Virginia War Memorial, where I was privileged to be from 6 pm until 7:50 pm;

2 -- last night's Opening of Shipwrecked! An Entertainment at Barksdale Theatre at Willow Lawn, where I was delighted to be from 8:05 pm until around 11:30ish (there was a party); and

3 -- tonight's performance of Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? at the Firehouse, that I was thrilled to attend.

I'll say this and then write more about each of these three rewarding events later.

In many ways, Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? is one of the best theatrical productions I've ever seen in Richmond. It's an intense, demanding and disturbing play. If you're timid, prudish or care only for theatre that delights and entertains, it may not be your cup of tea and sympathy.

However, if you care about theatre that digs deep, that provokes, startles, questions and challenges--if you care about professional theatre as an art form and a calling, and support its practice in Central Virginia, ring up or log into the Firehouse box office today and reserve your tickets ASAP.

More later.

--Bruce Miller

The Third Time is Charming

Posted by Bruce Miller
Has any theatre in Richmond ever produced three iterations (the original plus two sequels) of any show before? That’s what we’re about to do with Smoke on the Mountain Homecoming, the final of three bluegrass gospel musicals conceived by Alan Bailey and written by Connie Ray, all featuring a multi-talented fictional family church band from the 1940s—the Sanders Family.

I know that the Mill has produced umpteen annual sequels to their Drifty the Snowman holiday musical for children and families. And the Mill has also done the first two of the Sanders Family shows: Smoke on the Mountain and Sanders Family Christmas. Also, the Mill did land office business, I’m told, with Forever Plaid followed by Plaid Tidings, and Greater Tuna followed by A Tuna Christmas.

But can anyone think of a Richmond professional theatre that’s done THREE published (not original), inter-connected shows for adult audiences?

I’m not trying to start a trend. In general, I think sequels in theatre are a little silly. You won’t find us following our revival of Nunsense with any of its eight siblings: Nunsense 2: The Second Coming, Sister Amnesia’s Country Western Nunsense Jamboree, Nuncrackers: The Nunsense Christmas Musical, Meshuggah-Nuns!, Nunsensations: The Nunsense Vegas Revue, Nunsense A-Men (with an all-monk cast), Nunset Blvd (I can only imagine), and Sister Robert Anne's Cabaret Class. (These last three additions had previously escaped my notice and were provided to me by Billy Christopher Maupin.)

I’m not making this stuff up. Those are real sequels, produced somewhere, adored by millions.

Anyway, I LOVE the three Sanders Family shows (and please authors, let it remain only three), because they take me back to my rural Mennonite roots, they’re filled with wonderful characters and terrific music. Luckily for us, we have an exemplary cast that can act the roles, sing the songs, and play 22 different instruments between them.

It's a bluegrass concert fit to beat the band.

Drew Perkins (Burl, the Dad) plays guitar, fiddle, mandolin, banjo and ukulele. He also serves as music director. Kelly Kennedy (stepping into the Vera / Mama role previously filled by Julie Fulcher) plays guitar, piano, harmonium, accordion and spoons. Eric Williams (Uncle Stanley) makes merry on guitar, bass, harmonica and triangle.

Among the younger generation, Emily plays Denise (the female half of the twins). She also plays guitar, harp, mountain dulcimer, washboard, piano, bass, limberjack and tambourine. The male half of the twins (Dennis) is played by David Janeski, as are the guitar, bass, mandolin, limberjack and shaker. Billy Christopher Maupin, when he’s not involved in one of the 287 other theatre ventures that currently fill his dance card, plays Rev. Oglethorpe, who cuts loose on piano, bass and the occasional percussive noisemaker.

And then there’s Aly Wepplo. Aly performs ASL (American Sign Language)—a little less in this show than in the previous two—and plays some traditional and unique percussion instruments: tambourine, shaker, triangle, telephone bell, tugglaphone and wend-o-wheel. She also plays the trumpet. In the show, Aly portrays sister June, the wife of Billy Christopher Maupin’s character. In real life, Aly is married to David Janeski. They fell in love during the run of Smoke on the Mountain, and got engaged, in front of a live audience, following a performance of Sanders Family Christmas.

If you haven’t seen any of the previous Sanders Family musicals, I hope you’ll join us for Smoke … Homecoming. It’s funny, tuneful, and guaranteed to cheer your spirit.

It certainly cheers mine.

