Plays to explore relationships
Cynthia McMullen/Richmond Times-Dispatch Staff Writier
June 19, 2005

If you were given to bad puns or clichés, you might say the Firehouse Theatre Project is on fire.

But if you were Carol Piersol, FTP's ar- tistic director, you would just say, "We had a great year."

Which, in fact, Firehouse did: Subscriptions were up, the season was well-attended and a number of special projects -- such as a monthly Just Poetry Slam, visiting dance companies and this weekend's cabaret with Sara Prince and Natan Berenshteyn -- kept the place hopping.

"We're getting a lot of programming in," Piersol says. "The space is being used all the time." It's sort of a fairy-tale ending for the nearly 90-year-old building: from the Richmond Fire Department's Station House No. 10 to host for all things theatrical.

FTP's upcoming subscription season offers a series of Richmond premieres whose authors have garnered an impressive number of prizes and awards, including Pulitzers and Tonys. All four plays explore the nature of relationships.

Piersol says FTP once again plans to partner with the Richmond Go Read program by dramatizing part of the new Go Read book, "Charming Billy" by Alice McDermott.

Firehouse's previous Go Read productions include a staged reading and then a fully staged play (along with Essential Theatre) of "Blessed Assurance" from Allan Gurganus' book "White People," as well as a staged reading of Ernest J. Gaines' "A Lesson Before Dying."

Other projects for the new season include Karen Brody's play "Birth" in January; Project Res, an ongoing filmmakers' program presented by Yellow House; and Lulupalooza, a July film festival based on silent film star Louise Brooks.

All of Firehouse Theatre Project's 2005-06 shows will take place at Firehouse Theatre, 1609 W. Broad St.

Sept. 8 to Oct. 1: "Where's My Money?" John Patrick Shanley applies his wit to the institution of marriage in this twisted-plot comedy. Shanley's play "Doubt" won the 2005 Pulitzer Prize for drama as well as four 2005 Tony awards, including best play.

Oct. 27 to Nov. 19: "The Goat, or Who Is Sylvia?" Edward Albee, winner of three Pulitzer Prizes for drama, received a 2005 Tony for lifetime achievement in the theater. "The Goat," a parable for love and all its peculiarities, also won a 2002 Tony for best play. Maury Piersol will direct.

March 2-25: "Compromise." A co-production of Firehouse Theatre Project and Carpenter Science Theatre Company, Israel Horovitz's comic drama looks at love, integrity, promises and compromise in the relationship between a research chemist and his cleaning lady. d.l. Hopkins will star.

April 27 to May 20: "Dinner With Friends." The story of an apparently happy couple who re-examine their relationship when their best friends decide to divorce won Donald Margulies the 2000 Pulitzer Prize for drama. Bill Patton will direct.

Tickets for all shows may be reserved by calling the Firehouse box office at (804) 355-2001.

The four-show subscription series costs $65. Individual tickets purchased during the season cost $20.

For details about Firehouse, visit firehousetheatre.org.

Contact Cynthia McMullen at (804) 649-6361 or cmcmullen@timesdispatch.com.