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Theater Talk

Theater Talk: Shea's is managing Murphy muddle. Area theaters are gearing up for Curtain Up!

By Anthony Chase,
Peter Hall
Published August 25, 2022 at 9:58 PM EDT
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ROCK OF AGES is in rehearsal at D'Youville's Kavinoky Theatre (opens September 2).jpg
D'Youville Kavinoky Theater's Facebook page
ROCK OF AGES is in rehearsal at D'Youville's Kavinoky Theatre (opens September 2).jpg

There's trouble over at Shea's as employees and some board members resign over the management style of president Michael Murphy. For background, first read Anthony's earlier blog here and then for the latest as of this post read his update titled "Details emerge about Shea's meeting" As you can read here
Chase begins: "When Michael Murphy, president of Shea’s, returns to his office on Tuesday or Wednesday of next week, after a month and a half absence, there will be a decided chill in the air. He will be reunited with a staff, the majority of whom, have clearly stated that they want him gone....

"Murphy’s new role leaves him in charge of Shea’s external affairs but puts director of operations Robert Brunschmid in charge of day-to-day internal concerns, an arrangement which some staff members describe as “business as usual,” but which was clearly intended as a means to separate staff from direct contact with Murphy, while retaining his vision and talents, as well as theirs during a six-month trial period. Presumably, the board is hoping this time will allow for healing, and for the organization to focus on its work without the distraction of the current dispute...."

CURTAIN UP! is on Friday, September 16. So "Don't Stop Believin'" in local theater. Before the 16th you can take in ROCK OF AGES - a "jukebox musical" set to the music of the 80s including Foreigner and Journey. You get the idea. So if you're "just a small town girl, livin' in a lonely world" or maybe you're a "city boy" you'll want to head over to D'Youville's Kavinoky Theatre (lead image above) and it opens on September 2.

Speaking of musicals, our local venue dedicated to that genre, MusicalFare, has NICE WORK IF YOU CAN GET IT by brothers George and Ira Gershwin opening on September 7.

And, at the Alleyway, MAGNOLIA BALLET is in previews starting September 9, with opening night on September 14. The tagline is: "A Southern gothic fable melding drama, dance, poetry, and spectacle to explore masculinity, racism, and the love between a Black queer kid and his father."

SHEA'S 2022-2023 SEASON is only two months away!

The M&T Broadway series at Shea's for 2022-2023 includes:

THE PROM Sep 27-Oct 2, 2022

TINA: THE TINA TURNER MUSICAL Nov 8-13, 2022

COME FROM AWAY Dec 13-18, 2022

HADESTOWN Feb 21-26, 2023

BEETLEJUICE Mar 21-26, 2023

SIX Apr 25-May 7, 2023

JAGGED LITTLE PILL Jun 6-11, 2023

with two "special engagements"

Disney's ALADDIN Nov 22-27, 2022 and

DEAR EVAN HANSEN June 20-25, 2023.

THE SHAWFESTIVAL LIST OF SUMMER PLAYS INCLUDES:

(Note, visit shawfest.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/2022Calendar_print.pdf for a printable calendar with days, dates, ande times)

NOTE: Mask use is optional and proof of vaccination is not required by Shawfest. However, it is required to enter Canada. Download and fill out your ARRIVECAN app (get it on Google Play or the App Store) prior to your border crossing.

2022 Season:

AT THE FESTIVAL THEATRE

DAMN YANKEES Words and Music by Richard Adler and Jerry Ross

Book by George Abbott and Douglass Wallop

THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING EARNEST By Oscar Wilde

THE DOCTOR’S DILEMMA By Bernard Shaw

Opens Saturday Aug 20 at 6

ROYAL GEORGE THEATRE

GASLIGHT

By Johnna Wright and Patty Jamieson

Based on the play Angel Street by Patrick Hamilton

CHITRA By Rabindranath Tagore (11:30 am Lunchtime One-Act) at the Royal George Theatre

JUST TO GET MARRIED By GB Shaw contemporary Cicely Hamilton opens Sun Aug 21 at 11:30 am

BLURB: “It is 1910 and Georgiana is 29, so the burning question is: how can we get her married?”

JACKIE MAXWELL STUDIO THEATRE

TOO TRUE TO BE GOOD By Bernard Shaw is a three act play dealing with a host of (still contemporary) issues.

EVERYBODY By Branden Jacobs-Jenkins

GEM OF THE OCEAN By August Wilson (The first play in August Wilson’s THE AMERICAN CENTURY CYCLE) opens Fri Aug 19 at 6

_____

THE STRATFORD FESTIVAL LIST OF SUMMER PLAYS:

The Stratford Festival recommends downloading their Visitors Guide to discover information about Shows, Forum Events, Special Performances, Speakers & Panels, Workshops, Tours & Exhibits and much more. Click here: https://cds.stratfordfestival.ca/uploadedFiles/2022-Visitors-Guide.pdf

Read Peter's preview of the 2022 summer season here.

https://www.buffalorising.com/2022/07/the-stratford-festival-is-back-celebrating-diversity-with-a-full-season-of-world-class-shakespeare-mixed-with-premieres-by-contemporary-canadian-playwrights/

Read Peter's review of the three by Shakespeare currently in repertory at Stratford here.

https://www.buffalorising.com/2022/08/a-trip-to-stratford-part-i-all-shakespeare/

Read Peter's review of three more modern shows - CHICAGO, EVERY LITTLE NOOKIE, and LITTLE WOMEN here.

https://www.buffalorising.com/2022/08/a-trip-to-stratford-part-2-chicago-every-little-nookie-little-women-and-more/

The Stratford musical this summer is

CHICAGO by Kander & Ebb & Fosse

Runs Through OCT 30 at The Festival Theatre

The comedy this summer is

THE MISER by Moliere

Runs through OCT 29 at The Festival Theatre

The family show this summer is

LITTLE WOMEN (a modern adaptation of the Luisa May Alcott classic)

Runs Through OCT 29 at The Avon Theatre

And there are three Shakespeare plays

RICHARD III

Runs Through OCT 30 at The Tom Patterson Theatre (newly rebuilt from the ground up!)

