Buffalo Theatre Ensemble Presents Alan Ayckbourn's SEASON'S GREETINGS Next Month

Buffalo Theatre Ensemble (BTE), the professional Equity company in residence at the McAninch Arts Center (MAC), continues its 2022-2023 season with Alan Ayckbourn's "Season's Greetings," directed by Connie Canaday Howard*+. The uproarious British classic will be presented at the MAC Nov. 17 - Dec. 18. There will be a preview performance at 8 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 17. Press opening is 8 p.m. Friday, Nov. 18. Please note: This play contains adult themes and language.

Friends and family gather at Neville and Belinda's home to celebrate the holidays. Hilarious mayhem is quickly unleashed due to a tryst under the Christmas tree, an unforgettable puppet show and maybe even a murder. "Season's Greetings" offers a seriously entertaining look at the anxiety and high jinks of an average family during the holidays. The Guardian notes, "...the action escalates into laugh-aloud ridiculousness...4-Stars."

On the choice of "Season's Greetings," director Canaday Howard says, "We are thrilled to be bringing this show of hilarious familial disfunction to the stage just in time for the holidays. This showcases BTE's reputation for doing mad-cap comedy exceptionally well...and it offers our audience the chance to forget their cares and enjoy an uproarious good time."

"Season's Greetings" premiered in September 1980 at the Stephen Joseph Theatre in the Round in Scarborough in a production directed by Ayckbourn himself. This was followed by a run in London that transferred to the West End in March of 1982. The play has remained very popular over the years, having been revived numerous times in both America and in the UK, and toured on multiple occasions. Additionally, the play has been adapted to both radio and television. Speaking on the unique benefits of setting his play at a family gathering, Ayckbourn writes, "Christmas was a gift to a dramatist. You're always looking for a reason to stick a group of people together who can't stand each other..." (The Guardian, Dec. 20, 2007).

In addition to "Season's Greetings," prolific British playwright Alan Ayckbourn's has written over 80 other full-length plays, including "Relatively Speaking" (1968), "Mixed Doubles: An Entertainment on Marriage" (1970), "How the Other Half Loves" (1971), "The Norman Conquests" (1973), "Absurd Person Singular" (1974), "Mr. A's Amazing Maze Plays" (1989), "Invisible Friends" (1991), "Communicating Doors" (1995), "Comic Potential" (1999), "The Boy Who Fell into a Book" (2000), and the trilogy "Damsels in Distress" (2002). As well as being an accomplished playwright, Ayckbourn also acted as the director of many of his own and other plays. Ayckbourn's honors include a Laurence Olivier (2009) and a Tony Award (2010) for lifetime achievement.

The cast for "Season's Greetings" includes Kurt Naebig+* (Neville), Lisa Dawn+ (Belinda), Laura Leonardo Ownby+ (Phyllis), Hugh Callaly* (Harvey), Robert Jordan Bailey+* (Bernard), Tina Shelley (Rachel), Charles Loggins (Eddie), Renata Naomi (Pattie) and Brad Lawrence (Clive).

The design team for "Season's Greetings" includes Connie Canaday Howard+* (Direction), Sarah Lewis (Scenic Design), Rachel Lambert (Properties Design), Aly Renee Amidei+^ (Costume Design), Garrett Bell (Lighting Design), Christopher Kriz+^ (Sound Design). Violence Director is Neil Massey~. Stage Manager is Daniel Millhouse*. Assistant Stage Manager is Christopher Lindquist. Student Assistant Stage Manager is Kaya Luckey.

Need more Chicago Theatre News in your life?
Sign up for all the news on the Summer season, discounts & more...