Maura Nolan

Will good triumph over evil? Can you invoke the name of God to protect your positive behaviors? According to playwright Robert Askins, you can most definitely blame the powers of evil when it comes to bad deeds, and if you state 'the devil made me do it' then you are absolved of all wrong doing. Askins' play HAND TO GOD opened last night at Buffalo's Road Less Traveled Theater in a hilariously irreverent but thought inducing production.

Road Less Traveled Productions (RLTP) will open its fourth production this season on Thursday March 5 with 2015 Broadway hit comedy, Hand to God by Robert Askins.

Whatever your artistic quest may be, from unearthing gem stones or archeological ruins to discovering a lost manuscript of music, there is always an element of nostalgia and new found glee when the item arises. Stage director Fortunato Pezzimenti discovered Arthur Richman's unpublished 1922 script THE AWFUL TRUTH in the New York Public Library for The Performing Arts in 2011. Only briefly produced on Broadway in 1935, the story has been told on 3 occasions on the silver screen.

From the first moment one walks into American Repertory Theater of WNY's production of Halley Feiffer's "How to Make Friends and Then Kill Them", there is a sense that what will transpire on stage won't be your typical theater presentation. 

When the Buffalo-based American Repertory Theater of WNY opens the company's second show of the 2016-17 season, the entire production will see an all-female production team and cast tackle Halley Feiffer's compelling dark-comedy, 'How To Make Friends and Then Kill Them.' 

A great week of general auditions and callbacks for the 2016-17 season with 60+ talented individuals attending the two-night and three days of callbacks seeking to fill roles for all four ART/WNY productions. Maura Nolan, director for Halley Fieffer's HOW TO MAKE FRIENDS AND THEN KILL THEM, Jeffrey Coyle, director for Steve Martin's THE UNDERPANTS, Matthew LaChiusa, director for A BEHANDING IN SPOKANE and alongside Billy Horn, musical director for AMERICAN IDIOT, had the difficult decision to chose from all those who attended. Once the dust settled, two of the four shows have been fully cast with the other two in the process of finalizing cast lists.

The American Repertory Theater of WNY will begin their 10th season in the new 330 Amherst Street performance space with four productions schedule for the 2016-17 theatrical season. Scheduled for September 2016 is the power-punk musical AMERICAN IDIOT based on the 2004 critically acclaimed album released by Green Day, following in November 2016 is the sinister comedy by Halley Feiffer entitled HOW TO MAKE FRIENDS AND THEN KILL THEM, then after a winter break the second half of the 2016-17 season sees two productions including the fast-paced comedy, THE UNDERPANTS, written by the celebrated comedian Steve Martin slated for March, and in May a production of the 2010 dark comedy A BEHANDING IN SPOKANE by Martin McDonagh closes the season. 

After a winter hiatus American Repertory Theater of WNY resumes the 2015-16 season with a presentation of the 1966 pioneering work by John Guare, The House of Blue Leaves. Under the directorial eye of ART/WNY alumni, Drew McCabe (The Crucible and Dead English), the work centers on one man's desire to rise above his mundane life by becoming a successful songwriter only to see this dream remain elusive because of the eccentric circumstances surrounding the life he leads. Robert Ernie Insana will return to the ART/WNY stage as the befuddled 'Artie Shaughnessy' in this compelling American play. The House of Blue Leaves opens on March 10th and runs until April 2nd in ART/WNY's new location, 330 Amherst Street, Buffalo (next to the Sportsman Tavern). All show-times are 8 pm, Thursday through Saturday.

After a winter hiatus American Repertory Theater of WNY resumes the 2015-16 season with a presentation of the 1966  pioneering work by John Guare, The House of Blue Leaves. Under the directorial eye of ART/WNY alumni, Drew McCabe (The Crucible and Dead English), the work centers on one man's desire to rise above his mundane life by becoming a successful songwriter only to see this dream remain elusive because of the eccentric circumstances surrounding the life he leads. Robert Ernie Insana will return to the ART/WNY stage as the befuddled 'Artie Shaughnessy' in this compelling American play. The House of Blue Leaves opens on March 10th and runs until April 2nd in ART/WNY's new location, 330 Amherst Street, Buffalo (next to the Sportsman Tavern). All show-times are 8 pm, Thursday through Saturday.

The American Repertory Theater of WNY is celebrating the 10 year mark of the Buffalo Infringement Festival by bringing back the Local One-Act Showcase to be presented at ART in the Box, 16 Linwood Avenue, Buffalo NY 14219. Showdates and times are July 24th (Thursday)-7:00 pm-9:30 pm, July 25th (Friday) 9:00 pm-11:00 pm, July 26th (Saturday) 9:00 pm-11:00 pm, July 31st 7:00-9:30 pm, Aug 1st (Friday) 9:00 pm-11:00 pm, Aug 2nd (Saturday) 9:00 pm-11:00 pm. Suggested donation of $10.

The American Repertory Theater of WNY is celebrating the 10 year mark of the Buffalo Infringement Festival by bringing back the Local One-Act Showcase to be presented at ART in the Box, 16 Linwood Avenue, Buffalo NY 14219. Showdates and times are July 24th (Thursday)-7:00 pm-9:30 pm, July 25th (Friday) 9:00 pm-11:00 pm, July 26th (Saturday) 9:00 pm-11:00 pm, July 31st 7:00-9:30 pm, Aug 1st (Friday) 9:00 pm-11:00 pm, Aug 2nd (Saturday) 9:00 pm-11:00 pm. Suggested donation of $10.

The American Repertory Theater of WNY is celebrating the 10 year mark of the Buffalo Infringement Festival by bringing back the Local One-Act Showcase to be presented at ART in the Box, 16 Linwood Avenue, Buffalo NY 14219. Showdates and times are July 24th (Thursday)-7:00 pm-9:30 pm, July 25th (Friday) 9:00 pm-11:00 pm, July 26th (Saturday) 9:00 pm-11:00 pm, Aug 1st (Friday) 9:00 pm-11:00 pm, Aug 2nd (Saturday) 9:00 pm-11:00 pm. Suggested donation of $10.

The American Rep Theater of WNY concludes the 2013-14 season with a world premiere of the original work, dedicated to this great American icon, entitled SHINE written by Matthew LaChiusa from April 24th to May 17th at ART in the Box, 16 Linwood Avenue, Buffalo (Site of the Church of the Ascension).

American Repertory Theater of WNY continues an outstanding 2013-14 season with the production of Michael Gazzo's compelling story of Hope, Dope and Love entitled A HATFUL OF RAIN. This story of a military veteran struggles with morphine addiction and the fallout effects on his loved ones currently runs now to March 29th, Thursday-Saturday performances at 7:30 pm.

Presented by American Repertory of WNY, Directed by Matthew LaChiusa, HATFUL OF RAIN, is written by the Academy Award nominated actor known from GODFATHER II (Frank 'Five Angels' Pentangeli), Michael V Gazzo. Starting out as a Broadway playwright and writing for film (including the screenplay for Elvis Presley's KING CREOLE),Gazzo was an instrumental figure in the Actors Studio and went on to film and TV acting until his death in 1995.

Presented by American Repertory of WNY, Directed by Matthew LaChiusa, HATFUL OF RAIN, is written by the Academy Award nominated actor known from GODFATHER II (Frank 'Five Angels' Pentangeli), Michael V Gazzo. Starting out as a Broadway playwright and writing for film (including the screenplay for Elvis Presley's KING CREOLE),Gazzo was an instrumental figure in the Actors Studio and went on to film and TV acting until his death in 1995.