This weekend on Theater Talk, Anthony and Peter talk about SOME LIKE IT HOT at Shea's as well as a recent Buffalo Toronto Public Media bus trip to The Shaw Festival to see MY FAIR LADY. Many plays at Shawfest run up to Canadian Thanksgiving (that is, through October 13) but MY FAIR LADY and A CHRISTMAS CAROL will run through December 22. And speaking of trips, Monday, January 20 through Friday, January 24, it's another New York City Theater Adventure in January 2025. This exclusive 5-day travel opportunity includes round-trip transportation, select group meals at iconic Manhattan eateries, and five fabulous Broadway shows. From your hotel in the heart of Midtown, you’ll also depart to tour theater-related exhibits at the Museum of Broadway and New York Public Library’s Theater on Film and Tape Archive, have time for sightseeing and shopping, and more. Reserve your spot today! Visit https://www.wned.org/ways-to-support/wned-wbfo-tours/new-york-city-theater/ or call Regina Sullivan at 716-630-3731 or email rsullivan@nyaaa.com The planned 5 theater performances are SWEPT AWAY, SUNSET BLVD, HELL'S KITCHEN, THE OUTSIDERS, THE GREAT GATSBY.
The conversation also touched on SHIPWRECKED at Road Less Traveled Productions, THE AFRICAN COMPANY PRESENTS RICHARD III (which closes this Sunday!), MCNEAL written by Pulitzer winner Ayad Akhtar, currently in previews at the Vivian Beaumont Theater where it will continue through November 24. Film star Robert Downey Jr. leads the cast in his Broadway debut, with Tony winner Bartlett Sher at the helm.
Check out Anthony's reviews and the latest edition of Javier's "On the Boards" at theatertalkbuffalo.com for more details!
Peter's reviews appear in Buffalo Rising (buffalorising.com).
COVID and the flu are still affecting theatrical performers (and audiences!) so it's worth getting the latest COVID booster readily available at pharmacies everywhere. Did you know that, for your convenience, you can get your COVID booster AND your flu shot simultaneously, and if your age qualifies, you can also get your RSV vaccine with those other two. After Anthony told Peter that he "doubled up" then Peter "tripled up" and you can too!
LOCAL LISTINGS ARE PRESENTED AS FOLLOWS: CLOSINGS (last chances to see these plays), then OPENINGS, followed by CONTINUING, followed by COMING IN SEPTEMBER. Within the categories, shows are alphabetical by title, with any show starting with "The" under the letter "T."
CLOSINGS THIS WEEKEND:
DRACULA: A COMEDY OF TERRORS, a play by Gordon Greenberg and Steve Rosen, directed by Chris Kelly, starring Jorge Luna as Dracula, with Mike Donovan, Charmagne Chi, Keelie A. Sheridan, and Daniel Lendzian. 9/13 - 9/29 Thu - Sat 7:30, Matinees Sat - Sun at 2:00, presented by the Irish Classical Theatre Company, 625 Main Street
716-853-1380 irishclassicalcom/Dracula
DRACULA PUBLICITY BLURB: A laugh-out-loud sendup of a Gothic classic. Step into the shadows with our electrifying Curtain Up! show as we unleash the uproarious mayhem of Dracula: A Comedy of Terrors by the ingenious minds of Gordon Greenberg and Steve Rosen. Fresh from its smash-hit off-Broadway reign at New World Stages in NYC, this wickedly offbeat comedy is descending upon Buffalo for the first time, igniting the stage with its irreverent charm.
From the English countryside to Dracula's castle in Transylvania in the 1980s, this 90-minute romp of gender-bending, lightning-paced hilarity breathes new life into the timeless gothic tale by one of Ireland’s most famous exports- Bram Stoker. Packed with razor-sharp wit and a riotous parade of pop culture nods, this reimagining promises to leave audiences of all blood types howling with laughter.
