RVANews

Sisters

Kristin Jimison — Fri, 17 May 2013 11:22:04 +0000

When my mother went into labor the day my sister Kelly was born, I very helpfully ran around our house in circles. weeping and screaming “I CAN’T BELIEVE THIS IS HAPPENING” until my uncle picked me up and my parents went off to the hospital. I did not want to let go of my only child status. I really just wanted a dog and couldn’t understand why that wasn’t an option instead of a baby sister.

Growing up, Kelly was always a little too young to really be able to join in on the games my friends and I played, but my mother sent her along with me most of the time anyway. As you can imagine, I was not ever overcome with joy at the prospect of dragging my little sister with me or sharing my stuff with her. Now I’m a parent and I understand why my mother did this. Kids are wonderful, but man, they are exhausting; a lot of times you just want them to go away for five minutes. But mostly, she forced us to learn to be together and at least tolerate each other, because she had one of those magical mom crystal balls that told her someday, we would need each other. We would fight and bicker and tattle to my parents. They would refuse to intervene and instead tell us to figure it out.

“You two will always have each other so you better figure out for yourselves how to get along.”

I know what that means now.

Kelly is five years younger. She’s taller, blonder, more organized, less likely to forget her keys, and more likely to weep at the National Anthem. If you put the directions to a Pinterest craft in front of us, she will create something beautiful that looks better than the picture, and I will wind up in the hospital covered in chalkboard paint with third degree hot glue gun burns. I am the Josh Lyman to her Sam Seaborn. I was never prouder of anyone than I was of her the day she gave her Valedictorian speech at her high school graduation. She cried on the phone with me when we put our beloved dog to sleep. Kelly was the maid of honor at my wedding and the very first person I wanted to call when our son was born.

And I still can still make her so very, very angry by reminding her that when she was three, she used to cheat at Memory.

As we grow older and our friends grow older, I’m beginning to see glimpses of what it will be like to care for aging parents. I’ve seen how difficult it is for my husband to face these stresses without the benefit of a sibling for backup, and I’ve seen the same kind of stress in friends who have siblings that don’t show up. When I think about what the future may hold, I’m grateful for all the times my mom forced me to share my toys and sent my little sister tagging along with me. I know that when I need backup, Kelly will always be there.

When my husband and I discuss whether or not we want to expand our family, we mostly agree that one child is more than enough. And yet every time we talk about it, the same thing gives me pause. I tell my husband that I’m not sure it’s fair for our little boy to grow up without a sibling they can count on. He always tells me the same thing: it’s not a sibling I want for our son; what I want is for him to have an exact copy of Kelly. And there is only ever going to be one of her.

Ho there, reader of RSS feeds! Do you ever want to support RVANews in a real and tangible way? Or at least pay a small penance for reading ad-free content? If so, support us on Patreon for a couple bucks a month!

Raising Richmond: Yahoo!…?

Kristin Jimison — Tue, 05 Mar 2013 12:06:16 +0000

Shortly after my son was born prematurely, I tried to negotiate a flexible work arrangement with my place of employment. Unexpectedly overwhelmed with the care of a high-needs baby and facing a daily two-hour round trip commute, I hoped we could reach a compromise. I loved my job, but I also loved my new family and I didn’t want to force a choice between the two. I’ve always been a hard worker and assumed that my talent and potential would trump any concerns related to a flexible work arrangement.

My request was denied immediately.

I felt betrayed and helpless and even a little bit angry.

Maybe a lot angry.

After a long weekend of running numbers and looking at schedules, my husband and I made the decision that was best for our family at that time: I quit the job I loved. I fully believe that I would still be with that company if they simply had been willing to let me work from home for part of the week.

So when the news broke that Marissa Mayer eliminated work-from-home options at Yahoo!, I wanted to feel betrayed. I wanted to be angry. Instead...I find myself defending her. Employees are not entitled to flexible work arrangements, though I think they are great solutions to balancing the needs of work and family and attracting talent. And if Marissa Mayer were named “Mark”? This would not be a news event.

Female CEOs are not required to be crusaders for the feminist cause, as much as I wish they were. It would be a tectonic shift if women in the C-suite could always prioritize the needs of other women in their company, but isn’t their first responsibility to make sure there’s a company to support in the first place? Mayer wasn’t hired to redefine the rules for working moms and dads; she was hired to turn around a flailing brand that is, at best an afterthought. If she thinks the company needs all hands in the office, they probably do. At least until we’re all using “yahooing” as a verb for Internet searches, I’m cutting her some slack.

As for me, I eventually found a job I love that is flexible around the needs of my family. In case you're a mom or dad in a situation similar to mine, here are a few tips for helping to negotiate the best arrangement for you.

— ∮∮∮ —

Don’t assume

I made the mistake of thinking my history of hard work would make a difference when asking for a flexible work arrangement--I always worked hard whether I was at home, in the office, or traveling. But this was mostly irrelevant. What it really came down to in the end was my job description and the day-to-day needs of my team, and they determined they needed someone in my role in the office every day.

Be prepared

Don’t wait to discuss your options. If you’re expecting a baby or your family has changing needs that may require reworking your schedule, research your options and be proactive. Anything can happen, and the more time you have to address possibilities, the better your outcome. The more time you have to sell yourself as an excellent candidate for a flexible work arrangement, the better.

