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Theater Talk

Theater Talk: Shea's gala successful despite 'backstage' drama; Chautauqua closes; Shawfest continues; Kavinoky opens tonight

By Anthony Chase,
Peter Hall
Published September 1, 2022 at 12:05 PM EDT
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JUST TO GET MARRIED at Shawfest features Kristi Frank as Georgiana and Kristopher Bownman as her fiancé. Photo by David Cooper
Photo by David Cooper
/
https://www.shawfest.com/playbill/just-to-get-married/
JUST TO GET MARRIED at Shawfest features Kristi Frank as Georgiana and Kristopher Bownman as her fiancé. Photo by David Cooper

Trouble with a capital T continues behind the scenes over at Shea's as employees and some board members reject the management style of Shea's president Michael Murphy. For the latest, read Anthony's blog (updated yesterday, 9/1/2022) here.

Anthony drove down for the final week of this summer's Chautauqua Institution programming to see Chita Rivera in performance (and in conversation after). At 89 years of age this legend of WEST SIDE STORY, CHICAGO, and more still commands the stage with her certain brand of magic.

Peter went back to the Royal George Theatre at the Shaw Festival in Niagara-on-the-Lake to see JUST TO GET MARRIED, a 1910 (Shaw era) play by Cicely Hamilton. It's a quintessential Shawfest production, with all the first-rate actors, costumes, accents, sets, and props that we've come to associate with that excellent venue. The plot centers around Georgiana whom everyone wants to marry off. She's not entirely opposed to marriage but is very much opposed to all of the pressure. It's very funny and good old-fashioned fun which might be just the ticket for these anxious times.

CURTAIN UP! is the annual opening of the Buffalo and Western New York theater season, and this year it's on Friday, September 16. (Note: On that one night, to accomodate dinners in the "Theatre District," all shows begin at 8:00 pm. Some theaters are opening early, before the 16th. For example, you can take in ROCK OF AGES - a "jukebox musical" set to pop/rock music of the 80s (for example tunes by Foreigner and by Journey) at D'Youville's Kavinoky Theatre. ROCK OF AGES opens on September 2. MusicalFare has NICE WORK IF YOU CAN GET IT by brothers George and Ira Gershwin opening on September 7. At the Alleyway, MAGNOLIA BALLET is in previews starting September 9, with opening night on September 14.

Lead image: JUST TO GET MARRIED at Shawfest features Kristi Frank as Georgiana and Kristopher Bownman as her fiancé. Photo by David Cooper

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.

THE SHAWFESTIVAL LIST OF SUMMER PLAYS INCLUDES:

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

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

_____

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/

Read Peter's review of the three by Shakespeare currently in repertory at Stratford here.

https://www.buffalorising.com/2022/08/a-trip-to-stratford-part-i-all-shakespeare/

Read Peter's review of three more modern shows - CHICAGO, EVERY LITTLE NOOKIE, and LITTLE WOMEN here.

https://www.buffalorising.com/2022/08/a-trip-to-stratford-part-2-chicago-every-little-nookie-little-women-and-more/

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

1939

Runs through 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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