Road Less Traveled Productions will present the drama The Dodo Bird, by Emmanuel Fried, at the Road Less Traveled Theatre, inside the Market Arcade Film & Arts Center, 671 Main St, Buffalo NY: Friday, September 8th through Sunday, October 8th.
The Dodo Bird is a man who should not exist. Constantly inebriated, it seems miraculous that he somehow manages to survive and eke out a living at the local steel mill. One afternoon, factory tough guy Bull Blatter walks into the local watering hole, sizes up the Dodo, and decides to make him extinct. What follows is a battle of wills: does Dodo have the strength to stand up for himself? Is there anything left in his life worth fighting for?
This production of The Dodo Bird launches Road Less Traveled Productions three-year retrospective of the works of beloved Buffalo playwright Emmanuel Fried. Planned future productions include A Piece of Cake and Mishpawcha.
Emmanuel Fried is Buffalo s oldest living playwright and possibly its most well-respected. Early in his career, he studied acting in New York City with The Group Theatre and performed in dozens of Broadway productions, including The Young Go First (directed by Elia Kazan) and Having A Wonderful Time (starring John Garfield).
But Fried is perhaps best known nationally as a prominent and influential union leader. As Labor Organizer w/ United Electrical, Radio, and Machine Workers, Mr. Fried was the international representative for WNY s 30,000 union members for fourteen years. This experience inspired the body of Mr. Fried s work as a playwright; that work has been produced all over North America, including numerous productions in New York City and locally in Western New York.
In Western New York, Fried has acted for a variety of theaters including Irish Classical Theatre Company, Theatre of Youth, Theatre For Change, Shakespeare in the Park, Musicalfare, and most recently Studio Arena Theater (LORT) in the much-acclaimed production of Tuesdays With Morrie. Fried has been honored with various theater awards including: the Helen Mintz WNY Play Contest (Buffalo Ensemble Theater) for the play Mishpawcha; Individual Artist Award from the Buffalo Arts Council and the Greater Buffalo Chamber of Commerce for his lifetime contribution to the arts; and Artie Award for Best Actor from the Artvoice Entertainment Weekly for his performance in Visiting Mr. Green. Mr. Fried is presently an English Professor Emeritus (Creative Writing) at Buffalo State College.
RLTP s production of The Dodo Bird stars WNY theatre giants Gerry Maher, Greg Natale, Dan Walker, and Jermaine Cooper under the direction of Scott Behrend. The production is supported by stage manager Susan Lukasz Dickinson; costume designer Maura Price; lighting designer John Rickus; and sound designer John Shotwell.
Performance Times
Performances are:
Friday, September 8th @ 8:00 PM
Saturday, September 9th @ 8:00 PM
Sunday, September 10th @ 2:00 PM
Thursday, September 14th @ 8:00 PM
Friday, September 15th @ 8:00 PM
Saturday, September 16th @ 8:00 PM
Sunday, September 17th @ 2:00 PM
Thursday, September 21st @ 8:00 PM
Friday, September 22nd @ 8:00 PM
Saturday, September 23rd @ 8:00 PM
Sunday, September 24th @ 2:00 PM
Thursday, September 28th @ 8:00 PM
Friday, September 29th @ 8:00 PM
Saturday, September 30th @ 8:00 PM
Sunday, October 1st @ 2:00 PM
Thursday, October 5th @ 8:00 PM
Friday, October 6th @ 8:00 PM
Saturday, October 7th @ 8:00 PM
Sunday, October 8th @ 2:00 PM (Final Performance)
Tickets
General Admission
$25.00
Students & Seniors
$20.00
Ticket information
(716) 629-3069
Group Ticket Sales sbehrend@adelphia.net
FREE Thursday Night Student Series
To further RLTP s commitment to generate new audiences in the theater community, RLTP is offering a FREE Thursday Night Series for both of our productions this season.
Any student 18 and over with valid student ID will receive free admission to any Thursday night performance.
Location: Performances will be held at:
Road Less Traveled Theatre
(Inside the Market Arcade Film & Arts Center)
671 Main Street
Buffalo NY 14201
Lighted, fenced parking is available next to the building. Street-side parking is also available.