Wine Down to benefit the Dominion School for Autism is Wednesday, August 8, 2013 at the Wine Loft. Please consider attending and bring a friend or two or more!

Event times and locations may change after posting. Please visit websites or call to confirm event details.

And remember that you can click on our dynamic calendar ANY TIME to see what’s happening this week or in the future to help you make plans. Our calendar is updated with new events every day and it gives you a chance to see what’s ahead! For your convenience, we’ll continue to post weekly events in a special post for now too – making it easy for you to find what you need. Have an event to share? Email us at rhonda@richmondmom.com.

Be sure and enter our Real Cute Kids Contest – prizes worth over $2,000 for the grand prize winner! Deadline for photos and to enter is August 17, 2013 so call now to make your photo appointment!

Don’t forget to check your Richmondmom.com Savvy Saver card for great savings at many local events and activities for kids and adults. Don’t have a card? No worries – download a copy here!  Visit our Summer Fun 2013 links for a huge listing of things to do all summer long.

Through August

Fit4Moms is offering a Mini Body Back session in August for 4 weeks. They will resume the traditional 8 week sessions in the fall.  You can register online and get more information regarding times and locations at www.richmond.fit4mom.com.

Summer Kids Club every Thursday at 10am in Whole Foods Short Pump Café. Just $3 per child. Kids do a fun craft and have a tasty snack. Craft will be hosted by the Children’s Museum of Richmond. Ages 3-8. Must pre-register. Call 364-4050.

Summer Nights at CMoR , 2626 West Broad Street, Richmond. Visit website for details. Take advantage of CMoR’s extended summer hours with fun activities each weeknight! All Summer Nights activities are free with museum admission. A variety of food options are available at the Seymour Snack Shack including frozen yogurt, popcorn, snow cones and a variety of hot and cold beverages like coffee and [...]  Find out more »

Permanent Exhibits or Events

Boost! is OPEN, Signaling Beginning of Multi-Year Transformation for the Museum - Now Open! Celebrate with us as the Museum shares its biggest new, permanent exhibition in a decade and heralds the start of new, exciting things to come. Boost! challenges your perception of health and wellness in a way that is personalized and playful! Included with exhibit admission- $11 with $1 discounts for ages 4-12 and 60+. Free for members. Read our review here. And now: The Science Museum of Virginia will test your skills against professional athletes. You can train like a pro at the Boost! exhibit before or after enjoying the Redskins training camp.

Lewis Ginter – Families use clever clues and mapping skills to find their way to a hidden treasure in the Garden.  Along the way, children and their adults are encouraged to record the names of plants they encounter.  Once the quest is completed, children return to the admission desk at the Robins Visitor Center to receive a collectable button.  Six editions printed per year;  Free with Garden Admission.

Through August 18

SYMMETREES at The Science Museum of Virginia. Photographer and sculptor John Moser shares his unique view of fallen trees in Central Virginia forests by capturing their photos, then enhancing them so that the images take on a life of their own. Included with exhibit admission. Free for members.

Through August 25 EXTENDED THROUGH SEPTEMBER 1, 2013 by Popular Demand – A “Must See”!

Steel Magnolias Virginia Rep – Hanover Tavern.

Through September 6

Flight of the Butterflies - The Science Museum of Virginia: Read our Real Richmond Review.Migrate with hundreds of millions of Monarch butterflies across North America! Discover the hideaway of these magnificent creatures – a secret that was unlocked after 40 years of research by Dr. Fred Urquhart. Immerse yourself in this compelling adventure as you find a super generation of butterflies who miraculously travel to a new and remote destination. Experience firsthand the beauty of the migration cycle of butterflies spanning not only thousands of miles but generations!

To The Arctic at The Science Museum of Virginia: Through September 6, 2013. Venture across floating ice with a mother polar bear and her two cubs as you take an extraordinary journey into the Arctic.  Discover the constant struggle for survival as they face natural predators and a rapidly changing climate.  Travel with a herd of caribou to their calving ground and plunge into the ethereal underwater world of waltzing walruses!  Gaze across an exquisite spectacle of sapphire white as you see hundreds of miles of snow-bound peaks in this breath-taking film!

