Ray Smith keeps a straight face without so much as a struggle as he says, "I’m not good at singing in front of people." Smith—a member of the Bent Theatre Company, a local improv group—sits across from Julie Stavitski, the broad-grinning brunette cast as "Audrey" in Play On! Theatre‘s production of The Little Shop of Horrors.
 Julie Stavitski plays Audrey, and Ron Hasson plays Seymour, in Play On! Theatre’s production of Little Shop of Horrors, which famously features a carnivorous plant. We trust these two fine actors weren’t eaten right after this photograph was taken. |
Smith is cast as "Audrey II," the carnivorous plant raised in a flower shop by a man named Seymour to devour a few deserving deadbeats. And it seems odd to ol’ Curt, here, that the voice behind a man-eating plant would be so self-conscious. Then the voice booms out a few notes—a seat-rattling baritone, a strong counterpoint to Stavitski’s sugary, Fran Drescher-ish tones—and "Audrey II" falls silent.
Later, CC chats with director Alex Citron about the production. When the summer began, Play On! was slated to perform Cinderella, but a touring company that will be presenting the show in the near future (all in good time, theater junkies) prevented Play On! from getting the license for the show.
"We settled on Little Shop because it’s a good summer show. It’s light, silly—and with the notable exception of the giant plant, it’s very simple to put on," says Citron.
While Little Shop of Horrors runs through August 4, audiences at each show will see four different versions of "Audrey II," obtained from a set shop called Character Translations in Norristown, Pennsylvania. The smallest is a hand puppet that will be held by Seymour. The largest?
"It’s almost as large as a Volkswagen," says Citron with a laugh.
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Richelle Claiborne, a local that has legitimized "multitalented bad-ass" as an occupation, is splitting town, folks. By the time you finish your standing ovation and this week’s column, she’ll be gone.
Claiborne met with Curtain Calls to drop of a copy of her new album, Say Something (see review by Curt’s alter ego) and to give the reasons (love, fame, better pizza than you can get even at Christian’s) behind her move to New Jersey, where she lived for 12 years previously. Claiborne’s biggest project in the next few months is rehearsing for her one-woman act, "The Richelle Show," which is booked at the Nuyorican Café for next March.
Fortunately for you, Claiborne’s record release party will be held at Live Arts on August 4. Though Curt is sure she’ll invite us to Joisey.
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The Paramount Theater announced July 19 that its new President and CEO will be Edward W. Rucker, a local who beat out 71 national candidates to snag the top spot. Rucker’s lived in Charlottesville for 19 years, though he’s spent the last 14 of those years leading the Richmond Forum, a lecture club in the state capital. Locally, he’s had a hand in the Piedmont Council of the Arts, Second Street Gallery and the original group that began planning the Paramount’s restoration in 1990. Curt enjoyed hearing the tall, urbane Rucker reminisce about entering the theater in that year—"The doors creaked a little bit," he said, and no wonder, since it had closed in 1974—to have a first look around.
We were intrigued, too, by his hint that the Paramount may begin to act as a "producing company" in addition to showcasing national and local performances. Circuses? Vaudeville? Stay tuned.
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During each spring and fall of the past three-and-a-half years, Crozet artist Meg West has worked with students from Western Albemarle High School on a 135′ mural depicting the town at different times of the year. Now, West says she is finished with the mural (which works out well, frankly, because she’s run out of space).
Curtain Calls headed to the scenic Great Valu grocery store parking lot (inspiration to many a Crozet artist) and, like a good goose, took a gander as the evening sunset dipped below the sightline but remained on the last piece of West’s impressive mural. Oh yeah, CC also dug the winter Crozet scene—very "Norman Rockwell-y."
Got any arts news to share? E-mail us at curtain@c-ville.com.
