WBFO Arts & Culture Desk

This past weekend, the Kavinoky Theatre started its run of George Orwell’s "1984" after less than three weeks of production. Producers were forced to make the last-minute switch after they were told their planned production of "To Kill a Mockingbird" could not be staged because of a legal dispute.

A special performance and screening of the award-winning short film Joe's Violin will be held Saturday evening as part of the Buffalo International Jewish Film Festival that runs March 22 through March 28. WBFO's senior reporter Eileen Buckley says the event will focus on how to donate instruments to change. 

The arrival of spring means the continued growth of the film industry in Western New York. With the Buffalo Niagara Film Commission gearing up for an another active year, WBFO’s Pat Feldballe speaks with Film Commissioner Tim Clark about several upcoming projects. Among them, a perfect fit for springtime in Buffalo: a Christmas movie.
 

If you looking for some beautiful sounds you'll want to check out this weekend's Vocalis performances. WBFO's senior reporter Eileen Buckley talked with Vocalis's Chamber Choir director and founder James Burritt  about their spring concerts 'Icons and Legends'.  

Buffalo's Kavinoky Theatre at D’Youville College has been forced to shut down its production of Harper Lee's To Kill a Mockingbird. WBFO's senior reporter Eileen Buckley says it's over a licensing dispute that has closed productions at small theaters across the country.

Jonathan Deas, also known as "Deas on Keys," has recently been on "Saturday Night Live," "Howard Stern" and "The Late Show with Stephen Colbert" performing with Gary Clark Jr. to promote his new album, This Land. He’s receiving national notoriety now, but it wasn’t too long ago he was a student at the Buffalo Academy for Visual and Performing Arts.

Musician Henri Muhammad has been teaching young African-Americans how to play strings and piano for nearly 20 years in the city of Buffalo. The Muhammad School of Music’s continuing mission to provide inner-city youth with an instrumental education has led to generations of Buffalo-bred professionals in various vocations.

Kenmore East High School Band Director Phil Aguglia is a product of the Buffalo Public Schools system. He spoke with WBFO's Nick Lippa about why it’s important to invest in urban education, but isn’t sure if it will lead to more minority musicians in larger orchestras.

African-Americans currently make up less than two percent of larger orchestra members in the United States. That lack of representation is a struggle for many groups, including the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra.

Orchestras around the country, including the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra, have little to no African-American representation, especially for instrumentalists.

The Vietnam War, Racial Inequality, Immigration: issues th are hot-button topics central to two musicals this week, RAGTIME which continues at Musicalfare Theatre and MISS SAIGON (interview with "The Engineer" actor Red Concepción) which opens at Shea's on Tuesday. On the other hand, for some sweet, bittersweet, and downright zany looks at love, it's ALMOST, MAINE at Shea's 710 Theatre.

It’s not exactly a traditional bar/arcade combo.  It’s not exactly a Japanese restaurant. It does however serve sushi, Japanese whisky, and ramen while featuring an entire floor of old arcade games and pinball. So what is Misuta Chow’s? It’s one of Buffalo’s newest experiences to hit Main Street. WBFO’s Nick Lippa reports.

An award-winning local photographer has created a new exhibit called Through The Lens: “Warriors" now on display at CEPA Gallery in downtown Buffalo.  WBFO's senior reporter Eileen Buckely sat down with Aitina Fareed-Cooke, the owner & creative director of Get Fokus'd Productions, who selected eight stories about people who beat the odds, just as she did.

The emerging film industry in Western New York is just one example of the efforts being made by film commissions around the world to induce major film producers to do business in their locations. For this week's Press Pass, WBFO’s Pat Feldballe spoke with Buffalo Niagara Film Commissioner Tim Clark about his recent trip to Los Angeles, his involvement in the Organization of Film Commissioners International, and Western New York’s rising profile in the eyes of major west coast film producers.

Everyone seems to have come back from the holidays refreshed and ready to lavish time and attention to detail in a wide variety of theatrical productions, from a magician's cave to country English homes to the wacky countryside of Arthurian legend to the temple of Athena.

It's the start of a new chapter for a local art supply store. After nearly 60 years on Main Street in downtown Buffalo, Hyatt's All Things Creative is opening a new larger facility in North Buffalo.

“Do any human beings ever realize life while they live it?” asks Emily of the Stage Manager in Thornton Wilder's play OUR TOWN. If ever two people did it was Broadway's Carol Channing (famous as Dolly Levy in Wilder's HELLO DOLLY) and Buffalo's Joe Natale, two of the warmest, kindest human beings ever, and even though they died this week, up to the end they both lived very full lives and left a rich legacy to theater.

At a recent holiday party, Anthony Chase eavesdropped on Darryl Semira, four years on tour with SPAMALOT, as he shared his memories with cast members of the Kavinoky's current production, chock full of lightning fast costume changes, on-purpose "mistakes," and other theatrical hi-jinx. SPAMALOT, the musical by Monty Python's Eric Idle, opens tonight.

Thornton Wilder's 1938 beloved OUR TOWN opens tonight Buffalo's A.R.T. at 545 Elmwood (near Utica).

The filmmaking in Buffalo and Western New York has been a growth industry in recent years.  Major studios and independent filmmakers now see Western New York not just as a resource for interesting locations at which to shoot, but are now finding a growing pool of technical talent and support.  Buffalo Niagara Film Commissioner Tim Clark talks to WBFO’s Pat Feldballe about what’s to come in the new year.

The last time lacrosse was played as an official Olympic sport was 1908. That could change, given a three-year provisional acceptance into the International Olympic Committee for the Federation of International Lacrosse. It gives the sport’s governing body added resources and the option to apply for full-sport status in the future. But as lacrosse continues on track to achieve its Olympic dreams, what about those of the Native American athletes of the Iroquois Nationals lacrosse team?

On this day before Christmas we have a special holiday moment for you.  WBFO’s Eileen Buckley produced a special edition of “The Night Before Christmas" with the talented voices of our Theater Talk co-host Tony Chase and Raices Theatre’s artistic director Victoria Perez.