Hubble. Journey through distant galaxies and accompany astronauts as they attempt the most difficult and important tasks in NASA’s history. $9 general admission, $5 for members.

Grand Canyon Adventure: River at Risk. Experience an exhilarating raft ride down the Colorado River with a team of explorers including renowned river advocate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and anthropologist Wade Davis. $9 general admission, $5 for members.

Through September 13

Lewis Ginter Water Play during the week (weather permitting). Extended Hours during Flowers after Five Thursday evenings, June – August, 5 – 8:00 p.m.

Through September 29

Robots + Us at The Science Museum – What differentiates humans and robots?  Explore what it means to be human by examining how lifelike machines emulate four major categories of human capabilities: moving, sensing, thinking and being.  Take a closer look into robotics, computer science and biomedical engineering as you encounter interactive components, videos and much more! It’s here now through September 29, 2013!

Through October 13

Butterflies Live! Experience the wonderful world of butterflies! Tropical beauties, fascinating and showy, transform the Conservatory’s North Wing into a wonderland of vibrant colors…captivating sights…and extraordinary discoveries. EXHIBIT HOURS: Daily 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. Butterflies tend to be most active on sunny days and in the morning and early afternoon; they tend to roost more on cloudy days and in late afternoon.

Through December 31, 2013

VHS Long Term Exhibits  – Through December 31, 2013. The VHS offers FREE ADMISSION to the history museum and research library daily!  Long term exhibits – visit Museum website to confirm exhibits are still available: The Story of Virginia, An American Experience  Long-term This 10,000-square-foot, family-friendly exhibition includes several interactive features. It showcases more than 1,000 objects and covers 16,000 years of Virginia history from prehistoric times to [...] Find out more »

Through January 5, 2014!

Landscapes of Salem and Liberty  Through January 5, 2014 at Virginia Historical Museum  – The VHS offers FREE ADMISSION to the history museum and research library daily! In the 1850s, German artist Edward Beyer traveled throughout western Virginia and painted landscapes of many of the small towns in the Blue Ridge Mountains. These paintings are remarkable not only for their beauty but also their attention to [...] Find out more »

Events for Monday, August 5th 2013

Summer Nights at CMoR  Take advantage of CMoR’s extended summer hours with fun activities each weeknight! All Summer Nights activities are free with museum admission. A variety of food options are available at the Seymour Snack Shack including frozen yogurt, popcorn, snow cones and a variety of hot and cold beverages like coffee and [...] Find out more »

Opens Richard Scarry’s Busytown on July 5^th, 2013 at Willow Lawn 

Note: Purchase tickets by June 28, 2013 and save money! Click here.

Virginia Rep’s Children’s Theatre of Virginia opens Richard Scarry’s Busytown on Friday, July 5^th at Willow Lawn, 1601 Willow Lawn Drive.  The show will run through July 28, 2013. Based on the beloved books of Richard Scarry and adapted by Kevin Kling, this zany musical shares a day in the life of Huckle Cat, Lowly Worm, Betsy Bear, and other favorite characters.   The catchy score with music by Michael Koerner and lyrics by Kevin Kling and Michael Koerner, will dazzle patrons of all ages.

Under the direction of Jan Guarino, the show features costumes and hand made puppets by local artisan and designer, Lynn West.   The whimsical set, designed by Chase Kniffen, Associate Artistic Director at Virginia Rep, includes favorite Busytown spots and a giant pickle car. The cast includes Jan Guarino, last seen as Mrs. Primm in Virginia Rep’s production of Lyle, Lyle Crocodile, as the lovable Betsy Bear, Dan Cimo as Huckle Cat, Allison Gillman as Train the Dog.

Rounding out the cast are three of Virginia Rep’s seasoned touring actors, PJ Freebourn, Mike Brown, and Jessi Johnson. Each cast member will play multiple important roles.

• The show will be performed in two acts and will last about one hour and ten minutes.
• Busytown will be enjoyed most by children three years and older with plenty of humor to entertain older kids and adults.

Virginia Rep is thrilled to offer Busytown Donuts from Dixie Donuts as special treats before and after the show.

