This week on Theater Talk, Anthony and Peter talk about THE BOOK OF WILL, an exceptionally moving play at Road Less Traveled, concerning a group of friends working hard to save Shakespeare's plays. A GRAND NIGHT FOR SINGING takes 31 songs by Rodgers and Hammerstein and presents them in a funny revue at the Kenan Center's Taylor Theater. YOUNG FRANKENSTEIN was given a super presentation by Starring Buffalo. THE NOTEBOOK, a real tear-jerker, opened at Shea's . Anthony got down to NYC to see Buffalo's Stephen McKinley Henderson in the editor's cut of a new documentary titled "This Place Matters! Ten Chimneys" at the Lunt-Fontanne Theatre, celebrating the lives and legacy of the “first couple of the Broadway stage” Alfred Lunt and Lynn Fontanne. Click through to see complete listings of what's on stage below!
Check out all of Anthony's reviews and the latest edition of Javier's "Theater News" (the new "On the Boards") at theatertalkbuffalo.com!
Peter's reviews appear in Buffalo Rising (buffalorising.com).
LOCAL LISTINGS ARE PRESENTED AS FOLLOWS: CLOSINGS (last chances to see these shows!), followed by OPENINGS, then CONTINUING, then OPENINGS NEXT WEEK or MONTH. Within the categories, shows are alphabetical by title, with any show starting with "The" under the letter "T."
CLOSINGS:
A GRAND NIGHT FOR SINGING, a 1993 Rogers and Hammerstein revue conceived by Broadway’s Walter Bobbie, directed by Kevin Leary, with music direction by Patrick Towey, starring Anthony Alcocer, Sydney Conrad, Heather Holden, Brittney Leigh Morton, and Aaron Gabriel Saldana. 10/2 – 10/12 Thu-Sat 7:30, Sun 2:30. Presented by The Kenan Center in the Taylor Theater, 433 Locust Street, Lockport, NY (716) 433-2617, kenancenter.org
A GRAND NIGHT FOR SINGING PUBLICITY BLURB: This musical revue opens the 2025–26 theater season at the Kenan Center in Lockport and celebrates the timeless songs of Rodgers and Hammerstein, with fresh arrangements that breathe new life into classics from Carousel, Oklahoma!, The King and I, Cinderella, and The Sound of Music, featuring a talented Western New York cast that promises elegance, humor, and heartfelt nostalgia in the intimate Taylor Theatre setting.
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THE GAME OF LOVE AND CHANCE, a play by Pierre Carlet de Marivaux, translated by Stephen Wadsworth, directed by Chris Hatch. 9/19 - 10/11 Thu - Sat 7:30, Sat 2:30. Presented by D'Youville University's Kavinoky Theatre, 320 Porter Ave, Buffalo, NY 14201 716-829-7668 kavinokytheatre.com
THE GAME OF LOVE AND CHANCE PUBLICITY BLURB: “We’ll see whether she manages to find her way out of her own plot.” – Orgon / “It is a plot that cannot fail to amuse us.” - Mario All’s fair in love and war—or so the saying goes. But once the games begin will the high-spirited socialite Silvia and her well-suited suitor Dorante feel the same? Masks, mischief, and mayhem abound in this witty romantic comedy where the paupers become the privileged and the privileged become the paupers—and everyone becomes a player in the hilariously heartwarming Game of Love and Chance. Run Time: Approx. 2 hrs, including one intermission.
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THE NOTEBOOK, music and lyrics by Ingrid Michaelson, presented on national tour, 10/7 -10/12, Tue - Sat 7:30, also Sat 2:00, Sun 1:00 and 6:30. Presented at Shea's Performing Arts Center 646 Main Street, Buffalo, NY 14202 right in the heart of Buffalo’s Theatre District 716-847-0850 sheas.org/theatres/
THE NOTEBOOK BLURB:
The Notebook has lived many lives: as a bestselling novel by Nicholas Sparks, inspired by Sparks’ wife’s grandparents; a film adaptation starring Ryan Gosling and Rachel McAdams as young Noah and Allie, with James Garner and Gena Rowlands; and now a poignant Broadway musical. Each version brings its own emotional texture to the story of two lovers separated by class, time, and memory.
