Category: PostEvents

THE BASICS: Pianist Michelle Cann performs African-American composer Florence Price’s long-lost Piano Concerto as guest conductor Josep Caballé-Domenech conducts the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra at Kleinhans Music Hall in the quirky “Burleske” by Richard Strauss and Beethoven’s fun (and short) Eighth Symphony.  The concert begins with young African-American composer Carlos Simon’s electric “Fate Now Conquers” inspired by Beethoven. Concert repeats Sunday, March 5, at 2:30 pm.

Runtime: 1 hour 45 minutes

When the eighth symphony by the great Beethoven isn’t the most memorable piece on the program titled “BEETHOVEN’S EIGHTH,” it’s a hint that this Sunday’s repeat is going to be one eye-opening concert.  To hear some of what I’m writing about, I’ve put in some links below.  One short listen and you’ll be a believer, too.

So maybe you haven’t heard of Florence Price, born in Little Rock, and educated at the prestigious New England Conservatory, even though she produced over 300 works.  You’re not alone.  WNED Classical’s Program Director Mark Michaud wrote “Just a few years ago, I heard Florence Price’s Violin Concerto #1 for the very first time.  I was captivated by the sound. It was fresh and innovative.  I wondered why I had never been exposed to her music before.  The truth is, in all the years of classical musicology, there is barely a mention of composers of color, even though these musicians have contributed significantly to the evolution of music.  Florence Price is just one of a plethora of such composers that have been overlooked.” 

And, on top of being marginalized, it didn’t help that Price’s Piano Concerto was lost for about 70 years.  It’s just a fact that there are hundreds of lush, romantic piano concertos in the literature.  To get into the public consciousness, music needs a champion, someone who will adopt the work, make it her own, and take it out into the world.  For us, that’s Michelle Cann, whom listeners may remember as a co-host for a while on NPR’s “From the Top” (still heard locally on WNED Classical Saturday evenings at 7:00 pm).  

Cann takes no prisoners at the keyboard.  The audience fell in love with her performances (she played, in all, three pieces) and it was obvious from her walk-on applause from the orchestra that the musicians had fallen in love with her, too.  I can only imagine that if you attended the Curtis Institute of Music where she also teaches, you might switch your major to piano, just to be around her.

My first impression of the Price Piano Concerto was “Dvorak’s Americana meets Rachmaninov.”  While the orchestra was playing music underneath the piano that reminded me of sections of Dvorak’s “New World Symphony” or his “American Quartet” (both inspired by his time in America listening to indigenous and African-American music) the piano opening was pure Rachmaninov, with big pounding chords up and down the keyboard, coupled with dazzling arpeggios for a “wall of sound.”  You can get a short sample of that sound with Michelle Cann and The Philadelphia Orchestra if you scroll down after you click here.

Even though it’s titled “Piano Concerto in One Movement” this 18-minute work is actually in three parts, concluding with a section that’s pure Americana, at times sounding like George Gershwin’s 1924 “Rhapsody in Blue” and at times like Jerome Kern’s 1927 musical SHOWBOAT.  

To hear the 1920s jazzy “Juba Dance” sound of the conclusion of the Price Piano Concerto listen to a five-minute selection from a rehearsal with Michelle Cann and The Philadelphia Orchestra.

On Saturday, guest conductor Josep Caballé-Domenech (currently music director of the Colorado Springs Philharmonic) flipped the printed program slightly, putting then just 21-year-old composer Richard Strauss’s “Burleske” for piano and orchestra before the Price.  That was a good choice, because as good as it is, it would have been anti-climactic after the Price concerto.  Now, on Saturday night, we also got an encore, African-American Juilliard grad classical/jazz pianist Hazel Scott’s arrangement of the “Improvisation on Rachmaninov’s Prelude in C# minor.”  I’m not including a link because the versions I found don’t hold a candle to what Michelle Cann played on the stage at Kleinhans.  (Although you may want to Google composer Hazel Scott, who has a fascinating story of her own.)  

