Stagefright by JAVIER
Buffalo’s beloved Stephen McKinley Henderson was recently inducted into the American Theater Hall of Fame at a ceremony that took place at the hall’s home, the Gershwin Theatre on Broadway (yes, home of Wicked). This year’s class included actress Elizabeth Ashley, playwright/actor Charles Busch, composer William Finn, actor Boyd Gaines, actress Donna Murphy, and playwright David Rabe. Congratulations! Among the many in attendance, Ted Danson who stars with Henderson in the comedy TV series A Man on the Inside.
December is upon us so, it’s that time of the year when the Alleyway presents its annual production of A Christmas Carol, adapted and directed by Neal Radice, playing through December 23rd. Bill Lovern, Kaylie Horowitz, Lincoln Kwiatek-McCain, and Rylie Stang join the cast this year. Years ago, Gayle Petri played Tiny Tim. Having held the titles of Miss Upstate New York, Miss Syracuse, and currently Miss Finger Lakes, she rejoins the cast playing some adult roles. Long-time Christmas Carol veterans David C. Mitchell, Trevor Dugan, and Madeline Allard Dugan also return.
Quite a different Carol is taking place in the Alleyway’s small space. As part of the Alleyworks Development Series, the theater is showcasing a new play, A Kidman Carol: A Gay Dementia on Australian Dames, written and directed by Kevin Zak, starring Jason Michael Snow, Shannon Mullen, Billy Griffin Jr., Jeremy Kreuzer, and Madeline Rehm. The show runs December 13-21.
Also opening this week at Desiderio’s Dinner Theatre, the comedy farce Sorry! Wrong Chimney, directed by Jay Desiderio, starring Andrew Canada, Jessie Miller, Brooke Goergen, John Profeta, Ian Michalski, Marie Costa, and Daniel J. Greer. The production runs through January 19th.
Continuing the Lancaster Opera House tradition of interactive family holiday shows, comes The Night Before Christmas, written by J. Michael Landis and Jay Wollin, December 13-15. Set in Christmastown on a very special Christmas Eve, the show tells the story of a brother and sister who get caught up in a fun-filled adventure with a colorful cast of Christmas characters. Directed by Landis with choreography by Timmy Goodman and musical direction by Fran Landis. The production features a cast of over twenty people! Should be fun in the tiny Lancaster Opera House dressing room.
Not to be left behind, the Kenan Center in Lockport will be presenting A Kenan Christmas Cabaret, December 13th- 22nd, a festive night of popular holiday tunes starring Glen Chitty, Samantha Campbell, Abigail Holmes, and Sam Prezioso.
Holly Golden is back in Buffalo and back on the stage starring in O’Connell & Company’s production of Tom Dudzick’s Miracle on S. Division St. Directed by Mary Kate O’Connell, the production also stars Yamilex Holguín Pérez, Nathanial Higgins, and Mary Moebius. The play runs through December 22nd. Back in the ‘90s, Golden played one of girls in BUA’s production of The Children’s Hour, directed by Eileen Dugan.
Many years ago, New York based playwright Catherine Filloux had two of her plays premiere at the Alleyway: Venus in the Birdbath, and The Price of Madness. She kept writing, won a seven-year residency with New Dramatists, and had several of her plays produced in New York. Now, the York Theatre Company, off-Broadway is presenting the world premiere of Welcome to the Big Dipper, a new musical based on a true event (inspired by the play All Dressed Up and Nowhere to Go by Filloux), with music and lyrics by Jimmy Roberts (I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change), book by Filloux and John Daggett and additional lyrics by Daggett, who appeared in Buffalo in The Price of Madness. The inspiration of the play was Filloux’s experience being housed at a Main Street hotel in Buffalo simultaneously to two contrasting groups of guests.
The Cher Show, the 2018 Broadway jukebox musical that tells the story of the life and career of the fabulous Cher using familiar songs she’s performed throughout the years, will play Shea’s Buffalo Theatre May 2nd-4th. Tickets are already on sale. Cher is played by three actresses: one portraying her in the 1950s and ‘60s, one in the 1970s, and one in the 1980s and ‘90s. The Cher Show won Tony Awards for Stephanie J. Block (Lead Actress in a Musical) and for Bob Mackie (Costume Design for a Musical). Mackie is also designing the tour. A US touring production was announced to premiere in 2021 after the original launch date of October 2020 in Rochester but was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Now the beat goes on! (That woman is such a survivor!)
By the way, Stephanie J. Block -was in the first workshop of Wicked while it was in development, making her the original Elphaba! She would eventually headline the national tour and become a Broadway Elphaba replacement. And now, it’s official, Wicked is the highest-grossing movie ever at the domestic box office based on a Broadway musical. The clever screenplay was co-written by Winnie Holzman, author of the stage script. Holzman makes a cameo appearance in as a citizen of the Emerald City in the “Wizomania” sequence. She’s the one who says, "He can read it. He must be a Wizard!" Look out for her!
Road Less Traveled returns to Shea’s 710 Main with the stage thriller Dial “M” for Murder, directed by Robyn Horn. Originally written by Frederick Knott, this is a new adaptation by Jeffrey Hatcher which opened at the Old Globe in San Diego in 2022, adding a lesbian twist. The production will star Kate LoConti Alcocer, Kristen Tripp Kelley, Steve Copps, Todd Benzin, and Adam Yellen. It will run March 27th-April 13th.
Vinny Murphy, Jenny Maire McCabe, Alex Reiser, and Rick Lattimer are joining Caitlin Coleman in BUA’s upcoming The Hung Man. The play is a parody/homage to the films of Alfred Hitchcock and will be directed by Drew McCabe. It opens on April 11th. Incidentally, Dial “M” for Murder is probably best known for the film adaptation, directed by Hitchcock, starring Grace Kelly which was originally shot in 3-D!
Torn Space returns to the legit with the stage adaptation of Ingmar Bergman’s Scenes from a Marriage, directed by Dan Shanahan, starring Tracie Lane, Christine Turturro, Jack Hunter, Todd Benzin and Stan Klimecko. The play will run February 7th-March 1st. Back in 2014, Buffalo Theater Plaza of Stars honoree Roslyn Ruff starred in the famed Ivo van Hove production of the play at New York Theatre Workshop.
Save the date! The Shakespeare Feast returns on March 15th. It will be an Ides of March Julius Caesar extravaganza and is being billed as Buffalo’s largest toga party. Happy 50th anniversary to Shakespeare in Delaware Park! Let's send Shakespeare founder Saul Elkin love and best wishes for good health during the holiday season!