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OPENINGS:
BITE ME, a play by Eliana Pipes, directed by Maria Ta, starring Janaé Leonard and Jeremy Meyers. 10/16 - 10/25 Thu-Sat 7:30 with 2 matinees Sat 10/18 and 10/25 at 2:00. Presented by Bellissima Productions in the community room at the Ujima Theatre at 429 Plymouth Ave. Buffalo, NY 14213. (716) 218-8530
bellissimaproductions.com
BITE ME PUBLICITY BLURB: Kicking off Bellissima Production's 2025-26 season in October, BITE ME finds that Nathan is ditching class when he stumbles upon Melody crying in a storage closet. He’s a white boy with family money and dangerous habits, while she’s the lone Black girl on campus, an overachiever academically who's battling isolation. They form an unexpected bond and it’s not long before the heat between them boils over. BITE ME explores the drama (and trauma) they face in high school, and the unfinished business waiting for them at their reunion a decade later. Content Warning: sexual themes & simulated sexual acts, strong language, simulated use of drugs and drinking, discussion of domestic abuse, self-harm, microaggressions/racism
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NIGHT WATCH, a thriller by Lucille Fletcher, starring Scott Borish, Tara Kaczorowski, Candace Kogut-Lackie, Rick Lattimer, Gabrielle Nunzio, Johnny Rowe. 10/10 - 10/26 Thu-Sat 7:30, Sun 2:30, also Sat 10/18 and 10/25 at 2:30. Presented by the Lancaster Opera House, 21 Central Avenue Lancaster, NY 14086 (716) 683-1776 lancasteroperaorg
NIGHT WATCH PUBLICITY BLURB:
Unable to sleep, Elaine Wheeler paces the living room of her Manhattan townhouse, troubled by unsettling memories and vague fears. Her husband tries to comfort her, but when he steps away for a moment, Elaine screams as she sees (or believes she sees) the body of a dead man in the window across the way. The police are called, but find nothing except an empty chair. Elaine’s terror grows as shortly thereafter she sees still another body—this time a woman’s—but by now the police are skeptical and pay no heed to her frantic pleas. Her husband, claiming that Elaine may be on the verge of a breakdown, calls in a psychiatrist, who agrees with his suggestion that Elaine should commit herself to a sanitarium for treatment. From this point on, the plot moves quickly and grippingly as those involved—Elaine’s old friend and house guest Blanche; the inquisitive and rather sinister man who lives next door; and the nosy German maid Helga—all contribute to the deepening suspense and mystery of the play as it draws towards its riveting and chilling climax.
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THE GODS OF PADEREWSKI DRIVE, a play by Tom Dudzick (of OVER THE TAVERN fame), directed by Matthew LaChiusa, starring Danette Pawlowski, Alyssa Walsh, Dan Morris, Steve Jakiel, and, making her Buffalo stage debut, Anna Lauger. 10/9-10/25 Thu - Fri 7:30, Sat 5:00 . Presented by American Repertory Theater at the Compass Performing Arts Factory, 545 Elmwood Avenue, Buffalo NY. 716-339-2999 artofwny.org
THE GODS OF PADEREWSKI DRIVE PUBLICITY BLURB: Art of WNY celebrates the company's 18th season, featuring Buffalo's native son Tom Dudzick returning home with his regional premiere of THE GODS OF PADEREWSKI DRIVE from October 9th to October 25th. This well-crafted story of two sisters, the man in the attic, a cynical grandpa, and a cello-playing teenager comes together under one roof on Buffalo's East Side. This is where we see that sometimes in life, and even through death, it's never too late to find joy and forgiveness. The Kozackis of 305 Paderewski Drive are your average family pursuing their artistic, literary, and business goals in their own quiet way. Young Abby takes cello lessons. Mom is writing her first novel. Dad hosts a podcast from the attic. And Aunt Fran works at the KFC. The playwright requests that nothing more be revealed except to say that at one point in the story, ALL HELL BREAKS LOOSE! Join ART/WNY for a thrilling adventure into the supernatural world of Paderewski Drive, where mysteries unravel, and secrets are revealed.
