Kim Jones Clark and Louise RicksDi Firehouse Forum Podcast

We're having a blast talking about upcoming summer shows! First, CJ Bergin is the only actor appearing in all three of Quill's Richmond Shakespeare Festival productions, topping the summer off with a star turn as the noble Orlando in AS YOU LIKE IT, opening July 6th. Then Maggie Roop joins us in the wake of the casting announcement for CRIMES OF TH…

We've been neglecting dance for far too long here at Firehouse Forum so we've brought two choreographers into the studio to talk about making some upcoming productions really move! Emily Berg-Poff Dandridge is going to be one of the dancers for Virginia Rep's WEST SIDE STORY, opening in two weeks, but she also happens to be the choreographer for ou…

After a couple of weeks trying to coordinate with Katrinah Carol Lewis, we finally caught up with the celebrated star of many an award-winning production and got her talking about her Richmond directorial debut, TOPDOG/UNDERDOG, now running at TheatreLAB. That's after Tyler Stevens ruminates on the challenges of stepping into another actor's role, …

We're posting a day late because of *reasons* and the episode was going to be a one-two punch of TheatreLab but nope, because *schedules.* We're not complaining, though, because we have two great directors on the show: theater stalwart Melissa Rayford talking about GRUESOME PLAYGROUND INJURIES, opening at TheatreLAB on June 4th, and Billy Christoph…

A very busy actress and a very busy executive director sound off on this week's podcast. Rachel Hindman has been working non-stop since the beginning of the year and opens this weekend in ALWAYS A BRIDESMAID at Swift Creek Mill Theatre. In the wake of THE NORMAL HEART, Phil Crosby is squeezing two special events in at Richmond Triangle Players befo…

Susan Braden and Cailin Lindsay are two relative newcomers to Richmond but they are making their marks on the local theater scene. In addition to music directing our blockbuster upcoming musical, PRELUDES, Susan regularly performs a show she wrote and developed called "Because I Can, Sir!" You'll hear about that and find out just what cholangiocarc…

For our lucky 13th episode, Firehouse Forum welcomes long-time RVA favorite, Jill Bari Steinberg, who joins a knock-out ensemble cast in Cadence Theatre's APPROPRIATE, opening this weekend. We also sit down with Levi Meerovich, the playwright who concocted the alien comedy, ONE IN FOUR, that wraps up this weekend at Firehouse and who will also be s…

Our twelfth episode features a great conversation about Virginia Rep's world premiere RIVER DITTY and the development of new work in general with the eloquent and debonair Nathaniel Shaw. We also were able to grab 10 minutes with the insanely busy Michael Jarett amidst a month where he is designing the lights for at least 6 shows around Richmond. W…

Firehouse Forum dives into the theater deep end with Josh Chenard, director of MOTH (and not THE MOTH, as I mistakenly say several times). This latest two-hander from TheatreLAB opens this weekend. Josh also directed DESIRE UNDER THE ELMS for Firehouse and is a pretty happy guy despite all the heavy stuff he tackles on stage. We also check in with …

Firehouse's AN OAK TREE has its press opening tonight, kicking off a burst of shows opening in April. We preview them all with Jerry Williams, theater critic and proprietor at Sifter (http://www.tvjerry.com/). But first, we chat with Cooper Sved, actor, director, and one of the many fine work-study students that make Firehouse run (mostly) smoothly…

The Firehouse Forum podcast slims down to just two guests this episode. First, we talk to Mark Lerman, the director of Firehouse's AN OAK TREE, which opens on April 4th. Then we chat with Amy Berlin, whose name almost rhymes with Mark's and whose latest project definitely does as she's set to star in LUCKY ME opening on April 6th at Chamberlayne Ac…

It's all women this week as veteran actress and CultureWorks program manager Terry Menefee Gau joins counselor Camille Adams in previewing the important work we'll be doing at the #MeToo Monologues event this weekend (March 18, 6pm) at the Firehouse. We also get the low-down on Swift Creek Mill's DAMES AT SEA with young up-and-comer Anne Michelle F…

We're extremely lucky to have some fantastic guests on our Lucky 7th episode! We are honored to welcome this week's first guest, Founding Artistic Director of the Firehouse Theatre Project, Carol Piersol, whose 5th Wall Theatre Company is in the midst of producing three projects: I AM MY OWN WIFE at RTP's Robert Moss Theatre, PUMP BOYS AND DINETTES…

The Acts of Faith festival is always the busiest time in the local theater world. We've got 3 people who represent 4 Acts of Faith shows between them plus a staged reading of a brand new play. Margarette Joyner founded Heritage Ensemble Theatre Company which is staging FREE MAN OF COLOR at Pine Camp. She is also an understudy for RAISIN IN THE SUN …

It's a Brave New Podcast episode with 10 extra minutes of content, required to handle three exceptional RVA theater pros, all who have talents that extend well beyond the stage. The Forum starts off with Alex Wiles who stars as Lenina in Quill's BRAVE NEW WORLD, opening at the Cultural Arts Center at Glen Allen this weekend, and who is also the mot…

TO DAMASCUS is a not only the first mainstage show opening in a Richmond theater in 2018 but also a world premiere opera (or anti-opera) being produced the first time anywhere. We talk to one of the production's two music directors, Leilani Fenick, the show's monster voiced tenor, Michael David Gray, and the show's composer, musical prodigy Walter …

It's cold at Firehouse but lively conversations heat things up thanks to music director Kim Fox; actress and bowtie maker Georgia Rogers Farmer; and Firehouse grand poobah Joel Bassin who is directing TO DAMASCUS, opening at Firehouse in two weeks. Fox is in rehearsal with Firehouse's next musical, WINGS, but, before that opens, she'll be tickling …

It's only our second episode but it also happen to be the end of the year. So we talk with some of Richmond's busiest folks about the year they had. Debra Clinton, director of HEATHERS: THE MUSICAL at Firehouse this past summer (co-pro with TheatreLAB), chats about being artistic director at the JCC's Jewish Family Theatre and her current productio…

Firehouse Forum starts its exploration of the RVA performing arts scene with an interview with Deejay Gray, Artistic Director at TheatreLAB, new president of the RVA Theatre Alliance and RuPaul Drag Race superfan. Our first "Aren't they awesome?" guest is Jessi Johnson, star of MARY C. BROWN AND THE HOLLYWOOD SIGN. And finally, director of Firehous…