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Notes: Little Theatre of Alexandria opens 90th season with ‘Freaky Friday’

Good Wednesday morning, Alexandria!

☀️ Today’s weather: The weather forecast predicts a mostly sunny day with a high of around 91 degrees. Expect a calm wind in the morning, turning to a south wind at 6 mph in the afternoon. Wednesday night will be mostly clear with a low of about 75 degrees and a south wind ranging from 6 to 9 mph.

🚨 You need to know

The Little Theatre of Alexandria (600 Wolfe Street) opened its 90th season this week with “Freaky Friday,” the musical.

The play is based on the 1972 novel by Bridget Carpenter about an overworked mother who magically switches bodies with her teenage daughter.

A number of Alexandria residents are appearing in the show, including James Campione (playing Fletcher), Paul Caffrey (Mike), Naja Bates (Savannah) and Peter Fannon (playing several roles). The show was directed by Joanna Henry and produced by Luana Bossolo and Sherii Ratick Stroud.

It is optional for audience members to wear face masks.

The show runs until Aug. 12. Their upcoming program is the comedy “Two on the Aisle, Three in a Van,” which runs from Sept. 9 to Sept. 30.

📈 Tuesday’s most read

The following are the most-read ALXnow articles for Jul 25, 2023.

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  2. ACPS ignores Gov. Youngkin’s recommended policies on treatment of transgender students (2634 views)
  3. Severe Thunderstorm Watch and Flood Watch in effect until tonight in Alexandria (1029 views)
  4. Alexandria police seeking SUV allegedly linked to Monday’s fatal shooting (547 views)

📅 Upcoming events

Here is what’s going on today in Alexandria, from our event calendar.

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What’s Up in Alexandria This Weekend: July 21 – 23

Freaky Friday at the Little Theatre of Alexandria (image via Little Theatre of Alexandria/Facebook)

From the City of Alexandria’s Annual Family Movie Night to the opening weekend of Freaky Friday at The Little Theatre of Alexandria, here’s a look at everything fun you can do in Alexandria this weekend.

Organizing an event? Submit events to ALXnow.

Friday, July 21

On ALXnow 

Things To Do

Live Music & Entertainment

Saturday, July 22

Things To Do

Live Music & Entertainment

Sunday, July 23

Things To Do

Live Music & Entertainment

Image via The Little Theatre of Alexandria/Facebook

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The Little Theatre of Alexandria is performing a different take of ‘A Christmas Carol’

What if all those ghosts were really a ploy by Tiny Tim to get Ebenezer Scrooge to let his dad off work on Christmas day?

That’s the plot of “Tiny Tim’s Christmas Carol” by Ken and Jack Ludwig. The Little Theatre of Alexandria (600 Wolfe Street) will perform the play from Dec. 3 to Dec. 17 instead of the traditional “A Christmas Carol” by Charles Dickens.

“We’ve been doing ‘A Christmas Carol’ every year for decades,” LTA Board of Governors Chair Russell Wyland told ALXnow. “We’ve been asking how often we can go to the well, and we wondered if people wanted a different take. We didn’t stray too far from the story, but did something a little different.”

There are no distancing requirements, although audience members still have to wear face masks throughout performances. The show is an hour long without intermission.

Tickets cost $23 for all seats and ages.

Via Facebook

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The Little Theatre of Alexandria returns to full capacity

On September 11, 2020, The Little Theatre of Alexandria held its first show since the pandemic started in March, 2020. (Staff photo by James Cullum)

The Little Theatre of Alexandria is back to full strength. After two-and-a-half years of Covid restrictions, the theatre returned to full capacity on June 27.

The venue will still require proof of full Covid vaccinations for theatergoers, who must still wear masks indoors during performances.

“We will no longer be holding out every 3rd seat for social distancing,” LTA announced on its website. “However, we will still be requiring proof of full COVID vaccination AND wearing a mask indoors, including during the performance. This policy applies to all persons, regardless of age.”

The pandemic forced the theater to close for six months — from March to September of 2020, followed by nearly two years of restricted seating.

As for performances, from July 23 (next Saturday) to August 13, LTA will next present “Something Rotten,” an award-winning musical farce set in Renaissance-era England.

In the musical, brothers Nigel and Nick Bottom have to exist in the same universe as The Bard, and wear their hearts on ruffled sleeves — with a colorful cast of supporting characters.

