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Theater Talk

Theater Talk: Anthony and Peter see A MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM at Shakespeare in Delaware Park and TOO TRUE TO BE GOOD at The Shawfest in Niagara on the Lake

By Anthony Chase,
Peter Hall
Published August 4, 2022 at 3:44 PM EDT
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In A MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM Traci Lane as Titania, Chris Hatch as Oberon
Larry Rowswell
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Shakespeare in Delaware Park
In A MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM Traci Lane as Titania, Chris Hatch as Oberon

Covid strikes again at the theater community causing a final weekend shutdown of the (sold out) A GENTLEMAN'S GUIDE TO LOVE AND MURDER at MusicalFare. Which Anthony and Peter highly recommended. It's not the first high quality production to be shut down, so our advice is to go early in any run.

Anthony and Peter did get over to Delaware Park for Shakespeare’s comedy A MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM, directed by Brian Cavanagh, presented by Shakespeare in Delaware Park, the second of their 47th season offerings, opened July 28 and runs through August 21, Tuesdays through Sundays promptly at 7:15 pm (off Mondays) on the newly dedicated “Saul Elkin Stage” on “Shakespeare Hill” in Delaware Park near Marcy Casino and The Rose Garden (199 Lincoln Parkway, Buffalo, NY 14222 for your GPS). These performances are free and open to the public (but bring some cash for an intermission donation, merch, and a jewelry raffle). Also, bring a lawn chair or blanket, a jacket for after the sun sets, snacks and beverages of your choice, and maybe some bug spray and a flashlight (for the walk back to the car). (Stretch-golf-cart rides are provided between the hill and Rumsey Road.) Runtime: 2 hours and 40 minutes

David Cooper
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Shawfest.com TOO TRUE TO BE GOOD playbill

And Peter and Anthony drove up to The Shaw Festival in Niagara-on-the-Lake for TOO TRUE TO BE GOOD by Bernard Shaw, a three hour, three act play dealing with a host of (still contemporary) issues. It's very funny, wonderfully staged in "The Jackie Maxwell Studio Theatre" (behind the big Festival Theatre), and is 100% Shaw, with all the wit and repartee you'd expect, and some twists (it's not just the title that's "upside down") that you won't expect.

But, back to Shakespeare, on Mondays (when the production of A MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM takes the night off, you might catch 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 continue on three Mondays in August (August 8, 15, and 22) when performances of AMSND on "the hill" are dark on Mondays. THE BARD'S IN OUR YARD performances are at 7:00 pm .

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

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

· Monday August 22: Galanti Park, Lackawanna.

But wait, there's more: Again, speaking of Shakespeare, we continue to 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, inept government, failing infrastructure, 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.

But wait, there's even more: Interested in Shakespeare (and a whole lot more)? Check out Peter's preview of The Stratford Festival 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/

_____

FINAL WEEKEND CANCELED FOR:

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.

_____

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 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

_____

SHEA'S 2022-2023 SEASON is only two months away!

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”).
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