--Bruce Miller

CenterStage Hires Theatre Pro as New Executive Director

Posted by Bruce Miller
Richmond CenterStage announced the hiring of Richard M. Parison Jr. as its new Executive Director in yesterday morning's Times-Dispatch. I don't know Richard yet, but I look forward to meeting him. He comes to Richmond with an extensive theatre background, having provided able leadership to some very impressive regional theatres.

For the last two years, Richard has been working as Producing Director of Barrington Stage Company, a highly acclaimed AEA theatre in Pittsfield, MA, nestled in the Berkshire Mountains. Pittsfield is minutes away from the western border of Massachusetts—actually closer to Albany New York than Boston.

Barrington was co-founded in 1995 by Artistic Director Julie Boyd. In 2004, Barrington developed, workshopped and premiered The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, which Barksdale produced to great critical and audience acclaim last December. After its world premiere run at Barrington, Spelling Bee moved to Off Broadway for a run at Second Stage, and eventually transferred to Broadway, winning two Tony Awards (for Best Book and Best Featured Actor).

Stars who have recently performed at Barrington include Marin Mazzie, Jeff McCarthy and Harriet Harris. The 2009-10 Barrington Season included Carousel, Sleuth, A Streetcar Named Desire, and The Fantasticks on the Mainstage, and Freud’s Last Session and Underneath the Lintel on Stage 2.

Prior to his work at Barrington, Richard served for four years as the Associate Producing Director of the Prince Music Theatre in Philadelphia. Before that Richard worked for eight seasons as Associate to legendary Producing Artistic Director Bernard Havard at Philly’s Walnut Street Theatre.

Walnut Street Theatre (the building) is the oldest theatre in America, having opened its doors on February 2, 1809. Walnut Street Theatre (the nonprofit regional stage company) was founded by Havard in 1982. With over 56,000 subscribers annually, the Walnut Street Theatre is the “most subscribed theatre company in the world.”

The 2010 summer musical at Walnut Street, Fiddler on the Roof, starred Theatre IV alum Mary Martello as Golde (Mary played Sally Bowles in our Cabaret and the senior military wife in our World Premiere of Four Part Harmony) and Barksdale favorite Rita Markova as Tzeitel (Rita played Cinderella in our Into the Woods and Sarah Brown in Guys and Dolls). The upcoming holiday musical at Walnut Street will be Irving Berlin's White Christmas, just like here at Barksdale.

During his dozen years in Philadelphia, Richard was nominated twice for the Barrymore Award in the category recognizing Outstanding Direction of a Musical: Dreamgirls at the Prince and The Big Bang at Act II Playhouse.

A native of northeast Ohio, Richard began his professional career working for six years with Gerald Freedman (Artistic Director), Victoria Bussert (Associate Artistic Director) and Anne DesRosiers (Managing Director) at the Great Lakes Theatre Festival. Another Richmond connection--Phil Crosby, Managing Director of the Richmond Triangle Players, served as the Marketing Director of the Great Lakes Theatre Festival at about the same time.

We join all of Richmond’s theatre community in welcoming Richard to town. I know his expertise and energy will add greatly to our performing arts community.

--Bruce Miller

A Smile a Day Keeps the Mortician Away

Posted by Bruce Miller
New research from Wayne State University in Detroit indicates that those who are most likely to be photographed with a big grin on their face can count on living a longer life.

Kathleen Doheny reports in HealthDay News that scientists have completed a study involving the evaluation of photographs of 230 Major League Baseball players, all of whom began their careers prior to 1950. The size and intensity of each ball player's smile was rated on a scale from nonexistent to robust. "People who had the most intense smiles lived the longest," said Ernest L. Abel, a professor of obstetrics, gynecology and psychology at Wayne State.

"The more intense smile, we infer, indicates an underlying happiness, if you will, a more positive attitude," he said. "It's hard to fake an intense smile."

As of June 1, 2009, all but 46 of the 230 players had died. On average, the longevity of the non-smilers was 72.9 years, 75 years for the partial smilers, and 79.9 years for the big smilers. The big smilers had what is known as a Duchenne smile, named after the French neurologist who discovered it. Cheeks and the corners of the mouth are raised, and crows-feet wrinkles appear around the eyes.

To get your Duchenne smile (and the extended lifespan that comes with it), we invite you to come see Shipwrecked! An Entertainment, opening this Friday at Barksdale Theatre at Willow Lawn, starring Joe Inscoe, Scott Wichmann and Carolyn Meade.

