Category: PostEvents

Keri Thomas-Whiteside is the new owner of Westside Stories secondhand book shop, a name familiar to book lovers in Buffalo since it has been an anchor to a revived Grant Street on the city’s West Side since 2011. The store changed hands – and locations — in the last few years and Thomas-Whiteside is the third owner of the store. It has a new location at 398 Grant Street and new energy as Thomas-Whiteside brings her passion as a former librarian to the challenge of putting her own stamp on the shop, reaffirming the store’s place in the neighborhood and, of course, selling books to Buffalo’s many book lovers. Here’s what she had to say about her own West Side story.   

Keri Thomas-Whiteside, owner of Westside Stories

Visit Buffalo Niagara: What inspired you to purchase Westside Stories? 

Keri Thomas-Whiteside: We are lucky to be neighbors of the store’s original owners, Joe and Jeanenne Petri, so we saw the store come into being. It was a special part of the neighborhood, and we were frequent visitors. When the store closed and sold during Covid, it hit everyone pretty hard. I happened to see the Facebook post that the store was for sale again, I sent a text just to see what it would involve. Everything after that just happened pretty quickly and we had a bookstore! 

VBN: Are you an avid reader or book collector who visits bookstores whenever you travel? 

KTW: My husband, Bob, is the avid reader in the house. He usually has multiple books going at the same time. I’m the person that has the large pile to get through and is still adding to it. I was a librarian until I left to start this journey, so I always made a point to visit libraries when we traveled. If we saw a bookstore, we would pop in though I’m sure that will now be our priority.  

VBN: Do you have a favorite bookstore? Does it serve as inspiration for how you hope to attract customers to Westside Stories? 

KTW: My favorite all-time is the late, lamented The Village Green on Elmwood (showing my age on that one!). It was just the first one I really connected with as a customer since I grew up going to ones in the mall. I’ve had some others I’ve enjoyed through the years Symposium Books and Books on the Square in Providence, RI were visited a lot when we lived there. We also have been customers of Rust Belt Books since the Allen Street days. Talking Leaves is my new book spot.  

Of course, we were big fans of the original Westside Stories, and that store is probably the largest inspiration. I want people to have that same feeling they had when it was down the street. Joe created a great community around the store and I’m hoping to carry that on. 

VBN: There’s a lot of competition from online booksellers today; why should book lovers buy their books from stores like Westside Stories? 

KTW: I think people should buy from myself or another local bookstore because we’re a part of the community. Our customers aren’t just numbers and dollars, they are our neighbors, and we try to do right by them. We’re also usually trying to help other local groups, artists, crafters, and businesses succeed as well. 

VBN: Does Westside Stories have an area that it specializes in or non-book items it sells? 

KTW: We don’t have a specialty. The motto I came up with for the store is “Interesting books for curious readers of all ages”. The librarian in me wants everyone to find a little something though that doesn’t mean I will carry just anything. I try to carry a diverse collection of authors in all genres and subjects. It’s important to me that lesser-known voices are heard. 

VBN: How do you feel about being a part of the Grant Street neighborhood? 

KTW: I’ve lived in the neighborhood for almost 15 years. We were really seeing a lot of momentum in the neighborhood with new businesses, especially immigrant and refugee owned businesses, and then Covid hit. The losses were hard to overcome, and we had many closures. I think losing Sweet_ness 7 and the community built around it is still hard. Then West Side Bazaar had the fire and that was devastating. I’m hoping that things can start to bounce back, and I hope to be a part of that future for the neighborhood. There is a strong sense of community here and people looking out for each other. 

VBN: Do you feel like you are a part of a larger literary community in Buffalo given that there are a number of bookstores and events like Babel? 

KTW: I don’t feel a part of that yet, but that’s just because we are so new and might just be getting on the radar for people. The bookseller community in Buffalo is very supportive and have been incredibly helpful as I’ve started on this journey, especially Meg from Alice, Ever After who is probably our biggest cheerleader and champion. I think as we grow and get more well-known, those connections will probably start to fall into place. 

VBN: Favorite book? 

KTW: Ugh, I don’t have one! But I loved Encyclopedia Brown growing up. Some that I’ve loved are: “The Year of Magical Thinking” by Joan Didion, “Confessions of a Mask” by Yukio Mishima, and “Hyperbole and a Half” by Allie Brosh are the ones coming to mind right now. I read all over the place! 

