The WNED|WBFO Artie Awards nominations will be live streamed on WBFO's Facebook feed Monday, May 20, at noon (the awards ceremonies will be Monday, June 3 at Shea's 710 Theatre). It's the awards season on Broadway, too, where Anthony Chase has been watching, meeting, and greeting.
Anthony went up to Hartford to see previews of a musical inspired by the 1980s Matt Dillon movie THE FLAMINGO KID, and back on Broadway saw another movie-inspired musical, TOOTSIE which he loved, and THE PROM, which was very moving. HILLARY & CLINTON starring Laurie Metcalf and John Lithgow is a cold dose of reality. So is LONG LOST by Donald Margulies who had very nice memories of Buffalo, Road Less Traveled Theatre, and director Scott Behrend. Jessi Eisenberg's play HAPPY TALK with Susan Sarandon is about a woman who never really had control over her life, and when she gets it... look out! And GARY: A SEQUEL TO TITUS ANDRONICUS stars Nathan Lane, but it doesn't hold up. Anthony also ran into Dominique Morriseau, author of DETROIT '67 and SKELETON CREW (both seen at Buffalo's Paul Robeson Theatre) and currently Tony-hopeful for AIN'T TOO PROUD TO BEG, a musical about The Temptations. She was very nice, he reports.
LISTINGS
A TIME TO KILL, courtroom drama adapted for the stage by Rupert Holmes, presented by Desiderio’s Dinner Theatre, directed by Jay Desiderio, starring Kinzy Brown, Peter Horn, Marc Ruffino, Sandra Gilliam, Larry Smith, Elizabeth Oddy, Bob Lohr, Jeremy Catania, Michael David O'Hear, Ronald Hicks, Kenneth Leman, Justin Chortie, Jacob Sauer, Nathanial Higgins. May 9-Jun 30, 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
ANNAPURNA, play by Sharr White, directed by Terry Kimmel, starring Lisa Ludwig, John Profeta. Through May 18, Thu-Sat at 8. New Phoenix Theatre, 95 Johnson Park (853-1334). www.newphoenixtheatre.org
ART, play by Yasmina Reza presented by The Carriage House Players, directed by Betsy Bittar, starring Elliot Fox, Alex Rubin, Russell Holt. May 10-19, Fri & Sat at 7:30, Sun at 2. Kenan Center’s Taylor Theater, 433 Locust St., Lockport. (433-2617). www.kenancenter.org
DEAR EVAN HANSEN, touring production of the Broadway musical presented by Shea’s and Albert Nocciolino. May 14-19, 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
DRAGONS LOVE TACOS, play by Ernie Nolan based on the book by Adam Rubin, presented by Theatre of Youth, directed by Kyle LoConti, starring Melinda Capeles, Joe Isgar, Alejandro Perez, Victoria Perez, Carlos Maggiolo Perez, Daniel Torres, Dan Urtz, Alexandria Watts, and Preston Williams. Through Jun 1, Sat & Sun at 2, plus Jun 1 at 4. Allendale Theatre, 203 Allen St. (884.4400). www.theatreofyouth.org
EQUIVOCATION, play by Bill Cain, directed by Katie Mallinson, starring Guy Balotine, Arianne Davidow, Christopher Avery, Christopher Guilmet, Adriano Gatto, Darryl Semira. Through May 19, Thu & Fri at 7:30, Sat at 3:30 & 7:30, Sun at 2. Kavinoky Theatre, 320 Porter Ave. (829-7668). www.kavinokytheatre.com
FUN HOME, musical by Kron & Tesori, presented by Musicalfare, directed by Susan Drozd, starring Chris J. Handley, Michele Marie Roberts, Renee Landrigan, LauRen Nicole Alaimo, Steve Copps, Robyn Lee Horn, Joseph Bielecki, Jasper Brown, Jane Hereth. May 9-19, Thu at 7:30, Fri & Sat at 8, Sun at 2. Shea’s 710 Main Theatre, 710 Main St. (1-800-745-3000). www.sheas.org/710main
HAMLET by William Shakespeare, presented by the Irish Classical Theatre Company, directed by Kate LoConti Alcocer, starring Adam Yellen, Rolando Gomez, Matt Witten, Kristen Tripp Kelley, Anthony Alcocer, Patrick Cameron, Chris Kelly, Anna Krempholtz, Peter Raimondo, Jake Hayes. Through May 19, Thu & Fri at 7:30, Sat at 3 & 7:30, Sun at 2. Andrews Theatre, 625 Main St. (853-ICTC). www.irishclassicaltheatre.com
LOOKING THROUGH GLASS, play by Ken Kaissar presented by Jewish Repertory Theatre, directed by Saul Elkin, starring Zachary Bellus, Arin Lee Dandes, Angelo J. Heimowitz, David Lundy, Tina Rausa. May 9-Jun 2, 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
ME AND MY GIRL, Broadway musical presented by The Niagara Regional Theatre Guild, directed by Fran Newton, starring Joseph Fratello, Emily Plotkin, Lauren McGowanm Dan Zerpa, Dawn Marcolini Newton, Chuck Slisz, Chris Andreanna. Through May 18, Fri & Sat at 7:30, Sun at 3, plus May 18 at 3. Ellicott Creek Playhouse, 550 Ellicott Creek Rd., Tonawanda (260-2319). www.niagaratheatre.com
PASSING STRANGE, musical by Stew & Heidi Rodewald, directed by Lorna C. Hill, starring Preach Freedom, Brian Brown, Augustus Donaldson, Jacqueline Cherry, Tianna Livingston, London Lee, Zoë V. Scruggs. Through May 26, Thu-Sat at 7, Sun at 4. Ujima Company, 429 Plymouth Ave. (281-0092). www.ujimacoinc.org
1776, musical by Sherman Edwards & Peter Stone presented by O'Connell & Company, directed by Steve Vaughan, Pamela Rose Mangus, Mary Kate O’Connell, Melissa Leventhal, Mary Craig, Mary Moebius, Sara Jo Kukulka, Ann DeFazio, Priscilla Anker-Young, Sam Crystal, Emily Yancey, Sara Kovacsi, Marie Olczak. Through May 19, Thu-Sat at 7:30, Sun at 2:30. The Park School, 4625 Harlem Road, Snyder (848-0800). www.oconnellandcompany.com
LATE IN THE EVENING: The World According to Paul Simon, world premiere musical conceived and directed by Michael Walline, starring Noah Bielecki, Cathy Carfagna, Terrie Ann George, Timmy Goodman, Robert Insana, Dudney Joseph, Jr., Dominique Kempf, Bob Mazierski, Sean Murphy, Emily Prucha, Zak Ward. Through May 26, 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
THE UNDENIABLE SOUND OF RIGHT NOW, play by Laura Eason directed by David Oliver, starring Peter Palmisano, Diane DiBernardo, Christine Turturro, Johnny Barden, Jeffrey Coyle, Nick Stevens. Through May 19, Thu-Sat at 7:30, Sun at 2. Road Less Traveled Theater, 456 Main St. (629-3069). www.roadlesstraveledproductions.org
THREE SISTAH’S, musical by Thomas W. Jones II & William F. Hubbard, directed by Renita Shadwick, starring Denise Mullen, Danielle Green, Taneisha Facey. Through May 26, Fri & Sat at 8, Sun at 4. Paul Robeson Theatre at the African American Cultural Center, 350 Masten Ave. (884-2013). www.aaccbuffalo.org
LISTINGS adapted from "On the Boards" by Javier Bustillos