Theater Talk

WBFO
  • 5.0 (1)
  • PERFORMING ARTS
  • UPDATED WEEKLY
Theater Talk Podcast

For 30 years, Theater Talk has been appointment listening on WBFO, featuring the insights of theater critic and historian, Anthony Chase.Chase co-hosted Theater Talk with Buffalo Broadcast Hall of Famer Jim Santella for many years. These days it's Peter Hall.Heard at 6:45 and 8:45 Friday mornings on WBFO, the five-minute weekly show is also available on wbfo.org and as a podcast.With more than 20 active producing theater companies in Buffalo alone, not to mention Shea’s Performing Arts Center and the Shaw Festival at nearby Niagara on the Lake, Chase and Hall keep their calendars full trying to see and share their insights on as many shows as possible.But Theater Talk is anything but a dry community arts listing service. Instead, with affection, good humor, and just the occasional rant, the segment provides snapshot reviews, recommends local productions, analyzes the Western New York theater scene and occasionally looks at what's happening on Broadway and across the nation.Chase is the founder of the Artie Awards, which recognizes excellence in Western New York theater and raises money for AIDS charities.

  1. 1 HR. AGO

    Theater Talk: After Curtain Up! the hits just keep on comin' and Shea's Broadway Tours start on Tuesday. A busy, busy, busy season is off to a great start.

    This weekend on Theater Talk, Anthony and Peter talk about last weekend's Curtain Up! and mention the plays TEA PARTY, DRACULA, THE AFRICAN COMPANY PRESENTS RICHARD III, and NEWSIES. For 31 years (as of November 2023), Theater Talk has been appointment listening on WBFO, featuring the insights of theater critic and historian Anthony Chase, who joins Peter Hall for a five-minute weekly broadcast at 6:45 and 8:45 Friday mornings on 88.7 WBFO with a podcast available on wbfo.org. NOTE: Theater listings are included with the podcast. As part of BTPM (Buffalo Toronto Public Media), their beat is primarily Buffalo theater, but Broadway, The Shaw Festival, The Stratford Festival, and Chautauqua are covered as are other relevant art forms, including ballet and opera.

    5 min

  2. SEP 13

    Theater Talk: Tonight is Curtain Up! Anthony got his star on The Plaza of the Stars as 9/9/2024 declared "Anthony Chase Day." THE PROM at MusicalFare and MONSTERS OF THE AMERICAN CINEMA both deliver high-quality theater.

    Anthony gets his star on The Plaza of the Stars and 9/9/2024 is declared "Anthony Chase Day" in the City of Buffalo. Anthony and Peter attended THE PROM at MusicalFare and MONSTERS OF THE AMERICAN CINEMA (BUA at the Compass Performing Arts Factory), both very enjoyable. Curtain Up! is tonight. For 31 years (as of November 2023), Theater Talk has been appointment listening on WBFO, featuring the insights of theater critic and historian Anthony Chase, who joins Peter Hall for a five-minute weekly broadcast at 6:45 and 8:45 Friday mornings on 88.7 WBFO with a podcast available on wbfo.org. NOTE: Theater listings are included with the podcast. As part of BTPM (Buffalo Toronto Public Media), their beat is primarily Buffalo theater, but Broadway, The Shaw Festival, The Stratford Festival, and Chautauqua are covered as are other relevant art forms, including ballet and opera.

    5 min

  3. SEP 6

    Theater Talk: Shawfest's THE HOUSE THAT WILL NOT STAND is superb, MusicalFare's THE PROM and BUA's MONSTERS OF THE AMERICAN CINEMA deal with LGBTQ issues, Anthony to be installed on The Plaza of the Stars, Monday 9/9 at 5:30! (See listings.)

    This week on Theater Talk, Anthony and Peter talk about two shows with strong LGBTQ content: THE PROM at MusicaFare which opened on 9/4, and MONSTERS OF THE AMERICAN CINEMA, a two-hander from BUA at the Compass Performing Art Space (545 Elmwood) which opens tonight. Niagara on the Lake Ontario's Shaw Festival continues well into the fall, with many of their popular plays at the Festival including SHERLOCK HOLMES AND THE MYSTERY OF THE HUMAN HEART and a completely wonderful play at the Jackie Maxwell Studio theater called THE HOUSE THAT WILL NOT STAND about a well-to-do black family in New Orleans facing the threat that once Louisiana is part of the U.S., then slavery will be legal.For 31 years (as of November 2023), Theater Talk has been appointment listening on WBFO, featuring the insights of theater critic and historian Anthony Chase, who joins Peter Hall for a five-minute weekly broadcast at 6:45 and 8:45 Friday mornings on 88.7 WBFO with a podcast available on wbfo.org. NOTE: Theater listings are included with the podcast. As part of BTPM (Buffalo Toronto Public Media), their beat is primarily Buffalo theater, but Broadway, The Shaw Festival, The Stratford Festival, and Chautauqua are covered as are other relevant art forms, including ballet and opera.

