Stagefright	by Javier

The fabulous Christina Applegate (pictured above), who made her Broadway debut in the revival of Sweet Charity back in 2005 (and got a Tony nomination for it), will be back on network television this fall. Applegate is the star of the new sitcom Samantha Who?, which will air Mondays on Channel 7. The show also stars Jean Smart, who last appeared on Broadway in The Man Who Came to Dinner with Nathan Lane. She received a Tony nomination.

Catherine Eaton returns to Buffalo to star opposite Brian Riggs and Gerry Maher in the Irish Classical Theatre Company’s production of A Moon for the Misbegotten. Directed by Brother Augustine Towey, the play will also feature Tim Eimiller and Lawrence Rowswell. O Neill’s classic premiered on Broadway 50 years ago, in 1957. It has been revived on Broadway four times, most recently earlier this year with a cast headed by Kevin Spacey.

Road Less Traveled Productions will present the world premiere of Eric Appleton’s homeland October 26-November 18. Directed by Scott Behrend, the production will star John Joy, Dan Walker, Donnie Jean Taylor and Mary McMahon. The play was developed in the company’s New Play Workshop series.

The Amherst Players is celebrating its 60th (!) anniversary with a production of the popular musical Grease. Directed by David Hall, the production runs through this weekend at the Harlem Community Center. Jessica Rasp plays Miss Lynch.

It will be back-to-back A.R. Gurney this season, with his two most recent plays making their Buffalo premieres. The Kavinoky Theatre will present Crazy Mary November 9-December 9 (taking the place of the previously announced Heroes), and Studio Arena will present Indian Blood December 4-30. Indian Blood premiered in New York a year ago at Primary Stages; Crazy Mary premiered this past June at Playwrights Horizons. By the way, Gurney’s classic The Dining Room is currently being revived in New York to coincide with its 25th anniversary.

The newly formed American Repertory Theater of WNY (Matthew LaChiusa, Artistic Director) will have a “friendraiser” this Friday, Curtain Up! night at the Town Ballroom beginning at 6:30pm. The event will feature music by Caribbean Extravaganza, Ballroom Buzzards and Dick Whiskey, and a performance of LaChiusa’s play Superhero Blues. Check out the company’s Web site at www.artofwny.org.

Yet another new theater company will be joining the local theater scene. Lori and Terence McDonald’s Playhouse of American Classics will be in residence at the Historical Society and will present three productions this upcoming season. The company’s productions will be performed as “chamber theatre, which are highly rehearsed, minimally designed staged readings.” The season kicks off November 9-11 with Why Marry?, a play by Jesse Lynch Williams, which was the first play to win the Pulitzer Prize (1918).

The Theatre Plus 2007-08 season begins October 4 with Real Women Have Curves, the play by Josefina Lopez, directed by Victoria Perez. The season will also include Plus and Beyond, an eclectic evening of short works; The Angelina Project by Buffalo playwright Frank Canino; and Play-Rites of Spring, featuring staged readings of new plays by women.

Jeffry Denman will be back in New York this fall, starring in and choreographing the new musical Yank!, which will be presented by the Gallery Players October 20-November 4. Denman will also be performing at the jazz club Birdland on October 8 as part of the popular Broadway at Birdland series. His last appearance at the club back in February was sold out.

Due to scheduling conflicts, Christine Baranski had to withdraw from the upcoming New York production of Antony and Cleopatra, which was going to be presented by Theatre for a New Audience. The show will still go on and the company is looking for another Cleopatra. Baranski will be seen in the movie version of Mamma Mia!, which will be released in July 2008.