Firehouse Forum Podcast

Kim Jones Clark and Louise Ricks

We're having a blast talking about upcoming summer shows! First, CJ Bergin is the only actor appearing in all three of Quill's Richmond Shakespeare Festival productions, topping the summer off with a star turn as the noble Orlando in AS YOU LIKE IT, opening July 6th. Then Maggie Roop joins us in the wake of the casting announcement for CRIMES OF THE HEART, Virginia Rep's summer offering at Hanover Tavern, opening July 20th. Maggie's been busy directing shows and cooking up plans with her Yes And! Entertainment partner Matt Shofner, but is looking forward to dusting off those acting chops to star in the classic Beth Henley family comedy.

We've been neglecting dance for far too long here at Firehouse Forum so we've brought two choreographers into the studio to talk about making some upcoming productions really move! Emily Berg-Poff Dandridge is going to be one of the dancers for Virginia Rep's WEST SIDE STORY, opening in two weeks, but she also happens to be the choreographer for our own PRELUDES. Richmond Triangle Players' go-to guy for fun projects, Justin Amellio, drops in to talk about directing and choreographing A CHORUS LINE. Also: a special announcement in the Intro. Intrigued?

After a couple of weeks trying to coordinate with Katrinah Carol Lewis, we finally caught up with the celebrated star of many an award-winning production and got her talking about her Richmond directorial debut, TOPDOG/UNDERDOG, now running at TheatreLAB. That's after Tyler Stevens ruminates on the challenges of stepping into another actor's role, and that role is only one of the most iconic in theater history: Romeo in Quill's ROMEO & JULIET. Summer is here and Firehouse Forum is going to be talking about all the hot shows coming up!

We're posting a day late because of *reasons* and the episode was going to be a one-two punch of TheatreLab but nope, because *schedules.* We're not complaining, though, because we have two great directors on the show: theater stalwart Melissa Rayford talking about GRUESOME PLAYGROUND INJURIES, opening at TheatreLAB on June 4th, and Billy Christopher Maupin interrupted in the midst of putting the final polish on PRELUDES, the musical fantasia that opens TODAY at Firehouse Theatre. Both talk about directing shows that are NOT Godspell, as well as many other fascinating theatery things.

A very busy actress and a very busy executive director sound off on this week's podcast. Rachel Hindman has been working non-stop since the beginning of the year and opens this weekend in ALWAYS A BRIDESMAID at Swift Creek Mill Theatre. In the wake of THE NORMAL HEART, Phil Crosby is squeezing two special events in at Richmond Triangle Players before A CHORUS LINE opens in June. Drop by for a tribute to John Knapp and Tim Gilham on Saturday or the RTP Season Announcement party next Tuesday -- both are sure to be a grand time! The sound quality is a little rough in parts for this episde -- sorry about that! It's all Dave's fault, not Ryan's, just so you know who to curse at!

Susan Braden and Cailin Lindsay are two relative newcomers to Richmond but they are making their marks on the local theater scene. In addition to music directing our blockbuster upcoming musical, PRELUDES, Susan regularly performs a show she wrote and developed called "Because I Can, Sir!" You'll hear about that and find out just what cholangiocarcinoma means. Cailin is the new resident stage manager at Firehouse, cutting her teeth with us on PRELUDES, but she has already distinguished herself in town since her graduation barely a year ago. 

For our lucky 13th episode, Firehouse Forum welcomes long-time RVA favorite, Jill Bari Steinberg, who joins a knock-out ensemble cast in Cadence Theatre's APPROPRIATE, opening this weekend. We also sit down with Levi Meerovich, the playwright who concocted the alien comedy, ONE IN FOUR, that wraps up this weekend at Firehouse and who will also be starring in the upcoming PRELUDES, our spring musical. From seasoned vets to new puppies, we talk to 'em all!

Our twelfth episode features a great conversation about Virginia Rep's world premiere RIVER DITTY and the development of new work in general with the eloquent and debonair Nathaniel Shaw. We also were able to grab 10 minutes with the insanely busy Michael Jarett amidst a month where he is designing the lights for at least 6 shows around Richmond. We talk balancing the work load and about THE NORMAL HEART, opening this weekend at Richmond Triangle Players. So much going on in this town!

Firehouse Forum dives into the theater deep end with Josh Chenard, director of MOTH (and not THE MOTH, as I mistakenly say several times). This latest two-hander from TheatreLAB opens this weekend. Josh also directed DESIRE UNDER THE ELMS for Firehouse and is a pretty happy guy despite all the heavy stuff he tackles on stage. We also check in with Amy Wight, producer of the RTCC awards, to hear what's in store for the Artsies 11th annual celebration (11th Artsies, 11th podcast episode, get it?)

Firehouse's AN OAK TREE has its press opening tonight, kicking off a burst of shows opening in April. We preview them all with Jerry Williams, theater critic and proprietor at Sifter (http://www.tvjerry.com/). But first, we chat with Cooper Sved, actor, director, and one of the many fine work-study students that make Firehouse run (mostly) smoothly. He's assistant directing Quill's ROMEO & JULIET, opening this weekend, and will be directing EDWARD ALBEE'S AT HOME AT THE ZOO at Firehouse in May. From the brightest young stars to the grizzled old RVA vets, Firehouse Forum covers the range!