_____
MONSTERS OF THE AMERICAN CINEMA, a play by Christian St. Croix, directed by Mike Doben, presented by Buffalo United Artists (BUA), starring P.K. Fortson and Ayden Herreid, 9/6-28, Fridays at 7:30, Saturdays at 5:00 at the Compass Performing Arts Center, 545 Elmwood Avenue. 716-440-5521 buffalounitedartists.org/tickets/
MONSTERS OF THE AMERICAN CINEMA PUBLICITY BLURB: When his husband passes away, Remy Washington, a Black man, unexpectedly becomes the owner of a drive-in movie theater and the guardian of his late husband’s straight, white teenage son, Pup. Bound by their shared love for classic American monster movies, they form a warm and caring bond. Their relationship unravels when Remy learns that Pup and his friends have been bullying a gay classmate. Through intertwining monologues and sharp dialogue, “Monsters of the American Cinema” by Christian St. Croix, explores fathers and sons, the ghosts of our pasts, and the monsters we face within ourselves.
_____
NEWSIES, a musical, by Alan Menken, lyrics by Jack Feldman, book by Harvey Fierstein. directed & choreographed by Eric Deeb-Weaver with
musical direction by Allan Paglia. 9/12 - 9/29 Thu - Fri 7:30, Sat 8:00, Sun 2:00, produced by D’Youville Kavinoky Theatre ON STAGE AT SHEA'S 710 THEATRE, 710 Main (at Tupper) 716-847-0850 sheas.org/performances/disneys-newsies/
NEWSIES PUBLICITY BLURB: They delivered the papers until they made the headlines… NEWSIES, the smash-hit, crowd-pleasing musical from Disney is coming to Shea’s 710 Theatre. A two-time Tony Award-winning show, They delivered the papers, until they made the headlines.Based on true events, NEWSIES tells the captivating story of a band of underdogs who become unlikely heroes when they stand up to the most powerful men in New York. It’s a rousing tale about fighting for what’s right... and staying true to who you are. NEWSIES was brought to the stage by an award-winning creative team. It features a score by Alan Menken (Beauty and the Beast) and Jack Feldman (The Lion King II: Simba’s Pride) and a book by Harvey Fierstein (La Cage aux Folles).
___________
SOME LIKE IT HOT, a musical by Marc Shaiman and Scott Whitman, Sep 24 - 29 (8 shows) Tue - Fri 7:30, Sat 2:00 and 8:00, Sun 1:00 and 6:30. At Shea's Buffalo Theatre ("the historic crown jewel of Shea's Performing Arts Center") 646 Main St, Buffalo, NY 14202. 716-847-0850 sheas.org/performances/some-like-it-hot/
PUBLICITY BLURB: Winner of 4 Tony Awards®, including Best Choreography and Best Costumes, and the Grammy Award® for Best Musical Theater Album, SOME LIKE IT HOT, based on the MGM movie, is “A Super-Sized, All-Out Song-And-Dance Spectacular!” – The New York Times
Set in Chicago when Prohibition has everyone thirsty for a little excitement, SOME LIKE IT HOT is the “glorious, big, high-kicking” (Associated Press) story of two musicians forced to flee the Windy City after witnessing a mob hit. With gangsters hot on their heels, they catch a cross-country train for the life-chasing, life-changing trip of a lifetime.
And what a trip it is! With its irresistible combination of heart and laughs, song and dance, SOME LIKE IT HOT won more theater awards than any show this season, and was named Best Musical by the Drama Desk, The Drama League, and the Outer Critics Circle. No wonder Deadline calls it “a tap-dancing, razzle-dazzling embrace of everything you love about musical theater.”
