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Theater Talk

Theater Talk: Anthony suggests a Marlene Dietrich role for Jimmy Janowski's next camp send-up. Peter is ready to count 'em up at Stratford: Shakespeare's RICHARD III vs HAMLET

By Anthony Chase,
Peter Hall
Published July 22, 2022 at 5:23 AM EDT
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Marlene Dietrich with Jimmy Stewart in the 1939 western Destry Rides Again
Wikepedia
Marlene Dietrich with Jimmy Stewart in the 1939 western Destry Rides Again

Should you go see a play twice? Definitely. Of course, the cost isn't a problem at the free Shakespeare in Delaware Park (either the upcoming A MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM or the entertaining THE BARD'S IN OUR YARD, see details below). It's also fun to go twice to see what's in the script and what's ad-libbed in the current camp send-up ALLEY OF THE DOLLS at The Alleyway Theatre starring Jimmy Janowski (see listings below). Janowski revealed to Anthony that he wants to do a western next summer. Immediately Anthony thought of the Marlene Dietrich roles (which were encapsulated by Madeline Kahn in the Mel Brook's movie "Blazing Saddles" as the character "Lili von Shtupp"). Watch Kahn sing "I'm Tired" from that movie here.

Dietrich created the cowboy saloon girl, Frenchie, (tough girl with a heart of gold) in the 1939 western-comedy "Destry Rides Again" with Jimmy Stewart. She took on similar bawdy roles in "Seven Sinners" (1940) and "The Spoilers" (1942), both with John Wayne.

Peter is looking forward to visiting The Stratford Festival later this summer to take in a variety of classics along with contemporary plays (such as pairing Shakespeare's HAMLET with HAMLET-911 as well as Shakespeare's ALL'S WELL THAT ENDS WELL paired with 1939 (about a school for indigenous peoples putting on the Shakespeare play). You can read his preview of the season here.

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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).

JUST CAN'T WAIT FOR SOME LOCAL SHAKESPEARE?

THE BARD'S IN OUR YARD, free 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 started back up on July 20 and go through July 24 and pick up again 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 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.

Speaking of Shakespeare, we recommend the weekly “Britcom” (British comedy show on television) called “Upstart Crow” (an insult directed at Shakespeare by one of his real-life rivals, Robert Greene). Each week finds the bard responsible for writing a play as he gets inspiration from events in his life, events that cleverly parallel contemporary woes (traffic jams and inept government come to mind, along with living with, not Covid, but the plague). Plague as comedy? Yes, the clever writers of “Upstart Crow” make it so. Currently running on WNED PBS (check your local listings) it’s pretty funny.

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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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SHAW FESTIVAL LIST OF SUMMER PLAYS:

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

Shaw Festival Theatre NOTE: Mask use is optional and proof of vaccination is not required by Shawfest. However, it is required to enter Canada. Download and fill out your ARRIVECAN app (get it on Google Play or the App Store) prior to your border crossing.

2022 Season:

AT THE FESTIVAL THEATRE

DAMN YANKEES Words and Music by Richard Adler and Jerry Ross

Book by George Abbott and Douglass Wallop

THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING EARNEST By Oscar Wilde

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

CHITRA By Rabindranath Tagore (11:30 am Lunchtime One-Act) at the Royal George Theatre

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 is a three act play dealing with a host of (still contemporary) issues.

EVERYBODY By Branden Jacobs-Jenkins

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

Read Peter's preview of the 2022 summer season here.

https://www.buffalorising.com/2022/07/the-stratford-festival-is-back-celebrating-diversity-with-a-full-season-of-world-class-shakespeare-mixed-with-premieres-by-contemporary-canadian-playwrights/

The Stratford musical this summer is

CHICAGO by Kander & Ebb & Fosse

Runs Through OCT 30 at The Festival Theatre

The comedy this summer is

THE MISER by Moliere

Runs AUG 09 - OCT 29 at The Festival Theatre

The family show this summer is

LITTLE WOMEN (a modern adaptation of the Luisa May Alcott classic)

Runs Through OCT 29 at The Avon Theatre

And there are three Shakespeare plays

RICHARD III

Runs Through OCT 30 at The Tom Patterson Theatre (newly rebuilt from the ground up!)

ALL'S WELL THAT ENDS WELL

Runs Through OCT 29 at The Tom Patterson Theatre (newly rebuilt from the ground up!)

HAMLET

Runs Through OCT 28 at The Festival Theatre

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

EVERY LITTLE NOOKIE at the Studio Theatre

Runs Through OCT 01

HAMLET-911

Runs JUL 28 - OCT 02 at the Studio Theatre

DEATH AND THE KING'S HORSEMAN

Runs AUG 11 - OCT 29 at The Tom Patterson Theatre (newly rebuilt from the ground up!)

1939

Runs AUG 23 - OCT 29 at the Studio Theatre

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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.

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2022 Theater TalkWBFO Arts & Culture Desk
Anthony Chase
Listen for Theater Talk, Friday morning at 6:45 and 8:45 during Morning Edition.
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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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