Ticket Information

Box Office 804-282-2620

www.va-rep.org

Full Price Tickets:  $14 – $16

Discounted Group Rates available.

Performances take place at 10:30 a.m. on select Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays

Friday evenings at 7:00 p.m.

Saturdays at 10:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m.

Sundays at 2:00 p.m.

Virginia Rep is an advertiser on Richmondmom.com

Source: http://va-rep.org

“Next to Normal is one of the bravest musicals to hit the mainstream—a jolt of raw, contemporary pain, propelled by a rock ‘n’ roll pulse. It makes your heart swell.” The New York Times

Mental illness is something that we don’t like to think about. Unfortunately most of us know someone who suffers from it now, or has in the past.

There is an incredible and powerful show currently showing at Virginia Repertory Theater and it tackles many of the challenges encountered with mental illness. According to their website:

Next to Normal is the acclaimed, groundbreaking musical “that pushe[d] Broadway in new directions” (Rolling Stone). With a thrilling contemporary score, Next to Normal is an emotional powerhouse of a musical about a family trying to take care of themselves and each other. Its story concerns a mother who struggles with worsening bipolar disorder and the effect that her illness has on her family. The musical also addresses such issues as grieving a loss, suicide, drug abuse, ethics in modern psychiatry, and suburban life.

Winner of the 2010 Pulitzer Prize for Drama. Next to Normal also won the 2009 Tony Award for Best Original Score. 2009 Tony Award nominations include Best Musical and Best Book of a Musical. It is showing through May 18, 2013 at Virginia Rep. (Click here for ticket information).

Bipolar disorder is a serious and often misunderstood condition. It has far-reaching implications for family members and friends. And when someone is lost to this dreaded disease, the grief process can be unbearable.

This show is only appropriate for ages 16+ because of the powerful subject matter and story. It is a show worth seeing – and it may open your eyes to the challenges faced by those with bipolar disorder – and the ones who love them. Learn more in the video below.

Virginia Rep is an advertiser on Richmondmom.com

According to the Virginia Rep website, “Winner of 6 Tony awards including Best Play, the show is about 20th century artist Mark Rothko and his struggles with a commission for the Four Seasons Restaurant in New York in the 1905′s.  This production is one of the hottest plays around the country right now so we were very excited to get the rights.  We are turning Theatre Gym into Rothko’s studio and have made lots of connections in the visual arts community including VMFA (which owns a Rothko), Visual Arts Center, various visual artists who are advising the actors on the mechanics of painting, galleries, etc..”

The show will run through  June 16, 2013 at Theatre Gym at Virginia Rep Center, 114 West Broad Street.

Winner of six Tony Awards, including Best Play, Red is a moving and compelling account of 20th century painter Mark Rothko and a young, fictional assistant named Ken. The play is set in the late 1950s as Rothko struggles to complete a major commission from New York City’s Four Seasons Restaurant. The two men go head to head on the methods and purpose of art and the dynamic relationship between an artist, his work and his audience.

• The show opens April 26 and runs through June 16.
• Strong language.
• Recommended for ages 16 and older.
• Minimal cigarette smoke during the performance.

Click here for more information and to purchase tickets.

Virginia Rep is an advertiser on Richmondmom.com

Announce the Dedication of the Children’s Theatre of Virginia

Ribbon Cutting to take place Wednesday, April 10 at 11 am 

Richmond, VA, March 13, 2013 – Federal Realty Investment Trust and Virginia Repertory Theatre announce today the official dedication of the Children’s Theatre of Virginia and the ribbon cutting for the newly installed permanent sign on Wednesday, April 10 at 11:00 am.  The Children’s Theatre of Virginia is located at The Shops at Willow Lawn, 1601 Willow Lawn Drive in the space formerly occupied by Barksdale Theatre.  The celebration will take place in conjunction with Willow Lawn’s popular free community event, Mommy and Me, a program that attracts 500 parents and young tots monthly.  Family entertainer, Hope Harris will perform and kid friendly activities will be available from 10:00 am to 11:30 am.  The dedication will take place at 11:00 am and is open to the public.

