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Theater Talk: Funny business on Broadway? Funny play at the Alleyway as BUA's ALLEY OF THE DOLLS opens

ALLEY OF THE DOLLS show poster. Clockwise from top Jimmy Janowski, Renee Landrigan, Michael Blasdell, Christopher Standart
Cheryl Gorski
/
Buffalo United Artitsts
ALLEY OF THE DOLLS show poster. Clockwise from top Jimmy Janowski, Renee Landrigan, Michael Blasdell, Christopher Standart

As reported in a July 13 PLAYBILL story by Logan Culwell-Block: "Funny Girl Producers, Beanie Feldstein Respond to Rumors Surrounding Star's Departure...The production is refuting recent claims that Feldstein's announcement of her shifted departure date blindsided producers.

"The producers of Broadway's current FUNNY GIRL revival and a rep for star Beanie Feldstein have issued a joint statement in response to rumors surrounding Feldstein's recent announcement that she would depart the production even earlier than initially announced, news she released less than 24 hours before it was revealed that Glee star Lea Michele would succeed Feldstein playing Fanny Brice at the August Wilson Theatre beginning September 6. According to a joint statement: 'The producers and Beanie worked on this together professionally, respectfully, and graciously.'

"With Michele not set to take over in the role until September 6, standby Julie Benko is slated to lead the revival August 2–September 4, and will stay on to cover Thursday performances from September 8. Jane Lynch, currently co-starring as Mrs. Brice, is also set to leave the production, playing her final performance September 4. Four-time Tony nominee Tovah Feldshuh will take over for Lynch alongside Michele beginning September 6.

"Funny Girl, which premiered on Broadway in 1964, features a score by Jule Styne and Bob Merrill and a book by Isobel Lennart, newly adapted by Tony winner Harvey Fierstein for this revival. The biomusical tracks real-life singer and comic Fanny Brice from her humble beginnings in Brooklyn, New York, to fame and fortune onstage in the Ziegfeld Follies and as a radio and screen performer. The original production propelled a young Barbra Streisand to international fame; she would reprise her stage performance in the 1968 film adaptation, winning an Academy Award and a Golden Globe in the process.

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ALLEY OF THE DOLLS (see listing below) opened to a sold-out house on Saturday last that had been waiting two years for the traditional "Summer Camp" show, which often, as it is this year, is a send-up of a campy Hollywood movie.
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Peter attended a substitute performance (2 singers, not three) for the VOCALEAZE show which was to celebrate the music of Lambert, Hendricks, and Ross with vocalists Jack Kreuzer, Lorenzo Shawn, and Katy Miner, in a special event featuring George Caldwell, Joe Goehle, John Bacon Jr., Alec Dube, and Tim Clarke. The original show will be rescheduled TBA.

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RE-OPENING:

THE BARD'S IN OUR YARD, touring performances of Shakespeare scenes throughout Western New York presented by Shakespeare in Delaware Park. See list of venues at shakespeareindelawarepark.org/2022-tour-locations/ Performances are July 20 - July 24 and July 26 - July 27 (leading up to the opening of A MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM on July 28). Also note three Mondays in August (August 8, 15, and 22) when performances of AMSND on "the hill" are dark. THE BARD'S IN OUR YARD performances are at 7:00 pm except for the 4:30 matinees as noted.

· July 20: Bassett Park, Amherst;

· July 21: Quaker Arts Pavilion, Orchard Park;

· July 22: Penn Dixie Fossil Site, Blasdell;

· July 23 (4:30 & 7 p.m.): Nike Base Park, Grand Island;

· July 24 (4:30 & 7 p.m.): Freedom Run Winery, Cambria;

· July 26:Hamburg Town Park (Lakeshore), Hamburg;

· July 27: Veterans Park Complex, West Seneca;

· Monday August 8: Locust Street Art, (Fruitbelt) Buffalo;

· Monday August 15: Raymond Klimek Veterans Park, North Tonawanda;

· Monday August 22: Galanti Park, Lackawanna.

