The current offering from Road Less Traveled Productions, "All My Sons," features the return of a native son, Sean Cullen, in the lead role of Joe Keller. Cullen, a busy professional actor who holds extensive credits in Broadway plays, television series, and movies, was last onstage here in 2020 for "The Antipodes" at Road Less Traveled. During that visit, Cullen gave an extensive interview to WBFO. Three years later, he was equally generous in discussing his craft, working through COVID and his hometown.
"Buffalo has always been amazing. Even when I was a kid that phrase 'Buffalo's own.' I can't think of another city where I've heard that phrase, 'their own,'" Cullen shared. Though working in Buffalo comes with several challenges, Broadway performances, he says, may not be open to the public until the show has been "previewed" multiple times to allow directors to gauge audience response. By his recollection, his role in "South Pacific" at Lincoln Center may have been previewed 80 times before opening. Actors in Buffalo productions work on a considerably shorter timeline which prompted an unusual approach in preparation.
"I walked, I think it was, five times around the (Riverside) park going through the entire play," Cullen said.
"I'm saying the words, out loud, in the park."
Scott Behrend, Executive Director and Artistic Director for Road Less Traveled, echoed the sentiment.
"Coming to Buffalo and doing a play, that's a high-wire act," Behrend laughed.
"We've had to adapt over the years to that system. There is a lot of responsibility and professionalism, and a certain level of pressure that also goes with that process," Behrend said.
According to Behrend, bringing Sean Cullen back to town is just one of the highlights for Road Less Traveled's 20th anniversary season. Productions still to come include "The Light Fantastik," and "The Curious Case of the Watson Intelligence."
They've also added a new improv show, "Unscripted," performed on Wednesdays throughout each production run.
Six performers, Behrend says, "Go on the set for whatever show we have on stage, like for this one, for 'All My Sons.' They walk into that set and they create a two-act play. From nothin'. Based on being on that set. There's some audience participation to get the ideas going."
"It's a lot of fun and the bar is open!" Behrend added.
Clearly pleased to be working again in his hometown, Cullen is quick to compliment his fellow cast members in "All My Sons" with whom he has bonded during this time. He's shared his professional experiences, successes, and struggles.
"I've gone and come back and here's what I can offer people."