Then you can keep smiling with Smoke on the Mountain Homecoming, the bluegrass gospel musical, starring Drew Perkins, Kelly Kennedy, Aly Wepplo, David Janeski, Emily Cole, Billy Christopher Maupin, and Eric Williams. Smoke ... Homecoming is Part III in the Sanders Family trilogy, and it opens the following Friday at Barksdale Theatre at Hanover Tavern.

I can think of few more enjoyable ways to get crows-feet wrinkles to appear around your eyes. Hope to see you at the theatre!

--Bruce Miller

Four New Interns Lend Their Talents to B'dale and TIV

Posted by Bruce Miller
I hope you will join me in welcoming four talented, dedicated interns to the Barksdale and Theatre IV family. They will be invaluable this season, as we seek to complete all of our production responsibilities. In alpha order, they are:

Libby Majette - Scenic Arts / Props Intern:
Libby is originally from Richmond and left to attend the University of Virginia, where she earned a degree in Math and Drama in 2009. In addition to her Scenic Charge and Scenic Designer credits at UVA, she worked as Scenic Charge for the Ash Lawn Opera in Charlottesville. She recently completed an Internship with Florida Studio Theatre in Sarasota, where she worked as Scenic Charge and Props Master. She will be working directly with our acting Master Scenic, the amazingly talented Julie Gallager.

Richard Mooney - Electrics Intern:
Richard is originally from Fredericksburg, VA, and he completed his undergraduate education in Theatre Arts at James Madison University. After graduation, Richard moved to DC to work with Virginia’s Tony Award-winning Signature Theatre, where he served as a light board operator. In lieu of accepting a position offered to him by Signature, Richard chose to pursue his MFA in Media and Performing Arts from Savannah College of Art and Design. Following the completion of this program, Richard spent time in Orlando, FL, working as an editor for a novel, and then for a film script. Richard did the lighting design for the film when it was produced, and soon after joined the team at Barksdale Theatre and Theatre IV as our Electrics Intern. He will be working directly with our Master Electrician, the dedicated and highly skilled Matt Landwehr.

Luke Robinson - Carpentry Intern:
Luke is from Charlotte, NC, and is a recent graduate of Catawba College in Salisbury, NC, where he earned a degree in Theatre Arts. At Catawba, Luke worked as a Carpenter on various productions and served as Technical Director / Master Carpenter for a black box production of Mary, Mary his senior year. He has professional experience as a carpenter on shows in various genres of theatre, and he joins Barksdale Theatre and Theatre IV after taking a brief reprieve from his non-stop involvement with summer stock in order to spend some time with his family in Charlotte, NC. Richard will be working directly with our Technical Director and Master Carpenter, the exemplary Bruce Rennie and Hans Paul.

Chris Withers - Theatre Administration / House Management Intern:
Chris is a Richmond native who was first introduced to Theatre IV at a young age. He recalls seeing Theatre IV touring shows during his elementary school years, and he even performed in Barksdale Theatre's collaboration with the Steward School in Grease. Chris is a recent graduate of Christopher Newport University, where he majored in Theatre and worked in various positions, including as an RA, a Front Desk Assistant, an Orientation Leader, and a Welcome Desk Greeter. He also has experience in event planning and public relations. He will be working directly with our new Production Assistant, the accomplished and promising Bryan Leach.

I know I’m laying on the superlatives here, which is a little silly, but I’m honestly honored to be working with four such able individuals, and with our outstanding staff. I’m looking forward to a GREAT season.

--Bruce Miller

Inviting Conservatives to the Arts Advocacy Table

Posted by Bruce Miller
I had a lively and informative conversation this afternoon with a conservative Republican party delegate who also happens to be an arts supporter. I have always believed that, on principle, funding Virginia's nonprofit arts organizations should be on the conservative agenda. It was wonderful to have a full-bodied discussion with a Republican who agrees.

The Commonwealth's nonprofit arts organizations are all about conserving appreciation for and presentation of art forms that have been around for generations. If this conservation ceases to take place, the great art experiences that so enriched the lives of our parents, grandparents and great grandparents will be all but lost to modern temptations such as bar hopping, video gaming, the Internet, and social media. Nonprofit arts organizations conserve the arts in the same way that parks conserve nature and libraries conserve literature. Doesn't everyone want to keep these great resources alive for our children and grandchildren?

