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Theater Talk: 3 Openings (Alleyway, Torn Space, Shea's 710) and Anthony's NYC reportage

www.shawfest.com
David Cooper

The three openings this week are BEGINNING AGAIN ("sounds existential") at the Alleyway Theatre, FAR AWAY ("creepy") at Torn Space, and MASTER HAROLD...AND THE BOYS ("a very short run") at Shea's 710 Theatre. And, Anthony reports on stars on and off Broadway: Mark Rylance, Uma Thurman, Blair Brown, Marsha Mason, Donna Murphy, and Buffalo's own Roslyn Ruff.

OPENING

BEGINNING AGAIN, world premiere of a play by David Alan Brown, directed by Neal Radice, starring David Hayes, Smirna Mercedes-Perez, Adam Hayes, Tom Owen. Feb 15-Mar 10, Thu-Sat at 7:30. Alleyway Theatre, One Curtain Up Alley (852-2600). www.alleyway.com

FAR AWAY, play by Carol Churchill presented by Torn Space, directed by Dan Shanahan. Feb 16-Mar 11, Thu-Sat at 7:30, plus Mar 12 at 7:30. Adam Mickiewicz Library and Dramatic Circle, 612 Fillmore Ave. (812-1733). www.tornspacetheater.com

MASTER HAROLD…AND THE BOYS, play by Athol Fugard, produced by the Shaw Festival, directed by Philip Akin. Feb 15-18, Thu at 7:30, Fri & Sat at 8, Sun at 2.  Shea’s 710 Theatre, 710 Main St. (1-800-745-3000). www.sheas.org/710main

ONGOING

ROSE, play by Martin Sherman, presented by Jewish Repertory Theatre, directed Saul Elkin, starring Tina Rausa. Through Feb 25, Thu at 7:30, Sat at 4 & 8, Sun at 2.  The Maxine and Robert Seller Theatre, 2640 North Forest Road, Getzville (688-4114 x391). www.jewishrepertorytheatre.com

SMOKEY’S JOE’S CAFÉ    : The Songs of Leiber & Stoller, musical revue directed by John Fredo, starring Brian Brown, Nicole Marrale Cimato, Dudney Joseph, Jr., Ben Michael Moran, Lorenzo Shawn Parnell, Victoria Perez, Michele Marie Roberts, Marc Sacco, Zoe Scruggs. Through Mar 11, Wed & Thu at 7, Fri at 7:30, Sat at 3:30 & 7:30, Sun at 2. MusicalFare Theatre, 4380 Main St., Amherst (839-8540). www.musicalfare.com

WAY BACK WHEN: An Evening of One Acts by Grant Golden and Rebecca Ritchie, directed by Betsy Bittar, starring Pamela Rose Mangus, David Lundy, Jon Summers, Kathleen Rooney. Through Feb 24, Thu-Sat at 8. New Phoenix Theatre, 95 Johnson Park (853-1334). www.newphoenixtheatre.org

CLOSING

THE DIARY OF ANNE FRANK, adapted by Wendy Kesselman, directed by David Bondrow, starring David Butler, Caitlin Baeumler Coleman, Brandon Czerwinski, Josie DiVincenzo, Stan Klimecko, Louise Koessler, Matthew Owen Kozak, Ian Michalski, David C. Mitchell, Mira Steuer, Jessica Leigh Tokarski. Through Feb 18, Fri & Sat at 7:30, Sun at 2:30. Lancaster Opera House, 21 Central Ave., Lancaster (683-1776). www.LancOpera.org

SPECIAL PRESENTATIONS

JITTERS, comedy by David French presented by Desiderio’s Dinner Theatre, directed by Jay Desiderio, starring Sue Toomey, Guy Balotine, Marc Jon Filippone, Jeremy Kreuzer, Brett Klaczyk, Lucas Lloyd, Len Mendez, Katie Buckler, Alley Griffin. Feb 8-Apr 8, Thu, Sat & Sun, evening shows arrival at 6, show at 7:30; matinee shows arrival at 1, show at 2:30. Bobby J’s Italian American Grille, 204 Como Park Blvd., Cheektowaga (395-3207). www.mybobbyjs.com

THE VAGINA MONOLOGUES, by Eve Ensler. A special V-Day benefit performance for Crisis Services Advocate Program, co-directed by Kelly M. Beuth, Brittany Germano, Jane Cudmore & Theresa DiMuro-Wilber. Feb 16 at 7:30, Feb 17 at 3 & 7:30.  SUNY Empire State College, 2875 Union Rd., Cheektowaga (574-9139).