The Firehouse Forum podcast slims down to just two guests this episode. First, we talk to Mark Lerman, the director of Firehouse's AN OAK TREE, which opens on April 4th. Then we chat with Amy Berlin, whose name almost rhymes with Mark's and whose latest project definitely does as she's set to star in LUCKY ME opening on April 6th at Chamberlayne Actors Theatre. As with many of the folks we talk to, these two are both multi-hyphenates with acting, directing, teaching, producing, writing, and many other skills under their belts. Lots of fun stuff to talk about and two great shows folks should go see.

It's all women this week as veteran actress and CultureWorks program manager Terry Menefee Gau joins counselor Camille Adams in previewing the important work we'll be doing at the #MeToo Monologues event this weekend (March 18, 6pm) at the Firehouse. We also get the low-down on Swift Creek Mill's DAMES AT SEA with young up-and-comer Anne Michelle Forbes and talk ROMEO & JULIET with beloved veteran Melissa Johnston Price of Quill. It's a lot of content and conversation packed into less than an hour!

We're extremely lucky to have some fantastic guests on our Lucky 7th episode! We are honored to welcome this week's first guest, Founding Artistic Director of the Firehouse Theatre Project, Carol Piersol, whose 5th Wall Theatre Company is in the midst of producing three projects: I AM MY OWN WIFE at RTP's Robert Moss Theatre, PUMP BOYS AND DINETTES at TheatreLAB's Basement space and MONTY PYTHON'S SPAMALOT at Maggie Walker High School. Then Richmond favorites Chris Hester and Landon Nagel both talk about their current and upcoming projects: Chris has JOHN AND JEN with HATTheatre and will be doing THE NORMAL HEART for RTP later this Spring, while Landon is appearing in WINGS currently at Firehouse and will be the star of AN OAK TREE, our next show opening in April. These are some busy folks with interesting things to say and lots of cool projects to talk about. It's an overstuffed hour of local theater news and insight!

The Acts of Faith festival is always the busiest time in the local theater world. We've got 3 people who represent 4 Acts of Faith shows between them plus a staged reading of a brand new play. Margarette Joyner founded Heritage Ensemble Theatre Company which is staging FREE MAN OF COLOR at Pine Camp. She is also an understudy for RAISIN IN THE SUN at VA Rep. Brandon Carter is one of the stars of THE CHRISTIANS at Cadence and Chandler Hubbard plays Judas in CORPUS CHRISTI at RTP. Chandler also wrote a show called ANIMAL CONTROL that's getting a staged reading this weekend at Glave Kocen Gallery.  And, of course, WINGS is opening at Firehouse so you gotta come see that!

It's a Brave New Podcast episode with 10 extra minutes of content, required to handle three exceptional RVA theater pros, all who have talents that extend well beyond the stage. The Forum starts off with Alex Wiles who stars as Lenina in Quill's BRAVE NEW WORLD, opening at the Cultural Arts Center at Glen Allen this weekend, and who is also the motivating force behind Virginia Voice's live performance description program. Then Alex and I both talk to Bianca Bryan whose dulcet tones are heard daily as The Voice of WCVE 88.9 radio and who is starring in Firehouse's WINGS, which will be opening in two weeks. Finally, we talk to Richmond theater legend, Alan Sader, who is starring in TheatreLAB's I'M GONNA PRAY FOR YOU SO HARD, also opening this weekend. Too much talent to contain in one hour!

TO DAMASCUS is a not only the first mainstage show opening in a Richmond theater in 2018 but also a world premiere opera (or anti-opera) being produced the first time anywhere. We talk to one of the production's two music directors, Leilani Fenick, the show's monster voiced tenor, Michael David Gray, and the show's composer, musical prodigy Walter Braxton. The show kicks off with a deep dive into technical aspects of theater with Jason "Blue" Herbert, technical director at Swift Creek Mill where ALL MY SONS is also opening this weekend. So much content squeezed into just one hour of listening!

It's cold at Firehouse but lively conversations heat things up thanks to music director Kim Fox; actress and bowtie maker Georgia Rogers Farmer; and Firehouse grand poobah Joel Bassin who is directing TO DAMASCUS, opening at Firehouse in two weeks. Fox is in rehearsal with Firehouse's next musical, WINGS, but, before that opens, she'll be tickling the ivories for Georgia in her next cabaret at Richmond Triangle Players, called Rebellious Resolution Review. Music as always by Jason Marks. 

It's only our second episode but it also happen to be the end of the year. So we talk with some of Richmond's busiest folks about the year they had. Debra Clinton, director of HEATHERS: THE MUSICAL at Firehouse this past summer (co-pro with TheatreLAB), chats about being artistic director at the JCC's Jewish Family Theatre and her current production, MIRACLE ON SOUTH DIVISION STREET at VA Rep's Hanover stage. Caleb Wade appeared in HEATHERS as well as RTP's CLOUD 9 and Firehouse's GREEN DAY'S AMERICAN IDIOT, is currently in THE ANDREWS BROTHERS at the Mill and will appear in BRAVE NEW WORLD for Quill. Finally, Bo Wilson was Firehouse's Playwright in Residence and he talks about that experience as well as his perspective on Richmond theater over the years.

Firehouse Forum starts its exploration of the RVA performing arts scene with an interview with Deejay Gray, Artistic Director at TheatreLAB, new president of the RVA Theatre Alliance and RuPaul Drag Race superfan. Our first "Aren't they awesome?" guest is Jessi Johnson, star of MARY C. BROWN AND THE HOLLYWOOD SIGN. And finally, director of Firehouse's upcoming musical, WINGS, Kerrigan Sullivan talks about being a director, Bianca Bryan, and millennials. Theme music by Jason Marks.