    5 min

  4. AUG 30

    Theater Talk: Shaw Festival continues well into the fall, Buffalo's season starts next week with THE PROM, MONSTERS OF THE AMERICAN CINEMA, and WIPEOUT. Anthony talks about his class in script analysis.

    Niagara on the Lake Ontario's Shaw Festival continues well into the fall, with My Fair Lady and also Christmas Carol running through December 22! Buffalo's season starts next week with THE PROM on 9/4, then MONSTERS OF THE AMERICAN CINEMA, and WIPEOUT on 9/6. Anthony talks about his class in script analysis and having fun with AI. For 31 years (as of November 2023), Theater Talk has been appointment listening on WBFO, featuring the insights of theater critic and historian Anthony Chase, who joins Peter Hall for a five-minute weekly broadcast at 6:45 and 8:45 Friday mornings on 88.7 WBFO with a podcast available on wbfo.org. NOTE: Theater listings are included with the podcast. As part of BTPM (Buffalo Toronto Public Media), their beat is primarily Buffalo theater, but Broadway, The Shaw Festival, The Stratford Festival, and Chautauqua are covered as are other relevant art forms, including ballet and opera

    5 min

  5. AUG 23

    Theater Talk: Shaw Festival continues to delight, this time with ORPHAN OF CHAO and COTTON CLUB in the Spiegeltent. Anthony anticipates Charo at the Riviera in the fall, and loved OH, MARY! on Broadway

    This week on Theater Talk, Anthony and Peter talk about Peter's trip to the Shaw Festival to see THE ORPHAN OF CHAO and Kimberly Rampersad's vision of "The Cotton Club" at the Spiegeltent Many shows are near capacity at the three main theaters (Festival, Royal George, and Jackie Maxwell Studio). Anthony is very excited to report that Charo, the Spanish singer-comedian-guitarist-entertainer is coming to The Riviera Theater. He saw OH, MARY! a drag presentation of Mary Todd Lincoln on Broadway that is selling out daily and bringing in a million dollars a week. For 31 years (as of November 2023), Theater Talk has been appointment listening on WBFO, featuring the insights of theater critic and historian Anthony Chase, who joins Peter Hall for a five-minute weekly broadcast at 6:45 and 8:45 Friday mornings on 88.7 WBFO with a podcast available on wbfo.org. NOTE: Theater listings are included with the podcast. As part of BTPM (Buffalo Toronto Public Media), their beat is primarily Buffalo theater, but Broadway, The Shaw Festival, The Stratford Festival, and Chautauqua are covered as are other relevant art forms, including ballet and opera.

    5 min

  6. AUG 16

    Theater Talk: CANDIDA at Shawfest delights, Kerrykate Abel to portray Mae West at Lily Dale, Shakespeare in Delaware Park's final 3 nights, Desiderio's Dinner Theater continues

    This week on Theater Talk, Anthony and Peter talk about their trip to the Shaw Festival in Niagara-on-the-Lake Ontario to see George Bernard Shaw's CANDIDA. Many shows are near capacity at the three main theaters (Festival, Royal George, and Jackie Maxwell Studio) plus shows such as THE COTTON CLUB and THE SHAW VARIETY SHOW in their "Spiegeltent." There's a play by Kate Hamill at the Chautauqua Institution's Bratton Theater up through early next week; Shakespeare in Delaware Park's THE COMEDY OF ERRORS wraps up on Sunday. And, Buffalo's "First Lady of Cabaret" Kerrykate Abel Smith stars as Mae West, one night only, in Lily Dale (a favorite haunt of Ms. West). For listings, please scroll down. For 31 years (as of November 2023), Theater Talk has been appointment listening on WBFO, featuring the insights of theater critic and historian Anthony Chase, who joins Peter Hall for a five-minute weekly broadcast at 6:45 and 8:45 Friday mornings on 88.7 WBFO with a podcast available on wbfo.org. NOTE: Theater listings are included with the podcast. As part of BTPM (Buffalo Toronto Public Media), their beat is primarily Buffalo theater, but Broadway, The Shaw Festival, The Stratford Festival, and Chautauqua are covered as are other relevant art forms, including ballet and opera.

