This is the Canadian Thanksgiving (October 10) holiday weekend and The Shaw Festival is almost wrapping things up this weekend, with all shows but one closing either October 8 or 9. Anthony took a group of Buffalo State theater students to see EVERYBODY, a contemporary riff on the medieval miracle play, where "Everybody" is looking for a companion to take to the underworld, but in the end, only "Love" will go. It's a serious topic but a very funny play.
There's a bit more time to see JUST TO GET MARRIED by Cicely Hamilton with themes about women's independence and it continues at the Shaw Festival through October 16.
Good news! As of October 1, Canada has dropped all Covid restrictions and ArriveCan is no longer needed. Also, Americans can save about 20% on tickets purchased with a credit card. To see what's happening at The Shaw Festival click here.
https://www.buffalorising.com/2022/09/shaw-festivals-world-class-theater-continues-into-october/
And you have until October 30 to get to the Stratford Festival in Stratford Ontario where stunning productions of HAMLET, RICHARD III, and ALL'S WELL THAT ENDS WELL continue throughout the entire month.
Color-rich casting and Stratford's traditionally impeccable production values make these three plays a "must-see." But some of the best experiences come from their new plays, especially 1939 and DEATH AND THE KING'S HORSEMAN (see below).
Subscribe to Anthony's free blog - theatertalkbuffalo.com - and you won't miss out on a lot of juicy theater news as well as great reviews. Many of Anthony's reviews appear in the "Buffalo News," which has a pay wall, but in one of his latest posts he calls our attention to an offer that allows you to see the "Buffalo News" in digital format for six months for just $1. https://myaccount.buffalonews.com/offers.
OPENING THIS WEEKEND AROUND TOWN:
FUTURE WARS: A SCI-FI DOUBLE FEATURE features two play premieres, RESET a new play by Samantha Macher, and OVERLAY, a new play by Adam Hahn, presented by First Look Buffalo, October 7 - 29, Thurs, Friday, and Saturday at 8 pm, at The Park School Theatre, 4625 Harlem Rd, Amherst, NY 14226 firstlookbuffalo.com (716) 771-6358
RESET a new play by Samantha Macher BLURB: East coast premiere of Samantha Macher's play that the NOHO Arts District called; "compelling, stark, and bitterly funny." It's also a story about humanity like all good science fiction is. RESET takes a hard look at what it means to be human in a not-too-distant future where machines can have feelings and dreams, just like us.
OVERLAY, a new play by Adam Hahn BLURB: The play is set in an unnamed country sometime in the near future, a country perpetually at war. But new technology has been developed to insulate soldiers from the horrible reality of their actions; However, nothing is perfect!
CLOSINGS THIS WEEKEND:
DOUBT, A PARABLE, play by John Patrick Shanley, directed by Victoria Pérez, starring Josie DiVincenzo, Steve Copps, Solange Gosselin, and Davida Evette Tolbert. September 16 – October 9, Thursday - Saturday 7:30 (except Curtain Up! Friday), Saturdays at 3:00, Sundays at 2:00. The Irish Classical Theatre Company at The Andrews Theatre 625 Main Street, Buffalo, NY 14203 directly across Main Street from Shea's Performing Arts Center. (716) 853-ICTC (4282) irishclassical.com
Read Anthony's review here. https://subscribe.buffalonews.com/e/limit-reached-bn?returnURL=https://buffalonews.com/entertainment/arts-and-theatre/a-riveting-powerful-doubt-at-irish-classical-theatre/article_294b18ae-3924-11ed-a5b5-7bc0115abee2.html
DOUBT, A PARABLE BLURB: Winner of the 2005 Pulitzer Prize, and Tony Award for Best Play, Doubt, A Parable follows the fallout after Sister Aloysius, a Bronx Catholic school principal in 1964, suspects a young priest of having inappropriate relations with a male student. Through 90 uninterrupted minutes, audiences will delve into the murky waters of provocation and moral uncertainty. Award-Winning Actress and Director Victoria Pérez makes her ICTC directorial debut with this gripping American play.
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MAN OF LA MANCHA, a musical, book by Dale Wasserman, music by Mitch Leigh, lyrics by Joe Darion, directed by J. Michael Landis, starring David Bondrow as Don Quixote, runs through October 9, Fridays-Saturdays 7:30 pm, Sundays 2:30. Lancaster Opera House 21 Central Ave Lancaster, NY 14086 716-683-1776 lancasteropera.org
MAN OF LA MANCHA BLURB: Featuring the immortal classic song, “The Impossible Dream,” this musical version of Cervante's novel Don Quixote is a monument to the romance of imagination and the resilience of storytelling. This show contains mature situations and may not be appropriate for younger audiences.
