Michael Rabice - Page 9

A family's desire for wealth is at odds with it's desire for honor in Terence Rattigan's intriguing THE WINSLOW BOY now on stage at the Irish Classical Theatre.

FRESH NEW SOUND OF MUSIC SOARS So many fans of the beloved film THE SOUND OF MUSIC are unaware that the blockbuster film with Julie Andrews was based on the 1959 Broadway stage musical written by Rodgers and Hammerstein for Mary Martin. While not an instant hit with theatre critics on opening night, the now cherished story of a young nun who becomes governess to a widowed Navy Captain and his seven children has become an icon of the musical theatre canon.

A series of purported subtle exchanges and misinterpreted actions of a small Irish family form the framework for Bryan Delaney's THE SEEDBED, now on stage at Buffalo's Irish Classical Theatre. Reminiscent of the darkness found is so much of Edward Albee's family dramas, playwright Delaney creates a brooding home that on the surface seems superficially concerned about how everyone is feeling and doing, when in actuality mother, father and daughter all are acting as victims to an unspeakable incident.

Much has changed in Buffalo, including it's theatrical scene. A coming home of sorts is happening at SHEA'S 710 THEATRE. RING OF FIRE: THE MUSIC OF JOHNNY CASH has returned to the stage where the production began. In 2005 Studio Arena Theatre produced this jukebox musical created by Richard Maltby Jr and conceived by William Meade. After a short run that earned much local praise, the production moved to Broadway, something not typical for Buffalo. Unfortunately the New York critics and audiences were less enthusiastic, and the production shuttered after a very brief run. But RING OF FIRE, much like Studio Arena and Buffalo itself, was to have it's own rebirth. A reworked version in 2013 by Maltby and Jason Edwards has become much more of a success and audiences across the United States have been quite receptive. Amherst's MusicalFare Theatre presentation from last season is now playing out in a lively and pitch perfect production.

A GENTLEMAN'S GUIDE PROVES TO BE A FROTHY DELIGHT ON A COLD WINTER'S NIGHT The sleeper hit A GENTLEMANS GUIDE TO LOVE & MURDER took the 2014 TONY AWARDS by storm when it won the coveted Best Musical prize. Not surprisingly, TONY voters were enthralled with the production, but also realized the potential this delightful chamber sized musical would have touring the country. With it's compact cast and impressive unit set, the provinces are to benefit in attending this charming bon bon that plays out as a cross between a bawdy English Music Hall comedy and a zany British farce. Originally produced by The Hartford Stage and The Old Globe, A GENTLEMAN'S GUIDE's journey to Broadway paid off for all involved.

The Irish Classical Theatre Company is warming up for St. Paddy's Day with The Wake 2017, ICTC's Party To Die For.

Joint Venture Makes For Cohesive AMADEUS Collaboration among Western New York arts groups can only help serve the better good of the community and a happy pairing of Irish Classical Theatre with the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra is playing on at Kleinhans Music Hall, as both groups present Peter Shaffer's TONY and Academy Award winning AMADEUS. While integrating live music with theatrical plays may have been commonplace at one time-- think Beethoven's Overture and incidental music to the play EGMONT or Mendelssohn's interludes to ROMEO AND JULIET, it is a custom that has all but died of extinction in the 20th century. So the novelty of having the full BPO join forces with one of Buffalo's premier theatre companies is truly a rare theatrical opportunity.

The story of Ralphie, the boy who wants a Red Ryder Carbine Action BB Gun for Christmas took to the Shea's stage last night for a 5 day run. Based on the 1983 movie, we now have a full blown musical version of A CHRISTMAS STORY that faithfully recreates much of the classic tale.

STELLAR CAST DELVES IN DRAMA OF EQUUS Near perfection. That is what Irish Classical Theatre has achieved in their exciting new production of Peter Shaffer's EQUUS. Shaffer's poignant and often unsettling drama about a troubled teenager who commits an unspeakable act against horses can be difficult to process and to watch. The story relates how the teen is committed to a mental hospital in order to ascertain what demons lie in his psyche. The psychiatrist Martin Dysart is given the near impossible job of treating him. Director David Oliver has assembled such a fine cast that inarguably I would not consider changing it in any way.