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CONTINUING:

A GENTLEMAN'S GUIDE TO LOVE AND MURDER, book and lyrics by Robert L. Freedman, music and lyrics by Steven Lutvak, directed by Doug Weyand, starring Solange Gosselin, Michelle Holden, Jon May, Ricky Needham, John Panepinto, Marc Sacco, Jenn Stafford and Emily Yancey, presented by MusicalFare, July 6 - August 7, Wednesdays - Thursdays at 7 pm, Fridays at 7:30pm, Saturdays at 3:30pm and 7:30pm, Sundays at 2. MusicalFare Theatre on the Daemen College campus, 4380 Main Street, Amherst, NY 14226. (716) 839-8540 musicalfare.com

A GENTLEMAN'S GUIDE BLURB: This knock-'em-dead, uproarious comedy, was the most-nominated show of the 2014 Broadway season with ten Tony nominations and four wins, including Best Musical. When the low-born Monty Navarro finds out that he's eighth in line for an earldom in the lofty D'Ysquith family, he figures his chances of outliving his predecessors are slight and sets off down a far more ghoulish path. Can he knock off his unsuspecting relatives without being caught? A GENTLEMAN’S GUIDE TO LOVE & MURDER is a fresh new musical comedy filled with non-stop laughs and unforgettable music.

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ALLEY OF THE DOLLS, directed by Chris Kelly, as Buffalo United Artists continues their "Summer Camp" series, July 9th – July 31, Saturdays - Sundays at 7:30, starring Jimmy Janowski, Renee Landrigan, Matt Refermat, Christopher Standart, Michael Blasdell (Bebe), Dan Urtz, Alex Anthony Garcia, and Michael Seitz, on the Alleyway Theatre Mainstage, 1 Curtain Up Alley, Buffalo, NY 14202. 716-852-2600 or www.alleyway.com or www.buffalounitedartists.org

ALLEY OF THE DOLLS BLURB: Kicking off our 30th Season, BUFFALO UNITED ARTISTS presents, ALLEY OF THE DOLLS, a loving parody of the cult classic film. THE ULTIMATE "SUMMER CAMP" EXPERIENCE! Here is the shocking, candid story of the dazzling glitter and gutter realities of show business as it has never been told before… with SEQUINS and WIGS and DRAG QUEENS…OH MY!

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AS YOU LIKE IT presented SHAKESPEARE IN DELAWARE PARK, directed by Steve Vaughan, June 23 - July 17 Tuesdays - Sundays at 7:15 on "Shakespeare Hill" in Delaware Park near Marcy Casino and The Rose Garden. These performances are free and open to the public (but bring some cash if you can for an intermission donation).

SHAWFESTIVAL LIST OF SUMMER PLAYS:

(Note, visit shawfest.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/2022Calendar_print.pdf for a printable calendar with days, dates, ande times)

Shaw Festival Theatre NOTE Mask use is required until June 10, but not proof of vaccination is not longer required.

2022 Season:

AT THE FESTIVAL THEATRE

DAMN YANKEES Words and Music by Richard Adler and Jerry Ross

Book by George Abbott and Douglass Wallop opens Saturday May 28 at 6

THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING EARNEST By Oscar Wilde opens Saturday Jun 18 at 6

THE DOCTOR’S DILEMMA By Bernard Shaw

opens Saturday Aug 20 at 6

ROYAL GEORGE THEATRE

GASLIGHT

By Johnna Wright and Patty Jamieson

Based on the play Angel Street by Patrick Hamilton opens Friday May 27 at 6

CHITRA By Rabindranath Tagore (Lunchtime One-Act) opens Sunday June 19 at 11:30 am

JUST TO GET MARRIED By GB Shaw contemporary Cicely Hamilton opens Sun Aug 21 at 11:30 am

BLURB: “It is 1910 and Georgiana is 29, so the burning question is: how can we get her married?”

