© 2024 Western New York Public Broadcasting Association

140 Lower Terrace
Buffalo, NY 14202

Mailing Address:
Horizons Plaza P.O. Box 1263
Buffalo, NY 14240-1263

Buffalo Toronto Public Media | Phone 716-845-7000
WBFO Newsroom | Phone: 716-845-7040
Your NPR Station
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

'America's Got Downton' arrives in Buffalo

If you are a Downton Abbey fan you might want to check out a comedy theater production in Buffalo.  America's Got Downton plays Friday and Saturday evenings, April 10th & 11th, at 7:30 at 710-Main Theatre downtown. WBFO'S Eileen Buckley sat down with London actor and impressionist Luke Kempner who performs a one-man show featuring his comedic take on more 30 Downton characters. 

Kempner said he has a UK and American version of his production.

"I'm a massive Downton fan, so there's nothing nasty about it," said Luke Kempner, London Actor.

"I've changed the show in American, because of the British references," said Kempner in a WBFO News interview. "Britain -- I have British references and American, I have American references."

Kempner is full of energy and has been dubbed the "Energizer Bunny of Impressionists" by The Huffington Post. 

"We I first started doing impressions  -- I started putting videos on YouTube, and one of the big shows was Downton Abbey. It was getting 12-million viewers in Britain. It was a show I loved and I did a few of the voices," said Kempner.   

Credit WBFO News photo by Eileen Buckley
Luke Kempner in WBFO studio.

Kempner tells WBFO News he has gotten a positive from some of the actors appearing in the PBS program.

"I'm a massive Downton fan, so there's nothing nasty about it," said Kempner.  "I've had people like Elizabeth McGovern -- she said you know we enjoy the impressions. It's been really positive."