Theatre Talk: Friday, July 17, 2009

By Jim Santella and Anthony Chase, WBFO

Buffalo, NY – There was a major change for some performances of Buddy: The Buddy Holly Story at MusicalFare Theatre, as director Lisa Ludwig played the role of understudy, filling in for Debbie Pappas. There is no dearth of Neil Simon work in Western New York, as Biloxi Blues is a dinner-theater presentation at Desiderio's in Lancaster. Oklahoma! is being staged as part of the restoration of the Palace Theatre in Lockport. Tony will be directing 35 women at a Buffalo United Artists' staged reading of The Women this coming Wednesday (July 22), and there is a staged reading of Kate Fodor's new play RX by the Chautauqua Theater Company. Jim and Tony also remember Neil Munro, the Canadian actor, playwright, and resident director at the Shaw Festival, who died Monday at age 62.