WBFO Arts & Culture Desk

Millennials; they're coming on strong. Keri René Fuller (interview) stars as Grizabella in CATS opening at Shea's, UB undergraduates are off to represent the United States in an international scenography competition in Prague, and McKinley High School/Buff State grad Janae' Leonard is on stage at the Paul Robeson Theatre as "Bessie" in NATIVE SON.

Although only 25 years old, Keri René Fuller is ready to step into some big shoes and sing "Memory" in the current tour of CATS at Shea's.

Pianist Yan Carlos Artime Perez is traveling the country in hopes of gaining more recognition as a lead man. He's often been behind the scenes. He was a producer of Paoli Mejías' 2005 Latin Grammy nominee album "Mi Tambor" and has collaborated with countless latin jazz musicians. For his first and only shows outside of Miami for the time being, he’s playing Pausa Art House tonight at 7:30 PM and Friday at 8 PM. WBFO’s Nick Lippa spoke with Yan Carlos and his translator.

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.

What do you get when you mix two Game Boys, a guitar and a composer inspired by bands like Metallica? Buffalo’s own Daniel Behrens, more commonly known as Danimal Cannon. He came to the WBFO studios to play some songs and talk to Nick Lippa about chiptune music, including a fully chiptune version of the "All Things Considered" theme.

“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.

Another large building for Canalside appears closer to reality, after the city Zoning Board of Appeals on Wednesday approved a series of waivers to the Green Code, while ordering one significant change in the design, for a structure known as The Longshed.

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.

There are dozens of businesses in Western New York that have been around for 100 years or more. Buffalo Spree introduces us to some of them in the January issue. In this week's Press Pass with WBFO's Mark Scott, Spree editor Elizabeth Licata says she was amazed by the sheer numbers as she was putting the issue together.

The National Comedy Center in Jamestown wants your vote.

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.

Two of Lockport’s original Erie Canal locks are getting a $1.2 million facelift.

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.

This weekend all of the local Christmas shows wrap up, but with 41 Broadway theaters, not to mention off and off-off Broadway, New York City never sleeps. Anthony recently saw KING KONG (it's a musical, sort of), THE CHER SHOW (a jukebox musical with stunning costumes), GLORIA (as in Steinem, co-founder of Ms. Magazine), and THE LIFE SPAN OF A FACT about an overzealous fact checker (Daniel Radcliffe) and his editor (Cherry Jones).

O'Connell & Company is providing some laughter during the busy holiday season to ease some of the stress.  Nuncrackers is being performed at The Park School and The Betsy Carmichael Christmas Show is on stage at Shea's Smith Theatre.  WBFO's senior reporter Eileen Buckley met with the creators of both comedy shows.

A Latino theater company in Buffalo is featuring a play translated into English for the first time.  WBFO's senior reporter Eileen Buckley says the Raices Theatre Company is performing a special production that traces dark secrets from a family of that immigrated to New York City. 

A new dinner theater group is emerging in Buffalo. The ACME Mystery Company started in Syracuse more than 20 years ago, but now has grown to a Buffalo troupe. They will be performing a holiday show Thursday night at Milos Restaurant in Williamsville. WBFO's senior reporter Eileen Buckley met with local producer Jon Wilson, a Buffalo native. Wilson produces the comedy shows in a mystery-style format that includes plenty of interaction with the audience.  

Buffalo Game Space is a non-profit organization that is trying to get more people into tech through the lens of game development. This past weekend it held its 13th local game jam. It’s an event where game developers have 48 hours to conceive and bring a game into existence.

Songwriter and pianist Gabriel Kahane will be performing at the Burchfield Penny Art Center Friday at 7 p.m. His latest album, Book of Travelers, came to be as a result of the 2016 presidential election. Kahane traveled 8,980 miles around the U.S. talking to strangers hoping to better understand his country. He talked with WBFO’s Nick Lippa to discuss his experience and putting it on to an album.

Wednesday marks a National Day of Mourning in honor of the 41st President, George Herbert Walker Bush who died Friday at the age of 94. A Funeral Service will begin at 11 a.m. Wednesday at the National Cathedral in Washington, D.C.  WBFO's senior reporter Eileen Buckley takes us inside what is known as the "Morning Room" created in 1901 at the Theodore Roosevelt Inaugural Site on Delaware Avenue in Buffalo.

Buffalo in the late 1800s was a city of enormous economic wealth and innovation. For about 18 months, it was also home to Samuel Clemens, better known as Mark Twain. It was here, as part-owner and editor of the Buffalo Express newspaper, that Twain transformed into the subversive rebel that would define his legacy as a great American author.