I'm more likely to smile than I am to laugh aloud when I am amused but the actors and actresses kept me laughing almost from the beginning of the first act. Often first acts are a little slow but this one was not. The zaniness never let up in the second act but rose to a wild crescendo at the end.
Dave Nickel stars as George Hay, the elderly actor who thinks he can still play a swashbuckling young man so well that the audience will find him believable in the part. He really shouldn't drink, not even coffee.
Jessica Suba as Charlotte has her own theatrical aspirations. (This is the role that Carole Burnett played on Broadway.) Jessica gives her whole heart to the performance and the audience responds to her with enthusiasm. If only George would listen...
Ethel, Charlotte's mother, played by Terressa Knoch, must have arthritis as well as bad hearing. She plods about at a slow, stiff, never changing pace, picking up after the cast, mending their costumes, and shaking her head at the crazy things going on around her. The audience is amused just to watch her walk wearily from place to place. When she doesn't hear exactly what others say to her because she either doesn't wear her hearing aids or turns them off, the audience is already primed to laugh at the results.
Both George and Charlotte are delighted when their daughter, Rosalind, (Tina Hayes) pays them a visit though both are disappointed she has rejected a show business career. She never does get around to telling them exactly why she is visiting. It's a good thing she comes. Before the play is over, her parents and the rest of their troupe need her.
Sometimes it seems, only Howard (Andrew Shamblin) knows his true identity.
Who will help poor teary-eyed Eileen, played by Bonnie Littlejohn, out of her difficult situation? Is there a solution that will save her?
Derek Dunavent, as Paul, really wants to help the troupe but nothing he does goes as it should.
Steve Dietrich, as Richard, is the bearer of bad news, but he has a plan to rescue Charlotte.
The director, Jennifer Kaufman, saw Carol Burnett in Moon Over Broadway in New York City. In her note in the playbill she said she thoroughly enjoyed Carol's performance then and she hopes the Troy audience will enjoy this show as well. Niccole SueAnn Wallace is her Stage Manager
If you would like an evening of laughter and nonsense come to the Troy Civic Theatre's production of Moon Over Buffalo this coming weekend. There are two evening performances, October 10 and October 11. The plays begin at 8 PM.
Sounds like a fun play:)
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