CLEMENS CENTER FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS

by Michael Rabice - March 31, 2025

Every now and then there is a musical that is near universally loved for it score, treasured by cast recording collectors, and infamous to many,  BUT is rarely ever produced. Most were failures soon after theirs debuts. My personal desert island treasured flop  from that category is Jerry Herman's D...

by Michael Rabice - March 28, 2025

Murder, greed, blackmail, love affairs and a potential hanging are just some of the many dark subjects that form the fabric of the fabulous production of DIAL M FOR MURDER now playing at Shea's 710 Theatre. Who doesn't love a good old fashioned murder mystery? Alfred Hitchcock turned this nail biter...

by Michael Rabice - March 07, 2025

Broadway's great leading lady  Elaine Stritch once corrected herself when talking about musicals, when she was describing a Broadway show as a 'musical comedy.'  'Every musical was called a musical comedy in my day,' she quipped. Well, times have changed, and the Pultizer Prize winning musical NEXT ...

by Michael Rabice - March 05, 2025

Everything OZ continues these days. L Frank Baum would be flabbergasted to think that his 1900 novel 'THE  WONDERFUL WIZARD OF OZ' would be as popular, if not MORE popular, in 2025. The endless fascination  with the story of young Dorothy being whisked away by a twister from her home in Kansas to th...

by Michael Rabice - February 24, 2025

When worlds collide, drama ensues. And in the new play THE LOVED ONES by Erica Murray, 4 women meet under the most unusual of circumstances. Buffalo's Irish Classical Theatre is presenting the North American Premiere of this 2023 play. And as can be expected, the dark subjects of death, remorse, unw...

by Michael Rabice - February 02, 2025

What did our critic think of BRILLIANT WORKS OF ART at Bellissima Productions At Alleyway Theatre?...

by Michael Rabice - November 20, 2024

Everything old is new again. That saucy playwright William Shakespeare continues to ignite audience's imagination, with two separate shows in Buffalo this month alone. But wait, not really his own plays, but plays based on the Bard's own writing. SOMETHING ROTTEN at Musicalfare has would be competit...

by Michael Rabice - November 18, 2024

With a penchant for the cutting edge and often obscure, Road Less Traveled Productions has programmed Jen Silverman's dark comedy WITCH in it's  regional premiere. Silverman is now represented on Broadway with the 2 person show THE ROOMMATE  with the unlikely duo of Patti LuPone and Mia Farrow.  Thi...

by Michael Rabice - November 16, 2024

Something hilarious is playing out on stage of Musicalfare Theatre in their raucously funny production of SOMETHING ROTTEN. It’s a daring title that befits the silly musical that’s only purpose is to amuse....

by Michael Rabice - November 11, 2024

Witty, smart and heartbreaking. That about sums up the new musical THE FITZGERALDS OF ST. PAUL now playing as  a preview production at Buffalo's Irish Classical Theatre Company....