Theater performances have fallen into the background amongst movies, concerts and other types of entertainment.
For Scott Behrend, artistic director of RoadLessTraveled Productions and graduate from Syracuse University, this is unacceptable.
"The whole goal and why it is important has to do with what is lacking across the country in the theatrical context in the 18 to 20 age range. Not many people go to plays anymore," Behrend said. "We want to bring that audience back to the theater, and then hopefully educate them for the future when they have real jobs, and money is more disposable."
His plan to bring the younger demographic back to theater is to make Thursday night performances free to college students.
"We are hoping this is an initiative that we can keep coming indefinitely and it is a goal of my production company," Behrend said.
Founding the company in 2002 and originally from Western New York, Behrend is currently premiering the play "Two to the Head" with the help of writer Jon Elston and the writer of the play, Darryl Schnieder.
He describes "Two To The Head" as a Cain and Abel story.
"The brotherly conflict is set in a Buffalo auto garage, where the brothers take a break from dismantling cars and start dismantling each other. This is a world premier new play, it has never been produced," Behrend said.
The director's a little shy about disclosing any information with respect to the enticing title of the play.
"The title does have a bit of a mystery element, so I wouldn't want to say," he said.
Having seen a reading of Schnieder's play a year and a half ago, Behrend and Elston met with Darryl to discuss its production.
The play was in the textual development phase for about a year before Behrend, Schieder and Elston got together and brought the script up to production level quality. The actors have been in rehearsal for the last four weeks and are ready to perform.
"The play under a different title was workshopped in New York City, at the American Theater of Actors in October. We got our hands on it and developed it further, then we got it ready for full production," Behrend said.
RoadLessTraveled Productions is one of the new theaters to join the Buffalo area and is located at the Phoenix in the downtown area.
"The new Phoenix is only two blocks from Chippewa, it could be the first stop on a fun evening out," Behrend said.
With his marketing gun aimed at the younger crowd, the play differs from the overly dramatic style most common in the theatrical world.
"RoadLessTraveled Productions is primarily doing cutting edge material. We do not produce things that others are producing. We deal with some tough issues and we are giving you new stuff for a broad audience and specifically to a younger crowd," Behrend said.
With the play's context varying greatly from the mainstream style, "Two To The Head" appears to capture some more serious issues.
"As a part of RoadLessTraveled Productions' new audience initiative, we are presenting each of our Thursday performances with admissions free for students 18 and up, and we will be serving free pizza as well," Behrend said.
"Two To The Head" will be premiered this Thursday night at 8 p.m. with three performances per day, and will run in the theater for the next month. Each show will have at its closing a "take back" for the audience's enjoyment as well.
"Two To The Head" promises to be an intellectual comedy without the over-dramatization that can be unattractive to the younger audience.
