Talent abounds on local stages with more openings including THE CONVENT, Brazen Faced Varlets at 545 Elmwood Avenue, ALL MY SONS at Road Less Traveled Productions, Harold Pinter's THE HOMECOMING at Torn Space on Fillmore Avenue, and LEGALLY BLONDE at MusicalFare in Amherst. (See listings below.)
and MASTER HAROLD AND THE BOYS by Athol Fugard opens next week after a one week delay. (See listings below.)
Alleyway Theatre closes the prize-winning absurdist play THE NATURAL HORSE this weekend, but ROCKY HORROR SHOW continues at D'Youville University's Kavinoky Theatre and the Jewish Repertory Theatre continues with a marvelous SISTERS IN LAW, a play about Supreme Court Justices Ruth Bader Ginsburg and Sandra Day O'Connor. Also continuing: AN INSPECTOR CALLS at Desiderio's (extra days added). Speaking of D'Youville University, their MFA students are presenting THE ABRIDGED SHAKESPEARE (all 37 plays in 97 minutes) on the Theatre of Youth stage on Allen Street. (See listings below.)
Anthony will be leading a trip to NYC from January 22 to 26, 2024 including round-trip transportation, select group meals at iconic Manhattan eateries, and five Broadway shows. (See listings below the Shaw Festival listings including HARMONY which replaces SHUCKED.) 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 Archives (where all Broadway shows, on film, can be viewed, although only on the grounds of the library. And, attendees will also have time for sightseeing and shopping. For more information, click here.
https://www.wned.org/ways-to-support/wned-wbfo-tours/new-york-city-theater-with-anthony-chase/
Anthony's reviews appear in The Buffalo News (buffalonews.com) or on his blog theatertalkbuffalo.com and Peter's reviews appear in Buffalo Rising (buffalorising.com).
LOCAL LISTINGS ARE PRESENTED AS FOLLOWS: CLOSINGS (last chances to see these plays), then OPENINGS, then CONTINUING, then The Shaw Festival lineup for 2023 (shows at Shawfest are up through early October). Within the categories, shows are alphabetical by title.
CLOSINGS THIS WEEK (last chance!):
THE NATURAL HORSE, a play by T. Adamson, directed by Robyn Lee Horn, starring Todd Benzin, Philip Farugia, Aleks Malejs, Yamilex Holgúin Pérez, Annette Daniels Taylor, and Christine Turturro. Oct 25 - Nov 11, Thu - Sat at 7:30, Extra matinee Sat, Nov 4 at 3:30.
Industry Night Mon Oct 30 at 7:30 Alleyway Theatre, 1 Curtain Up Alley, Buffalo NY 14202 716-852-2600 alleyway.com
THE NATURAL HORSE BLURB: A brand new, wild and zany play by T. Adamson, a Texas-raised writer and theater artist of Anglo/Mexican ancestry. With a BFA from NYU Tisch and an MFA from Hunter College, he now lives in New York City.
THE NATURAL HORSE is a combination of Frank Lloyd Wright, Chekhov and Ionesco, with a little Picasso and Mister Ed thrown into the mix for spice. The latest winner of the Maxim Mazumdar New Play Award, inspired by Frank Lloyd Wright’s 1954 book The Natural House, this daringly wild play about ex-Soviet immigrants in suburban Wisconsin received Alleyway’s 2022 Maxim Mazumdar New Play Award, and was a finalist for the 2023 O'Neill National Playwrights Conference.
When eldest daughter Masha brings home a feral horse named Goodboy to live under mom and dad’s roof, the play explodes with strange silliness and magical beauty. An incredibly theatrical look at how we search for people and spaces to call home, THE NATURAL HORSE is a breathtakingly ambitious and subversively hilarious exploration of the human connection.
