ART/WNY Announces Upcoming Season

Live theater is making a bold return to Western New York stages, and American Rep Theater of WNY is celebrating the Great Restart with a compelling and original 4-show 2021-22 season featuring all WNY playwrights.

Starting off the season is a work by Artie award winning playwright Mark Humphrey entitled "Speed of Dark". Featuring actors Hugh Davis, Vincenzo McNeill, Monish Bhattacharyya, and Quentin Gray, the piece centers around four-men who find themselves on the wrong end-of-the day in a Sundown Town, and, as contemplating the best escape plan or face certain death, they discover the integrity within themselves as well as find dignity & pride to who they are as men. "Speed of Dark" runs September 9th - October 2nd, 2021. Showtimes are Thurs-Friday 8 pm; Saturday 5 pm. Online tickets are now on-sale. https://speedofdark.brownpapertickets.com

October brings the return of the previously 2020-season scheduled "Something Wicked" by James Marzo. The year 1825 was a momentous one for Buffalo, New York. The Erie Canal opened, connecting Lake Erie to the Hudson River, a celebration honoring the Marquis de Lafayette, hero of the American Revolution was held in Buffalo, and the city held its first and only public hanging. At least 20,000 witnesses gathered in Niagara Square to watch three brothers-Nelson, Israel, and Isaac Thayer-hang from the same gallows. This is the basis of James Marzo's work. Through his weaving of tight dialogue and dark humor, Marzo crafts a loose history of this macabre story how the Thayer brothers hatched a nefarious plan to murder money lender John Love in a desperate move to eliminate debt and avoid prison. Suzanne Hibbard portrays the narrator 'Sadie' as Justin Pope, Timothy Coseglia join Joshua Leary as the Thayer brothers. Additional cast members feature John F Kennedy, as 'Sheriff Torrey' and David Wysocki (portraying 'Deputy Willard') with Michael Breen as the unfortunate character of 'John Love'. "Something Wicked" opens October 28th and runs November 20th, 2021.
In 2018, American Repertory Theater of WNY produced "The Rain Dogs Project". This critically acclaimed showcase featured WNY playwrights' one-acts based on the music of Tom Waits. In keeping with this same concept, ART/WNY presents a showcase featuring WNY playwrights works inspired by the whiskey fueled, Celtic-punk music of The Pogues entitled "Fall from the Grace of God".

The place is Martin's Bar, a home to any evening that song, dance and a good story can break-out. Weaving these stories together, with a wee-bit of honesty and a whole lotta of drinkin', the bar patrons make Martin's Bar a confessional booth for the evening. "Fall from the Grace of God" features Susan King, Michael Breen, Trevor Dugan, Matthew Rittler, Sarah Emmerling, Ian Michalski, Alyssa Grace Adams, Cameron Kogut, Elliot Fox, Isabel Deschamps, Kayla Victoria Reumann, and Matthew Mogenson. Len Mendez is the musical director. "Fall from the Grace of God" runs March 10th - April 2nd, 2022.

American Repertory Theater of WNY closes the 2021-22 season with the production of Artie Award winning writer Matthew LaChiusa's "The Paradigm Bomb". Directed by Monish Bhattacharyya and featuring actors Suzanne Hibbard, Charles McGregor and Victor Morales, the narrative centers around the influence of words and how they can radicalize individuals. "The Paradigm Bomb" is set to open May 12th and run until June 3rd, 2022.
As a way of saying thank you to the community that supported ART/WNY through a very difficult time, the company is offering pay-what-you-can ticket prices throughout the entire season. For more information on the season, visit www.artofwny.org

Until further notice, American Repertory Theater of WNY will maintain a strict mandate on COVID guidelines for public health. The company will require masks to be worn during performances, social distancing rules will be in place, and requests attendees are fully vaccinated or have tested negative for COVID. These are done for the overall well-being of patrons and the production staff. For more information on guidelines visit: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/community/index.htm

To sign up for the NYS Excelsior Pass please visit: https://covid19vaccine.health.ny.gov/excelsior-pass