The Compass Performing Arts Factory Reveals Fall Lineup: What’s Cookin’ On The Assembly Line
Buffalo’s creative hub unveils a November lineup featuring The Brazen Faced Varlets’ Gidion’s Knot and a one-night Nick Cave–inspired event.
By: A.A. Cristi Nov. 04, 2025
The Compass Performing Arts Factory in Buffalo, NY, kicks off November with What’s Cookin’ on the Assembly Line, a monthlong showcase of theatre and live performance.
The lineup includes The Brazen Faced Varlets’ production of Gidion’s Knot by Johnna Adams and a one-night event from American Repertory Theater of WNY celebrating the music of Nick Cave. The series continues The Factory’s mission to cultivate creativity and collaboration among Buffalo’s independent theatre artists.
Now entering its twentieth season, Buffalo’s grassroots theatre company The Brazen Faced Varlets will open its 2025–2026 season at The Factory with Gidion’s Knot by Johnna Adams. Directed by company founder Lara Haberberger and starring Caitlin Coleman and Kristin Tripp Kelly, the play follows a grieving mother and an overwhelmed fifth-grade teacher as they confront the aftermath of a young boy’s suicide. As the women uncover Gidion’s story, they wrestle with complex emotions of guilt, grief, and moral ambiguity.
Gidion’s Knot will run from November 7 through November 22, with performances on Fridays at 7:30 p.m. and Saturdays at 5:00 p.m. More information is available at www.varlets.org.
On November 8, American Repertory Theater of WNY will collaborate with local playwright and author John Snodgrass and musician Susan King for A Big Black Cloud Over Ohio, a one-night event inspired by the music of Nick Cave. The performance intertwines storytelling and song, centering on a surreal road trip to Columbus, Ohio, to see Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds through Snodgrass’s eyes. King will perform music inspired by ART/WNY’s 2023 short-play showcase Mercy Seat, which was also rooted in Cave’s distinctive sound and themes. This free public event will begin at 8:00 p.m. at The Factory.
Additional details about The Compass Performing Arts Factory’s November events can be found through the organization’s social media channels and website.
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