Understand that there are limits

Be aware of what your company’s culture and policies are and don’t expect an exception to be made for you. If your company doesn’t allow working from home, don’t think they will change the rules for you.

Be honest

I’m now often asked how I found a job that allows for flexibility. The simple answer is that I asked for it. When I decided to go back to work, my cover letter explained what my needs and expectations (within reason) were. If you want to employ this strategy, be aware that some employers might not give you a second look. Interviewers can’t ask about your family situation, and most HR professionals will tell you that bringing up your kids or spouse in an interview is a big no-no. However, I ignored this directive and was completely honest, HR professionals be damned. I wanted employers to get the entire picture of me as a person, and I didn’t ever want to have to choose between family and career again.

I am both a talented employee AND a parent. It’s entirely possible to find a space where those two things can coexist, but you have to know how and where to find it.

Photo by: eric hayes

Raising Richmond: When their baby is in the NICU…

Kristin Jimison — Tue, 24 Jul 2012 10:00:32 +0000

A note from Valerie: I've always wanted to do a piece for Raising Richmond about how to best support the parents of babies who spend their first weeks or months in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). But like a lot of people...I'm not sure how one really does that (and does it well). So I decided to call on Kristin Jimison, a dear friend and mother of a premie, to share what helped her family most during their time in the NICU. While we all hope that we will never have to put this advice to use, I think you'll find it helpful.

— ∮∮∮ —

When soon-to-be moms and dads think about the first days of their new child’s life, few of them ever imagine a premature baby or an extended stay in the hospital. But these day 10 to 15 percent of all babies born need to spend some time in the neonatal intensive care unit.

I delivered our son six weeks early, literally almost in the front seat of my husband’s car in the parking lot of St. Mary’s Hospital. Our little boy's low birth weight and propensity for occasionally just, oh, NOT BREATHING AT ALL bought him a stay in the NICU. My memories of the very beginning of his life will always be colored by fear and sadness and the powdery smell of hospital-grade hand sanitizer. I’ll never forget the specific pain of shuffling back to my hospital room every afternoon, passing elevators full of happy families taking their giant, healthy babies home.

But the other thing I won’t forget is the amazing generosity of our friends and family during that time. Someone took care of our dogs. Meals just showed up. Our house was cleaned. My mom and husband took turns sleeping on a very uncomfortable chair in my room with me until one day, a brand-new air mattress and sheets arrived. Friends came and sat with us and made us laugh. Then they held our hands and cried, too. They scrubbed up to their elbows, donned hospital gear, and cooed over our scrawny, tiny dude just like he was at home in his bassinet looking adorable, though he was hooked up to wires and intimidating monitors. We received constant texts, tweets, and emails of support from friends, family, and strangers alike.

I have never felt so loved in my entire life.

To this day, I’m still not sure who did what things for our family. I am sure that when people said they wanted to help, they REALLY meant it. They just didn’t always know what “help” was because it’s a tricky situation to navigate. I now get emails like this: ”Hey! My sister/friend/cousin just had her baby early and he’s in the hospital. What can I do for them?”

So here’s what helped us and the other families I got to know while we were all in the NICU.

1. Meet their basic needs

Whether a hospital stay is for a week or many months, the only thing new parents with a sick baby will be able to think about is their child. But they still have to eat and sleep! Hospital food is gross, so take them dinner or gift cards to nearby restaurants. If mom is able to stay with her little one in the hospital, take her snacks and drinks and hand moisturizer to keep in her room. If the new parents are home, clean out their fridge and restock it with basic items and a freezer full of meals. Walk their dogs. Mow their lawn. Do the laundry. Clean their house. Babysit their other children. Think about all the things you have to do in a week to make your household run. Your friends won’t want to do any of that at first, so gather the troops and get it done for them.

2. Take their emotional temperature

Your friends might want someone with them all the time. They might want no one around. They might want to talk endlessly about their new child and their worries. They might want to talk about baseball or laugh. They might want to you to cry with them. Chances are good they will want all of these things at different times, so check before you overwhelm them with well-meaning helpfulness.

3. Support them the way they need to be supported

If your friends want visitors and you are healthy and free of germs, please visit! Ask to go see their new addition if you are allowed, and act like their baby is the most beautiful thing you’ve ever seen. If you can’t go see the baby, ask to see pictures and make appropriate cooing sounds. If your friends don’t want visitors, DON’T VISIT THEM. Send supportive messages or emails instead and make sure they know you are thinking about them. Do this often!

4. Check on Dad

New moms get all the attention...and dads get twice the worry. My husband got hit with a double whammy--our son was not doing well AND I was in very rough shape after the physical trauma of his birth. I saw this emotional punch to the face hit him just minutes after the baby's arrival--should he stay with me and make sure I was ok or should he follow the nurses and doctors with our son? Make sure dad knows he is not alone. Tell him you’ll stay with mom and let him get out of the hospital for a while if he wants. Or take him out for a drink.

5. Get informed

One of my friends made it her job to send me positive statistics about preemies. Another one of my friends (a nurse practitioner) showed up with me one day and just took over, talking to nurses about how he was doing, taking care of our son's diaper and sheets and bottles and feeding chart. Do a little bit of research and share it if it seems appropriate to do so. If your friends are religious, find out how to get their own pastor or chaplaincy services to visit them.

