Navigation Theatre/ART/WNY Presents SOMETHING WICKED

The American Repertory Theater of WNY will be co-producing with Navigation Theatre Company's in presenting the second showcasing of Western New York playwrights featuring the original work SOMETHING WICKED by James A Marzo.

This deliciously fiendish story of the murderous plotting of three brothers and the botched cover-up will be presented at the Compass Performing Arts Center, 545 Elmwood Avenue, Buffalo NY. Show-dates are April 16th through May 9th, Thursday through Saturday with showtimes 8 pm, Thursday and Friday and 5 pm, Saturday. Tickets are $20 General Admission. $15 Student and Arts Industry. For information contact 716-697-0837.

The year 1825 was a momentous one for Buffalo, New York. The Erie Canal opened, connecting Lake Erie to the Hudson River, a celebration honoring the Marquis de Lafayette, hero of the American Revolution was held in Buffalo, and the city held its first and only public hanging. At least 20,000 witnesses gathered in Niagara Square to watch thee brothers-Nelson, Israel, and Isaac Thayer-hang from the same gallows. This is the basis of James Marzo's SOMETHING WICKED. Through his weaving of tight dialogue and dark humor, Marzo crafts a loose history of this macabre story how the Thayer brothers hatched a nefarious plan to murder money lender John Love in a desperate move to eliminate debt and avoid prison.

Marzo intertwined period music into his work employing the music talents of Buffalo musician, and Americana folk music researcher, Tylor Bagwell to help tell this story. With Bagwell, Marzo penned an original, "Sadie's Song", that brings the play's narrating character 'Sadie' (portrayed by Suzanne Hibbard) and Israel (portrayed by Justin Pope) together in an emotional "what could have been" moment in the play. "Combined with the music, I believe we made this piece totally unique." Said Marzo on the music and narrative ties. "If you don't have emotion in theater, you really don't have much at all, unless you are writing an all out farce, or comedy".

Overseeing the incorporation of music into this piece is Len Mendez, who takes on the helm of Musical Director. Mendez points out this is not a musical piece, "A musical is a story that is moved along by the music. If you were to watch a musical, you literally wouldn't be able to tell whats happening if you fast-forward through all the numbers; that's the point of a musical. A story that uses music can absolutely be consumed and understood without it, but it'll ultimately feel a bit flat since the purpose of the music is to set tone." On the music element incorporated into SOMETHING WICKED, Mendez continued, "The music is there to intensify the tone and bring out a desired reaction from the audience, not to give the audience more information. If you like history, music, drama, romance, thrilling and chilling excitement the SOMETHING WICKED is for you".

Along with Suzanne Hibbard and Justin Pope, Navigation Theatre Company alumni Timothy Coseglia ("Kindness of Strangers" joins Joshua Leary as the other two Thayer brothers. Additional cast members feature ART/WNY alumnus John F Kennedy, as 'Sheriff Torrey' and Patrick Caughill (portraying 'Deputy Willard') with Dylan Brozyna as the unfortunate character of 'John Love'. Navigation Theatre Company (Kindness of Strangers) and ART/WNY alumni Matthew LaChiusa directs SOMETHING WICKED.

Online tickets can be purchased by visiting Brown Paper Ticket at https://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/4510203 or to make reservations contact 716-0837 Mon-Fri 9 am to 3 pm and Saturday 10 am to 4 pm. For more please go to www.compassperformingartscenter.com

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