Gerald Ramsey as Mufasa in Disney's "The Lion King," playing through May 8 at Altria Theater. (Photo by Matthew Murphy)
Unrequited love, longing, suppressed desire — that's territory Tennessee Williams knew well, and he might have expressed it best in “Summer and Smoke,” opening Friday at Virginia Repertory Theatre and running through May 15. The production concludes Bruce Miller’s 41-year career as the company’s founding artistic director.
Carolyn Demanelis and Alexander Sapp in Virginia Rep's "Summer and Smoke" (photo by Jay Paul)
A longtime admirer of the 1948 play, Miller feels it’s the best of Williams’ work. In Glorious Hill, Mississippi, during the first part of the 20th century, Alma Winemiller (Carolyn Demanelis) contends with her spiritual and sexual dilemmas and her attraction to bad-boy physician John Buchanan Jr. (Alexander Sapp). Miller says of the play, “Alma’s struggling to live the passionate life she feels called to live, but because of her financial circumstance and cultural mores, she can’t pursue Dr. John with the passion she feels for him.” $30 to $46. 282-2620 or va-rep.org.
Also opening this week is “The Lion King” at Altria Theater. The winner of six Tony Awards including Best Musical, Disney’s Broadway spectacle is back in Richmond through May 8 (after a sold-out run in 2012) with its menagerie of animals from the Serengeti coming to life on stage, with music by Elton John and Tim Rice. The Richmond production features Patrick R. Brown as “Scar,” Gerald Ramsey as “Mufasa,” Mukelisiwe Goba as “Rafiki,” Drew Hirshfield as “Zazu,” Ben Lipitz as “Pumbaa,” Nick Cordileone as “Timon,” Aaron Nelson as “Simba,” Nia Holloway as “Nala,” Keith Bennett as “Banzai,” Tiffany Denise Hobbs as “Shenzi” and Robbie Swift as “Ed.”$28 to $175. 800-514-3849 or altriatheater.com.
“Body Awareness,” running Thursday (April 21) through May 14 at Richmond Triangle Players, is a comedy by Obie Award winner Annie Baker — also a 2014 Pulitzer Prize winner for her play "The Flick." Set during Body Awareness Week at Vermont's Shirley College, the story pits partners Phyllis and Joyce against their possibly autistic son, stirring up issues of sexuality, identity, role modeling and political correctness. The 5th Wall Theatre show starring Sara Heifetz, Chandler Hubbard, Melissa Johnston Price and Daniel Moore is co-produced with Richmond Triangle Players at 1300 Altamont Ave. $30. 359-2003 or 5thwalltheatre.org.
It's also the weekend of the RVA Street Art Festival, which returns April 22 to 24, after a break of more than two years, this time at the former Southern States Cooperative silo complex at the south end of the Mayo Bridge. (See Harry Kollatz Jr.'s preview here).
Kollatz (aka The Hat), also tells the story of the unlikely inspiration for Richmond's first graffiti art exhibition and how works created by a collection of artists six years ago languished for years in Justin French's old offices — until now.
Ever heard of goatscaping? Starting Thursday and continuing for a week, Bright Hope Farm & Apiary's "Chew Chew and Munch Bunch" will be demonstrating it at Byrd Park. That's happening in connection with the Richmond Earth Day Festival on Saturday in Great Shiplock Park from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., with kayak rides on the James River, performances by Jesse the Juggler, guided mountain bike rides along the Virginia Capital Trail, a bouldering wall, a hip hop dance class for families, a craft market and a 5K race. earthdayrichmond.org.
North Dakota native Chelsea Lee is one of the VCUarts Craft/Material Studies graduate students whose work will be exhibited at Artspace. (Image courtesy Artspace)
Its Fourth Friday in Manchester, and opening at Artspace (and continuing through May 22) is the VCUart Craft/Material Studies Candidacy Exhibition, "Practice," featuring work by Fumi Amano, Grace Kubiluis, Chelsea Lee, Jubee Lee, Stephen Nunes and Shannon Slaight-Brown. A reception for the artists is set for 7 to 10 p.m. 0 E. Fourth St., 232-6464 or artspacegallery.org.