VBN: Favorite author? 

KTW: A few: Joan Didion, Samantha Irby, Karen Russell, and Roxane Gay are at the top right now. 

VBN: What’s on your nightstand being read or waiting to be read? 

KTW: I have a few cookbooks I’ve been meaning to go through. A good cookbook should have a good narrative, as well as a bunch of good recipes. We have our first book club on April 4th with Progressive Book Club 716, so I need to read that book “Homegoing” by Yaa Gyasi.  

Westside Stories Used Books
398 Grant St, Buffalo, NY
westsidestoriesbuffalo.com

The post The Next Chapter of Westside Stories Bookstore appeared first on Visit Buffalo Niagara.

For nearly 20 years, Buffalo’s Town Ballroom has earned its rep as one of downtown’s most significant live music spots.  

Since 2005, the locale has hosted some of the city’s most legendary sets, with up-and-comers and established performers taking its stage with the same ferocity. Solo artists and bands have been embraced by its intimacy; EDM technicians have turned its tiered seating into dance floors; and Canadian legends have crossed the Peace Bridge to please cross-border legions within a home away from home.  

But to truly understand the mystical significance of the Ballroom, one needs to hear the words of Rock n’ Roll Hall of Famer Patti Smith, who during a tour of the building with now-owner Donny Kutzbach, simply remarked, “There’s a lot of spirits in here.”  

“She’s an awe-inspiring person, but you meet her and she’s so down to earth and kind,” says Kutzbach. “But she’s also very spiritually attuned.”  

Town Casino circa 1954 / Photo acquired the Buffalo History Museum archive

This may have allowed Smith to feel the ghosts still lurking in the walls of Buffalo’s former Town Casino. Built at the same address as the Prohibition-era nightclub Town Barn (which burned in a fire—and likely left behind a few ghosts of its own), the iconic establishment opened in 1945, and was the swanky jewel in the crown of the Queen City. With its nightly allotment of dancing showgirls, formally dressed dinner guests, and nefarious characters sipping sidecars in its clandestine basement bar, the self-described “most luxurious theatre-restaurant in America” had enough panache to illuminate the city’s entire Theatre District. And for three decades—through wars, a baby boom, and a transition to less elegant attire—the club endured as a must-visit staple of downtown Buffalo nightlife.   

However, despite these intriguing details, none of them made the Town Casino a place to be lionized, revered, then eventually resurrected as Town Ballroom—but its years of live music did. Featuring the likes of Miles Davis, Frank Sinatra, and more until shuttering in the 1960s, the Town put on multiple shows a night, and gave Buffalo locals a veritable smorgasbord of legendary recording talent to celebrate on a regular basis.  

Recovering this musical splendor—and honoring it with every song, show, and guitar solo—motivated the space’s purchase in 2004. After taking a detour from its original grandeur via use by Studio Arena and the University at Buffalo, then remodeled into the Sphere Entertainment Complex, local music promoters Kutzbach and Artie Kwitchoff (along with partner John Peters of Mass Concerts in Massachusetts) took over, committed to return the venue to its rightful place at the center of the city’s music scene.  

The multi-leveled auditorium of Town Ballroom / Photo by Space Jesus (Facebook)

“We were very drawn to the location because of the history,” says Kutzbach. “Artie’s mom told us about seeing Nat King Cole here. My dad saw the garage band legends The Kingsmen sing ‘Louie Louie’ on our stage.”  

The new ownership team had the bona fides to do it, with Kwitchoff as the former manager of the locally bred Goo Goo Dolls, Kutzbach the former music editor of Buffalo’s Artvoice, and the pair’s collective work with Clear Channel Entertainment (now Live Nation). But through the duo’s collaboration on Kwitchoff’s Funtime Presents, the two had handled booking and promoting club shows throughout Buffalo, Southern Ontario and beyond, giving each ample experience and industry know-how to make their to-be-christened Town Ballroom the music venue Buffalo needed—and deserved.  

“We had seen the potential from the shows we had under our belt during the Sphere era,” says Kutzbach. “The Theatre District was a lot quieter when we got there, but now we have traffic on Main Street and a lot of other [nearby] businesses thriving. I hope we had a little something to do with that.”  

