Artvoice: Buffalo's #1 Newsweekly
Home Blogs Web Features Calendar Listings Artvoice TV Real Estate Classifieds Contact
Previous story: A Wrinkle in Time
Next story: The Deep Blue Sea

Stagefright

American Idol alum Constantine Maroulis (pictured left) will star in the dual title role of Dr. Henry Jekyll and Edward Hyde in the touring production of the musical Jekyll and Hyde, which will play Shea’s October 30-November 4. After the 25-week national tour, the production will open on Broadway in April 2013 for a limited engagement. Singer/songwriter Deborah Cox is also set to star in the production, which kicks off the tour on October 2 in San Diego. Maroulis made his Broadway debut in Rock of Ages and earned a Tony nomination for his performance. He recently starred at the Alley Theater in Houston in the musical The Toxic Avenger ,which might also be heading to Broadway. And, next month, he will be part of a reading of the new musical Lost in Love, based on the music of Air Supply.

In March 2013, Theater Jugend will present the area premiere of Cannibal! The Musical by Trey Parker, one of the co-creators of the musical The Book of Mormon and TV’s South Park. Directed by Drew McCabe, the production is slated to star Jacob Albarella, Nick Lama, Dan Morris, Jenny Kulwicki, Bryan Patrick Stoyle, and Matt Kindly.

Coming up next at the Alleyway, the area premiere of Justin Tanner’s Voice Lessons, a comedy about a deluded community theater actress. Directed by Neal Radice, the production will star Joyce Stilson, Darryl Hart, and Kim Piazza. Voice Lessons will run April 5-21.

Alfred Uhry’s Pulitzer Prize-winning play Driving Miss Daisy returns to Buffalo May 3-27 at the Jewish Repertory Theatre. Directed by Saul Elkin, the production will star Sheila McCarthy, Laverne Clay, and Stan Klimecko. A critical and financial success when the play first opened off-Broadway in 1987, Miss Daisy finally made it to Broadway in 2010 with Vanessa Redgrave and James Earl Jones.

Christopher Standart will play Mr. Applegate and Kaylee Jakubowski will play Lola in the classic Broadway musical Damn Yankees, to be presented at the Lancaster Opera House, June 1-16, under the direction of David Bondrow. Also in the cast: Katy Miner, Tom Doyle, Marc-Jon Filippone, Jay Desiderio, and Michele Sprada.

On Tuesday, April 3, 4:30-5:30pm, the Coalition of Arts Providers for Children will present The Arts in Conversation: A Discussion with Sean Ryan. New York State Assemblyman Ryan will be interviewed by AV theater editor Anthony Chase about his commitment to the importance of the arts in children’s lives. The event will take place at JP Bullfeathers (1010 Elmwood Avenue).

Up next for Kaleidoscope Theatre Productions, Maltby and Shire’s musical Baby, about the reactions of three very different couples expecting a baby. Directed by Lisa Ludwig, the show will star Greg and Mary Gjurich, Bobby Cooke and Beth Gerardi-Wharton, and Jake Albarella and Amy Jakiel. This will be the sixth time for the Gjurichs to appear in Baby. The first time they played Danny and Lizzie, two university students who just moved together. This time, they will play Alan and Arlene, a couple with three grown daughters. Baby opened on Broadway in 1983. It was first produced in Buffalo shortly after by Mary Kate O’Connell. The show’s composer, David Shire, a native Buffalonian, attended one of the performances.

Buffalo actor Jack Hunter (pictured above right in character) plays the title role in the short film Tarantula Moonrocket, about a middle-aged metal rock star whose career has seen better days. Directed by Ross Cohen, the film will be screened in the upcoming sixth annual Buffalo Niagara Film Festival. It is scheduled to be shown on April 14 at 3pm as part of the Shorts “B” 2012 lineup, at the Market Arcade. For information about the festival, go to www.thebnff.com. Before leaving for California five years ago, Hunter appeared with almost every theater company in Buffalo. We miss him!