Art imitates life, according to proverb.
Some art though imitates art, such as the latest creation of Buffalo playwright A.R. Gurney. "Buffalo Gal," running at the Studio Arena Theatre through April 21, is a play about a play, both on the complexities of returning home.
Nearly every Gurney play has been produced on the Studio Arena stage. His plays, all uniquely set in any one of the many phases of Buffalo's rich history, hold the "city of light" central to its storyline.
"People laugh when you say you're from Buffalo," says the leading character, Amanda, played by Betty Buckley. But at the heart of "Buffalo Gal" is a constant message of staying true to your roots.
In "Buffalo Gal," the character Amanda has returned to Buffalo to act in Chekhov's "The Cherry Orchard" as Madame Ravensky who is herself making a homecoming. The play Amanda acts in is a direct parallel to her own homecoming, emotionally difficult, yet joyously warm and heartfelt.
Buckley, who won a Tony Award for her performance in Andrew Lloyd Webber's "Cats," makes a grand entrance onto the stage as Amanda.
The stress of returning home is a central theme for Amanda and in her role as Madame Ravensky in "Orchard." It is Amanda's "Buffalo Gal" roots which promises her stay and commitment to her local theater.
While Buckley herself is not a Buffalo native, everything about Amanda, and the other unique characters, points to the Queen City. Mary Beth Fisher plays the producer of "Orchard," Jackie, with as much Buffalo-ness as one could expect.
Adding fire to the devotional flame of local support for arts, especially those including the word Buffalo in its title, Gurney explores a side of Buffalo so true to current reality, one might mistake the ongoing discussions of the city in the play to be a statement in support of revitalization.
"I liked the Buffalo connection," said Buffalo native James Pikusa. "It was really nice to hear those street names being said on stage."
Most likely not Gurney's last play involving Western New York themes, "Buffalo Gal" is a simple tale of going back to your roots as run down as they might be, and the more endearing case, that life imitates life.
"Buffalo Gal"
Studio Arena Theatre
Through April 21
