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Arts & Culture

Local playwrights to offer up "moment in time" historical plays

Buffalo Writers' Theater has been putting on these showcases for a number of years. Each year has a different prompt for playwrights to write around. This year's focus is on history, with the prompt being "moments in time."
Buffalo Writers' Theater
Buffalo Writers' Theater has been putting on these showcases for a number of years. Each year has a different prompt for playwrights to write around. This year's focus is on history, with the prompt being "moment in time."

A unique theater event is bringing free live performances to Buffalo’s Central Library. Allowing audiences to step back in time, and the power to decide which plays move on to full production.

The Buffalo Writers' Theater is staging a series of dramatic readings February 1 and 15 as part of its annual "Ten Minute Plays" showcase. Artistic Director Matthew Boyle said the event is a rare chance to experience live theater free of charge.

"How often do you get to see live theater free? It's a reading, so there will be costume elements and prop elements, but it's not a full production," said Boyle. "The actors will have scripts in hand, but they're still interpreting the word, and they're bringing the word to life."

The lineup features a diverse mix of stories, from historical dramas to mythology, music and even sports. One play re-imagines a conversation between Marilyn Monroe and Ella Fitzgerald. Another explores the lives of Motown singers in an era where their love was forbidden. Boyle said many of the plays capture the weight of history — a moment in time.

"It puts a face on it, you know. And I think what it challenges everybody to do is is to imagine themselves in those situations. But it could be you, it could be me, it could be anyone," he said.

Beyond the performances, Boyle said the event is deeply meaningful for the playwrights themselves.

"Writing a play is an emotional thing. It's cathartic and quite a few of the playwrights have said to me, 'Oh, well, you know, writing this play helped me. Thank you for doing this,'" said Boyle. "This helps me, and yeah, it's it's therapy for a lot of different people. It's taking something and processing it."

Audience members will vote on their favorite plays, with four advancing to a full production this spring, two from Saturday's performance and two from February 15. Boyle hopes the event reminds people of the magic of live theater — and hope.

"You can sit home and binge watch anything you want nowadays, anything," pointed out Boyle. "But live theater is transformative. You're sitting there, you're with other people."

The first round of free performances take place at the Central Library's Ring of Knowledge this Saturday, from 1pm to 4pm.

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Ryan Zunner first joined WBFO in the summer of 2018 as an intern, before working his way up to Junior Reporter by 2021. He re-joined the team in 2024 as a Multimedia Reporter to lead the Indigenous Affairs Beat, and to serve as host of 'All Things Considered.' Zunner is an enrolled Oneida member of the Six Nations of the Grand River Reserve.