6. Find teeny, tiny baby things

Every new mom wants cute presents for her newborn, but it’s doubtful your friends have any clothes small enough to fit their preemie. Go find some very small things, wrap them up in nice paper, buy a cute card, and cheerfully deliver your gift. Bonus tip: preemie diapers are hard to come by. When you find them, stock up so you can fill the family's house with them once it's time for everyone to come home.

7. Make friends with the nurses

The nurses in the NICU with us were angels. I will be grateful to them every day for the rest of my life. These nurses work long hours with lots of stress, yet we never got anything but peaceful energy and excellent care from every single one of them. Drop off some cookies or cupcakes with a note saying the treats come from their little patient. Spread around some good karma--everyone needs it.

— ∮∮∮ —

If you have experience with what's it like to have a child in the NICU, we'd love to hear from you. What helped? What didn't? What made you feel most supported and care for? Feel free to leave your thoughts in the comments.

Sweet 16 preview: Richmond v. Kansas

Kristin Jimison — Fri, 25 Mar 2011 10:00:41 +0000

There’s plenty of talk locally and nationally about VCU as this year’s officially licensed NCAA tournament Cinderella story.

I feel compelled to remind everyone caught up in ONE SHINING MOMENT OF AMAZING RVA HOOPS MANIA! that the University of Richmond Spiders have history on their side when it comes to being the local pretty, pretty princess of March Madness.

Will it happen again for UR this Friday versus the Kansas Jayhawks? Will they advance to the Elite Eight for the first time in school history? Is this the best Spider team ever? Will I make it through the game without throwing up?

Let’s look at some facts!*

Coach Chris Mooney brings UR back to the tournament for the second year in a row, after losing a bruiser of a game last year in the first round to St. Mary’s. The Spiders are the only program in NCAA history to ever win games as a 12, 13, 14, and 15 seed. However, they haven’t been to the round of 16 since 1988. The 2010 A-10 tournament champions rely on an efficient (sometimes snooze-inducing) Princeton- style offense and strong, solid defense that allowed just 60.8 points per game during the regular season. This is the most balanced Spider team in years, led by standout forward Justin Harper and guard Kevin Anderson, who combined this season for an average 34 ppg. Richmond also seems dangerously underseeded this year, but perhaps that’s just my loyalty talking. Remember that time the Spiders beat Kansas in 2004 at Allen Fieldhouse? I DO.

Kansas, a storied basketball school with three national championships to their credit, returns to the tournament for the 22nd consecutive year. The Jayhawks are led by the unstoppable Morris twins, who combined for an amazing 72 points and 41 rebounds in KU’s first two tournament wins. Let me dispense with the statistics and be honest: there’s really very little the Jayhawks don’t do well. Perhaps their ball handling occasionally ranks as not quite awesome? Maybe most importantly, there’s last year’s embarrassing (and bracket-destroying; thanks, jerks!) second-round loss. You can’t statistically quantify the impact of Northern Iowa’s looming specter. If I were Bill Self, I’d be showing that particular game tape on a continuous loop on the plane to San Antonito.

How Kansas will win

They will be Kansas. On paper, the Jayhawks have every advantage: size, speed, depth, and a giant Farokhmanesh-shaped chip on their shoulder. If they play as they have played all season, Richmond will likely be able to hang tight for the first half but will not be able to keep pace with the Jayhawks offense.

How Richmond will win

They need a little bit of luck and a lot of defense against the team with the best field goal percentage in the country. The Spiders must slow down the Morris brothers early and disrupt the Jayhawk offense. And rebound. There must be many rebounds. If the Spiders get hot from behind the three-point line and manage to stay that way deep into the second half, Kansas may wind up with another embarrassing game tape to watch on the plane next year.

My brain’s prediction: Kansas by eleven. It will be close until the last eight minutes, but Richmond will eventually run out of steam.

My heart’s prediction: Richmond by eleventy billion.

*Full disclosure: I am a proud UR alum. I’ve been singing my six-month-old to sleep with our fight song every night since selection Sunday. BUT I picked Kansas to take it all this year. Even though they screwed me out of winning my bracket pool last year and receiving free booze. Jerks.

A Doll’s House: Subtle and satisfying

Kristin Jimison — Wed, 19 May 2010 10:00:53 +0000

The small-but-mighty Henley Street Theatre wraps up their 2009-2010 season with an ambitious adaptation of Henrik Ibsen’s 1879 classic, A Doll’s House.

The story of Nora Helmer, the prototypical desperate housewife, is likely familiar to most folks -- after all, Ibsen is a staple of most high school English classrooms. Director Anna Senechal Johnson’s version doesn’t stray far from the letter of the original, angst-filled (controversial! banned!) material, but that’s not a bad thing. Her careful, deceptively simple direction underlines the fact that this is source material that’s held up for over a century. The focus in this production stays where it should: on Nora, as she makes the journey from wifely plaything to (sort of) fully-realized woman.

At the center of the drama is Jennie Meharg’s on-point portrayal of Nora. She gives a complex performance that bridges the gap between two separate characters: Nora the childish, empty-headed spendthrift, petted and caged by her overbearing husband, and Nora the independent, self-aware woman. Andrew C. Boothby’s Torvald Helmer is mostly a one-note bully of a husband. He’s easy to hate, but Boothby’s ending scene lends some necessary depth to a character that seems, at times, to be nothing more than a foil for Nora’s character growth.

