Artsline: Virtual Edition || March 28, 2022
“I have great faith in fools:—self-confidence my friends will call it...” ~Edgar Allan Poe
What a sad week with no arts and culture events….APRIL FOOLS! We have a ton of events happening this week – from music to theatre to opera to film. As our region opens back up, our arts and culture community has so many ways to connect to the local landscape. Get out and enjoy all that RVA (and beyond) has to offer!
To list your events on Artsline, go to vpm.org/artsline.
1. THE 28TH JAMES RIVER FILM FESTIVAL
Film
Thursday, March 31 – Sunday, April 3, times vary
See schedule for screening locations
$8/screening
The 28th Annual James River Film Festival features special guests Academy Award winning screenwriter Kevin Willmott ( BlacKKKlansman) and director Ron Mann ( Carmine Street Guitars). Over a dozen film screenings throughout the weekend. Check out the schedule and pricing online.
2. FIRST FRIDAYS EXHIBIT AT THE RICHMOND PUBLIC LIBRARY
Visual Arts
Reception Friday, April 1, 6:30pm
Exhibit through May 5
Main Branch, Richmond Public Library, 101 East Franklin St., Richmond, 23219
The Richmond Public Library’s Main Branch offers four new exhibits for First Fridays RVA: Susan Singer presents paintings, drawings, and collages of eyes along with interviews from a wide diversity of participants in her exhibit Windows to the Soul--the Eyes Project; Richmonder Danny Trent brings abstract work with New Abstractions for 2022; Elizabeth Gorn revived her photographs of India through collage in her exhibit Indian Memories Reimagined; and Sebastian Jackson presents enclosed and freestanding work in various media based on objects and material often overlooked in Rethinking the Ordinary. No registration required.
3. AN EVENING WITH MEREDITH KOPIT LEVIEN, CEO NY TIMES
Literary Art
Thursday, March 31, 7:30pm
Weinstein JCC, 5403 Monument Avenue, Richmond, 23226
In-Person: Members $25 | Nonmembers $36
Livestream: Members $25 | Nonmembers $36
The Weinstein JCC’s Adolf-Adams Forum presents prominent female business executive, Meredith Kopit Levien, President and Chief Executive Officer of the NY Times Company. She will discuss what it takes to lead one of the world’s most prominent news publications and what the plans are for its future. Levien is a Richmond native and University of Virginia alumnae. She has been named one of the "50 most innovative CMOs in the world" by Business Insider, was included in Adweek's 2018 list of "50 Indispensable Media, Marketing and Tech Players" and 2019 "Publishing Hot List", in which she was named Executive of the Year. For almost 3 decades, the Adolf-Adams JCC Forum has hosted some of the most famous celebrities, journalists, sports and political figures, business and religious leaders. Purchase tickets online.
4. LAURA CHOI STUART, SOPRANO & GEORGE FERGUS, PIANO & ORGAN
Music
Friday, April 1, 7:30pm
All Saints Episcopal Church, 8787 River Road, Richmond, 23229
Join acclaimed soprano Laura Choi Stuart for a lovely concert at All Saints Episcopal Church where she will sing a mix of sacred and secular song with organ and piano accompaniment. The second half of the program will feature Louis Vierne’s song cycle Spleens et Detresses. Hailed as “a lyric soprano of ravishing quality” by the Boston Globe, Laura Choi Stuart is Head of Vocal Studies at the Washington National Cathedral and maintains a private teaching studio, as well as sharing resources for adult recreational choral singers over at The Weekly Warm-Up. The concert will be accompanied by George Fergus on piano & organ. George is the Associate Director of Music and Chorister Program Director at Washington National Cathedral. No registration required.
5. BAAAR ARTIST SESSION #3: HISTORIES AND STORIES: A SPECIAL PROVINCE
Visual Art
Saturday, April 2, 3pm
Perkinson Center for the Arts & Education, 11810 Centre Street Chester, 23831
The Black American Artists’ Alliance of Richmond offers this lecture series as a part of their exhibit Histories and Stories: A Special Province. Learn more about the artist, their process, and dive deeper into the Histories and Stories showcased in the exhibit. No registration required.
6. THE MARRIAGE OF FIGARO
Opera
Friday, April 1, 8pm
Sunday, April 3, 2:30pm
Dominion Energy Center, 600 E Grace Street, Richmond, 23219
$25-$130
LOL. That’s what Virginia Opera expects you to do with Mozart’s beloved comedy The Marriage of Figaro. Full of scheming and wooing, flirting and foolishness, Figaro’s joyful and absurd twists pile the truly outrageous on top of the scandalous to provide what we all wish for – the very happiest of endings. Driven by the music of Mozart, Figaro promises a captivating grand opera performance! Purchase tickets online.
7. THE MINOTAUR
Theatre
Saturday, April 2, 3pm, 5:30pm, 7:30pm
Firehouse Theatre, 1609 W. Broad Street, Richmond, 23220
$5
Rumput premieres a collaborative shadow play performance of the Minotaur myth, reimagined by RVA playwright Chandler Hubbard, with an original score composed by Danis Sugiyanto (Java), with artwork and puppets designed by Yuda Putra (Bali). Presented by Firehouse Theatre. Purchase tickets online.
8. SARAH HART IN CONCERT
Music
Friday, April 1, 7pm
St. Luke Lutheran Church, 7757 Chippenham Pkwy, Richmond, 23225
$15
St. Luke’s Lutheran Church brings Best Gospel Song Grammy nominee, Sarah Hart. Her songs appear in in film, television, and hymnals all across the world. Hart continues to hit the road steadily, too, guiding concerts, keynoting and speaking, leading faith-focused women’s, musician’s and parish events, and performing from coast to coast and abroad. In October of 2013, Sarah was invited to perform for Pope Francis and a crowd of 150,000 in St. Peter’s Square. Purchase tickets online.
9. AUTHOR KATE KELLY PRESENTS ORDINARY EQUALITY
Literary Art
Sunday, April 3, 4pm
bbgb books, 3003 West Cary Street, Richmond, 23221
$27.99, includes author talk and copy of book
Join bbgb books for the launch of Kate Kelly’s new poli-sci nonfiction book, Ordinary Equality. For the first half of this event, Kate will be in conversation with Liza Mickens, the great-great-granddaughter of richmond’s own Maggie L. Walker. This event is suitable for young adult+ readers. Spots are limited, we advise arriving early for the best seating. Purchase tickets online.
10. THE COMEDY OF ERRORS
Theatre
Thursday, March 31 – Sunday, May 15
Times vary
Blackfriars Playhouse, 10 S. Market Street, Staunton, 24401
$27-$54
Two pairs of infant twins, separated by shipwreck…what else could go wrong? One of Shakespeare’s earliest comedies overflows with mistaken identities, slapstick and puns, ending with a government pardon, a mended marriage, and a hilarious family reunion. Presented by American Shakespeare Company. Purchase tickets online.
11. THE MUSIC OF TEREZIN
Music
Saturday, April 2, 2:30pm
Grace Baptist Church, 4200 Dover Road, Richmond, 23221
In partnership with the Virginia Holocaust Museum, the Grace Concert Series invite you to their concert performed by soprano Susan Lewis Friedman and pianist Paul Dykstra, honoring the lives of composers and musicians lost to the world due to the Nazi Holocaust. No registration required.
If you are an arts or cultural organization with lectures, exhibitions, performances, or even book readings, submit your events to Artsline here.
If you are an artist or an arts or cultural organization in need of resources and tools, check out the list of local and national resources from Richmond CultureWorks.
The American Shakespeare Center and Virginia Opera are sponsors for VPM.
