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Theater Talk

Theater Talk: KIDMAN CAROL (and other Carols) about to close; SORRY WRONG CHIMNEY continues at Desiderio's; Anthony sees Audra in GYPSY; SCOTUS's Katanji Brown Jackson in &JULIET

By Anthony Chase,
Peter Hall
Published December 20, 2024 at 5:00 AM EST
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A KIDMAN CAROL L-R Jeremy Kreuzer, Jason Michael Snow, Madeline Rehm
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A KIDMAN CAROL L-R Jeremy Kreuzer, Jason Michael Snow, Madeline Rehm

This week on Theater Talk, Anthony and Peter talk about A KIDMAN CAROL at the Alleyway Cabaret, lots of fun with Broadway stars in the two principal roles of Cate Blanchett and Nicole Kidman. Speaking of Broadway, Anthony flew down to NYC for Audra McDonald's opening night as Mama Rose in GYPSY. Meanwhile, at another theater, Supreme Court Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson made her Broadway debut in a specially created one-night-only walk-on role in the hit jukebox musical & JULIET December 14 at the Stephen Sondheim Theatre. Three shows continue past Christmas: IT WAS A WONDERFUL LIFE at Forest Lawn Cemetery, THE LION KING at Shea's, and SORRY! WRONG CHIMNEY at Desiderio's Dinner Theatre.

Watch Jackson—who became the first Black female Supreme Court justice when she took her seat on the highest court on June 30, 2022—rehearse for her Broadway bow and subsequently take the Sondheim stage in the Instagram posting below. About her Broadway appearance, Jackson says, "I think that it means that anything is possible."

https://playbill.com/article/watch-supreme-court-justice-ketanji-brown-jackson-make-broadway-debut-in-juliet

For a little background on A KIDMAN CAROL watch the Jason Michael Snow and Shannon Mullen's appearance on "Daytime Buffalo" here https://www.alleyway.com/blog/jason-and-shannon-visit-daytime-buffalo

IT'S NOT TOO LATE TO GET ON THE BROADWAY-BOUND BUS! 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 SUNSET BLVD, HELL'S KITCHEN, THE OUTSIDERS, THE GREAT GATSBY (SWEPT AWAY will have closed, but another musical will replace it TBD).

"This Worked Brilliantly": Original Norma Desmond Patti LuPone Shares Her Thoughts on Sunset Blvd. Revival https://playbill.com/article/this-worked-brilliantly-original-norma-desmond-patti-lupone-shares-her-thoughts-on-sunset-blvd-revival

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? 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!

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LOCAL LISTINGS ARE PRESENTED AS FOLLOWS: CLOSINGS (last chances to see these plays), followed by CONTINUING, then OPENINGS. Within the categories, shows are alphabetical by title, with any show starting with "The" under the letter "T."

CLOSING THIS WEEKEND:

A CHRISTMAS CAROL, based on the novella by Charles Dickens, adapted and directed by Neal Radice, starring David C. Mitchell as Ebenezer Scrooge. 12/12-12/22 Wed-Fri 7:30, Sat-Sun 2:00 and 5:00, Monday 12/23 4:30 and 7:30. Patrons are encouraged to arrive early for professional caroling in the lobby. Presented by the Alleyway Theatre at "1 Curtain Up Alley" (along the north wall of Shea's) (716) 852-2600 alleyway.com

A CHRISTMAS CAROL PUBLICITY BLURB: For forty-three years, WNY families have repeatedly returned for Alleyway’s heartwarming holiday treat, with a pre-show quartet of carolers, hot chocolate, and all the trimmings.

This holiday season, Alleyway invites you to rediscover the heart-warming story that has captivated audiences for generations - Charles Dickens' "A Christmas Carol." Step into the cobblestone streets of Victorian London and follow the transformative journey of Ebenezer Scrooge, a miserly old man whose heart has grown cold to the joys of Christmas. As the clock strikes midnight on Christmas Eve, Scrooge is visited by three spirits who take him on an extraordinary adventure through time, revealing forgotten memories, present-day realities, and a chilling possible future.

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A CHRISTMAS CAROL 2024, based on the novella by Charles Dickens, adapted and directed initially by Tim Carroll, with puppetry by Alexis Milligan, starring Sanjay Talwar as "Scrooge." 11/8 - 12/22 at a variety of days and different times (usually 11:00 am, 1:00 pm, and 7:00pm depending on the day) presented by The Shaw Festival at the Royal George Theatre, 85 Queen Street in Niagara on the Lake, Ontario. 1-800-511-SHAW shawfest.com

A CHRISTMAS CAROL 2024, PUBLICITY BLURB: The magic of Christmas returns as does the miserly Ebenezer Scrooge! A Christmas Carol is the gift that keeps on giving and is the perfect annual reminder of what the Christmas spirit is all about. The perfect holiday treat is in Niagara-on-the-Lake, the merriest of holiday destinations.