Every story needs a good villain, and John C. Moon delivers. He is equal parts desperate and menacing as the blackmailing Nils Krogstad. Moon does such a fantastic job that the mere mention of his name throughout the play becomes a threat. Jennifer Frank and Freddy Kauffman also give excellent performances in their roles as friends of the Helmers, providing calm counterpoints to Nora’s frenetic behavior.

The set and costumes are as carefully unobtrusive as Johnson’s direction. However, it’s clear there is a reason for all the choices made. Beautiful antiques and subtle Christmas decorations tell the story of the Helmers’ station in life without being obvious. The costumes, from frivolously voluminous dresses to somber, buttoned-up suits, are perfectly paired with the characters who wear them. It’s evident that for a small theater company, Henley Street does an admirable job maximizing its resources.

It’s easy to groan and smack your forehead when someone mentions Ibsen, because a night spent with any of his works will never end with sides that hurt from laughing. But like any good play, you’ll appreciate it more if you see it performed. Instead of making assumptions based on that one time you read half of it in high school, check out Henley Street Theatre’s excellent production of A Doll’s House. It’s worth the angst.

Henley Street Theatre's production of A Doll's House runs through May 29. Tickets are $20 with discounts available for students and City of Richmond employees. Stop by their website or call their box office at 804-340-0115 for details. Tickets bought online by this Thursday for Friday or Saturday performances are just $15 and will not be subject to the $2 handling fee.

Butterflies are Free (and delightful)

Kristin Jimison — Tue, 20 Apr 2010 16:00:37 +0000

Two months. Don Baker makes a deal with his overbearing mother -- he has two months to prove he can make it on his own, or he has to leave his shabby, charming apartment in the East Village and return home to Scarsdale. Seems easy enough, but there’s one small thing to consider: he’s completely blind.

At the outset, a play about a blind guy trying to make his way in then-seedy 1969 New York City during the era of free love seems like a setup for either slapstick comedy or melodrama. But Butterflies are Free manages to skirt the line between the two with ease. This is due in large part to the strength of the small cast that shines under the taut direction of Billy Christopher Maupin.

Matthew Bloch plays Don Baker as a young man who just happens to be blind, refusing to be defined by his handicap. It can’t be easy to navigate an entire play with his eyes closed, but Bloch’s earnest, determined portrayal surely makes it seem like something we all could do if we tried.

When Don finds himself unexpectedly seduced by his next-door-neighbor, Jill Turner, we learn that he may be naïve, but he’s not certainly stupid. Jennifer Martin’s excellent comedic timing prevents her depiction of Jill from turning into a stereotypical dumb blonde floozy. She may be a ditz, but she’s a charming, likable one. Her morals may be as non-existent as the length of her skirt, and she’s certainly more than a little forward, but she clearly has Don’s best interests at heart.

When Don’s mother, Florence, played by Tamara Johnson, shows up a month earlier than expected, Jill stands up for him... even though she’s standing up for him in while wearing only underwear. Johnson is the standout among the cast. Her acerbic, witty delivery gives the second half of the play true comedic momentum as she slowly realizes her own blindness to her son’s true wishes.

Butterflies is a delightful, refreshing comedy with just enough drama to tug at your heartstrings. Smartly executed and full of absolutely charming performances, it’s a perfect way to spend a spring evening.

(NOTE: What would a play set in 1969 be without sexual references and cast members running around in their underpants? None of it seems gratuitous, and it doesn’t last for the whole play, but you may want to consider leaving the youngsters at home for this one. Unless you want to be like the lady next to us who had to try and explain the concept of an orgy to her eight-year-old…)

Butterflies Are Free is playing at Barksdale Theatre at Hanover Tavern through May 16. Tickets are $38 and can be purchased online (with a small fee) or by calling 804-282-2620.

We've got a pair of tickets good for any performance of Butterflies are Free! Enter to win the tickets here. The contest closes at noon on Wednesday, April 21.

Contextual comedy

Kristin Jimison — Tue, 26 Jan 2010 11:00:40 +0000

Before you see A Servant of Two Masters, currently playing at the Henley Street Theater, do some research. Written in 1743 by Carlo Goldoni, the comedy’s style is derived from mid-16th century commedia dell’arte. It’s quite literally old-school.

The play centers around Truffaldino (Richard Koch), a constantly-hungry servant hoping to double his wages by secretly working for two masters at once. Slapstick action ensues as he unsuccessfully tries to meet the needs of both Florindo and Federigo (SPOILER ALERT: Federigo is really Beatrice Rasponi, Florindo’s one true and forbidden love, dressed as a man. Federigo died at the hands of Florindo in a duel over Beatrice.) If your head’s not spinning yet, there’s also the matter of a broken betrothal between Silvio and Clarice (promised to the dead-but-now-seemingly-alive Federigo).

It all sounds very dramatic and angst-ridden, but the plot could easily be understood in a modern context as a Three Stooges act or a Saturday morning cartoon. This is a play that should be put on purely for laughter’s sake, and Koch’s Truffaldino does not disappoint. He is a buffoon, but a practiced one with excellent timing. Lyddall Bugg as Smeraldina, Truffaldino’s love interest, is also a standout, performing with verve and impertinence. At the preview show, the rest of the cast seemed as if they were in a different play altogether, confusing comedy with dramatic histrionics and shouting dialogue. However, there is much potential for improvement once they find a better rhythm.