The evening began with a marvelous 5-minute piece that the composer himself described as “Jolting stabs couple with an agitated groove with every persona.  Frenzied arpeggios in the strings that morph into an ambiguous cloud of free-flowing running passages depict the uncertainty of life that hovers over us.”  That’s how Black composer (and Millennial) Carlos Simon described his “Fate Now Conquers” which was, according to Simon, inspired by Beethoven’s Symphony No. 7.  

Yes, indeed, we heard four brilliant pieces of music all before intermission, after which we got one of the “overlooked” Beethoven symphonies, No. 8.  It’s not just a cliché that many of the even-numbered symphonies by Beethoven don’t get the love of the odd-numbered symphonies (such as #3 “Eroica,” the famous “dah-dah-dah-DAH” 5th Symphony, the choral 9th perennially voted #1 audience favorite by WNED listeners).  Even Symphony #7 is credited with inspiring so many other composers, from John Corigliano to Carlos Simon.

Yet even Beethoven himself is reported to have said that the 8th is better than the 7th.  G.B. Shaw (besides being a playwright he was a fierce music critic) wrote that “In all subtler respects the Eighth is better [than the 7th].”  So, Symphony No. 8 was the perfect choice to wrap up a concert of new or less familiar works.

Kleinhans Music Hall is at “3 Symphony Circle” Buffalo, 14201 where Porter Avenue, Richmond Avenue, North Street and Wadsworth meet at a traffic circle.  Visit www.bpo.org or call 716-885-5000.  Full-service bar in the lobby or across the lobby in the Mary Seaton Room.  Masks are optional.

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The Hispanic Heritage Council of Western New York is holding a fundraiser that is as easy as placing an order for delicious pastelillos or “empañadillas.”

“Won’t you love to enjoy some really good pastelillos/empanadillas? Well, place your order now! The deadline is March 25th. Support HHC’s Fundraiser and get your frozen pastelillos/empanadillas. When ordering please specify in the note section your choice of chicken or beef and the quantity of each. Order as many as you like, the more you order the more you save.” – Hispanic Heritage Council of Western New York

The Hispanic Heritage Council of Western New York is dedicated to preserving the history of Hispanics in Western New York for future generations.

Who wouldn’t want to sock away some of these tasty treats in their freezer? Or better yet, simply bring them home, thaw them out, cook ’em up, and share with family and friends.

It’s as easy as clicking here to place an order.

$3 each | $15 for six | $25 for a dozen

Orders can be placed until March 25. Pick-up is April 1, from 1-m to 4pm at Holy Cross Church, 345 Seventh Street (Head Start Cafeteria).

To learn more about the Hispanic Heritage Council of Western New York, and its mission, click here.

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Every once in a while, when a storm whips through Buffalo, tantalizing objects are uncovered that would otherwise be kept a secret. For example, billowing winds blowing down Grant Street recently exposed a long-buried ornamental facade at 355 Grant Street. Without the storm, chances are that we never would have known the true historic nature, and the immense potential of the building.

It’s incredible to think that at one point someone thought that it would be a good idea to simply cover up this gorgeous building with a bizarre-looking covering that is so out-of-touch with the historic nature of the street. Then again, looking around Grant Street, this is certainly not the only building that suffered such a horrific fate.

Hopefully the building owner will consider fully revealing the charming nature of the building, although it might prove to be too costly in the end. Fortunately, there is New York State Main Street grant funding available from time to time, to encourage building owners to properly restore their properties. I would think that this would be an opportunity along those lines, which would be a real misfortune to miss out on.

The post The Winds of Change Blow Hard on Grant Street appeared first on Buffalo Rising.

Following is an interview with Carly ‘Charlie’ Finan, regarding the formations of The Others Dance

When did The Others get off the ground?

The Others are based off of a project I did as my senior thesis in dance in undergrad, in 2016. The idea to revisit and reimagine it had been itching at the back of my mind for years until the opportunity to rent our current space arose and it became feasible to host a weekly class, which eventually evolved into a weekly rehearsal to prepare for shows. Our first night moving together was February 16, 2022, so we just celebrated our first birthday!

