WBFO Arts & Culture Beat

Anthony enjoyed the play ARSENIC AND OLD LACE at Lancaster Opera House, the first professional production in our area in 20 years. Both Anthony and Peter took in the free reading produced by Second Generation Theater of the one-act play PURE GLITTER by Douglas Lyons (whose play CHICKEN&BISCUITS premiered on Broadway in 2021). Peter enjoyed last week's production of Henrik Ibsen's A DOLL'S HOUSE at Niagara University, and Anthony notes how his Gen Z students at Buff State are really embracing the plays of Ibsen. Yet to see for both is THE SHAWSHANK REDEMPTION, an ambitious project which opens this weekend at Desiderio's Dinner Theatre.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 weekend on Theater Talk in an extended online episode, Anthony recalls a recent trip to see Veanne Cox in Mel Brooks' YOUNG FRANKENSTEIN at Rochester's GEVA Theatre, Peter recalls a first-rate production of Mozart's opera THE MARRIAGE OF FIGARO, we note the untimely passing of Broadway's Gavin Creen, and chat with Lisette DeJesus about BIPOC issues in the theater. 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.

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 weekend on Theater Talk, Anthony and Peter talk about last weekend's Curtain Up! and mention the plays TEA PARTY, DRACULA, THE AFRICAN COMPANY PRESENTS RICHARD III, and NEWSIES. 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.

Anthony gets his star on The Plaza of the Stars and 9/9/2024 is declared "Anthony Chase Day" in the City of Buffalo. Anthony and Peter attended THE PROM at MusicalFare and MONSTERS OF THE AMERICAN CINEMA (BUA at the Compass Performing Arts Factory), both very enjoyable. Curtain Up! is tonight. 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 two shows with strong LGBTQ content: THE PROM at MusicaFare which opened on 9/4, and MONSTERS OF THE AMERICAN CINEMA, a two-hander from BUA at the Compass Performing Art Space (545 Elmwood) which opens tonight. Niagara on the Lake Ontario's Shaw Festival continues well into the fall, with many of their popular plays at the Festival including SHERLOCK HOLMES AND THE MYSTERY OF THE HUMAN HEART and a completely wonderful play at the Jackie Maxwell Studio theater called THE HOUSE THAT WILL NOT STAND about a well-to-do black family in New Orleans facing the threat that once Louisiana is part of the U.S., then slavery will be legal.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.

Niagara on the Lake Ontario's Shaw Festival continues well into the fall, with My Fair Lady and also Christmas Carol running through December 22! Buffalo's season starts next week with THE PROM on 9/4, then MONSTERS OF THE AMERICAN CINEMA, and WIPEOUT on 9/6. Anthony talks about his class in script analysis and having fun with AI. 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 Peter's trip to the Shaw Festival to see THE ORPHAN OF CHAO and Kimberly Rampersad's vision of "The Cotton Club" at the Spiegeltent Many shows are near capacity at the three main theaters (Festival, Royal George, and Jackie Maxwell Studio). Anthony is very excited to report that Charo, the Spanish singer-comedian-guitarist-entertainer is coming to The Riviera Theater. He saw OH, MARY! a drag presentation of Mary Todd Lincoln on Broadway that is selling out daily and bringing in a million dollars a week. 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 their trip to the Shaw Festival in Niagara-on-the-Lake Ontario to see George Bernard Shaw's CANDIDA. Many shows are near capacity at the three main theaters (Festival, Royal George, and Jackie Maxwell Studio) plus shows such as THE COTTON CLUB and THE SHAW VARIETY SHOW in their "Spiegeltent." There's a play by Kate Hamill at the Chautauqua Institution's Bratton Theater up through early next week; Shakespeare in Delaware Park's THE COMEDY OF ERRORS wraps up on Sunday. And, Buffalo's "First Lady of Cabaret" Kerrykate Abel Smith stars as Mae West, one night only, in Lily Dale (a favorite haunt of Ms. West). For listings, please scroll down. 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 Anthony's upcoming induction (9/9 at 5:30) into The Plaza of the Stars (Main and Tupper) to be presented by Stephen McKinley Henderson. Three venues will open a week before 9/13 Curtain Up! MONSTERS OF THE AMERICAN CINEMA (B.U.A. at Compass P.A.C.); THE PROM at MusicalFare, and WIPEOUT at The Alleyway Theatre. 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 COMEDY OF ERRORS, which has a marvelous cast, including favorite actor Caitlin Baeumler Coleman. The Chautauqua Theatre Company wraps up Lynn Nottage's UNDINE, by one of their (and our) favorite playwrights, Pulitzer Prize-winning Lynn Nottage and MusicalFare Theatre wraps up HUNDRED DAYS as well. Desiderio's Dinner Theatre continues with DON'T DRINK THE WATER (see 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, The Stratford Festival, and Chautauqua are covered as are other relevant art forms, including ballet and opera.

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.