Why talk to actors anyway?

With a curiously warm and inviting atmosphere, Tom Dudzick's play, Don't Talk to the Actors, made a smashing impact with the Studio Arena audience.

The semi-autobiographical rendition of Dudzick's journey from Buffalo to New York City plays on the dichotomy between stereotypical small-town simplicity and big-city complications.

Dudzick, a Buffalo native, moved to New York City in the 1980s to pursue his playwriting career and now brings it to Studio Arena Theatre. Dudzick is following up many other Studio Arena hits such as Greetings! Hail Mary! and the Over the Tavern trilogy.

The production begins with young playwright Jerry Przpezniak (Peter Stadlen) and his seemingly anxious wife Arlene Wyniarski (Dana Powers Acheson) venturing out into New York City in hopes of producing a Broadway hit.

Dudzick was inspired to write a play based on his real-life beginnings so late in his career by his wife Holly, who suggested that he do it just for fun. Przpezniak represents the innocence that Dudzick says he once felt when he began to pursue his dreams in New York City.

Artistic Director for the Studio Arena Theatre, Kathleen Gaffney, gave the audience a few words beforehand, recognizing Dudzick's play as " a truly significant piece of theatre - a play of great merit."

Don't Talk to the Actors is a play that is not meant for all ages and makes use of simplicity and understatement.

Four simple wooden chairs and a table are the focus of two and a half hours' production. The rest is left up to the creative acting and the interpretation of the audience.

Famous faces grace the stage, such as Richard Kline from the '70s hit sitcom "Three's Company," and Tony Award nominee Denny Dillon who has made her way on Broadway with theatrical productions such as Enchanted April, The Skin of Our Teeth and My One and Only.

The audience profoundly applauded Richard Kline's character of Curt Logan when he first appeared on stage. Kline plays an out-of-work Hollywood actor looking for his next big break, using Broadway as a pedestal. The play is a comedic rendition of what it takes to make it in the theatre business and the heartbreaks and broken dreams along the way.

The audience was mainly comprised of a mature crowd, and the new season at Studio Arena Theatre couldn't have asked for a better opening. Running from Sep. 11 through Oct. 7, Dudzick's play is already a success, bringing fans from all around to enjoy another hit.

In a short interview with the playwright, Tom Dudzick briefly explained what influenced him to start writing:

"To make a long story short, I was asked to start writing dinner theatre for a restaurant, and the rest of this success just fell into place," he said.