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NICE WORK IF YOU CAN GET IT, the 2012 Broadway musical with music by brothers George and Ira Gershwin and book by Joe DiPietro, set in the Prohibition era, directed by Chris Kelly, choreographed by Christy E. Cavanagh, presented by MusicalFare, starring 16 favorite MusicalFare artists. MusicalFare Theatre c/o Daemen College 4380 Main Street, Suite 123 Amherst, NY 14226 (716) 839-8540 musicalfare.com. Runtime: 2 hours, 35 minutes including one intermission. Note: This show is "sold out" but it wouldn't hurt to check the website. You never know when some seats might open up.
NICE WORK IF YOU CAN GET IT BLURB: Girls! Gangsters! GERSHWIN! They're all here in this smash-hit musical comedy for the ages with songs including the title song, plus "Someone To Watch Over Me," "S Wonderful," "Fascinatin' Rhythm," "Lady Be Good," and "Let's Call the Whole Thing Off."
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CONTINUING SHOWS in BUFFALO AND WNY (alphabetical by show):
MAKING GOD LAUGH, a "comedy/drama" by Sean Grennan, directed by Jay Desiderio, presented by Desiderio's Dinner Theatre , starring Lisa Hinca, Michael Breen, Audrey Grout, Vincent Barile, and Caleb Paxton. September 15 - November 6 on select days (see website) with evening show dinner at 6 and show at 7:30, matinée show dinner at 1 and show at 2:30. Theater is located within Bobby J's Italian American Grille, 204 Como Park Blvd. Cheektowaga, NY 14227. (716)395-3207 mybobbyjs.com/desiderio-s-dinner-theatre.
MAKING GOD LAUGH BLURB: This is a family comedy/drama that takes place in four scenes, each ten years apart, set at various holidays. Starting in 1980, the newly “launched” kids (a priest, an aspiring actress, and a former star football player) all return home, where we learn of their plans and dreams as they embark on their adult lives. The “empty nest” parents contend with their own changes too, as old family rituals and dubious recipes are trotted out and ancient tensions flare up. Over the course of thirty years worth of celebrations- Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Years Eve and Easter- we see how, despite what we may have in mind, we often arrive at unexpected destinations. “If you want to make god laugh, tell him your plans...”
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MYSTERIOUS CIRCUMSTANCES, a play by Michael Mitnick, directed by John Hurley, presented by Road Less Traveled Productions, starring Ben Michael Moran, Peter Palmisano, David Marciniak, Wendy Hall, Greg Howze, and Nick Lama. September 15 - October 16. Thursdays - Saturdays at 7:30 (except Curtain Up! Friday at 8) Sundays at 2. RLTP 456 Main Street, Buffalo, 14202 (716) 629-3069 roadlesstraveledproductions.org
Read Peter's review here: https://www.buffalorising.com/2022/09/mysterious-circumstances-at-road-less-traveled-combines-an-a-list-cast-with-super-production-values/
MYSTERIOUS CIRCUMSTANCES BLURB: With a stunning set by Dyan Burlingame, lights by John Rickus, music by Katie Menke, and costumes by Lise Harty, this is the true story of Richard Lancelyn Green, the world’s foremost scholar on Sherlock Holmes. After spending two decades searching for a box containing the missing papers of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, Green came close to unlocking the secrets behind Holmes’ creator through unpublished stories about the world’s greatest detective. With multiple suspects and competing motives, Green dies under “mysterious circumstances” which raises questions that may be answered only by Holmes himself. Mysterious Circumstances uses breathtaking theatricality and magic to uncover the mystery behind this true crime. Based on the New Yorker article "Mysterious Circumastances" by David Grann.
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THE SHAW FESTIVAL LIST OF SUMMER PLAYS INCLUDES:
(Note: visit shawfest.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/2022Calendar_print.pdf for a printable calendar with days, dates, and times)
NOTE: Canada lifted all of its COVID-19 travel restrictions on October 1 including the ArriveCAN app. The country will no longer require travelers to show proof of vaccination, testing, or to submit health information via Canada's ArriveCan app. Except for TOO TRUE TO BE GOOD, all the other shows close either October 8 or 9, 2022.
