SIX, the Broadway musical at Shea's about the six wives of Henry VIII, who were, in order, divorced, beheaded and died, divorced, beheaded survived: Catherine of Aragon, Anne Boleyn, Jane Seymour, Ann of Cleves, Catherine Howard, and Catherine Parr, continues for an unusual two weeks, 16 shows in all, through May 7, 80 minutes, no intermission (see listings below).
Due to popular demand, KRAGTAR! THE AMERICAN MONSTER MUSICAL performances now continue thru May 20. Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays at 7:30. Also note, one time Matinee Saturday, May 6 at 3:30. (See listings below.)
Shea's, will wrap up their next season staging MJ THE MUSICAL with book by playwright Lynn Nottage. Her Pulitzer Prize-winning and Best Play Tony Award-nominated play SWEAT continues at Road Less Traveled Productions. (See listings below.)
THE STICK WIFE, presented by Revelation Theatre on the Buff State campus, poses one answer to the question of what it must be like to be married to a member of the KKK. (See listings below.)
NETWORK just opened at the Kavinoky, the final production in a short but very productive tenure of Loraine O'Donnell, who will be back to act and direct next season. Note "Buy One Get One" deal in effect. (See listings below.)
KINKY BOOTS opened last night at Shea's 710 with an A-list cast fronted by Steve Copps as a shoe factory owner going broke and Lorenzo Shawn Parnell as a drag queen with an intriguing idea to sell "kinky boots" to drag performers, and thus save the company. (See listings below.)
Be sure to sign up for Anthony's (free) blog theatertalkbuffalo.com to stay up to date on theatrical happenings in and out of town. And, good news, Javier's theater listings called "On the Board" are back!
Anthony's reviews appear in The Buffalo News (buffalonews.com) and Peter's reviews appear in Buffalo Rising (buffalorising.com).
LOCAL LISTINGS ARE PRESENTED AS FOLLOWS: CLOSINGS (last chances to see these plays), then OPENINGS, then CONTINUING, then OPENINGS LATER IN MAY.
CLOSINGS:
FURSONA NON GRATA, a comedy by Jeff Goode, directed by Drew Fornarola, produced by Bob Rusch of First Look Buffalo, April 14 - May 7, Fridays - Saturdays at 8, Sundays at 2, starring Kaylie Horowitz, Dan Torres, John Patrick Patti, Sarah Waechter, Susan King, Andrew J. Brown, Madison Sedlor, Clara Tan, and Lucas Colon. At The Park School Theatre, 4625 Harlem Rd, Amherst, NY 14226. (716) 771-6358 www.firstlookbuffalo.com
FURSONA NON GRATA BLURB: This new comedy tells the story of a young woman who brings her long-time boyfriend home to meet her family. She forgets to mention one important detail: her family lives a furry lifestyle. NOTE: A "furry" is an enthusiast for animal characters with human characteristics, in particular a person who dresses up in costume as such or uses one as an avatar online. Producer's note: "It focuses on the love of family, and most importantly, acceptance. You’ll laugh, cry, and even cough up a furball!"
_____
SIX, a musical, by Toby Marlow and Lucy Ross, part of the M&T Bank 2022-23 Broadway Series at Shea's, runs for two weeks! Apr 25 - May 7, 2023, Tuesday - Friday at 7:30, Saturday at 2:00 and 8:00, Sunday at 1:00 and 6:00. Shea's Buffalo Theatre 646 Main Street Buffalo, NY 14202 716-847-1410 www.sheas.org/buffalo-theatre
SIX BLURB: "Divorced, beheaded, died, divorced, beheaded, survived!" From Tudor Queens to Pop Icons, the SIX wives of Henry VIII take the microphone to remix five hundred years of historical heartbreak into a Euphoric Celebration of 21st-century girl power! 80 minutes, no intermission. WARNING - The show is recommended for ages 10 & up.
_____
THEY'RE PLAYING OUR SONG, a musical, book by Neil Simon, Music by Marvin Hamlisch, lyrics by Carole Bayer Sager, directed by Fran Landis, starring John and Tara Kaczorowski, Rebecca Kroetsch, Alexandra Montesano, Lauren Teller, Merrick Allen, Joseph Greenan, Nathan Andrew Miller. April 21 - May 7, Fridays - Saturdays at 7:30, Sundays at 2:30. Lancaster Opera House, 21 Central Avenue
Lancaster, NY 14086, (716) 683-1776 www.lancasteropera.org
THEY'RE PLAYING OUR SONG BLURB: Teaming America’s premier comedic playwright, Neil Simon, and the composer of A Chorus Line, Marvin Hamlisch, with beloved singer-songwriter, Carole Bayer Sager — all at the height of their careers — this humorously perceptive show about the relationship between a composer and a lyricist is an overlooked late-70s gem. The production features two favorite LOH performers: John and Tara Kaczorowski, last seen together here in the 2015 production of SINGIN' IN THE RAIN.