After the merger of Theatre IV and Barksdale Theatre in July of 2012, the children’s programming moved to Willow Lawn under the new name, Children’s Theatre of Virginia.  The thrust stage provides an intimate experience for younger audiences, and the newly renovated Shops at Willow Lawn provides family friendly shopping and dining along with convenient parking.  Federal Realty and the Shops at Willow Lawn are premier sponsors of the Children’s Theatre of Virginia which stages at least six shows per season serving thousands of families and students through public performances and school matinees.

Phil Whiteway, Managing Director of Virginia Rep, is thrilled with the new arrangement.  “We couldn’t be more pleased to bring our children’s programs to this great venue.  Recent shows such as Madeline’s Christmas and Lyle, Lyle, Crocodile have had nearly sold out runs for both school and weekend performances.  We are grateful to Federal Realty for their efforts to make this transition a success.”

In addition to the mainstage productions, the Willow Lawn facility houses Virginia Rep’s education department which provides outreach to teachers and libraries and programs for students such as summer camps and workshops.  In addition, Virginia Rep participates in FIELD Arts project in collaboration with Richmond CenterStage and the Latin Ballet of Virginia.  The program reinforces essential concepts in language arts literacy through the study of and participation in the arts.  Virginia Rep continues its touring arm with in-school assembly style education plays under the name Theatre IV.

Virginia Repertory Theatre is an advertiser on Richmondmom.com

About Willow Lawn:

The Shops at Willow Lawn is an outdoor lifestyle shopping center located at 1601 Willow Lawn Drive in Richmond, Virginia and is owned and operated by Federal Realty Investment Trust. A major renovation was completed at Willow Lawn in 2012 and now offers a full range of amenities including a community gathering place with a central stage and children’s play area, new retail storefronts, inviting sidewalks with improved property circulation, centralized parking and enhanced landscaping. Willow Lawn features more than 60 shops and restaurants including Old Navy, Which Wich, Claire’s, Tropical Smoothie Café, Crazy 8, Lenscrafters, Staples, Bath and Body Works, Ashley Stewart, Starbucks and American Tap Room (coming spring 2013). For more information visit www.willowlawn.com or follow event updates on Facebook and Twitter.

About Federal Realty:

Federal Realty Investment Trust is an equity real estate investment trust specializing in the ownership, management, development, and redevelopment of high quality retail assets. Federal Realty’s portfolio (excluding joint venture properties) contains approximately 19.6 million square feet located primarily in strategically selected metropolitan markets in the Northeast, Mid-Atlantic, and California. In addition, the Trust has an ownership interest in approximately 1.0 million square feet of retail space through a joint venture in which the Trust has a 30% interest. Our operating portfolio (excluding joint venture properties) was 95.3% leased to national, regional, and local retailers as of December 31, 2012, with no single tenant accounting for more than approximately 3.2% of annualized base rent. Federal Realty has paid quarterly dividends to its shareholders continuously since its founding in 1962, and has increased its dividend rate for 45 consecutive years, the longest record in the REIT industry. Federal Realty is an S&P MidCap 400 company and its shares are traded on the NYSE under the symbol FRT.

About Virginia Repertory Theatre

Virginia Repertory Theatre, located in Richmond, VA, combines the talents and strengths of two nonprofit companies that shared facilities, resources, and management teams for over a decade. Now the heritages of Barksdale Theatre (founded in 1953) and Theatre IV (founded in 1975) live on in their new form, as Central Virginia’s leading professional theatre company.  Virginia Rep presents national caliber productions of the great dramas, comedies, and musicals including classics, contemporary works, and world premieres, always seeking to demonstrate the unique power of theatre to engage, enthrall, educate, and inspire.  The touring arm presents educational, assembly style plays in schools throughout Virginia and 32 other states.  Mainstage productions in Richmond take place at four distinct venues:  the Sara Belle and Neil November Theatre and Theatre Gym at the downtown Virginia Rep Center, Virginia Rep’s Children’s Theatre of Virginia located at Willow Lawn, and Virginia Rep’s Barksdale Season at Hanover Tavern.

