Firehouse Forum Podcast Firehouse Forum Podcast

Kim Jones Clark and Louise Ricks

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 THE HEART, Virginia Rep's summer offering at Hanover Tavern, opening July 20th. Maggie's been busy directing shows and cooking up plans with her Yes And! Entertainment partner Matt Shofner, but is looking forward to dusting off those acting chops to star in the classic Beth Henley family comedy.

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 our own PRELUDES. Richmond Triangle Players' go-to guy for fun projects, Justin Amellio, drops in to talk about directing and choreographing A CHORUS LINE. Also: a special announcement in the Intro. Intrigued?

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, and that role is only one of the most iconic in theater history: Romeo in Quill's ROMEO & JULIET. Summer is here and Firehouse Forum is going to be talking about all the hot shows coming up!

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 Christopher Maupin interrupted in the midst of putting the final polish on PRELUDES, the musical fantasia that opens TODAY at Firehouse Theatre. Both talk about directing shows that are NOT Godspell, as well as many other fascinating theatery things.

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 before A CHORUS LINE opens in June. Drop by for a tribute to John Knapp and Tim Gilham on Saturday or the RTP Season Announcement party next Tuesday -- both are sure to be a grand time! The sound quality is a little rough in parts for this episde -- sorry about that! It's all Dave's fault, not Ryan's, just so you know who to curse at!