What are the parameters of the group?

The first thing to note: we dance in full face masks! This is to help dancers cast off their externally perceived identities and give space for true play and exploration. The Others aims to be a space where creative movement/dance is accessible to people who do not have a dance background, and a space where folks who do have dance experience can reinvigorate their practice by getting some distance from some of the more technical aspects of their craft. My own movement background is incredibly varied, and even my formal dance education spans several genres, but my lack of childhood ballet experience felt like an enormous roadblock to my participation in so much of the dance world until I studied modern from a somatic, or body-focused, perspective in college. This project carries inspiration from that experience: when we’re in class-mode, we teach improvisational movement skills to help students feel confident trying new things and incorporating physical contact into their practice. When we’re in rehearsal-mode, we utilize skills and inspiration from class to co-create long-form pieces of partially improvised choreography. Class is a gateway into the project for new participants, and the cast of a new performance piece is determined by interest and availability rather than an audition.

Where is the rehearsal space?

We rehearse in a studio on the second story of 1250 Niagara Street, which is also the home of Equal Standing Pelvic Floor Rehab and Physical Therapy.

Where are the shows held?

We got our start performing with the Buffalo Infringement Festival: our first run of shows had us performing in three incredibly distinct venues, so building work that could function on each stage was an awesome choreographic challenge. Our first-ever solo performance was held on January 14th, 2023, at the BOX Gallery in the Buffalo Hostel. For our next show on March 17th and 18th, we are creating a site-specific work for our home studio at 1250 Niagara.

Who are the orchestrators?

I am the director and founder of the project, but due to the nature of partially improvised work, all of the dancers have some authorship of the final product. I write the poetry that is often included in the music, as well.

Who are the collaborators involved with the project?

Again, because the movement is partially improvised, I consider all of the dancers to be collaborators. Those who are involved consistently with the project in a way that they might be called company members are: Tevin Liao (who has been with the project since its inception in 2016), Dawn Spears, Lauren Lerner, Angela Lopez, and my spouse, Devin Finan. Folks who are new to us for this show are Meghan Arnold, Nichole Cook, Jean Conway, and Shayanna Merced. Angela Lopez and Lauren Lerner collaborated with me on a visual art installation for our show at BOX Gallery. I collaborate regularly with Bryan Johnson to create original sound scores for the movement. Noelle Beenau made some of the costumes we use.

Are these shows “all original”?

“All” is a strong term for two reasons: one, because we do often incorporate named elements that are not ours into the work, such as in our show at BOX Gallery, where we utilized the track “The Man Who Married a Robot” by The 1975 in an otherwise fully original sound score; and two, because modern dance and contact improvisation are both well-established traditions with specific movement vocabularies that we are always pulling and learning from. There is movement in one of our pieces that we built by watching an international circus company’s Instagram reel of a specific trick and then making tweaks for our skill level. There is movement in another piece that is actually part of an exercise we do in class, and it’s an exercise I learned in theatre class in the seventh grade that’s based on a Lucille Ball sketch. One of the most exciting things to me about this type of performance art is the way the lineage of creative movement can be traced, be it back to ballet, cultural dance, pop culture, or somewhere else. We are always creating our own choreographies, but they are always in conversation with the disciplines they draw from.

What is the range of performances?

For the show we are performing on March 17th and 18th, there will be two pieces of choreography presented with a brief intermission, beginning at 8:00pm both nights. One piece is currently in-progress, and it will be a site-specific choreography designed to be performed in our space at 1250 Niagara. The other, “Give and Take,” is a reimagined version of the first piece we ever showed at the Infringement Festival, altered to reflect our growing company and a different stage. Because we are inviting audiences into our rehearsal space for this show, we have full autonomy over our “stage,” and are choosing to present our work in the round with mostly standing or floor-sitting room available for guests.