Make no mistake, this is not a modern adaptation. While the themes of mistaken identity and unrequited love are universal, this production is likely quite similar to what theatergoers in the 18th century would have experienced. Viewed strictly through a 21st century lens, it’s easy to think that perhaps this particular genre should have stayed put in the 1700s. It would be a mistake to dismiss Servant for that reason. If you go, be sure to understand exactly what to expect; if you give this play some historical context, the laughs come a whole lot faster.

A Servant of Two Masters runs through February 13. All productions take place at The Pine Camp Arts and Community Center (4901 Old Brook Road). Tickets are $20 and can be purchased online or by calling their box office at 804-340-0115. Show your Ukrop's Valued Customer card at the door (or mention it when you call and get $10 off your ticket.

If you're interested in checking this show out for yourself, it just so happens that we've got a pair of tickets for Friday's (January 29) show. Enter to win the tickets here. The contest closes at noon on Wednesday.

Holiday shows

Kristin Jimison — Sun, 29 Nov 2009 20:18:17 +0000

What better way to celebrate the season than spending an evening soaking up some quality entertainment? Here's the lowdown on all things holiday in Richmond's wonderful world of performing arts.

Scrouge in the Rouge

A Victorian-era music hall version of Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol with three cross-dressing actors playing over 20 roles, performed by the Richmond Triangle Players.

Dates: November 18 - December 12
Location: Empire Theatre (114 W. Broad Street)
Tickets: $20 for Thursday evenings and Sunday matinees, $25 for Friday and Saturday nights. Tickets can be purchased online here.

Greetings

Find out what happens when you bring an atheist Jewish finance home to your traditional Catholic Family’s Christmas celebration in this touching comedy.

Dates: November 19 - January 2
Location: Swift Creek Mill Theatre (17401 Jefferson Davis Highway)
Tickets: Ticket prices vary. See details (including available show times and seating chart) here.

Santa’s Candy Cane Christmas

Bring the kids to see Pepita the Elf, Cowboy Jim, and Drifty the Snowman as they help Santa save Christmas. Or borrow your friend’s kid, because this sounds too cute to miss.

Dates: November 30 - December 22 (daytime shows only)
Location: Swift Creek Mill Theatre ( (17401 Jefferson Davis Highway)
Tickets: $9.75. $7.75 group rate (all prices include a pizza lunch). Call (804) 748-5203 for details.

Glorious Christmas Nights

Join the West End Assembly of God for this musical epic that tells the story of a special Christmas miracle in World War 1 Belgium.

Dates: December 3 - December 13
Location: West End Assembly of God (401 N. Parham Road)
Tickets: $18 for all shows and seat. See specific information on show times here.

Night Before Christmas

Presented by Ballet Petite

Date: December 4 only
Location: Landmark Theatre (6 N. Laurel Street)
Tickets: $18. Tickets can be purchased online here.

VCU Music Holiday Gala

Proceeds from this festive annual event benefit the Hospital Hospitality House.

Date: December 4 only
Location: Singleton Center for the Performing Arts, Sonia Vlahcevic Concert Hall, Monroe Park Campus
Tickets: Tickets $5, and donations are appreciated. Call the Music Box Office at (804) 828-6776 for tickets and information.

A Christmas Carol

The best-loved holiday story of all time presented by Theatre IV, adapted to be suitable for children and in musical form.

Dates: December 4 - December 20
Location: Empire Theatre (114 W. Broad Street)
Tickets: $22, $21 for students, $18 for kids. Tickets can be purchased online here or by calling (804) 344-8040.

Black Nativity

Presented by the Barksdale Theatre in conjunction with the African American Repertory Theater, this performance combines the poetry of Langston Hughes with the gospel of St. Luke to tell the original story of the Nativity.

Dates: December 4 - December 20 & December 26 - January 3
Location: Gottwald Playhouse at CenterStage (600 E. Grace Street) for the first run, Empire Theatre (114 W. Broad Street) for the second run
Tickets: $40. Tickets for the CenterStage performances can be purchased by calling (804) 282-2620. Tickets for the Empire Theatre performances can be purchased online here or by calling (804) 282-2620.

Miracle on 34th Street

Like the movie, but probably more magical because, you know, it's happening right in front of your face.

Date: December 4-December 20
Location: Glen Allen Cultural Arts Center (2880 Mountain Road)
Tickets: $10 adults; $8 students and seniors (55+). Call 804-501-5859.

Richmond Varietease! Presents: Jingle Belles

If you're looking for something of the adults-only variety, join the ladies of Varietease for an evening celebrating the holidays and co-creator Boo Boo Darlin's birthday. Miss Magnolia Jackson Pickett Burnside will host!

Date: December 5
Location: Canal Club (1545 E. Cary Street)
Cost: $10

Santaland Diaries and Season's Greetings

Two words: David Sedaris. Enjoy two, Sedaris-penned one-act plays in a perfect, night clubbish setting.

Dates: December 5-27 (Fridays and Saturdays at 8pm, Sundays at 4pm)
Location: Sycamore Rouge (21 West Old Street in Petersburg)
Tickets: $18-$22. Call 804-957-5707

Home for the Holidays, Richmond Philharmonic

Popular holiday songs and carols, and seasonal light classics, are sure to entertain everyone in the family at the Richmond Philharmonic Orchestra’s annual Family Holiday Concert in the James Center Atrium.

Dates: December 7 and 14
Location: James Center Atrium (10th and E. Cary streets)
Tickets: Free (donations welcome)

A Christmas Carol for Two Actors

Presented by Richmond Shakespeare for the 12th consecutive year!

