Stagefright

Theater News

By JAVIER

With Dudney Joseph and Broadway legend André De Shields, backstage at the Broadhurst Theatre

Buffalo’s fabulous Dudney Joseph is currently making his Broadway debut in Cats: The Jellicle Ball, an inspired revival of Sir Andrew Lloyd Webber’s classic musical Cats, which was one of the longest‑running shows on Broadway until it closed in 2000. The current production is nominated for a Tony Award for Best Revival of a Musical (the other nominees are Ragtime and The Rocky Horror Show). Joseph’s equally fabulous co‑star André De Shields (who cheerfully tells anyone he’s just turned 80) is nominated for Best Performance by a Featured Actor in a Musical. The televised portion of the Tony Awards Ceremony will be broadcast on channel 4 on Sunday, June 7^th at 8 p.m. The pre-show ceremony where many of the technical awards are handed out, starts at 6:35 p.m. and can be streamed free on Pluto TV. The ceremony will feature performances from the nominated musicals and revivals, so make sure you catch Dudney in his fabulous wig and a costume designed by Tony nominated costume designer, Qween Jean.

With costume designer Qween Jean, Tony nominated for Cats: the Jellicle Ball

All four nominees for Best Play are outstanding. Giant is the first play by British director Mark Rosenblatt and already enjoyed a successful London run, where it won the Olivier Award. Bess Wohl’s Liberation won this year’s Pulitzer Prize for Drama; she previously received a 2020 Tony nomination for Grand Horizons. Samuel D. Hunter’s Little Bear Ridge Road, his first Broadway production, had a short run but won the New York Drama Critics’ Circle Award for Best Play. Hunter is probably best known for his 2013 play The Whale, later adapted into a 2022 film. And then there is David Lindsay‑Abaire, whose new play The Balusters has been extended through June 21 and stars Richard Thomas (turning 75 on June 13) and Marylouise Burke, both of whom are nominated for their performances.

With David Lindsay‑Abaire and Richard Thomas

From the 79th Annual Tony Awards to the 35th Annual Artie Awards, just one day later on Monday, June 8, the celebration continues at home. Doors open at 7 p.m.; tickets are available at babeville.com. The show is hosted by Anthony Chase, Jake Hayes, and Maria Pedro with music direction by Joe Isgar. Due to the flooding disaster at Matinee Bar, the after party has been moved to Club 26 on Allen Street.

With Michael Seitz, Annette Daniels Taylor, Mike Blasdell (aka Bebe Bvulgari) and Jimmy Janowski at Torn Space Theater

While the Arties mark the ceremonial end of Buffalo’s 2025–26 theater season, a new season is already underway. Torn Space Theater has just opened its production of Matthew López’s The Legend of Georgia McBride, co‑directed by Dan Shanahan and Melissa Meola and starring Jimmy Janowski, Anthony Alcocer, Bebe Bvlgary, Annette Daniels Taylor, Christine Turturro, and Michael Seitz. Set in Panama City, Florida (López’s birthplace), the play centers on an Elvis impersonator barely scraping by in a rundown bar who is fired and replaced by a drag act. The show runs through June 20, 2026 at Torn Space Theater, 612 Fillmore Avenue. López is the author of The Inheritance, which premiered in London in 2018, winning the Olivier Award, and later earned the 2023 Tony Award for Best Play. He also wrote the book for the musical Some Like It Hot, which brought him another Tony nomination in 2023. Locally, Jewish Repertory Theatre has produced his fascinating play The Whipping Man.

 

Although the Alleyway Theatre has retired the Buffalo Quickies, it has kept the Annual Maxim Mazumdar New Play Competition. This year’s winner, His Girl Watson: A Sherlock Noir written by Kevin Cirone begins previews this week. Directed by Robyn Lee, the play stars Anna Fernandez and Gregory Gjurich with Jacob Albarella, Lex Cueva, Sara Kow-Falcone, and Josh Wilde. Sherlock and Watson are back on the case, this time in 1940s Boston. The play runs through June 27^th.  Maxim Mazumdar was an actor, director, and playwright who worked at Alleyway in the mid‑1980s. He died in 1988, and in 1989 the competition was established in his honor to recognize original full‑length plays that demonstrate theatrical ambition and contemporary relevance.

Another retirement: Neal Radice’s beloved adaptation of A Christmas Carol may have played its final performance last December. In an e-mail, Radice cites a number of reasons, including financial, for not being able to continue his long-standing annual tradition. Radice has been addressing some health issues, but is, nonetheless, working on a new one-woman musical.

