Sometimes you have to stick with the classics. Agatha Christie’s Murder on the Orient Express was published as a novel in 1934, made into films twice, and most recently was adapted for the stage by Ken Ludwig. Over time and all these permutations, the story has retained its intricate web of mystery, deceit, sardonic wit, … Continue reading All Aboard for a Murder!
Cherie Messore Reviews
The Play That Goes Wrong Gets It Absolutely Right
Here’s what I love about the WNY theatre community: there are the classics; there are the thought-provoking in-your-head-dramas; there are the social justice productions; there are soul-lifting musicals galore; and then there are the shows that are so silly and funny you laugh all the way home. And that, my friends, is The Play That … Continue reading The Play That Goes Wrong Gets It Absolutely Right
Every Brilliant Thing Sparks Joy at Shea’s Smith Theatre
Kids with a parent who is living with a mental illness diagnosis develop an intriguing set of social skills. They quickly intuit to whom they can confide, how to disappear into the woodwork during challenging moments, and how to fend for themselves if need be. They also learn how to love with a whole albeit … Continue reading Every Brilliant Thing Sparks Joy at Shea’s Smith Theatre
BPO and ICTC Join Forces for a Storm Surge of Artistry
Irish Classical Theatre Company and the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra built a beautiful model for collaboration with this series of theatre-set-to-music productions. The 2023 installment was Shakespeare’s The Tempest with Jean Sibelius’ incidental music and it was a lush and lavish visual and aural feast. First of all, the music. It was stunning, and it helped … Continue reading BPO and ICTC Join Forces for a Storm Surge of Artistry
Suspense on Stage at RLTP
Remember “Long Distance Call,” that episode of the incredible and timeless TV classic The Twilight Zone, where Billy Mumy’s grandmother gives him a play telephone and then she dies the next day? Whenever he picks up the phone, his grandma is talking to him. The Thin Place, the new production at Road Less Traveled Theater, … Continue reading Suspense on Stage at RLTP
Sir Andrew’s Back in Town at MusicalFare
It takes a lot of stage presence to command a stage solo for more than an hour. And that's exactly what Leah Berst does in Tell Me on a Sunday, onstage now at MusicalFare Theatre. Berst has the power (and the chops) to sing her way through this Andrew Lloyd Webber and Don Black one-woman … Continue reading Sir Andrew’s Back in Town at MusicalFare
A World Premiere at Alleyway
The connection between a mom and her daughter can run deep. Especially when it’s only the two of you, you’re tight in each other’s orbit, your worlds intersect in inextricable ways. And that is Nicky and Naomi, the mother-daughter duo at the heart of The Aleph Complex, now on stage at Alleyway Theatre. This is … Continue reading A World Premiere at Alleyway
The Mai on Stage at ICTC
“I’m not drunk, I’m trapped.” That single line sums up the key to The Mai, presented by the Irish Classical Theatre Company. Playwright Marina Carr examines the lives of seven women over four generations, each with their triumphs and tragedies that knit their family story. The Mai (Kate LoConti Alcocer) is at the center: a … Continue reading The Mai on Stage at ICTC
Guards at the Taj at Road Less Traveled Productions
I’ve always loved a good buddy story. Butch and Sundance, Thelma and Louise, Oscar and Felix…you get it. One is always solid, pragmatic while the other is more spontaneous, creative, free-falling through life because the other buddy is both the emotional safety net and soft place to land. Road Less Traveled Productions has the ultimate … Continue reading Guards at the Taj at Road Less Traveled Productions
Misery is a Creepy Good Story at D’Youville Kavinoky
One of the late singer Helen Reddy’s hits songs (circa 1974) began with the lyrics “Lonely women are the desperate kind.” That’s a good thought to keep when you see Misery on stage now at D’Youville Kavinoky Theatre. Misery is based on the Stephen King novel which also became a film. The stage adaptation by … Continue reading Misery is a Creepy Good Story at D’Youville Kavinoky
buffalotheatreguide.com 