Through March 19
BUFFALO QUICKIES Alleyway Theatre
It’s practically the first sign of spring when “Buffalo Quickies” pops up on the stage of the Alleyway Theatre.
This year’s production is the 32nd and it’s significantly different, both because it’s so geared to climate change and because these are playlets put together over the last weeks before opening, rather than those chosen after long searches through scripts of shorter plays out there on the market.
This year’s BQ is also shorter, six plays staged in 90 minutes in one act.
The locations are very different, from Rosa Fernandez’ “The End,” set on the bike path by Broderick Park on the Black Rock Canal, to Chris Woodworth’s “The Last Bee,” set in the last bar at the end of the world.
The play which is the most concentrated in its individual elements locally is Justin Karcher’s “The Trick is to Spill your Guts faster than the Snow Falls.” It is a chance for the fairly large cast to perform one single element, like Jason Francey’s gonzo Bills fan to Kate Olena’s fully equipped snow woman.
As usual, some of these are real quick hitters, on and then off and the few set elements move off with them and the next play starts.
The most visually fascinating show is Bella Poynton’s “On Rooftops and Rowboats,” using well designed display elements of two people (VerNia Sharisse Garvin and Molly McGrath), a pregnant woman seeking medical health downstream on a river, here from Doc (Camilla Mawell).
It’s set somewhere in the future.
The shows are directed by Kate Powers and Richard Satterwhite.
To keep the rehearsals and shows quick, the Alleyway used Emma Schimminger for all the scenic and lighting design and James Cichocki for costume and properties design.
In the years when Neal Radice ran the Alleyway and Joyce Stilson ran BQ, the shows used few elements of set and design to keep shows going by allowing rapid changes.
That continues here, to keep the show moving in its quick hour-and-a-half course.
As usual, the plays in “Buffalo Quickies” are erratic in their value and this new approach can’t be proven in one year but it’s entertaining.
As usual, the show is worth the journey to the Alleyway.
A.W.
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