    5 min

  7. AUG 9

    Theater Talk: Stephen McKinley Henderson to induct Anthony Chase to Buffalo's "Plaza of the Stars" on 9/9; Curtain Up! 2024 is on 9/13; three shows open a week earlier: MONSTERS OF THE AMERICAN CINEMA (BUA at CPAC), THE PROM (MusicalFare) and WIPEOUT (A

    This week on Theater Talk, Anthony and Peter talk Anthony's upcoming induction (9/9 at 5:30) into The Plaza of the Stars (Main and Tupper) to be presented by Stephen McKinley Henderson. Three venues will open a week before 9/13 Curtain Up! MONSTERS OF THE AMERICAN CINEMA (B.U.A. at Compass P.A.C.); THE PROM at MusicalFare, and WIPEOUT at The Alleyway Theatre. For 31 years (as of November 2023), Theater Talk has been appointment listening on WBFO, featuring the insights of theater critic and historian Anthony Chase, who joins Peter Hall for a five-minute weekly broadcast at 6:45 and 8:45 Friday mornings on 88.7 WBFO with a podcast available on wbfo.org. NOTE: Theater listings are included with the podcast. As part of BTPM (Buffalo Toronto Public Media), their beat is primarily Buffalo theater, but Broadway, The Shaw Festival, The Stratford Festival, and Chautauqua are covered as are other relevant art forms, including ballet and opera.

    5 min

  8. AUG 2

    Theater Talk: Caitlin Baeumler Coleman shines in THE COMEDY OF ERRORS; HUNDRED DAYS and FABULATION close this weekend

    This week on Theater Talk, Anthony and Peter talk about Shakespeare in Delaware Park's THE COMEDY OF ERRORS, which has a marvelous cast, including favorite actor Caitlin Baeumler Coleman. The Chautauqua Theatre Company wraps up Lynn Nottage's UNDINE, by one of their (and our) favorite playwrights, Pulitzer Prize-winning Lynn Nottage and MusicalFare Theatre wraps up HUNDRED DAYS as well. Desiderio's Dinner Theatre continues with DON'T DRINK THE WATER (see listings below).For 31 years (as of November 2023), Theater Talk has been appointment listening on WBFO, featuring the insights of theater critic and historian Anthony Chase, who joins Peter Hall for a five-minute weekly broadcast at 6:45 and 8:45 Friday mornings on 88.7 WBFO with a podcast available on wbfo.org. NOTE: Theater listings are included with the podcast. As part of BTPM (Buffalo Toronto Public Media), their beat is primarily Buffalo theater, but Broadway, The Shaw Festival, The Stratford Festival, and Chautauqua are covered as are other relevant art forms, including ballet and opera.

    5 min
See All (20)

About

For 30 years, Theater Talk has been appointment listening on WBFO, featuring the insights of theater critic and historian, Anthony Chase.Chase co-hosted Theater Talk with Buffalo Broadcast Hall of Famer Jim Santella for many years. These days it's Peter Hall.Heard at 6:45 and 8:45 Friday mornings on WBFO, the five-minute weekly show is also available on wbfo.org and as a podcast.With more than 20 active producing theater companies in Buffalo alone, not to mention Shea’s Performing Arts Center and the Shaw Festival at nearby Niagara on the Lake, Chase and Hall keep their calendars full trying to see and share their insights on as many shows as possible.But Theater Talk is anything but a dry community arts listing service. Instead, with affection, good humor, and just the occasional rant, the segment provides snapshot reviews, recommends local productions, analyzes the Western New York theater scene and occasionally looks at what's happening on Broadway and across the nation.Chase is the founder of the Artie Awards, which recognizes excellence in Western New York theater and raises money for AIDS charities.

Information

  • Creator
    WBFO
  • Years Active
    2022 - 2024
  • Episodes
    20
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Ⓒ Western New York Public Broadcasting Association 2024
  • Show Website
    Theater Talk

You Might Also Like

To listen to explicit episodes, sign in.

Stay up to date with this show

Sign in or sign up to follow shows, save episodes, and get the latest updates.
Select a country or region

Africa, Middle East, and India

Asia Pacific

Europe

Latin America and the Caribbean

The United States and Canada