Tysons’ 1st Stage Theatre won five Helen Hayes Awards at last night’s ceremony — scoring four of its wins for its “Fly by Night” production last spring.
The theater’s production of the rock-fable “Fly by Night” racked up nine nominations, while the father-son story “Swimming With Whales” and Aaron Sorkin’s “The Farnsworth Invention” each earned six nods. One nomination for “A Civil War Christmas” brought 1st Stage up to a total of 22 nominations — the second most for any theater, trailing Arena Stage’s 25.
Named after the “First Lady of American Theatre” Helen Hayes, the awards recognize excellence in professional theatre in the D.C. area and are split into two main categories: the “Hayes” for productions featuring a majority of theater union members and the “Helen” for productions with fewer union members.
Here is 1st Stage Theatre’s full list of wins:
- Outstanding Direction in a Musical (Helen): Kathryn Chase Bryer for “Fly by Night”
- Outstanding Ensemble in a Musical (Helen): “Fly by Night”
- Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Musical (Helen): Caroline Wolfson in “Fly by Night”
- Robert Prosky Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Play (Helen): Matthew Wilson in “Swimming With Whales” (also shared with Josh Adams in Theater Alliance’s “The Events”).
- Outstanding Production in a Musical (Helen): “Fly by Night”
Yesterday’s awards ceremony boosted the theater in nominations and wins from last year.
In 2018, 1st Stage won two of its 10 nominations. Frank Britton took home the Robert Prosky Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Play (Helen) for 1st Stage’s production of “Jesus Hopped the ‘A’ Train.” Also, Jose Guzman received the James MacArthur Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Play (Helen) for the same show.
Photo via Twitter
The Vienna Town Council delayed voting on the proposed redevelopment of 380 Maple Avenue after a resident questioned if the town had notified Fairfax County about the proposed rezoning — the town hadn’t.
Resident John Pott asked during the public hearing last night (May 13) if the town had notified the county about the proposed rezoning since the property is within half of a mile from the county line. Pott said that the notification has to happen before the Vienna Planning Commission hearing.
Turns out, the town had not notified the county yet, Town Manager Mercury Payton said, adding that “this was an oversight on the part of staff.”
“This has not been a practice,” Payton said. “It was not intentionally inaction based on staff to not notify the county.”
“I’m a little bit dismayed we didn’t follow the law,” Councilmember Howard Springsteen said, telling town staff that “ignorance is no excuse.”
In addition to the legal conundrum, Springsteen urged the developer and residents to work together — possibly using a mediator — to try to find middle ground on the contentious issues around the proposed project, such as safety, privacy and scale. “I would like to see if we could get a mutual, agreeable resolution to things,” he said.
The proposed project has received mixed reviews from residents.
While some people have said at previous public hearings that the mixed-use, four-floor building, which would include ground floor retail and more than three dozen multi-family residential condominium units, could revitalize the downtown area, others have argued that traffic, safety and scale issues plague the project.
Dennis Rice, the owner of J.D.A. Custom Homes, appeared frustrated when relaying to the Town Council some of the back and forth changes he’s made to make the development more desirable to nearby residents. But, he reiterated he is willing to keep working with neighbors on the project.
Mayor Laurie DiRocco told Rice to submit a written list of proffers. While proffers have been written down and spoken about at meetings, DiRocco said that Rice needs to provide the town with a comprehensive and clear list.
Town Attorney Steve Briglia advised the council to keep the public hearing open while getting in touch with the county. The Town Council voted to continue consideration of the project at the June 3 Town Council meeting and directed staff to send a notification of the proposed rezoning to the county.
Photo via Town of Vienna Planning and Zoning
Vienna’s version of “American Idol” is winding down auditions ahead of the semi-finals during ViVa! Vienna!
Vienna Idol showcases local talent, while also raising money for the Khristin Kyllo Memorial Fund, which honors the memory of a local Vienna resident who died suddenly due to a sudden unexpected death in epilepsy (SUDEP).
The last audition slots for the eighth annual music competition will be held on Wednesday.
Here’s where hopeful contestants can audition:
- Today (May 14): 7-9 p.m. at Whole Foods (143 Maple Avenue E.)
- Tomorrow (May 15): 7-9 p.m. at Caffe Amouri Coffee Roaster (107 Church Street NE)
Up next, the semi-finals will take place in the parking lot of Caffe Amouri during ViVa! Vienna! next Sunday, May 26.