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OPENINGS THIS WEEK:
ALL MY SONS, play by Arthur Miller, directed by Scott Behrend, starring Sean Cullen as Joe Keller with Lissette De Jesus, Sara Kow-Falcone, Bob Grabowski, Greg Howze, Johnny Rowe, Nick Stevens, Maria Ta, and Lisa Vitrano. Nov 9 - Dec 10 Thu - Sat 7:30, Sun 2:00 (no performance on Thanksgiving Thursday). Road Less Traveled Productions, 456 Main Street, Buffalo 14202 roadlesstraveledproductions.org (716) 629-3069
ALL MY SONS BLURB: Winner of the 1947 Tony Award for Best Author (a now-defunct category), set during the Second World War, All My Sons tells the story of Joe Keller, a successful, middle-aged, self-made man who has done a terrible and tragic thing. He framed his business partner for a crime and engineered his own exoneration. Now, his son is about to marry the partner's daughter, the affair is revisited, and his lie of a life is unraveled. A post-war American family in a tragic downfall of lies, greed, love, and loss takes center-stage and demands us to examine our own social responsibilities to ourselves and to one another. All My Sons will star stage and screen actor (and Buffalo native) Sean Cullen!
NOTE: CASTING BUFFALO LIVE! AN EVENING WITH SEAN CULLEN, Tuesday, November 14 at 7:30 pm at Road Less Traveled Theater. Bar opens at 6:30. Tickets at CastingHall.com or Roadlesstraveledproductions.org This one-on-one interview with Buffalo-born actor Sean Cullen (Boardwalk Empire, MindHunter, Blue Bloods, House of Cards) explores his lengthy career in Television, Film, and Stage; along with his craft of acting, and his love for Buffalo, NY. Accompanied by a live audience with a question and answer segment, this event will give attendees a "Master Class" experience for one night only. Enjoy this experience, network with colleagues, and meet Sean Cullen in person.
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LEGALLY BLONDE, musical by Laurence O'Keefe and Neil Benjamin based on the movie, directed and choreographed by Michael Oliver-Walline, starring Gretchen Didio as "Elle Woods" in a cast of 17 including Gabriela McKinley, Alex Watts, Alex Anthony Garcia, Sean Ryan, Marc Sacco and many other MusicalFare favorites. Nov 8 - Dec 10 Wed- Thu at 7:00, Fri - Sat at 7:30, Matinees Sat at 3:30 and Sun at 2:00. NOTE: No performance on Wednesday, November 22nd or Thursday, November 23rd for Thanksgiving Holidays. There is an additional performance on Sunday, November 26th at 7pm.
LEGALLY BLONDE BLURB: A fabulously fun award-winning musical based on the adored movie, LEGALLY BLONDE follows the transformation of Elle Woods as she tackles stereotypes and scandal in pursuit of her dreams. Action-packed and exploding with memorable songs and dynamic dances - this musical is so much fun, it should be illegal!
Elle Woods appears to have it all. Her life is turned upside down when her boyfriend Warner dumps her so he can attend Harvard Law. Determined to get him back, Elle ingeniously charms her way into the prestigious law school. While there, she struggles with peers, professors and her ex. With the support of some new friends, though, Elle quickly realizes her potential and sets out to prove herself to the world. In a tribute to Girl Power, Elle Woods proves self-discovery never goes out of style.
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MASTER HAROLD AND THE BOYS, play by Athol Fugard, directed by Aaron Mays, starring Roderick Garr as "Sam," Gerald Ramsey as "Willie," and Samuel Fesmire as "Hally." Nov 16 - Dec 3. Thu - Sat 7:30, Matinees Sat 3:00 and Sun 2:00. (No performance Thanksgiving Thursday.) Presented by the Irish Classical Theatre 625 Main Street, Buffalo, NY 14203 irishclassical.com (716) 853-1380
Additional Programming Dates:
Young Professionals Night: Thursday, Nov. 16, 2023, at 7:30 pm
Pay-What-You-Will Performance: Saturday, Nov. 18, 2023, at 3:00 pm
Industry Night: Saturday, Nov. 18, 2023, at 7:30 pm
Speaker Series: Sunday, Nov. 19, 2023, at 1:30 pm
Community Matinee: Wednesday, Nov. 29, 2023, at 10:00 am
Open Captioned Performance: Thursday, Nov. 30, 2023 at 7:30pm
Content Warning: "Master Harold"...and the Boys contains instances of racial slurs, mature language, onstage violence, partial nudity, and mentions of partner violence and alcoholism.
