All three Shea's venues are busy, busy,busy. Andrew Lloyd Webber's new (2017) Broadway musical SCHOOL OF ROCK is on tour at SPAC; Anthony remembers when Buffalo's Suzy Benzinger was an intern at the old Studio Arena, now Shea's 710, where Buffalo Opera Unlimited is presenting a Bernstein Tribute tonight; and Shea's Smith Theater is the venue for LIT 401: A School Shooting in One Act (a reaction to the Virginia Tech slayings) a play still relevant which opens on Thursday. It turns out there's quite a story behind the fabulous bridal gowns on stage during SIGNIFICANT OTHER (BUA at the Alleyway) and Peter finally got out to Desiderio's Dinner Theatre.
WHAT'S HAPPENING AT THE SHAW FESTIVAL? Tune in to WNED TV tonight (4/6/2018) at 10:30 to see Anthony Chase in conversation with Shaw's Artistic Director Tim ("TC") Carroll (or view the show anytime at www.wned.org).
OPENINGS
I DO! I DO!, musical by Tom Jones & Harvey Schmidt, presented by O’Connell & Company, directed by Bobby Cooke, starring Mary Coppola Gjurich, Gregory Gjurich. Apr 5-May 6,
Thu-Sat at 7:30, Sun at 2:30. The Park School, 4625 Harlem Road, Snyder (848-0800). www.oconnellandcompany.com
THE ROAR OF THE GREASEPAINT -THE SMELL OF THE CROWD, musical by Leslie Bricusse & Anthony Newley, directed by Merete Muenter, starring David Bondrow, Stan Klimecko. Apr 6-22, Fri & Sat at 7:30, Sun at 2:30. Lancaster Opera House, 21 Central Ave. Lancaster. (683-1776). www.lancasterregionalplayers.org
TWELVE ANGRY MEN, play based on the movie by Reginald Rose, adapted by Sherman L. Sergel, presented by Theatre in the Mist, directed by Emily Pici, starring Mark Gravel, Anne Kurtis, Nick Thompson, Colin Fleming-Stumpf, Adam M Wall, Jack Agugliaro, Ryan Bradt, Anne Belin, Eric Fesmire, Kacie Matthews, Leonardo LiPomi, Tina Palermo. Apr 6-15, Fri & Sat at 7:30, Sun at 2. Stella Niagara, 4421 Lower River Road, Lewiston (1-877-856-0694). www.theatreinthemist.org
LIT 401: A SCHOOL SHOOTING IN ONE ACT, play written and presented by Drew Piatek and Gordon Tashjian. Apr 12-15, Thu at 7:30, Fri & Sat at 8, Sun at 2. Shea’s Smith Theatre, 658 Main St. www.sheas.org/productions/lit401
ONGOING
SIGNIFICANT OTHER, comedy by Joshua Harmon presented by Buffalo United Artists, directed by Chris Kelly, starring Matthew J. DiVita, Zachary Bellus, Lissette DeJesús, Maria Droz, Anthony J. Grande, Sabrina Kahwaty, Peter S. Raimondo, Darleen Pickering Hummert. Through Apr 14, Fri & Sat at 8, plus Apr 8 at 7. Alleyway Theatre, One Curtain Up Alley (886-9239).
CLOSING
SCHOOL OF ROCK – THE MUSICAL, musical by Andrew Lloyd Webber, presented by Shea’s and Albert Nocciolino. Through Apr 8, 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
THAT CHAMPIONSHIP SEASON, play by Jason Miller directed by Kelli Bocock-Natale, starring Richard Lambert, Victor Morales, John Kreuzer, Greg Natale, Mark Donahue. Through Apr 7, Thu-Sat at 8. . The New Phoenix Theatre, 95 Johnson Park. (853-1334). www.newphoenixtheatre.org
SPECIAL PRESENTATIONS
A SALUTE TO LEONARD BERNSTEIN: A CENTENNIAL CELEBRATION, presented by Buffalo Opera Unlimited will feature singers, dancers, and instrumentalists showcasing Bernstein's musicals including "West Side Story," "Candide," and "On the Town," as well as "Trouble in Tahiti," and "The Madwoman of Central Park." Friday, April 6 at 8. Shea's 710 Theatre, 710 Main Street 1-800-745-3000 www.ticketmaster.com www.buffalooperaunlimited.org
IN THE BULLPEN, staged reading of the play by Tim Joyce, presented by Buffalo Writers’ Theater, directed by Michael Fanelli, starring Richard Lambert, Timothy Patrick Finnegan, Tim Raymond, Josiah Mallory. Apr 9 at 7. 1412 Main St. Free admission.
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. Through 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
UPCOMING
THE AWFUL TRUTH, comedy by Arthur Richman presented by the Irish Classical Theatre Company, directed by Fortunato Pezzimenti, starring Eric Rawski, Zak Ward, Diane Curley, Ellen Horst, Maura Nolan, Adriano Gatto, Marisa Caruso, Chris Kelly. Apr 20-May 13, Thu & Fri at 7:30, Sat at 3 & 7:30, Sun at 2. Andrews Theatre, 625 Main St. (853-ICTC). www.irishclassicaltheatre.com
BUFFALO QUICKIES, festival of one act plays directed by Lee Becker, James Cichocki and Joyce Stilson, starring Christopher Standart, Andrew Zuccari, Tom Dreitlein, Jacquie Cherry, Bill Lovern, Kate Olena. Apr 19-May 5, Thu-Sat at 7:30. Alleyway Theatre, One Curtain Up Alley (852-2600). www.alleyway.com
SIGHT UNSEEN, play by Donald Margulies presented by Jewish Repertory Theatre, directed by Saul Elkin, starring Constance Caldwell, Josie DiVincenzo, David Lundy, Peter Palmisano. Apr 19-May13, Thu at 7:30, Sat at 4 & 8, Sun at 2. The Maxine and Robert Seller Theatre, 2640 North Forest Road, Getzville (650-7626). www.jewishrepertorytheatre.com
THE FULL MONTY, musical by David Yazbek & Terrence McNaly presented by Subversive Theatre, directed by Susan Forbes, starring Anthony Alcocer, Jeffrey Coyle, Thomas LaChiusa, Pamela Rose Mangus, Victor Morales, Jamie Nablo, Connor Graham, Alejandro Pèrez, Alfonzo Tyson, Tim Goehrig, Smirna Mercedes-Pèrez, Diane McNamara. Apr 13-May 12, Thu-Sat at 7:30, Sun at 3. The Manny Fried Playhouse, 255 Great Arrow Ave., third floor (462-5549). www.subversivetheatre.org
WHAT'S HAPPENING AT THE SHAW FESTIVAL? Tune in to WNED TV tonight (4/6/2018) at 10:30 to see Anthony Chase in conversation with Shaw's Artistic Director Tim ("TC") Carroll (or view the show anytime at www.wned.org).
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.
Listings adapted from “On the Boards” appearing in Artvoice 04/05/2018
