This week Anthony went to NYC to take in Lincoln Center's MY FAIR LADY (with Michael Yeargen's high energy set and on Sundays Kerstin Anderson's big voice) as well as the similarly structured PRETTY WOMAN: THE MUSICAL at the Nederlander, and another play by Joshua Harmon (a Shaw for our times) called SKINTIGHT starring Idina Menzel. Peter went to the Glimmerglass Festival, equidistant from Buffalo and NYC, attracting an audience which appreciated the seldom seen Janacek opera THE CUNNING LITTLE VIXEN, the new Pulitzer Prize winning SILENT NIGHT, and a youthful WEST SIDE STORY with a (literally) show-stopping version of "America" with lyrics by Stephen Sondheim.
OPENING
NUNSENSE 2, musical by Dan Goggin directed by Debby Koszelak Swartz, starring Swartz, Joann V. Mis, Jenna Montesanti, Elizabeth Sanderson, Jill Anderson. Aug 2-12, Thu at 7, Fri & Sat at 8, Sun at 2. Ghostlight Theatre, 170 Schenck St., North Tonawanda (743-1614). www.starrynighttheatre.com.
ONGOING
GLIMMERGLASS OPERA presents WEST SIDE STORY (Bernstein, Sondheim, et. al.); Janacek's THE CUNNING LITTLE VIXEN starring Eric Owens; Kevin Puts and Mark Campbell's Pulitzer Prize winning SILENT NIGHT; and Rossini's THE BARBER OF SEVILLE, along with a variety of single programs listed on their calendar. www.glimmerglass.org
AIRNESS, play by Chelsea Marcantel presented by Chautauqua Theater Company, directed by Joshua Kahan Brody. Jul 14-29. Bratton Theater, Chautauqua Institution (357-6437). www.chq.org/chautauqua-theater-company
ALICE IN WONDERLAND, adapted by Alice Gerstenberg, presented by Aurora Players, directed by John Szablewski, Jul 21 & 22, Aug 4, 5, 18, 19 at 7. Outdoors in Hamlin Park, East Aurora. www.auroraplayers.org
CINDERELLA X, multi-genre endeavor conceived of and directed by Kurt Schneiderman, presented by Subversive Theatre as part of the Buffalo Infringement Festival, starring Heather Casseri, Elizabeth Catania, Jaime Goldfuss, Shakora HP, Brianna Vogel, Collin Kirdahy , Monica Morrisey, Lawrence Rowswell, Justin Fiordaliso, Renee Gosselin, Kent Bostock, Vanessa Shevat, Eric Hahn. Jul 26-Aug 4, Thu-Sat at 9. The Manny Fried Playhouse, 255 Great Arrow Ave., third floor (462-05549). www.subversivetheatre.org
KNOCK KNOCK, JESUS CALLING, staged reading of a play written and performed by Heather Fangsrud, presented by The Brazen-Faced Varlets as part of the Buffalo Infringement Festival, directed by Lara D. Haberbeger. Jul 26 at 5, Aug 4 at 7, Aug 5 at 12 noon. Rust Belt Books, 415 Grant Street. www.varlets.org
MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING, comedy by William Shakespeare presented by Shakespeare in Delaware Park, directed by Kyle LoConti, starring Todd Benzin, Kate LoConti, Nick Stevens, Melinda Carpeles, Gregory Gjurich, Chris Hatch. Jul 26-Aug 19, Tue-Sun at 7:30. Shakespeare Hill in Delaware Park (856-4533). www.shakespeareindelawarepark.orgCLICK, CLACK, MOO, musical presented by Niagara University Theatre for Young Audiences, directed by Steve Braddock and Terri Filips Vaughan. Jul 19-21 & Jul 27 at 7; Jul 24 at 1; Jul 25 & 28 at 10:00 a.m. Leary Theatre. N.U. campus. Free admission.
MURDER FOR TWO, murder mystery musical by Kellen Blair & Joe Kinosian, directed by Doug Weyand, starring Philip Farugia, Joseph Donohue III. Through Aug 12, 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
SILENCE! THE MUSICAL by Kaplan, Kaplan & Bell, presented by Buffalo United Artists, directed by Todd Warfield, starring Maria Droz, Jimmy Janowski, Michael Blasdell, Jeremy Catania, Charmagne Chi, Sam Crystal, Adam Hayes, Eric Rawski, Michael Seitz. Through Jul 29, Sat at 8, Sun at 7. Alleyway Theatre, One Curtain Up Alley (886-9239). wwwbuffalobua.org
SPECIAL PRESENTATIONS
HERE LIES JEREMY TROY, comedy by Jack Sharkey presented by Desiderio’s Dinner Theatre, directed by Jay Desiderio, starring Richard Lambert, Marie Costa, Andrew Starr, Marc-Jon Filippone, Jamie Nablo. Through July 29, 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
MORNING DEW, new work by multimedia designer Flatsitter in collaboration with David Mitchell, presented by Torn Space Theater as part of the third annual Response Performance Festival. Jul 17-22, AMLDC, 612 Fillmore Ave. www.tornspacetheater.com
UPCOMING
THE ODYSSEY, a theatrical event conceived and directed by Lear DeBessonet, with book, music and lyrics by Todd Almond adapted from Homer, August 4th at 8:00pm and August 5th at 1:00pm in the Artpark Mainstage Theater. (1-888-223-6000) www.artpark.net, www.tickets.com, by phone at or in person at the Artpark Box Office.