Dates: December 7, 14, 21
Location: Gottwald Playhouse at CenterStage (600 E. Grace Street)
Tickets: $26-$38. Tickets can be purchased online here.

The Living Nativity

It just wouldn't be the holidays without a good ol' Nativity pageant.

Dates: December 11-13
Location: Discovery United Methodist Church (13000 Gayton Road)
Tickets: Free! Call 804-360-4442 or stop by their website for show times and to order tickets.

The Nutcracker

It’s the Nutcracker, which needs no explanation. It’s time-honored! There are giant dancing mice and sugarplums– what’s not to love? Be sure to check out the new Clara’s Tea Party, an elegant tea hosted by the performers after select performances of the ballet.

Dates: December 11 - December 23 (Clara’s Tea Party held on December 12, 19, 21, 22 after 2pm matinee)
Location: Carpenter Theatre at Richmond CenterStage (600 E. Grace Street)
Tickets: Ticket prices vary. For more details, check out the event website here or call 1 (800) 982-2787

The Shoemaker and the Christmas Elves

Theatre IV takes a yuletide spin on the classic Brothers' Grimm fairy tale in this heartwarming, holiday musical.

Date: December 19 only
Location: Glen Allen Cultural Arts Center, 2880 Mountain Road
Tickets: $12.50. Group rates are available. Call 804-261-6213.

Mrs. Bob Crachit’s Wild Christmas Binge

A cracked musical parody of A Christmas Carol, starring Gladys Crachit, Bob’s angry, hard-drinking wife who plans to celebrate the holidays by jumping off the London Bridge. If that’s not festive enough for you, the price of admission includes one holiday beverage.

Dates: December 21 & December 22
Location: Firehouse Theatre (1609 W. Broad Street)
Tickets: $10 suggested donation, $5 with student ID

Radio City Christmas Spectacular

Because what says the holidays better than leggy woman decked in tinsel?

Dates: December 23 & December 24
Location: Richmond Coliseum (601 E. Leigh Street)
Tickets: $49.50-$69.50. Tickets can be purchased online here.

Movies & Mimosas

Bowtie Cinemas is showing several Christmas classics for their December Movies and Mimosas events. There’s plenty of Bing Crosby, George Bailey and Ralphie for all of us.
Dates and shows:
December 5-6 - White Christmas
December 12-13 - A Christmas Story
December 19-20 It's a Wonderful Life
December 26-27 - Holiday Inn
Location: Movieland (1301 N. Boulevard)
Tickets: $5.50 general admission, $4.50 with your Criterion Club card. Mimosas cost extra.

Of course, Richmond has all kinds of holiday events going on of the not-performing-arts variety. Be sure to check out our list of holiday event, charitable opportunities, and where you and the fam can find the perfect tree (and the man in red).

H-Y-S-T-E-R-I-C-A-L. C-H-A-R-M-I-N-G. D-E-L-I-G-H-T-F-U-L.

Kristin Jimison — Fri, 27 Nov 2009 11:00:35 +0000

Any way you spell it, The Barksdale Theatre has a hit with their production of The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee.

Centered on six hyper-competitive middle school kids who are, in their own words, “a little bit bizarre,” Spelling Bee has everything a good musical needs: verve, wit, energy, catchy songs, and most importantly, a soul. Everyone has experienced their own moment of perfect middle school awkwardness, so it’s impossible not to root for this group of above-average nerds. Slowly, through snippets of song and dialogue, each child’s back-story (and the root of their drive to win) is revealed. The spellers’ hopes and insecurities clearly hit a nerve with the opening night audience, as evidenced by the honest gasps of surprise each time the “elimination” bell dinged.

Loaded with talent, the entire ensemble cast charms their way through material made funnier by the fact that it’s entirely not appropriate for children. There’s a song about erections. Consider yourselves warned.

Eric Stallings plays William Barfeé (with his one working nostril and peanut allergy) to perfect, dorky perfection, and his solo song and dance number had audience members literally laughing themselves out of their seats. In the role of Vice Principal Douglas Panch, Ford Flannagan makes spelling words subversive with perfect, droll delivery. Ally Wepplo and Debra Wagoner are the clear vocal standouts, but it’s also important to note Audra Honaker’s ability to sing and spell with a perfect lisp.

If you go, and you’re a either a former champion speller or simply a glutton for punishment, there’s a chance for audience participation. Show up early if you’d like the chance to be on stage. Even if the spotlight’s not your thing, it’s worth getting there ahead of time to check out the Barksdale’s lobby, which has been turned into an out-of-the-ordinary middle school common area.

Spelling Bee’s complete lack of cynicism will refresh you, and the cast will alternately have you in hysterics, warm your heart, and give you a new appreciation for the spell-check button. There’s no better way to start off a stressful holiday season than with two solid hours of laughter. Do not miss it.

The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee runs until January 17th. Tickets are $40 and can be purchased by calling the box office at 804-282-2620 or online (processing fee will be charged).

(Photos by Jay Paul)

Black and white (and grey all over)

Kristin Jimison — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 11:00:52 +0000

This Is How It Goes by Neil LaBute is a deceptively simple minefield of racism, sexism, and classism that will leave your brain churning and you squirming uncomfortably in your seat. In the end, the play makes it clear that in matters of black and white, everything is really just one big grey area.