The winner gets chosen by attendees, who vote for their favorite “Idol” during a concert on the Vienna Town Green (144 Maple Avenue E.) on Friday, June 7.
The first place winner will receive $700 and eight hours of professional recording studio time. The contestant in second place will walk away with $500, while the contestant in third place will get $250.
Image via Facebook
A casual Italian restaurant is set to open later this month in downtown Falls Church.
Named after the couple that runs the restaurant, Thompson Italian will fill the former space (124 N. Washington Street) of Argia — another Italian restaurant.
Gabe Thompson, who was the executive chef for RPM Italian in D.C., plans to incorporate seasonal, local ingredients into the menu, while pastry chef and Arlington native Katherine Thompson will oversee the desserts, Arlington Magazine reported.
From the restaurant’s Facebook page:
Thompson Italian is a family affair–one that started when Katherine and Gabe met in 2007 while working in New York City’s top Italian restaurants. More than ten years and two children later, the Thompson’s are bringing their inventive and inviting cuisine to downtown Falls Church. Inspired by traditional Italian and flavors from a Texas background, Gabe’s menu is a modern interpretation of an osteria that features local produce and handmade pastas made from scratch daily. Katherine’s dessert menu features cannoli, cake, gelato, and sorbet, all changing with the seasons. Thompson Italian will open for dinner service in late May, followed by lunch and brunch service this summer.
While the restaurant says that it will post its menu soon on social media, diners can look forward to Katherine’s olive oil cake with crème fraîche mousse, raisin jam and Maldon salt, which the Facebook posts says “will definitely be making an appearance.”
The restaurant currently has a pending liquor license application to serve wine and beer.
Thompson Italian’s Facebook says that it plans to open in late May.
Photo via Facebook
Tysons’ 1st Stage Theatre will find out tonight if it gets to take home awards for any of its nearly two dozen Helen Hayes Awards nominations.
Named after the “First Lady of American Theatre” Helen Hayes, the awards recognize excellence in professional theatre in the D.C. area. The awards are split into two main categories: the “Hayes” for productions featuring a majority of theater union members and the “Helen” for productions with fewer union members.
The Tysons theater racked up 22 total nominations in the Helen categories and trailed Arena’s 25 nominations for the most for any theater, along with the second most for a single production — nine for rock-fable “Fly by Night” — behind 13 for “The Wiz” at Ford’s Theatre.
The father-son story “Swimming With Whales” and “The Farnsworth Invention” by Aaron Sorkin — the screenwriter and director behind “The West Wing” and “The Newsroom” — both received six nominations for the theater, while “A Civil War Christmas” earned one.
Here is 1st Stage Theatre’s full list of nominations for each show:
- “Fly by Night” — Musical Direction, Direction in a Musical, Ensemble in a Musical, Supporting Actor in a Musical, Supporting Actress in a Musical (2), Lead Actor in a Musical (2), Production in a Musical
- “Swimming With Whales” — Costume Design, Sound Design, Direction in a Play, Ensemble in a Play, Robert Prosky Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Play, Production in a Play
- “The Farnsworth Invention” — Direction in a Play, Ensemble in a Play, Supporting Actress in a Play, Robert Prosky Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Play (2), Production in a Play
- “A Civil War Christmas” — Musical Direction
Last year, 1st Stage won two of its 10 nominations. Frank Britton took home the Robert Prosky Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Play (Helen) for 1st Stage’s production of “Jesus Hopped the ‘A’ Train.” Also, Jose Guzman received the James MacArthur Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Play (Helen) for the same show.
The winners for this year’s nominations will be revealed tonight (May 13).
Photo by Ryan Maxwell Photography
The candidates running to become the next chairman of the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors will debate each other on climate change, affordable housing, transportation and land use tonight (May 13).
Four Democrats and one Republican are vying for Sharon Bulova’s seat.
Republican Joe Galdo, a former Defense Department technology intelligence analyst who ran for Congress as a Green Party candidate, is the most recent addition. The Democratic candidates include Reston developer Timothy Chapman, Fairfax County School Board Member At-Large Ryan McElveen, Lee District Supervisor Jeffrey McKay and Georgetown Law Professor Alicia Edith Plerhoples.
Sharon Bulova announced her retirement decision back in December, adding to a growing list of supervisors who also decided not to seek re-election. In addition to the chairman, the seats for the Hunter Mill, Providence, Braddock and Lee districts are open to newcomers.
