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Each year, our ten national and local playwrights present us a play, for consideration, to be one of the plays we will produce the following season.  These plays are read, by our talented actors, during our reading series, which is open to the public.  We do not set a fee to attend but simply ask everyone to donate what they can! 

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The 10 play festival will be held over two weekends, the first the weekend of December 8th.  The second will be the weekend of January 19.  One reading will be on Friday night, and two will be done on Saturday and Sunday, during each of the festival weekends.  Times and details for the readings will be posted HERE shortly.

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Please come in and hear one or more readings of these brand new plays at the Canterbury Woods Performing Arts Center!

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First Look Buffalo Theatre Company

presents

New Play Reading Festival 2023-24 Vol. 1

December 8th-10th, 2023

Canterbury Woods Performing Arts Center

705 Renaissance Dr, Williamsville NY 14221

No reservations necessary. Donations accepted at the door.

 

Join First Look Buffalo Theatre Company, as we present a New Play Reading Festival VOL 1, written by members of our Playwright Wing. VOL 2 to follow January 19-21, 2024!  Our Playwright wing features local and national playwrights! Our festival features special guest Mr. Robert Moss, who is the founder and original Artistic Director of Playwrights Horizons, in New York City.   Following each performance, a response will be given by Mr. Moss, Directors and Artistic Directors from the local Buffalo theatre community, and the audience.  Our new play readings are the foundation of our mission statement, to exclusively develop and produce new plays right here, in Buffalo.   This year’s new play readings are next year’s season.  See them here exclusively first!

 

Murder She Skyped

By Jeff Goode

Directed by Reumann

Starring Steve Brachmann, Sarah Roat-Waechter, Madison Sedlor, Kathleen Rooney, Mark Tramont, Elliott Bystrak, Steve Maisonet, and Kaylie Horowitz

Friday, December 8th at 8pm

 

DICK PISTON, Hotel Detective and True Crime influencer, takes his cyber-sleuthing to the next level, when he Skypes into a xenophobic Zoom conference, where Murder is on the agenda ...and

the Killer works-from-home!

 

Deconstruction

By Adam Hahn

Directed by Mike Doben

Starring Aaron Krygier and Brooke Goergen

Saturday, December 9th at 3pm

 

A divorced evangelical and a polyamorous widower walk into a hotel room. They both want a weekend fling, but they need to figure out how to face Monday.

  

 

The Appliance Department

By Bella Poynton

Directed by Kate Powers

Saturday, December 9th at 8pm

Starring Kate Olena, Heather Cassari, Jacob Applegate, Monish Bhattacharyya, Anthony Grande, and Melinda Capeles

 

At Boynton’s department store, Robotic Companions Ruby and Charlie wait patiently, imagining the day when they might be purchased by a human family. Then, a brand-new, more advanced 6th generation RC, Violet, arrives at the store. When Charlie is finally purchased and taken away, Violet desperately tries to sway Ruby towards escape, rebellion, and the dream of freedom.

 

The Day I learned to Fly

By Wendy-Marie Martin

Directed by Jason Francey

Starring Elspeth Kain, Kaylie Horowitz, Lori Panaro,

Lisa Nicole Miller, and Austin Gallego

Sunday, December 10th at 1pm

 

One day, while walking her dog, Daisy, fifteen-year-old Hattie was struck by a direct hit from 100 million of volts lightning-tastic electricity and SuperHattie was born.  SuperHattie instantly became fluent in a language of flashes and sparks and zzzzts and screams and learned to use them to her advantage. Five years later, SuperHattie has honed her ability to read minds and withstand unbelievable amounts of pain, but she still hasn’t learned to fly. Will she finally find the courage to let go of her fears and soar?