Target Audience: Adult, Senior, Teen (Age 14 - 18).
Run Time: "Master Harold"...and the Boys will run approximately 90 minutes with no intermission.
MASTER HAROLD AND THE BOYS BLURB: One of Athol Fugard’s masterpieces, “Master Harold” is a coming-of-age drama that explores the relationship between Hally, a white teenage boy, and Sam and Willie, two middle-aged black waiters who work in his mother’s tea room, set in 1950 during apartheid-era South Africa. Faced with the return of his alcoholic and war-injured father, Hally lashes out at Sam and Willie, exposing a pernicious cycle of hatred, despite Hally’s dreams of “progress.”
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THE HOMECOMING by Harold Pinter, directed by Dan Shanahan and Melissa Meola, starring Jack Hunter, Kalub Thompson, Tracie Lane, Russell Holt, Stan Klimecko, and Talon Powell. Nov 10 - Dec 9, Fri-Sat (Nov 10 - 18), then a break for Thanksgiving week, then Thu - Sat (Nov 30 - Dec 9), all performances at 7:30, except for Nov. 30 which is a special fund-raising evening at 6:30 pm. All performances at Torn Space Theater, 612 Fillmore Ave. Buffalo, NY 14212 tornspacetheatre.com (716) 768-1109
THE HOMECOMING BLURB: Clashes of class, culture, family, and sex; the tension of what is said and left unspoken- Pinter’s celebrated play continues to sear with Torn Space’s cutting-edge production. Torn Space revives its mainstage production with a classic script as you’ve never seen it. Featuring a stellar cast- Jack Hunter, Kalub Thompson, Tracie Lane, Russell Holt, Stan Klimecko, and Talon Powell, led by award-winning directors Dan Shanahan and Melissa Meola with set design by scenographer Kristina Siegel, lighting design by John and Carlie Rickus, costume design by Jess Wegrzyn and original sound design by Justin Rowland
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CONTINUING (in alphabetical order by title):
AN INSPECTOR CALLS by J.B. Priestley, directed by Jay Desiderio, starring Charles McGregor, David Lundy, Lisa Hinca, Sabrina Kahwaty, Jeremy Kreuzer, and Lucas Lloyd. 9/7 - 11/12 (NOTE! EXTENDED RUN!). Most Thursdays and Saturdays and some Wednesdays. Dinner at 6:00, Show at 7:30. Sundays are matinee performances with Dinner at 1:00 and Show at 2:30 pm. Desiderio's Dinner Theatre at Bobby J's 204 Como Park Blvd. Cheektowaga. 716-395-3207 mybobbyjs.com
AN INSPECTOR CALLS BLURB: An Inspector Calls is a powerful engaging detective drama. It is considered by many to be one of the classic thrillers of mid-20th-century English theatre. This suspenseful masterpiece finds a peaceful dinner party at a prosperous British home shattered when an inspector arrives to investigate a young woman’s death. Revelations shake the very foundations of this upper-class family as they all come to realize that each of them had a hand in the girl’s tragic undoing, prompting an examination of conscience and responsibility.
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THE ROCKY HORROR SHOW, book, music, & lyrics by Richard O'Brien, directed by Loraine O'Donnell, starring Kerrykate Abel, Kris Bartolomeo, Melinda Capeles, Charmagne Chi, John Fredo, Araia Heathcott, Andrew Kowalczewski, Morgan Kyle, Ricky Needham, Mike Randall, Michel Roberts, Dave Spychalski, and Dan Urtz. with musical direction by Allan Paglia. Oct 27 - Nov 18 Thu - Sat 7:30, Matinees Sat 3:30 at D'Youville University's Kavinoky Theatre, 320 Porter Ave, Buffalo, NY 14201 kavinokytheatre.com (716) 829-7668
THE ROCKY HORROR SHOW BLURB: This 1973 cult classic (which preceded and was the inspiration for the 1975 movie) is a send-up of both science fiction and horror B movies. Sweethearts Brad and Janet, stuck with a flat tire during a storm, discover the eerie mansion of Dr. Frank-N-Furter. As their innocence is lost, Brad and Janet meet a houseful of wild characters, including a rocking biker and a creepy butler. Through elaborate dances and rock songs, Frank-N-Furter unveils his latest creation: a muscular man named "Rocky." Complete with sass from the audience and an array of crazy costumes, this deliberately kitschy rock 'n' roll sci-fi gothic musical is a lot of fun, whether you grew up throwing toast at the movie screen or not. (Note: Verbal audience participation is actively encouraged but not throwing of props.)