Nearby, Art Works Studios and Galleries will present five new exhibitions of work by Jessica Sims, John Dale Best, Mark Best, Curt and Debbie Palat, and Jill Ward. A reception for the artists is planned for 7 to 10 p.m. 320 Hull St. 291-1400 or artworksrichmond.com.
This weekend also marks the start of the Richmond Dance Festival at Dogtown Dance Theatre, with performances by dancers from around the country. Adults $15, students $10, groups of 10 or more $8. 109 W. 15th St. 230-8780 or dogtowndancetheatre.com. For details, see Holly Speck's preview.
A young Christine Argillet with Salvador Dali. (Photo courtesy Christine Argillet)
In Carytown, Chasen Galleries is playing host to "Salvador Dalí: The Argillet Collection," an exhibition of the renowned surrealist’s work from April 23-30, including special appearances by Christine Argillet, daughter of Dali's publisher and confidante, Pierre Argillet. Read Rebecca Fradkin's interview with Christine Argillet here. 204-1048 or chasengalleries.com.
And after more than two decades of night races, day racing returns to Richmond on NASCAR Weekend, 4/23-24, for the ToyotaCare 250 NASCAR Xfinity Series and Toyota Owners 400 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races. In our April issue, Nicole Cohen takes a look at Richmond International Raceway's 70-year history and what's in store for the track. 866-455-7223 or rir.com.
Here's a look at some of the other happenings around town.
MUSIC
Big Mama Shakes 4/22
The Richmond-based soul rock/ Southern Americana band is releasing its new EP "If I Try" at a free show at Capital Ale House's Downtown Music Hall on Friday, joined by These Wild Plains and Manatree. 623 E. Main St. 8:30 p.m. 780-2537 or capitalalehouse.com.
The Boogarins (photo by Beatriz Perini)
The Boogarins 4/23
The Brazilian band stops at Hardywood Park Craft Brewery on Saturday during its U.S. tour. Recently featured on NPR's World Cafe, the Boogarins (led by Fernando “Dino” Almeida and Benke Ferraz) have a new album out called "Manuel." Its single "Avalanche" calls out the politics of greed in connection with the 2014 World Cup in Brazil. Starting at 2 p.m., Hardywood will also be releasing its Tropication IPA "with notes of passionfruit, lychee, mango, pineapple and lime." Music begins at 5 p.m., also featuring the groups Bad Magic and Peace Beast.
STAGE
“King Lear” through 4/23
Quill Theatre’s production of Shakespeare’s tragedy stars Joe Inscoe as the aging British king whose attempt to divide his kingdom among his daughters goes disastrously awry. VMFA’s Leslie Cheek Theater. $35. 340-1405 or quilltheatre.org.
'Venus in Fur' through 5/7
A beleaguered playwright/director is desperate to find an actress to play the female lead in his adaptation of the classic sadomasochistic 1870 novel by the Austrian author Leopold von Sacher-Masoch. Co-produced by TheatreLab and Spin, Spit & Swear. $30. 505-0558 or theatrelabrva.org.
“Maple and Vine” through 5/15
Yuppie power couple Katha (McLean Jesse) and Ryu (Xander Wong) have achieved most of their dreams but Katha can't get a good night's sleep. When they're invited to join the Society for Dynamic Obsolescence, they decide to give it all up to pursue more traditional values. Firehouse Theatre. $35. 355-2001 or firehousetheatre.org.
"Little Shop of Horrors" through 5/21
Swift Creek Mill Theatre’s 1986 production of the horror-comedy rock musical became the theater’s longest-running show. Now, Audrey II returns to consume the theater once again. $38 or $55 (with buffet). 748-5203 or swiftcreekmill.com.
ART EXHIBITIONS
'The Art of Making Faces' through 4/22
Ellen Delaney's "Blue Mountain Wyoming," part of the Homeland show at Glave Kocen Gallery.
Culled from the University of Richmond museums’ collections of drawings, prints, photographs, and paintings, the exhibition begins with 16 prints created by Giovanni Castiglione from 1645 to 1650 and ends with a selection of screen prints and Polaroid prints from the 1970s and 1980s by Andy Warhol. Joel and Lila Harnett Print Study Center. 287-6424 or museums.richmond.edu.