Looking ahead to next season at the Kenan Center, Neil and Sarah Wechsler’s adaptation of A Christmas Carol will return for its second time under the direction of Kevin Leary. Ricky Needham, Madeline Rehm, Quinn McGillion, and Stan Klimecko will be back, December 11-20.  The season at the Kenan will kick off October 29^th with the musical Dames at Sea, directed and choreographed by Leary, starring Bethany Moore as Mona, Audree Woods as Ruby, and Rebecca Bradford as Joan. The musical first opened in 1966, so this will be its 60^th anniversary. An off-Broadway sensation, the show finally made it to Broadway in 2015 where it did not last very long.

Next at the Irish Classical Theatre Company (ICTC) is the North American premiere of Marina Carr’s Girl on an Altar, directed by Anderson Carr and starring Keelie A. Sheridan, Jorge Luna, Darryl Semira, Dave Marciniak, Paige Batt, and Tabitha Raithel. Carr is one of Ireland’s foremost contemporary playwrights, celebrated for dark, lyrical dramas such as The Mai, Portia Coughlan, and By the Bog of Cats, and for her bold re‑imagining of classical myth and family tragedy. This play, a modern adaptation of the Greek myth of Clytemnestra and Agamemnon, premiered in London in 2022 and had its Irish premiere at the Abbey Theatre in 2023. The ICTC production runs June 12-26.

Earlier this season, ICTC gave us the North American premiere of Erica Murray’s The Loved Ones, in a production that was brilliantly directed and acted. Only now is New York’s Irish Repertory Theatre getting around to the play’s New York City premiere (yes, Buffalo got it first) in a production starring Donna Lynne Champlin and Maryann Plunkett.

Good men Dave Wysocki and Talon Powell have joined the cast of A Few Good Men, taking over for two other good men. The Road Less Traveled/Shea’s 710 Theatre production runs June 11-28 at 710 Main.

Up next at Lancaster Opera House is the movie‑turned‑musical Footloose, directed by John Kaczorowski and choreographed by Tara Kaczorowski, and starring, among many others, Jeffrey Coyle, Aimee Walker, Ashleigh Chrisena Ricci, Ty Burgess, Michael Wells, and Matt Rittler. The production runs June 12-28.

Second Generation Theatre continues its Free Reading Series with Mike Lew’s Tiny Father. “When a friends with benefits relationship unexpectedly results in the early arrival of a baby girl, Daniel must choose between being a biological parent or becoming a father.” Directed by Connor Graham, featuring Jake Hayes and Melinda Capeles. Monday June 15^, 2026 at 7 p.m. at Shea’s Smith Theatre.

Shakespeare in Delaware Park (SDP) kicks off its 51st season on June 10 at Windsong/Autumn Creek with the opening of its touring production, Fools and Foes, a fast-paced, family-friendly show featuring Shakespeare's most memorable clowns, tricksters, heroes, and villains. The touring production, directed by Nathanial Higgins, stars Paige Cummings, Cody Gooley, Camille Keeves, Devin Klumpp, Sue McCormack, and Julianna Tracey. One of the highlights of the tour will be a special performance at Sahlen Field on August 24. All performances are free and open to the public. Tour dates, locations, and season information are available at shakespeareindelawarepark.org.

Ujima’s legendary founder Lorna C. Hill wrote Yalla Bitch, a vehicle for herself which she performed at the first International Women’s Playwright Conference, which was held in Buffalo in 1988.  Hill played the title role. Now the company is remounting the play which will tour during the summer performing in gardens across the Buffalo area, directed by Tioga Simpson. The tour kicks off on June 19 and 20 at 6 p.m. at School 77. For further tour dates, locations, and reservations check www.ujimacoinc.org  A special YALLA GALA performance will be on June 26th, 6 p.m. @ Buffalo & Erie County Botanical Gardens. This is a benefit performance in celebration of what would have been Lorna’s 75th birthday.

Buffalo’s Patrick Gallo will be bringing his one-man show How to Be an Artist to The Caz, 2221 Seneca St. on June 19^th and 20^th  at 7 p.m. Doors open at 5:30 p.m.. Gallo brings a blend of dramatic and comedic storytelling drawn from his life growing on Buffalo’s Italian West Side and pursuing a career in New York City. George Caldwell takes on the role of musical director, bringing live jazz accompaniment to the production. Produced by Mark Goldman, cabaret style seating, tickets are $25.00 and can be purchased at www.thecazbuffalo.com/shows

First Look Buffalo’s inaugural Playwrights Residency is offering five free playwriting workshops taught by professional playwrights from around the country who are participating in the company’s summer residency. Three workshops on June 16^th from 3 to 6 p.m., two workshops on June 17^th from 4 to 6 p.m. at the Crane Branch Library, 633 Elmwood Ave. All workshops are free and open to writers of all levels. For more information check www.firstlookbuffalo.com