UPCOMING

BEN BUTLER, comedic drama by Richard Strand, directed by Robert Waterhouse, starring John Fredo, Christopher Evans, Tom Loughlin, Patrick Coleman. Mar 2-25, Thu & Fri at 7:30, Sat at 3:30 & 7:30, Sun at 2. Kavinoky Theatre, 320 Porter Ave. (829-7668). www.kavinokytheatre.com

DISGRACED, play by Ayad Akhtar, directed by John Hurley, starring Afrim Gjonbalaj, Kristen Tripp Kelley, Matt Witten, Candace Whitfield, Mohammad Farraj. Mar 9-31, Thu-Sat at 7:30, Sun at 2. Road Less Traveled Theater, 500 Pearl St. (629-3069). www.roadlesstraveledproductions.org

JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR, musical by Lloyd Webber & Rice presented by American Repertory Theater of WNY, directed by Matthew LaChiusa, starring Christopher Teal, Anthony Alcocer, Candice Kogut, Casey Moyer; Nick Lama, Eliot Fox; Timothy Goehrig, Gary Andrews Steglitz. Mar 8-31, Thu-Sat at 8. The 330 Performance Space, 330 Amherst St. (697-0837). www.artofwny.org

‘NIGHT MOTHER, drama by Marsha Norman presented by Brazen-Faced Varlets, directed by, Lara D. Haberberger, starring Heather Fangsrud, Priscilla Young-Anker. Mar 10-25, Sat & Sun at 2. Rust Belt Books, 415 Grant St. (598-1585). www.varlets.org

SOMETHING ROTTEN, touring production of the Broadway musical presented by Shea’s and Albert Nocciolino. Mar 6-11, Tue-Thu at 7:30, Fri at 8, Sat at 2 & 8, Sun at 2 & 7. Shea’s Performing Arts Center, 646 Main St. (1-800-745-3000). www.sheas.org

WE GOTTA BINGO, interactive dinner theater comedy by WGB Creative presented by Lancaster Regional Players, directed by Russ Wendel. Mar 2-18, Fri & Sat at 7, Sun at 2:30. Lancaster Opera House, 21 Central Ave. Lancaster. (683-1776). www.lancasterregionalplayers.org    

THE SHAW FESTIVAL

The Shaw Festival in Niagara-on-the-Lake has announced its 2018 season https://www.shawfest.com/2018season/.
At the Shaw's Festival Theatre:

    The Magician’s Nephew
    Grand Hotel
    Mythos: A Trilogy – Gods. Heroes. Men.
    The Hound of the Baskervilles

At the Shaw's Royal George Theatre:

    Stage Kiss
    Of Marriage & Men: A Comedy Double-Bill
    O’Flaherty V.C.
    Oh What a Lovely War
    A Christmas Carol

At the Shaw's Jackie Maxwell Studio Theatre

    The Orchard (After Chekhov)
    The Baroness and the Pig
    Henry V

THE STRATFORD FESTIVAL

The Stratford Festival in Stratford, Ontario, has also announced its 2018 season https://www.stratfordfestival.ca/WhatsOn/ThePlays including three plays by Shakespeare: Julius Caesar, The Tempest, Coriolanus, and The Comedy of Errors along with such classics as Long Days Journey into Night and An Ideal Husband.

Adapted from "On the Boards" appearing in Artvoice 02/14/2018
 

Listen for Theater Talk, Friday morning at 6:45 and 8:45 during Morning Edition.
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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