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CONTINUING:
THE BOOK OF WILL, a play by Lauren Gunderson, directed by John Hurley, starring David Marciniak, Gregory Gjurich, Peter Palmisano, Rebecca Elkin, Lisa Ludwig, Jeremy Kreuzer, Amanda Funiciello, Jake Hayes, Isaiah Brown, Norm Sham, Melinda Capeles, and David Lundy. 9/19-10/19 Thu-Sat 7:30, Sun 2:00. A Co-Production with Shakespeare in Delaware Park celebrating their 50th Anniversary. Presented by Road Less Traveled Productions, on stage at 456 Main Street, Buffalo 716.629.3069 roadlesstraveledproductions.org
THE BOOK OF WILL PUBLICITY BLURB: Without William Shakespeare, we wouldn’t have literary masterpieces like Romeo and Juliet. But without Henry Condell and John Heminges, we would have lost half of Shakespeare’s plays forever! After the death of their friend and mentor, the two actors are determined to compile the First Folio and preserve the words that shaped their lives. They’ll just have to borrow, beg, and band together to get it done. Amidst the noise and color of Elizabethan London, The Book of Will finds an unforgettable true story of love, loss, and laughter, and sheds new light on a man you may think you know.
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TOM DUDZIK'S SHORTS, three short plays by Tom Dudzik, directed by Jay Desiderio. 9/10 - 10/19 presented by Desiderio's Dinner Theatre at Bobby J's Italian Grille 204 Como Park Blvd, Cheektowaga, NY, (716) 395-3207 mybobbyjs.com
DUDZIK'S SHORTS PUBLICITY BLURB: 3 short plays by the author of OVER THE TAVERN, they are: BETWEEN THE LINES, ON THE ROAD WITH HENRY THE HORSE, and THERE'S NO BUSINESS
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OPENING LATER IN OCTOBER:
COME FROM AWAY by Irene Sankoff & David Hein, directed by Randall Kramer, music direction by Theresa Quinn. 10/23-11/9 Thu - Fri 7:30, Sat 3:00 and 8:00, Sun 2:00 presented by MusicalFare at Shea's 710 Theatre (710 Main Street, corner Tupper). (716) 839-8540 musicalfare.com
COME FROM AWAY PUBLICITY BLURB: The inspiring true story of 7,000 stranded airline passengers on 9/11 and the small town in Canada that welcomed them. Cultures clashed and nerves ran high, but uneasiness turned into trust and gratitude grew into enduring friendships. An uplifting example of the very best of human nature.
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CONSCIENCE, a play by Joe DiPietro, directed by Steve Vaughan, starring Josie DiVincenzo, Anna Krempholtz, David Mitchell, and Nick Stevens. 10/30 - 11/23 Thu 7:30, Sat 3:30 & 7:30, Sun 2:00 Presented by the Jewish Repertory Theatre 2640 N. Forest Road Amherst, NY 14068 716.688.4033 jccbuffalo.org/events
CONSCIENCE Publicity Blurb: With themes of Courage, integrity, and political resistance, CONSCIENCE is a riveting drama about Margaret Chase Smith, the first woman elected to both the House and Senate from Maine. In 1950, she stood alone to denounce Senator Joseph McCarthy’s fear-driven crusade, delivering her historic “Declaration of Conscience" speech. It was a public act of defiance at a time when both Democrats and Republicans were cowed into silence for fear of retribution. It came at a cost: She was shunned by her colleagues, challenged in a primary, and McCarthy threatened to expose her personal secrets. CONSCIENCE is the story of a remarkable woman who stood up for what was right and refused to back down.
