Made Whole Again

I came back to Richmond for Thanksgiving, yearning for something familiar, aching to be able to relax, and, quite literally, exhale.

First, let me say that I love my mom, and I am very grateful she could host me this week, saving me the cost of a hotel. About six weeks after I left Richmond for Atlanta in August, mom left the apartment we shared and moved into a Senior Living Unit. It's a very cozy apartment, perfect for one person.

What that meant was that, even though mom fixed the full Thanksgiving meal (and it was FANTASTIC), her current abode didn't lend itself to me feeling completely comfortable. It is like a hotel that I am using, with the great added bonus of having mom nearby to talk to. Still, the setting meant that I couldn't quite relax.

I realized after being here for a couple of days that I don't miss Richmond very much at all. The city itself holds very little for me now.

It's the friends and family  I miss.

I (intentionally) kept a very low profile upon my return. Tuesday, driving around running errands, mom and I passed Anthem.

"Wanna go say hi [to your former co-workers]?" mom asked.

Truthfully, I would've given my right arm and all the cash in my wallet to see Beth right at that very moment. But I couldn't even think about seeing Frank, Tony or the other wonderful people I used to see everyday. For a millisecond, my heart leapt at the prospect of popping in on Beth unannounced, but as soon as that feeling briefly swept over me, I answered quickly and directly.

"Oh, god no! I couldn't possibly go in there. That would be...too much."

Again, not that I didn't want to see Beth or Frank (and yeah, everybody else). It's just that I knew I wouldn't be able to answer the one question I was certain to hear:

"So, how are you doing?"

That question has had a very complicated answer for the past four months.

I saw Beth, as planned, on Friday. How long had I been waiting to see her? The night before I left Richmond, (August 13), I set a Countdown clock on my iPad for November 23, so quite literally the minutes ticked away. I went about my daily life, but I kid you not when I say a small part of me was always waiting. I would go days without checking the minutes remaining, because that hard number made it seem so distant, like it would never arrive.

I was never like that about Christmas as a kid. This whole thing was new for me. I hope she believes me when I say I miss her "more than I should be allowed to, and more than anyone who is not a relative should..."

Beth and her husband Seth arrived shortly after 1, and we decided to go to Five Guys for lunch, since I hadn't had a Five Guys burger since I moved. Like a chemical reaction, as soon as I sat in the passenger seat of their SUV and clicked the seatbelt -- a seat I had taken countless times over the years when Beth and I would go out to lunch in the middle of our workday -- even though Seth was driving this time, I immeadiatly felt I could relax; I finally exhaled.

After lunch, Frank called Beth and plans were made to meet Frank and his wife Carol for drinks. I initially was hesitant, but I'm thrilled I went. It was great to see them again and catch up.

The rest of the day and evening was spent at Chez deTreville, talking in the den while the television droned on in the background. No big plans, which was exactly how I wanted it. I had emailed Beth in late October, stating "I don't care what we do, or where we do it. I simply want to bask in the glow of "The 'Eths" for a night", and that's exactly what I did.

I love and live for our reunions, and while the moment is happening, I'm immersed. It's the leaving that devastates me.

Beth and I refuse to say goodbye to one another. I would say it's an unspoken rule as the night comes to an end, but I'm sure this summer, one of us stated out loud hat we were not going to say the word "Goodbye".

Now, as I write this, a few hours removed from getting one last hug in the parking lot, I really don't know when I'll see her again. It could be many months from now. While I can't say I'm happy about that, I can tell you that I know two things for certain:

A week after I left Anthem, I was riding around town with my brother Brian. He asked, "How ya feeling?"

My answer to him was, "I'm...okay. I stand by all of [what I chose]...except I don't know how I'm supposed to function without seeing Beth everyday."

"Oh", Brian said, "that'll pass. "

Well, one of the two things I'm certain of tonight is, no, it doesn't pass or fade. You cope. Because you have to.

Lastly, the night of my last day at Anthem in July, I compared not seeing Beth everyday to losing my right arm. While it's true that you can never really go home again, for a time on this Friday after Thanksgiving, I guess you could say I was made whole again, and it was wonderful.