_____
OPENINGS: (listed alphabetically by title)
KINKY BOOTS, musical by Harvey Fierstein & Cyndi Lauper, presented by MusicalFare Theatre at Shea’s 710 Theatre, directed & choreographed by Michael Oliver-Walline, starring Brandon Barry, Kris Bartolomeo, Bethany Burrows, Taylor Carlson, Charmagne Chi, Steve Copps, Anna Fernandez, John Fredo, Jake Grear, Lily Jones, Johnny Kiener, Timiyah Love, Collin McKee, Vincenzo L. McNeill, John Panepinto, Lorenzo Shawn Parnell, Oliver Parzy-Sanders, Daniel Pieffer, Daniel Pitirri, Marc Sacco, Dave Spychalski, Dan Urtz and Doug Weyand. May 4 - 21, Thursdays - Fridays at 7:30, Saturdays at 8, Sundays at 2. Shea’s 710 Theatre, 710 Main St. (corner Tupper), Buffalo (716-847-0850). www.sheas.org
KINKY BOOTS BLURB: This Tony Award Musical is an exhilarating story about a shoe factory in Northampton that will lift your spirits to high-heeled heights! Kinky Boots is about finding your passion, overcoming challenges, and transcending stereotypes.
_____
SUNSET BOULEVARD, musical by Andrew Lloyd Webber, Don Black & Christopher Hampton, presented by O’Connell & Company, directed by Joey Bucheker, (Javier Bustillos, production supervisor), starring Mary Kate O’Connell, Kevin Deese, Michael Galante, Heather Casseri, and Michael Starzinski. May 5 - 21, Fridays - Saturdays at 7:30, Sundays at 3, plus one matinee Saturday, May 13 at 3. O’Connell & Company's "new" Theater, 4110 Bailey Ave. (near Bocce Pizza), Amherst (716-848-0800). www.oconnellandcompany.com
SUNSET BOULEVARD BLURB: in her mansion on Sunset Boulevard, faded silent-screen goddess Norma Desmond lives in a fantasy world. Impoverished screenwriter Joe Gillis, on the run from debt collectors, stumbles into her reclusive domain. Persuaded to work on Norma’s “masterpiece,” a film script that she believes will put her back in front of the cameras, Joe is seduced by her and her luxurious lifestyle. Joe becomes entrapped in a claustrophobic existence until his love for another woman leads him to try and break free with dramatic consequences.
_____
CONTINUING:
BAREFOOT IN THE PARK, a play by Neil Simon, directed by Brian Cavanagh. April 27 - May 21, Thursdays and Saturdays at 7:30 (no performances on Fridays) with matinees Saturday at 3:30 and Sunday at 2:00 at The Maxine & Robert Seller Theatre, Jewish Community Center, 2640 North Forest Rd., Getzville, NY 14068 716-650-7626 www.jccbuffalo.org/jewish-repertory-theatre
BAREFOOT IN THE PARK BLURB: This classic comedy became Neil Simon’s longest-running show and has delighted audiences for decades. Newlyweds Corie, a free spirit, and Paul Bratter, an uptight lawyer, share a sixth-floor apartment in Greenwich Village. Soon after their marriage, Corie tries to find a companion for her mother, Ethel, who is now alone, and sets her up with their neighbor-in-the-attic Velasco. During a dinner with Ethel and Velasco, everything that can go wrong does, inappropriate behavior ensues, and the young couple considers divorce.
_____
DISASTER, a musical by Seth Rudetsky and Jack Plotnick, directed by Randall Kramer, presented by MusicalFare, starring Kyle Bassett-Baran, Kelly Copps, Kevin Craig, Arin Lee Dandes, Gabby McKinley, Ricky Needham, Emily Yancey, and many, many more. April 12 - May 14, Wednesdays - Thursdays at 7 pm, Fridays - Saturdays at 7:30, Saturdays at 3:30, and Sundays at 2. On the MusicalFare Theatre main stage, c/o Daemen College 4380 Main Street, Amherst, NY 14226. (716) 839-8540 info@musicalfare.com
DISASTER BLURB: A 1970s disaster-movie musical spoof, a new musical straight from Broadway, featuring some of the most unforgettable songs of the '70s. "Knock on Wood," "Hooked on a Feeling," "Sky High," "I Am Woman" and "Hot Stuff" are just a few of the hits in this musical comedy with a book by three-time Emmy Award nominee and SiriusXM Broadway host, Seth Rudetsky, and Jack Plotnick. RUNTIME: 2 hours, 10 minutes
It's 1979, and New York's hottest A-listers are lining up for the opening of a floating casino and discotheque. Also attending is a faded disco star, a sexy nightclub singer with her eleven-year-old twins, a disaster expert, a feminist reporter, an older couple with a secret, a pair of young guys who are looking for ladies, an untrustworthy businessman, and a nun with a gambling addiction. What begins as a night of boogie fever quickly changes to panic as the ship succumbs to multiple disasters, such as earthquakes, tidal waves, and infernos. As the night turns into day, everyone struggles to survive and, quite possibly, repair the love that they've lost... or at least escape the killer rats.