The Commonwealth's nonprofit arts organizations are a vital engine of economic development and sound fiscal planning. Healthy and accomplished arts organizations lure major employers to relocate to Virginia cities. Nonprofit arts organizations themselves, like all small businesses, generate thousands of jobs, thereby boosting the economy. In fact, nonprofit arts organizations tend to be uniquely labor intensive. We've yet to reach the point where robots paint our pictures, dance in our ballets, play in our symphonies, sing in our operas, or act in our theatres. We are not a mechanized industry; we're a people industry--the best kind to have in a flagging economy.

Unique among most businesses (small or otherwise), the Commonwealth's nonprofit arts organizations are integrally tied to education. Many if not most perform in schools, welcome students into exhibits and performances, and, when involving students in performance or production, teach the 21 Century workforce skills that are so in demand: creative problem solving, teamwork, critical thinking, etc.

The Commonwealth's nonprofit arts organizations bring money from out of state into Virginia. Much like the film industry, for which Gov McDonnell sought and won increased funding, our nonprofit arts industry has an overall economic impact that greatly exceeds that of most small businesses. We attract audiences from neighboring states into Virginia to see our exhibits and performances. We develop artistic products in state, spending millions in labor and production expenses, and then pay back that investment by touring the programs to paying audiences living throughout the nation.

My new conservative Republican friend could not have agreed more with each of these points. Together, we are going to be assembling a small committee of like-minded conservatives to meet one evening at Barksdale to develop a list of talking points that will encourage other conservatives to begin to appreciate the common sense importance of public support for the arts. In a second meeting, we're going to invite the chairs of various local Republican committees to discuss the issue with us, and allow us to speak to their memberships at their monthly meetings.

If you or anyone you know is a conservative, politically active Republican who understands the value of public support of the nonprofit arts, please get in touch with me. We would LOVE to have you join us in our effort to find common ground between Republicans and Democrats, arts supporters and arts novices, all of whom want the same thing--an economically healthy, educationally vibrant Virginia--ready to meet the challenges and opportunities of this no longer new 21st Century.

--Bruce Miller

What's In a Name?

Posted by Bruce Miller
If someone were to ask me to name the #1 reason TheatreVirginia went out of business way back in 2002, I'd say declining ticket sales. If he or she further asked why TVA sales decreased from a peak of 12,000 subscribers in the early 90s to 2,300 subscribers on the date of closing, I'd speculate that the main reason (not the sole reason) was that TheatreVirginia allowed Broadway Under the Stars (the touring road show season at the Landmark) to "own" the name and the perceptions associated with "Broadway."

Not only do I believe this mistake was fatal, I think it was unnecessary. Had TheatreVirginia continued to do big musicals (perhaps two a year) and bring in actual Broadway actors (as they sometimes did), they could have been just as deserving of the name "Broadway" as was the so-called Broadway Under the Stars.

The great secret in mid-size markets around the nation, markets like Richmond, is that many of the so-called "Broadway" road shows that come to town are produced in neighboring states like Maryland, and feature performers who have never worked on a Broadway stage. Ticket buyers don't know this because tens of thousands of dollars are being spent to convince them otherwise. Theatre marketing is an art as well as a science. The fine folks who market the various "Broadway series" around the country are doing exactly what they should be doing. They're doing everything they can to sell tickets. That's their job, and they're good at it. I commend them.

Wicked, I hasten to add before someone seeks to correct me, was an exception. It really was a national tour of a Broadway production. But some (not all) of the touring shows that come to mid-size markets like Richmond represent "Broadway" more in name than in reality. There is nothing wrong with this. That's just the way it is.

No one should be surprised that ticket buyers misunderstand. When one subscription series is labelled "Broadway in Richmond" and commonly called "the Broadway series," and countless ads tout "Broadway is Back," ticket buyers naturally believe that the actors they will be seeing in this series have appeared on Broadway. Certainly the prices are high enough.

So what is a resident professional theatre to do, when it produces big Broadway musicals, staged and choreographed by Broadway directors, and starring actual Broadway performers? The one thing we mustn't do, and shouldn't do, is roll over and play dead.

In a metro area the size of Richmond, the resident professional theatre must market to the general audience with just as many bells and flourishes as are employed by the road shows. The word "Broadway" is not owned by one company and off limits to another. Firehouse Theatre has been marketing itself as Richmond's "Off Broadway" theatre for years--and with great effect. TheatreVirginia should have held on to that magic word, "Broadway," because in many ways, their Broadway musicals were more connected to the Great White Way than the road shows that came to Richmond for a weekend and then headed on to the next burg.

