Through July 31
Alley of the Dolls Alleyway Theatre/Buffalo United Artists
It’s become an annual event in the local theater community, BUA summer camp.
Usually, Jimmy Janowski’s name shows up somewhere (or everywhere).
This year, it’s “Alley of the Dolls” a ripoff of the Hollywood soaper, “Valley of the Dolls,” based on Jacqueline Susann’s novel of that name.
What’s different about these summer camp shows is the audience participation, shouted out advice to cast members or reaction to something silly on stage.
Here, i
t’s all built around actor Neely O’Hara (Renee Landrigan), a performer with naked ambition and a little bit of trouble with semi-legal medications (dolls).
She’s surrounded by other performers with ambition and stage lawyers and agents or both with ambition (because they get their 20%...at least).
Early on, she’s in line for a key role in a Broadway show, when legend Helen Lawson (Janowski) wants it.
Some slimy agents (is there ever any other kind) persuade her to do a nightclub routine, rushing through medicated rehearsals to get her ready.
The drugs keep getting to be more of an issue and the men in her life more entangled, like sleazy lawyer Lyon Burke (Michael Seitz).\
In the end, she’s just another Judy Garland misfit, or, at least the audience thought so.
It just gets more and more tangled to the point the plot is less important than what’s going on on-stage.
There are romances and backstabbing and just generally that attitude the entertainment world is filled with doped-up people with no morals and real skill at backstabbing.
Interestingly, there is no credited script writer.
Director Chris Kelly has a lot of fun with the show and the summer atmosphere Janowski has nurtured over the years is reflected here.
Besides Landrigan, there are strong performances from Seitz, Janowski in both of his roles, Chris Standart’s Anne Wells and Michael Blasdell’s Jennifer North.
In the backstage credits, Janowski is there again, with costumes and design, using the team of himself, Bebe Bulgari and “Dame Chevon Davis.”
“Alley of the Dolls” is not classical theater but it is entertaining and a really a must-see version of life behind the cameras and under the footlights.
Unfortunately, the Alleyway doesn’t sell popcorn.
A.W.
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