Over nearly two decades, they’ve certainly livened the district, cultivating a 1,200-capacity performance space that’s hosted everyone from the Wu-Tang Clan to Kasey Musgraves. After mingling inside’s the club’s front barroom, guests will find multiple levels surrounding the stage in a semi-circle configuration, providing a club layout that’s conducive to fans who want to be spaced apart or shoulder to shoulder with fellow concertgoers. Its sound capabilities continue to accommodate both acoustic and bombastic collectives with the same clarity; and if attendees look to the Ballroom’s upper reaches, they’ll find the building’s original artistically designed trusses, bracing the same roof that once held the echoes of Dizzy Gillespie’s trumpet and Les Paul’s guitar. 

Oxford Pennant Stage / Photo by Town Ballroom

Optichromie mural by Felipe Pantone

In recent years, the club has added the Oxford Pennant Stage, sponsored by Ballroom’s camp flag-making neighbors, and set within its barroom to host up-and-coming local acts. Outside, they’ve dramatically updated their exterior appearance, first with a new Main Street marquee to memorialize The Tragically Hip’s legendary two-night 2007 performance; and second with a hypnotic mural (entitled “Optichromie”) by visual artist Felipe Pantone adorning its rear, load-in entrance.  

Not to be outdone by its backdoor artwork, depictions of Snoop Dogg and Patti Smith by noted caricature artist, Phillip Burke now flank the front entrance. Both have performed within the Ballroom expanse, but it’s the latter who Kutzbach refers to as the club’s “patron saint.” Her observations long ago provided a callback to the cacophonous specters of the past, how palpable they remain today, and how the Ballroom’s current stewards are the perfect team to carry them—and the music—to current and future generations of Buffalo area music fans.  

“Patti Smith saw it,” says Kutzbach. “I guess we were destined to be here because the spirits of 681 Main wanted us.” 

Town Ballroom
681 Main St, Buffalo, NY
townballroom.com

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THE BASICS:  BUFFALO WRITERS’ THEATER ANNUAL SHORT PLAY SHOWCASE on the theme “Get in the car!” directed by Matt Boyle, Mariangela Mercurio, Neal Radice, and Jane Cudmore features ten 10-minute plays by Matt Boyle, Madison Sedlor, Neal Radice, Jennifer Tromble, J. Snodgrass, Karen McDonald, Allison Fradkin, Michael Fanelli, Tim Joyce, and Jenn Dlugos & Charlie Hatton. 3 shows only: Friday – Saturday, May 19 – 20 at 7:30, and Sunday, May 21 at 2:00 at the American Repertory Theater 545 Elmwood Avenue, Buffalo.

RUNTIME: A little under 2 hours with one intermission.

THUMBNAIL SKETCH:  Following up on a successful reading of these plays at the Central Library in January of this year, now it’s time for staged performances of all ten 10-minute plays, each of them inspired by the phrase “Get in the car!” Many are funny; some deal with serious issues.  

THE PLAYERS, THE PLAY, AND THE PRODUCTION:

Short play festivals are always full of energy as the casts change up and if one play isn’t to your taste, you just have to wait ten minutes until another one comes along.  I had seen these plays at the workshop reading in January at the Central Library and was impressed.  I’m even more impressed now.  I got a particular kick out of the music used before, after, and at intermission, (mostly) songs with cars in their stories such as the Cadillac in Chuck Berry’s “Maybelline,” Tracy Chapman’s “Fast Car,” and Steve Miller’s “Take the Money and Run.”

Here are the plays, in order presented:

THE GET IN THE CAR PLAY FOR THE GET IN THE CAR SHORT PLAY FESTIVAL, a comedy by Matt Boyle, directed by Matt Boyle, featuring Jason Gonser with Steven Maiseke. 

A play within a play with the actors becoming self-aware that they are in a play.  Very meta and maybe a little cerebral.

PASTORAL EMERGENCY, a “dramedy” by j. Snodgrass, directed by Neal Radice, featuring Sandra Roberts and Bill Lovern.

