Ryan O'Neal

Can you believe it’s been 40 years since the film Love Story was released? Ryan O’Neal, now 69, hasn’t appeared in a film since 2003, but has had several recent TV roles. Unlike his film co-star, Ali MacGraw, who made her Broadway debut a few years ago, O’Neal has no desire to be on the boards. A musical version of Love Story will be premiering in London’s West End this coming November, after a sell-out run at the Chichester Festival Theatre. Movie-to-stage adaptations seem to be the trend these days, as shown by the current or upcoming Broadway productions: Women on the Verge, Catch Me If You Can, and Sister Act.

Ujima and American Repertory Theater join forces to present the world premiere of Murder Squared by Gary Earl Ross. Described by Ross as “a retro celebration of the mystery story, with humor and surprise and ideas rising from suspense,” the piece comprises four vignettes directed by Matt LaChiusa and Bob Ball. The cast features Hugh Davis, Tilke Hill, Donald Capers, Rich Kraemer, Alexis Koetting, Aaron Krygier, Samantha Sherwood, and Darryl Hart with a special appearance by Mary Moebius and Christopher Standart as Alfred Hitchcock. Murder Squared opens November 12 at TheaterLoft.

Road Less Traveled Productions will launch Stories from the Road, a new monthly series that spotlights local storytellers and celebrates the tradition of oral narrative. The series, which will be hosted by Jon Elston, kicks off October 27 at 7pm with Scary Stories featuring Verneice Turner, Franklin LaVoie, and Phil Freedenberg.

TOY will kick of its 39th season with Inside Out, an original TOY production that tackles the issue of childhood obesity. Written and directed by Meg Quinn, the production will star Kurt Erb, Tim Newell, Arin Lee Dandes, Bryan Figueroa, Jacob Rodriguez, James Steiner, Diamond Turner, and Leah Russo. The show opens November 5 at 7pm and will run Saturdays and Sundays through November 14.

And on November 11, TOY will hold its first TOY Box Bash, a fundraiser for the company, at the Town Ballroom beginning at 6 p.m. with a red carpet reception. The event, which includes silent and live auctions, will also honor Beth S. Lasky, Independent Health, and the Community Action Organization of Erie County. For tickets to the Bash ($100), call 884-4400.

The Alt Theatre will also have a fundraiser on November 5, with an Evil Dead formal dinner, show, and auction from 6pm to midnight. Tickets are $125. For more information, call 464-7806.

Educator/director Roger Paolini (pictured at Sardi's in New York)

Shakespeare in Delaware Park will have its fifth annual fundraiser on Sunday, November 14 at 7pm at the Buffalo Seminary. This year the company will present a staged reading of Cymbeline, directed by Anthony Chase and starring, among others, Saul Elkin, Vincent O’Neill, Lisa Ludwig, Dan Walker, Eileen Dugan, Tim Newell, Peter Palmisano, Leah Russo, Adam Rath, Ron Leonardi, and Beth Donohue. The reading will be at 7pm with wine tasting and hors d’oeuvres beginning at 6pm. For tickets ($50-55), call 856-4533.

Congratulations to educator/director Roger Paolini who was recently awarded the New York State Theatre Education Association’s Rod Marriott Award for Lifetime Achievement in Theatre Education. Paolini, who serves on Artvoice’s Artie committee, was also re-elected vice president of the association and Kate Olena was re-elected as its president.