The Others rehearsing in the space at 1250 Niagara Street (from the 1/14 show). Photos taken by Pat Cray aka Painkiller.

Do you train the dancers/performers, or are they already accomplished?

Dancers’ backgrounds vary hugely: some have long, professional dance careers and others are engaging in creative movement for the first time in their lives. At present, one commonality is that every company member has prior performance experience, whether that be from theatre, aerial dance, music, or martial arts. That said, there’s not necessarily an advantage to a dance background for this type of movement: myself and the other dancers who have more technique-based histories often discuss the restraints past training can put on one’s creative mind. What I’m teaching in class is often to do with trust-building, comfort, and decision-making more than it is to do with where a leg or an arm goes. We have class in addition to rehearsing in large part so that we can continuously learn from one another, and I see reciprocal learning relationships develop between cast members of very different backgrounds all the time.

Is this considered modern dance? Where is the inspiration drawn from?

I do call this modern dance, yes. The basis for the use of our masks lies in Laban Movement Analysis and stage theatre training techniques. I draw a lot of inspiration personally from Merce Cunningham, whose approach to dance composition focused heavily on chance and involved a continuous collaboration with the musician John Cage. Right before beginning The Others, I was cast in a piece by Brooklyn-based choreographer Kimberly Bartosik through her residency at Torn Space Theater: she was a member of Cunningham’s company before becoming a director herself, and being exposed to her unique workflow and to his legacy in that way was hugely influential. Other major inspirations in the dance world are Lucy Vurusic Riner, who co-creates RE|dance out of Chicago, Illinois, and movements like the National Water Dance or Global Underscore which encourage movers of all levels to participate. Content-wise, inspiration is mainly drawn from concepts of groupthink versus individual identity, so I do a lot of personal research on cults, pop cultural movements, high control groups, immunity/inoculation, and the like.

What can people expect to find, when attending a show?

Expect to feel: without words, The Others demonstrate for audiences the tenderness of childhood play, the weight of communal grief, the difficulty of maintaining one’s sense of self among a group, and a hundred human experiences in between. Each piece of choreography averages about 20 minutes in length, allowing for smaller movements within the whole to explore an overarching theme or concept related to the experience of being both a singular human body and, always, one of many. The music, created for the choreography, incorporates poetry along with instrumentation to supplement the choreography. We typically invite audiences to stand and walk around us during the performance, or they are welcome to sit on the floor and get closer to the action. For this particular performance, a few chairs and cushions will be available on a first-come, first-serve basis.

Why is this important for Buffalo?

Buffalo has a lively performing arts scene, as well as a thriving queer community, and this project rests at their intersection with the bonus of being inviting to those who haven’t tried dance before. All too often, queer (and especially transgender) folks develop an alienated relationship from their own bodies, and The Others hope to provide a safe space to explore that self-self relationship without the pressure of performing an external identity or the expectation to look or behave a certain way. We’ll be leading workshops for queer high schoolers this spring through the GLYS of Western New York, and it will be our first foray into that kind of community programming as a company, which I’m very excited for. While movement classes are offered all over Buffalo, rarely are they open to all levels and even more rarely are they free. We want to be as accessible to as many people for as long as we are able, to invite Buffalo to experience the joy and wonder of just rolling on the floor with your friends. There’s so much healing to be found in this type of movement. We want to share it.

How can people get involved?

Attend a free class! We announce through our Instagram and Facebook pages when we are open for free class versus when we are focused and in rehearsals: for instance, February of this month is all class, then we’ll switch over to rehearsal at the beginning of March to prepare for the next show. Free class is always on Wednesdays from 7:00-9:00pm when we’re having it, so you can just keep your eye out on our socials. We’re always excited to make new friends!

How many performances are you planning each year?

In 2022, we had four performances. Our shows on March 17th and 18th will be our second and third of this year. I know we’re hoping to get back into the BOX Gallery over the summer, and we’re likely going to be running a workshop with queer teens through one of Buffalo’s LGBTQ+ advocacy centers. My hope is that more opportunities arise as time goes on and that we can perform six or seven times in 2023.