It’s Easter and a pastor is pulled over for a possible DUI by one of his younger parishioners.  As he reminds her of being at her confirmation and other good times of the past, she has to remind him that drinking and driving is serious.  He reminds her of some serious aspects of her past, but she ju-jitsus his arguments.  When he says “Judge not, lest ye be judged,” she tells him “That’s not how traffic court works.”  The play builds up to a very poignant moment which makes it a “dramedy” and not only a comedy.  Very cleverly written with a nice flow and pacing.

GOTCHA! a comedy by Jennifer Tromble, directed by Matt Boyle, featuring Stephanie Bax, Jason Gonser, and Danielle Burning. 

A stranded young woman and a couple who are helping her get gas for her car is the setup. But is she really stranded?  Are they really being helpful?  During the drive they each mess with each other’s heads big time.  The play has a solid yin-yang back-and-forth pacing that is very satisfying.  Nice!

GET IN THE CAR, a one-woman drama by Neal Radice, directed by Neal Radice, featuring Sandra Roberts.  

As a woman dressed in funeral black pleads with her young son to get back in the car because they will be late, we slowly begin to understand what’s really going on.  I think the word “poignant” fits here.  Masterfully written with the image of the car as more than just transportation, evenly paced, without any false notes in the dialog.  

PHILOSOPHERS AT WAR, a comedy by Michael Fanelli, directed by Mariangela Mercurio, featuring Dan Barone, Stacy Kowal, and Jason Gonser.

As we hear “The Ride of the Valkyries” over the loudspeakers, the fate of the world hangs in the balance as a French philosopher (think Sartre) is dropped behind enemy lines to launch “a metaphysical offensive” for the Allies during World War II.  Can the power of his brilliant mind save the free world?  Like the opening play, very meta and a little cerebral.

BAR NONE by Karen McDonald, a “dramady” directed by Matt Boyle, featuring Stephanie Bax, Kate Olena, Stacie Kowal, and Matt Boyle. 

The play opens with the theme song of “Cheers” playing as we meet a recovering alcoholic falls off the wagon and needs a ride home that she refuses to take.  It’s a pretty insightful play and much more nuanced than the old “let’s laugh at the drunk” comedies.  The best comic lines are given to the bartender who just wants to close up and get home to her kids.

IT AIN’T OVER TILL THE PINK LADY SINGS! a comedy by Allison Fradkin, directed by Mariangela Mercurio, featuring Jo O’Donnell, Danielle Burning, and Clara Tan.

Love is in the air as three high school thespians (deliberately rhymes with lesbians) negotiate affairs of the heart while rehearsing Grease!  The dialog is worthy of a much older form of musical, the Gilbert and Sullivan operetta’s “patter” of incredibly fast-paced, pun-laden, wordplay, which I absolutely love.

The “matchmaker” here tells one of her shyer classmates that she needs to declare her affections, like, right now: “Why be a Pink Lady when you can be a leading lady?  Which is why you need to follow my lead before someone slightly less subtle swoops in and sweeps Winifred off her tootsies. A girl like her is cruisin’ for a schmoozin’, what with that positively peachy personality, that pair of passion pit-perfect lips. She don’t need no ciggie-butt to be smokin’ hot.”  And that’s just 20 seconds of dialog in a ten-minute play.  Many of Fradkin’s plays are about LGBTQ+ issues and she certainly loves to play with language.  Kudos to Clara Tan for delivering on that script.

TEMPLE OF THE NIMBLE WINNEBAGO a comedy by Jenn Dlugos and Charlie Hatton, directed by Jane Cudmore, featuring Justin Chortie, Jane Cudmore, and Shanda Gardner.

A sentient broke-down flying Winnebago who (that?) talks (think Sari) and a cultish, faith-healing roadside assistance mechanic, both conspire to help the lovelorn owner of said sentient broke-down Winnebago who is late for a first date with a woman he met on the internet.  Turns out that Winnebago is pretty smart in this funny well-paced play.  Favorite line? (Remember the theme of this showcase and think of the movie “The Exorcist”): “The power of Chrysler compels you!”

LONG RIDE TO WORK, a drama/tragedy by Tim Joyce, directed by Neal Radice, featuring Bill Lovern and Andrew Zuccari.

This short play could only have been written and directed by two very old hands in the theater.  Without actually naming names, it seemed pretty clear that we are in the car, driving to the Jefferson Avenue Tops, while the mind of the shooter is being poisoned by his back-seat “passenger,” a personification of society, the internet, hatred, ignorance, racism and a whole host of issues.  Kudos to the actors for taking on these two tough roles.  At the workshop readings at the library last January, this play was presented separately in an anteroom.  And here it will not be presented on Sunday afternoon.  

