Given all the bad news in the world, I delight when I can share something truly uplifting and positive. I originally intended to post about this excellent production of Lorraine Hansberry’s play “A Raisin in the Sun”sooner, but the death of the best mother-in-law in the world, Clarice Wolf, interrupted that plan. Please read the eloquent words below that our friend and Northsider, Jeff Gallagher, shared on opening night. And please get tickets and see Lorraine Hansberry’s powerful play. ~ C. Wolf
"On behalf of Cal and George Jennison, Monroe and Jill Harris, and Cathy and I, and all the Board, I welcome you to opening night of A Raisin in the Sun.
This is a special night for an organization and community of passionate concerned artists that we love and for live theatre in Richmond, and we wanted to share it in a special way with you. I love the quote:
‘The aim of art is to represent not the outward appearance of things, but their inward significance.'
By “outward appearance” Virginia Rep is an extraordinarily successful arts organization at a very successful time in its 63 year history. Virginia Rep mounts over 1,500 performances every year, with a budget over $5 million, at four distinct venues plus an educational touring program reaching school children across Virginia and 32 states, with a total annual audience over 550,000.
It’s flagship venue, the beautifully restored November Theatre, began the renaissance of Broad Street downtown 25 years ago, and anchors our arts district.
Let’s consider significance.
Using the power of live theatre in a virtual screen age, Virginia Rep artists bring joy and delight, they engage minds and imaginations, using words and thoughts and ideas, song and dance, shared experiences, they bring joy and delight, they challenge us to be our best, in interactions between people on stage that tear open the veil to the significance of what we are experiencing.
We think of today’s Richmond with pride using words like creativity, entrepreneur, edginess, “Make it real,” artsy, urbane, imagination, innovation, restoration, diverse, awakening, engaged, national.
I submit those words describe the heart and soul of Virginia Rep for 63 years. Richmond, welcome to our world.
As many of you know, Virginia Rep is the product of a union of Barksdale Theatre and Theatre IV.
You may also know that Barksdale at Hanover Tavern was one of the nation’s original regional theatres, and its first dinner theatre.
You may not know that at it very first production, in 1954, Barksdale Founders reached out to the President of Virginia Union University, and 40 African American faculty and students attended a performance with 110 white audience members, with the Hanover County Sherriff’s duly notified in advance.
This was the first integrated audience of an arts performance in Virginia post-Reconstruction on record.
Since its start out of the trunk of a car over 45 years ago by two fresh U of R grads, Theatre IV - now the VaRep Children’s Theatre, has achieved not only local but national significance. It’s number one in the nation in productions for children, and number two in the nation in school children reached, and it reaches them with fun, SOL based educational, inspirational and important live theatre.
Because of shows like Songs for the Soul, now playing at Willow Lawn after 25 years on tour, and I Have a Dream, also decades on tour, Virginia Rep is the nation’s leading producer of African American history assembly programs for school children.
With the debut of the nationally-acclaimed touring show Hugs and Kisses 35 years ago, Theatre IV launched an entirely new category of children’s theatre - as a force for health and wellness, and thousands of children have been saved from abusive situations, and innovates new shows with new missions.
Finally, Virginia Rep believes no one should be deprived access to live theatre because of their circumstances, and offers a comprehensive and ever expanding roster of audience access programs. For many years Virginia has provided low cost or free tickets for low-income seniors; and free tickets for groups from nonprofits serving low-income children, adults, and families.
More recently, we offer free tickets for specially modified performances and services for children on the autism spectrum and their families.
And free tickets, pre-show tactile tours, and simultaneous audio descriptions for children and adults with profound visual impairments. Of course, accessible facilities and enhanced sound for hearing impaired are in place.
Success, they say, is when I create value for myself. Significance is when I create value for others. I can think of few other organizations that have added more value to Greater Richmond.
Our new works initiative to empower the creation of new works, and contribution to the national literature. A commitment to grow and develop the entire theatre community, to help actors and designers go pro, to mix great national talent with local talent, to build the respect and reimbursement of these artists in our community.”
~ Jeff Gallagher
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