Coning In April!!

If you remeber Cicely, Alaska in the hit TV show “Northern Exposure”, this April you’re going to want to leave the spring behind and go north to the little town of Almost, Maine on a cold January night. As the northern lights dance across the sky, nine couples experience the sudden thunderclap of love and the scorched earth that sometimes follows in this mega-hit romantic comedy!

“Almost, Maine  packs wit, earns its laughs and, like love, surprises you”   

—New York Daily News

 

“There is no pretense here—the show offers a sweetness that’s become rare in the theater. . A welcome breath of fresh air.”

 —New York Post

If you saw 3 Penny’s production of “Later Life” you won’t want to miss “Almost Maine”.

 

GOING TO THE THEATER DURING COVID

 “Almost, Maine” will be presented in cabaret seating with socially distanced   tables.  Currently, masks are not required.  This could change if CDC guidelines are changed.

 

“ALMOST, MAINE” PERFORMANCE SCHEDULE:

Friday April 29 @ 7p.m.   

Saturday April 30 @ 2 & 7p.m.  

All performances are at the Gayton Kirk — 11421 Gayton Road — in Richmond’s Far West End.

 

3 Penny Theatre’s Ticket Policy

3 Penny Theatre believes the arts are for everyone and Practices Radical Hospitality – All tickets are Pay What You Can – $1, $5, $10, $20 or more – Each audience member decides their own ticket price.

 

To Reserve Tickets Click Here: Reserving Tickets Information

 

 

COMING IN MAY, 2022!

   “COURT DAYS”

Before the Civil War Prince Henry county Virginia is a quiet place, but after a plantation owner is killed an enslaved man is charged with murder.  But what happens next doesn’t follow what you’d expect in the antebellum Old Dominion.  Don’t miss this play based on an actual Virginia trial featured in the groundbreaking history Israel On The Appomattox by William and Mary professor Melvin Ely.

 

COMING IN JUNE, 2022!

   “LIFE ON THE MISSISSIPPI”

Come travel up the Mississippi with Mark Twain as your tour guide.  Enjoy the humor and insights of America’s best known storyteller as he tells how the river and his life was changed by the Civil War.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Molly Sweeney Preview updated with audience reviews!

 

COMING NEXT

TO 3 PENNY THEATRE!

                            MARCH 2019

MOLLY SWEENEY is part of

RVA’s Acts of Faith Theatre Festival

SEE A VIDEO PREVIEW OF

“MOLLY SWEENEY”

Click Below!

MOLLY SWEENEY – An Acts of Faith Fringe Event

In “MOLLY SWEENEY” Brian Friel, Ireland’s master storyteller (Dancing at Lughnasa, Translations, Philadelphia, Here I Come) has devised a riveting contemporary drama about our faith in medicine and the terrible consequences of a medical miracle.

Molly Sweeney of Ballybeg, Ireland has been blind since infancy, but that’s never kept her from living a full and happy life.  She’s known the world and nurtured her imagination through touch, sound, taste, and smell.  Molly is content in her world of darkness, but her husband, Frank, dreams his wife will see again. And when he finds a once famous star surgeon who agrees to attempt to restore his wife’s sight, Molly’s vision of her life is forever changed.  When the bandages come off can Molly “learn to see”? This fascinating journey plunges deeply into the secrets and hearts of three extraordinary characters who lower the veil and allow us into their very private lives.

“MOLLY SWEENEY” is based on Oliver Sacks’ medical case history “To See And Not See”.

WHAT CRITICS HAVE SAID ABOUT THE PLAY “MOLLY SWEENEY”

“Molly Sweeney looks at what it really means to have sight”

CHICAGO TRIBUNE

“Molly Sweeney is one of Mr. Friel’s most remarkable plays”

WALL STREET JOURNAL

“A deeply moving meditation on hope, change and despair, it’s a compelling piece of theater, one in which the ending applause is only the beginning of the play’s effects. . . . “Molly Sweeney” is an astonishing work, one that acutely examines its characters and asks us to make similar observations of ourselves. Not least important, it’s a highly entertaining play, often delivering laughs while posing its questions. Those laughs soon fade away, as laughs will. Those questions, however, stay with you.”

NEW YORK TIMES

FAITH CONNECTION: “Molly Sweeney” examines our faith that modern medicine will solve problems and not create new problems.

ACTS of FAITH THEATRE FESTIVAL

For the fifteenth straight year, Acts of Faith kicks off another remarkable season for faith in theatre.  Sustained by the support of a variety of faith communities and nearly every professional theatres in the greater Richmond area, this festival continues to be the largest faith-based theatre festival in the United States.