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SISTERS IN LAW, a play by Jonathon Shapiro, based on the New York Times best-selling book by Linda Hirshman about Sandra Day O’Connor and Ruth Bader Ginsburg, directed by Josie DiVincenzo, starring Tina Rausa and Priscilla Young. Oct 26 - Nov 19, Thu 7:30, Sat 3:30 and 7:30, Sun 2:00 at the Jewish Community Center, 2640 N. Forest Road Amherst, NY 14068. 716-688-4033 jccbuffalo.org
SISTERS IN LAW BLURB: JRT is honored to produce the regional premiere of this hit play based on the New York Times bestseller! This keen portrayal of legends Sandra Day O’Connor and Ruth Bader Ginsburg tells the story of two polar opposites who just happen to be the first and second women on the US Supreme Court. As they grapple with big questions, the gloves come off, revealing two very different people with a great deal in common.
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THE COMPLETE WORKS OF WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE ABRIDGED! by Adam Long, Daniel Singer, & Jess Winfield, directed by Megan Callahan, starring Brendan Didio, Shanell Dixon and Kodi James. Nov 3 - Nov 12, Thu - Sat at 7:30, Sun at 2:00. Presented by the D'Youville Dramatic Arts MFA in Partnership with Theatre of Youth at the Allendale Theatre, 203 Allen Street, Buffalo NY 14201 (Tickets available at: ci.ovationtix.com/35829/production/1181645)
SHAKESPEARE ABRIDGED BLURB: An irreverent, fast-paced romp through the Bard’s plays, “The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (abridged)” features all 37 plays in 97 minutes! Fast paced, witty and physical, it’s full of laughter for Shakespeare lovers and haters alike. Join these madcap actors as they weave their wicked way through all of Shakespeare’s Comedies, Histories and Tragedies in one wild ride. APPRORIATE FOR high school students and up, though tweens and middle schoolers are welcome with parental guidance.
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THE CONVENT, a play by Jessica Dickey, directed by Stefanie Warnick, presented by The Brazen-Faced Varlets, starring Sandra Roberts, Pamela Rose Mangus, Juli Gryier, Rachael Buchanan, Gabrielle Nunzio, Heather Fangsrud, and Lara D. Haberberger. Nov 3 - 18 at the Compass Performing Arts Center, 545 Elmwood Ave., Thursdays and Fridays at 7:30, Saturdays at 5:00. Visit theconvent.eventbrite.com
THE CONVENT BLURB: A group of women go on a retreat to live like nuns in the Middle Ages and are baptized with '80s pop, female mysticism, hallucinogens, and sex. The Convent is a toothy dark comedy about desire, devotion, and the mystery of intrinsic divinity. Runtime: 105 minutes
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COMING IN DECEMBER
12 MO' ANGRY MEN, a play written and directed by Buffalo's own TaNisha Fordham. Dec 1 - Dec 17, Fri - Sat 7:30, Sun 4:00. Ujima Company, Inc. 429 Plymouth Ave Buffalo, NY 14213. ujimacoinc.com 716-281-0092.
12 MO' ANGRY MEN BLURB: Ujima Theatre Company Presents its next show of its 45th Season, written and directed by Buffalo native, TaNisha Fordham, the story of 11 black jurors and 1 white juror, deliberating on the guilt or innocence of a white police officer who shot and killed a black teenager. This unflinching reimagining of ‘12 Angry Men’, the Reginald Rose classic play and film, unabashedly tackles the issues of race, identity, mental health, politics, community policing, and the American justice system, all highlighted by Fordham’s honest, searingly authentic and tightly woven dialogue.