The play’s down-on-his-luck narrator, Man (Fred Iacovo) returns to his small, Midwestern hometown and proceeds to rock the foundation of the interracial marriage of high school sweethearts Belinda (Laine Satterfield) and Cody (Tyhm Kennedy). Early on, Man breaks the fourth wall and admits he’s an unreliable narrator. He presents different versions of the emotionally charged, exceptionally ugly events that unfold, and the audience is never quite able to discern exactly what’s real. The only discernible truth is the undercurrent of bigotry and dishonesty threatening to drown everyone.

The characters could easily delve into caricature, but the actors give remarkable, complex performances. Satterfield plays Belinda as a both a resigned victim of circumstance and a woman nearing her breaking point. Any portrayal of Cody could veer easily into “angry black man” territory, but Kennedy manages to deliver a performance that evokes sympathy and hatred all at once. Iacovo’s jittery, nervous Man tries hard to be a convincing hero, but it slowly becomes clear he might instead be a monster. The intensity of the actors is sadly not matched by the boxy, sparse sets, which are sometimes distracting in their lack of substance.

LaBute’s play serves as a powerful reminder of the danger of living inside your own personal mythology. Instead of confronting your frailties, it’s easier to become your life’s own unreliable narrator... but where does the story end and reality begin? The beauty of This Is How It Goes is that you’re never quite sure exactly how it went.

This Is How it Goes is playing at Firehouse Theatre (1609 W. Broad Street) through Saturday, November 21st. Tickets range from $10-$25 and can be purchased online or by calling the box office at (804) 355-2001.

(Photo by Jay Paul, courtesy of Firehouse Theatre Project)

Love and marriage (and all the mess that comes with them)

Kristin Jimison — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 16:00:08 +0000

Boleros for the Disenchanted wants very much for you to believe it is a sweet comedic romance deftly woven with moments of sadness and harsh reality. For the first act, set in 1950s Puerto Rico, Jose Rivera is successful in sticking to this formula. Young Flora tries to maintain her belief in the purity of love as she navigates her way through the sadness caused a broken engagement with Manuelo, the town lothario. She eventually finds her way to Eusebio, a young military officer who seems to offer her a version of the world that matches with her own idealism.

Along the way, the audience glimpses life in small town Milaflores, and the picture is bleak. Poverty reigns, men are defeated and jobless, helpless to stop their children and their country’s natural resources from being exported to America. Women accept abuse and infidelity at the hands of their husbands as their particular lot in life. Lives are complex – a man comes home drunk and ready to beat his wife, but winds up weeping in her arms. Parents want better lives for their children, but the chances they desire no longer exist in Puerto Rico. There is a constant undercurrent of sadness and surrender, but Flora and Eusebio manage to temper all the depression surrounding them with the intensity of their shiny, perfect, young love.

The second act of Boleros delves into melodrama and lacks the nuance of the first; absent are those sweet, comedic moments that made the first act’s misery palatable. Thirty-nine years later, Flora and Eusebio are in the twilight of their marriage in rural 1990s Alabama, a place not much different than the Puerto Rico the couple tried so hard to escape. He is bed-bound, she, his caretaker. They have suffered together through children, poverty, infidelity, and illness but do not manage to escape the bitterness inherent in such struggle. The telegraphed unraveling of their carefully constructed illusion is uncomfortable and sad and too predictable. I suspect Rivera wanted the audience to reflect on the sacrifice of devotion, but he succeeds only in making the final years of marriage seem like something we should avoid at all costs. In the end, their love endures, but it’s impossible to know if the cost was worth it.

The cast does their best to provide the depth that the source material lacks. Patricia Duran and Jorge Alberto Rubio (who play dual roles as Flora’s parents and later as the adult Eusebio and Flora) are the standouts in an excellent group. Dual casting can be tricky, but these two handle their separate roles with graceful aplomb, especially in a play with many quick scene transitions and a sometimes distracting guitar soloist. Rubio in particular is hysterically funny and heart-breakingly sad, machismo and vulnerability all at once. Carmen Zilles, who plays young Flora, perfectly captures the idealism and petulance of a teenager girl caught up in her first love. You will alternately want to hug her or send her to her room, so she clearly hits the right notes. Also of note are the beautiful sets and costumes, which invoke exactly the right atmosphere, whether it’s falling-down tropical paradise or a depressed Southern military town. Boleros is produced in conjunction with the Latin Ballet of Virginia, and the audience is treated to a haunting opening dance number. During intermission, dancers also provide an education on their style of dance and the nature of the Spanish bolero, a type of song referenced in the title of the play.

If you’re looking for a feel-good experience, Boleros for the Disenchanted will likely disappoint. However, you are guaranteed to leave the theater with a lot on your mind. And there’s something profound in any work that leaves you thinking instead of laughing.

Boleros for the Disenchanted is currently in production at Barksdale Theatre at Willow Lawn and runs through October 25th. Tickets can be purchased online or at the box office.

(Photo by Aaron Sutten)

42 characters, 1 incredible performance

Kristin Jimison — Mon, 24 Aug 2009 16:00:20 +0000

Fully Committed, Becky Mode’s tautly-written, insanely funny one-man show, gives us a glimpse into the life of Sam Peliczowski, the harried reservation-taker for one of New York’s most exclusive restaurants. Sam, played brilliantly by Scott Wichmann, has been abandoned by his co-workers, forgotten by the kitchen staff, forced to deal with the impossible demands of a difficult chef, and winds up spending a part of his day knee deep in literal crap.