Other than dance, what are the offerings at Equal Standing Physical Therapy?

Equal Standing actually does not specifically offer dance: they provide space rental to us and a couple of other local movers, some for yoga, some for dance, some for more exercise-focused movement. Equal Standing itself is a pelvic floor-focused physical therapy office. They’re incredible! More information about them can be found on their website: www.equalstandingpt.com

What’s next for the group? Where would you like to be next year? In five years?

We’re hoping to continue hosting free class as long as we’re fiscally able: my goal is to keep it a permanent offering. I’d love to see us get into some larger local theaters, I’d love to see us collaborate with more and different types of creatives, and I’d love to create more site-specific work like what we’re planning for the March shows. I also hope to be able to get more involved with outreach: more workshops for students, professionals, or really anybody who’s got a curiosity about the intersections of movement, personal identity, trust, and collaboration. This time next year, I’d like to be celebrating our second birthday after a year of consistent classes and more original performances, and I’d like to have been consistent with applying for external funding to help pay dancers for performing. In five years, I hope that class is going strong, that paying dancers is a given, and in a perfect world, that we have a home studio that belongs to us. I’d also love to someday see us traveling to perform outside of Buffalo.

What’s your top wish for the dance/performance group?

To see its members thrive in all their endeavors as a result of their involvement. Whether you come to class twice in your whole life or are a constant on stage, I hope that this project gives dancers the tools to always find safety and joy in their bodies, to always remember the power of collaboration and community, and to always keep seeking inspiration. Of course, I wouldn’t mind getting to see us perform in New York City or found our own movement school, but I figure we’ll keep forging the path and discovering where it takes us.

Get connected: Instagram | Facebook

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The LEROI: Living in Color exhibit is eye-catching, radiant, and inspired. As soon as a visitor walks into the Burchfield Penney Art Center, they are greeted with an array of vibrant color.  

“People always ask me about color, and I’m like, this is just something that’s naturally innate within me, that I use.” LeRoi Johnson told us.

“I don’t specifically address the issue of color within itself, I just paint what I see and feel when I paint.  I am surprised that people see the color and always mention color because I don’t see it myself.  Maybe that is why people see the color that I don’t see.”    

Johnson’s life has been filled with color, art, and artistic personalities. Working as the manager for his brother, Rick James, Johnson had access to many of the world’s most artistic spaces and people.  Of his experience in the night clubs of New York City in the 1970’s, Johnson shared, that they “brought out the most creative of the creative people of that era… They brought out people who were not only creative in their work, but they were creative in the way they dressed and the way they thought. So, I mean, that had an impact on me.  Because one of the things that you notice is they had this intellectual freedom. And that’s part of being a successful artist.  You reach a level where you’re free within yourself, in terms of whatever your style you have and you understand that this is your style and this is you.”

Johnson’s style is clearly on display at the Burchfield Penney.  The intricate designs and colors that are featured in his work have a deeper meaning that may shift, expand or change for the viewer the longer they look at the exhibit. 

“There are stories within stories in almost every one of my pieces,” said Johnson, “It’s not always what you think most of those pieces are… Art gets you involved and thinking in social matters and community matters.”  

In addition to being a celebrated artist, LeRoi Johnson is also a lawyer.  His practice as an artist has definitely expanded the way in which he works.  When asked about the connection between the two professions, Johnson said, “You are looking for some kind of truth in your work in both of them, and at the same time you are dealing with, what is the “is” there, what “is” really happening? So I kind of take the thing that the “is” is, and then I toy with that.  I think by having that experience in art, you kind of want to do the same thing in law. You want to be creative, but you are restricted with law, but I never start with the law is… I start with how I’d like to arrive at an endpoint, and then apply the law.”

LeRoi Johnson is based locally.  He says “[Buffalo] is a great city for inspiration. First of all, you have the time in Buffalo to be inspired.”  He also feels strongly about the necessity for art in the city.  “The culturals are going to save Buffalo.”

