SEE REVIEW

FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM NOVEMBER 11 - 17, 2021 | PAGE 3

Keeping ‘Company’ With the Good Shepherds Players

by Mark Dreisonstok

“Company” is an early 1970s musical revolving around a bachelor whose friends are all married and who is interested in and resistant to marriage all at once. Coming between “A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum” on one spectrum and “Into the Woods” on another, Stephen Sondheim’s “Company” broke new ground in examining the complexities of contemporary relationships in vignettes, although the unconventional subject matter and the non-linear technique are placed “Side by Side” (to quote one of the song titles) with more traditional Broadway elements.

The show is being revived locally in a surprising venue: Church of the Good Shepherd in Burke, Virginia. The Good Shepherd Players were founded in 1980 as a self-styled “outreach ministry” of the church using the yearly production of a musical to foster relationships with the community and to draw interest to the church and its mission. They have now expanded beyond one musical per year. Having produced such musicals as “The Music Man” and “Oliver” in the past, they look forward to “Titanic: The Musical” for the spring.

Good Shepherd Players Publicity Manager Gregory LeNave explains to Falls Church NewsPress the unusual current choice of “Company” as this season’s production: “In early 2020, the Good Shepherd Players decided to expand their annual offerings by adding a musical in the fall to complement their big spring musical. The Board [which overseas the Players] selected “Company” as the first fall musical, scheduled for November 2020. Rehearsals started early that fall on Zoom, but of course the pandemic forced a postponement. ‘Company’ had certain advantages as this first offering: a smaller cast, a simple set, and a focus on character work that, as it turns out, could be done virtually. In addition, ‘Company’ is a contemporary classic, a show that revolutionized musical theatre when it debuted fifty years ago. The Board felt it would be an exciting way to begin the Players’ expansion!”

Good Shepherds Players provides excellent “company” in this production which is minimalist in terms of props and set (a skyline of New York City, with mood changes indicated by color-changing spotlights). This minimalist approach is set off by a full-sounding orchestra of nine musicians superbly conducted by Steve McBride.

A memorable moment showing the traditional Broadway side of “Company” features bachelor Robert’s three girlfriends all of whom he is thinking of proposing to performing as the talented trio of April (Allison Meyer), Kathy (Tricia Tyrell), and Marta (Katie Weigl Strain) performing “You Could Drive a Person Crazy.” April is a flighty flight attendant, Kathy an idealized vision of a future wife, and Marta a fun-loving girl, all representing different personalities and possible futures for Robert as a husband.

Another traditional Broadwaystyle number in terms of tunefulness and choreography is when Robert (the fine voice of Chris Gray), a couple he knows, and eventually the whole cast sing “Side by Side/What Would We Do WithoutYou?” Mr. Gray also performs a moving “Being Alive,” which has become one of the well-known staples of the Sondheim songbook.

A harsher tone to the show is evidenced by Margaret McGarry as Joanne, performing with great style and character the cynical “Ladies Who Lunch.” Another non-typical element of a Broadway musical is the resolution of the play being left up to the audience’s own conjecture. In addition to providing very good voices, the cast also delivers the poignant lines of the play well, such as

THE TRIO OF April (Allison Meyer), Kathy (Tricia Tyrell), and Marta (Katie Weigl Strain) performing “You Could Drive a

Person Crazy.” (Photo Courtesy Good Shepherds Players)

“I’m afraid to get married and you’re afraid not to” and “you need to marry somebody, not just some body.”

The production contains adult language and themes, and thus parental discretion is advised.

Tickets are $15. for adults and $10. for students. The play runs a little more than two hours from November 12 – 14, 2021, at Church of the Good Shepherd in Burke.

Alexia Scott’s Studio Gallery

Announcing that the following artists are open Saturdays mornings 9:30 to 12:00 through December 18th. Cheryl Bearss, Joan Bixler, Jeff Bulman

Christina Blake, Elisabeth Hudgins, Scott Kaye, Matt Redfield, Ann

Steele, Deborah Taylor, Two Sisters Art Glass and the Swell Candle Company.