At Barksdale, we're hoping not to repeat the mistake. In anticipation of what was to come, we began producing major Broadway musicals in the Empire in 2008. We're promoting these major productions (Guys and Dolls, Thoroughly Modern Millie, The Sound of Music, White Christmas, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, etc.) as "Broadway at the Empire." Or perhaps we will use some other, similar catchphrase. Our marketing department is working out the language, and there will be more details forthcoming regarding our specific Broadway connections.

We invite and encourage anyone who cares about professional theatre in Richmond NOT to cede the word "Broadway" to any and all shows that are booked in from out of town. In my opinion, it's in ALL of our interests to celebrate and elevate the excellent, professional, "Broadway"-caliber theatre that is created right here at home.

We applaud CenterStage and its work. We respect them enough to take them seriously. They're doing their jobs quite well. Our JOB is to keep Barksdale Theatre and Theatre IV growing and going strong, even as CenterStage also thrives.

A commenter to a previous post referred to Wicked and CenterStage's "Broadway in Richmond" season, saying, "Behold, the Broadway behemoth is back." I would phrase it differently. The road shows are back. Many of Richmond's strongest connections to Broadway never went anywhere.

--Bruce Miller

Labor Day - A Time to Celebrate Jobs in the Arts

Posted by Bruce Miller
Today, Barksdale and Theatre IV employ 30 arts professionals working in full-time jobs. We employed 39 full time workers just over three years ago. We’ve had to reduce and reorganize staff due to financial pressures associated with the national recession--particularly cuts in funding to the Virginia Commission for the Arts.

Thirty seems like a lot of people, and it is. But when you consider all we do (33 different productions, many of them touring throughout Virginia and 32 surrounding states, plus all the ancillary activities), we’re significantly understaffed. Several of our current staff members are carrying the responsibilities of one and a half or two different jobs. Most of our staffers log 50 hours a week, and several routinely exceed 80 hours a week.

In addition to these 30 full-time positions, we employ:
• seven or eight box office and costume shop workers who are paid on an hourly basis,
• four talented interns who work seasonally for weekly stipends,
• a master scenic artist who currently is contracted semester by semester,
• approximately 22 touring actors who keep Theatre IV’s national tour going strong, and
• legions of freelance actors, directors, designers etc whose talents power our mainstage productions.

One full-time staff position is being kept open for a past staff member who is still in recovery from a major illness.

We also budget approximately $20,000 per year for hourly production overhire.

All told, Barksdale and Theatre IV currently invest $1.9 million annually in Virginia’s workforce. If that doesn’t seem like a lot to you, then you’re not one of the ones losing sleep every two weeks worrying about how we’re going to meet payroll. There’s no grand fund set aside somewhere to cover these and other expenses. We pay out only what we bring in. To meet budget, we need to sell approximately $70,000 per week in tickets and tour shows, and raise approximately $30,000 per week in contributions. During this recession, meeting these goals has been, and will continue to be, very challenging.

That's why I vigorously support continued state funding for the Virginia Commission for the Arts. Last year, the House initially voted to do away with the VCA entirely, a move that would have put many if not most of Virginia's arts organizations out of business. Thankfully, wiser heads prevailed, and the Commission was saved, with funding significantly reduced. The funds that Barksdale and Theatre IV are receiving this summer from the VCA are $40,000 less now than they were two years ago.

The arts are a labor intensive industry, which is good for Virginians and the state economy. On average, Virginia’s arts and cultural organizations spend 44.2% of their revenues on labor, 37.2% on other production expenses, 9.8% on facilities, 7.4% on marketing, and 1.4% on state and local taxes and fees. This is a nonprofit industry.

In 2000, Virginians for the Arts, our statewide advocacy group, did an economic impact study in cooperation with the Virginia Commission for the Arts and the Virginia Association of Museums. The study was prepared independently by The Wessex Group, Ltd., located in Williamsburg. The findings of the study indicate that a decade ago, arts and cultural organizations comprised a major sector of the Virginia economy.

In 2000, 12,507 Virginians were directly employed by arts and cultural organizations (full-time and part-time). They were paid $157.8 million in salary and benefits. An additional 6,344 full-time Virginia jobs were financed indirectly by the economic impact that arts and cultural organizations have on Virginia’s support businesses and independent contractors. All told, in 2000, $306.6 million was paid to 18,851 Virginia workers by Virginia’s arts and cultural organizations.