Atlanta has a lot that I love. Richmond will always have my right arm.



Barry
11.25.12
3:16am

It Wasn't Supposed To Go Like This [Atlanta Tales, Volume Four]

There was a night, in November 1994, when I was at my absolute lowest. I was 21, in a hospital bed and had just had my colon removed a few weeks prior. Now, on this night, doctors told me complications had arisen and the newly configured digestive tract had turned over on itself, causing anything I ate or drank to be trapped in my stomach. Doctors told me that night that the following morning they would have to go back in surgically to correct the issue if things didn't improve overnight.

As I turned out my bedside light, I resigned myself to another very long ordeal and a new recovery. I said, to no one or nothing in particular, "Okay, if I don't wake up tomorrow, that's fine with me. At this point I am tired of fighting, and if everything ends tomorrow, so be it." I told myself silently, as I listened to Procol Harum's "A Whiter Shade of Pale" on headphones in the dark, 'If I wake up tomorrow, I'll fight. I'll hate it, I'll complain...but I'll fight.'

Apart from the week my father died in 2001, no period in my life has ever had me feeling so emotionally beaten and insecure as that night in 1994.

That is, until this past week.

Even with the release of Taylor Swift's new album, this week was where I hit my emotional wall, or my emotional rock bottom. To quote a lyric from the new record (from a song that has been on repeat a lot this week), "I might be okay, but I'm not fine at all."

Back on Thursday, October 18, I had two interviews for jobs; one was in person and one was on the phone. And then, the following day, I landed another phone interview. All three positions were for Help Desk Support, and all three interviews went very well. I particularly felt I had 'knocked the in person interview out of the park'. After those three interviews in two days, I was confident enough to feel that things were finally breaking my way, but cautious enough that I only mentioned the interviews to two friends via text.

Wednesday I had to run an errand that could not be avoided, even though my knees were very sore and I really didn't feel well. I got back a couple of hours later from running that errand and looked at my phone to see a new email message. It was a 'Thanks but no thanks....' automated email from one of the three interviews.

That's when I hit my emotional wall and I kinda sorta lost it for an hour. I screamed. I threw books at bookshelves, hurled my cordless computer keyboard toward my bedroom wall. (It still works...not as cheaply made as I thought.) I was a complete and total emotional wreck.

After the episode was over, I took a bath to calm down. After getting dressed, I heard my phone's 'email notification' bell sound again, so I checked it. It was another 'Thanks but no thanks...' email, this time from the in person interview that I thought had gone so well a week earlier.

I was too numb to be mad. I texted a friend to tell her of the recent events and then I decided to go see a movie. As I sat in the theatre waiting for the previews to start, I was completely convinced that I would never be hired again. (If you're curious, I saw 'Seven Psychopaths'; good film. Sam Rockwell annoyed me to no end, but the movie is worth seeing for Christopher Walken.)

While I continue to send resumes and apply for jobs, my confidence, which was flying high a week ago this time, is now completely shot.

The ugly truth is, being broke sucks, no matter your zip code. While I am not actually broke, I'm close. I know I can pay rent for November. December? That's an unknown right now.

In an effort to save money, it's been a steady diet of peanut butter sandwiches and Cheerios. That's fine with me right now. It's not that I don't have other food, I do. My freezer has lots of chicken, hamburger and two steaks, but this week especially I have not felt motivated to cook much of anything.

I'm just tired. Tired of fighting. Tired of being turned down for jobs I am more than qualified for. Tired of asking and hoping for things that never materialize.

Trust me, all day every day, the phrase "You chose this!!" echoes loudly in my head.

Plan B? I don't know yet exactly. On Thursday I heard back from the third interview. They like me, but they don't foresee any openings for 30-60 days. I can't wait that long, so at some point, I will begin to make some very tough decisions, especially if things don't improve soon.

The morning after that dark night in November 1994, I woke up and doctors found that things had improved overnight, so a second surgery was avoided. I fought and I recovered.

I'll keep fighting now, but I admit, it's much easier to fight at 21 than it is at 39. Whereas my definition of 'winning the fight' in 1994 was being able to eat a full meal again, my definition tonight for 'winning the fight' is not going crazy.

