Five events guaranteed to melt the
post-holiday depression right out of your system
By Ron Ehmke
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January is a busy month for the folks at Configuration: two nights at Studio Arena and one as part of the Albright-Knox’s Gusto at the Gallery series. The Studio Arena performances include two works choreographed by Michael Shannon, the first American to dance with the Bolshoi Ballet. One reflects on the post-USSR era, but I’m equally intrigued by the other: Peer Mirrors, set to Ravel’s Bolero and intended to challenge the tired notion that the two genders hail from different planets. Other choreographers include Susan Jaffe (a twenty-two-year vet of ABT), Harrison McEldowney (the company’s principal choreographer), and Joseph Cipolla (Configuration’srapher), and Joseph Cipolla (Configuration cofounder and artistic director). If you miss the Studio concerts, or you want more of a good thing, head to the Albright the following weekend for a free sample. (Sat., Jan. 12, at 8 p.m. and Sun., Jan. 13, at 2 p.m. at Studio Arena Theatre, 710 Main St., 856-5650, or www.StudioArena.org. Fri., Jan. 18, 3–10 p.m. at the Albright-Knox Art Gallery, 1285 Elmwood Ave., 882-8700 or www.albrightknox.org. The company’s site is www.ConfigurationDance.org.)
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This is one wholly worthy event you have my solemn word I will never, ever attend. On second thought, I might show up for the peripherals: chili, live music, raffles, cheering from the sidelines. But the main event involves possibly insane individuals plunging into icy Lake Erie—on purpose! Me, I’ll be watching the thirty-second soundbite on the local news that night, but you are more adventurous, so go jump in the lake. The event benefits Variety Club and other charities. (Sun., Jan. 6, at 1 p.m. on the Lake Erie shore at Hideaway Bay Restaurant, 52 Lake Avenue, Silver Creek; 934-4442 or www.tourchautauqua.com.)
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The last installment of Squeaky Wheel’s sexy semi-annual art party made our Best Of WNY survey as one of the top fundraisers of the year. Back in 2006, huge numbers of attendees packed the narrow halls of the Hotel Lenox, staggering from one room to the next to gaze upon sights vaguely reminiscent of that big weird party scene in The Shining, all designed by local visual, media, and installation artists. This time around, the action moves to the Broadway Market—not the first place I think of when I’m feeling in the mood, but hey, I’m guessing the venue will inspire plenty of inventive plays on the connections between food and hanky panky. Anyone up for a tribute to the refrigerator scene from 9 1/2 Weeks? (Sat., Feb. 9, from 7 p.m.–midnight. at the Broadway Market, 999 Broadway; tickets and info: 884-7172 or www.squeaky.org.)
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4. Beethoven Marathon Weekend
Certain things lend themselves to the marathon format: Project Runway reruns, the Planet of the Apes films, and Ludwig Von. UB’s music department has built this weekend of events around a visit by the Tokyo String Quartet, and they’re getting their money’s worth out of the thirty-year-old ensemble: three concerts featuring a total of nine works, a master class, and a preconcert talk. The schedule’s far too packed to reproduce here. (Thurs., Jan. 31–Sat., Feb. 2, in and near Lippes Concert Hall in Slee Hall, UB Amherst Campus, 645-2921 or www.slee.buffalo.edu. The quartet’s site is at www.tokyoquartet.com.)
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It’s a good year to be a Sondheim devotee in WNY. Niagara University started the ball rolling with an outstanding production of Company last November; Studio Arena’s doing Side by Side by Sondheim in April and May; and the Shaw Festival promises A Little Night Music and Follies this summer. Then there’s a certain Tim Burton/Johnny Depp movie—but if you want to see Sweeney Todd in its purest form, check out MusicalFare’s staging. Local fave John Fredo takes the title role, and the stellar cast includes Loraine O’Donnell, Lisa Ludwig, and Tom Owen. If you plan on dinner somewhere before the show, I’d avoid the meat pies. (Wed., Jan. 9–Sun., Feb. 10, at MusicalFare Theatre, Daemen College, 4380 Main St., Amherst; 839-8540 or www.musicalfare.com.)
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