Born and raised in Buffalo, Fordham is an emerging writer, director, performer, and producer. Currently, she is a Directing Fellow with the Broadway Theater Coalition. Her credits include: Associate Director, Andrew Lloyd Webber’s newest Broadway debut BAD CINDERELLA and Associate Director, TONY Award-winning revival of COMPANY. Off-Broadway: Assistant Director, SuperHero. Writer/Performer/Producer/Director, 12 MO' ANGRY MEN.
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LA BOHEME, opera by Giacomo Puccini, directed by Matt Marco, presented by Buffalo Opear Unlimited at Rockwell Hall Performing Arts Center at Buffalo State University, Friday, December 1⋅at 7:30, Sunday, December 3rd at 2:30. buffalostatepac.org (716) 878-3005 information at kennedet@verizon.net
LA BOHEME BLURB: This 1896 opera is a love story between a poet named Rodolfo and a seamstress named Mimi, as they face the challenges of Mimi's declining health and the realities of living in poverty in Paris' Latin Quarter during the 1830s. This opera was the inspiration for Jonathan Larson's musical RENT.
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AT THE SHAW FESTIVAL
For the HOLIDAY SEASON 2023 The Shaw Festival will bring back
Lerner and Loewe’s BRIGADOON November 15 to December 23 at The Festival Theatre with Book and lyrics by Alan Jay Lerner, Music by Frederick Loewe, Original dances created by Agnes DeMille, Revised book by Brian Hill
Tagline: Boy meets girl — in an enchanted Scottish village. A sweep-you-off-your-feet musical spectacle.
For details, visit here: https://www.shawfest.com/playbill/brigadoon/
and
A CHRISTMAS CAROL November 5 to December 23 at The Royal George Theatre
Story by Charles Dickens
Adapted and originally directed by Tim Carroll
Tagline: Arrive feeling “Bah, humbug!” and leave full of warm, fuzzy Christmas spirit.
For details visit here: https://www.shawfest.com/playbill/a-christmas-carol-2023/
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Anthony will lead a bus full of Broadway lovers to the Big Apple January 22-26, 2024. Click here for details and more background on the 5 shows on the itinerary. https://www.wned.org/ways-to-support/wned-wbfo-tours/new-york-city-theater-with-anthony-chase/
For more information and to make your reservations, please contact Regina Sullivan at rsullivan@nyaaa.com or 716-630-3731.
The group will see, among other things (including The Broadway Museum), these shows (information provided by Playbill.com) (shows listed in alphabetical order).
A BEAUTIFUL NOISE, The Neil Diamond Musical, at the BROADHURST THEATRE 235 W. 44TH ST., NEW YORK, NY
The story of the legendary Neil Diamond comes to life on stage in a gripping and uplifting new musical featuring his hit songs “Sweet Caroline”, “America”, and “Cracklin’ Rosie”. Directed by Tony Award® winner Michael Mayer (Spring Awakening, Hedwig and the Angry Inch), choreographed by Olivier Award winner Steven Hoggett (Once, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child), and written by four-time Academy Award® nominee Anthony McCarten (Bohemian Rhapsody, The Two Popes). Good times never seemed so good.
SYNOPSIS:
With his first break into songwriting in the 1960s and his meteoric rise in the 1970s, and plenty of crushing disappointments and heart-stopping triumphs along the way, Neil Diamond has maintained an almost unthinkable level of superstardom for five straight decades. How did a poor Jewish kid from Brooklyn become one of the most universally adored showmen of all time? There’s only one way to tell it: a musical set to his era-defining smash hits that entranced the world.
RUNNING TIME: 2 HOURS AND 15 MINUTES INCLUDING ONE INTERMISSION
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& JULIET at the STEPHEN SONDHEIM THEATRE 124 W. 43RD ST., NEW YORK, NY
The Olivier Award-winning original musical & Juliet will have its highly anticipated Broadway premiere this fall. With a book by David West Read, the Emmy Award-winning writer from “Schitt’s Creek,” and with music from legendary five-time Grammy Award-winning songwriter/producer Max Martin, direction by Luke Sheppard and choreography by Emmy Award-winner Jennifer Weber, & Juliet uses some of the most beloved pop songs of the last three decades to tell a multi-generational story of self-discovery, empowerment, and love.