It's gonna be a long fight...

--Barry

Taylor Swift Sounds Confident, Mature And Melancholy on "Red"

First, I readily, happily admit that I am a Taylor Swift fan, so if you are looking for a purely objective review of her new album, you won't find it here.

Okay. Now, on to the review.

It took four studio albums, but Taylor Swift has finally written her 'break up album'. Oh sure, all of her albums have breakup songs {most famously, "Dear John" from 2010's 'Speak Now'], but with her latest effort, titled 'Red', Taylor explores the pain, regret and even wistfulness of love found and love lost. It's a theme that colors all sixteen songs and, despite some great moments of pop and dance, the mood is melancholy.

That the various stages of relationships are covered in song should surprise no one. Also, it really shouldn't surprise her fans that this album is mostly 'pop' and not very 'country', though if country radio is smart, they will play any and all songs they can from what is sure to be another platinum seller. (In fact, I bet Swift breaks her own record and sells over one million copies in the initial week). Genres don't really matter when an album sells, everyone wants a part of it, so you'll be just as likely to hear a song from 'Red' on the Top 40 pop radio station as well as country radio.

The opener, "State of Grace" has huge guitars in an obvious nod to U2, "I Knew You Were Trouble" sounds like it could be a Katy Perry tune, and the title track 'Red' has a vocal effect on the chorus that sounds like something I heard on the last Lady GaGa record. Even with these moments that bring to mind other artists, what sets this album apart from most, even from Taylor's other releases is the confidence and self-assuredness in her lyrics and vocals. She's at the top of her game.

Unlike 2010's "Speak Now", which saw Taylor write all of the songs by herself, with "Red" she's back collaborating with some big names. Max Martin, who co-wrote and produced the album's lead single, "We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together" has worked with Justin Timberlake, Britney and Kelly Clarkson, just to name a few. Dan Wilson, who co-wrote 'Treacherous", also co-wrote tracks on Adele's Grammy-winning '21' disc. The most welcome name though for me is co-writer Liz Rose, who helped Swift pen 'You Belong With Me' and 'Fearless' in 2008. For "Red", Rose and Swift write what I think is the album's strongest track, 'All Too Well', a song that I assume is about the infamous relationship Taylor had with actor Jake Gyllenhaal, which began just before Thanksgiving 2010 and was over before Taylor's 21st birthday that December. But, unlike other songs in her catalog, Taylor doesn't name drop here. Instead, she paints a very vivid picture of the pain and heartache that follows any breakup, and notes how most of us save at least one keepsake from a past relationship, even if it's against our better judgement.

While I feel the album's overall tone is somewhat  sad, there are still some upbeat, even funny moments. "Stay, Stay, Stay" is a song with such a catchy chorus that I dare you not to sing along before the song ends. A bit of Taylor laughing after finishing a vocal take is included, which only adds to the fun. "22" and the aforementioned 'I Knew You Were Trouble" are made for the dance clubs, suitable for remixing by DJs. And the album's closing track, 'Begin Again' leaves the listener on a hopeful, positive note that love will find us once more.

There's a lot here, a lot to take in, and even though the theme is constant throughout, it never gets boring or predictable. On a personal note, for me, the song that has been on repeat the most today has been 'I Almost Do.' While I'm not mourning an ordinary breakup, the lyrics sum up my mood right now in much the same way "You Belong With Me' spoke to me on a very personal level when I heard it for the first time. It doesn't matter if you're fifteen, twenty-two or thirty-nine years old, if you've loved with everything you had, and then survived the breakup, there's something on this album you will identify with.

As a listener, that's the moment when you rediscover why you love music.

