STAGEFRIGHT by JAVIER
This weekend is your final chance to catch The Hobbit. J.R.R. Tolkien’s fantastical world comes to life at TOY. Directed by Chris Kelly, the production stars Glen Chitty, Anna Krempholtz, Thomas Evans, Preston Williams, and Lily Jones. Final performances are Saturday and Sunday at 2 p.m.
TOY will conclude its 2024-25 season with Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus! The Musical! based on the award-winning children’s book by Mo Willems, who also wrote the script and the lyrics. Directed by Grace Aroune with music direction by Stephen Schapero, the production will star Cogney Egnor, Timiyah Love, Preston Williams, Rylie Randall, Robyn Baun, and Julianna Tracey, and will run May 3-11, (Saturdays & Sundays at 2:00 p.m.). It’s recommended for ages 3-9 years old.
UB Department of Theatre & Dance offers a rare opportunity to see María Irene Fornés Obie Award-winning play Fefu and her Friends, directed by UB Professor Lindsay Brandon Hunter. The remaining performances for the show’s brief run are Friday Mach 7th at 7:30 p.m., Saturday March 8th at 2 & 7:30 p.m., Sunday March 9th at 2 p.m. (don’t forget to change your clocks). Performances are at UB Center for the Arts Black Box Theatre on the north (Amherst) campus. Fornés (1930-2015) was a Cuban-American playwright, director, and teacher who worked in off-Broadway and experimental theater venues for over forty years. When directing her play Fefu, she experimented with deconstructing the stage by setting scenes in four locations simultaneously, having the audience move around. Little trivia, Fornés had a romantic relationship with the writer and critic Susan Sontag in the early ‘60s. (Fornés came to Buffalo to direct her own play, Abingdon Square at Studio Arena Theatre during the 1988-1989 season).
Buffalo State University Theater Department (with Casting Hall, the student drama club) is now presenting the cult musical Ride the Cyclone, a favorite among very young musical theater nerds. The show, with music, lyrics, and book by Brooke Maxwell and Jacob Richmond, follows six teenagers from a high school chamber choir in Uranium City, Saskatchewan, who die in a roller coaster accident on the Cyclone ride at a traveling fair and find themselves in limbo where they must vote which among them deserves to return to life. Buffalo State’s production is directed by Sabrina Kahwaty, musical direction by Karen Saxon, choreography by Naila Ansari, scenic design by Carol Beckley, costume design by Ken Shaw. The in-the-round production runs March 12-16 at the newly renovated Flexible Theatre located in the Donald Savage Theater and Communication Building on the Buff State campus.
Second Generation Theatre continues its Free Reading Series on Monday, March 10th at 7 p.m. with the dark comedy Georgia Mertchen is Dead by Catya McMullen. Directed by Christopher Avery (very nice new headshot), the reading features Brittany Bassett-Baran, Leah Berst, Jordan Levin, Nick Stevens, and Alexandria Watts. To register/reserve tickets go to www.secondgenerationtheatre.com/free-reading-series. Avery will play the title role in Shakespeare in Delaware Park’s production of Richard III, directed by Greg Stuhr, July 24th-August 17th. The production will also star Darryl Semira, Leah Berst, Tracie Lane, Diane DiBernardo, Ryan Okun, David Lundy, John Profeta, and David Mitchell.
Irish playwright Erica Murray was in town to attend a performance of the North American premiere of her play The Loved Ones at Irish Classical Theatre. Murray and ICTC artistic director attended Trinity College in Ireland at the same time.
Up next at ICTC, another North American premiere, the play Dorian, by Phoebe Eclair-Powell and Owen Horsley, based on Oscar Wilde’s The Picture of Dorian Gray. Directed by Mason Beggs, the production will star Kris Bartolomeo, Brian Brown, and Dave Spychalski, with set and costumes by the talented and prolific Collin Ranney. The play premiered at the Reading Rep Theatre (UK) in 2021. The ICTC production runs March 28th – April 13th.