Rev. Alex Evans, pastor at Second Presbyterian Church, the convening sponsor of the Acts of Faith, says, “All of us connected to the Acts of Faith Festival are continuously enthused by the growing energy and sense of community that emerges from this intersection of faith and culture. People come together, engaged by top-quality dramatic productions, with thoughtful discussion that encourages reflection on important topics for faith and life. This, I believe, is metro Richmond at its very best – building civility, grace, conversation, and community. We are so delighted to be part of this continuing effort.”

Christian, Jewish, and Muslim faith communities come together to sponsor The Acts of Faith Festival; while theatres that participate offer shows that reflect an even wider diversity of belief and tradition.  The ecumenical basis of the Acts of Faith Festival and the variety of stimulating and sometimes challenging shows, keeps the Acts of Faith going strong.

Find Out More At:  The Acts Of Faith Website

MEET THE CREATORS OF

Molly Sweeney

Brian Friel — Author

From Wikipedia: 

Brian Patrick Friel (January 1929– 2 October 2015), born in Omagh, Northern Ireland, was a dramatist, short story writer and founder of the Field Day Theatre Company. He had been considered one of the greatest living English-language dramatists. He has been likened to an “Irish Chekhov“ and described as “the universally accented voice of Ireland”. His plays have been compared favourably to those of contemporaries such as Samuel Beckett, Arthur Miller, Harold Pinter and Tennessee Williams.

Recognised for early works such as Philadelphia, Here I Come! and Faith Healer, Friel had 24 plays published in a career of more than a half-century. He was elected to the honorary position of Saoi of Aosdána. His plays were commonly produced on Broadway in New York City throughout this time, as well as in Ireland and the UK. In 1980 Friel co-founded Field Day Theatre Company and his play Translations was the company’s first production. With Field Day, Friel collaborated with Seamus Heaney, 1995 recipient of the Nobel Prize in Literature.  Heaney and Friel first became friends after Friel sent the young poet a letter following publication of his book Death of a Naturalist.

Friel was a member of the American Academy of Arts and Letters, the British Royal Society of Literature and the Irish Academy of Letters.  He was appointed to Seanad Éireann in 1987 and served until 1989. In later years, Dancing at Lughnasa reinvigorated Friel’s oeuvre, bringing him Tony Awards (including Best Play), the Laurence Olivier Award for Best New Play and the New York Drama Critics Circle Award for Best Play. It was also adapted into a film, starring Meryl Streep, directed by Pat O’Connor, script by Frank McGuinness.

Mark Atkinson – FRANK SWEENEY

In 1985, Mark played one of the stylized Koken in Harold Prince’s production of Madama Butterfly at Chicago’s Lyric Opera. One evening, as he was coming to work, the stage manager approached him and said “Mr. Prince and I were talking about you today”. Mark’s little ears perked up as he waited to hear words of encouragement or advice from one of the greatest showmen of the twentieth century. The stage manager smiled and said “He said you seem like a nice guy”. Well, it was not what he expected, but he thought it was better than not being noticed, so Mark added the endorsement to the top of his theatrical resume, where it remains to this day. Over the years, Mark has worked with the Body Politic Theatre, The Chicago Theatre of the Deaf, The Dream Theatre, Bible Story Theatre, AnimArt Puppet Theatre, and The Acting Group in Holland Michigan. He is appearing in two 2019 Acts of Faith productions – Becky”s New Car at Chamberlayne Actors Theater (CAT) and Molly Sweeney at 3 Penny Theatre.

Ray Carver — Director and MR. RICE
Working in the Midwest, Ray founded two small theaters and had his acting classes featured on public television.  In Minnesota’s Twin Cities he worked as a director and designer for several of the many theaters in Minneapolis and St. Paul metropolitan area.  He is also a playwright, whose published plays are used in schools across the country.  Three of his plays, based on works by Mark Twain, are part of the collection of the Mark Twain Boyhood Home Museum in Hannibal, Missouri.