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A KIDMAN CAROL: A GAY DEMENTIA ON AUSTRALIAN DAMES, by Kevin Zak. 12/13-12/21 Wed-Sat 7:30. Presented as part of the "Alleyworks Development Series by the Alleyway Theatre at "1 Curtain Up Alley" (along the north wall of Shea's) (716) 852-2600 alleyway.com

A KIDMAN CAROL PUBLICITY BLURB: Get into the spirit of the season ... Awards Season, that is, with this inappropriate, irreverent and truly bananas take on Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol. When Cate Blanchett says “Tár Humbug!” to all things Oscars, she’s visited by three spirits of fellow Australian movie star Nicole Kidman. Can Cate learn the meaning of the season in time for the Oscars broadcast? Who knohrs?!

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MIRACLE ON SOUTH DIVISION, a play by Buffalo's Tom Dudzick, directed by Mary Kate O'Connell, starring Mary Moebius, Holly Golden, Yamilex Holguín Pérez, and Nathanial Higgins. 12/6 - 12/22 Fri - Sat 7:30, Sun 2:00. Note three added shows, Sat 12/14 & 21 at 2:00, Sun 12/22 (last performance) 7:30. Presented by O'Connell & Company 716-848-0800, oconnellandcompany.com

MIRACLE ON SOUTH DIVISION PUBLICITY BLURB: Meet the Nowaks of Buffalo, NY. Clara and her three grown kids have always known they were special, ever since the miraculous Christmas Eve in 1942 when the Blessed Mother appeared to Grandpa in his barbershop! Daughter Ruth unveils her plan to write and star in a one-woman Christmas show about the family miracle so the "whole world will know!" However, as her plans for theatrical immortality unfold, the entire family's faith is shaken to the very core when a deathbed confession causes the family legend to unravel. The results are heartfelt and hilarious.

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MY FAIR LADY, a musical by Lerner & Loewe, adapted from Bernard Shaw’s Play and Gabriel Pascal’s motion picture PYGMALION, Co-directed by Tim Carroll and Kimberley Rampersad, starring Kristi Frank as Eliza Doolittle, Allan Louis as Henry Higgins, David Adams as Alfred P Doolittle, David Alan Anderson as Colonel Pickering, et. al. Through 12/22 at a variety of days and times (either 1:00 or 7:00 depending on the day) presented by The Shaw Festival at the Festival Theatre, 85 Queen Street in Niagara on the Lake, Ontario. 1-800-511-SHAW shawfest.com

PUBLICITY BLURB: This timeless classic has been dazzling audiences since its debut on Broadway in 1956. Based on the play Pygmalion by Bernard Shaw, it’s the story of Eliza Doolittle, a cockney flower girl caught in the middle of a bet between Henry Higgins, a professor of phonetics, and Colonel Pickering, a fellow linguist. With unforgettable songs such as “On the Street Where You Live,” “I Could Have Danced All Night” and “Wouldn’t It Be Loverly?” My Fair Lady is one of the most beloved musicals of all time – and now it’s returning to The Shaw! Note: Allan Louis took over the role of Henry Higgins on October 17.

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CONTINUING: (in alphabetical order, plays starting with "The" are under the letter T.)

IT WAS A WONDERFUL LIFE, a play celebrating many of the "permanent residents" at Forest Lawn Cemetery, including U.S. Representative Shirley Chisholm, polar explorer Dr. Frederick Cook, and first U.S. woman architect, Louise Bethune, and many others. 11/30 - 12/29, Sat-Sun 11:00 am and 2:00 pm. Presented by Forest Lawn Cemetery in the Chapel, 1990 Main St. (or enter where Delavan and Delaware Avenues intersect). (716) 885-1600 forest-lawn.com/events/category/performances/

IT WAS A WONDERFUL LIFE PUBLICITY BLURB: Forest Lawn’s annual holiday presentation of “It WAS a Wonderful Life” has become a holiday tradition in Western New York. The original theater production is a sensational way to celebrate the holiday season in ways that are truly intrinsic to Buffalo thanks to narrator John Lay – the first person to take up "permanent residence" at Forest Lawn, in 1850 – who tells stories of many of his friends that he has met since first being interred 174 years ago. In this way, the various characters are able “to share musical, comical and poignant glimpses of Christmases past, when they enjoyed life on this side of the lawn.” Note that the Forest Lawn chapel is readily accessible to those with mobility issues.

