ART Returns To The Loft

In American Repertory Theater of WNY's inaugural season, the company found a perfect theatrical space to operate two of the three shows slated in the 2007-08 season. Working out of the TheaterLoft (545 Elmwood Avenue), home to the acclaimed and diverse Ujima Theatre Company, ART/WNY presented two works WHEN YA COMING BACK, RED RYDER, by Mark Medoff, and Tennessee William's THE ROSE TATTOO (which earned the company's first Artie Nomination for Best Ensemble). These two productions brought notoriety to the upstart company and established ART/WNY's reputation for producing thought-provoking, unknown or rarely done works that tell the American story.

The company's successful 2007-08 first-season carried into the following year as both productions slated in the 2008-09 menu were presented in the TheaterLoft space. George S. Kaufman and Moss Hart's rarely done Holiday piece THE MAN WHO CAME TO DINNER opened the company's season and earned two Artie Award nominations for the efforts (Best Ensemble and Christopher Standard's Best Male Lead). In keeping with the company's artistic vision to produce local playwright's works, the spring show included a series of one-acts entitled THE SMOKING GUN TRIO that featured ART/WNY Artie Award winner Mark Humphrey's first produced work by the company, MECHANICS. Other local playwrights included Matthew LaChiusa's ANGEL IN BLACK and Cindy Darling's GOODBYE, BUCKO.

Unfortunately, due to circumstances beyond ART/WNY's control, the two year stint at TheaterLoft came to an end. For the next 8 seasons the company would take up residence in multiple locations including the Cabaret at Alleyway Theatre, Buffalo East, 16 Linwood Street and the 330 Amherst location. Even against this start-stop roulette with venues, the company's commitment to produce quality works with the best unproven or unknown talent ART/WNY could discover never wavered.

Now after nomadic miles of moving from venue to venue, American Repertory Theater of WNY has returned back to the performance space that began the company's 11th season journey. This past July the company entered into a 10-year lease to operate out of the 545 Elmwood location allowing ART/WNY to call a performance space "home" for a decade.

ART has returned to the Loft!

Opening on November 1st, the company will kick-off this new era with a production of American playwright, Sam Shepard's FOOL FOR LOVE. This production of Shepard's steamy portrayal of two souls stuck in a self-made purgatory features the directorial debut of Buffalo theater icon, Kelli Natale as well as the company acting debuts of Eric Rawski as 'Eddie' and Steve Jakiel as 'The Old Man'. Not only is FOOL FOR LOVE marking her first chosen production for the 545 space as the company's newly named Artistic Director, Candice Kogut will also mark her first time on the new stage in the role of 'May'. Also making his first time on the new stage is fellow ART/WNY alumni Nicholas Lama as 'Martin'.

FOOL FOR LOVE runs for three weeks only with performances Thursday through Saturday. All showtimes are 8 pm. There will be a special Industry Night on November 11th, 7 pm. Ticket prices are $20 General Admission. $10 for all students and Industry. Online ticket information please visit www.artofwny.org. Celebrate out with the old and in with the new as ART/WNY begins another decade of telling the American story.

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