Additionally, the 2000 study found that arts and cultural organizations in Virginia annually generate $849 million in revenues for Virginia businesses and $342 million in revenues for Virginia tourism businesses through spending by out-of-state visitors who come to see Virginia’s arts and cultural organizations. That’s a total injection into the Virginia economy of nearly $1.2 billion.

I know, it’s a lot of numbers, and they’re eight years out of date. But they’re important. If we don’t celebrate employment in the arts, nobody will. Many of those who make decisions about state funding simply don’t care about the intrinsic value of the arts, but they might care—they ought to care—about how the arts positively impact Virginia’s economy.

Fiscal conservatives routinely herald "small businesses" as the engine that creates jobs and drives the American economy. And rightly so. Why they fail to include nonprofit arts organizations among the ranks of small businesses is beyond me. The thousands of jobs that we, as an industry, generate each year in Virginia are just as real, just as vital as any other jobs.

We who work in or care about the nonprofit arts sector need to make sure that Virginia's arts jobs are recognized. We need to remember that Labor Day not only marks the closing of our neighborhood pools, plus the beginning of the Virginia public school year and the NFL and NCAA football seasons, it also represents our chance to remind all Virginians that the nonprofit arts sector and its tens of thousands of jobs represent an irreplaceable force in the state economy. The arts are not a frill or a nicety. We are a cornerstone industry, crucial to the Commonwealth and its financial well-being.

--Bruce Miller

Little Bits (Bytes?) of Barksdale History

Posted by Bruce Miller
Our two nonprofit theatres are currently engaged in a branding study that will help us determine the future paths of Barksdale Theatre and Theatre IV. Two MAJOR thank yous go out to Kelly O'Keefe, Managing Director of the VCU Brandcenter, who is donating his leadership of the study pro bono, and The Community Foundation Serving Richmond and Central Virginia, providers of the grant that funds the research component of the study.

As a part of this strategic exercise, we've been engaging randomly selected audience members in focus groups to learn their opinions about our two stage companies. It's been fascinating to learn what John and Jane Q Theatre-Lover do and don't know about Central Virginia's oldest (Barksdale) and largest (Theatre IV) professional theatres.

It is becoming clear that our illustrious histories are fading, for many if not most, into virtual obscurity, so I've begun to recount the legacies that serve as our foundation by posting a brief new snippet from our theatrical scrapbooks as my "status" on Facebook each Monday morning. I don't know who or how many people actually see these tidbits, so, from time to time, I'll post them here as well.

Here's the story thus far, including the date that each item was posted:

Aug 12, 2010
B'dale / TIV History (Part 1) - Barksdale Theatre was founded in Virginia's historic Hanover Tavern by six NYC actors in August 1953. We're 57 years old! And I think (hope) the founders would be proud. Maybe even a little amazed. I feel the presence of Pete, Muriel and Nancy (pictured below) every day. A blessing.
Aug 13, 2010
B'dale / TIV History (Part 2) - Barksdale Theatre was Central VA's first professional performing arts organization of the modern era. Founded in Aug 1953, Barksdale came 2 years before the Virginia Museum Theatre (TheatreVirginia), 4 years before the Richmond Symphony and the Richmond Ballet, 12 years before Swift Creek Mill Theatre, 21 years before the Virginia Opera, and 22 years before Theatre IV.

Aug 16, 2010
B'dale / TIV History (Part 3) - Before they'd heard of Hanover Tavern, the founders of Barksdale brought their dream from NYC to Richmond VA on Feb 4, '53. Tom Carlin and his partner Stewart Falconer, Pete Kilgore and his wife Perky, their 2 children Kate and Beau, Muriel McAuley, Pat Sharp, and a dog named Rags moved into the home of Aline Miles (Falconer's mom). They lived there rent-free for 6 months as they searched for a home for their new theatre.

Aug 23, 2010
B'dale / TIV History (Part 4) - During a 4-month search, the Barksdale founders found Hanover Tavern. On May 26, '53, they signed a contract to purchase the Tavern and its 4+ acres for $25,000 (that's $202,199 in today's dollars), with $5,000 down. $2,500 was paid on signing. Pete Kilgore cashed in his veteran's life insurance to close the gap on that first $2,500.