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SORRY! WRONG CHIMNEY, a comedy farce by Jack Sharkey & Leo W. Sears, directed by Jay Desiderio, starring Andrew Canada, Jessie Miller, Brooke Georgen, John Profeta, Ian Michalski, Marie Costa, and Daniel J. Greer, through January 19, 2025, on various days (usually Thursdays, Saturdays, and Sundays). Dinners at 6:00, show at 7:30; Matinees lunch at 1:00, show at 2:30. Presented by Desiderio's Dinner Theatre at Bobby J's, 204 Como Park Blvd. Cheektowaga, NY 14227 716)395-3207 www.mybobbyjs.com

SORRY! WRONG CHIMNEY PUBLICITY BLURB: This is the story of David Tuttle who is moonlighting as a department store Santa so that he can buy his wife a fur for Christmas. He tells her he’s working late at the office, but she finds out he isn’t at the office. A suspected other woman, hypnotism, the notorious Santa burglar Kris Kreigle and his gun-toting fiancée, and a confused policeman add up to a rollicking tale that is hilarious Christmas entertainment any time of year.

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THE LION KING, the Disney movie turned into a musical (24 shows) Dec 18, 2024 - Jan 5, 2025, at a variety of times at Shea's Buffalo Theatre (Shea's Performing Arts Center) 646 Main Street, Buffalo, NY 14202 Call 716-847-0850 or visit sheas.org/performances/the-lion-king/ for specifics.

THE LION KING PUBLICITY BLURB: Giraffes strut. Birds swoop. Gazelles leap. The entire Serengeti comes to life as never before. And as the music soars, Pride Rock slowly emerges from the mist. This is Disney’s THE LION KING, making its triumphant return to the Shea’s Buffalo Theatre!

More than 100 million people around the world have experienced the awe-inspiring visual artistry, the unforgettable music, and the uniquely theatrical storytelling of this Broadway spectacular – one of the most breathtaking and beloved productions ever to grace the stage.

Winner of six Tony Awards®, including Best Musical, THE LION KING brings together one of the most imaginative creative teams on Broadway. Tony Award®-winning director Julie Taymor brings to life a story filled with hope and adventure set against an amazing backdrop of stunning visuals. THE LION KING also features the extraordinary work of Tony Award®-winning choreographer Garth Fagan and some of Broadway’s most recognizable music, crafted by Tony Award®-winning artists Elton John and Tim Rice.

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SHEA'S BUFFALO 2024 - 2025 season

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

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Theater Talk 2024 WBFO Arts & Culture DeskTheater Talk
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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  • OR, a play, at Irish Classical, stars L-R Alexandria Watts, Anna Fernandez, Ryan Cupello.jpg
    Theater Talk: A chat with special guest Michele Ragusa to sing with BPO; Curtain Up! is tonight with five shows on Main Street to add to the excitement. See listings.
    This week on Theater Talk, Anthony and Peter talk with a special guest, Buffalo's Michele Ragusa, a Broadway star, coming home to sing with Jay Dref and the BPO, one night only, Saturday September 27 at 7:30. (Michele advises get your tickets only through bpo.org.) They also talk about Curtain Up! tonight! This Friday, September 19 and the street party on Main Street at 10 pm with audiences spilling out from THE OUTSIDERS at Shea's, THE COTTAGE at The Alleyway, OR, at Irish Classical, DREAMGIRLS at Shea's 710, and THE BOOK OF WILL at Road Less Traveled Productions. Away from Main, THE LAST CROISSANT with BUA is at the Compass PAC, GODSPELL closes at Ujima, and short plays by Tom Dudzik continue at Desiderios. Click through to see complete listings of what's on stage below!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.
  • DREAMGIRLS strong cast include George L. Brown as Curti and Augustus Donaldson as Jimmy.
    Theater Talk: So many shows, including THE OUTSIDERS at Shea's and DREAMGIRLS at Shea's 710. For plays think THE COTTAGE (check for cancellations) at Alleyway or OR, at Irish Classical, or away from Main Street, THE LAST CROISSANT, with BUA at 545 Elmwood, or TOM DUDZIK'S short plays at Desiderio's, and GODSPELL, the musical, at Ujima and one day only, Wagner's opera THE FLYING DUTCHMAN at Artpark in Lewiston, Saturday, September 13 at 3:00 pm (note new start time).
    This week on Theater Talk, Anthony and Peter talk about the installation of local favorite Anne Gayley's star on the plaza of the stars (in front of Shea's 710) Monday 9/15 at 5:30, in advance of Curtain Up! (this year Friday, September 19) where the street party at 10pm should be grand with THE OUTSIDERS touring Shea's. GODSPELL at Ujima Co. proved to be a high-energy affair, as was DREAMGIRLS (SaxonAnsari Productions), and a modern play, a fast-paced historical fiction about the 1660s Restoration playwright Aphra Behn, and THE LAST CROISSANT with BUA at the Compass PAC. Three short plays by Buffalo's Tom Dudzick continue at Desiderio's Dinner Theatre. Click through to see complete listings of what's on stage below!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.