GETAWAY EDDIE, a rom-com by Madison Sedlor, directed by Jane Cudmore, featuring Jo O’Donnell, Steven Maiseke, and Justin Chortie. 

A cat burglar emerges with her loot to hop in the waiting getaway car.  Her friend has hot-wired it, and it’s running, but there’s a problem.  It’s a stick shift and neither of them knows how to drive it.  He doesn’t mind not actually escaping.  It gives him more time with her.  She’s incredibly angry, but how can you stay mad at such a sweet guy?  It’s the perfect final play of the evening, chock full of rom-com miscommunications.

Nice work, everyone.

Lead image: GOTCHA! L-R Danielle Burning, Stephanie Bax, Jason Gonser

*HERD OF BUFFALO (Notes on the Rating System)

ONE BUFFALO: This means trouble. A dreadful play, a highly flawed production, or both. Unless there is some really compelling reason for you to attend (i.e. you are the parent of someone who is in it), give this show a wide berth.

TWO BUFFALOS: Passable, but no great shakes. Either the production is pretty far off base, or the play itself is problematic. Unless you are the sort of person who’s happy just going to the theater, you might look around for something else.

THREE BUFFALOS: I still have my issues, but this is a pretty darn good night at the theater. If you don’t go in with huge expectations, you will probably be pleased.

FOUR BUFFALOS: Both the production and the play are of high caliber. If the genre/content are up your alley, I would make a real effort to attend.

FIVE BUFFALOS: Truly superb–a rare rating. Comedies that leave you weak with laughter, dramas that really touch the heart. Provided that this is the kind of show you like, you’d be a fool to miss it!

The post GET IN THE CAR showcases Buffalo Writers’ talent with ten terrific shorts. A short run at 545 Elmwood. appeared first on Buffalo Rising.

On Sunday, May 21, Councilmember Mitch Nowakowski and Groundwork Market Garden will be hosting the 3rd Annual Plant Sale & Giveaway Event, which was originally scheduled to be held this Saturday. Due to inclement weather, the event will be held on Sunday, from 10am-2pm. A number of community partners and vendors will be on-hand at the free, family-friendly event, to help guide community members towards becoming more self-sufficient via planting their own edible gardens.

At the giveaway, two free plants will be allocated per household, as a way for Fillmore neighborhood residents to start building the garden of their dreams. Certified organic vegetable, herb, and flower plants will also be for sale. Attendees from neighborhoods throughout the region can purchase plants, using cash, credit, or SNAP benefits.

More than ever, teaching people how to cultivate their own vegetables is of utmost importance. Not only do these plants yield produce to sustain healthier eating habits, the act of growing one’s own food is very rewarding.

“Since the tragedy that ensued on May 14th, there has been a spotlight shone on food security on the East Side,” said Mayda Pozantides, Co-founder & Farmer at Groundwork Market Garden. “For years we’ve seen the cost of food going up and how fragile our food systems can be. Building local food security means supporting area farms, and also encouraging individuals to grow their own food at home. You can buy a quart of tomatoes or a tomato plant for about the same price, but one will give you food all summer long. There is a joy and a sense of independence in growing your own food, and that’s what we want to share.”

Last year, the event brought in hundreds of people and over 2,000 vegetable plants were given away.

“With plants producing on average 6 lbs of produce, that’s 12,000 lbs of food & tens of thousands of dollars saved at the grocery store. A small seed can create a large impact,” said Anders Gunnersen, co-founder at Groundwork Market Garden.

Building on last year’s success, the event will carry out the same mission with even more community partners, vendors, and offerings.

“We want to send folks away with plants and give them the tools they need to be successful growers. Many of our partners will be offering free information and resources about soil safety, pest and disease management, plus recipes and tips for harvest and storage. It’s about setting people up for success,” said Pozantides.

The event will host a number of partners such Field and Fork Network, who will be signing folks up for Double Up Food Bucks, a NYS program that matches SNAP benefits dollar for dollar on purchases of fresh fruit and veggies. There will be kids’ activities, food, music and more. A full list of partners can be found on the event FB page.

