Peter Hall
Theater Talk HostEven though "semi-retired," Peter Hall continues to wear many hats. He is the Sunday afternoon host on WBFO’s “sister station,” WNED CLassical where he has produced over 1,000 radio interviews with musical artists. If you see him at a theater with a pen in his hand, he’s probably getting ready to co-host “Theater Talk” with Anthony Chase (heard Friday mornings at 6:45 and 8:45 a.m. on WBFO) or to write a review for www.buffalorising.com. He is also a member of the "Artie Awards" committee (think “Tony Awards for Buffalo theaters”).
Peter feels fortunate to have worked for some of the most trusted brands in Western New York. In past lives he has been a Director of Membership for Buffalo Toronto Public Media, the Director of Marketing for Canisius College, and before that was a Director of Marketing for Fisher-Price. Growing up in the Amherst school system, music, the arts, theater, literature, outdoor activities, and teaching were important in his family. His grandfather, the painter W.J. Schwanekamp, has works on display at the Burchfield-Penney. His father was a high school English teacher and his mother was a librarian. In high school, in addition to running track and cross country and being in the ski club, Peter played various instruments in the orchestra, had leading roles in the plays, and was an editor of the high school newspaper.
Peter holds a B.A. in Comparative Literature from Columbia University and an M.B.A. from SUNY at Buffalo. For over twenty-five years he has taught undergraduate and graduate classes at Canisius College’s Richard J. Wehle School of Business and continues to this day. Depending on the season, on weekends he might be seen on his bicycle with "The Sunday Morning Riders" or teaching downhill skiing at Kissing Bridge.
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From Woody Allen's DON'T DRINK THE WATER at Desiderio's to Shakespeare in Delaware Park's THE COMEDY OF ERRORS, to Noel Coward's PRESENT LAUGHTER from The Old Vid on screen at The Allleyway Theatre, to Lynn Nottage's FABULATION at Chautauqua it's a summer of diverse stage delights. For 31 years (as of November 2023), Theater Talk has been appointment listening on WBFO, featuring the insights of theater critic and historian Anthony Chase, who joins Peter Hall for a five-minute weekly broadcast at 6:45 and 8:45 Friday mornings on 88.7 WBFO with a podcast available on wbfo.org. NOTE: Theater listings are included with the podcast. As part of BTPM (Buffalo Toronto Public Media), their beat is primarily Buffalo theater, but Broadway, The Shaw Festival, The Stratford Festival, and Chautauqua are covered as are other relevant art forms, including ballet and opera. -
Closing this weekend, two contrasting shows, BIRTHDAY CANDLES is funny but with important lessons; GOLDEN GIRLS is funny, but trashy by design. Bellissima opens this weekend with ALICE BY HEART and Desiderio's opens with DON'T DRINK THE WATER. For 31 years (as of November 2023), Theater Talk has been appointment listening on WBFO, featuring the insights of theater critic and historian Anthony Chase, who joins Peter Hall for a five-minute weekly broadcast at 6:45 and 8:45 Friday mornings on 88.7 WBFO with a podcast available on wbfo.org. NOTE: Theater listings are included with the podcast. As part of BTPM (Buffalo Toronto Public Media), their beat is primarily Buffalo theater, but Broadway, The Shaw Festival, The Stratford Festival, and Chautauqua are covered as are other relevant art forms, including ballet and opera. -
From north to south, from Shaw (four theaters open) and Artpark (Puccini opera gala) down to Chautauqua Theater Company (BIRTHDAY CANDLES), and in the Buffalo area (SIDP's WINTER'S TALE, Bellissima's ALICE BY HEART, and O'Connell's GOLDEN GIRLS), for 31 years (as of November 2023), Theater Talk has been appointment listening on WBFO, featuring the insights of theater critic and historian Anthony Chase, who joins Peter Hall for a five-minute weekly broadcast at 6:45 and 8:45 Friday mornings on 88.7 WBFO with a podcast available on wbfo.org. NOTE: Theater listings are included with the podcast. As part of BTPM (Buffalo Toronto Public Media), their beat is primarily Buffalo theater, but Broadway, The Shaw Festival, The Stratford Festival, and Chautauqua are covered as are other relevant art forms, including ballet and opera. -
This week Anthony and Peter talk about recent opera successes, how to get a nice affordable picnic for Shakespeare in Delaware Park, and mention the Shaw Festival's Spiegeltent and Chautauqua's play BIRTHDAY CANDLES. For 31 years (as of November 2023), Theater Talk has been appointment listening on WBFO, featuring the insights of theater critic and historian Anthony Chase, who joins Peter Hall for a five-minute weekly broadcast at 6:45 and 8:45 Friday mornings on 88.7 WBFO with a podcast available on wbfo.org. NOTE: Theater listings are included with the podcast. As part of BTPM (Buffalo Toronto Public Media), their beat is primarily Buffalo theater, but Broadway, The Shaw Festival, The Stratford Festival, and Chautauqua are covered as are other relevant art forms, including ballet and opera. -
