Moon Over Buffalo

 

Camelot Theatre Company presents the first play in its 2010 season: “Moon Over Buffalo,” by Ken Ludwig.

 

Carol Burnett starred in the 1995 Broadway production, directed by Tony Award winning director Tom Moore. This backstage farce, by the author of "Lend Me a Tenor,” tells the story of Charlotte and George Hay, an acting couple who are not exactly the Lunts. While on tour in Buffalo in 1953, in Cyrano de Bergerac’” (“the revised, one nostril version”) and Noel Coward’s “Private Lives,” fate gives these thespians one last shot at starring roles in the movie version of “The Twilight of the Scarlet Pimpernel.” And director Frank Capra (gasp!) is en route to Buffalo to catch their matinee performance. A valentine to theatre hams everywhere!

 

Camelot’s production of “Moon Over Buffalo” is directed by Gwen Overland. No stranger to Camelot, Overland has acted in “Cabaret,” “The Sisters Rosensweig” and “Carnival” and has musically directed “Zorba,” “Promises, Promises” and “Spotlight on Judy Garland. Also at Camelot, Overland  has directed “Master Class,” “Wait Until Dark” and “Enchanted April.” When not in the theatre, she stays busy with her voice studio, private counseling and a commitment to youth suicide prevention.

 

Camelot’s production of “Moon Over Buffalo” features Camelot veterans Livia Genise (Charlotte Hay), Doug Warner (George Hay), Brian O’Connor (Howard), Kristi Abart (Ethel), Shannon McReynolds (Eileen), Jack Seybold (Richard Maynard), Tai Sammons (Rosalind  Hays) and Brandon Byron Manley(Paul).

 

The founder and Artistic Director of the Camelot Theatre Company in Talent, Oregon, Ms. Genise’s acting credits at Camelot range from Maria Callas in “Master Class” to the Witch in “Into the Woods” to Sister Aloysius in “Doubt.” Her directing credits include “Do I Hear A Waltz,” “Meet Me in St. Louis,” “The Heidi Chronicles,” “Macbeth,” “Much Ado About Nothing,” “The Crucible,” “Camelot,” “Promises, Promises,” “Brigadoon,” “Shenandoah” and most recently, “Cabaret.”

 

Formerly the producing director at Mendocino Theatre Company, Warner has extensive acting, directing and designing credits and joined Camelot’s staff four years ago. At Camelot he appeared in “doubt,” Bullshot Crummond,” “The Beard of Avon,” “The 1940s Radio Hour” and “An American Daughter.” He directed Bullshot Crummond, “Dancing at Lughnasa,” “Sockdology,” “The Miracle Worker” and 2007’s summer musical, “The Spitfire Grill.”

 

Brian O’Connor appeared at Camelot in 2006 in “An American Daughter.” He has since appeared onstage in “1776,” “The Beard of Avon,” “Into The Woods,” “Shakespeare In Hollywood,” “Sockdology” and as the narrator for Spotlights on Judy Garland, Mel Tormè and The Blues. O’Connor is also a local radio personality.

 

Kristie Abart has appeared in Camelot’s productions of “Shakespeare in Hollywood,”  “Man of La Mancha,”  “Into The Woods and “An American Daughter.” She holds a BA in Theatre Arts from the University of Nebraska and has worked in radio, TV and film.

 

Shannon McReynolds is an active participant in the Rogue Valley arts.  She performs with “Cleopatra and the Nile River Boys” (a local country/rock band), appears with Clint Ingbretson (an award-winning Elvis impersonator) and has participated at Camelot Theater for the last three seasons in shows such as “Into to the Woods,” “Spitfire Grill” and Shenandoah.

 

A writer and retired teacher with an M.A. in linguistics, Jack Seybold appears in his sixteenth Camelot production. He was Wally Fergusson in “The 1940's Radio Hour,” Padre in “Man of La Mancha,” Tito Merrelli in “Lend Me a Tenor,” Mr. Lundie in “Brigadoon” and Papa in “I Remember Mama.”

 

Tai is thrilled to be back on the Camelot stage where she appeared in such productions as I’m Not Rappaport,” “Carnival” and “The Sisters Rosensweig.” A Theatre Arts graduate of Southern Oregon University, Tai's credits include “Urinetown” and “A Funny Thing Happened On The Way To The Forum.” Other credits include the Oregon Shakespeare Festival's “A View From the Bridge.” 

 

Brandon Byron Manley has appeared in 10 productions at Camelot Theatre, most recently as Bullshot Crummnd in “Bullshot Crummond,” Oswald in “1984” and Mr. Dobitch in “Promises, Promises.” His other appearances include Gerry Evans in “Dancing at Lughnasa,” William Ferguson in “Sockdology,” Sidny Purvis in “Meet Me in St.Louis” and Daryl in “Shakespeare in Hollywood.”

 

The production team for “Moon Over Buffalo includes Camelot’s resident designers: costumer Barbara Rains; set designer, properties master and master carpenter Don Zastoupil; lighting designer Bart Grady and sound designer Brian OConnor. Roy Rains is a Production assistant. Stage management is by Taja Watkins; assistant stage manager is Tatiana Watkins. Fight choreography is by U. Jonathon Toppo.

 

“Moon Over Buffalo” previews at 8 p.m., Wednesday and Thursday February 3 and 4, opens Friday February 5 and runs through March 7. Performances are at 8 p.m. Thursday, Friday and Saturday and at 2 p.m. Sundays. The February 2 performance is a Fundraiser for Soroptimist International. All tickets for this performance ONLY are $18. There is a special pay-what-you-can performance at 8 p.m. on Wednesday, February 10.

 

Tickets are $10 for the Thursday preview. All other regular performances are $16 for students and seniors and $18 for adults. Reserved seating is available for an additional $2 per ticket. Reservations may be requested online (click here), by phone or in person at the theater box office from 1 to 5 p.m. Monday through Saturday and one hour before performances. Call 535-5250.