LEROI: Living in Color is on display at the Burchfield Penney until March 26, 2023

The post BRTV: Bold, Bright, Vibrant | A conversation with LeRoi Johnson about his work on display now at Burchfield Penney Art Center appeared first on Buffalo Rising.

On Saturday, March 4, from 10 am to 3 pm, Buffalo ReUse will host its final community service work day and community resource “give away.” The event will take place at 296 East Ferry (lead image).

The “last hurrah” will see “piles of material given away,” as the building is fully and finally cleared out. The team at Buffalo ReUse is calling upon supporters and allies, past and present, to participate in what they are calling a “final community service work day.” The closing of the 296 East Ferry store, and transition in the organization’s governance, brings about a new chapter for Buffalo ReUse.

New and incoming leadership for Buffalo ReUse Inc. consists of the non-profit’s co-founders Michael Gainer and Kevin Hayes, along with newly appointed board member Lorraine Eads of Cold Springs

“Though this chapter of Buffalo ReUse is coming to an end, we are excited about the future of our work here in Masten Park and Cold Springs,” commented reinstated board member Kevin Hayes.  “We are eager to refocus and continue our work here on the East Side of Buffalo.”

Although the Buffalo ReUSe retail space at 296 East Ferry has closed, the organization’s original mission remains intact, according to Hayes. That mission includes neighborhood beautification efforts, young adult training, and material reuse and recycling. Much of this will be done via a partnership with ReUse Action at 980 Northampton Street.

Buffalo ReUse invites supporters and allies to join them for their final community service work day and community resource “give away.” This event will happen Saturday, March 4th from 10 am to 3 pm at 296 East Ferry, Buffalo, NY 14208.

Buffalo ReUse will continue to accept donations of materials through a partnership with ReUse Action. Donors may contact the organization at 716-894- 3366, info@buffaloreuse.org or www.buffaloreuse.org/materials. Sales of donated materials will continue to support Buffalo ReUse’s mission of creating jobs, strengthening the neighborhood, and mentoring young people.

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First off, are you familiar with a bonspiel? Simply put, a bonspiel is a curling tournament. This is important to know, because these days there is a real curling scene in Buffalo, thanks to the effort of organizations such as the Buffalo Curling Club (BCC).

While there might be a number of bonspiels throughout the year, one of the most anticipated events is the Annual Open Bonspiel at the BCC. This is the open tournament where anyone can participate, as long as they are able to register a team of four players. Then again, single players can get matched up with others to form a team, which means that anyone can play. And that’s really the point of the “open” bonspiel.

“All guaranteed games are 6-ends, finals are 8-ends. No gender requirements. If you don’t have a team of 4, you may sign up as an individual and we’ll help place you!” – Buffalo Curling Club

Curling used to be a sport where you would have to travel to Niagara Falls to play, or some other city. These days, that’s not the case, as luck would have it.

For more information on the upcoming bonspiel, from March 11 to March 12, click here.

Buffalo Curling Club is located at 50 Buffalo China Road, Buffalo, NY 14210

The post Buffalo Curling Club’s 9th Annual Open Bonspiel  appeared first on Buffalo Rising.

Orchids. There’s something about them that everyone finds fascinating. They are vivid, fragile, wild, unusual, varying… and you either have the magic touch or you don’t.

For those who attempt to care for orchids for the first time, there’s a lot to learn. Depending on the teacher, there are also a lot of trains of thought when it comes to caring for an orchid. Some people suggest watering them with ice cubes once a week. Others think that’s ludicrous.

If an orchid is overwatered, it’s not happy. Underwatering is also not good. There’s a fine line when it comes to how much water an orchid likes. Plus, not all orchids are alike.

If you’re like me, then you leave the world of the orchids to the professionals. Thankfully, we have the annual Orchid Show and Orchids After Dark at The Buffalo and Erie County Botanical Gardens. The show, put on by the Niagara Frontier Orchid Society, features dozens of hand-picked and award-winning orchid exhibits.