The Faith Alliance for Climate Solutions partnered with the Fairfax Healthy Communities Coalition for the debate ahead of the June 11 primaries. The upcoming election for the county’s Board of Supervisors will take place on Nov. 5.
The debate will be televised at 8 p.m. on Fairfax Public Access Channel 10’s Inside Scoop.
Photo via Facebook
A body has been found along Leesburg Pike near the Spring Hill Metro station, according to the Fairfax County Police Department.
The deceased man was found in the 8500 block of Leesburg Pike, which spans from the Audi dealership to an office building just north of the Maserati and Alfa Romeo dealerships in Tysons.
Detectives have started an investigation into the man’s death, the police department tweeted.
“At this point there appears to be no threat to public safety,” the tweet said. “Please avoid the area.”
Detectives are currently investigating a man found dead in the 8500 block of Leesburg Pike in Tysons. At this point there appears to be no threat to public safety. Please avoid the area. #FCPD pic.twitter.com/CBxVClYktc
— Fairfax County Police (@FairfaxCountyPD) May 13, 2019
Map via Google Maps
Tysons Companies on “50 Great Places to Work in Washington” List — Washingtonian’s roundup of great places to work focused on flexibility, including these Tysons companies: Cassaday & Company, Insignia Federal Group and Splunk. Novetta in McLean and Glassman Wealth Services in Vienna also made the list. [Washingtonian]
McLean Students Win National Merit Scholarships — “Six students from McLean have been named winners of the 2019 National Merit $2,500 Scholarship. The merit scholar winners, announced Wednesday, were among 2,500 winners nationwide and were selected from a pool of more than 15,000 finalists.” [McLean Patch]
Fallen Tree Briefly Closed McLean Road Today — The Fairfax County Police Department tweeted that a fallen tree closed Old Dominion Drive between Balls Hill and Swinks Mill roads in McLean for about two hours earlier this morning. The road reopened shortly after 8 a.m. [FCPD/Twitter]
Where Providence District Candidates Stand on Walkability, Growth — Four of the five candidates running for the Providence District Supervisor seat answered a questionnaire from Greater Greater Washington about affordable housing, walkability and transportation. [Greater Greater Washington]
Kids’ Entertainer Faces Child Pornography Charges — “Police believe Steven Rossi, who goes by the stage name ‘Mr. Knick Knack,’ had numerous files containing illicit images. He was arrested on April 30 and is scheduled to appear in court on June 11… Investigators do not believe that Rossi had contact with the children in the images.” Rossi performed at the Silver Diner Tysons Corner in February. Anyone with additional information is encouraged to contact the Fairfax County Police Department’s Major Crimes Bureau at 703-246-7800. [Reston Now]
A Peek Inside The Boro Development — A reporter is sharing what a recent tour around the Boro Tower, the 20-story building at 8350 Broad Street. [Washington Business Journal]
Falls Church Hospice Care Provider Moving — “Hospice services provider Capital Caring will relocate its headquarters later this year to a 50,000-square-foot space in Falls Church as part of an organizational expansion. The nonprofit Capital Caring plans to sell its current 31,000-square-foot space at 2900 Telestar Court… The organization has signed a 15-year lease for its new space at 3180 Fairview Park Drive.” [Washington Business Journal]
Small business owners and residents in Vienna narrowed down more than two dozen suggested solutions to make it easier to park in the town’s central business district.
Last night’s brainstorming session was the second meeting in an ongoing effort to find viable public parking solutions while the town waits for Fairfax County’s renovation of the Patrick Henry Library, which could bring a parking garage.
“I don’t think we’re going to have a parking garage in town for a few years so we’re trying to come up with ideas to alleviate the problem,” Jim Brooke, the chair of the Town Business Liaison Committee, said at the meeting. “It’s important to get feedback from business owners and property owners because you guys live this every day.”
Mayor Laurie DiRocco said that the library got moved up in the county’s renovation schedule from 2026 to 2022. Until then, though, attendees suggested that small business owners meet with the county’s board in June and collect signatures to push for public parking as part of the library renovation.
Friderike Butler, a member of the Town Business Liaison Committee, suggested shared parking, which could encourage drivers to park and walk — potentially encouraging people to shop in more stores as they explore the town.
“You have all of these individually designed signs of ‘No Parking’ or ‘Patrons only,'” Butler told the business owners in attendance. “The message that you’re sending is [that] you’re not wanted here. Come in for your one transitional parking and then please leave.”
