FREE ESSAY ON MOON OVER BUFFALO

MOON OVER BUFFALO

Moon Over Buffalo
Although not the talk of the university, Moon Over Buffalo was definitely the talk of
those who saw it. From one comedic act to another. Whether it was Paul trying to get
George's pants on or just random lines such as HOLY SHIT!!!, when George realizes he did
not quite dress for the part. It gave all the students at Stephen F. Austin something to
do and whether we were forced to or went on our own free will, everyone was satisfied.
Buffalo, New York, carries the reputation of being a third-rate city, and not the center
for the dramatic arts. In the 1950's, a theatrical company would not boast about playing
there. The playwright of Moon Over Buffalo uses the city as an example of how low a
company has sunk. Buffalo seems like the end of the road for Charlotte and George (Alyssa
Yarde and Chad Spear) who battle their contradicting spirits with classics such as Cyrano
and Private Lives. The play opens with a very funny rehearsal scene of Cyrano. George
strikes out with the serious attitude he tries to bring to the play, all the while
creating a funny scene for the audience. In the next scene we discover George is the most
mischievous of the group- enough to get him in trouble with Charlotte. She suspects,
quite correctly, that he has slept with a fellow actress, Eileen (Jennifer Youle). The
pile up of problem starts with Eileen's pregnancy and continues with the lawyer Richard
(Matthew Lyle), who tries to convince Charlotte to run away with him because he has
money. Daughter of Charlotte and George, Rosalind (Jessica Francis Mills) brings a TV
weatherman to meet her parents, who mistake him for the movie producer, Frank Kapra, of
Scarlet Pimpernel. All of this happens while George falls into a deep stage of depression
and tries to drink his way out of it, getting totally hammered before the matinee. As in
a well-crafted parody, the ending brings happiness and peace in an atmosphere that
satisfies our needs (the audience). 
Turner Auditorium's ability to have two stages, a stage that lowers in front and a larger
stage behind it allotted the set plenty of room to give the full effect. For instance,
the opening scene of Cyrano was quickly moved out of view when no longer needed. Also in
one of the ending scenes, when the matinee was destroyed, the front stage was lowered out
of view from the audience to add the effect of the balcony. The backdrops were simple yet
overwhelming. In the first scene they had large boulders but were decorated to add the
theatrical sight. George and Charlotte's home/theater was decorated just like a low
income theater. Having six doors, some stairs leading to two of them, and some furniture
in front. Back behind the house were a lot of ads that seemed to be not quite in date
with the time period of the play, adding to the humor. It seemed every little thing
ranging from the costumes to the actors' lines added to the humor. The humor made the
play as enjoyable as it was. 
As stated before the play was a triumphant comedic act. Everyone was satisfied and could
not be more intent on going to the next show. It was not only the comedy that made the
show a success. The backdrops, the costumes, the lighting, the props; everything made it
a hit. However, Moon Over Buffalo would not have been what it was without it's excellent
cast. The Mainstage called for SFA students to be able to perform characters who were
twice the age of themselves. The one performer who stood out with excellence would be
Chad Spear, who played the role of George. It seemed as if Spear took George to a
different level of reality. From his little gray spots of hair above his ears to his
every movement, Spear really gave life to this struggling actor. Struggling actor would
be the irony of it all though. George did not feel he was struggling, or perhaps just
living in denial. Spear's emotions that he brought to the character showed us his
feelings about his work and we realized it was his life. Chad Spear did an excellent job
of talking through the fourth wall while staying focused and definitely got my vote.
To anyone who has not seen this outstanding work I suggest you do so. The SFA theater
program definitely proved itself to me and to all the other students and parents in the
audience. I can definitely tell that this years program will be a success if the
department keeps producing hits like Moon Over Buffalo. TWO THUMBS UP!