RED - Taylor Swift

State of Grace
Red
Treacherous
I Knew You Were Trouble
All Too Well
22
I Almost Do
We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together
Stay Stay Stay
The Last Time (featuring Gary Lightbody)
Holy Ground
Sad Beautiful Tragic
The Lucky One
Everything Has Changed (featuring Ed Sheeran)
Starlight
Begin Again

Target Deluxe Edition Bonus Tracks:
The Moment I Knew
Come Back... Be Here
Girl At Home
Treacherous (Original Demo Recording)
Red (Original Demo Recording)
State Of Grace (Acoustic Version)

Thanks for reading,
Barry

Thanks Chipper! [Atlanta Tales, Volume Three]

The regular season has ended for Major League Baseball. No teams ended in a tie, forcing a one game playoff....but thanks to Commissioner Bud Selig's new fangled playoff format, there will be two Game 7s...without playing Games one thru six.

See, this year there are two additional Wild Card teams, which now means TEN teams make the playoffs [WTF is this, HOCKEY??] Anyway, the two Wild Card teams now play one another on Friday. The winner advances to what used to be the first round of the playoffs, the Division Series. The Braves host the St. Louis Cardinals at 5pm on Friday, and I will be there.

It could be the start of a deep run into the postseason...or it could all be over by 8pm Friday.

My stomach will be in my throat for the entire day, I promise you that.

But, before that nerve-wracking exercise in stress overload commences, let me take a moment to look back at the portion of the 2012 season I was able to see in person.

I saw 19 games at Turner Field, beginning with an August 14th win against San Diego, and ending with a September 30th win over the Mets. I only missed one series, the weekend of August 17-19 against the Dodgers, partially because I wasn't originally planning to be in Atlanta until August 20, so I never bought tickets for that series, but mainly because the night of the 17th was spent buying and installing a new TV with friends Vickie and Travis, and the 18th and 19th, friends Mimi and Mandy were in town...plus on the 19th I saw Duran Duran.

The Braves lost two of three of the games against the Dodgers that I did not see, but when I was in attendance, the club went an impressive 15-4. I saw Kris Medlin and Paul Maholm dominate from the mound, and most memorably, I witnessed two walk-off home runs; first on September 2 against the Phillies when the club came down from a 7-1 deficit to win it on Chipper Jones' three run home run, making the final 8-7. It will probably be the only time I will be rendered speechless at a ballgame. I don't even remember screaming, though I am sure I did. I just remember thinking for the next hour as I made my way home, 'Did that really happen? Did I really see that?' It has been called the best ending to a regular season game in Atlanta Braves history. I truly felt privileged to be there.

The other walk off moment happened on September 25 against the Marlins. The Braves were behind 3-2 in the ninth. Funny thing is, no one in my section of the park at least publicly doubted that the team would win it. The inning began with a double by Chipper, and Freddie Freeman took the third pitch he saw deep into the Atlanta night, winning the game and securing a spot in the playoffs. I can't say that I expected a walk off home run, but I was not at all surprised that the Braves won that game.

The other moment I was very happy to be there for was 'Chipper Jones Night' on Friday, September 28, It was the first of what would be three sellout crowds at The Ted that weekend, and while The Ted will never be as loud as old Fulton County Stadium [simply because the sound doesn't reverberate like it did at the Launching Pad], when Turner Field is sold out, it is amazing!

This was the game I wanted to see, because they had a 30 minute ceremony before the game honoring Chipper. I was there to see Pete Van Wieren and Bobby Cox, who both spoke about Chipper's career and place in baseball history. Appropriately, Bobby got the loudest ovation of the night, maybe of the entire weekend. No disrespect to current manager Fredi Gonzales, but there is and will only be one Bobby Cox, and he is missed since he retired at the end of the 2010 season.

Between innings of the game on Friday night, they showed video messages from teammates, legends like Hank Aaron and Michael Jordan and opposing players (Jeter). The line of the night though goes to catcher David Ross, who said in his video message to Chipper: "I remember my granddaddy tellin' me about seeing you play in the old days..." That line had me laughing for the rest of the night.

I thought as Braves Country said farewell to Chipper over three days, I would be a bit more emotional, but I wasn't. As I thought about it, so much of my life has changed in the last three months, that the fact that number 10 won't be at third base next season, while a bit of a letdown, doesn't make me sad. In fact, when he tore his ACL in Houston on August 10, 2010, I thought right then and there that his career was over. To his credit, his 2012 season has been one of his best ever, and the best by a player in his final season since Ted Williams in 1960. I'll miss Chipper, no doubt, but I have many important people in my life that, daily, I miss on a level that cannot be equaled by a baseball player. So, above all I am happy he is able to exit on his own terms, and his career will end as it began: in a Braves uniform.

