Tonight marks the beginning of the 23rd annual Curtain Up! which kicks off Buffalo's theater season with performances at 14 different theaters, dinner at Shea's and live entertainment on Main Street in downtown Buffalo.
Sponsored by the Theater District Association of Western New York and M&T Bank, Curtain Up! Brings together arts organizations, theaters and dedicated audiences to celebrate Buffalo's theater community.
This year's event commences with a 5:30 p.m. cocktail reception at Shea's Performing Arts Center followed by a black-tie gala dinner. Theater performances will begin at 8:30 p.m. and the free street party downtown starts at approximately 10:30 p.m.
The Alleyway Theater and Buffalo Ensemble Theater are premiering "A Symphony Down In My Soul," an original production celebrating the power of black Americans over the past 200 years through poetry and song.
Joyce Carolyn and Annette Daniels Taylor are the two actresses in this production.
"There have been spontaneous standing ovations. People are just loving this play," says Joyce Stilson, director of public relations for Alleyway Theater. Tickets for "A Symphony Down In My Soul" cost $30.
The world premiere of "Hail Mary!," a comedy directed by Pamela Hunt, can be seen at Studio Arena, but tickets are more expensive for this one, costing $43 to $57. This production is sold out for tonight, but will continue to run through Oct. 10.
Buffalo playwright Tom Dudzick, known for the popular "Over the Tavern" trilogy, is the author of "Hail Mary!," the story of a young woman who jeopardizes her career as a nun while teaching her unconventional ideas about God and religion.
Laurel Case, director of public relations, says that Dudzick is a Buffalo favorite who has put on four other plays at Studio Arena and developed quite a following in this area.
She also emphasized the positive feedback "Hail Mary!" has received so far.
"The audience loves it, they're laughing and screaming," she said.
The Lancaster Opera House will be presenting Dudzick's "Over the Tavern" as well. For those unfamiliar with Dudzick's work, this play is a comedy about the Pazinski family, and growing up Catholic in '50s Buffalo.
The Kavinoky Theater is running "Anything Goes," one of the most classic musicals in American theater. The play is full of popular Cole Porter songs like "I Get A Kick Out Of You" and "It's DeLovely."
"We have a sparkling cast of Buffalo's best professionals and a terrific band from the Buffalo Musician's Union," said Steve Cooper, the managing director. The dynamic trio of director John Fredo, musical director Michael Hake and choreographer Kathy Weese heads this production, which offers student tickets at $10.
"We're receiving amazing comments from our patrons, who say that this is better than Shaw," referring to the production received at the esteemed Shaw Festival in Niagara-on-the-Lake this summer. "Anything Goes" runs through Oct. 17.
"Boston Marriage," directed by Kevin McHugh and Josephine Hogan, is being shown at the Irish Classical Theater Company. Fans of Victorian-era writer Oscar Wilde may enjoy this clever comedy by David Mamet about two upper-class women, Anna and Claire. Hilarity ensues when Anna finds a married lover to help support her and Claire becomes infatuated with a respectable younger woman.
This is the first Mamet play the Irish Classical Theater has produced. Mamet is usually known for his analysis of the male psyche and harsh, vulgar presentations. The production is sold out tonight but will continue to run until Oct. 10.
Associate artistic director Fortunato Pezzimenti refers to this play as Mamet's "point of departure" from his previous works. Pezzimenti adds that Mamet's "caustic, tart, witty dialogue" serves to both highlight the pressures women face living in this era and also to create a funny incongruity between the Victorian women with contemporary attitudes.
On the dance scene, the Flickinger Performing Arts Center will debut "An Evening of Dances," in tribute to Anna Sokolow, the choreographer who composed dances for over 60 years before passing away in 2000.
