Author: Gail Golden

Gail Golden has a BFA in Theatre from Ithaca College and an MA in Humanities from SUNY at Buffalo. She is the director of Dramatic Solutions, an interactive business theatre company which has presented diversity training for Walt Disney World, Darden Restaurants, Best Buy, Out + Equal, and for many federal government agencies including Social Security, DOL, and the CDC. Ms. Golden travelled for 4 years - performing at 150 VA Medical Centers throughout the country and has given two diversity play presentations at The Pentagon. Her other theatre company is The Wondermakers which presents folk tales, Paul Sills story theatre style, throughout NYS. Acting credits include theatre in NYC, Hollywood, Burbank, Atlanta, Orlando, and Cleveland as well as local performances at the Irish, the Kavinoky, the Alleyway, and the first BUA show - A … MY NAME IS ALICE. She is also a director and a writer with two published plays to her credit. As a reviewer, Ms. Golden has previously worked for WBEN Radio and Buffalo Theatre Guide. Ms. Golden taught Acting at Villa Maria College for 7 years, and she produced an award winning film, Give & Take. Improv is a special joy, and Gail studied at Second City Toronto, Chicago City Limits, and The Groundlings in LA. She performed locally with Comedysportz for 6 years. Favorite roles — Cinderella’s Fairy Godmother at Magic Kingdom, the original voice of Strawberry Shortcake, and Mrs. Santa Claus (since 2006) in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade on NBC.

THE BASICS: The Polish Cleaning Lady’s Daughter is premiering at the Paul Robeson Theatre, African American Cultural Center, 350 Masten Avenue in Buffalo. For tickets call 716-844-2013. March 22 and 23 at 7:30 pm, March 24 at 4 pm. THUMBNAIL SKETCH: The play is a memoir about growing up in Buffalo in the 1950’s. Its presentation at the Paul Robeson Theatre is part of their mission to bring understanding and appreciation to us all about the many communities within the Greater Buffalo area. Everyone has a story to tell – let’s share them and become closer. RUNTIME: one hour…

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THE BASICS: The Lancaster Opera House presents The Pajama Game, 21 Central Avenue in Lancaster, 3/17 – 3/24, Sundays at 2:30 pm, Friday and Saturday at 7:30 pm. Get tickets. THUMBNAIL SKETCH: The Pajama Game was awarded the 1955 Tony for Best Musical and, over half of a century later, claimed the award for Best Revival of a Musical, proving that the story is truly timeless. With an energetic score by Richard Adler and Jerry Ross (Damn Yankees), The Pajama Game is brimming with songs and dances that have become musical theater standards, including “Steam Heat,” “Hey There,” and “Hernando’s Hideaway.” Book by…

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THE BASICS: Rocking Horse Productions presents The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee at the Williamsville Meeting House, 5658 Main Street, Williamsville. March 15 – 24. Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30 pm, Sundays at 3 pm. For tickets THUMBNAIL SKETCH: The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee is a Tony Award winning musical comedy with music and lyrics by William Finn and a book by Rachel Sheinkin. The show centers on tweens competing in a middle school spelling bee. RUNTIME: two hours with a fifteen minute intermission THE PLAYERS, THE PLAY, AND THE PRODUCTION: This is a musical with an interesting history. In its…

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THE BASICS: Alleyway Theatre,1 Curtain Up Alley, Buffalo, NY 14202. Feb. 9 – March 2, Thursdays – Saturdays, for tickets — 716-852-2600 or Tickets. THUMBNAIL SKETCH: A love-letter to the great sitcoms of the 70s, The Folks at Home by R. Eric Thomas is a comic look inside the homes of our neighbors. Roger and Brandon are an interracial couple living in South Baltimore and doing the best they can. A late mortgage, months of unemployment, and a possible ghost in the attic are all complicated when all of their parents show up at the door and need to move in. The…

