> by JAVIER

Broadway and TV star Cheyenne Jackson (pictured above) will be appearing with the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra on Saturday September 26th at 8 p.m. in Music of the Mad Men Era, a concert he performed to a sold out house at Carnegie Hall in 2011. The show features music of the late 1950s and 60s. Now 40 years old, Jackson originated the role of Matthew in the popular musical Altar Boyz back in 2004. He made his Broadway debut in 2005 in the musical All Shook Up and has also starred in Xanadu, Finian’s Rainbow, and most recently in the comedy The Performers in which he played a porn star. On TV, he’s been featured on 30 Rock and Glee.

The Best of Broadway, the Give For Greatness benefit concert will be presented at Kleinhans on Sunday, September 20th at 7 p.m. Hosted by Randall Kramer, the show will feature guest vocalists Kevin Kennedy, Tom Owen, Debbie Pappas, and Michele Marie Roberts. Doors open at 6 p.m. Admission is a voluntary contribution (suggested donation is $20), general seating.

Most theater companies will have kicked off their seasons by the end of this week, Curtain Up! weekend, but a few will do so later in the fall. Theatre of Youth brings back the very popular The Legend of Sleepy Hollow (Ocotber 9-25), directed by Meg Quinn, starring Kyle Baran, Linda Stein, Jacob Albarella, Larry Smith, Reed Bentley, Priscilla Young Anker, Gerry Maher, and Marissa Biondolillo. The Jewish Repertory Theatre of WNY will present Aaron Posner’s My Name is Asher Lev (October 22-November 15), a play adapted from the novel by Chaim Potok. Directed by Saul Elkin, the production will star Adam Yellen, Josie Divincenzo, and Tom Zindle. Adena Potok, wife of the late Potok will be attending opening night. Torn Space Theater brings us Nora (November 12– December 6), Ingmar Bergman’s adaptation of Ibsen’s A Doll House, directed by Robert Waterhouse, starring Bonnie Jean Taylor, Kristen Bentley, David Hayes, PJ Tighe, and Geoff Pictor.

The Brazen-Faced Varlets will present The Last Reading of Charlotte Cushman, a play by Carolyn Gage, directed by Lara D. Haberberger, starring Heather Fangsrud, The show will be performed at Rust Belt Books new location, 415 Grant Street. It runs October 3-18, Saturdays and Sundays at 2 p.m.

Road Less Traveled Emanuel Fried New Play Workshop readings begin on Monday September 28th at 7 p.m. with James Marzo’s The Metro North; or, Fantasy, Imagination, and Machinations. Directed by Jon Elston, the reading will star Dave Lundy, Bonnie Jean Taylor, Dave Hayes, Mary McMahon, Pat Moltane, Greg Natale, Joyce Stilson, Arlynn Knauff, and Lucas Lloyd. The reading will take place at the company’s brand new space on 500 Pearl St.

Matilda, The Musical is still going strong on Broadway. The show played its 1,000 performance on September 2nd. The touring production of the show will play Shea’s November 3-8. In the meantime Newsies, the musical based on the popular 1992 Disney movie, kicks off the M&T 2015-16 Broadway Series on September 29th. Newsies won 2012 Tony Awards for Best Choreography and Best Score. Harvey Fierstein, the book writer, also received a Tony nomination. He was also nominated the following year for his book for Kinky Boots.

In another movie to musical adaptation, Amelie, based on the 2001 Oscar-nominated film, opened last week at the Berkeley Repertory Theatre in California. The production was directed by Buffalo’s Pam MacKinnon who is heading back to Broadway to direct David Mamet’s new play China Doll.

No better way to celebrate National Hispanic Heritage Month (September 15 – October 15) than by going to see In the Heights, the musical now playing at Musicalfare. Written by Lin-Manuel Miranda and Quiara Alegría Hudes (both pictured below), the show opened on Broadway in 2008 and was nominated for thirteen Tony Awards, winning four, including Best Musical and Best Score. It was also nominated for a Pulitzer Prize. Full of Latin flavor and rhythm, the Musicalfare/Raices Theatre Company production runs through October 11th. Sabor!