Stagefright	by Javier

Though not up for an Oscar this time, Anika Noni Rose (pictured above) already has a Best Featured Actress in a Musical Tony Award for her performance in Caroline or Change, which played on Broadway in 2004. Rose stars as Lorrell Robinson in the movie Dreamgirls, the part created on the Broadway stage back in 1981 by Loretta Devine (she plays a minor part in the movie). The Broadway musical received six Tony awards including best choreography for Buffalo’s own Michael Bennett (he was also nominated for direction). Ben Harney (Jamie Foxx in the movie) received a Tony for Best Actor in a Musical. Cleavant Derrick (Eddie Murphy in the movie) received a Tony for Best Featured Actor in a Musical. And Jennifer Holiday (Jennifer Hudson in the movie) received a Tony for Best Actress in a Musical. She was running against her co-star Sheryl Lee Ralph (Beyoncee Knowles in the movie).

O’Connell & Company will present the area premiere of Musical of Musicals (The Musical!), a spoof of musical theater that was a big hit off-Broadway a couple of seasons ago and just finished a successful London run. The local production will be directed by Roger Paolini, with music direction by Theresa Quinn, starring Jenn Stafford, Michael Tosha, Guy Tomassi and Pamela Rose Mangus. The show opens April 12.

Lauren Gunderson’s Embody is the winner of this year’s Eric Bentley New Play Competition, organized by the New Phoenix Theatre. The play takes as its premise Leonardo da Vinci’s brush with execution on charges of sodomy when he was 24 years old. Directed by Matt LaChiusa, the production will run March 1-17. Gunderson is based in Atlanta.

On Friday, February 16 at 7:30pm, V-Day Buffalo will present a one-night only benefit performance of Eve Ensler’s The Vagina Monologues. The event, part of a global movement to stop violence against women and girls, will take place at the Unitarian Universalist Church and will feature 32 women including two transwomen. Tickets are $15 and may be purchased by phoning 983-8335.

Up next at Studio Arena, John Steinbeck’s classic Of Mice and Men. The novel was an instant success in the 1930s and Steinbeck worked with director George Kaufman to create a stage version which premiered on Broadway in 1937. The Studio production is directed by Cleveland Play House Associate Artistic Director Seth Gordon.

Studio Arena and Musicalfare are collaborating to bring to the Studio stage one of the most popular recent off-Broadway musicals, Bat Boy: The Musical. The musical was awarded best Off-Broadway musical by both the Lucille Lortel Award and the Outer Critics Circle Award in 2001.

There is some talk that Ruben Santiago Hudson’s Lackwanna Blues, which he adapted for HBO films, may return to the network as a regular series. The play, originally a one-man piece, opened at the Public Theatre in New York in 2001 and was subsequently played all over the country. The play was never seen in Buffalo.

The Wake (a party to die for), the much anticipated annual fund raiser for the Irish Classical Theatre Company, will take place on Friday, March 16, 6-9pm. at the Town Ballroom.

Shakespeare in Delaware Park’s 13th Annual Fabulous Feast will be held on Saturday, March 31, 6-10pm at the Connecticut Street Armory. As usual, there will be a multi-course Elizabethan-style banquet, theatrical entertainment, music, dancing and the Royal Auction with guest auctioneer Mike Randall.

The world renowned Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater troupe will perform at Shea’s on February 13 & 14 at 7pm. Acclaimed dancer Renee Robinson, who just celebrated 25 years with the company, will be performing both nights.

UB alum Maia Evwaraye-Griffin (Miss Buffalo 2003) and Buffalo State alum Richard Ruiz will be coming back to Buffalo next week as part of the national tour of Sweet Charity which plays Shea’s February 6-11. While at UB, Maia was involved with the Zodiaque Dance Company. Richie made his professional debut in 1995, in the BUA production of Jeffrey. He is currently nominated for South Florida’s Carbonell Award for his performance in Guys and Dolls, which took place last winter at Maltz Jupiter Theater. He received a nomination for Philadelphia’s Barrymore award last year. By the way, Buffalo’s Eric Alsford is also nominated for musical direction for The Full Monty.