Under the direction of Steve Perigard, Fully Committed moves at a perfect, don’t-blink-or-you’ll-miss-it pace that stops just short of requiring Ritalin. The riotous, outrageous, Wichmann breathes life into over 40 characters, providing biting insight into the complicated hierarchy that is the restaurant industry. No small feat, because there are no small personalities. Naomi Campbell’s assistant asks for an all-vegan tasting menu for 15, new wall sconces, and special lighting, though nothing is mentioned about padded walls for cell-phone-throwing. Entitled denizens of the Upper East Side, whose voices drip with disdain and money and flattened vowels, get into fights over exclusive tables and reservation times. Chef Claude spends his day unleashing a storm of foul language because the Zagats show up with no reservation, and Jean Claude, the maître d, refuses to speak to people he deems too ugly. They are at once hysterically funny and completely real, carefully navigating the invisible line between satire and stereotype.

The highlight, of course, is Wichmann’s characterization of Sam, the kind of likable, out-of-work actor from Indiana we all want to see succeed. Everyone can relate to Sam, because who hasn’t had a lousy day, an awful job dealing with hateful people, a boss we want to punch in the face? It’s the accessibility of this character that makes it hard not to cheer as we watch Sam slowly maneuver himself out of his lousy situation.

While Fully Committed is most certainly a comedy, the humor also allows for unexpected moments of humanity woven amidst the laughter. Wichmann makes Sam fully three-dimensional, revealing his whole life story to us in subtle, quiet moments that stand out in stark contrast to the frenetic hysteria surrounding him.

Sam ends his day exhausted but feeling pretty good, and so will everyone who leaves the theater.

Full Committed runs through August 30th (that's THIS Sunday) at the Barksdale Theater at Hanover Tavern (13181 Hanover Courthouse Road). Shows are selling out quickly! Tickets are $38 and can be purchased here.

No message could have been any clearer

Kristin Jimison — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 16:00:28 +0000

Editor's note: This piece originally appeared on Kristin's blog Double Vision on June 27th. It's being published here with her permission.

“Have you heard the news?” shouted my cab driver through the plastic divider in the late evening hours of June 25th. “The king is dead, he is gone.” And then he began to cry.

“How are you today?” I asked the woman at the checkout yesterday. “Oh, today is a bad day, horrible,” she said to me as she handed me my bag. Peering at me over the register with kohl-black rimmed eyes and runny mascara, she held back tears and whispered “What will the world do without him?”

In Times Square, people gathered under a Jumbotron playing videos from every song on Thriller on an endless loop. They looked up, snapped pictures of the pictures played on the screen, most remained entirely silent. A few mouthed the words. One man stood and held his one-gloved hand in the air, tears streaming silently down his face, crying with his eyes closed.

I’m not sure what to make of this, this deification of a man proved to be entirely human, maybe not entirely good, certainly deeply damaged. I don’t know that it’s warranted. I cannot deny, though, that people have been moved and affected in strange and deep ways.

Michael Jackson provided a carefully-choreographed, videographed escape from a cold war with no seeming end, AIDS, starving babies, exploding nuclear plants and airplanes and space shuttles, an economy in the toilet. He was the 80s, born of drum machines and synthesizers and sparkle and MTV. His songs didn’t always make a lot of sense, but they made you want to dance until you you didn’t have to think anymore. Sure, there wasn’t much soul or deeper meaning or heft, but those production values sure were amazing. Michael became a new media superstar, one who crossed racial and genre lines because his music was so damn catchy, his videos so damn entertaining.

Before our very eyes, he turned into a cultural touchstone by virtue of his dancing shoes.

And then he got weird, turning into a bizarre, sculpted, sad man-child living all alone in an amusement park with a chimp and Elvis’s daughter, the Beatles and the bones of the elephant man. There were court cases and allegations and tell-all documentaries and it was unchoreographed and uncomfortable and wholly unsynthesized. The media performed a slow, painful iconoclasm of the very icon they created, maybe with good reason. All the joy was gone. It became impossible not to think about what really happened, and no one could dance around to Thriller until they couldn’t think anymore. The 90s were what was real and painful, a reality that couldn’t be drowned out with a drum machine and a glove and a catchy bass line.

And here we are today in a hopeless, endless cycle of suck, mired in an unending war no one asked for, facing an economy that may never recover, a post-racial America that really isn’t, and maybe we all just needed a reason to cry and gather and listen to Off the Wall and dance like maniacs and be together like we’re kids again, even if it’s only for five minutes. “Yes we can” has quickly turned into “No we can’t” and maybe we’ll feel just a little bit better if it’s replaced with “Annie, are you ok?” for just a moment.

Yesterday on the outskirts of Central Park, a boombox blasted “Wanna Be Startin’ Somethin’” and several dozen people of various ages and races gathered, some crying, some dancing, everyone smiling. And as I stood there, and tried to decide if these people were crazy or sane, if I wanted to be sad about the death of a man who checked out of reality and humanity a very long time ago, an old lady grabbed my arm and said “come on, you can’t miss this.” She was right. I put my hands in the air. I was crazy and sane and danced until I stopped thinking.

(To see what other Richmonders have to say about the King of Pop's passing, take a look at their picks for his best songs.)