Pick: BlkFrs TV

Much ado about Shakespeare: Shakespeare scholars have been dominating online arts outlets with clickbait headlines about the Bard’s burst of creativity during a bubonic plague quarantine in 1606. He’s said to have “churned out King Lear, Macbeth, and Antony and Cleopatra that year,” which may have led to his takeover at the original Blackfriars Theatre in Elizabethan London. In […]

In brief: Win for workers, dorm drama, and more

Shielding up While many businesses have been forced to close due to the coronavirus, grocery stores are busier than ever—and their employees have had to continue showing up for work, potentially putting themselves at risk. On March 31, some Whole Foods workers stayed home in a nationwide “sick out” to protest a lack of protections, […]

Pick: Publishing pivot

It goes without saying that the coronavirus pandemic has altered life as usual, but for area creatives the show must go on. Taking the place of her scheduled book release appearances, local author Laura Lee Gulledge is hopping on Facebook Live to discuss The Dark Matter of Mona Starr, a YA graphic novel that explores […]

Pick: Fly at home

Don’t let social distancing deny you the benefits of feeling strong and present in your own body. FlyDog Yoga is offering three to four live classes a day, plus on-demand Power Vinyasa, Yin, Flow, Barre, Power Sculpt, Yoga Nidra, Meditation, and more. In addition, studio co-owner Brad Whiteman, an Army veteran who learned to manage […]

Pick: Concert on your couch

Live music in the comfort of your own home? Sounds too good to be true, but rest assured, it isn’t. As a temporary replacement for in-person concerts and events, The Front Porch streaming series Save the Music welcomes Charlottesville native Genna Matthew, whose bittersweet lyrics and soothing folk-pop vocals earned her the 2019 grand prize […]

In brief: Stay home

Settle in “Our message today is very clear: That is to stay home,” said Governor Ralph Northam at the beginning of a March 30 press conference. On March 27, the governor issued Executive Order 53, which shut down schools for the rest of the year, closed all “non-essential” businesses, and asked everyone to social distance, […]

Welcome home: Our guide to city neighborhoods

By Charlie Burns, Carol Diggs, Brielle Entzminger, Ben Hitchcock, Laura Longhine, and Erin O’Hare Life here in Charlottesville has changed drastically since we began working on this feature about city neighborhoods, more than a month ago. But if anything, our neighborhoods have become more important. With schools and many businesses closed, we’ve all retreated to […]

In brief: City changes, missing masks, budget burdens, and more

Suddenly, a new normal Just two weeks ago—two weeks ago!—our schools were open, our basketball team was eyeing a tournament run, and our restaurants were dusting off the patio furniture for long evenings of springtime outdoor dining. But thanks to the spread of the infectious and dangerous novel coronavirus, Charlottesville has had to quickly adjust […]

Sculpture and shadows: Renee Balfour’s “New Work” evokes a haunting stillness

By Ramona Martinez The 11 wood sculptures that make up Renee Balfour’s “New Work” at McGuffey Art Center have a haunting stillness. Hung around the main gallery, some white and some unpainted, they are reminiscent of bones and fossilized plants—like prehistoric objects suspended in time. The exhibition is full of contradictions, or maybe polarities: seemingly […]