With three shows in production concurrently, TJ Drama has never been busier. The annual Virginia Theatre Association one-act, the night of one-acts — "A Knight of One Axe," and the winter musical, "Bells Are Ringing," are all holding auditions (and some rehearsals) during these next few weeks guaranteeing area audiences plenty of high quality highome.
The Sixteenth Annual "Knight of One Axe," opening on Nov. 21, is sure to be a hit with audiences of all ages. Four shorter shows are presented together, so an extensive attention span isn't necessary. For starters, "Dear Mandy" is the story of a cute but socially inept advice columnist name Molly, and the mess she gets into when she misinterprets a letter that she thinks comes from an ex-boyfriend. Following that is "Variations on the Death of Trotsky," a hysterical piece by David Ives chronicling, well, the death of legendary Russian Leon Trotsky. As one of the students quipped, "It's simple — Trotsky dies. Eight Times." Next up is "Curtains," a Who-Done-It parody filled with witty one-liners and madcap escapades — only this time the murder victim isn't a person, it's the theater. Finally, rounding out the evening is a more somber tale, "The Bay at Nice." "Nice" tells the story of an aging Russian artist who gave up her dream for her now-grown daughter, and the trials that ensue when the two women are reunite for a viewing of a possible Matisse painting. Together, the four one-acts should make for quite an engaging evening.
In February, TJ Drama again takes the stage, this time with the adorable musical comedy "Bells Are Ringing."