As for the Orchids After Dark element, this is when the flowering plants are all lit up in the evening, which creates a magical experience within a mystical setting.

In 2023, exhibitors include members of the Niagara Frontier Orchid Society, and vendors include Oakwood Orchids, Burgen Watergardens and Nursery, and watercolor artist Carol Koziol Clark. All of these attractions will be on-site for both the daily and After Dark experience!

The Orchid Show and Orchids After Dark by: The Niagara Frontier Orchid Society and the Botanical Gardens 

Friday, March 3

6pm-9:30pm – Orchids After Dark

Saturday, March 4

10am-4pm – Orchid Show– Included with Regular Admission

6pm-9:30pm – Orchids After Dark

Sunday, March 5

10am-3pm – Orchid Show– Included with Regular Admission

The Buffalo and Erie County Botanical Gardens | 2655 South Park Ave, Buffalo, NY 14218 | (716) 827-1584

Click here for additional information, and to purchase tickets.

The post 2023 Orchid Show and Orchids After Dark appeared first on Buffalo Rising.

THE BASICS:  THE THIN PLACE, a play by Lucas Hnath, directed by Scott Behrend, presented by Road Less Traveled Productions, starring Renee Landrigan, Margaret Massman, Kristen Tripp Kelley, and David Mitchell. February 23 – March 26 Thursdays – Saturdays at 7:30, Sundays at 2:00 at the RLTP Theatre, 456 Main Street, Buffalo 14202 (716) 629-3069 roadlesstraveledproductions.org

Runtime: 90 minutes with no intermission.  Full-service bar (see feature story here) stays open after Friday and Saturday shows.

THE THIN PLACE BLURB (from the publicity): Everyone who ever died is still here, just in a different part of here. Linda can communicate with them. And if you believe, she can make you hear them, too — in the thin place, the fragile boundary between our world and the other one. Lucas Hnath’s play transforms the theater into an intimate séance, crafting an unnerving testament to the power of the mind, which ‘has a mind of its own.’”

THUMBNAIL SKETCH:  On a minimally decorated stage, Hilda (Renee Landrigan) sits comfortably in an armchair sipping tea and observing the audience, telling us that it’s okay to talk, the play hasn’t really started.  It’s a little weird, but, hey, this is Road Less Traveled and they do weird well.  After a while, Hilda tells us about her grandmother who used to play a game with her trying to project her thoughts into Hilda’s head.  Hoping to communicate with her now deceased gramma, and older Hilda is enchanted with Linda (Margaret Massman) a professional medium who holds seances channeling thoughts from the dead back to the living.  We soon start to believe that Linda can actually do that.  (Hnath is a master at reigning you in.)  All the while Hilda is mostly listening.  Enter Sylvia (Kristen Tripp Kelley) and Linda’s American cousin Jerry (David Mitchell) who seem to provide a bit of reality, with their talk, talk, talk until you realize that you probably don’t want to get too close to these self-absorbed people.  And then Hilda starts to talk.  Oh yeah, it’s always the quiet ones.

THE PLAYERS, THE PLAY, AND THE PRODUCTION:  Playwright Lucas Hnath said that he always wanted to write a scary play and what he finds scary is that someone can put a thought in your head that you can’t get rid of and that your thoughts can be controlled by others.  So we have two women with similar-sounding names, Hilda and Linda, one a seemingly innocent granddaughter who wants to communicate with her grandma and the other a much more worldly medium who has come from England (under suspicious circumstances) to America, the birthplace of Spiritualism, to make money.  Renee Landrigan and Margaret Massman are superb in their roles (and kudos to Dialect Coach Jennifer Toohey for giving Massman a consistent accent throughout).  Kristen Tripp Kelley and David Mitchell are both, as they always are, superb in their roles as well.  A-list actors, all four, and wonderfully directed by Scott Behrend.

