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