By Jim Roberts
When Ken Ludwig’s “Moon Over Buffalo” premiered on Broadway in 1995, the Boston Herald called it “nothing less than a love letter to live theater.”
It may be an even more fitting description today.
Set in 1953, Ludwig’s comedy follows a struggling theater company trying to survive as movies and television lure away audiences and performers. Seven decades later, the competition has only multiplied.
“Now you’ve got entertainment by the inch,” said Peter Fagan, who is directing the Little Theatre of Virginia Beach production opening Sept. 18. “We are a society that consumes entertainment—good, bad and ugly.”
But the appeal of live theater remains rooted in something no streaming service can reproduce.
“Once the show is over,” Fagan said, “that version of the show is gone.”
In “Moon Over Buffalo,” what unfolds onstage promises to be chaotic.
George and Charlotte Hay are married actors leading a struggling touring company at Buffalo’s Erlanger Theatre. Their fortunes appear ready to change when they learn Hollywood director Frank Capra may attend a performance and consider them for a movie.
Unfortunately, their marriage is also coming apart.
George has had what he calls “one innocent lousy mistake” with another actress in the company. Charlotte is ready to leave him. George gets drunk. A potentially career-making performance descends into mistaken identities, backstage mayhem and two plays within the play.
But Fagan doesn’t want the farce to overwhelm the people at its center. He encouraged his cast to play the characters with “authenticity and integrity” rather than as caricatures.
“The thing with farce sometimes is if it’s done always over the top, you never really care about the characters,” Fagan said. “There are points where we bring it down, and you really begin to care about these characters.”
Bruce Hermans, who plays George, studied acting through graduate school and worked professionally before spending years as an educator in Texas. Since moving to Hampton Roads, he has become a familiar presence on local stages.
Rebekah Barnhill, a San Diego native with professional and community theater experience, plays Charlotte, the role originated on Broadway by Carol Burnett.
The two leads quickly developed a stage rapport.
“I really appreciate somebody who is high energy, so that I can match that,” Barnhill said, further describing the show as “hilarious, insane and definitely physical.”
Rounding out the eight-member cast are Karen Buchheim as Ethel, Anna Super as Rosalind, Ryan Kearns as Howard, Gillian Belote as Eileen, Alan Mathews as Paul, and Ted Kaufman as Richard.
Hermans said his perspective on community theater has changed since his years working professionally. He once tended to draw a sharp distinction between the two, but his experience in Hampton Roads changed his mind.
“I love Little Theatre and their people,” Hermans said. “Very organized, down to earth, respectful of everybody, respectful of the craft. … They do a great job, show after show.”
For Barnhill, the production also represents a return after being diagnosed with breast cancer.
Earlier this year—six years after her last production—Barnhill saw LTVB’s audition announcement on Facebook.
“There are auditions in three weeks,” she recalled telling her husband, “and I want to go.”
She landed the role.
“It’s nice just to kind of be back to me,” Barnhill said. “I have all these new experiences to pull from.”
Fagan has simpler advice for audiences: “Come ready to laugh.”
Little Theatre of Virginia Beach will present “Moon Over Buffalo” from Sept. 18 to Oct. 11. Show times are 8 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays and 2:30 p.m. on Sundays. There is one Thursday performance at 7:30 p.m. Oct. 1. Tickets are $30 for adults and $15 for children (6-12). Discounts are available for seniors (60+), active duty military and full-time students. For tickets or more information, visit ltvb.com.