But let's not say our final goodbye until very late in October, okay? There's still work to do, and it starts Friday!

Thanks for reading,
Barry

Atlanta Tales, Volume Two

I figured it was time for another update, even though not a lot has changed since my last post. Well, I did turn 39 Saturday, but apart from that, the only changes have really been setbacks.

Item #1 and by far the most troubling for the last nine days has been severe swelling in my legs. Swelling was so bad on Monday (09/10) that, as I prepared to go to a grocery store, it became apparent that my legs were so swollen that I could not get my braces on; they simply would not fit. I had some slight swelling the first week I was in Atlanta in August, but it dissipated after a day or two, so to look at my legs and not be able to get braces or shoes on, I was shocked.

I spent Monday evening with my legs elevated, even while sleeping. When I woke up Tuesday, I could at least get my braces and shoes on, but it was a very tight fit. I managed to get to the drugstore, bought some over the counter fluid pills and potassium and hoped that would do the trick after a few days.

Well, here I am on Sunday evening and, truthfully, there has been no change in the swelling. I can still barely fit my braces and shoes on, but nothing is improving. The pain is minimal [it takes a lot for something to register on my pain scale]; the main thing is just annoying and puzzling that the swelling is happening and not decreasing.

So, even though I have tried to avoid it, I will be going to the ER on Monday whenever I wake up. I looked at some urgent care centers, but since I still have Virginia based insurance, urgent care centers will not accept it. Grady Hospital will [and yes, I know this from previous experience last year]. A friend asked why I didn't go to the ER this weekend once I realized the swelling wasn't going down? Well, I really didn't want to go to a hospital on my birthday and, as I have learned, nothing happens at hospitals on the weekend. So, I will go in Monday, hope they can give me some Lasix via IV and send me home. I really don't want to be admitted...but we'll see what happens.

Health is the only thing that can move the job search down to Item #2 on my list. Still sending resumes; still not hearing much of anything back in reply. I have even applied for ca;; center jobs that are for debt collections. At this point, I can't afford to be very picky any longer. Believe me when I say I am doing my best to remain positive, and I am leaning on a small circle of friends via text to help keep me focused. I know I would feel better if I were sleeping at night and I at least had some replies to my resumes.

Baseball remains a great distraction. The Braves are 8-3 in games I have attended this year, with a game tonite. Truthfully, the only time I am happy is at the ballpark. When I'm away from the ballpark, the reality I face is very scary.

Having said that, I spent the weekend watching WWII documentaries, knowing 'it could be worse...'

Here's hoping this is the week where it all changes for the better. For now, I am en route back to Turner Field to see the ESPN Sunday Night Game of the Week. I really don't like when the Braves play late on Sundays, but I have nowhere to be except the ER tomorrow so I'll deal with a very late night trip home. I will have no complaints if they get the win.

Thanks for reading. Wish the news was a little better, but better not to sugarcoat things, right?

Until next time,
Barry

Atlanta Tales, Volume One

I'll be honest, I've been putting off this blog for a long time. I originally intended to write one weekly once I arrived in Atlanta. Week One passed and I didn't feel like there were enough interesting things to write about. Week Two? I'd rather forget about Week Two completely. Wednesday, September 5 will mark 21 days as an Atlanta resident.

In some respects, it feels a lot longer!

So, your first question is probably, "How's it been so far? How great is Atlanta?"

I love this city and the fact that I can get around almost anywhere on my own, independently, without the need for a cab driver. That is a big plus that not many cities, especially Richmond, can offer. I'm not gonna lie though, it has not been an easy transition. In fact, it has been extremely difficult. As you may remember, I was approved to move into this apartment in mid-June. That's what really started the ball rolling on relocating. As a welcome bonus, in late July, I was contacted by a recruiter about a Help Desk job that was with a very well known company and on the MARTA line, and when I told him my move in date was in mid-August, he even had an interview with the hiring manager scheduled for Friday August 17th and, assuming I passed that (and based on my resume, he had no doubt I would) I was even given a 'very tentative start date' of September 4.

