Cross Stitch Bandits

Cadence in partnership with Virginia Repertory Theatre presents the world premiere of Cross Stitch Bandits.

2023 RTCC Award Nomination
Best Original Work

Written by Sanam Laila Hashemi and Steven Burneson
Direction by Sharon Ott

March 9–19, 2023
Libby S. Gottwald Playhouse

CAST
David… Otto Konrad
Jeanne… Dorothy “Dee-D.” Miller
Drew… Cyrus Mooney
Neil… Landon Nagel
Kaija… Tatjana Shields

PRODUCTION TEAM
Director– Sharon Ott
Assistant Director– Molly Marsh
Scenic Designer– Faith Carlson
Costume Designer– Sarah Grady
Lighting Designer– Weston Corey
Sound Designer– Joey Luck
Properties Designer– Ellie Wilder
Technical Directors– Becka Russo and Vinnie Gonzalez
Set Dressing– Faith Carlson
Production Manager & Stage Manager– Shawanna Hall

STAGE MANAGEMENT & CREW
Assistant Stage Manager— Grace Côté, Breanna Swain
Master Electrician— Weston Corey
Scenic Painting— Faith Carlson
Wardrobe Assistants— Casey Henley, Molly Marsh
Running Crew— Terra Comer, Lavina Lionne
ASM Production— Kaylin Corbin, Scott Nuckols, Emily Parker

ADMINISTRATIVE & MARKETING
Artistic & Managing Director— Anna Senechal Johnson
Director of Education— Laine Satterfield
Pipeline New Works Fellowship Program— Chris and David Lindsay-Abaire, Clay McLeod Chapman
Sitelines BLM Director— Omiyemi (Artisia) Green
Associate Artists— Sharon Ott, Rusty Wilson
Development Specialist— Diane Carpenter
Graphic Designer— Druanne Cummins
Photographers— Jason Collins Photography, Jay Paul Photography
Communications and Social Media Associate— Sara Krivanec
Communications Associate and Dramaturg— Liv Wilson
Videography and Editing— Fotochrome, Red Summit, Drew Brown, Michael Duni, Alexyn Scheller
Sound Production— Joey Luck
Bookkeeper— Jill Porcelli
Special Events Coordinator— Melissa Johnston Price
Webmaster— Skye Shannon

Intern Company 2022-23 — Jae Austin, Terra Comer, Timothy Glover, Teairrah Green, Maggie Higginbotham, Alexia Hopson, Daniel Kunkel, Lavina Lionne, Kristen Woolridge

Publicity and Reviews

"A layered and emotional family story. It’s funny and absurd, but challenging and sweet at the same time. "
— Mara Guyer, Richmond Family Magazine (March 15, 2023)

”The family issues presented by new playwrights Sanam Laila Hashemi and Steven Burneson (a soon-to-be married couple in real life) are relatable and universal. When we laugh at David and Jeanna, or David and Drew’s zany nighttime adventure, we are laughing at ourselves, at our own families. I think that also makes any imperfections, inconsistencies, and unanswered questions easier to accept – they are ours and we own them.”
— Julinda D. Lewis, RVArt Review (March 13, 2023)

”The director describes “Bandits'' as having a Wes Anderson-style quirkiness but with more warmth. She says it fills a niche that has been neglected as more writers have pursued work tackling thorny cultural issues. ‘It has a comic engine to it and a warm engine to it,’ she explains. ‘I think we're in a time where it's nice to do things that emphasize warmth and humanity and family without being saccharine.’”
— David Timberline, Style Weekly (March 8, 2023)

Today’s adventure was simply a good story, well told—the new play Cross Stitch Bandits by Sanam Laila Hashemi. The story is about Dave, a recently retired engineer who can’t make sense of his life without a job. Now with time to spare, he micromanages his wife and children. But it’s not going well. As the family tries to bury the past, literally, secrets are revealed and hatchets are buried. Thanks to the guidance by director Sharon Ott, it’s a joy to watch. Actors Dorothy Miller, Cyrus Mooney, Tatjana Shields, and Landon Nagel are all stand-outs in their roles, but Otto Konrad as Dave is the lighting rod that makes the play sizzle. All of this on an amazing (and complicated) set designed by Faith Carlson, with incidental music I could listen to on a loop, designed by Joey Luck. There was a talkback after the show with award winning playwright David Lindsay-Abaire which was both informative and inspiring.
— Lily Mercer (March 12, 2023)