Today AM Buffalo was live in the heart of Buffalo’s theater district for Curtain Up! The red carpet has been rolled out, the velveteen ropes have been hung, all in honor of Curtain Up which takes place tonight.
David Bondrow, artistic and executive director of the Lancaster Opera House says, “Curtain Up is the opening of the theater season and this time it is special because after three years we are back.” He says once the shows let out at ten everyone comes to the theater district for an awesome party.
Mercedes talked with Michael Greco owner of the Bijou. Michael says he’s been here for 30 years, and he says he has basically seen everything that has come to Theater Place, the Theater district and the businesses that have come here that have made this area wonderful. Michael says, “It’s a great experience. Curtain Up is the one night of the year that this area really shines.”
Griffin Kramer is a physician’s assistant by day and a musician by night. He has been doing Curtain Up for six years and says it’s the most fun. He says he has been coming to shows since he was a little kid with his parents. He tells us that they have about 600 songs in their repertoire from Billy Joel to ABBA, anything you want, there is something for everyone. He will be located right next to Shea’s right at the Shea’s Bistro.
Emily spoke with Jessica Muehlbauer, owner, creative director of DOT+LINE and wanted to know about Moxie and what inspired it. Jessica says, “We went to the theater district because we wanted to create something exciting and artistic for Curtain Up and with everything going on in the world, we thought something that had some umph to it and creative and feminine lean to it and Moxie came to mind. Moxie means to have nerve and courage, be bold and compassionate so they decided to make all their art installations around that central theme. She goes on to say, I think with the changing world for women, we all felt a little saddened in the last few months”
Marissa Colucci, interior designer, DOT+LINE says they wanted to call attention to some of those issues and do it sort of ironically, so I AM Women, you aren’t going to see a brief case or a microphone for a journalist, you’re not going to see the things all women are, you are going to see what society thinks of us. She says, “At Buffalo Place we have we they are call “We the People” and it is preamble to the constitution but instead of saying men we crossed that out and put people because at the end of the day the constitution needs to represent everybody and at the night of Curtain Up there will be equal rights amendment as well, because I don’t think people realize that it is not actually in the constitution yet.”
Scott Wojtanik and Megan Joyce joined from The Comedy Collective. Megan says, “Scott and I started The Comedy Collective as a comedy production company for local performers in all different comedy types.” She says their flagship show is ComedySportz which is family-friendly and short-form improv that is set up like a sporting match. If you are more interested in late night adult theme comedy they have a partnership with the American Repertoire Theater on Elmwood Avenue so every fourth Saturday there you can see different groups perform. She says it is always something new and then the second Saturday there is an informal jam so if you are interested in trying improv or you’re not sure if you are funny or if just want to put your toe in the water, it’s a great way to meet people and it is super casual and very fun.
The Comedy Collective works with several theaters around the area. Scott Wojtanik says, “We were a non-profit before the pandemic and then we closed during the pandemic so Megan and I reopened ComedySportz and we really don’t have a fixed space right now so we partner with the American Repertoire Theater and we are at the Harlem Road Community Center for our ComedySportz and we are hoping to get more theaters to spread more improv and get more people involved in comedy overall.”