_____
THE AFRICAN COMPANY PRESENTS RICHARD THE III, a play by Carlyle Brown, directed by Curtis Lovell. 9/13-9/29 Fri-Sat 7:30, Sun 4:00, presented by Ujima Theatre Co. 429 Plymouth Ave.716-281-0092 ujimacoinc.org
THE AFRICAN COMPANY PRESENTS RICHARD THE III PUBLICITY BLURB, written by Carlyle Brown and directed by Curtis Lovell. Based on true events, this play tells the story of the first Black theatrical troupe in America putting on a production of Richard III, while white uptown producer, Stephen Price, threatened by the competition, sets about shutting them down at all costs. The African Company Presents Richard III carries a timeless message on the challenge of negotiating racial consciousness in theater that still resonates today.
_____
WIPEOUT, a play by Aurora Real de Asua, directed by Josie DiVincenzo, presented by The Alleyway Theatre, Previews (9/6 - 9/10) begin tonight with the official opening 9/11. WIPEOUT runs through 9/28, presented on a variety of evenings, all at 7:30 pm (except one matinee, 9/21 at 3:30) (visit alleyway.com/show/wipeout for details).
WIPEOUT PUBLICITY BLURB: For fans of Grace & Frankie, Beaches, Laverne & Shirley, Thelma & Louise. Claudia, Wynn, and Gary are three best friends, celebrating their golden years with the ultimate challenge: learning to surf in Santa Cruz. Trading their comfort zones for surfboards, the three friends navigate the choppy waters of their changing relationships and identities, balancing on both the literal and metaphorical tides of life. The sun-soaked breakers are no match for these three as they learn to master the waves while confronting the complexity of aging and friendship and embracing the courage to hang ten on new beginnings.
Dive into this bitingly funny and profoundly moving new surf comedy that proves adventure has no age limit … all on surfboards. Did we mention lessons are provided by a young hotrod surf instructor?
______
OPENING:
A DOLL'S HOUSE by Henrik Ibsen, directed by Steve Braddock. Thu 10/3 - Sun 10/6 on the following days: Thu Oct 3 7:00, Fri Oct 4 7:30, Sat Oct. 5 2:00 & 7:30, Sun. Oct. 6 at 2:00 (with a post show discussion).Presented by Niagara University on stage in the Leary Theatre within the Elizabeth Ann Clune Center for Theatre, Clet Hall, Niagara University, NY 716-286-8685 theatre.niagara.edu
IBSEN’S A DOLL’S HOUSE PUBLICITY BLURB: A DOLL’S HOUSE IS A TRIBUTE TO FEMINISM LIKE YOU’VE NEVER SEEN IT BEFORE. Nora Helmer is a high-spirited young housewife, and her life is on the upswing. Her husband, Torvald, has just received a promotion, and their financial struggles are over at last. But when an old acquaintance reappears, threatening to bring a dangerous secret to light, everything changes: her marriage, her family, even her relationship to the world around her. As the illusions behind her marriage are exposed, Nora wakes to feelings of self-awareness for the first time in her life.
NOTE: Theater Talk listings do not, as a rule, include student performances, but since so many NU grads are on our local stages, and since this is such an important play, I made an exception. - ph
______
THE MARRIAGE OF FIGARO, an opera by Mozart, presented by Buffalo Opera Unlimited. Two performances only, tonight, Friday 9/27 at 7:30 and Sunday 9/28 at 2:30 at the Buffalo State Performing Arts Center (in Rockwell Hall on the Buffalo State University Campus on Elmwood Avenue). Tickets at the door or visit buffalostatepac.org/calendar/all-events/event:the-marriage-of-figaro/ or call (716) 878-3005
MARRIAGE OF FIGARO PUBLICITY BLURB: The Marriage of Figaro (sung by Buffalo Opera Unlimited in Italian with English translations projected above the stage) recounts a single day of madness – Figaro’s wedding day. The curtain rises on Figaro and bride-to-be Susanna, preparing the new room that their master the Count has given them. Susanna reveals that the only reason for the Count’s generous gift is to keep her nearby, since he plans to cause last-minute mischief on her wedding day. Figaro is furious, vowing to outsmart the Count. Together with Susanna, the abandoned Countess, and the page boy Cherubino (who adores all women, especially the Countess), they devise an ingenious plan to trap the Count. Expect disguises, mistaken identities, and a lot of hiding in and under things. And of course, sublime music by Mozart.