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OAK, a new play by Terry Guest, directed by Dawn M. Simmons, starring Dasia Cervi, P.K. Fortson, Vernia Sharisse Garvin, and Ember Tate-Steele. Previews 10/24-10/28, Opening 10/29, then 10/30-11/15 Thu-Sat 7:30 with extra performance Monday 11/3 at 7:30. Presented by the Alleyway Theatre, 1 Curtain Up Alley, Buffalo, NY 14202 716-852-2600 alleyway.com
OAK Publicity Blurb: A thriller about 3 kids, a swamp monster, and a lady with a shotgun. It's "snatching season," and cousins Pickle, Big Man, and Suga are right to be feeling unsettled. It's 7:00 p.m. Do you know where your children are?
OAK bursts onto the stage this season as a National New Play Network Rolling World Premiere, haunting and thrilling audiences caught in the grip of the shadows lurking beneath the water's surface. A perfect thriller for Spooky Szn, Guest's razor-sharp dialogue and poetic storytelling fuse eerie horror with raw emotional truth, creating a performance that is as intimate as it is electrifying. Directed by Dawn Meredith Simmons, OAK is not just a play — it’s an urgent, unforgettable theatrical journey that will leave you breathless and thinking long after the curtain falls.
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SWEENEY TODD, in concert, musical by Stephen Sondheim, 10/23-26, Thu-Sat 7:30, Sun 3:00 at the Historic Palace Theatre, 2 East Ave., Lockport, NY 14904. (716) 438-1130 lockportpalacetheatre.org
SWEENEY TODD Publicity Blurb: Stephen Sondheim’s thrilling musical tale of the infamous barber of Fleet Street comes to life! Featuring an on-stage orchestra and a talented cast, this stylized concert version of the Tony Award-winning tale of love, murder, and revenge will transport you to the dark and mysterious streets of Victorian London.
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THE GIRL IN THE WASHROOM, a play by Bella Poynton, directed by Mike Doben, a collaboration between First Look Buffalo and Buffalo United Artists. 10/24-11/8 (8 performances) Thu-Fri 7:30, Sat 5:00, Sun 1:00 performed at the Canterbury Woods Performing Arts Center, 705 Renaissance Drive, Williamsville, NY. firstlookbuffalo.com or zeffy.com
THE GIRL IN THE WASHROOM PUBLICITY BLURB:
This haunting two-act drama spans decades and dimensions. In 1965, Daisy and Stanley flee a violent brawl and take refuge in a hotel room—only to confront eerie revelations and unexpected intimacy. Fast-forward to 2025: the same room now hosts Daphne and Sage, a ghost-hunting YouTube couple chasing viral fame. But as their night unfolds, the ghosts they seek begin to chase them back. The play explores themes of trauma, memory, and the cost of chasing spectacle over truth.
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URINETOWN, a musical by Mark Hollman, book by Greg Kotis, directed by Louis Colaicovo, music director Allan Paglia. 10/24-11/9 Thu-Fri 7:30, Sat 8:00, Sun 2:00 Presented by First Generation Theatre on stage at the Smith Theatre, Info (716) 508-SGT0 (7480) Tickets through Shea's. Visit sheas.com
PUBLICITY BLURB: URINETOWN is a hilarious musical satire of the legal system, capitalism, social irresponsibility, populism, environmental collapse, privatization of natural resources, bureaucracy, municipal politics, and musical theatre itself! Hilariously funny and touchingly honest, Urinetown provides a fresh perspective on one of America’s greatest art forms.
SELECT OPENINGS IN NOVEMBER
THE CONSUL, an opera by Gian Carlo Menotti, presented by Fredonia’s Hillman Opera, directed by Daniel Lendzian and conducted by Emily Schaad, starring students from Fredonia’s School of Music. 11/13 - 11/16 (four performances) Thu-Sat 7:30, Sun 2:00 at the Marvel Theatre in the Rockefeller Arts Center on the SUNY Fredonia campus. Visit: events.fredonia.edu/event/hillman-opera-menottis-the-consul
THE CONSUL PUBLICITY BLURB: This opera offers a gripping and timely revival of the Pulitzer Prize-winning opera with its haunting narrative, centered on a family’s desperate attempt to escape a totalitarian regime and the cold indifference of bureaucracy. THE CONSUL remains as resonant today as it was in 1950.
