A pretty buttoned up reporter. A nightclub owner with daddy issues. A ditzy disco diva and her twin children. A nun with a gambling problem. What happens when they meet on a poorly constructed off-shore casino with a problematic pier? It’s sure to be a Disaster! Disaster!, the brain-child of Broadway divo Seth Rudetsky, is … Continue reading Disaster! Feels So Good at MusicalFare
History Takes Center Stage at Irish Classical
You feel his power, his presence, as soon as he sets foot on the stage. Detroit actor Brian Marable has immediate, full command of your attention in Thurgood, presented by Irish Classical Theatre now until April 16. A stellar one-actor show, Thurgood is the self-narrated story of Supreme County Justice Thurgood Marshall, the first person … Continue reading History Takes Center Stage at Irish Classical
All Aboard for a Murder!
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!
“Beetlejuice” at Shea’s Buffalo Theatre
Justin Collette (Beetlejuice) at Tour Company of "Beetlejuice." Photo by Michael Murphy 2022. A visual spectacle of elaborate lighting and effects matched with superb talent and absurd comedy, Beetlejuice opened at Shea’s Buffalo Theatre last evening. Whether or not you are a fan of the original movie, you’re in luck: Beetlejuice the musical is so … Continue reading “Beetlejuice” at Shea’s Buffalo Theatre
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
Hadestown at Shea’s Buffalo Theatre
The North American Tour of Hadestown. Photo by T. Charles Erickson. If Hadestown proves anything to the audience, it’s that music is power….and so is silence. Hadestown opened at Shea’s Buffalo Theatre last evening and continues to run through February 26th. This was my first time seeing the show, but I was no stranger to … Continue reading Hadestown at Shea’s Buffalo Theatre
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