For more information on Groundwork Market Garden, contact groundworkmg@gmail.com or visit accounts on Facebook, Instagram, and their website.

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Each year, people around the world gather together for an annual celebration of drone, community, and experimental sounds! I’m talking about Drone Day, a celebrated worldwide event that is gaining in popularity. This year, the event is being held on Saturday, May 27, 2023.

Now, when discussing the word “drone,” in this case we are talking about it in a sound capacity, not a flying capacity. When asked, “Why do we drone?,” the answer is quite simply, “To awaken tiny vibrations in our skin and between all our bones.”

It was Marie LeBlanc Flanagan of Weird Canada that first came up with the concept of Drone Day – an international day for the celebration of experimental drone music and communities.

In Buffalo, for Drone Day, be sure to attend the Downtown Central Library for a full day of experimental noise and sound making with numerous performances by some of the region’s most far-reaching and “out there” musicians.

Here’s the line-up:

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Saturday’s rain forecast doesn’t bode well for outdoor activities, including Elmwood Village Porchfest. The bright side is, the wonderful nature of porches is that they cover whoever happens to be underneath them. And in the case of Porchfest, it’s musicians. Therefore, anyone walking around the village in search of bands, will most likely find them playing. If all goes according to plan, it looks as if over 175 bands will be setting up, so dress warm, bring an umbrella and/or wear a raincoat, and be prepared for what Mother Nature throws our way.

For those who want to experience a different aspect of Porchfest, the BICA School compound is gearing up for a big day, with art, music, food, games, etc. A number of bands will be playing on the grounds of the Buffalo Institute for Contemporary Art (BICA) throughout the day. There is no cover charge at this all-ages Porchfest performance, located at 30D Essex St, Buffalo, NY 14213. Everyone is welcome to swing by, as they stroll around the neighborhood.

As for the Porchfest schedule, music lovers can check out the bands, porch locations, and times, by clicking here. Don’t let some blustery weather ruin all the fun!

Poster by JP4Hire

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BASICS — Road Less Traveled Productions presents Hour Town – An Improvised Play Series for two nights in May – Wednesday May 17 at 7:30pm and late-night on Saturday May 20 at 10:30pm. The late-night Saturday May 20 performance will feature special guest actor Christian Brandjes as he joins the crew improvising! Christian was last seen as Hercule Poirot in All for One Theatre Productions’ Murder on the Orient Express at Shea’s 710 Theatre. Tickets are $15 and can be ordered online at www.roadlesstraveledproductions.org, by calling the RLTP Box Office at (716) 629-3069, or by visiting the Box Office during the 30 minutes prior to any performance. Advance purchase is suggested. 

RUNTIME: About one hour

THUMBNAIL SKETCH— Join the cast of some of Buffalo’s best improv talents, as they improvise an entire play, all while utilizing the current stage and set at Road Less Traveled Theater! This May, watch performers Kevin DiLucente, Don Gervasi, Todd Benzin, Annie Moor, Meghan Joyce and Jimmie Byrd perform on the set of Sweat! Hour Town is the perfect mix of grounded theater, and laugh-out-loud improv comedy. One night of theater never seen before, and never to be seen again! 

THE PLAYERS, THE PLAY, AND THE PRODUCTION:

Improv is off-the-cuff acting — it is akin to jazz music. Performing long form improv takes a combination of innate talent, chutzpah, team work, great listening skills, and years of practice until improv skills and mores become second nature. Imagine — the set is standing, the audience is waiting but there has been no rehearsal. There is no script. The performers don’t even know what characters they’ll be playing. This is the proverbial actors’ nightmare!!! But for improvisors this is exciting, and for the audience this is amazing and fun.

Hour Town is especially enjoyable if you’ve seen the Road Less Travelled production that the set was built for. This week’s Hour Time is performed on the set of Sweat. Sweat is so memorable and intense and dramatic that it’s a little mind-boggling to see this tavern become the stage for a comedy!

The Hour Town company is Meghan Joyce and Jimmie Byrd from Comedysportz, Annie Moor from Improv Theatre in Buffalo and Magnet Theatre in NYC, and Kevin DiLucente who organizes improv jams and workshops all over town. Rounding out the cast are WNY’s Improv Kings — Don Gervasi and Todd Benzin of Babushka and Eclectic Company and Comedysportz alumni. Some of the players have studied improv at Second City Toronto and Upright Citizen’s Brigade. A special guest star joined the cast last night – actor Chris Brandjes, a theatre professor at Daemen University.