SYNOPSIS:
Created by the Emmy®-winning writer from “Schitt’s Creek,” this hilarious new musical flips the script on the greatest love story ever told. & Juliet asks: what would happen next if Juliet didn’t end it all over Romeo? Get whisked away on a fabulous journey as she ditches her famous ending for a fresh beginning and a second chance at life and love—her way.
Juliet’s new story bursts to life through a playlist of pop anthems as iconic as her name, including Since U Been Gone‚ Roar, Baby One More Time, Larger Than Life‚ That’s The Way It Is, and Can't Stop the Feeling — all from the genius songwriter/producer behind more #1 hits than any other artist this century. Break free of the balcony scene and get into this romantic comedy that proves there’s life after Romeo. The only thing tragic would be missing it.
RUNNING TIME: 2 HOURS AND 30 MINUTES INCLUDING ONE INTERMISSION
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BACK TO THE FUTURE, a musical, at the WINTER GARDEN THEATRE, 1634 BROADWAY (AT W. 50TH ST.), NEW YORK, NY
With book by Bob Gale and Music and Lyrics by alan Silvestri and Glen Ballard, this new musical adventure based on the 1985 blockbuster and pop culture phenomenon is brought to the stage by the movie’s co-writers, Bob Gale and Robert Zemeckis.
SYNOPSIS:
Marty McFly is a rock ‘n’ roll teenager who is accidentally transported back to 1955 in a time-traveling DeLorean invented by his friend, Dr. Emmett Brown. But before he can return to 1985, Marty must make sure his high school-aged parents fall in love in order to save his own existence.
RUNNING TIME: 2 HOURS AND 35 MINUTES, INCLUDING ONE 15-MINUTE INTERMISSION
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KIMBERLY AKIMBO, a musical comedy at the BOOTH THEATRE 222 W. 45TH ST., NEW YORK, NY
The critically-lauded and wildly popular new musical, Kimberly Akimbo, with
book by David Lindsay-Abair, Music by Jeanine Tesori, and Lyrics by David Linsday-Abaire, has transferred to Broadway with the cast from the Atlantic Theater Company intact.
SYNOPSIS:
Kim is a bright and funny Jersey teen, who happens to look like a 72-year-old lady. And yet her aging condition may be the least of her problems. Forced to maneuver family secrets, borderline personalities, and possible felony charges, not to mention her first crush, Kim is determined to find happiness in a world where not even time is on her side. Based on the play of the same name.
RUNNING TIME: 2 HOURS AND 20 MINUTES, INCLUDING ONE INTERMISSION
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And while SHUCKED, a musical comedy at the NEDERLANDER THEATRE 208 W. 41ST ST., NEW YORK, NY will have shut down by January, Anthony has chosen the equally engaging HARMONY at the Ethel Barrymore Theatre, 243 West 47th Street.
SYNOPSIS: Based on an unbelievable but true story, HARMONY tells the tale of the most successful entertainers you've never heard of. . . . until now. In the 1920s and 30s, The Comedian Harmonists sold millions of records, made dozens of films, and sold out the biggest theaters around the world. Their heavenly harmonies and musical comedy antics catapulted these six talented young men from singing in the subway tunnels of Berlin to international superstardom. What happened next is the story of HARMONY.
RUNNING TIME: 2 HOURS AND 30 MINUTES, INCLUDING ONE INTERMISSION
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Shea's Buffalo Theatre continues its 2023-24 Broadway Season:
MOULIN ROUGE! 10/24 - 11/5, 2023 (see listing above for details)
ANNIE as a "special engagement" 12/19 - 24, 2023
and then in calendar 2024:
GIRL FROM THE NORTH COUNTRY 1/16 - 21, 2024
FUNNY GIRL 2/13 - 18, 2024
LES MISERABLES 3/12 - 18, 2024
MAMMA MIA! 4/9 - 14, 2024
MJ THE MUSICAL 6/11 - 16, 2024
