| MusicalFare
Theatre is a not-for-profit professional musical theatre company dedicated to
bringing quality musical theatre to Western New York, and to becoming a significant
regional theatre with national prominence by developing and presenting new musicals,
new versions of traditional musicals and area premieres. MusicalFare Theatre is
in residence at Daemen College, but independently
operated, and performs year-round at its intimate 136 seat theatre. Currently
in its nineteenth season, MusicalFare Theatre has produced over 110 productions
since its inception in 1990, entertaining over 350,000 people and employing over
950 local actors, musicians and designers. It has been nominated for 340 Artvoice
Theatre Awards and has won 73, making it the most awarded musical theatre in Western
New York. MusicalFare was the recipient of the Amherst Chamber of Commerce's "Commitment
to Excellence" award for 2003. The economic impact of MusicalFare and its audiences
was over 1.5 million dollars in the 2005/2006 season. MusicalFare's
2004 world premiere production of RENEWING WRIGHT was covered by the Associated
Press and was featured in over 50 regional and national publications including
The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, The Chicago Tribune, The Atlanta
Journal and Constitution and The Seattle Post-Intelligencer. Its
2004 world premiere productions of CHANGE PARTNERS: A FRED ASTAIRE TALE and ZOOMA
ZOOMA were sold-out weeks before the end of their scheduled runs and were extended
by popular demand with ZOOMA ZOOMA eventually being produced at Buffalo's Studio
Arena Theatre. It's 2006 co-production of SAMMY & ME, with Ithaca's
Hangar Theatre, drew critical raves throughout New York State. In
addition to its over 180 regularly scheduled performances, MusicalFare Theatre
has implemented and continues to develop programs and works that have directly
affected Western New York's senior citizens (STORIES OF LIFE), students (IT'S
A MATTER OF CHARACTER), suburban and urban relations (AVENUE X) and W.N.Y. architectural
treasures (RENEWING WRIGHT). MusicalFare's internship program with the University
of Buffalo's Department of Theatre and Dance has allowed students to gain valuable
professional experience in such productions as URINETOWN: THE MUSICAL, SONG &
DANCE and AVENUE X. 2008
-2009 Season:
 MID-LIFE!
THE CRISIS MUSICAL
(Summer 2008)
July 16 - August 9
A regional premiere wacky musical that takes a comic look at the "age
old" conditions and situations faced in MID-LIFE! From reading glasses and
mammograms to weekend warriors and proctology exams - all are lampooned with a
Saturday Night Live non-sensibility! Everyone will relate to this hilarious, and
at times, touching musical about the curiosities and inevitabilities of middle-age.
If you bought some Gingko-Biloba, but can't remember where you put it - then you're
ready for MID-LIFE!
 BUDDY:
THE BUDDY HOLLY STORY
September 10 - October 12
The regional premiere of a musical celebration
of the legendary singer/songwriter Buddy Holly, who shot to stardom in 1957.
BUDDY has been performed all over the world and has been seen by 20 million
people since it opened in 1990. Featuring such classic songs
as "That'll Be the Day," "Peggy Sue," La Bamba" and "Chantilly
Lace, " BUDDY is a unique mixture of innocence, determination, humor, and
charm that was Buddy Holly and has been hailed as The World's Most Successful
Rock ‘n' Roll Musical!
 JAMESTOWN
GALS: THE MUSIC OF LUCILLE BALL & PEGGY LEE
November 5 - December 7
One from Jamestown, New
York; the other from Jamestown, North Dakota. Lucille Ball's
journey went from being a Ziegfeld Follies girl in the early 1940s to a contract
player in MGM movies for nearly 20 years before she became the iconic and comedic
redhead we know her as today. Peggy Lee's career spanned over
50 years as a singer, actress and songwriter. She had 78 songs
on the Billboard 100 including "Fever," "I've Got You Under My
Skin," "Mr. Wonderful," and "Big Spender."
A world premiere production from the director/choreographer and co-author
of ZOOMA ZOOMA.
 A
CHRISTMAS CAROL
(not part of Subscription Season)
December 19 -
December 21
In March of 1868, as part of his highly publicized,
much anticipated America Reading Tour, Charles Dickens visited Buffalo, NY. He
performed two sold-out shows at St. James Hall. Nearly 3000 people saw him LIVE
each night. The first story he shared on that first night may be the best loved
holiday tale ever written: "A Christmas Carol." This December 2008,
the greatest storyteller of all time returns to tell his greatest story. Make
plans to see Mike Randall in his solo performance, CHARLES DICKENS PRESENTS: A
CHRISTMAS CAROL.
 2
PIANOS 4 HANDS
January 7 - February 8
2
PIANOS 4 HANDS is the riotous tale of two boys sharing the same goal: concert
pianist stardom. Two actors, two grand pianos, and many, many
comic characters grace the stage as fifteen years of learning the art of piano
playing unfolds. With music from classical to pop to jazz,
2 PIANOS 4 HANDS features a show of piano wizardry from Beethoven to Jerry Lee
Lewis.
 SUNDAY
IN THE PARK WITH GEORGE
March 4 - April 5
The
second production in a planned three year Stephen Sondheim retrospective, SUNDAY
IN THE PARK WITH GEORGE is a regional premiere and the follow-up to MusicalFare's
critically praised production of SWEENEY TODD. One of the most
acclaimed musicals of our time, this moving study of the enigmatic painter Georges
Seurat won a Pulitzer Prize and features some of Sondheim's most beautiful and
stirring music. A theatrical event not to be missed.
 BADA
BING! BADA BOOM!
April 22 - May 24
Cardinal
Synne High School is hosting a special reunion concert featuring The Bada Bings,
a male singing group that hasn't performed together in over 20 years.
A world premiere side-splitting musical comedy in the style of NUNSENSE
and FOREVER PLAID, BADA BING! BADA BOOM! features great Italian music made famous
by Dean Martin, Perry Como, Jerry Vale, Louis Prima and others.
Parking
is FREE, and the theatre is handicapped accessible, complete with a hearing-impaired
system. |
