Jeffrey DeMunn

Buffalo’s Jeffrey DeMunn just finished playing Willy Loman in Miller’s classic Death of a Salesman at the Old Globe in San Diego. DeMunn is currently in the the new zombie apocalypse TV series The Walking Dead. One of the biggest hits on the AMC channel, the first complete season was released on DVD earlier this month. DeMunn, who will turn 64 next month, last appeared on the New York stage in the 2005 Public Theater production of The Last Days Of Judas Iscariot, which also starred Buffalo’s Steve Henderson. Road Less Traveled Productions (RLTP) will present the Buffalo premiere of that play on April 22.

Speaking of RLTP, the company will conclude its A. R. Gurney three-year retrospective next season with his memory play Ancestral Voices. Gurney will be in attendance at the company’s 2012 annual spring gala. The season will kick off with the world premiere of Shaun McLaughlin’s Internal Continuity, starring Bob Grabowski and Matt Witten. Darryl Schneider’s Clean Break will have its world premiere in March, directed by Derek Campbell and starring John Fredo. In January, Vincent O’Neill will appear in Conor McPherson’s one-man show St.Nicholas. The season will also include Tracy Letts’ latest Broadway offering, Superior Donuts. His previous play was the much celebrated August: Osage County.

The New Phoenix will conclude its season with a new musical written by Richard Lambert with original score by Steve Borowski. Directed by Drew McCabe, the production will star Wendy Hall, Mary Moebius, Marshall Maxwell, Carmen Swans, Crescenzo Scipione, and Kathlene Ashwill on cello. The production will run May 5-28. Next season, the company will open with Sarah Ruhl’s brilliant play In the Next Room, or the Vibrator Play, which was on Broadway last year. Kelli Bocock Natale will also be busy at the Phoenix, directing Peter Pan for the holidays and starring in Come Back, Little Sheba.

On Sunday, April 10, 11am-1pm, the Jewish Repertory Theatre will have a panel forum and discussion exploring the issues raised in the play Lebensraum. The event, which is free and open to the public, will take place at the Jewish Community Center on Delaware Avenue. For reservations call 688-4114 x334. Lebensraum opens on May 5 at the Alleyway Theater. Directed by Saul Elkin, the production will star Megan Callahan, Tim Newell, and Nathan Winkelstein.

Carmen Ruby Floyd

Mary Kate O’Connell’s real-life nephew, nine-year-old Patrick Cooke, will play young Patrick Dennis to her Auntie Mame in the upcoming production of the musical Mame presented by O’Connell & Company and Playhouse of American Classics. Directed by Terence McDonald, the show will also star Pamela Rose Mangus (Vera Charles), Mark Burgasser (Beauregard), Jennifer Fitzery (Agnes Gooch), Matthew Mooney (older Patrick), and Joe Bucheker (Ito), who is also choreographing. Mame will run May 12-June 5 at ECC North.

Brazen-Faced Varlets return with The Libation Bearers: Electra: Screw You Mom!, a new play written for them by Michael O’Donohoe. This “re-imagination” of the classic Greek tragedy is being directed by Lara Haberberger and stars Kelly M. Beuth, Heather Fangsrud, Jane Cudmore, Theresa DiMuro Wilber, and Amy Wrzos. The show will play Thursdays through Saturdays, April 7-23 at Rust Belt Books.

Niagara University alum Carmen Ruby Floyd starred in the new William Finn/James Lapine musical Little Miss Sunshine. Based on the Academy Award winning film, the musical had its world premiere at the LaJolla Playhouse last month. It will probably hit Broadway next season.