The Rebel Yell Series
The Last Meeting of the Knights of the White Magnolia
Written ByPreston Jones
FEATURING
Darryl Hart, Drew Piatek, Joe Dicesare,
Gary Darling, G Antone Moore
Jacob Abarella, John F Kennedy,
Michael O'Hear, Paul Bene
REVIEWS
“It takes a great deal of energy, a renewable supply of hate and a certain brand of penetrating ignorance that is hard to come by and even more difficult to maintain over the course of a lifetime. Despite those steep challenges, millions of people manage to do it. But most, like the characters in Preston Jones’ “The Last Meeting of the Knights of the White Magnolia,” simply allow their once fiercely held views about racial purity to soften into a sort of bland tapioca of prejudice.
But does this lack of drive make these people any less racist, or any less insidious? This question, whether or not the playwright intended it, sits at the heart of this well-written, solidly constructed and nicely acted comedy in a production by the American Repertory Theatre of Western New York. It is directed by Matthew LaChiusa.
“There’s L. D. Alexander (Darryl Hart), leader of the Knights of the White Magnolia, a crumbling offshoot of the Ku Klux Klan that disintegrates over the course of a meeting in which a new member (Jacob Albarella) is to be inducted. He is joined by Olin Potts (the endlessly amusing Joe DiCeasare), Rufe Phelps (Michael David O’Hear), the fiery racist Red Grover (the booming Paul Bene), drunk Skip Hampton (Drew Piatek, a gifted actor), the inept Milo Crawford (unconvincingly played by John F. Kennedy) and the half-senile Colonel Kincaid (Gary Darling).” --Colin Dabkowski, The Buffalo News
March 2010
The Local Playwright Series
Written By Matthew LaChiusa
ARTIE Award Winner
2009-10 Emanuel Fried Award
for Best New Play
Directed By Drew McCabe
Featuring
John Kaczorowski, Peter Jaskowiak, Tara Kaczorowski,
Chris Standart, Andrea Andolina, Patrick Cameron, Michael Renna
REVIEWS
"The creative LaChiusa has written an interesting story, populated with remarkably fleshed-out characters. There's a Gomer here, a Goober there, an overdone sex kitten...but in the main, real people saying real things." --Ted Hadley, Buffalo News
"Quite Satisfying...Quite Engaging...Strong cast”---Anthony Chase, WBFO Theatre Talk
"Red Clay is a fine work...It’s never boring and has a style of its own that engages the audience. The play is simply a dramatic shot wrapped in a vernacular blanket. LaChiusa’s pen and McCabe’s direction worked very well together. Overall, Red Clay is an exercise in dramatic turnarounds and Southern style, and it is done well..." Josh Q Newman, UB Spectrum
"RED CLAY gets your attention early and gradually, eventually, turns ugly, brutal and violent. LaChiusa may be a fledgling writer but he's already skilled; he can keep you guessing....The acting is superior." -- Ted Hadley, Buffalo News
"(The) dialogue is often witty and driven. It propels the action forward and gives the characters just enough room to breathe. LaChiusa's pen and McCabe's direction worked very well together." ---Josh Q Newman, UB Spectrum
"...(The) acting is superior...Peter Jankowiak, always so precise, nails old Bill and Christopher Standart, conniving and cackling, is stellar as Joe. The Bill and Joe scenes, nefarious, hurtful, evil, are brilliantly brought to life...Tara Kaczorowski, excellent as Ruby in her Buffalo stage debut." --Ted Hadley, Buffalo News
Original Music Underscoring written by
Bob Kupczyk and Matthew LaChiusa
Music Performed by Dick Whiskey
from their new CD "Drunkard's Lullaby"
November 2009
The American Classic Series
Greater Tuna Written By
Jaston Williams, Joe Sears, and Ed Howard.
The 2009-10 American Repertory Theater of WNY, Inc season included the outrageous Americana comedy "Greater Tuna", written by Jaston Williams, Joe Sears, and Ed Howard. It brings the creative acting talents of Chris Standart and Thomas LaChiusa to task as they embody 20 different characters.
Featuring
Artie Award Nominated
Chris Standart
Regional Theatre Pro
Thomas LaChiusa
Directed By Tom Dooney
Buffalo Theater Veteran
Greater Tuna Reviews
"The writers have created an impressive mythology of the fictional Tuna, a town of a few hundred. It's the sort of exaggerated landscape...a place peopled with easily lampoonable cartoons whose mental, physical and geographical shortcomings become so many giant balloons begging to be popped. And pop they do, one by one." --Colin Dabkowski, The Buffalo News
Anthony Chase--Artvoice TV
