2026 - 2027 SEASON
Mr. Grimley's Christmas Tree Farm
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
First Look Buffalo Theatre Company
presents
THE UNTOLD STORIES OF MR. GRIMLEY’S CHRISTMAS TREE FARM
Five short plays. One magical holiday season.
Written by WNY natives and First Look Buffalo playwrights Jon Elston,
Drew Fornarola, Donna Hoke, and Bella Poynton
Directed by Lara D. Haberberger
Produced by Michael Audet and Bob Rusch
Starring Andrew J. Brown, Sarah Emmerling, David Lundy, Kate Olena, and Mark Tramont
It’s holiday season at Mr. Grimley’s Christmas tree farm, a family-owned WNY staple where generations of families have bought Christmas trees. At this time of year, with so many people from all walks of life visiting the farm, you are bound to encounter some interesting and unique stories. So instead of just hearing about them, come watch them!
Join your friends at First Look Buffalo Theatre Company as we zoom in on the lot to share some magical tales of holiday romance, sibling drama, Scrooge-like transformations, and the magic of Santa. And bring the kids ages 12 and up; this is family-friendly fun!
Limited engagement!
December 4th at 7:30 p.m., December 5th at 5 p.m.,
December 18th at 7:30 p.m., December 19th and 20th at 2 p.m.
Canterbury Woods Performing Arts Center
705 Renaissance Dr., Williamsville NY 14221 (off Youngs Road between Maple and Klein)
Tickets are $30 general, $20 seniors/students and are available at
www.FirstLookBuffalo.com or at the door.
For more info or to schedule a review or interview, call Bob Rusch at 716-771-6358
or email FirstLookBuffalo@gmail.com.
SQUATCH
Our first main stage production, of 2027, will be SQUATCH, a new play by Jeff Goode, who brought us FURSONA NON GRATA back in 2023, and Directed by Bernie Sheredy. Here’s the synopsis:
A lifelong Bigfoot Hunter seeks retribution against the urban legend who destroyed his childhood. If he even exists.
An amateur genealogist and his adopted daughter clash over his obsession with finding her birth parents.
If they weren’t all trapped a forest fire, it might almost be funny. But their fateful quests have led them to seek refuge at a remote, Sasquatch-themed roadside diner that may hold answers for none of them. And death for them all.
And oh yeah….there’s also a 7 foot hairy fellow in a hoody and sweatpants, who’s a regular customer at the diner who really loves their burgers…when he has enough change.
SQUATCH runs January 22nd - February 3rd, 2027.
THE LAZARUS CLUB
Our second main stage production, of 2027, is THE LAZARUS CLUB, a new play by WNY playwright Donna Hoke and Directed by Dan Lendzian. Here’s the synopsis:
Charlotte has a lot of feelings about dying alone. Mostly, she'd like to not do it again. So after a lightning strike sends her briefly to the other side—where, inexplicably, the soundtrack is Dolly Parton—she recruits a ragtag group of Near Death Experiencers to compare notes. What follows is equal parts support group, existential crisis, and doughnut intervention in this dark comedy about the one thing nobody survives--unless they do.
THE LAZARUS CLUB runs April 2nd - 18th, 2027.
Canterbury Woods Performing Arts Center
705 Renaissance Drive | Williamsville, NY 14221
Our Mission Statement
Our Company’s sole focus is to develop new plays from creation to execution via staged readings, workshops and mainstage productions. Working exclusively with our dedicated playwrights’ wing, both local and from across the country, we strive to produce quality, incisive theatre as one of the vanguards of new play development in the nation.
Sponsors/Grants
Erie County Cultural Funding Grant