_____
KRAGTAR!: THE AMERICAN MONSTER MUSICAL, by Kyle Wilson & Sam French, directed by Chris J Handley, presented by The Alleyway Theatre, starring Amy Jakiel, Amanda Funicello, Anthony Lazzaro, and Justin Gaskill. Previews are April 21,22,23,25 all at 7:30. Regular run April 26 - May 20 (NEW!), Thursdays - Saturdays at 7:30. Industry night is Monday, May 1. There is one matinee Saturday, May 6 at 3:30. The Alleyway Theatre Main Stage, 1 Curtain Up Alley (between Pearl St. and Main St. a few feet north of Shea's Buffalo) 716-852-2600 www.alleyway.com
NOTE: Due to popular demand, performances now continue thru May 20. Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays at 7:30. Also note, one time Matinee Saturday, May 6 at 3:30.
KRAGTAR! BLURB: An ancient prophecy is coming true just in time for another government shutdown as a Godzilla-esque monster appears, leaving America in its wake of blood, tears, and trampled Chick-Fil-As. Scientists and former lovers Harry and Harvey must reunite to save the country — and maybe rekindle their love, too — as they face the dreaded Kragtar in battle. Unbeknownst to our heroes, however, there may be a far greater monster lurking in the shadows, ready to swallow America whole. Runtime 2 hours, 10 minutes with one intermission.
For fans of shows like Schmigadoon! and Reefer Madness, this brilliantly campy and zany new adventure musical teaches us that whether it's with a boy or girl, the most powerful (and rad) thing in the whole f*ckin’ world is … well, love.
____
NETWORK, a play, from the screenplay by Paddy Chayefsky, adapted by Lee Hall, directed by Loraine O’Donnell, and presented by D'Youville University's Kavinoky Theatre. April 21 - May 14, Thursdays - Saturdays at 7:30, with matinees on Saturdays at 3:30 and Sundays at 2:00 at the Kavinoky Theatre 320 Porter Ave, Buffalo, NY 14201 716-829-7668 www.kavinokytheatre.com
The Kavinoky is offering a "Buy One Ticket and Get One Free" deal. Use code BOGO at check out or click here
https://ci.ovationtix.com/35829/production/1100623?promo=BOGO
to purchase with your promo code already applied or just call (716) 829-7668.
NETWORK BLURB: “I'm as mad as hell, and I'm not going to take this anymore!” Howard Beale, a news anchorman, isn't pulling in the viewers. In his final broadcast, he unravels live on screen. But when the ratings soar, the network seizes on their newfound populist prophet, and Howard becomes the biggest thing on TV. Adapted for the stage by Lee Hall from the Paddy Chayefsky 1976 film, Network then seems to have predicted what we are experiencing today.
_____
RUST AND REDEMPTION: Requiem for a Buffalo Grunge Band by j. Snodgrass, directed by Matthew LaChiusa, presented by American Repertory Theater of WNY, starring Sarah Emmerling as "Silvia,' Brooke Goergen as "Angie," Cameron Kogut as "Nick," Charles McGregor as "Russ," and Monish Bhattacharyya as "Bartender." April 20th - May 13th, Thursdays - Fridays 7:30, Saturdays 5:00, at ART, 545 Elmwood Avenue, Buffalo (716)-697-0837 www.artofwny.org
RUST AND REDEMPTION BLURB: For every Goo Goo Dolls, there are thousands of other talented bands that just don't make it because of whatever reasons (chemistry, artistic differences, or just plain ol' dumb luck), so welcome to Buffalo's best unheard band, Sidewalk Nickel.
Opening on April 20th, this tale of career opportunities that never knocked features a band that loved its chemistry, creativity, and music, but life got in the way. Now several years later and after being broken up, they must salvage what's left and preserve their band's legacy by selling their hit song "Canalside Summer" to a rival band on their nostalgia tour circuit.
_____
THE STICK WIFE, a play by Darrah Cloud, directed by David Oliver, presented by Revelation Theatre, a new theatre company in Buffalo, directed by David Oliver, starring Priscilla Young Anker, Kelly Meg Brennan, Christine Turturro, David Marciniak, Steve Jakiel, and Andrew Salamone. April 21 - May 14, Thursdays - Saturdays at 7:30, Sundays at 2:00 at the Flexible Theater, Donald Savage Building, Buffalo State University. Enter the campus via Rockwell Road. 716-213-7253 www.revelationtheatre.org
THE STICK WIFE BLURB: Set in Alabama in 1963, Darrah Cloud’s riveting play explores the relationships between three low-income white couples. As the women begin to realize that the perpetrators of a local act of racist violence are living in their homes, they begin to confront their men and the limitations of their own lives.
