Goodbye, Robert E. Lee The statue remains in the former Lee Park, but the park’s name has changed—twice—in the past year. That trend is happening across the state, most recently last week in Staunton and Lexington. By name Lee Park is now Market Street Park. Robert E. Lee High School in Staunton will be renamed, […]
It’s 1183, and Queen Eleanor of Aquitaine is in prison for raising an army against her husband King Henry II—except during the holidays. Written in 1966, the comedic and dramatic play The Lion in Winter follows the Plantagenet family’s fight for the throne during the Christmas season. Directed by Clinton Johnston, this adaptation magnifies the […]
Six road projects, one $36-million package The Virginia Department of Transportation has identified six upgrades for Albemarle roads, and will choose one contractor to design and build them for $35.9 million. Citizens can check out and weigh in on the projects from 5:30 to 7:30pm at Western Albemarle High School on Wednesday, October 10, and […]
By Adriana Wells The Virginia Film Festival (VAFF) returns to Charlottesville this fall with a lengthy list of standout films and special guests for its 31st annual festival, to take place November 1 through 4. Highlights of the event will include a tribute to the late actor Orson Welles, led by Welles’ friend Peter Bogdanovich. […]
By Caroline Hockenbury When Gilbert Lopez and his family opened the original downtown Guadalajara, named after Lopez’s hometown in Mexico, he had only 20 years of life under his belt and a pooled savings of $18,000 in his back pocket. The early years were synonymous with sacrifice, meaning 14-plus-hour shifts and tight circumstances. “My son, […]
By Leslie M. Scott-Jones Walking into the downstage theater at Live Arts, the sounds are familiar. Vocal warm-ups have begun, and musical director Kristen Baltes shouts from the balcony that this is “real life,” signaling to the actors to fill the space with their voices (not easy to do in that room). Seated in the […]
When your dad and his brother and most of his friends are musical legends, the pull of the stage is in your blood. Devon Allman answered the call with a punk band at age 13, and by the time he forged a relationship with his famous dad, Gregg, at 17, he was a skilled guitarist […]
It’s not often that you can learn about mushroom cultivation, experiment with the didgeridoo, get an acupuncture treatment, and take a yoga class while the Hackensaw Boys, Gillian Welch, and Ricky Skaggs belt it out in the Blue Ridge Mountains. The Festy Experience is defined by three days of Americana music in a family-friendly, comfortable […]
Evan Felker is full of stories, Southern twang, and soul. As frontman for the Turnpike Troubadours, Felker delivers tales of loss and love bolstered by the fiddling and electric strumming of his Oklahoman bandmates in tunes that swing from listening moments to dance-your-ass-off numbers. Playing bigger stages hasn’t changed the band’s accessible, laid-back approach to […]
Through his unique gift of gab, Eddie Izzard can deliver off-color punchlines and move on to European politics without skipping a beat. In celebration of his 2017 memoir, Believe Me: A Memoir of Love, Death, and Jazz Chickens, Izzard takes the stage to reflect on childhood, alternative sexuality, and personal loss with humor and candor. […]