Director Kyle LoConti's MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING at Shakespeare in Delaware Park has too much respect for the text to keep going for the easy laughs using cheap sexual innuendos and obscene gestures. No, for that you'll hve to get over to see SILENCE: THE MUSICAL, held over one more weekend due to popular demand. On the other hand, for something family friendly, try THE ODYSSEY at Artpark, and speaking of family, Heather Fangsrud has a tender and funny story of growing up in a very religious family in KNOCK KNOCK, JESUS CALLING.
OPENING
DISNEY’S ALADDIN, touring production of the Broadway musical presented by Shea’s and Albert Nocciolino. Aug 8-19, Tue-Thu at 7:30, Fri at 8, Sat at 2 & 8, Sun at 1 & 6:30, plus Aug 9 at 1. Shea’s Performing Arts Center, 646 Main St. (1-800-745-3000). www.sheas.org
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.
SPECIAL PERFORMANCES
THE ODYSSEY, by Homer, conceived and directed by Lear DeBessonet, with book , music, and lyrics by Todd Almond, starring Terence Archie, Courtney Baland, Christopher Guilmet, and Gregg Goldston. and a cast of 100 volunteers, Aug 4-5, Sat at 8, Sun at 1. Artpark Mainstage in Lewiston. (888-223-6000). www.artpark.net
EMILY YANCEY: ARIAS, ART SONGS, AND MORE, presented by the Erwin H. Johnson Memorial Fund, featuring Emily Yancey, soprano (currently on stage as Margaret in MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING at Shakespeare in Delaware Park) with Ivan Docenko, piano performing music from Bach to our time, sung in English, Italian, French, German, and Latin, with some classical musical theatre to top it all off. Sun at 3. Louis P. Ciminelli Recital Hall in Rockwell Hall (3rd floor) 1300 Elmwood Avenue.
ONGOING
ALICE IN WONDERLAND, adapted by Alice Gerstenberg, presented by Aurora Players, directed by John Szablewski.Aug 4, 5, 18, 19 at 7. Outdoors in Hamlin Park, East Aurora. www.auroraplayers.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. Through Aug 19, Tue-Sun at 7:30. Shakespeare Hill in Delaware Park (856-4533). www.shakespeareindelawarepark.org
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
CLOSING
CINDERELLA X, multi-genre endeavor conceived 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. Through 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. Aug 4 at 7 & Aug 5 at 12 noon. Rust Belt Books, 415 Grant St.
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. Held over through Aug 5, Sat at 8, Sun at 7. Alleyway Theatre, One Curtain Up Alley (886-9239). www.buffalobua.org
UPCOMING
INTO THE BREECHES!, play by George Brant presented by Chautauqua Theater Company, directed by Laura Kepley. Aug 11-17.Bratton Theater, Chautauqua Institution (357-6437). www.chq.org/chautauqua-theater-company
Adapted from "On the Boards" appearing in Artvoice 08/02/2018