Some business owners said that sharing parking sounds like a good idea, yet doesn’t add parking or address needs for nearby parking spots for customers to load heavy items.
Dave Wallen from Nothing Bundt Cakes said that designated parking spots are often necessary for patrons who might not want to hunt for a parking spot nearby.
While possible pricey, Butler said having a digital parking map could help people find public parking spots around town that visitors often don’t know about. A similar idea would have the town put up big, blue parking signs that could direct drivers to those hidden spaces.
At the end of the meeting, attendees had the opportunity to vote with stickers for their top three in the “idea gallery,” which included all of the short-, mid- and long-term ideas from the two meetings.
Some of the top vote getters:
- business meeting with Fairfax County to accelerate Patrick Henry Library garage
- create a comprehensive, digital map for available public parking options
- clear and improve town-branded parking signage
- comprehensive strategic parking and marketing plan sponsored and coordinated by the town for businesses participating in shared parking
- comprehensive shared parking solution
The idea wall is set to get displayed somewhere accessible for local business owners who were not in attendance last night to vote on the ideas.
Fairfax County is investigating reports of missed trash pick-ups by a solid waste and recycling collection company in preparation to take legal action.
During the county’s Board of Supervisors meeting on Tuesday (May 7), John Cook and Kathy Smith, the district supervisors for Braddock and Sully, respectively, presented a board matter prompting the investigation into whether American Disposal Services has violated any consumer protection laws.
“For the last several weeks, American has failed to make many trash pick-ups in the county,” the board matter says. “Trash is left on street corners, or in overflowing HOA dumpsters. This open trash attracts rats and other vermin, it smells, and is ugly.”
Cook and Smith said that the trash collection’s failures are creating a “significant” health, safety and community enjoyment problems.
Inside NoVa recently reported that a spokesman for the Solid Waste Management Program of the Fairfax County Department of Public Works and Environmental Services (DPWES) received 143 missed-pickup complaints this year as of May 1.
While DPWES serves about 45,000 homes in the county, 22 private companies pick up trash for the remaining 400,000 homes, the article notes.
Based in Manassas, American Disposal Services is the primary private trash service company for county residents, according to the board matter.
Kevin Edwards, the general manager of American Disposal Services, told Tysons Reporter that a nationwide problem recruiting truck drivers started causing delays in trash pick-ups for Fairfax County residents about six to eight months ago.
“This shortage we’ve been experiencing for the last few years, but we’ve been able to keep ahead of it,” Edwards said. “The majority of what we have been doing has been delays instead of failed pick-ups.”
To address the shortage, Edwards said that the two-day trash service pick-up has been temporarily shifted to now once a week and on a different day, affecting about 10,000 of American Disposal Services’ roughly 100,000 Fairfax County customers.
While American Disposal Services tracks the number of failed pick-ups that get reported by customers, Edwards did not have information available to share on how many failed pick-ups have been reported in Fairfax County for the last six months or last few weeks.
Edwards said in response to the board matter “the level that is being described is not entirely accurate” and that public health shouldn’t be an issue because the company has been alerting residents via phone calls, texts and website updates between one week to 24 hours in advance about changed schedules.
For a long-term solution, Edwards said the company has been “aggressively hiring and recruiting” for several months and trying to convert some customers over to a once-a-week schedule.
Trash schedules have been “back on track” this week and American Disposal Services is talking to the county, Edwards said.
Fairfax County decided on Tuesday to request the county attorney to prepare a briefing for the board for the closed session of the May 12 meeting. The board matter says:
This briefing should include an analysis of all applicable consumer protection statutes, potential claims of fraud, or other legal issues potentially arising out of American’s failure to meet its commitments to our residents, and any options for the county to seek legal remedies. Fairfax County should continue to assist American in providing its promised services, but must also make clear that this is American’s problem, and we expect the company to solve it in the next two weeks, or else the County will be prepared to take whatever legal action may be available.
Staff from DPWES, Consumer Affairs and the Health Department have been working with American Disposal Services for the last few weeks on the issues and the county executive updated the Board of Supervisors on the county’s efforts on Monday, May 6, according to the board matter.
The American Trucking Association said in a 2015 report that the shortage in 2014 totaled 38,000 truck drivers and that the shortage could spike to nearly 175,000 by 2024.
“All trash haulers in the country are facing challenges, but here in Fairfax, after the acquisition by Waste Connections, American’s problems are more acute,” the board matter says.
Image via Facebook