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SHEA'S BUFFALO 2025-2026 Five Star Bank Broadway shows include:
THE NOTEBOOK, October 7-13, 2025
WICKED, November 12-30, 2025
‘TWAS THE NIGHT BEFORE… BY CIRQUE DU SOLEIL, Opening December 17, 2025
KIMBERLY AKIMBO, March 17-22, 2026
WATER FOR ELEPHANTS, April 14-19, 2026
SUFFS, June 2-7-2026s
The Five Star Bank 2025-26 Broadway Season is presented by Shea’s Performing Arts Center and Albert Nocciolino, and is sponsored locally by Five Star Bank, The Buffalo News, and WKBW-TV.
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Copied from https://www.theatertalkbuffalo.com/post/2025-artie-award-winners
34th Annual Artie Awards
Sponsored by Buffalo Toronto Public Media
Presented June 9, 2025 at Asbury Hall, Buffalo, New York
Hosted by Anthony Chase, Curtis Lovell, and Amy Jakiel with Music Director Philip Farugia
2025 Artie Awards Winners
OUTSTANDING PRODUCTION OF A PLAY
Dorian, Irish Classical Theatre Company
OUTSTANDING PRODUCTION OF A MUSICAL
Waitress, MusicalFare Theatre
EMANUEL FRIED AWARD FOR OUTSTANDING NEW PLAY
Matthew LaChiusa, The Informer
OUTSTANDING LEADING ACTOR IN A PLAY
David Lundy, Remember This
OUTSTANDING LEADING ACTRESS IN A PLAY
Tracie Lane, Scenes from A Marriage
OUTSTANDING LEADING ACTOR IN A MUSICAL
Vanna Deux, Hedwig and the Angry Inch
OUTSTANDING LEADING ACTRESS IN A MUSICAL
Maria Pedro, Waitress
OUTSTANDING SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A PLAY
Gerald Ramsey, The African Company Presents Richard III
OUTSTANDING SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A PLAY
Rebecca Elkin, The Loved Ones
OUTSTANDING SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A MUSICAL
Kristopher Bartolomeo, Hedwig and the Angry Inch
OUTSTANDING SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A MUSICAL
Kelly Copps, The Producers
OUTSTANDING FEATURED PERFORMANCE
Caitlin Coleman, The Hung Man
OUTSTANDING DIRECTION OF A PLAY
Mason Beggs, Dorian
OUTSTANDING DIRECTION OF A MUSICAL
Susan Drozd, Waitress
OUTSTANDING ENSEMBLE OF A PLAY
The Hobbit, Theatre of Youth
OUTSTANDING ENSEMBLE OF A MUSICAL
Into the Woods, O'Connell & Company
OUTSTANDING CHOREOGRAPHY
Eric Deeb Weaver, Newsies
OUTSTANDING MUSIC DIRECTION
Bridget Moriarty, The Fitzgeralds of Saint Paul
OUTSTANDING SET DESIGN
Dyan Burlingame, Shipwrecked!
OUTSTANDING COSTUME DESIGN
Ann R. Emo, The Murder of Roger Ackroyd
OUTSTANDING TECHNICAL ELEMENT
Emma Schimminger, Lighting, The Murder of Roger Ackroyd
CAREER ACHIEVEMENT AWARD
Eileen Dugan
SPECIAL APPRECIATION AWARD
Buffalo Toronto Public Media
KATHARINE CORNELL AWARDS – honoring the work of visiting artists
Christie Baugher; composer, lyricist, and playwright; The Fitzgeralds of Saint Paul, Irish Classical Theatre Company
Derrian Brown, actor, William Barfee, 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, Second Generation Theatre
Kevin Zak, playwright, Kidman Carol, Alleyway Theatre