The audience decides what the title of the play will be and this time around it was Last Call – a play about a bar full of woebegone folks who had lost their dreams. At the center of the story was a love triangle – Todd Benzin played a guy who was torn between two sisters — a perennially 22 year old romantic and her flirty sibling. Rounding out the bar scene were a host of fascinating characters – all created on the spot: Derek (aka Bobby) the hapless bartender, a sad young guy with a video game fixation, a fellow who had been sleeping under a pool table for 39 years, and R.A.T. who had a transcendent experience in the basement. Added to this mix was a lot of heavy drinking of beer and distilled water, a C – pack machine, and a set of problematic stairs and there were mighty interesting doings (and much laughter) before the “last call” on the set of Sweat last night.

It is wonderful watching actors being so creative and the Hour Town cast is uniformly talented and confident. My one challenge with the production was losing occasional dialogue due to low volume. 

Additional Hour Town perks are the gorgeous new cocktail lounge in the RLT lobby and the fact that downtown street parking is easy to attain on most Wednesday nights.

Hour Town is a very special evening of theatre — impressive, extraordinary, and lots of fun. It is thrilling that Buffalo finally has a growing improv community and that such good work is being performed.

The Hour Town series will continue next season on each of the sets of The Road Less Traveled Productions. 

*HERD OF BUFFALO (Notes on the Rating System)

ONE BUFFALO: This means trouble. A dreadful play, a highly flawed production, or both. Unless there is some really compelling reason for you to attend (i.e. you are the parent of someone who is in it), give this show a wide berth.

TWO BUFFALOS: Passable, but no great shakes. Either the production is pretty far off base, or the play itself is problematic. Unless you are the sort of person who’s happy just going to the theater, you might look around for something else.

THREE BUFFALOS: I still have my issues, but this is a pretty darn good night at the theater. If you don’t go in with huge expectations, you will probably be pleased.

FOUR BUFFALOS: Both the production and the play are of high caliber. If the genre/content are up your alley, I would make a real effort to attend.

FIVE BUFFALOS: Truly superb–a rare rating. Comedies that leave you weak with laughter, dramas that really touch the heart. Provided that this is the kind of show you like, you’d be a fool to miss it!

The post Hour Town: A Spontaneous and Special Evening at the Theatre appeared first on Buffalo Rising.

Building community through opportunity.

Five Points Bakery is embarking upon its inaugural flea market season, and it’s looking for vendors. The vintage art-flea market will run all summer long, on Saturdays and Sundays from 8am-3pm.

The flea market element is just one of the many curated facets that help to create a vibrant outdoor courtyard for the bakery.

“We are trying to mix it up highlighting makers and sellers of vintage stuff, but its goal is to build community by providing opportunities for neighbors to get to know each other in a fun environment,” said Five Points Bakery co-owner, Kevin Gardner. “The live music currently is jazz every sat and sun from 10:30am-1:30pm, but we have a lot of other musicians who have reached out so we will be spicing it up and extending the hours we have it going on.”

Flea goods, quality food and drinks from Five Points Bakery, live music, and an awesome family-friendly atmosphere… it sounds as if this summer is going to be fantastic over in the Five Points neighborhood, so be sure to set aside some time to visit, relax, browse, and socialize.

“The 5PTSMKT is a flea market located on the grounds of Five Points Bakery and provides the people of this community an opportunity to get together, mingle with good food, live music, and shop from a variety of vendors.  Rubbing shoulders with your neighbors makes new friends, and now you can bring home a treasure to remember your experience by.”

Setting up a table at 5PTSMKT is as easy as visiting www.5ptsmkt.com and requesting a table.

Five Points Bakery | 44 Brayton St, Buffalo, NY 14213

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Do you want to learn more about the future of food in the US? Then consider attending the upcoming Providence Farm Collective Tour and Lunch on Thursday, May 25 at 5701 Burton Road in Orchard Park – home of the Providence Farm Collective.

Attendees to the tour and lunch will learn all about the significance of farmer-led and community-rooted agriculture and food systems.