JACKIE MAXWELL STUDIO THEATRE

TOO TRUE TO BE GOOD By Bernard Shaw opens Sun May 29 at 11:30am

EVERYBODY By Branden Jacobs-Jenkins opens Fri Jun 17 at 6

GEM OF THE OCEAN By August Wilson (The first play in August Wilson’s THE AMERICAN CENTURY CYCLE) opens Fri Aug 19 at 6

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THE STRATFORD FESTIVAL LIST OF SUMMER PLAYS:

The Stratford Festival recommends downloading their Visitors Guide to discover information about Shows, Forum Events, Special Performances, Speakers & Panels, Workshops, Tours & Exhibits and much more. Click here: https://cds.stratfordfestival.ca/uploadedFiles/2022-Visitors-Guide.pdf

The Stratford musical this summer is

CHICAGO

Runs Through OCT 30

The comedy this summer is

THE MISER

Runs AUG 09 - OCT 29

The family show this summer is

LITTLE WOMEN

Runs Through OCT 29

And there are three Shakespeare plays

RICHARD III

Runs Through OCT 30

ALL'S WELL THAT ENDS WELL

Runs Through OCT 29

HAMLET

Runs Through OCT 28

And there are four “Modern” plays this summer at Stratford:

EVERY LITTLE NOOKIE

Runs Through OCT 01

HAMLET-911

Runs JUL 28 - OCT 02

DEATH AND THE KING'S HORSEMAN

Runs AUG 11 - OCT 29

1939

Runs AUG 23 - OCT 29

NEXT AT SHAKESPEARE IN THE PARK (OPENING JULY 28)

A MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM, presented by Shakespeare in Delaware Park, July 28-August 21, Tuesdays - Sundays at 7:15 on "Shakespeare Hill" in Delaware Park near Marcy Casino and The Rose Garden. These performances are free and open to the public (but bring some cash if you can for an intermission donation).

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SHEA'S 2022-2023 SEASON

The M&T Broadway series at Shea's for 2022-2023 includes:

THE PROM Sep 27-Oct 2, 2022

TINA: THE TINA TURNER MUSICAL Nov 8-13, 2022

COME FROM AWAY Dec 13-18, 2022

HADESTOWN Feb 21-26, 2023

BEETLEJUICE Mar 21-26, 2023

SIX Apr 25-May 7, 2023

JAGGED LITTLE PILL Jun 6-11, 2023

with two "special engagements"

Disney's ALADDIN Nov 22-27, 2022 and

DEAR EVAN HANSEN June 20-25, 2023.