Louis Poole's "House with Yellow Sky" at Glave Kocen Gallery.
'Subject to Change' through 4/23
Works by David Emitt Adams, K.K. DePaul, Heidi Kirkpatrick, Lisa Kokin, Tarrah Krajnak, Rachel Phillips and Kris Sanford at Candela Books + Gallery. 214 W. Broad St. 225-5527 or candelabooks.com.
'Homeland: New Works by Louis Poole and Ellen Delaney' through 4/30
This show at Glave Kocen Gallery pairs local favorite Poole with newcomer Delaney, who was an architect before becoming a full-time professional artist. Their work focuses on rural homes and landscapes. "We always strive for visually arresting pairings brought together by common ground, but I think this show has gotten us closer to the bull's eye than maybe ever before," says gallery co-owner BJ Kocen. 358-1990 or glavekocengallery.com.
“The Authentic Death of Vincent Van Gogh,” through 4/30
When he was a young man, artist Bernard Martin, 82, read a cowboy book titled “The Authentic Death of Hendry Jones.” Marlon Brando in 1961 made a film from the novel called “One-Eyed Jacks” — a fact that Martin, a movie lover, enjoys contemplating. This is the thought behind “The Authentic Death of Vincent Van Gogh,” exhibited through April 30 at the ADA Gallery. See Harry Kollatz Jr.'s full story here.
'Fine Art and Furniture' through 4/30
This show at Ashland’s Gallery Flux pairs paintings by a variety of artists with artisan-made furniture and pottery. 307-B England St. 752-3540 or galleryflux.com.
'Hyperrealism: Beyond the Photograph' through 5/15
Artist Sharon Guyton Lalik says in an artist’s statement that “painting in a photographic style allows me to showcase an ordinary subject in an extraordinary way, revealing its intricate details, blemishes, and irregularities.” See her work in the Cultural Arts Center at Glen Allen’s Gumenick Family Gallery. 261-2787 or artsglenallen.com.
'{D}Light: Works in Copper by Cathy G. Vaughn' through 5/21
The Richmond-based artist's show at the Iridian Gallery at Diversity Richmond is installed as garden, dining and bedroom-themed rooms featuring copper works interacting with light and shadows. It runs through May 21. 1407 Sherwood Ave. 622-4646 or diversityrichmond.org.
VCU Graduate MFA Thesis Exhibitions through 5/15
Round one continues through April 24; round two starts with a reception April 29 at the Depot Gallery (814 W. Broad St.) and continues through May 15. Work will also be shown at VCU’s Anderson building (907 1/2 W. Franklin St.). 828-7720 or arts.vcu.edu.
Conor Backman and Jiha Moon through 5/27
A Hudson, New York-based artist and VCU alumnus, Backman draws on his education in sculpture and painting to incorporate three-dimensional elements in “Circular Garden” at Reynolds Gallery. The second exhibition, by Korean-born, Atlanta-based artist Jiha Moon, features paintings that explore cultural identity by combining imagery from both Eastern and Western cultures. VCUarts Fountainhead Fellows Whitney Oldenburg (an adjunct faculty member in VCUarts' Painting and Printmaking department) and Zachary Trow, are exhibiting in the upstairs gallery. 1514 W. Main St. 355-6553 or reynoldsgallery.com.
'Push Me Pull You' through 5/29
Maine-based artist Anna Hepler’s exhibition at the Visual Arts Center of Richmond will feature wire and fiber sculpture, ceramics, woodcuts, etchings and cyanotypes. In conjunction, Quirk Gallery will present “Alphabet,” an exhibition of Hepler’s work on paper and small sculptural models in mixed media, through May 8. VisArts: 353-0094 or visarts.org; Quirk: 644-5450 or quirkgallery.com.
'Different Trends' through 5/31
Works by Ugandan artist Hassan Mukiibi at Elegba Folklore Society. 101 E. Broad St., 644-3900 or efsinc.org.
“Thomas R. Schiff: Virginia 360°' through 6/19
Contemporary photographer Thomas R. Schiff made these 40 panoramic images in Virginia between 2004 and 2013. Virginia Museum of Fine Arts. Free. 340-1400 or vmfa.museum.
