ARTS Pick: Bedroom Farce

Four marriages go through a series of situational calamities over the course of an evening in the contemporary British play Bedroom Farce. Through brilliant comic timing, several bed swaps, and a surprising lack of hanky-panky, the tale of generational differences cleverly reveals itself as a relationship survival guide. Through Sunday 5/25. $12-16, times vary. Four […]

ARTS Pick: Little Red Riding Hood

Countless adaptations of the famous folk tale “Little Red Riding Hood” portray the young hooded girl and her lone perilous pilgrimage to grandma’s house. The Albemarle Ballet Theatre’s rendition, however, is a lighthearted musical featuring friendly forest creatures and an antagonist that is more Wile. E. Coyote than Big Bad Wolf. This tippy-toe version of […]

Live Arts adapts cult novel

Peter DeMartino might never have spent nine months translating a 1920s Russian novel about Jesus, the devil, and a nine-foot-tall cat into a full-scale theatrical production if not for one strange affinity. “I met Julie [Hamberg, artistic director at Live Arts] after I got to play Edna in Hairspray,” said DeMartino, who works as the […]

Monticello High opens doors of opportunity with Urinetown

Madeline Michel doesn’t care for musicals. “I hate them,” she laughed. “They’re boring, and I can almost never sit through the second act.” Which begs the obvious question: Why in the name of Stephen Sondheim does the Monticello theater director devote countless hours every spring to putting together a high school musical? “It’s all about […]

Knit stop: All you need is Two Arms!

Picture this: It’s a sunny day, and new leaves rustle overhead as you walk along the Downtown Mall. In the distance you see people moving their arms, loaded with cloud- or cocoon-like substances. As you approach, you realize they’re actually knitting, using their arms like needles to weave thick skeins of yarn made from old […]

State of the art: Ix Project comes to life with Bridge PAI’s annual Revel

The Bridge PAI’s annual Revel, a “rebellious rendition of the non-profit fundraiser,” came to the Ix Project on Saturday, May 3. It was a wild night with street performers, live graffiti and art-making, and a vivacious auction featuring one-of-a-kind experiences, acted out by costumed performers. The auction got competitive with attendees bidding on high-value items […]

Miki Liszt’s graceful work in local dance carries on

For many budding dancers in the annual Community Children’s Dance Festival on Saturday, it will be their first time on stage, facing bright spotlights and a hushed audience. But amidst the backstage buzz lies another milestone that might escape the eyes of proud parents. Miki Liszt will quietly celebrate her dance company’s 30th anniversary during […]

ARTS Pick: Burlesque in Bloom

Dust off your derbies and gather your garters, ladies and gents, because spring has sprung and it’s time to celebrate. What better way to kick off the most frisky of all seasons than an evening of vaudevillian delights presented and hosted by Richmond’s most titillating leading ladies? Burlesque in Bloom is a classic variety showcase […]

ARTS Pick: The Sound of Music

The Albemarle High School auditorium comes alive with The Sound of Music as dozens of teenage thespians bring the beloved Rodgers and Hammerstein musical to the stage for four performances. If last year’s live, television production of the show was one of your favorite things, you already know the play centers around Maria, a singing nun-in-training-turned-governess, who […]

The meticulous collaboration to pull off Candide

Are you familiar with the Night-Blooming Cereus? It’s a flower, or, more properly, a flowering cactus that blooms only one night a year. That’s it. And if you’re not there, you won’t see it. Ash Lawn Opera and the Oratorio Society of Virginia’s production of Candide promises to be far more spectacular than flowering cacti, […]