Alexia Scott is also open by appointment. Contact her at aj@alexiapaints.com.

The studio is located at: 106 Little Falls Street, Falls Church.

Go to: alexiaspaintingstudio.com for more information about any of the artists.

PAGE 4 | NOVEMBER 11 - 17, 2021

LOCAL

FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM

Council Unanimously Votes to Expand Affordable Housing Applicants

Continued from Page 1

item and requires only an administrative adjustment at City Hall.

In the staff report to the Council this week, it was noted that “a consistent theme from all the input received from City boards and commissions was a need to increase inclusion of diverse perspectives and experience in the participatory government.”

The report said, “The Library Board of Trustees recommended expanding representation and diversity of its membership. The Housing Commission recommended that the language requiring that board and commission applicants be qualified voters be removed because that includes a citizenship requirement for voting. Currently, the City Charter requires that members appointed by Council to serve on boards and commissions be “qualified voters of the city, actually residing within the city limits.”

This September, as part of the Housing Commission’s assessment and recommendations regarding equity in City programs, according to the staff report, “It was determined that this requirement served as a hardship for residents who do not meet it, but who would like to participate in the program. After research and review with the City attorney, it was determined that this was a change that could be made administratively. As a result, all citizenship requirements have been removed from City affordable housing program requirements. Applicants will still need to follow any applicable financing guidelines if needed.”

All of the affordable housing documents have been updated and a mailing was sent to residents who may be interested in the program informing them of this change.

In other developments from the Monday Council meeting:

The Council voted to support the proposed naming of the City Property Yard as the “Robert L. Goff Operations Yard” as an appropriate expression of thanks and appreciation to Mr. Goff for his many years of service.

The plan to have a representative of Kettler Management, the company that owns The Fields, a subsidized affordable housing property in the City, did not materialize as no representative of the company showed up. Councilman Letty Hardi said Kettler “bailed at the last minute” and urged health inspectors to be brought in.

The Council was encouraged to try again to get Kettler to show up for a meeting after residents of the property complained about a variety of maintenance shortcomings.

That resulted in an Oct. 12 meeting of residents with management at Berman Park adjacent the site, when they were told a new pest control company had been retained and mold was being treated in each unit. “A lot of progress has been made,” Dana Lewis of the City’s Department of Human Services told the Council.

November was declared “Live Local Falls Church” month, with representatives of the Falls Church Chamber of Commerce present to promote the initiative first introduced by Councilman Ross Litkenhous. The goal, he said, is to encourage City residents to increase the proportion of their discretionary spending that occurs with City businesses by 20 percent during the month.

The Council recognized the 100th anniversary of the dedication of the U.S. Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at Arlington Cemetery, as requested by the Falls Church chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution. The anniversary will be celebrated as part of today’s (Nov. 11) scheduled ceremony at the Veterans’ Memorial in front of the Community Center at 11 a.m.

The Council recognized November at Native American Heritage month.

Assistant City Manager Cindy Mester updated the Council on the status of no less than 25 capital improvement projects that are in various stages of completion in the Little City, beginning with the completion of the $120 million new Meridian High School, the addition of walking lanes at the W&OD trail and the expansion and renovation of the Mary Riley Styles Public Library.

All the projects are progressing under “environmental and equity lenses,” she reported. Historical panels being prepared for the South Washington multi-modal project are currently being fabricated, and streetlight conversions are underway.

“There are a lot of good things happening all around town right now,” said Mayor David Tarter, but they all need better promotion so that our citizens can appreciate all that is being done for them.”

The use of the $100,000 allocated by the City Council last spring for improved public outreach and communication has not yet occurred.

The Council began consideration of a 5 cent tax on all plastic bags with the aim that it be in conjunction with surrounding jurisdictions. Currently, the Council was told, the City is about three months behind progress on this initiative by its neighbors. The purpose of the tax is not to raise revenue but to discourage the environmentallydamaging use of the bags.

Councilman Letty Hardi said that there “must be a bold declaration by the Council with incentives aimed at retaining and bringing back City employees.”

