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Theater Talk

Theater Talk: Broadway's Golden Age - Is it ever really "over?" Artie Awards show postponed again. At least six Buffalo openings in September.

By Anthony Chase,
Peter Hall
Published August 27, 2021 at 5:00 AM EDT
Ways To Subscribe
Broadway: Beyond the Golden Age aired on WNED-TV, still available on PBS Passport (free to members of WBFO). L-R Carol Burnett, André De Shields, Chita Rivera
Broadway Direct
Broadway: Beyond the Golden Age aired on WNED-TV, still available on PBS Passport (free to members of WBFO). L-R Carol Burnett, André De Shields, Chita Rivera

In her Tony Award winning role in A CHORUS LINE, Donna McKechnie (1976 Best Actress in a Musical) as "Cassie" says: "Don't tell me Broadway's dead. I just got here." On August 14 on WNED-TV Anthony and Peter enjoyed watching PBS Great Performances' "Broadway: Beyond the Golden Age" a follow-up to "Broadway: The Golden Age – by the Legends Who Were There." The latest show covering the years 1959 to 1983 is available for viewing on the PBS "Passport" platform accessible to everyone who is a current member of any station of Buffalo-Toronto Public Media, incuding WBFO.

Hosted by Tony Award nominee Jonathan Groff (he was King George III in HAMILTON) the show has interviews and clips with Bea Arthur, Elizabeth Ashley, Alec Baldwin, Carol Burnett, Glenn Close, André De Shields, Jane Fonda, Robert Goulet, Robert Guillaume, Donna McKechnie, Liza Minnelli, Robert Morse, Jerry Orbach, Robert Redford, Debbie Reynolds, Chita Rivera, Lesley Ann Warren, and many more.

But who's to say what's a golden age? Usually not those "in" that age who lack the perspective of time. Is it the next generation? And let's not forget that it's not only musicals that make up Broadway. During Anthony's life the plays of Neal Simon or August Wilson will certainly be included in any future "golden age" compilation. But "Broadway" (including regional theaters and off-Broadway) keeps re-inventing itself and no more than right now as we try to get to the other side of the COVID-19 pandemic. Theaters are resilient.

So, while the 2019-2020 ARTIE AWARDS show has been postponed again (All you nominees can CROSS SEPTEMBER 20, 2021 OFF YOUR CALENDAR) the 2021-2022 Artie season has already begun. Openings this month include:

Sep 9 - Oct 2* WHITE RABBIT, RED RABBIT at The Alleyway Theater

Sep 9 - Oct 2 SPEED OF DARK American Repertory Theater of WNY at Compass Performing Arts Center (the old "Theatreloft") (info)

Sep 9 - Sep 19 ART at O'Connell & Company

Sep 10 - Sep 24 FROZEN at Shea's Performing Arts Center

Sep 10 - Oct 3 FROM HONKY TONK TO PROTEST: A WOMAN’S VIEW OF COUNTRY MUSIC at The Kavinoky Theater

Sep 15 - Oct 17 CAMELOT at MusicalFare

NOTE RE ALLEYWAY:
* Each night of the 12-night run of WHITE RABBIT, RED RABBIT will feature a different Buffalo actor. With a "Double Bunny Pass" or a "Triple Bunny Pass" you can see two or three different performers with two or three tickets, each to a different performance of WHITE RABBIT, RED RABBIT. See the website https://www.alleyway.com/ for details.

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2021 WBFO NewsWBFO Arts & Culture Desk
Anthony Chase
Listen for Theater Talk, Friday morning at 6:45 and 8:45 during Morning Edition.
See stories by Anthony Chase
Peter Hall
Even though "semi-retired," Peter Hall continues to wear many hats. He is the Sunday afternoon host on WBFO’s “sister station,” WNED Classical where he has produced over 1,000 radio interviews with musical artists. If you see him at a theater with a pen in his hand, he’s probably getting ready to co-host “Theater Talk” with Anthony Chase (heard Friday mornings at 6:45 and 8:45 a.m. on WBFO) or to write a review for www.buffalorising.com. He is also a member of the "Artie Awards" committee (think “Tony Awards for Buffalo theaters”).
See stories by Peter Hall
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