Also the Shawfest advises "American patrons: Due to a favourable exchange rate, you may save up around 20% in US funds when purchasing using your US credit card, based on the current exchange rate."
Read Peter's take on the season here:
https://www.buffalorising.com/2022/09/shaw-festivals-world-class-theater-continues-into-october/
2022 Season:
AT THE FESTIVAL THEATRE
DAMN YANKEES Words and Music by Richard Adler and Jerry Ross
Book by George Abbott and Douglass Wallop ONLY THROUGH OCTOBER 9!
THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING EARNEST By Oscar Wilde ONLY THROUGH OCTOBER 9!
THE DOCTOR’S DILEMMA By Bernard Shaw ONLY THROUGH OCTOBER 8!
AT THE ROYAL GEORGE THEATRE
GASLIGHT
By Johnna Wright and Patty Jamieson ONLY THROUGH OCTOBER 8!
Based on the play Angel Street by Patrick Hamilton
CHITRA By Rabindranath Tagore (11:30 am Lunchtime One-Act) at the Royal George Theatre ONLY THROUGH OCTOBER 8!
JUST TO GET MARRIED By GB Shaw contemporary Cicely Hamilton EXTENDS THROUGH OCTOBER 16!
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. ONLY THROUGH OCTOBER 8! Read Peter's review here: https://www.buffalorising.com/2022/08/too-true-to-be-good-offers-g-b-shaw-yet-another-platform-to-express-his-then-and-now-cantankerous-views-while-engaging-the-audience-in-laughter/
EVERYBODY By Branden Jacobs-Jenkins ONLY THROUGH OCTOBER 8!
GEM OF THE OCEAN By August Wilson (The first play in August Wilson’s "The Amerian Century Cycle) ONLY THROUGH OCTOBER 9!
GEM OF THE OCEAN BLURB: How can we ever come to terms with the crimes of the past? Aunt Ester, the 285-year-old "washer of souls" at the centre of this poetic masterpiece, has an answer. When a young man who is drowning in guilt comes to her door, she sends him on a quest to find the mythical City of Bones. His spiritual journey through history takes place against the backdrop of very real events in the 1904 Pittsburgh of the play. This is the first in August Wilson's THE AMERICAN CENTURY CYCLE, his legendary ten-play cycle on the African-American experience in the 20th century.
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THE STRATFORD FESTIVAL LIST OF SUMMER PLAYS THROUGH OCTOBER 30, 2022:
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.
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.
The Stratford musical this summer is
CHICAGO by Kander & Ebb & Fosse
which runs Through OCT 30 at The Festival Theatre
The comedy this summer is
THE MISER by Moliere
which 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)
which runs Through OCT 29 at The Avon Theatre
And there are three Shakespeare plays
RICHARD III in a stunning production starring Colm Feore as Richard III with Shaw & Stratford favorite actor Andre Sills as his right hand man. That runs through OCT 30 at The Tom Patterson Theatre (newly rebuilt from the ground up!)
ALL'S WELL THAT ENDS WELL
which runs Through OCT 29 at The Tom Patterson Theatre (newly rebuilt from the ground up!)
HAMLET
which runs Through OCT 28 at The Festival Theatre
And there were four “Modern” plays this summer at Stratford with two of them now closed:
EVERY LITTLE NOOKIE at the Studio Theatre which ran through October 1 and HAMLET-911 which ended on October 2, 2022.
However, two of the best modern plays this summer continue.
DEATH AND THE KING'S HORSEMAN by Nobel Laureate and Nigerian exile Wole Soyinka in which Elessin, the king's chief and horseman, is expected to commit suicide to join his king in the afterlife. Elessin is willing, but delays slightly to enjoy some last-minute earthly delights, and when the British "Raj" gets involved, it leads to a disastrous end. Watch for Amaka Umeh as the Praise Singer (and truth-teller). She's also playing Hamlet in this summer's production. It runs through OCT 29 at The Tom Patterson Theatre (newly rebuilt from the ground up).
In the play 1939, co-written by Jani Lauzon and Kaitlyn Riordan, it's 1939 at five indigenous students at a residential school in northern Ontario who have been chosen by their Welsh-born teacher to perform Shakespeare's "All's Well That Ends Well." It's about a clash of cultures and about the mistreatment of indigenous children at residential schools. 1939 runs through OCT 29 at the Studio Theatre,
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The M&T Broadway series at Shea's for 2022-2023 includes:
THE PROM (Sep 27-Oct 2, 2022) ended last weekend.
Still to come:
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.