ALL'S WELL THAT ENDS WELL

Runs Through OCT 29 at The Tom Patterson Theatre (newly rebuilt from the ground up!)

HAMLET

Runs Through OCT 28 at The Festival Theatre

And there are four “Modern” plays this summer at Stratford:

EVERY LITTLE NOOKIE at the Studio Theatre

Runs Through OCT 01

HAMLET-911

Runs JUL 28 - OCT 02 at the Studio Theatre

DEATH AND THE KING'S HORSEMAN

Runs through OCT 29 at The Tom Patterson Theatre (newly rebuilt from the ground up!)

1939

Runs through OCT 29 at the Studio Theatre

_____

SHEA'S 2022-2023 SEASON is only two months away!

The M&T Broadway series at Shea's for 2022-2023 includes:

THE PROM Sep 27-Oct 2, 2022

TINA: THE TINA TURNER MUSICAL Nov 8-13, 2022

COME FROM AWAY Dec 13-18, 2022

HADESTOWN Feb 21-26, 2023

BEETLEJUICE Mar 21-26, 2023

SIX Apr 25-May 7, 2023

JAGGED LITTLE PILL Jun 6-11, 2023

with two "special engagements"

Disney's ALADDIN Nov 22-27, 2022 and

DEAR EVAN HANSEN June 20-25, 2023.

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2022 Theater TalkWBFO Arts & Culture Desk
Anthony Chase
Listen for Theater Talk, Friday morning at 6:45 and 8:45 during Morning Edition.
See stories by Anthony Chase
Peter Hall
Even though "semi-retired," Peter Hall continues to wear many hats. He is the Sunday afternoon host on WBFO’s “sister station,” WNED Classical where he has produced over 1,000 radio interviews with musical artists. If you see him at a theater with a pen in his hand, he’s probably getting ready to co-host “Theater Talk” with Anthony Chase (heard Friday mornings at 6:45 and 8:45 a.m. on WBFO) or to write a review for www.buffalorising.com. He is also a member of the "Artie Awards" committee (think “Tony Awards for Buffalo theaters”).
See stories by Peter Hall
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  • What a cast in MusicalFare's WHITE CHRISTMAS at Shea's 710
    Theater Talk: NYC all decked out for the holidays, Chenoweth and Ruff always good to see, back home we have five A CHRISTMAS CAROLs, two WHITE CHRISTMASES, and at Shea's, a Neglia/BPO NUTCRACKER.
    This week on Theater Talk, Anthony, just back from NYC, loved the storefronts and all the holiday glamour that is New York at Christmas, plus he saw Buffalo's Roslyn Ruff in KYOTO, and later Kristen Chenoweth in THE QUEEN OF VERSAILLES, where, even knowing that the show would close in early January, she gave it 100%. (By the way, the BTPM bus trip in January has replaced it with the 2025 Tony Award Best Musical MAYBE HAPPY ENDING.) And, Anthony reports that OPERATION MINCEMEAT (also on the January 2026 bus trip) is very funny. Back home, we have at least five (5) A CHRISTMAS CAROLs, including the traditional (43 years!) version by Neal Radice (with David Mitchel) at Buff State, a new version with Daniel Lendzian at The Alleyway, and another version starring Stan Klimecko at the Kenan Center. And the Tim Carroll version is at Shaw, and Mike Randall at various locations. MusicalFare's WHITE CHRISTMAS just opened at Shea's 710, and FANCY NANCY'S SPLENDIFEROUS CHRISTMAS opens at Theatre of Youth, as does the BPO and Neglia Ballet's annual Tchaikovsky's THE NUTCRACKER. And for good dinner theater, see Peter Schaffer's BLACK COMEDY, continuing at Desiderio's (at Bobby J's Italian Grill in Cheektowaga). Whew! That's a lot of choices. SCROLL DOWN TO SEE THE COMPLETE LOCAL LISTINGSYes!Do it! Click through then scroll to see complete listings of what's on stage!For over 30 years, Theater Talk has been appointment listening on WBFO, featuring the insights of theater critic and historian, Anthony Chase. Chase co-hosted Theater Talk with Buffalo Broadcast Hall of Famer Jim Santella for many years. These days, it's Peter Hall. With more than 20 active producing theater companies in Buffalo alone, not to mention Shea’s Performing Arts Center and the Shaw Festival at nearby Niagara-on-the-Lake, Chase and Hall keep their calendars full, trying to see and share their insights on as many shows as possible.But Theater Talk is anything but a dry community arts listing service. Instead, with affection, good humor, and just the occasional rant, the segment provides snapshot reviews, recommends local productions, analyzes the Western New York theater scene and occasionally looks at what's happening on Broadway and across the nation.Chase is the founder of the Artie Awards, which recognizes excellence in Western New York theater and raises money for AIDS charities.