Records and Romance
Photo by Jason Collins
Originally published by Richmond Magazine
by Peter McElhinney
January 30, 2026
Art imitates life in a Cadence theater production at Plan 9 Music
What better setting for a play about record collectors than an actual record store? And few record stores could be more fitting than Plan 9, the venerable Richmond music hub located in Carytown. It’s where Cadence theater company will stage its production of “Love & Vinyl” Feb. 6-22.
Bob Bartlett, a Washington, D.C.-based playwright, is no stranger to real-world productions — he notably set a Frankenstein story at Congressional Cemetery. Cadence, an innovative and community-centric company that typically mounts plays at the Firehouse Theatre or the Dominion Energy Center’s stages, has the unique challenge of fitting three actors and an audience between long rows of record bins.
The show promises to be a one-of-a-kind opportunity to see an affectionate dramatization of the playful, intense and insightful interactions that have taken place in stores such as Plan 9 over the decades.
Tickets are $50.
