"A Christmas Story" opens tomorrow!

Posted by Billy Christopher Maupin

Tomorrow night at Barksdale Theatre's "sister theatre," Theatre IV, A Christmas Story opens. Not the movie, of course, but a stage adaptation of the movie. And it took a heckuva lot of people to get it to the stage. The author billing credit is required by the publisher to read:

A Christmas Story

Adapted by Philip Grecian. Based on the motion picture A Christmas Story,
© 1983 Turner Entertainment Co., Distributed by Warner Bros.,
Written by Jean Shepherd, Leigh Brown and Bob Clark;
Also based on the book In God We Trust, All Others Pay Cash by Jean Shepherd.

Now that's a mouthful. But all those writing credits make me think of all the people who are involved in getting the show onstage after the script is written. There's a talented team of people on this one.

A Christmas Story is directed by Chase Kniffen, with scenic design by Mercedes Schaum, lighting design by Matthew Landwehr, costume design by Sarah Grady, stage management by Ariel C. Osborne, and a whole slew of electricians, sound technicians, scene painters, costumers, and more.

And it's A Christmas Story onstage! I can hardly wait to see it! Especially because of the great cast: Tony Foley, Julie Fulcher, Gordon Bass, Eric Pastore, Jacqueline Jones/AnnaMarie Rossi, R. Cooper Timberline, Eric Evans, Michael Thibodeau, Lillie Izo, Lyla Rossi, and Chandler Hurd.

It's the holiday classic, live and on-stage! To order tickets, call the box office at 344-8040 or visit the Theatre IV website at http://www.theatreivrichmond.org/. I hope to see you at the show!

(Photos by Jay Paul. From top to bottom: Eric Pastore; Julie Fulcher and Gordon Bass; Michael Thibodeau, Eric Pastore, R. Cooper Timberline, and Eric Evans; Tony Foley)

--Billy Christopher Maupin

Eric Evans Gets Unstuck from the Flagpole Just Long Enough to Lick "The Questionnaire"

Posted by Billy Christopher Maupin

Eric Evans, who will be seen in Theatre IV's production of A Christmas Story opening this Friday as Schwartz...you know...the kid that gets his tongue stuck to the flagpole?...answers "The Questionnaire." You may have seen Eric recently in The Member of the Wedding in Barksdale Theatre's Signature Season or in 365 Days/365 Plays at Barksdale Theatre. An incredibly astute and intelligent actor and fantastic to work with, be sure to catch Eric in A Christmas Story at the historic Empire Theatre November 30 - December 23.

On to the questions! (and the answers...)

1. What is your favorite word?

Serendipity

2. What is your least favorite word?

Hate

3. What turns you on [creatively, spiritually or emotionally]?

Creatively. Doing a play, or what not with acting.

4. What turns you off?
Out of the three? Spiritually, nothing wrong with it, just out of the three.

5. What sound or noise do you love?
The sound of a typewriter

6. What sound or noise do you hate?
An alarm clock

7. What is your favorite curse word?
S*** or B*** (honesty people)

8. What profession other than your own would you like to attempt?
Novelist

9. What profession would you not like to do?
Electrician

10. If Heaven exists, what would you like to hear God say when you arrive at the Pearly Gates?
"Finally, he's arrived!" something like that

Oh, yes. Those are Bernard Pivot's questions that James Lipton asks each guest on Inside the Actor's Studio! Doesn't every theatre person dream ofbeing asked these?!!!
Abso-frekin-lutly...Was that a rhetorical question?

A Christmas Story, Adapted by Philip Grecian runs November 30 - December 23 at the historic Empire Theatre. Get your tickets today! 344-8040

Ralphie's Dad Drives Away with the Pivot/Lipton Questionnaire

Posted by Billy Christopher Maupin


Theatre IV's stage production of the motion picture classic, A Christmas Story, opens on November 30. Featured in this incredibly exciting production is "Old Man," Ralphie's dad, portrayed by Gordon Bass, recently seen as the Wizard in Theatre IV's The Wizard of Oz. "Ralphie's Dad" has shared with me his answers to the James Lipton questionnaire that he asks all of his guests on Inside the Actor's Studio.

So here goes:

1. What is your favorite word?
Simoniz
It's a brand of car wax. I just love polishing the hood of my car.

2. What is your least favorite word?
Clinker, like the clinkers that get hung in the furnace in the basement and I have to go down and extricate them.

3. What turns you on [creatively, spiritually or emotionally]?
A new furnace.

4. What turns you off?
Bumpuse Hounds...the neighbor's dogs. They attack me everytime I come to the house. And they only attack me. They don't bother anyone else.

5. What sound or noise do you love?
The smooth purr of an Oldsmobile engine.

6. What sound or noise do you hate?
The Bumpuse Hounds.

7. What is your favorite curse word?
Cushlamochree

8. What profession other than your own would you like to attempt?
Race car driver, I think.

9. What profession would you not like to do?
Dogcatcher

10. If Heaven exists, what would you like to hear God say when you arrive at the Pearly Gates?

"Cushlamochree!"

Come check out Ralphie's Dad and all your favorite characters in Theatre IV's live stage production of A Christmas Story playing November 30 - December 23 at the historic Empire Theatre!