Revelation Theatre is a new theatre company in Buffalo with a focus on devising original plays and performances, and the production of lesser-known and challenging scripts.
_____
SWEAT, a play by Lynn Nottage, directed by Victoria Pérez, starring Lisa Vitrano, Peter Johnson, and David Mitchell alongside Jake Hayes, Diane DiBernardo, Davida Tolbert, Johnny Barden, Alejandro Gabriel Gómez, and John Vines. April 20 - May 21 Thursdays - Saturdays at 7:30, Sundays at 2:00, presented by Road Less Traveled Productions, 456 Main Street Buffalo NY 14202, (716) 629-3069 roadlesstraveled.com
WEDNESDAY MAY 17 AT 7:00 there will be an "RLTP OFF-BOOK Happy Hour Zoom Discussion Series" with Michelle Holden featuring SWEAT. To register for the FREE discussion series, visit https://bit.ly/off-book-sweat
SWEAT BLURB: Winner of the 2017 Pulitzer Prize for Drama and the 2017 Tony nominated for Best Play. Set in 2000 and 2008, a group of friends in Reading, Pennsylvania gather at a local bar. They’ve spent their lives sharing drinks and secrets when everything is about to be uprooted. Job security, race, trust, and friendship are threatened when their local factory, after decades, begins to make changes and layoffs. In this warm-humored play, SWEAT questions our loyalty to our each other, our employer, and our community and deals with the struggles we face with changes that are out of our control.
_____
OTHER OPENINGS LATER IN MAY
BUFFALO WRITERS' THEATER ANNUAL SHORT PLAY SHOWCASE on the theme "Get in the car!" directed by Matt Boyle, Mariangela Mercurio, Neal Radice, and Jane Cudmore with 10-minute plays by Matt Boyle, Maison Sedlore, Neal Radie, Jennifer Tromble, J. Snodgrass, Karen McDonald, Allison Fradkin, Michael Fanelli, Jenn Dlugos & Charlie Batton. 3 shows only: Friday - Saturday, May 19 - 20 at 7:30, Sunday May 21 at 2:00 at the American Repertory Theater 545 Elmwood Avenue, Buffalo.
SHORT PLAY SHOWCASE BLURB: Following up on a successful reading of these plays at the Central Library, now it's time for staged performances of all ten 10-minute plays, each of them inspired by the phrase "Get in the car!" Many are funny; some tug at the heartstrings.
_____
CULLUD WATTAH, play by Erika Dickerson-Dispenza, directed by Curtis Lovell, May 12 - 28, Fridays - Saturdays at 7:30, Sundays at 4, one show Thursday, May 25 also at 7:30. Lorna C. Hill Theater, Ujima Company, Inc, 429 Plymouth Ave., Buffalo 14213 (716) 322-5178 ujimacoinc.org
CULLUD WATTAH BLURB: It’s been 936 days since Flint has had clean water. Marion, a third-generation General Motors line worker, worries over impending layoffs while struggling to fight the poison that floods her home - and her family's bodies. When her sister, Ainee, seeks restitution for lead poisoning, secrets bubble to the surface, threatening their family and the entire city of Flint. “Cullud Wattah,” dives deep into how we make the best choices for our families’ future when there are no real and present options.
_____
TICK,TICK...BOOM!, a musical by Jonathan Larson (the creator of RENT) directed by Louis Colaiacovo, presented by Second Generation Theatre, starring Sean Ryan, Joe Russi, and Leah Berst. May 19 - June 4, Thursday - Friday at 7:30, Saturday at 8:00, Sunday at 2:00 at Shea's Smith Theatre, 654 Main St. (716-847-1410)
www.sheas.org/
_____
The rest of the M&T Broadway series at Shea's for 2022-2023 concludes with:
JAGGED LITTLE PILL Jun 6-11, 2023
and
DEAR EVAN HANSEN June 20-25, 2023 (a "special engagement")
_____
Shea's Buffalo Theatre has announced their 2023-24 Broadway Season:
MRS. DOUBTFIRE 9/24 - 30, 2023
MOULIN ROUGE! 10/24 - 11/5, 2023
with ANNIE as a "special engagement" 12/19 - 24, 2023
and then in calendar 2024:
GIRL FROM THE NORTH COUNTRY 1/16 - 21, 2024
FUNNY GIRL 2/13 - 18, 2024
LES MISERABLES 3/12 - 18, 2024
MAMMA MIA! 4/9 - 14, 2024
MJ THE MUSICAL 6/11 - 16, 2024