Photo courtesy of Gina Gandolfo 2023

Hnath’s genius is writing dialog that draws you in completely, so that you believe that both of these women do in fact have the power to communicate across “the thin place” between the living and the dead.  And then, you start to doubt.  And Hnath’s other talent is for creating characters who are about to undergo big changes in their points of view, changes in their attitudes that will have profound effects on those around them.

Photos courtesy of Gina Gandolfo 2023

The minimal “black box” set by Dyan Burlingame focuses your eyes on the players, not the production, and Burlingame is assisted by John Rickus’s lights and Katie Menke’s sound.  Brenna Prather’s costumes are appropriate but let me heap praise on her for putting the character Jerry in a good-looking suit that fits well.  Too many local playhouses often grab something from the costume closet that doesn’t convey what a suit is supposed to convey.  

Hnath was Tony Award-nominated for his play A DOLL’S HOUSE, Part 2 in 2017 (seen starring Kristen Tripp Kelley at the Kavinoky Theatre). He is also the writer of THE CHRISTIANS (produced at both RLTP in 2018 and later at Chautauqua), A PUBLIC READING OF AN UNPRODUCED SCREENPLAY ABOUT THE DEATH OF WALT DISNEY (which was, actually, produced at RLTP in 2015), among others.

If you have seen Hnath’s other plays locally, you really must go see this one.  He is a powerful writer and this is not-to-be-missed.

*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!

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If there’s one thing that everyone has been waiting for, it’s the reopening of the historic Richardson-Olmsted Campus. Thankfully, we have some good news to share. The Richardson Hotel is holding its soft opening this coming Friday. I spoke to general manager Karen Oleszak, who filled me in on the exciting development.

“The hotel guest rooms are opening this Friday,” explained Oleszak, who has been in the hotel business for 34 years. “It’s the first in a phased approach to opening the building. We are also booking banquets and events, which start on March 15. Then, Schutte Consulting (operators of Oliver’s and Britesmith) will begin to roll out the food and beverage program.”

Café Calvert (powered by Overwintercoffee) opening April 1st

Bar Vaux opening April 15th

Cucina Restaurant opening May 15th

“There’s a whole new look and feel here,” said Oleszak. “The hotel’s front desk is now on the main floor for better flow, and the wayfinding is clear and concise. Douglas [Jemal] has replicated a painting from 1870 that was uncovered during the remodeling. The painting’s elements are throughout the main building. He also pays tribute to the history of Buffalo with new imagery – showcasing the architectural aspects of the city. He wanted to get back to who Richardson and Olmsted were, and why the building was built this way. This hotel is a brand new concept, which means that a lot will be different than what people remember. We’re excited to get a feel for the guests’ reactions, so that we can continue to put a capital plan together, moving forward. To date, our main focus has been getting the building reopened to the public.”

Oleszak credited all of the new branding and storytelling to Douglas Jemal’s love for Buffalo and its rich history.

As for some of the art gallery aspects curated by the former occupant, Hotel Henry, Oleszak told me that guests to The Richardson Hotel should remember that these are two completely different brands. For example, there might be occasional art gallery exhibits, but they would be more like pop-up installations. She did mention that there will be plenty of programming on the grounds, including a jazz festival on September 3.

“We will bring back some of the community events to the grounds that surround the building,” said Oleszak. “We’ve identified each of the pieces of land, which are now named after Richardson and the Olmsted Parks. People will be able to book the different outdoor spaces for events.”

A grand opening for The Richardson Hotel will be held in May, when everything is up and running, including The Ballroom, which has a new look and feel, with a wine vault and historic bar. Obviously, there will be a lot to take in.

On Friday, March 3, the doors to the “reimagined” The Richardson Hotel open to the public at 7am. After that, the hotel will be open to visitors seven days a week. Hopefully, everyone will have a newly-formed personal connection with the building, much the way that Jemal has with all of Buffalo.

Get connected: The Richardson Hotel | 444 Forest Avenue, Buffalo NY 14213 | 716-493-2610

All photos courtesy The Richardson Hotel

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