Aug 30, 2010
B'dale / TIV History (Part 5) - After paying down the first $2,500, the Barksdale founders had 2 months to come up with the second required down-payment of $2,500 (that's $20,220 in today's dollars). Co-founder Muriel McAuley wrote: "In July we saved over $1,000 by not eating, not smoking and not drinking two fifths of Italian Swiss Colony on Sat nights."

Sept 6, 2010
B'dale / TIV History (Part 6) - Borrowing from each of their families, and pawning everything they had, the Barksdale founders finally came up with the final $2,500 down-payment by the deadline date of Aug 1, '53. The last $10 was in change. Penniless, they moved into their new home. Monthly mortgage = $250 (that's $2,022 in today's dollars), plus interest at 5%.

--Bruce Miller

My Phantom Blog

Posted by Bruce Miller
Just like a man whose leg has been amputated, I've been feeling the presence of this blog during the last several months even though it hasn't been a part of my on-going reality. Once a post is written--and it turns out I've written over 500 posts--it lives on in ether eternity. When someone--anyone--Googles anything from Southbury Summer Playhouse to Lil Wayne, this blog shows up on a radar screen.

In the month of its lowest readership, August 2010, 1,604 people stopped in to visit the Barksdale Buzz. When readership was at its peak (5,370 visits in Oct of last year) 173 readers stopped in every day.

We added zero content to the blog last month (hence the low turnout), and yet 1,604 people showed up for the party. They came after Googling to learn more about Crumbs by Israeli theatre artist Ravid Davera, or David Crank's Emmy Award-winning Art Direction of John Adams, or David Cromer's final Off Broadway performance as the Stage Manager in Our Town. Google, God bless their giga-byting hearts, directed them to Shalom from Israel - May 26 2007, or The Clean Lobby - Sept 23 2008, or My Regards to Broadway Part II - Aug 27 2009--three pages found (you guessed it) on the Barksdale Buzz.

Of course, I'm sure they Googled a million other things as well, and found them mentioned somewhere on this blog. Maybe they Googled your name, and found you here.

Our Marketing Director, Sara Marsden, is fast becoming a master of social and technological media, and she's been urging me to jump back into the blogosphere to help increase visibility (and connectivity) for Barksdale and Theatre IV. So here I am. I'll be writing shorter pieces, I hope, but once again enjoying the opportunity to share some of the thoughts going on behind the scenes at your theatres.

Keep those cards and comments comin'. I hope this will be a two-way conversation. We love to hear from you.

--Bruce Miller

Richmond Theatre Critics Circle Awards

Posted by Bruce Miller
The nominations for the RTCCAs (popularly pronounced Artsies or Ratcocs, depending on the sassiness of the one doing the pronouncing) were posted on Dave's Theater Blog late Monday evening. Many also refer to the actual awards as "hockey pucks," because of the circular design of the handsome acrylic trophies that are handed out. Meaning no disrespect, I've chosen a Canadian hockey puck to illustrate this article because: A - I couldn't find a photo on line of an actual Artsy, and B - well, I'll let you speculate about B.

Because I swim in the technological backwaters, I knew nothing about the announced nominations until Tuesday morning when I read a nice message that Jacquie O'Connor wrote on my Facebook wall. Our Managing Director, Phil Whiteway, received some sort of message on his blackberry, or whatever phone thing he has, on Monday night. From all reports, the phone of our Associate Artistic Director, Chase Kniffen, began ringing furiously shortly after Dave's initial posting.

I'm so out of the loop that it sometimes startles me.

Anyway, what a nice surprise to discover that Barksdale and Theatre IV are parties to 48 nominations--49 if you count our connections to Neil and SaraBelle November. I greatly appreciate all this recognition.

I really really really don't envy the Richmond theatre critics and the challenges they face in trying to come up with this list of nominees. I think it's great that they're giving kudos to theatres and theatre artists in Richmond. As an economic sector, we need all the attention we can get. But their job is next to impossible. With so many worthy performances, how can anyone possibly choose one set of theatre artists over another. All I can say is, I'm glad I don't have to do it.

My job is an easier one. I get to Monday morning (Wednesday night?) quarterback and make some additional "nominations" of performances that I admired, performances that didn't make it on to the final roster selected by the critics. My "nominations" represent nothing more than one humble opinion--which ain't worth squat. Like the critics, I'm sure I too will leave out people I really liked and am now forgetting, but since these nods of mine carry no weight whatsoever, I hope everyone will put up with my whimsy.