Key word? Tentative. On the morning of my scheduled interview (which was an in person interview that afternoon), I had a phone message from the recruiter that the HR Manager had cancelled all interviews for the day with no explanation.

During my second week in Atlanta, I had three great leads on jobs [not counting the canceled interview]. By Friday of week two, all three had evaporated. I'm still sending resumes everyday for at least three hours in the afternoon, but have yet to hear back on any.

To say that the situation has me stressed is a bit of an understatement.

Amid the stress and uncertainty, there have been several highlights during my time here thus far, such as:

* My first weekend here, I saw Duran Duran at an outdoor amphitheatre. In fact, part of the reason I moved a bit sooner than planned once my original moving plans fell thru was so I would be in town to see this band. My friend Mimi and her friend Mandy made the trip and saw the show. Since I bought a solo ticket long after Mimi and Mandy bought theirs, I ended up with a 12th row seat. I originally planned to write a review about the show, but when I woke up the next morning and read this review by Melissa Ruggieri (formerly the music critic for the Richmond Times-Dispatch and now the music critic for the Atlanta Journal-Constitution), I knew I could add nothing. She's pitch perfect in her synopsis and it is very apparent that she is a long time Duran Duran fan. The only thing I will add is that I did meet a very attractive fellow fan who was kind enough to invite me backstage. I declined for several reasons (I know...Sarah LeClaire will probably never speak to me again, but really, I'd rather the pass go to a fan who would freak out upon seeing Simon, Roger, John and/or Nick. I'm a fan, but I'm not that guy who needs or wants to meet Duran Duran.) I will say that it did wonders for the ego to be invited backstage. So, to fellow fan S, thank you...and you made my night!

*Of course, baseball is a great escape. Even on tough nights when the Braves lose, it's still a great escape. Friday night, the team had a one run lead in the 9th, only to have their closer Craig Kimbrel give up a tying home run and then the Phillies scored three in the tenth inning to win it. That wasn't easy to watch, but it was fun chatting up a very cute blonde sitting in my seat by mistake (I wasn't gonna ask her to move, and thankfully no one asked me to move from the seat I chose, which apparently was never purchased.)  But what's one of the great things about baseball? You never know when something unforgettable is going to happen. Sunday night, after a listless first six innings where the team was down 7-1, the Braves cut it to 7-5 and, with 2-out in the 9th this happened.(Click the green arrow to hear the radio call).  It was one of those moments where everyone who stuck around knew they had seen something special. And, as such, after the game ended, no one really wanted to leave the stadium. Everyone in my section stayed at least another ten minutes, high-fiving, screaming and just generally basking in the buzz that suddenly enveloped the place. I'm thrilled that I was there to personally witness a moment that people will be talking about for years to come.

While there have been great moments and I truly love the city, there have also been some setbacks. I am reminded of a line from a Sophia Loren film, maybe 'Divorce, Italian Style'? The line is 'Never divorce your wife to marry your mistress!' What's changed now that Atlanta is home and not just a yearly vacation spot? Walking. Lots and lots of walking. Now that Atlanta is no longer a mistress, we're at that phase where we are still crazy about one another, but we are learning a lot about one another, some of it quite surprising.

MARTA [which stands for Metro Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority] does allow me to get around town, but I have discovered that almost everything is a bit of a walk from a MARTA stop. I don't mind the walking while I am doing it. I usually have my iPod and headphones so I have a soundtrack as I walk around town (and there is very little cooler than lip-syncing the lyrics to 'The Seventh Stranger' while crossing the street en route to a train station), but when I finish walking and I am back at the apartment, within two hours or so, the leg/knee pain hits. And it doesn't let up for a long time; sometimes entire days. Last week (the forgettable Week Two) I stayed in for two days straight to rest, knowing eventually I would have to go out and start the cycle all over again.

I have a pedometer waiting for me in the business office. It came in the mail on Friday but the office where they dropped the package off locked up for the weekend before I got back to the apartment to retrieve it. I guesstimate that I average about four or five miles on foot when I go out. The masochist in me wants to know exactly how much I walk, just because I am sick and twisted like that.