Ann Davis- MOLLY SWEENEY

Ann Graham Davis is thrilled to be a part of the 3 Penny Theatre company, where she has performed in Horrors, Hunchback of Notre Dame, Later Life, and Witch!. Ann will be directing two 2019 Acts of Faith productions — Becky’s New Car at CAT Theatre and A Red Plaid Shirt for River City Community Players — and appearing in a third Acts of Faith show – Molly Sweeney.   Recently she’s been on the stage at CAT Theatre in Ripcord and The Diviners. She has also directed there with When There’s a Will and the Red Eye 10s International Play Festival for three years. Ann is the Artistic Director of River City Community Players (formerly Huguenot Community Players) where she has directed A Little Piece of Heaven; Sylvia; The Gift Exchange; The Dining Room; Christmas with the Goblins; Driving Miss Daisy; and Steel Magnolias; and acted in Mrs. Parliament’s Night Out; On Golden Pond; Our Town; Kiss the Moon, Kiss the Sun; Harvey; and Rednecks, White Gloves and Blue Suede Shoe. She has also acted with On-the-Air Radio Players and Whistle Stop Theatre. Many, many years ago Ann worked at Wolf Trap Farm Park for the Performing Arts, Florida Studio Theatre, the Old Globe Theatre in San Diego, and Ohio Valley Summer Theatre.

Ryan Schuyler — LIGHTING and SOUND
Ryan is an educator who remembers how important the arts were for him in school as a way to express himself.  He is out to ignite that spark in his own students by leading with his own example of getting involved in helping to create theatre in Richmond.

 

GETTING TICKETS TO

Molly Sweeney

 

 

   

             

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

“WITCH!”

October 26 & 27 2018 

HALLOWEEN WEEKEND!

“Witch!”, a new play by Ray Carver, is a Halloween tale of olde New England set in Essex Village, Massachusetts in 1692.  It tells the story of Bess, a young woman who lost her family in an Indian massacre and is taken in by the good people of Essex.  Soon, though, signs of satanic magic start appearing and Essex is plunged into a search for witches.  “Witch!” weaves together Nathaniel Hawthorn’s stories and the latest scholarship on the Salem Witch Trials to create an exciting spine-chilling October evening of theatre.  

CLICK ON THE LINK TO SEE A PREVIEW OF “WITCH!”

 

MEET THE CREATORS OF “WITCH!”

Ray Carver — PLAYWRIGHT & DIRECTOR

Working in the Midwest, Ray founded two small theaters and had his acting classes featured on public television.  In Minnesota’s Twin Cities he worked as a director and designer for several of the many theaters in Minneapolis and St. Paul metropolitan area.  He is also a playwright, whose published plays are used in schools across the country.  Three of his plays, based on works by Mark Twain, are part of the collection of the Mark Twain Boyhood Home Museum in Hannibal, Missouri.

Ann Davis — ACTOR and DRAMATURG

Ann has worked at Wolf Trap Farm Park for the Performing Arts, Florida Studio Theatre, the Old Globe Theatre in San Diego, and Ohio Valley Summer Theatre. Currently, she is the Artistic Director of River City Community Players and on the board of RVA’s CAT Theatre.  Her upcoming projects are directing “Becky’s New Car” for CAT Theatre, “A Red Plaid Shirt” for River City Community Players, and appearing in “Molly Sweeney” at 3 Penny Theatre.

 Annie Zannetti — ACTOR and DRAMATURG

Annie Zannetti has appeared on stages all over RVA including Firehouse Theater, Hattheatre, Richmond Triangle Players, and toured nationally with Theatre IV.  Broadway World.com said of her performance in RTP’s production of Noel Coward’s “Design For Living”, “Annie Zannetti who steals the spotlight at times with her hilarious and diametrically opposed characters of a cockney maid and a New York socialite.”

Annie has very much enjoyed the collaborative experience of creating “Witch!” with Ann and Ray. She was recently seen in Bifocals’ production of The Poetry Recital and Fancy Hat Society, which she also directed. Other recent credits include the Ashland Summer Theatre Festival with The Whistle Stop Theatre and Bifocals’ Grandpappy’s Farm.

MORE ABOUT “WITCH”

“Witch!” is based on stories by Nathaniel Hawthorne and the actual history of the New England Witch Trials.  Find out more about at the following websites:

100 Best Horror Novels and Stories (Hawthorne is on the list) from NPR.org

https://www.npr.org/2018/08/16/632779706/click-if-you-dare-100-favorite-horror-stories

Salem Witch Trials Documentary Archive and Transcription Project  from the University of Virginia

http://salem.lib.virginia.edu/home.html

The Salem Witchcraft Hysteria of 1692 and “Young Goodman Brown” from Hawthorne in Salem

http://www.hawthorneinsalem.org/Literature/Quakers&Witches/YoungGoodmanBrown/Introduction.html

GETTING TICKETS TO “WITCH!”