When touring productions of Broadway musicals come to town, there's usually one theater where they can be legitimately staged: Shea's Performing Arts Center.
Located in downtown Buffalo, Shea's offers nearly double the seating capacity of the UB Center for the Arts Mainstage. Still, since the UB performance space was erected nearly 10 years ago, several touring shows have used the CFA Mainstage for educational purposes.
The department of theater and dance is currently enjoying such a visit, this time with the cast and crew of the 1999 Tony Award-winning musical "Fosse." The production is spending two weeks at the CFA rehearsing for their upcoming International tour, while members of the cast, crew and production team teach master classes with students.
The two weeks culminate in two performances, which wrap up tonight at 8:30 p.m. The performances serve as the kickoff for the show's 47-week International tour. Tonight's performance will also take part in Buffalo's annual theater event, "Curtain Up!" which celebrates the opening night of the theater season.
"Fosse's" interaction with UB started when Assistant Director of the CFA, Rob Falgiano, met with the production's booking agent, who was immediately impressed with the CFA's space.
In addition to rehearsing, the show's dancers, designers and production team members share valuable skills and information with students during intermediate and advanced classes. Not only are the students learning, but the interaction also allows the professionals a chance to learn from the students.
"Answering the students' questions keeps us on our toes," said Greg Davis, the assistant production manager who is also teaching a scenic design class. "It allows students to see real life situations."
The musical is a retrospect of the career of director/choreographer Bob Fosse, who created such stage hits as "Chicago," "Cabaret" and "Damn Yankees." "Fosse" is a three-act, dialogue-less celebration of song and dance. Fosse's classic dance moves are famous for their sleek sexiness and dark comedic undertones.
Erin Stricklin, a sophomore theater major who grew up on sound stages, agrees the CFA's space offers a special experience.
"It is great for me to see because this entire stage was empty," said Stricklin. "It's incredible to see what they can do in 48 hours."
According to Jason Juenker, head of network productions, the choreography captures Fosse's unique style so well that the designers chose an unpretentious set to illuminate the performances. This meant designing the set in nothing else but the most dramatic color, black.
Tom Ralabate, associate professor of theater and dance, also sees this as an opportune time for networking. In such an intimate setting as the classroom, the talents they display may catch the eyes of someone noteworthy in the industry.
The "Fosse" cast members not only taught the dances, they were descriptive with the emotions of glory, love and respect the dancers should be feeling while they gracefully flow through each dance step.
"It's a dance about reflecting on everything in your life, its wonderful," said "Fosse" dancer and Buffalo native Kathryn Hill, while interacting with a class of dance and theatre majors. "(The emotion) should rush off of you onto the audience. It will give you chills."
Photo: Courtesy of Laron Fomby
