THE BOYS IN THE BAND to Debut at Cider Mill Stage

BLAST (Bold Local Artists of the Southern Tier) will present Mart Crowley's groundbreaking and provocative drama The Boys in the Band as part of its 2025 to 2026 Season at the Cider Mill Stage. Opening Friday, February 27, the production runs through Sunday, March 8, with evening performances on Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30 PM and Sunday matinees at 2:30 PM.

Set in a New York City apartment in 1968, The Boys in the Band invites audiences into an intimate birthday gathering that quickly becomes anything but celebratory. A group of gay men assemble to honor their friend Harold, trading cocktails, barbs, and laughter until the night begins to unravel. As the hours pass, humor gives way to confession, cruelty, and reckoning, revealing the emotional fault lines beneath the party's glittering surface.

The evening is hosted by Michael (Rob Egan), whose biting wit and volatile emotions keep the room balanced on a knife's edge. His former lover and close friend, Donald (Stephen Kane), arrives early, carrying unresolved feelings and shared history. As guests trickle in, tensions mount. Emory (Chris VanDerwerker) is flamboyant, fearless, and achingly exposed. Partners Larry (Isaac Weber) and Hank (Shane Smith) clash over love, monogamy, and freedom. Bernard (Jason Walsh) offers sharp, observant commentary shaped by lived experience.

The fragile equilibrium shatters with the arrival of Alan (Connor Gates), a straight former college friend of Michael's, whose presence ignites discomfort and magnifies the group's simmering anxieties. Fueled by alcohol and unresolved pain, Michael proposes a party game that turns the spotlight inward, forcing each guest to confront truths they have long kept hidden.

When Harold (Mark Durkee), the guest of honor, finally arrives, his incisive intelligence and emotional armor collide with Michael's unraveling control, driving the evening toward an explosive and unforgettable climax. The unexpected appearance of Cowboy (Devin Jay Mori), hired earlier in the night, further escalates the tension.

Fast, funny, and unflinchingly honest, The Boys in the Band remains a landmark of American theater. BLAST's production offers a gripping exploration of friendship, identity, and survival, asking what happens when the jokes stop, the masks fall, and the truth can no longer be ignored.

The production is directed by Nathan Butler, with Anne Coleman serving as Stage Manager. The creative team includes Gabby Button (Lighting Design), Mike Kane (Sound Design), Kacey Painter (Costume Design), and MJ Clune and Larry Guidici (Set Construction).

Performance Schedule

Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30 PM
Sundays at 2:30 PM
February 27 to March 8