Virginia Repertory Theatre announces the opening of Cotton Patch Gospel on Friday, January 25, 2013 at Hanover Tavern, 13181 Hanover Courthouse Road.  The show is part of the Acts of Faith Theatre Festival and will run through April 28.  Adapted from the books by Clarence Jordan, the musical by Tom Key and Russell Treyz retells the Gospels of Matthew and John set in the mid-20th-century American South.  Harry Chapin wrote the music and lyrics just before he died in 1981.

Under the direction of Chase Kniffen, the intimate show features a cast of six musicians and actors.  Chase is the Associate Artistic Director for Virginia Rep and won the 2010, 2011, and 2012 RTCC Award for Best Director of a Musical for his work on The Sound of Music, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, and Spring Awakening.  Most recently he directed Madeline’s Christmas. 

Virginia Rep is delighted to welcome back Music Director and actor, Drew Perkins.  Drew most recently served as Music Director of Always, Patsy Cline and the Smoke on the Mountain Trilogy.   He toured nationally with Hank Williams – Lost Highway. 

Christopher Stewart plays the lead role as Matthew.  His Virginia Rep credits include The Producers, A Year with Frog and Toad, Annie, A Christmas Carol, Wizard of Oz, and Dirty Rotten Scoundrels.  Lucas Hall, Brian Sulsar, Eric Williams, and Corey Wells round out the cast and bluegrass band.  Full bios can be found on our website.

Background of Cotton Patch Gospel and Habitat for Humanity

Cotton Patch Gospel is based on the writings of Clarence Jordan, a farmer and New Testament Greek scholar. In 1942, he founded Koinonia Farm, an influential religious community in southwest Georgia that continues to thrive today. Jordan was very involved the civil rights movement and social justice.  In an effort to translate both the words and context of the scripture, he wrote several popular “Cotton Patch” adaptations of the New Testament, resetting the lives and preaching of Jesus and the Apostle Paul in contemporary rural Georgia.

In 1965, Millard Fuller, a lawyer and self-made millionaire, visited Koinonia with his family. Inspired by Jordan, the Fullers chose to make Koinonia their permanent home.  Together the Koinonia residents started “Partnership Housing,” a nonprofit designed to build and sell affordable homes at cost with a no-interest mortgage for low-income families.  The Fullers’ five years living at Koinonia followed by three years of building “partnership housing” in the Democratic Republic of Congo led, in 1976, to the creation of Habitat for Humanity.

Virginia Rep is partnering with Habitat for Humanity to celebrate the writings of Clarence Jordan and his role in the founding of the organization.  On January 31, the cast will be play a few numbers from the show to kick off the dedication of a new Habitat home for the Toomey family in Ashland.  Tim Bowring, Executive Director of Hanover Habitat, will participate in the Acts of Faith talk back on Sunday, February 10 following the 2:00 p.m. matinee performance.

Ticket Information

Box Office 804-282-2620

www.va-rep.org

Full Price Tickets:  $40 Standard, $42 Premium

Supersaver and Discount Performances $35 to $38

Discounted Group Rates and Rush tickets available.

U-Tix for college and high school students $15.  Available by phone or in person.  Student ID required. 

Virginia Rep is an advertiser on Richmondmom.com

There is an exciting collaboration between faith and theatre in Richmond that will provide opportunities for all of us to enjoy various plays at local participating theaters. On January 18 at 7pm, you can learn more about this collaboration.

It’s free and open to the public and you will get a preview of what’s in store for the upcoming season of America’s largest faith-inspired theatre event.

Scenes from the 2013 Acts of Faith Theatre Festival by participating companies and faith communities will be presented on Friday, January 18, at Virginia Rep’s Sarah Belle & Neil November Theatre, 114 W. Broad Street in downtown Richmond, Virginia. Doors open at 6:30 p.m.

Take advantage of this opportunity to learn from participating theaters about selected plays and enjoy brief scenes to give you a taste of the upcoming festival that runs January 18 – April 28, 2013. This will be an inspiring festival that you don’t want to miss!

Visit Faith in Richmond for more details. You can also see the complete schedule here.

The Producers and Closer Than Ever are still going strong at Virginia Rep. Songs, laughter, and fun are waiting. Don’t miss the opportunity to see these Broadway shows right here in Richmond! And be sure to check out the revival of The Magic Flute – a fantastic show coming on January, 18.