THE HOT 5
An opinionated to-do list
By Christopher Schobert

November is a month of heavy hitters. There’s Liza Minnelli (a.k.a Lucille Austero!) at UB’s Center for the Arts (November 22), Bruce Springsteen and the E-Street Band on the same night, as well as Metallica at HSBC Arena (November 10), and National Book Award winner Ha Jin as part of the Babel series (November 20). But these events don’t really need our pluggin’, so let’s instead take a gander at some of the smaller but just-as-vital things happening in the days ahead.


1. Women’s Gifts
Women’s Gifts is an annual opportunity to experience and support the work of female artists, and then share it with friends and relatives. In addition to the arts and crafts, there’s musical entertainment (past performers have included past Spree best-of winner Noa Bursie), exotic food, and chair massages, and the admission is free. Plus, it’s located in one of WNY’s prettiest locales, Babeville.
Support your local artists and get your shopping done early. 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday, November 14, at Babeville, 341 Delaware Avenue; 886-2384 or www.buffalowomensgifts.com.

Mike Randall photo courtesy of Randall.
2. Mike Randall as Charles Dickens
Holiday traditions really start in November, and one of the most unique is Charles Dickens Presents: A Christmas Carol, a solo performance starring WNY native and WKBW-TV weatherman Mike Randall. He’s certainly one of the most interesting TV personalities we have, and well known for his acclaimed performances as Mark Twain. But this, a coproduction of MusicalFare Theatre, is perhaps his most innovative, for it’s inspired by Dickens’s own visit to Buffalo in 1868, when the author performed two sold-out shows to nearly 3,000 people at St. James Hall. It’s a wonderful bit of insight into the Queen City’s literary past, and a great way to revisit the holiday classic.
Venues include MusicalFare Theatre (December 11–14), Kenan Center (November 14), and the Springville Center for the Arts (December 5); 840-7751 or www.charlesdickenslive.com.
Nutcracker photo by Gene Witkowski.
3. The Nutcracker at Shea’s
Clearly, the holidays have seeped into the November Hot 5—Women’s Gifts, Dickens—and here’s another: The Nutcracker at Shea’s Performing Arts Center for two dates, November 28 and 29. There are many local performances of the tale each year, but what sets the Shea’s shows apart is the involvement of Sergio Neglia and Neglia Ballet. Artistic director Neglia and executive director Heidi Halt Neglia conceive, choreograph, and produce the production, and do an incredible job each year. Word to the wise—get your tickets now.
Saturday, October 17, at the Castellani Art Museum at Niagara University; 286-8201 or www.niagara.edu/cam.

4. Ruth Sergel at Squeaky Wheel
Squeaky Wheel’s residency program brings some incredible artists and educators into town, and it’s always fascinating to see the effect that WNY has on their work. Ruth Sergel is a New York-based media artist exploring audience interaction. “As makers, we want to move our audiences, but the traditional model is designed for passivity,” Sergel says. But she’s proposing a new model, “one in which the audience has to physically move in order to experience the work.” See for yourself on November 6.
Opening reception at 7:30 p.m. and screening at 8 p.m. on Friday, November 6, at Squeaky Wheel, 712 Main Street; 884-7172 or www.squeaky.org.

Goaltender Jonas Enroth photo by Heather A. Harvey, Southern Maine Digital Imaging.
5. Catwalk for Charity/Portland Pirates at HSBC Arena
September belongs to football, while October is World Series time, but in November, hockey is in full swing. We’ll have a pretty good idea what kind of Sabres team is on the ice by November 8, but even if the win-loss record is worrisome, blue-and-gold fans will be out in force at the fourth annual Catwalk for Charity, both to praise their beloved goalie, Ryan Miller, and to raise funds for the Steadfast Foundation. The Catwalk event has grown larger and larger each year, as have its donations to such organizations as Carly’s Club for Kids and Roswell Park. This year’s theme is the fabulous fifties, so look for greaser Gaustad and preppie Pominville. Meanwhile, another special Sabres-related event takes place November 12, as the team’s American Hockey League affiliate, the Portland Pirates, visits HSBC Arena for a game against Buffalo’s former AHL team, the Rochester Amerks. The Pirates’ local game last year was a blast, and finished in a shoot-out. It’s a nice chance to glimpse the Sabres of tomorrow. (The Pirates will also play in Buffalo on March 7.)
Catwalk for Charity: 6 p.m. on Sunday, November 8, at Town Ballroom, 681 Main Street; www.thesteadfastfoundation.com; Portland Pirates vs. Rochester Americans: 7 p.m. on Thursday, November 12, at HSBC Arena, 1 Seymour H. Knox III Plaza; 888-223-6000 or www.tickets.com.

Note to wife and family: Spree associate editor Christopher Schobert would like Taschen’s $700 Stanley Kubrick’s Napoleon book for Christmas, but frankly, doesn’t anticipate receiving it. He’ll settle for Beatles Rock Band.


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