Photo Flash: WHITE CHRISTMAS at Barksdale Theatre in Virginia
Irving Berlin's White Christmas makes its Richmond, Va., stage debut this year at the historic Empire Theatre. The show, produced by Barksdale Theatre, opened November 19 and will run through January 9. It is directed by Patti D'Beck, who last year won the Richmond Theatre Critics Circle awards for best direction of a musical and best choreography for Barksdale's Thoroughly Modern Millie (which won 10 awards total). Like many of her leading players in White Christmas, D'Beck is a Broadway veteran, having performed in or associate-choreographed such shows as Pippin, A Chorus Line, Evita, Grease and Bells Are Ringing.
The cast of White Christmas is headed by Kevin Earley and Michelle Lookadoo. Earley, who plays Bob (Bing Crosby's role in the 1954 film version), has been seen on Broadway in A Tale of Two Cities, Thoroughly Modern Millie and Les Miserables and starred as Thomas Jefferson in 1776 at Paper Mill Playhouse. Lookadoo, BroadwayWorld's April 2008 Gypsy of the Month, has been featured in Mary Poppins, The Little Mermaid and Beauty and the Beast on Broadway and earlier this fall was in Coco at York Theatre. As Judy in White Christmas, she's dancing alongside Freddie Kimmel as Phil. Kimmel was on the national tours of Annie Get Your Gun, On the Town and Barnum. The part of Betty in White Christmas is played by Andrea Rivette, who's appeared on Broadway in Jekyll and Hyde and Miss Saigon. Also in the White Christmas cast are Kathy Halenda (Martha), Barry Pruitt (General Waverly) and Taylor Richardson (Susan).
The Empire Theatre is located in downtown Richmond at 114 W. Broad St., between Adams and Jefferson. White Christmas tickets cost $46; for seniors, $43 and youth 18 and under, $19. Call 804-282-2620 or visit www.barksdalerichmond.org.
Kevin Earley and Freddie Kimmel
Michelle Lookadoo and Freddie Kimmel
Andrea Rivette and Michelle Lookadoo perform "Sisters"
Kevin Earley (center) and the ensemble of White Christmas
Freddie Kimmel and Michelle Lookadoo in "I Love a Piano"
The cast of Barksdale Theatre's White Christmas
Videos