March will bring a raft of openings, but madness and more signs of the times are on stages this weekend, at both ends of The Alleyway Theatre complex and in the suburbs as well (see listings). This week's conversation was about SCOTCH AND MADNESS and THE END: AMEN and two closings: GLORIOUS and WHAT I THOUGHT I KNEW. Theater Talk notes the passing of Mary Haney who graced the stages of Shawfest for 30 years and over 60 productions.
OPENING
LIQUIDATION, world premiere of a play by Samantha Marchant, presented by Green Buffalo Productions (GBP), directed by Nicholas Edwards. Feb 28-Mar 1, Fri at 7, Sat at 2 & 7, Sun at 2.Sugar City Arts Collaborative, 1239 Niagara St. www.greenbuffaloproductions.weebly.com
ONGOING
COOKIN’ AT THE COOKERY, musical by Marion J. Caffey, directed by Victoria Perez, starring Zoe Scruggs, Ember Tate. Through Mar 8, 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
ON A FIRST NAME BASIS, comedy by Norm Foster presented by Desiderio’s Dinner Theatre, directed by Jay Desiderio, starring Eileen Dugan, Russ Papia. Through Mar 22. Thu & Sat dinner at 6, show at 7:30; Sun dinner at 1, show at 2:30. Bobby J’s Italian American Grille, 204 Como Park Blvd., Cheektowaga (395-3207). www.mybobbyjs.com
SCOTCH AND MADNESS, world premiere of a play by Tatiana Gelfand and Paul Jensen, directed by Gelfand, starring Timothy Goehrig Jamie Nablo, James Cichocki, Daniel Greer, Betsy Bittar, Nicolas Lama, Kathleen Rooney, Jaimee Harmon, Eddie Bratek. Feb 20-Mar 14, Thu-Sat at 7:30. Alleyway Theatre, One Curtain Up Alley (852-2600). www.alleyway.com
THE END: AMEN, written by Alleyway Playwrights Circle members Mark Lloyd, Bella Poynton, j. Snodgrass and Winifred Storms, directed by Bob Van Valin, starring Hugh Davis, Leyla Gentil, Helene Macaulay, Vincenzo McNeill, Colleen Pine, Matthew Rittler, Peter Snodgrass, Rick Vogt. Feb 21-Mar 8, Fri & Sat at 8, Sun at 4. Alleyway Cabaret, 672 Main St. (852-2600). www.alleyway.com
CLOSING
GLORIOUS, comedy by Peter Quilter presented by O'Connell & Company, directed by Steve Vaughan, starring Mary Kate O’Connell, Gregory Gjurich, Anne Gayley, Roger van Dette, Smirna Mercedes, through Mar 1, Thu-Sat at 7:30, Sun at 2:30. The Ken-Ton Elmwood Commons, 3200 Elmwood Ave. (848-0800). www.oconnellandcompany.com
SYLVIA, comedy by A.R. Gurney presented by Niagara University Players. Feb 28-Mar 1, Fri at 7:30, Sat at 2 & 7:30, Sun at 2. Leary Theatre, Clet Hall, NU campus, Lewiston (286-8685). http://theatre.niagara.edu
WHAT I THOUGHT I KNEW one-woman play by Alice Eve Cohen presented by Jewish Repertory Theatre, directed by Saul Elkin, starring Josie DiVincenzo. Through Mar 1, Thu at 7:30, Sat at 3:30 & 7:30, Sun at 2. The Maxine and Robert Seller Theatre, 2640 North Forest Road, Getzville (650-7626). www.jewishrepertorytheatre.com
UPCOMING
BUS STOP, play by William Inge presented by Aurora Players, directed by Michael Breen, starring Isabella Ruof, Catherine Burkhart, Victor Morales, Kit Kuebler, Les Bailey, Steve Jakiel, Marc Ruffino, Eddie Eberth. Mar 6-22, Fri & Sat at 8, Sun at 2. The Roycroft Pavilion, in Hamlin Park. South Grove St., East Aurora (687-6727). www.auroraplayers.org
ECLIPSE, play by Danai Gurira presented by Subversive Theatre, directed by Ebony Pace, starring Janae Leonard, Shawnell Tillery, Davida Tolbert. Mar 6-28, Thu-Sat at 7:30. The Manny Fried Playhouse, 255 Great Arrow Ave., third floor (462-5549). www.subversivetheatre.org
HAND TO GOD, comedy by Robert Askins, directed by John Hurley, starring Dan Urtz, Jenn Stafford, John Kreuzer, Henry Farleo, Maura Coseglia. Mar 5-29, Thu-Sat at 7:30, Sun at 2. Road Less Traveled Theater, 456 Main St. (629-3069). www.roadlesstraveledproductions.org
INDECENT, play with music by Paula Vogel presented in collaboration with The Jewish Repertory Theatre directed by Kristen Tripp Kelley, starring Jordan Levin, Arin Lee Dandes, Adam Yellen, Aleks Malejs, Matt Witten, Debbie Pappas Sham, Peter Palmisano, Saul Elkin, Joseph Donohue, Maggie Zindle, Megan Callahan, Benjamin Levitt. Mar 6-29, Thu & Fri at 7:30, Sat at 3:30 & 7:30, Sun at 2. Kavinoky Theatre, 320 Porter Ave. (829-7668). www.kavinokytheatre.com
KISS OF THE SPIDER WOMAN, play by Manuel Puig directed by Victoria Perez, starring Rolando Gomez, Rick Lattimer. Mar 6 – 28, Thu-Sat at 8. New Phoenix Theatre, 95 Johnson Park (853-1334). www.newphoenixtheatre.org
THE ONION GAME, black comedy by Bryan Delaney, presented by the Irish Classical Theatre Company, directed by Greg Natale, starring Stan Klimecko, Kelly Meg Brennan, Ray Boucher, David Lundy, Louie Visone, Ava Schara. Mar 6-29, Thu & Fri at 7:30, Sat at 3 & 7:30, Sun at 2. Andrews Theatre, 625 Main St. (853-ICTC). www.irishclassicaltheatre.com
OTHELLO, tragedy by William Shakespeare presented by Casting Hall Productions, directed by Jennifer Toohey. Mar 5-13, Thu-Sat at 7:30. Mar 14 at 2 instead of 7:30. Flexible Theatre, Savage Theater and Communication Building at Buffalo State College (878-3005).
Listings courtesy of Javier Bustillos