This week on Theater Talk Anthony and Peter talk about Shakespeare in Delaware Park's THE WINTER'S TALE and Anthony reports on his weekend in New York where ILLINOISE was disappointing, THE GREAT GATSBY's second act fell flat, but STEREOPHONIC was "Chekhovian" and N/A with Holland Taylor as N and Ana Villafañe as A (Nancy Pelosi and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez) at Lincoln Center Theater was an absolute delight. See listings. For 31 years (as of November 2023), Theater Talk has been appointment listening on WBFO, featuring the insights of theater critic and historian Anthony Chase, who joins Peter Hall for a five-minute weekly broadcast at 6:45 and 8:45 Friday mornings on 88.7 WBFO with a podcast available on wbfo.org. NOTE: Theater listings are included with the podcast. As part of BTPM (Buffalo Toronto Public Media), their beat is primarily Buffalo theater, but Broadway, The Shaw Festival, The Stratford Festival, and Chautauqua are covered as are other relevant art forms, including ballet and opera. -
This week, Anthony and Peter talk about the Tony Awards show, good and "needs improvement." Two closings of note: THE PRODUCERS at Lancaster Opera House and THE MELVILLE BOYS at Desiderio's Dinner Theatre both wrap up on Sunday, as does Buffalo Opera Unlimited's presentation of Jake Heggie's opera THREE DECEMBER based on a story by Terrence McNally. See listings on the podcast. For 31 years (as of November 2023), Theater Talk has been appointment listening on WBFO, featuring the insights of theater critic and historian Anthony Chase, who joins Peter Hall for a five-minute weekly broadcast at 6:45 and 8:45 Friday mornings on 88.7 WBFO with a podcast available on wbfo.org. NOTE: Theater listings are included with the podcast. As part of BTPM (Buffalo Toronto Public Media), their beat is primarily Buffalo theater, but Broadway, The Shaw Festival, The Stratford Festival, and Chautauqua are covered as are other relevant art forms, including ballet and opera. -
This week, Anthony and Peter talk about the successful Artie Awards, MJ THE MUSICAL at Shea's, THE PRODUCERS at Lancaster Opera House, PRIVATE LIVES at Irish Classical, WELL BEHAVED WOMEN, a cabaret at MusicalFare, and next week Buffalo Opera Unlimited presents Jake Heggie's opera THREE DECEMBERS based on a story by Terrence McNally (see "Openings Later This June" below). For 31 years (as of November 2023), Theater Talk has been appointment listening on WBFO, featuring the insights of theater critic and historian Anthony Chase, who joins Peter Hall for a five-minute weekly broadcast at 6:45 and 8:45 Friday mornings on 88.7 WBFO with a podcast available on wbfo.org. NOTE: Theater listings are included with the podcast. As part of BTPM (Buffalo Toronto Public Media), their beat is primarily Buffalo theater, but Broadway, The Shaw Festival, and The Stratford Festival are covered as other relevant art forms are touched on, including ballet and opera. -
This week, Anthony and Peter talk about the Artie Awards (think "Tonys for Buffalo") at Shea's 710 this Monday, June 10, at 8:00 pm. The Katherine Cornell Award goes to both Mark Summers as well as Sean Cullen (who will be at the ceremony!) Openings tonight include PRIVATE LIVES at Irish Classical, THE PRODUCERS at Lancaster Opera House, and WELL BEHAVED WOMEN, a cabaret at MusicalFare. On Tuesday, June 11, MJ THE MUSICAL opens at Shea's for a one-week run. And on Wednesday, June 12, Shakespeare in Delaware Park begins another summer of community outreach performances called A MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S TOUR. See all the listings below. For 31 years (as of November 2023) Theater Talk has been appointment listening on WBFO, featuring the insights of theater critic and historian, Anthony Chase, who joins Peter Hall for a five-minute weekly broadcast at 6:45 and 8:45 Friday mornings on 88.7 WBFO with a podcast available on wbfo.org. NOTE: Theater listings are included with the podcast. As part of BTPM (Buffalo Toronto Public Media), their beat is primarily Buffalo theater, but Broadway, The Shaw Festival, and The Stratford Festival are covered as other relevant art forms are touched on, including ballet and opera. -
Note the THE LEGEND OF GEORGIA MCBRIDE at the Kavinoky has been postponed indefinitely. CROSSING DELANCEY closes this weekend, and THE MELVILLE BOYS continues. This week, Anthony reports on Shea's High School Musical Theatre Awards and has timely advice for those heading out of town to see some shows. Scroll down for May and (partial) June listings. For 31 years (as of November 2023) Theater Talk has been appointment listening on WBFO, featuring the insights of theater critic and historian, Anthony Chase, who joins Peter Hall for a five-minute weekly broadcast at 6:45 and 8:45 Friday mornings on 88.7 WBFO with a podcast available on wbfo.org. NOTE: Theater listings are included with the podcast. As part of BTPM (Buffalo Toronto Public Media), their beat is primarily Buffalo theater, but Broadway, The Shaw Festival, and The Stratford Festival are covered as other relevant art forms are touched on, including ballet and opera. -
On this episode of Theater Talk, Anthony and Peter talk about The Artie Award Nominations, and three shows continue: CROSSING DELANCEY, a charming rom-com, continues at the Jewish Repertory Theatre in Getzville, and THE MELVILLE BOYS ("more com than rom" says Anthony) continues at Desiderio's Dinner Theater in Cheektowaga) and I FUCKED YOU IN MY SPACESHIP closes (BUA at CPAS, 545 Elmwood Avenue). (Click through for listings.) For 31 years (as of November 2023) Theater Talk has been appointment listening on WBFO, featuring the insights of theater critic and historian, Anthony Chase, who joins Peter Hall for a five-minute weekly broadcast at 6:45 and 8:45 Friday mornings on 88.7 WBFO with a podcast available on wbfo.org. NOTE: Theater listings are included with the podcast. As part of BTPM (Buffalo Toronto Public Media), their beat is primarily Buffalo theater, but Broadway, The Shaw Festival, and The Stratford Festival are covered as other relevant art forms are touched on, including ballet and opera.
