As we relish the first week in a while without texts, phone calls or commercials from political campaigns, here are some things to do with all that free time: 1708 Gallery’s InLight returns, Virginia Cider Week begins, comedian Ritch Shydner is in town, and there’s a celebration of Harlem at the University of Richmond and a scary film fest at the Firehouse Theatre. Enjoy!
Comedy Crash Course
Billed as “160 years of stand-up in 90 minutes,” comedian Ritch Shydner’s “America’s Reflection in the Funhouse Mirror: A History of Stand-Up Comedy” is a one-man-show that he’ll perform at Firehouse Theatre on Wednesday, Nov. 10. Shydner toured as a stand-up comic in the ’80s, making appearances on “Late Night With David Letterman” and “The Tonight Show.” He was also a writer for ABC’s “Roseanne” and “The Jeff Foxworthy Show.” And if you’re a comedy fan like me, take note that this is no dry lecture — Shydner weaves in jokes and funny stories from past decades that can still make us laugh today. Read our Q&A with Shydner here.
—Nicole Cohen, Special Projects Editor
Harlem Shuffle
If there’s a better person to lead a celebration of the musical traditions of Harlem than African-born artist and cultural ambassador Michael Mwenso, I’d like to see that resume. Mwenso, handpicked by funk godfather James Brown and jazz purist Wynton Marsalis for his musical taste and chops, is also a professor and band leader. Along with his band, the Shakes, he’s known for mixing the various genres that make up the classic Harlem sound, sometimes all in the same song. On Nov. 12, Harlem 100, also featuring Brianna Thomas, Vuyo Sotashe and Mathis Picard, comes to the University of Richmond’s Modlin Center for the Arts at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $10 to $25.
—Craig Belcher, Arts & Entertainment Editor
Bright Ideas
Fourteen years ago,1708 Gallery conceived the light, sound and video exhibition InLight as a way to bring art into disparate corners of the city. On Nov. 12-13, the 2021 edition comes to Great Shiplock Park, Chapel Island, and sites along the Virginia Capital Trail and Low Line. The curated group of 13 regional and national artists is presented with layers of history and experience as inspiration, from the Great Shiplock of the 19th-century James River & Kanawha Canal, which allowed oceangoing vessels into downtown (the gates worked into the 1980s) to Chapel Island, where the Trigg Shipyards built vessels that sailed the world — all along a waterway used by native peoples and later to forcibly transport the enslaved, today transformed for historical interpretation, recreation and reflection.
—Harry Kollatz Jr., Senior Writer
At Its Core
Virginia is one of the one of the top apple-producing states, home to more than 30 varieties and now more than 30 cideries. Highlighting the growth of the fermented alcoholic beverage and its role in agritourism across the commonwealth, Virginia Cider Week takes place Nov. 12-21. Blue Bee Cider in Scott’s Addition is hosting a number of events for the celebration. Cider and cheese join forces during a workshop on Nov. 15 led by Maggie Bradshaw of Truckle Cheesemongers and Rachel Juhl of Essex Street Cheese. That same day, Jackson Ward’s Saison invites Potters Craft Cider, Autumn Olive Farms and Laird’s Apple Brandy for a five-course Friendsgiving. Also on the itinerary is a coursed dinner from Midlothian Chef’s Kitchen’s David Dunlap with cider pairings on Nov. 17 and a tasting event at Fine Creek Brewing on Nov. 21. If hanging at home is more your style, grab local libations to go from spots including Bryant’s Cider, Courthouse Creek Cider and Buskey Cider.
—Eileen Mellon, Food Editor
Girls in Science
If you have a budding Greta Thunberg in your midst — a girl aged 11-14 who’s all about protecting the environment — she will want to be part of the Girls in Science workshops at the Science Museum of Virginia on Saturday, Nov. 13. During the hourlong workshops on green science, girls will explore how our daily decisions can contribute to extreme heat and weather events and learn how leveraging design, engineering and natural landscapes can help make communities more resilient to climate change. They’ll leave with a take-home activity and project and actionable steps for becoming more resilient. $10 per person; preregistration required.
—Susan Morgan, R•Home Managing Editor
Horror Film Fest
Calling all horror film fanatics: The annual Magic of Horror Film Festival, produced by Rogue Chimera Films, is back at Firehouse Theatre, showcasing nightmarish independent films such as “Mommy’s Little Monster,” “The Funhouse Waltz” and “Night of the Fluffet.” Celebrate all things horror through film contests and Q&As with filmmakers, and don’t forget to vote in the Audience Choice Awards at the end of each day. This fright-tastic festival takes place Nov. 13 and 14 from noon to 9 p.m. Single-day passes are $15, or you can pay $20 to be scared all weekend.
—Micaela Coelho, Editorial Intern
Conventional Thinking
As the pandemic forced comic conventions to shut down in 2020, many of these gatherings went online, and with its return this year, the Richmond Indie Comic Expo (RICE) splits the difference. Preceded by virtual panel discussions covering a range of topics related to the medium on Nov. 12 and 13, the free in-person event will be held on Sunday, Nov. 14, from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., with almost 70 cartoonists and publishers hawking their wares in the lecture hall of VCU’s James Branch Cabell Library. (Sunday’s in-person panels will be conducted in the library’s Sisisky Board Room.) Following 2020’s forced hiatus, RICE enters its second year with an impressive lineup, from virtual guests such as writer Mark Waid, a mainstay of the superhero universes of Marvel and DC, to in-person panelists including indie cartoonist/filmmaker Dash Shaw, cartoonist/illustrator (and VCU alum) Shannon Wright and artist Scott Wegener of “Atomic Robo” fame. Face masks are required for everyone; check out RICE’s Twitter and Instagram for more information.
—Chad Anderson, Copy Editor at Large
Other Suggestions
- Billy Strings brings bluegrass to Virginia Credit Union Live Nov. 12.
- Comedian Tom Segura comes to the Altria Theater Nov. 13.
- See “Vintage Hitchcock: A Live Radio Play” at the ARTS Community Center Nov. 13-14.
River City Roundup is Richmond magazine's weekly compilation of the best things to see, do and experience in the region, compiled by our editors. Get each week's installment directly in your inbox every Monday by subscribing to our e-newsletter.
