Call for More World Premieres on Richmond Stages

"I sent it to every theater in the country and they all rejected it, except one . . ." Margaret Edson, on the response by America’s cultural gatekeepers to her Pulitzer Prize-Winning play WIT.

Many good things can be said about the state of theatre in Richmond today.

The theatres in town consistently produce quite an eclectic group of shows. There’s something for everyone: from the old favorites at Hanover Tavern to new musical parodies at Comedy Alley to Shakespeare produced outside at the 500-year-old Agecroft Hall.

Theatre is still relatively affordable. For example, this spring, Chamberlayne Actors Theatre presented the Richmond Premiere of Three Days of Rain. While the same show was running on Broadway with ticket prices hovering around $100, CAT’s fine production could be seen for a mere $13.

Richmond theatre has opportunities for all. Our city is unique in that there are almost as many opportunities as there are theatre artists. Theatres are always on the lookout for interested actors, designers, technicians, ushers, marketers, etc. Some cities are closed to newcomers interested in working for their companies. Not so in Richmond!

So, what do we lack? World Premieres! The lifeblood of theatre is new voices. They create excitement and develop audiences for the future. And yet, Richmond theatres produce very few fully-staged world premieres each year.

In recent years, Barksdale has staged a few, most emanating from the Richmond Playwrights Forum; Comedy Alley continues to produce new musical parodies; Mystery Dinner Playhouse generally produces only world premiere interactive murder mysteries; and Swift Creek Mill Playhouse has also produced a few original shows. There are certainly others, and the results have been both enjoyable and exciting. However, the playwrights represented by these efforts number only a few, and there is no theatre seriously dedicated to the creation of new work. Each year, the full-length world premieres available to Richmond audiences - either fully produced or staged - often number in the single digits.

It’s a risky endeavor to produce plays without name recognition. However, the rewards could be substantial: if plays nurtured in Richmond are mounted elsewhere, the theatre and the city’s names are promoted and the areas cultural identity is developed both nationally and internationally. In addition, there are a significant number of contributors eager to support the creation of new work for the theatre. A brief look at the theatres who have received large grants from governmental entities or corporations clearly illustrates that new work is desirable and prestigious.

New work, new artists and new money converging in Richmond means more opportunities for the entire Richmond theatre community, as well as many magical performances for the Richmond theatre-goer. Putting Richmond theatre on the National map is good for everyone!

Categories: editorials