Joe Lawlor in the HotSeat

There’s always a special energy in the air when musicians play their hometown stage. Guitarist Joe Lawlor is usually on the road with Dave Matthews Band, where he works behind the scenes in the audio crew. An accomplished musician in his own right, Lawlor is a founding member of several progressive funk and rock bands, […]

Rachel Brown in the HotSeat

Charlottesville is home to many dedicated and hardworking nurses who make a difference in their patient’s lives every day. One of those nurses is Rachel Brown, who supports patients with cancer or blood disorders in UVA’s acute hematology/oncology and stem cell transplant clinic. Brown was recently recognized with a 2023 DAISY award, a nomination-based national […]

Bebe Gunn in the HotSeat

If you haven’t been to a Bebe Gunn drag show, what are you waiting for? The queen regularly rocks stages all across Charlottesville, and wows audiences with her dazzling dance moves and impressive routines. Catch her performing brunch shows at Common House on June 24 and South and Central on June 25, and don’t miss […]

Gabe Silver in the HotSeat

When you read this week’s summer guide (p. 26), you’ll see that floating down the Rivanna River is among our favorite warm-weather activities. Whether you want to paddle, float, or take a guided tour, the Rivanna River Company is there to help. Gabe and Sonya Silver founded RRC to help connect locals with the beautiful […]

Sylvia Chong in the HotSeat

In celebration of Asian Pacific American Heritage Month, the second annual VeryAsian celebration is coming to 5th Street Station on May 13. The day-long event, co-organized by Jay Pun and Sylvia Chong, is jam-packed with music, art, food, and community. Chong, a professor and director of the minor in Asian Pacific American Studies at UVA, […]

Zach Miller in the HotSeat

This Saturday, Zach Miller will be one of many jockeys competing for a win at Foxfield Races, Charlottesville’s bi-annual steeplechase event. It’s a meaningful homecoming, years in the making, for the Charlottesville native, who’s raced, and won, at Foxfield numerous times—Miller even met his wife after a 2005 win. Foxfield has been hosting steeplechase races […]

DJ Rush in the HotSeat

DJ Rush is one of the newest baristas at Kindness Cafe + Play, where he serves up perfectly brewed beverages and delicious eats. The mission-driven coffee shop provides meaningful employment for adults with cognitive disabilities, and features items from many local businesses, including Found.Market, Allens Scottish Shortbread, Grit Coffee, and Innisfree Village (hello, granola bars). […]

Katen Reynolds in the HotSeat

Katen Reynolds has served as director of advancement at The Front Porch for nearly five years, and this summer she’ll step into a new leadership role when founder Emily Morrison completes her tenure as executive director. Before joining The Front Porch, Reynolds worked as a gardener, dance teacher, and most recently, an elementary school teacher. […]

HotSeat: Kalela Williams

Last fall, Kalela Williams hit the ground running as the new director of the Virginia Center for the Book—she only had six months to organize the Virginia Festival of the Book, a process that usually takes well over a year. Williams came to the festival from Philadelphia, where she previously worked for Mighty Writers and […]

HotSeat: Ti Ames

Director Ti Ames is booked and busy. The lifelong thespian, who first encountered musical theater at Live Arts as an 8-year old, is directing the community theater’s production of Crumbs from the Table of Joy, a touching memory play about a Black family, told through the eyes of 17-year-old Ernestine Crump as she comes of […]