Let’s face it. As a society, we’re pretty much disconnected from our food sources. Take a look in your fridge or your pantry, and see what’s there. Do you know where your food is coming from, and who is producing it?

There is a growing trend to source our food closer to home. Not only is this better for our health, it’s better for the planet. It’s part of the circular economy, where we support workers in our home towns, while keeping our hard earned dollars close to home.

Even if we already do support the farmer-led and community-rooted agriculture and food systems, chances are that we don’t have the time or energy to visit the farms themselves. We tend to rely upon farmers markets and other markets that carry locally sourced produce. That’s great! But there’s something even better – paying a visit to the farms themselves.

As for Providence Farm Collective, it has been established to provide immigrants and refugees with the ability to grow, eat, and sell their own produce. Now, they are inviting the community to come take a look at the inspirational operation firsthand.

Attendees of a Providence Farm Collective farm tour and lunch can expect an immersive experience that highlights the organization’s commitment to farmer-led and community-rooted agriculture and food systems. During the tour, they will have the opportunity to learn about the passion and knowledge of PFC’s farmers and staff, including the Community Engagement Coordinator and the Farm Crew, and explore the demonstration plot used for the Community Supported Agriculture program. The tour is capped off by a farm-to-table lunch prepared by PFC’s own Chef Sharif Abdi, providing a delicious taste of the locally grown produce that PFC is dedicated to bringing to its members. Throughout the experience, attendees will gain a deeper understanding of PFC’s mission to actualize the rights of under-resourced peoples and see first-hand how their work is making a positive impact in the community.

Important Information:

The tour will begin promptly at 11:00am, so be sure to arrive a few minutes early. Upon arrival, park along the road. Please dress for the weather and wear comfortable shoes that you do not mind if they get dirty. The tour is approximately 90 minutes long, with a lot of walking and standing. You will be in the sun for much of this time. Please wear sunscreen and/or a hat and bring a drink or water bottle (preferably not plastic). Please bring a donation of shelf-stable food for our farmers and youth lunch program: dried pinto beans, dried black-eyed peas, basmati rice, coconut milk, olive oil, canola oil. 

Click here for to visit the Facebook event page. Also visit PFC’s website for additional information on the sustainable farming practice.

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The early formations of Locust Street Art (LSA) began in the house of founder Molly Bethel in 1959. Bethel understood that there was a great need to teach art to children living in the Fruit Belt. The home studio grew quickly, and shortly thereafter Olga Lownie jumped onboard to help. Together, the two formed MollyOlga Neighborhood Art Classes (see whole story), which ultimately begat Locust Street Art.

To this day, Locust Street Art follows the initial wholesome guidelines that Bethel and Lownie layed out – to provide free or low-cost art classes on a consistent basis for any individual, especially youth, low-income and minority individuals from age 4 to senior adult, to seriously develop the talent and skills necessary to excel in the visual arts.

“The Locust Street Art Show is not only a day to celebrate our students, their work, and their individuality, but it’s a great way for us to bring our communities together for one day and appreciate the magic that creativity and art bring to our world,” said Executive Director Rachelyn Noworyta. “This art show also brings forward all of the amazing work that the teaching staff does with their students to help them grow in many different facets.”

On Saturday, June 24 (1pm-6pm), Locust Street Art invites the community to attend the 61st Locust Street Annual Art Show, featuring up and coming, and established artists. The event will feature a live drawing rally.

“As a celebration of our students and their work, the Annual Art Show is free and open to our students, families, friends, and community. There will be food with meat and vegan options, music, an art auction, face painting, 50/50, an awards ceremony along with many other family fun attractions for our younger artists! With LSA’s student enrollment reaching an all-time high of over 1300 students this year, this promises to be one of our largest and best Annual Art Shows ever.” – Locust Street Art

Locust Street Art offers free art classes in the Fall and Spring for students of all ages and talents (starting age 4 to senior), with classes in ceramic, animation, digital and film photography, and drawing and painting. In their winter off season they offer low cost workshops that are more specialized (ie. comic book making, pottery wheel). During the summer, they offer low-cost art camps after their annual art show, which features work from the fall and spring sessions.

Locust Street Art | 138 Locust St, Buffalo, NY 14204 | (716) 852-4562 |

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