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Morning Notes

Golf could return to former Topgolf Alexandria property — “The shuttered Topgolf Alexandria and neighboring former Ruby Tuesday restaurant on South Van Dorn Street may be resurrected as a golf-centric venue by the underlying landowner, whose efforts to rezone the properties for residential use have been slow to advance.” [Washington Buisness Journal]

Alexandria Film Festival 2021 extended into December — “The festival, held in a virtual format, is giving viewers more time to view films through Dec. 10.” [Patch]

Little Theater’s Christmas Carol completely sold out — “Congratulations to the Cast & Crew of LTA’s A Christmas Carol – your spirited production is completely SOLD OUT!” [Facebook]

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ALXnow’s top stories this week in Alexandria

Police outside the McDonalds where a shooting occurred, staff photo by James Cullum

What a busy week in Alexandria.

Our top story this week was on a juvenile who was shot outside the McDonald’s at the Bradlee Shopping Center on Tuesday, Sept. 21. There have also been a number of concerning incidents at Alexandria City Public Schools, including a juvenile who was arrested for trespassing and assault and battery at Alexandria City High School.

Meanwhile, while the COVID-19 transmission rate remains high, public events are still happening in Alexandria.

Important stories

Top stories

  1. Police: Juvenile shot at shopping center near Alexandria City High School
  2. Police dispatched three times for fighting at Alexandria City Public Schools in less than a month
  3. Police: Six hospitalized after overdoses on Alexandria-Fairfax border
  4. Poll: What do you think of Metro’s proposed Blue Line crossing to National Harbor?
  5. BREAKING: Flooding reported in Alexandria
  6. Interview: Port City Publius opens up about Alexandria
  7. BREAKING: Video shows brawl at Alexandria City High School cafeteria just two days after school starts
  8. Juvenile arrested for trespassing and assault and battery at Alexandria City High School
  9. Multiple violent charges dropped against Fairfax County man held without bond for assaulting police during arrest
  10. Preserving Arlandria’s affordability against gentrification could cost upward of $100 million
  11. JUST IN: One person injured after shots fired in West End Tuesday afternoon

Have a safe weekend! 

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‘Fences’ is a triumph at The Little Theatre of Alexandria

August Wilson’s ‘Fences‘ might just be one of the best productions that The Little Theatre of Alexandria has put on in years.

The 1985 Pulitzer Prize-winning play is a close look at the lives of a Black family in Pittsburgh during the 1950s and 1960s. Chances for success have passed by Troy Maxson (Albert Bolden), a former star baseball player beyond his prime and beaten down by society and circumstance. Maxson’s son, Cory (Jared Diallo), is a football star, but his father’s bitterness over his own missed chances cloud Cory’s bright future.

With only memories of greatness keeping him going, the audience sits transfixed as they watch Troy slowly ruin his life while his wife Rose (Brenda Parker) takes the reins of responsibility.

Parker and Bolden deserve awards for their performances, as happiness and innocent love awaken to betrayal, disappointment and survival. Parker’s performance is particularly captivating, as she carries a majority of the play by bravely lifting the weight of extreme personal loss and responsibility.

“When a person has spent their entire life trapped behind real and imagined fences, they cannot go after their dreams,” said director Eleanore Tapscott. “At a time when the minority power brokers are working fast and hard to literally whitewash the nation’s history — and that of African Americans — it is important to tell this story, because by exploring African American perspectives and culture, and examining and recognizing America’s legacy of racism, we have a change, by working together, to make ‘good trouble’ and effect positive change for the future.”

All theater-goers at The Little Theatre must show proof of vaccination at the door and wear masks during the performance. The show runs until September 25.

The next show at The Little Theatre of Alexandria is the thriller “Wait Until Dark”, which runs from October 16 to November 6.

Courtesy image

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Weekly planner: Blue Oyster Cult, “Fences” at the Little Theater and more

There’s a lot in store this week in Alexandria. Here’s a few events to look forward to.

Wednesday, September 8

  • Blue Oyster Cult at The Birchmere (7:30 p.m.) — The 1960s-era band is known for such hits as ” The Reaper”, “Burnin’ for You”, and “Godzilla”. All guests must provide proof of vaccination if they want to attend the performance.
  • Outdoor story time for toddlers (11:30 a.m.) –This outdoor program is perfect for ages two-to-five, and will  be held outdoors and in-person at Burke Branch Library. Masks are required, and you might want to bring something to sit on.
  • Trivia night at The Light Horse (7 p.m.) — “Grab your mates & head down to 715 King Street for a great evening of Q&A in a fun and friendly atmosphere. Delicious food, cold craft beers and delish cocktails await”

Thursday, September 9

  • Julia Fordham at The Birchmere (7:30 p.m.) — The British singer-songwriter is performing after her shows were rescheduled from April and October 2020, and all tickets from those shows will be honored. Additional tickets for Thursday night are on sale.
  • Willa Cather book discussion (7 p.m.) — “In the upcoming year, a statue of novelist Willa Cather will be installed in statuary hall in the U.S. Capital Building. Let’s celebrate with a discussion about one of Cather’s intriguing novels, The Professor’s House.”