The fascination for Oscar Wilde and Dorian Gray is never ending. Sarah Snook (star of HBO’s Succession) will reprise her Olivier Award-winning performance in The Picture of Dorian Gray on Broadway. Snook takes on all twenty-six roles in this contemporary version. The play was adapted and directed by Kip Williams during his tenure as Artistic Director at the Sydney Theatre Company. The Broadway run begins previews on March 10th at the Music Box Theatre.
Speaking of Olivier Awards, nominations for the 2025 awards, London's top theatrical honors, were announced on March 4th. The UK debut of Natasha, Pierre, & The Great Comet of 1812 was one of the nominated productions of the season. Among the five nominated for Best Actor in a Play, American actors Adrien Brody, Billy Crudup, and John Lithgow. The award ceremony will be held on April 6th at Royal Albert Hall.
O’Connell & Company’s cabaret-style show Diva by Diva will mark its 25th Anniversary with two special performances on March 22nd at 2 p.m. and March 26th at 7:30 p.m. Conceived, created, and directed by Mary Kate O’Connell, the ever-rotating cast is drawn from all aspects of the Western New York community. The company claims that over the years more than four hundred women have been a part of the Diva by Diva cast. I bet Mary Kate can name them all! Performances at the company’s space, 4110 Bailey Avenue.
The seldom produced musical Chess is coming to Lancaster Opera House March 28th-April 13th. Set against the backdrop of the end of the Cold War, the musical features lyrics by Tim Rice, and music by Björn Ulvaeus and Benny Andersson (both members of ABBA). Directed by J. Michael Landis, with musical direction by Fran Landis and choreography by Tara Kaczorowski, the show stars Emily Yancey, Jacob Albarella, Merrick Allen, Jon May, Sydney Conrad, Nathan Andrew Miller, David Bondrow, and Daniel Reisdorf. Rounding out the cast in multiple roles are Joe Greenan, Nathanial Higgins, Rebecca Kroetsch, Lauren McGowan, Robert McKnight, Alexandra Montesano, Charlotte Reisdorf, Matt Rittler, Kristen Smigielski, Clara Tan, and Kira Whitehead. The pop hit One Night in Bangkok originated in this show.
The high-powered touring production of the musical The Wiz is now running at Shea’s through March 9th. Among the many highlights, Alan Mingo, Jr. who is playing the title character, reprising his performance from the Broadway revival production. Mingo also played Lola in the Broadway and Canadian productions of Kinky Boots, winning a Dora Award for the latter.
Tony Award winner Stephanie J. Block will make a special guest appearance at Shea’s Gala which will be held on Friday, June 6th. Block won the 2019 Tony Award for Best Actress in a Musical for her lead performance in The Cher Show (a touring production is stopping at Shea’s May 2-4, sans Block). Block made her Broadway debut in 2003, originating the role of Liza Minnelli in The Boy from Oz. She was the first Elphaba during the early development stages of Wicked in 2000 and played the role in the show's first national tour in 2005. She received a Tony nomination for her performance in the 2013 revival of The Mystery of Edwin Drood where she co-starred with Chita Rivera. By the way, the PBS series, Great Performances, has set air dates for the filmed performance of the 2024 London's production of Kiss Me, Kate at the Barbican Theatre, starring Block in her London theater debut. The performance will begin airing and streaming May 30.
Starring Buffalo artistic director Drew Fornarola continues a very good month, after the success of Cats at Shea's 710, with the announcement that he has received yet another MAC Award nomination. This one is for his song, "Wait," from his off-Broadway musical The Ghost of John McCain. The Manhattan Association of Cabarets honors excellence in the NYC cabaret scene. This nomination for "Song of the Year" is Fornarola's 10th nomination!
And on the topic of awards, congratulations to Dudney Joseph Jr. who got a Special Citation at the 68th Obie Awards as part of the ensemble Cats: The Jellicle Ball. The 68th Obie Awards recognize the outstanding contributions made throughout the 2023-2024 Off- and Off- Off-Broadway theater season in New York City.
