Henley Street Theatre and Richmond Shakespeare Historical Play Reading

Tuesday, January 20 at 7:00 PM
Monumental Church, 1224 E. Broad Street
 

Historic Richmond is thrilled to partner with the Henley Street Theatre and Richmond Shakespeare for a historical play reading from The Father, or Family Feuds by Denis Diderot, and Raymond and Agness, or The Bleeding Nun by Matthew Gregory Lewis.

On December 26, 1811, an excited crowd of theater​goers packed themselves into the Richmond Theatre on Broad Street to see a double bill of a play and a pantomime. On that fateful night, 518 adults and 80 children were enjoying the performance of The Bleeding Nun, when a chandelier in the theatre started a fire. The flames were fed by the hanging drops on the stage and soon roared out of control. The audience panicked and stampeded the doors. 72 died in the fire: 54 women and 18 men, including Governor George William Smith and former Senator Abraham Venable. It was the worst urban disaster of all time in the country.

Join us for a talk-back after the reading with Meredith Henne Baker, author of the award winning book The Richmond Theatre Fire; Gregg Kimball, Director of Public Services and Outreach at the Library of Virginia; Olivier Delers, Associate Professor of French at the University of Richmond; Emily Davis, Director of Marketing and Communications at Historic Richmond; director Melissa Rayford and the cast. Beer, wine and food will be provided during the talk-back.

Tickets: $15.00

PURCHASE TICKETS

FREE Parking is available in the Parking Lot of Virginia Dept. of Transportation located at 1401 East Broad Street (across from Monumental Church).