The Council OK’d modifying its working deal with the Friends of the Falls Church Homeless Shelter to change the opening date of the shelter this year from November 15 to December 1.

November is Live Local month in

Falls Church. Scan the QR code to enter a contest to win a gift cards to your favorite local spots. Hashtag and post on social media every time you Live Local and win!

Partner Sponsors Gold Sponsors

Silver Sponsor

Bronze Sponsors

Body Dynamics Hilton Garden Inn—

Falls Church John Marshall Bank John N. Rodock—

Baker, Donelson Staples—

Bailey’s Crossroads Annual Nonprofit Forum Luncheon

The business community and residents of the Little City are invited to attend the annual luncheon celebrating nonprofits.

Join us to meet representatives of many local nonprofits and learn about their very important missions. Brian Creswick of Chartis Federal will talk about the benefits of partnering with nonprofits, for you, the nonprofit and your business.

Scan the QR code to register. $30 members $35 nonmembers

FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM

LOCAL

PAGE 5 | NOVEMBER 11 - 17, 2021

Jogger Injured on Broad Street Asks for More Police Enforcement

Continued from Page 1

bus stop arm monitoring and red light cameras, speed has still been an issue.

Jaclyn Robertson, a resident of Falls Church who lives in the residential area of Broad Street, was struck by a car in a hit and run while on a jog near her home. Robertson has lived on Broad Street since 2019, walking and jogging on the road daily and taking her children out on their bikes. She stated that before the pandemic, she would often see officers patrolling the street and monitoring traffic but for the past year and a half it has all but stopped.

“I’m very familiar with the traffic situation on Broad Street,” she said. “I was running, like I always do, I was running west on Broad Street— towards downtown. I was on the sidewalk and I came to the crosswalk at Fairfax, where there’s a stop sign at Fairfax but not a stop sign or light on Broad Street. There’s a crosswalk so I stopped at the corner, looked left, looked right, looked left again, didn’t see anyone and proceeded to run into the crosswalk. About halfway into the crosswalk, I saw something out of my peripheral on my left side and the next thing I knew I was in the middle of Broad Street. It took me a second to register what happened but I did not lose consciousness. Once I realized I had been hit by a car I immediately looked for the person who hit me and I did not see them.”

According to Robertson, only two people were interviewed at the scene of the incident, neither of which saw the incident occur, and she was not interviewed until a few hours later at the hospital, despite being conscious at the scene.

Gavin stated that most of the ‘witnesses’ did not actually witness the crime and statements from Robertson and the driver conflict.

Witnesses originally called the incident into 911 as a medical emergency, unsure of how Robertson ended up in the middle of the road. EMTs arrived at the scene and after finding out what had happened, police were called to investigate further.

Due to the conflicting statements from those involved and a lack of witnesses, officers attempted to obtain video from nearby shopping centers and red light cameras.

“We tried to collect evidence to support a statement which would show proof as to what actually happened,” said Gavin. Ultimately, no charges were filed in this case.

In addition to Robertson’s accident, a similar incident occurred involving a cyclist being hit by a car on Broad Street.

Gavin encourages drivers to be more cognizant of all forms of transportation that may be on the road, including those walking or jogging and cycling. Solar powered radar monitors can be found on Broad Street as well, allowing drivers to see how fast they are going and slow down to the 25 mph speed limit throughout the city.

There has also been a conversation about changing the speed limit throughout the city. However, Robertson does not think this is the solution. Instead, she has been advocating for more lights on the residential end of Broad Street and more police monitoring the street and enforcing the current speed limit.

Gavin stated that she works closely with the Department of Public Works and that those are the people who should be referred to in a conversation about a change to the speed limit.

As reported in the October 21 issue of the News-Press, the city government has lost 15 percent of its staff— including two members of the police department. There are currently 32 officers on the force for the city whose population is 450 times that size. However, Gavin does not see any correlation between the loss of staff and incidents occurring on Broad.

SOME STOPLIGHTS on Broad Street are equipped with red light cameras to encourage drivers to slow down and stop. (P����:

N���-P����)