Glorious Dancing Propels AN AMERICAN IN PARIS Not since Jerome Robbins staged WEST SIDE STORY and Agnes DeMille's historic dream ballet sequences have theatre goers been presented the opportunity to experience Broadway musical story telling through dance. The boldly refreshing new Broadway touring production of AN AMERICAN IN PARIS that is playing at Shea's Buffalo Theatre shows that classical dance and jazz can blend seamlessly.

Something exciting has happened in the former Studio Arena Theatre, now known as Shea's 710 Theatre .The Shaw Festival, Canada's only Bi-National theatre company, has forged an alliance across the border with Shea's Buffalo Theatre to present one of their productions at 710 each season. Given the caliber of last night's opening of George Bernard Shaw's MRS. WARREN'S PROFESSION, Buffalo has added another gem to it's theatre community. In it's heyday Studio Arena had a national reputation of presenting cutting edge theatre with world class actors and those who still remember that era should flock back downtown to witness 710's rebirth.

From it's ominous sounding opening organ chords, Stephen Sondheim makes it clear that you are in for a macabre evening of theatre as his masterpiece SWEENEY TODD begins. What sounds almost too gruesome to be appropriate for a musical has over the years had audiences and critics alike arguing whether this is a musical comedy or opera. Since it's 1979 premiere it has been staged world wide by some of the most notable Opera companies in the world, from English National Opera to the Paris Opera and Lyric Opera of Chicago. An updated staging is happening this summer at the Glimmerglass Festival in Cooperstown, New York with noted Wagnerian bass Greer Grimsley playing the title character.

The Shaw Festival has unearthed a bit of a gem, that in lesser hands may be considered no more than a cubic zirconium. W.S. Gilbert's ENGAGED is a frothy trifle that seems perfect for a midsummer's night. This delightful piece of Victoriana theatre can best be thought of as a play with thin operetta plot (sans music). Gilbert and Sullivan are definitely the better known commodity, but Gilbert did work alone at times and his theatrical pieces are all but forgotten. In ENGAGED Gilbert again shows his adeptness at social commentary, marriage and the quest for wealth.

Ever the consummate commentator of society and gender, Oscar Wilde has never been afraid of controversy or potentially offending member of both sexes. Never has this been more evident than in his 1893 A WOMAN OF NO IMPORTANCE, which is receiving a glamorous new production at the Shaw Festival in Niagara on the Lake. 

The Shaw Festival in Niagara on the Lake has pulled out all the stops on it's glittering new production of Lewis Carroll's ALICE IN WONDERLAND. This new version adapted for the stage by director Peter Hinton incorporates newly composed music by Allen Cole. While often an asset, the music can also be a hindrance to this often mystifyingly magical production.

Buffalo's Irish Classical Theatre is doing what they so often do best- presenting a classic, like their current production of Oscar Wilde's AN IDEAL HUSBAND, with subtlety and care. Wilde is know for his comedies of manners and society, and in AN IDEAL HUSBAND we are treated to a delicate balance of marital discord and political subterfuge.

Out of a sense of homegrown spirit and pride, Nickel City Opera enlisted the 27 time ASCAP award winning composer, Persis Vehar to set a libretto to music based on the assassination of President William McKinley at the 1901 Pan American Exposition by Polish-American dissident and self proclaimed anarchist Leon Czolgosz. Commissioned by Dr. Judith Wolf and written by librettist Gabrielle Vehar, 'SHOT!' dramatizes the events before, during and after President McKinley's death providing the flavor of Buffalo in 1901 including actual songs that were written about the Pan American Exposition and its' relationship to Buffalo.

MACGRAW AND O'NEAL MASTER THE ART OF 'LOVE LETTERS' Before cell phones, texts, tweets or facebook messages there existed that lost art of writing letters. Yes, I said art. Putting words to paper in complete sentences that share emotions as well as news of the day can be exciting to write and even more thrilling to receive through the good old US Postal Service.

Three of Buffalo's esteemed arts organizations have teamed together to present what is being called THE YEATS PROJECT: TWO PLAYS BY W.B. YEATS. This non-traditional event may best be described as a piece of performance art incorporating the talents of the Irish Classical Theatre, Lehrer Dance and Torn Space Theatre. The result, while occasionally beautiful to watch, was often perplexing in it's dramatic propulsion of Yeats' two stories.

A joyous thing is happening at 710 Main Theatre. A group of irreverant puppets and some caricature humans have moved in on a street where you say what you mean and you mean what you say. This hilarious production of AVENUE Q presented MusicalFare had the attentive audience laughing at things they know they shouldn't, but it was just too funny not to.