The apartment itself is very old, and most of the appliances are on their last legs. The staff here are very nice but it does take about three reminders/follow up phone calls to get maintenance to complete a request. Currently my ice maker is disconnected because it was infested with mold and rather than bleach it (which both maintenance and I feared would cause each subsequent batch of ice to taste like, well bleach), they are awaiting parts to repair the unit. I doubt they still make parts for a 1986 ice maker...

Right now, I am very stressed, and I don't like that. Apart from wonderful friends Vickie and Travis, I have adapted to having almost no support system here locally, (that's what Facebook is for). I'm adapting to doing everything myself. The only item that needs to change, and soon, is the job. Until then, this will all seem like a very expensive folly. Once I secure a job and an income, then this place will begin to feel like home.

This has been the most emotional, nerve-wracking summer since my parents divorced in 1985. I got through that, and I will find a way through this.

Until next time, thanks for reading,
Barry

The Rocky Horror Show at The Firehouse Theatre Project (Or, whaddaya mean I can't yell 'Asshole!'?)

The Rocky Horror Picture Show is (and has been for 40 years) a true phenomenon, inspiring generations of "freaks "; letting them know they are not alone.

That's a fantastic legacy for a play and film that has about 45 minutes of good material.

It's known mostly as a film that is at times so poorly paced and acted that fans in the 1970s began to fill silences onscreen by talking back to the movie. That's why it was a bit of a disappointment, though not unexpected, when I saw a note on the font of the program stating "audience participation is strictly prohibited".

Ah, bummer man!

Even though I know the film (very well), I didn't know what to expect seeing a live production; and the first surprise came with the first song, "Science Fiction Double Feature", sung by a very sultry and sexy Magenta (Joy Newsome). Newsome's time onstage is worth the ticket price. While she was wearing glitter and lingerie, her voice was truly enough to get my attention.

"The Master", Frank N. Furter is played by Terence Sullivan. Upon his entrance number (the iconic "Sweet Transvestite"), Sullivan tried very hard to channel Tim Curry (who played the role on film), but by the end of the song, and every song afterward, Sullivan sounded more like Adam Lambert. Only when he spoke dialogue did he have Curry's accent and rhythm down. It's a tough role and he has some imposing fishnets to fill, I just wish he would've chosen one of the two to use as his template. He did a great job, but the differences in his vocal and dialogue delivery were at times frustrating.

If you know "Rocky Horror" then you know that for almost the entire show, most of the cast slips into (and out of) lingerie. There was a lot of 'shock value' in that wardrobe choice in 1975, but, How to push the envelope for a 2012 audience?

The answer: trading in innuendo for silhouetted -sex scenes that, while no nudity is involved, leave nothing to the imagination. See this play with someone you know very well. That will spare you some very awkward moments and post-show conversation.

Richard O'Brien wrote the book, lyrics and music, and this Richmond production does include songs that were not part of the original play: "Round Like A Record", a solo moment for Columbia that was a single for Little Nell, who played Columbia on film, the year after Rocky. The song was okay, but a bit forced to try and fit into the story. Also included for some unknown reason is the title to the Rocky companion piece "Shock Treatment" from 1981 (Don't call it a Rocky sequel!).

The First Act of any production of Rocky Horror is always its strongest portion, namely the first five songs. After Act One ends, the songs become average and the plot, in a word, disappears entirely.

This production definitely has the right spirit and enthusiasm. The whole cast is strong, particularly Brad (Nick Shackleford) and Janet (Aly Wepplo). Newsome as Magenta is BETTER than the portrayal in the movie, and, from a selfish perspective, just like the movie, Columbia is portrayed by a very sexy redhead (Maggie Horan, who has a much better voice than Little Nell)

Go see it (again, with someone you know VERY well) and enjoy a fun, sexy, campy good time.

Remember, it's just a jump to the left...

Thanks for reading,
Barry

Details:
The Rocky Horror Show at Firehouse Theatre Project thru August 25.

http://www.firehousetheatre.org/

Tickets $14-$28