Three plays are wrapping up this weekend. Two finish on Sunday, BUFFALO QUICKIES at the Alleyway Theatre in the Theatre District and THE PLAY THAT GOES WRONG at the Kavinoky Theatre on the D’Youville University campus, and one finishes on Saturday, MEDEA by Euripides with a script by American poet Robinson Jeffers. Let’s take them in order of closing. THE BASICS: MEDEA by Euripides, in a retelling by Robinson Jeffers, directed by Victoria Pérez, with dramaturgy by Katie Mallinson, presented by the Buffalo State Theater Department and Casting Hall Productions, has two more shows, Friday, March 17 at 8 pm…
Author: Peter Hall
On Sunday afternoon, March 19, the Grammy Award-winning Buffalo Philharmonic Chorus, in partnership with the Buffalo Chamber Players and the Alzheimer’s Association of Western New York, will present a concert starting with J.S. Bach’s moving “Magnificat” and Robert Cohen’s 21st-century work, the emotionally powerful “Alzheimer’s Stories” which shares the words, history, and experience of Alzheimer’s disease. The 3 pm concert at Holy Trinity, 1080 Main Street is called “This Is Our Story: An Afternoon of Hope and Healing.” I had a Zoom conversation with Dr. Adam Luebke, Music Director of the Buffalo Philharmonic Chorus, which you can listen to here.…
There are two one-man shows in town, both are funny and deadly serious at the same time. I’M NOT A COMEDIAN; I’M LENNY BRUCE is in town for a one-weekend, three-show run at the Jewish Repertory Theatre. EVERY BRILLIANT THING is at Shea’s Smith Theatre through March 19. Let’s start with the one that’s closing soon. THE BASICS: I’M NOT A COMEDIAN… I’M LENNY BRUCE, a play written by and starring Ronnie Marmo, directed by Joe Mantegna, and presented by Jewish Repertory Theatre, three shows only, Saturday March 11 at 2 and 7, closing Sunday, March 12 at 3 at…
THE BASICS: SECRET SOLDIERS: HEROINES IN DISGUISE, by Wendy Lement, directed by Megan Callahan, presented by Theatre of Youth (TOY) March 4 – 26, Saturdays and Sundays at 2:00 (no performance March 19), 203 Allen Street, Buffalo, NY 14201 theatreofyouth.org 716.884.4400 Recommended for Ages 8+ RUNTIME: 70 minutes without intermission THUMBNAIL SKETCH: This historically informed play opens our eyes to the secret history of women who fought as men in the American Civil War. Several stories are uncovered in an interlocking set of true tales of battlefront women, with a focus on soldier Private Lyons Wakeman (born Sarah Wakeman of New York…
THE BASICS: Pianist Michelle Cann performs African-American composer Florence Price’s long-lost Piano Concerto as guest conductor Josep Caballé-Domenech conducts the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra at Kleinhans Music Hall in the quirky “Burleske” by Richard Strauss and Beethoven’s fun (and short) Eighth Symphony. The concert begins with young African-American composer Carlos Simon’s electric “Fate Now Conquers” inspired by Beethoven. Concert repeats Sunday, March 5, at 2:30 pm. Runtime: 1 hour 45 minutes When the eighth symphony by the great Beethoven isn’t the most memorable piece on the program titled “BEETHOVEN’S EIGHTH,” it’s a hint that this Sunday’s repeat is going to be…
THE BASICS: THE THIN PLACE, a play by Lucas Hnath, directed by Scott Behrend, presented by Road Less Traveled Productions, starring Renee Landrigan, Margaret Massman, Kristen Tripp Kelley, and David Mitchell. February 23 – March 26 Thursdays – Saturdays at 7:30, Sundays at 2:00 at the RLTP Theatre, 456 Main Street, Buffalo 14202 (716) 629-3069 roadlesstraveledproductions.org Runtime: 90 minutes with no intermission. Full-service bar (see feature story here) stays open after Friday and Saturday shows. THE THIN PLACE BLURB (from the publicity): Everyone who ever died is still here, just in a different part of here. Linda can communicate with them.…
THE BASICS: THE TEMPEST, the play by Shakespeare, directed by Fortunato Pezzimenti for the Irish Classical Theatre Company (ICTC), in collaboration with the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra (BPO) playing “Tempest” incidental music by Sibelius, directed by JoAnn Falletta, starring Aleks Malejs as Prospero/a opened its three-shows-only run Friday 2/24 at 7:30, with two more shows Saturday 2/25 at 7:30, and Sunday 2/26 at 2:30. All performances are at Kleinhans Music Hall, 3 Symphony Circle. Call 716-882-5000 or email the boxoffice@bpo.org Runtime: A little over two hours with one intermission (full-service bar, coffee, soda, snacks) For a two-minute trailer produced by Pan-American Film…
THE BASICS: HADESTOWN, the Tony-Award-winning musical by Anaïs Mitchell, directed by Rachel Chavkin, on a national tour presented by Shea’s M&T Broadway Series, starring Buffalo’s own Dominique Kempf as one of the Fates. February 21-26, Tuesday – Friday at 7:30, Saturday at 2:00 and 8:00, Sunday at 1:00 & 6:30 at Shea’s Buffalo Theatre, 646 Main Street, Buffalo 716-847-1410 sheas.org/buffalo-theatre Runtime: 2 hours and 30 minutes, including one intermission. Tip: Hadestown is recommended for ages 8+. Note that Shea’s website is quite robust with all sorts of detailed background information and a cool study guide here! THUMBNAIL SKETCH: Set to…
THE BASICS: TELL ME ON A SUNDAY, a musical by Andrew Lloyd Webber and Don Black, directed by Doug Weyand, presented by MusicalFare Theatre, starring Leah Berst, who is understudied by Maria Pedro, runs through March 19, Wednesdays – Thursdays at 7:00, Fridays at 7:30, Saturdays at 3:30 & 7:30, Sundays at 2:00, on the MusicalFare Theatre mainstage, c/o Daemen College 4380 Main Street, Suite 123, Amherst, NY 14226 (716) 839-8540 musicalfare.com Tips: Enter the campus from Getzville Road. Meet-the-cast talkbacks take place after all Wednesday performances. At the theater, you will get a mini-program that is quite informative, but if…
THE BASICS: THE ALEPH COMPLEX, a play by Deborah Yarchun, directed by Robyn Lee Horn, presented by the Alleyway Theatre, starring Caroline Kolasny, Sara Kow-Falcone, and Josh Wilde. World premiere runs through March 4, Thursdays – Saturdays at 7:30 at the Alleyway Theatre, 1 Curtain Up Alley (between Pearl and Main north of Shea’s). 716-852-2600 alleyway.com Additional Information: Industry Monday: February 20 at 7:30 with one afternoon Matinee: February 25 at 3:30. Runtime: Two hours with one intermission THUMBNAIL SKETCH (taken from the publicity): To save herself from her chronically incessant thoughts, Nicky converts them into sounds so she can fall…