Listen for Theater Talk, Friday morning at 6:45 and 8:45 during Morning Edition.
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”).
Latest Episodes
  • On this episode Theater Talk welcomes Brian Higgins to his leadership role at Shea's Performing Arts Center where FUNNY GIRL, the Broadway Tour, opens next week. Already running and well worth your time are REEFER MADNESS, a sendup of the 1930s movie (O'Connell & Co. at the Smith Theatre), and a powerful multi-generational family play, KINDERTRANSPORT, at Jewish Repertory Theatre in Getzville (that's not as far from Buffalo as it sounds), For 31 years (as of November 2023) Theater Talk has been appointment listening on WBFO, featuring the insights of theater critic and historian, Anthony Chase, who joins Peter Hall for a five-minute weekly broadcast at 6:45 and 8:45 Friday mornings on 88.7 WBFO with a podcast available on wbfo.org. NOTE: Theater listings are included with the podcast. As part of BTPM (Buffalo Toronto Public Media), their beat is primarily Buffalo theater, but Broadway, The Shaw Festival, and The Stratford Festival are covered as other relevant art forms are touched on, including ballet and opera.
  • On this episode of Theater Talk, Anthony reminisces about Chita Rivera, recaps taking WBFO listeners to Broadway last week, and Peter mentions two shows he saw in Buffalo. For 31 years (as of November 2023) Theater Talk has been appointment listening on WBFO, featuring the insights of theater critic and historian, Anthony Chase, who joins Peter Hall for a five-minute weekly broadcast at 6:45 and 8:45 Friday mornings on 88.7 WBFO with a podcast available on wbfo.org. NOTE: Theater listings are included with the podcast. As part of BTPM (Buffalo Toronto Public Media), their beat is primarily Buffalo theater, but Broadway, The Shaw Festival, and The Stratford Festival are covered as other relevant art forms are touched on, including ballet and opera.
  • Local openings include ANNE OF GREEN GABLES at T.O.Y., Bellissima Production's BURN/THIS on the Ujima stage, Neil Simon's I OUGHTA BE IN PICTURES at Desiderio's, REEFER MADNESS presented by O'Connell & Co. at Shea's Smith, and REHEARSAL FOR MURDER at Lancaster Opera House. For 31 years (as of November 2023) Theater Talk has been appointment listening on WBFO, featuring the insights of theater critic and historian, Anthony Chase, who joins Peter Hall for a five-minute weekly broadcast at 6:45 and 8:45 Friday mornings on 88.7 WBFO with a podcast available on wbfo.org. NOTE: Theater listings are included with the podcast. As part of BTPM (Buffalo Toronto Public Media), their beat is primarily Buffalo theater, but Broadway, The Shaw Festival, and The Stratford Festival are covered as other relevant art forms are touched on, including ballet and opera.
  • Continuing, with the "Irish Invasion" the Broadway tour of GIRL FROM THE NORTH COUNTRY wraps up a week at Shea's, with music by Bob Dylan and book by Dublin-born Conor McPherson while right across Main Street the Irish Classical Theater Company is putting on Brian Friel's FAITH HEALER, with a small but exquisite cast of Paul Todaro, Vincent O'Neill, and Margaret Massman. For 31 years (as of November 2023) Theater Talk has been appointment listening on WBFO, featuring the insights of theater critic and historian, Anthony Chase, who joins Peter Hall for a five-minute weekly broadcast at 6:45 and 8:45 Friday mornings on 88.7 WBFO with a podcast available on wbfo.org. NOTE: Theater listings are included with the podcast. As part of BTPM (Buffalo Toronto Public Media), their beat is primarily Buffalo theater, but Broadway, The Shaw Festival, and The Stratford Festival are covered as other relevant art forms are touched on, including ballet and opera.
  • Right now there are only two shows in town and they're both by Irishmen! The Irish Classical Theater Company has Brian Friel's FAITH HEALER, with the exquisite cast of Paul Todaro, Vincent O'Neill, and Margaret Massman. Opening Tuesday, January 16, the Broadway tour of GIRL FROM THE NORTH COUNTRY begins a week at Shea's, with music by Bob Dylan and book by Dublin-born Conor McPherson (THE WEIR, PORT AUTHORITY, THE SHINING CITY, THE SEAFARER). For 31 years (as of November 2023) Theater Talk has been appointment listening on WBFO, featuring the insights of theater critic and historian, Anthony Chase, who joins Peter Hall for a five-minute weekly broadcast at 6:45 and 8:45 Friday mornings on 88.7 WBFO with a podcast available on wbfo.org. NOTE: Theater listings are included with the podcast. As part of BTPM (Buffalo Toronto Public Media), their beat is primarily Buffalo theater, but Broadway, The Shaw Festival, and The Stratford Festival are covered as other relevant art forms are touched on, including ballet and opera.