Friday, September 10

  • August Wilson’s “Fences” at the Little Theatre of Alexandria (7 p.m.) — “Join Manumission Tour Company on September 10th at 7pm to see a special performance of August Wilson’s famous play, FENCES. Proceeds raised from this special showing will go to the production of an upcoming MTC about black history in Old Town’s South East Quadrant.”

Saturday, September 11s

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‘Rumors’ brings back laughs to Little Theatre of Alexandria

In its first regular show since shutting down last year, the Little Theatre of Alexandria is back to suspending disbelief with its latest farce, Neil Simon’s Rumors.

“Laugh hard,” director Matthew Randall said. “Laugh loud. Laugh together. It feels amazing, and I hope you enjoy every single moment.”

The plot revolves around the friends of Charlie Brock, the deputy mayor of New York City, who arrive for a party at his house in 1989 to find that he shot himself in the ear. While Charlie is doped up on Valium and kept out of sight upstairs, his friends slowly try to unravel what happened.

Randall cast real-life couple Chris and Ken Gorman as Charlie’s friends Stephanie and Mike Rudden, who are the first to arrive at the scene. Their first instinct is to hush up the incident, as Charlie’s political career and their reputations hang in the balance. While nervously tending to their patient, the Gormans realize that Charlie’s wife Myra is missing, and so are the housekeeper and cook. They also see that the house isn’t at all ready for a party, and that’s when more guests ring the doorbell.

Mike Donahue and Jayne L. Victor bring a refreshing portrayal to Lenny and Claire Ganz, Charlie’s friends who walk into the house immediately after getting into a car wreck. Donahue, while periodically screaming by turning his injured neck, drives the comedic energy of the production. As Charlie’s lawyer and best friend, Lenny is ready to call the police until the arrival of psychologist Ernie Cusack (Peter Halverson) and his wife, Cookie (Janice Rivera).

Then, as Ken runs upstairs to check on Charlie, he trips on his slippers and the gun goes off, making him temporarily deaf. Naturally, more guests arrive (Roxanne Waite as Cassie Cooper and Kirk Lambert as Glenn Cooper) in the ensuing chaos. In the climax, Lenny is forced to wear a smoking jacket and pretend to be Charlie after the arrival of the cops (Joe Dzikewicz and Eileen Copas).

The show runs until August 14. Capacity is currently limited to 145 patrons in the 215-seat venue.

Audience members still have to wear masks, and LTA says if anyone is caught unmasked that they will be asked politely to comply. If they refuse, the show will be stopped. If the issue persists, the show will be canceled entirely.

via LTA/Facebook

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Morning Notes

Inova Alexandria Hospital rezoned to allow Landmark project to move forward — “Inova’s Alexandria hospital campus is now zoned to allow for future residential development, after city council voted 7-0 to allow the rezoning to make it easier for Inova to sell the Seminary Hill hospital land to a developer.” [Alexandria Living]

New Harris Teeter grand opening set in Alexandria — “A new Harris Teeter grocery store in Alexandria is holding a grand opening on Wednesday, June 23 beginning at 8 a.m. at 4550 King St., in the West Alex development at the corner of King and Beauregard streets.” [Alexandria Living]

Little Theatre of Alexandria presents ‘Will Rogers’ USA’ at Fort Ward Park on July 3 — “Covid-19 is not keeping the Little Theatre of Alexandria down! LTA is coming back in 2021 even stronger than ever, and to prove it, they are presenting a delightful (and free!) evening of Will Rogers’ USA, in the Fort Ward Park Amphitheater off West Braddock Road, Alexandria, 7 pm, July 3.” [Zebra]

Today’s weather — “Mainly sunny (during the day). High 77F. Winds NE at 5 to 10 mph… Clear skies (in the evening). Low 57F. Winds light and variable.” [Weather.com]

New job: Server at Cafe 44 — “Café 44 is a stylish American eatery situated along the Waterfront in Old Town Alexandria. We cater to a local crowd, attracting those who appreciate a spectacular view, quality food, great wine and craft cocktails. Whether you are a regular or a first-time guest, you are received with warmth and enthusiasm. Known as a hidden gem, we’re the ideal place to gather with family and friends.” [Indeed]

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