I also get to toss out some comments that have little to do with anything, but interest me nonetheless. It's a blog. So sue me.

First off, I loved everyone in the acting and design teams of the three shows I had the privilege to direct this season: Boleros for the Disenchanted (the wonderful and nominated Carmen Zilles is pictured to the left, next to the wonderful and not nominated Michelle Guadalupe), First Baptist of Ivy Gap, and On Golden Pond. Since I'm completely biased in their favor, I won't single out any one of them individually for recognition here. Except one. I know Joe Inscoe is nominated several times for other performances, but not to nominate him for On Golden Pond?? I thought he was exceptional. I'm just sayin'.

I'm a little surprised (but delighted) to see that Souvenir is considered to be a musical. At the end of the day, I don't care if the critics call it a musical, a non-musical, or an egg salad sandwich--I'm really glad that the excellent work that went into this show was recognized.

I already wrote to Jase Smith individually, and told him I thought his direction of Rent represented his best work thus far and deserved a nomination. I also think that Terence Sullivan was terrific in Rent. In my opinion, he was the major new "discovery" of the year. I thought Durron Tyre was incredible in Rent and deservedly nominated, but I don't think the character of Tom Collins is a lead. In my little world, Durron should be up for Best Supporting Actor in a Musical.

In like manner, I was surprised to see that Ford Flannagan's wonderful performance in Putnam County Spelling Bee was nominated in the Leading Actor category, while Debra Wagoner's performance in the same show in a role that was actually larger than Ford's was recognized in the Supporting Actor category. It seems like both of them were outstanding supporting actors to me.

And speaking of directors--I was, a couple paragraphs back--I thought Molly Hood (pictured to the left) did a terrific job with Twelfth Night. Here again, I applaud each of Barksdale's and Theatre IV's directors, but I'm biased so I won't single them out.

I enjoyed noting that The Sound of Music was abbreviated SOM and Servant of Two Masters was abbreviated SOTM. It reminded me of the previous season when Barksdale did Children of a Lesser God and Stage 1 did Children's Letters to God almost simultaneously. Good times. It made me try to think of other plays we might have produced last season with titles that could be abbreviated with some variation of SOM. But I came up with bupkis. It's late at night.

I think the strongest category may be Best Supporting Actor in a Play. All five nominees are equally deserving. And I can think of more than a few others who turned in equally impressive performances in this category--too many to single out. I'm excited that there's a new category for original work--something lacking in the past.

Maybe next year the critics can consider recognizing a break-through performance by someone previously unnoticed, or maybe a "Most Outstanding Debut" category. I thought Laurel Maughan, who is new to our ranks, contributed greatly to Twelfth Night. In the veteran category, I though Jackie Jones was particularly noteworthy playing Golda Meir in her one woman show at the JCC. Somewhere in between, Joe Carlson impressed, I thought, in Grapes of Wrath, carrying a difficult show on his emerging shoulders. Joe will contribute greatly to Richmond theatre's future, should we be lucky enough to hang on to him.

I'm so pleased that Hanover Tavern received some recognition this year; the Tavern was completely shut out in years one and two. I know there will always be those who feel under-appreciated, just like all of us at Hanover Tavern felt in 2008 and 2009. But I think the critics do an outstanding job trying to recognize good work everywhere, and trying to maintain a balance.

Richmond theatre lives and dies by its breadth and depth, and the critics work hard to find examples of excellence almost everywhere. Our theatre community would be greatly diminished without the estimable talents found at our dozen colleague nonprofits: African American Repertory Theatre, Cadence Theatre Company, Carpenter Science Theatre, Chamberlayne Actors Theatre, Firehouse Theatre Project, HATTheatre, Henley Street Theatre, Richmond Shakespeare, Richmond Triangle Players, Swift Creek Theatre, Sycamore Rouge, and the brand new Theatre in Battery Park.

Last but not least, I'd like to tip my hat to the kids in The Sound of Music--maybe in the best ensemble category. They were amazingly talented, professional and accomplished throughout a lengthy run, and were at the very heart of Central Virginia's most popular show of the past season.

So, those are a few random thoughts, signifying nothing. Again, I think the critics are doing a great job and I don't envy them. There's no way they could satisfy everyone. So I salute them, and thank them for their service.

--Bruce Miller