  • While the theater community thinks of seasons starting with "Curtain Up!" in September and ending with The Artie Awards in June, often at the end of a calendar year, it's common to look at theater folk whom we lost. Anthony has fond personal memories of seeing many who were mentioned in a recent Playbill.com article. For 31 years (as of November 2023) Theater Talk has been appointment listening on WBFO, featuring the insights of theater critic and historian, Anthony Chase, who joins Peter Hall for a five-minute weekly broadcast at 6:45 and 8:45 Friday mornings on 88.7 WBFO with a podcast available on wbfo.org. NOTE: Theater listings are included with the podcast. As part of BTPM (Buffalo Toronto Public Media), their beat is primarily Buffalo theater, but Broadway, The Shaw Festival, and The Stratford Festival are covered as other relevant art forms are touched on, including ballet and opera.
  • Anthony and Peter talk about the transitions in leadership at four of our major stages. Audiences are still not at 2019 levels. And COVID as well as cellphones ringing during shows are still a nuisance. HAPPY NEW YEAR! For 31 years (as of November 2023) Theater Talk has been appointment listening on WBFO, featuring the insights of theater critic and historian, Anthony Chase, who joins Peter Hall for a five-minute weekly broadcast at 6:45 and 8:45 Friday mornings on 88.7 WBFO with a podcast available on wbfo.org. NOTE: Theater listings are included with the podcast. As part of BTPM (Buffalo Toronto Public Media), their beat is primarily Buffalo theater, but Broadway, The Shaw Festival, and The Stratford Festival are covered as other relevant art forms are touched on, including ballet and opera.
  • There are plenty of Christmas shows still running for every taste. ANNIE (it's set at Christmas time) is at Shea's, there are four (4!) different versions of A CHRISTMAS CAROL, Lisa Ludwig stars in THE TWELVE DATES OF CHRISTMAS, and Charmagne Chi stars (with a cast of 7) in her BLUE XMAS at the Alleyway. For 31 years (as of November 2023) Theater Talk has been appointment listening on WBFO, featuring the insights of theater critic and historian, Anthony Chase, who joins Peter Hall for a five-minute weekly broadcast at 6:45 and 8:45 Friday mornings on 88.7 WBFO with a podcast available on wbfo.org. NOTE: Theater listings are included with the podcast. As part of BTPM (Buffalo Toronto Public Media), their beat is primarily Buffalo theater, but Broadway, The Shaw Festival, and The Stratford Festival are covered as other relevant art forms are touched on, including ballet and opera.
  • All across our region, there are a solid dozen good shows open this weekend (See Listings) from Cheektowaga (TWELVE DATES OF CHRISTMAS) to Ontario's Shawfest (A CHRISTMAS CAROL) in big venues (PLAID TIDINGS at Shea's 710) to small (BLUE CHRISTMAS WITH CHARMAGNE CHI at the Alleyway Cabaret), just to name 1/3 of the offerings. For 31 years (as of November 2023) Theater Talk has been appointment listening on WBFO, featuring the insights of theater critic and historian, Anthony Chase, who joins Peter Hall for a five-minute weekly broadcast at 6:45 and 8:45 Friday mornings on 88.7 WBFO with a podcast available on wbfo.org. NOTE: Theater listings are included with the podcast. As part of BTPM (Buffalo Toronto Public Media), their beat is primarily Buffalo theater, but Broadway, The Shaw Festival, and The Stratford Festival are covered as other relevant art forms are touched on, including ballet and opera.
  • A CHRISTMAS CAROL at Shawfest's Royal George Theatre kicked off the first of several productions of Dickens' story,,, AIR HEART, a one-woman show by actor/aerialist Mara Neimanis at Buff State runs through Sunday. Buffalo-born TaNisha Fordham talks about 12 MO' ANGRY MEN, a play about a jury trying to decide on the guilt of a white police officer who has shot and killed a black teenager. (See listings below.) For 31 years (as of November 2023) Theater Talk has been appointment listening on WBFO, featuring the insights of theater critic and historian, Anthony Chase, who joins Peter Hall for a five-minute weekly broadcast at 6:45 and 8:45 Friday mornings on 88.7 WBFO with a podcast available on wbfo.org. NOTE: Theater listings are included with the podcast. As part of BTPM (Buffalo Toronto Public Media), their beat is primarily Buffalo theater, but Broadway, The Shaw Festival, and The Stratford Festival are covered as other relevant art forms are touched on, including ballet and opera.