_____
CONTINUING: (in alphabetical order, plays starting with "The" under the letter T.)
SHIPWRECKED: An Entertainment — The Amazing Adventures of Louis de Rougemont (as Told by Himself), a play by Donald Margulies, directed by John Hurley, starring Gregory Gjurich, Jeremy Kreuzer, and Gabriella McKinley. 9/13 - 10/13 Thu - Sat 7:30, Sun 2:00 presented by Road Less Traveled Productions, 456 Main Street 716-629-3069 roadlesstraveledprductions.org
SHIPWRECKED PUBLICITY BLURB: The adventurous Louis de Rougemont invites you to hear his amazing story of bravery, survival and celebrity that left nineteenth-century England spellbound. Dare to be whisked away in a story of the high seas, populated by exotic islanders, flying wombats, giant sea turtles and a monstrous man-eating octopus. Shipwrecked! examines how far we’re willing to blur the line between fact and fiction in order to leave our mark on the world.
_____
TEA PARTY, play by Sean Abley, directed by Lara D. Haberberger, presented by First Look Buffalo (on the TOY stage), starring Andrew Zuccari, Bob Rusch, Kaylie Horowitz, and John DellaContrada. 9/13 - 10/5 Thu - Sat 7:30. At the Allendale Theatre (Theatre of Youth) - 203 Allen St, Buffalo, NY 14201. (716) 771-6358 FirstLookBuffalo.com
TEA PARTY PUBLICITY BLURB: In this dramedy, Frank, a married heterosexual crossdresser living in Montana, discovers Miss Olivia’s Finishing School for Girls, a club for fellow recreational crossdressers. Finally able to share his secret with another like-minded man, Frank’s newfound freedom threatens his marriage and his relationship with his best friend.
You may also know the PBS American Experience documentary on CASA SUSANNA. In the 1950s and ’60s, an underground network of transgender women and cross-dressing men found refuge at a modest house in the Catskills region of New York. Known as Casa Susanna, the house provided a safe place to express their true selves and live for a few days as they had always dreamed—dressed as and living as women without fear of being incarcerated or institutionalized for their self-expression. Told through the memories of those who visited the house, the film provides a moving look back at a secret world where the persecuted and frightened found freedom, acceptance and, often, the courage to live out of the shadows. You can stream that here: https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/americanexperience/films/casa-susanna/#part01
_____
THE PROM, a musical by Chad Beguelin and Matthew Sklar, directed by Doug Weyand, presented by MusicalFare, 9/4 - 10/6, Wed - Thu 7:00, Fri 7:30, Sat 3:30 and 7:30, Sun 2:00 at MusicalFare Theatre, c/oDaemen College, 4380 Main Street, Amherst, NY 14226, 716- 839-8540 musicalfare.com
THE PROM PUBLICITY BLURB: Five incredibly narcissistic Broadway actors, lamenting their days of fame, travel to a small town in Indiana to "help" a student banned from bringing her girlfriend to the prom. They’re ready to put a spotlight on the issue...and themselves...and kick-ball-change the world!
_____
SHEA'S BUFFALO 2024 - 2025 season
SOME LIKE IT HOT (8 shows), Sep 24 - 29
HAMILTON (16 shows), Oct 15 - 27
& JULIET (8 shows), Nov 19 - 24
THE LION KING (24 shows), Dec 18, 2024 - Jan 5, 2025
THE WIZ (8 shows), Mar 4 - 9, 2025
SHUCKED (8 shows), Mar 25 - 30, 2025
A BEAUTIFUL NOISE, THE NEIL DIAMOND MUSICAL (8 shows), Apr 8 - 13, 2025
BACK TO THE FUTURE: THE MUSICAL (8 shows), Jun 24 - 29, 2025
_____