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THE BASICS: Shea’s Performing Arts Center, 646 Main Street, Buffalo, NY 14202 716-847-0850, Feb. 13 – 18, tickets at Ticketmaster via www.sheas.org/performances/funny-girl. THUMBNAIL SKETCH: Featuring one of the most iconic scores of all time by Jule Styne and Bob Merrill, an updated book from Harvey Fierstein based on the original book by Isobel Lennart, tap choreography by Ayodele Casel, choreography by Ellenore Scott, and direction from Michael Mayer. The score features hit songs like “Don’t Rain on My Parade” and “People.” RUNTIME: Two hours and fifty minutes including one intermission THE PLAYERS, THE PLAY, AND THE PRODUCTION: Funny Girl opened on Broadway in…

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THE BASICS: REHEARSAL FOR MURDER, a mystery adapted from the television play by Richard Levinson and William Link, adapted for the stage by D. D. Brooke. 1/26 – 2/11, Fri-Sat 7:30, Sun 2:30, except Saturday, 2/10, performance at 2:30 only. At the Lancaster Opera House, 21 Central Avenue, Lancaster, NY 14086. (716) 683-1776 lancasteropera.org THUMBNAIL SKETCH: Alex Dennison is a playwright engaged to actress Monica Welles. But on the opening night of her new Broadway play, she kills herself over some bad reviews. Thoroughly distraught, Alex can’t believe she’d committed suicide and begins to suspect she was actually murdered. Under…

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THE BASICS: REEFER MADNESS, a musical, book by Kevin Murphy and Dan Studney, music by Dan Studney, lyrics by Kevin Murphy, directed by Todd Warfield, presented by O’Connell & Company. 1/26 – 2/11, Fri – Sat 7:30, Sun 3:00, plus Thursday, 2/1 at 7:30. At Shea’s Smith Theatre, 654 Main Street, Buffalo, 716-847-0850 | sheas.org/smith-theatre | Under 17 must be accompanied by an adult. THUMBNAIL SKETCH: There is a new menace sweeping the nation, ready to ensnare and seduce the youth and drag them down into a life of sin: REEFER MADNESS! In this satire, Jimmy, a fine, upstanding, All-American…

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THE BASICS: Faith Healer runs Friday, January 5, 2024 through Sunday, January 28, 2024 at the Irish Classical Theatre, 625 Main St, Buffalo, NY 14203. Curtain times are 7:30pm for Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays; 3pm Saturday Matinees; and 2pm Sundays. Tickets are $45 and can be purchased online at www.irishclassical.com, by phone at 716-853-4282 or in person at the ICTC Box Office. See Box Office hours on ICTC’s website. Discounts available: Student: $20; Purchase online or through Box Office. Veteran: $25; Purchase online with code THANKS or through Box Office. Industry: $20; Purchase through Box Office, or join our Industry List…

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THE BASICS: Performances Dec 18-23, 2023 at Shea’s Performing Arts Center – 646 Main Street, Buffalo 14202, 716-847-1410 | Click for tickets. THUMBNAIL SKETCH: This is a national tourof the hit musical by Tony Award®-winners Thomas Meehan, Charles Strouse and Martin Charnin. It’s a hard knock life for Annie and the other orphans of Depression Era New York City, under the patronage of the wretched and scheming Miss Hannigan at the Hudson Street Orphanage. One day, Annie’s life is changed forever when billionaire Daddy Warbucks invites an orphan to stay at his mansion for the Christmas holidays. RUNTIME: 2 hours and…

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THE BASICS: Nuncrackers is presented by O’Connell & Company from December 1 – 17 at 4110 Bailey Avenue, Buffalo 14226. For tickets and exact dates and times, call 716-848-0800 or go here.  THUMBNAIL SKETCH: Nuncrackers, The Nunsense Christmas Musical is a light-hearted show with a book, music, and lyrics by Dan Goggin. It features the nuns from the rest of the Nunsense series, plus Father Virgil and six of Mount Saint Helen’s most talented students. RUNTIME: about 2 hours, with intermission THE PLAYERS, THE PLAY, AND THE PRODUCTION: Dan Goggin wrote Nunsense in 1985 and it ran for 10 years, becoming…

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