The show opens to a dramatic smoke-filled scene, oozing drama and ambiance, as our lead, George Hay (played by Scott Bergman), and his theatre company, re-enact a scene from Cyrano de Bergerac.
The drama hangs for a moment until George calls for a cut, criticizing his cast’s less than enthusiastic performance.
Moon Over Buffalo is a comedy set in Buffalo, NY, in 1953 featuring a good mix of situational humor, slapstick, and physical comedy.
Ethel is played by Becki Jones, a no-nonsense woman, mother to Charlotte Hay (George’s wife), who makes it her mission to keep George humble. She calls is like she sees it and her poor hearing is the catalyst to a few jokes, as well as the cause for some intense situations. Becki is a seasoned actor in RVA. She has great comedic timing and is a crowd favorite every time she’s on stage.
Rosalind (or Roz) is played by Mara Barrett, who is a natural in the role. Roz grew up in the theatre, but quickly grew tired of the craziness, so she left Buffalo to pursue a life of “normal.” This is accented by her engagement with her local weatherman, Howard. Mara’s an excellent actor able to quickly switch between serious and comical. Her facial expressions are emotive and help the viewer to understand what she is feeling in the moment.
Howard is played by Chris Yarbrough, who I’ve had the pleasure of working with on many occasions. He is the perfect choice for a lovable, though perhaps mundane weatherman. Howard’s primary struggle comes from meeting his fiancé’s parents. He is startruck by the Hay’s and, unable to even speak his own name, is the cause for some identity antics down the road. He serves as a symbol for “normal” and exemplifies this to a tee when he complains about theatre being “too much pressure,” opting instead for a simpler life raising a family.
George Hay is played by Scott Bergman. Scott excels at physical comedy, and has a flair for the dramatic, eventually culminating in an exciting fall into the pit! George runs a struggling repertory theatre company. He’s a flawed character and desperately hangs onto his past as a successful performer. Eventually his mistakes catch up to him as he risks losing the love of his life and his career.
Charlotte Hay is played by the talented Mary Huhmann. She faces similar problems as George, hopelessly hanging onto her past success, and hoping she can find that again by becoming a Hollywood star in The Twilight of The Scarlet Pimpernel. At first she is portrayed as sympathetic, a victim to George’s infidelity. That is, until it’s revealed she has a sneaky link of her own. Mary’s portrayal is charming and one of the best roles I’ve seen her in.
Eileen is played by Claire Winkler. Though a smaller role, Eileen is a pivotal character responsible for much of the plot’s development. Claire plays the role well, giving an almost Betty Boop type essence to the character. She initially comes across as innocent, but in reality has her fair share of flaws, and is the linchpin of drama between George and Charlotte.
The ecstatic Paul is played by Hunter Keck. Hunter is an expert in slapstick and was the perfect choice to play Paul. At times he serves as an audience-surrogate, losing his mind over the crazy antics of the rest of the characters, but at other moments he’s part of the antics himself. He serves as the “will-they, won’t-they” love triangle love interest for Roz, as well as a connection to her past, and connects plot points through his dialog and connection to other characters.
Richard is played by Charles A. Wax. Charles plays the role of the stable and very wealthy company lawyer, Richard. He’s an escape for Charlotte, welcoming her in his arms once George proves to be unfaithful. Charles’ portrayal is calm, cool, collected, and I think that style suits the character of Richard well.
Leading this lovely cast is their director Alex Godschalk. Alex has quickly become a proficient director, able to pull out the energy and motivation from each cast member. His blocking and comedic timing leads to engaging scenes, and it’s obvious his own experience as an actor has helped him to direct in an authentic and collaborative way.
Alex had this to say about his experience: “I could not have asked for a better, more pleasant process directing Moon Over Buffalo. Each actor was incredibly committed to the show and I believe their passion and dedication really shown through.” He goes on to say, “I went into the process knowing the bones of a funny show were in the script, but was blown away by the discoveries of the actors. The cast elevated this farce by layering even more comedic moments on top of an underlying dedication to make sure that each of their characters (outlandish as they may seem) were rooted in realism and honesty.” He finished by saying “the crew was also a delight to work with-Tiffany Jenkins was the only person I would have trusted to be my stage manager.”
Assistant director, Kyle Billeter, added, “it was a joy to assist with this production. The cast and crew were incredibly hard working, fun to be around, and made me laugh every single day. I also love seeing my friends use their talents, so getting to watch Alex continue to hone his directing skills was great. I am so impressed by his work and can’t wait to see his next project.”
Moon Over Buffalo is a comedic look into the “Private Lives” of its characters, portraying the dramas of struggling actors and their theatre company, personal intrigue and love triangles. It has themes of romance, aging, alcoholism, and the ups and downs of the human psyche in response to events outside their control.
This story is told through its talented cast and director, accented by a beautifully designed set by Bill Riley that feels truly lived in; excellent lighting by Tristan Ketcham; and expertly tailored costumes by Alison Eichler, who is partly responsible for my original foray into theatre photography.
The show concludes with a passing of the torch from the previous generation to the next, and I found the matching outfits to be satisfyingly symbolic of this transition.
Production Staff
| Director | Alex Godschalk |
| Assistant Director | Kyle Billeter |
| Stage Manager | Tiffany Jenkins |
| Set Design/Technical Director | Bill Riley |
| Set Décor | Lin Heath, Becki Jones, Charlotte Scharff |
| Lighting Designer | Tristan Ketcham |
| Costume Designer | Alison Eichler |
| Properties Coordinators | Becki and Wally Jones |
| Fight Choreographer | Aaron Orensky |
| Light Operator | Tiffany Jenkins |
| Sound Designer | Kyle Billeter |
| Sound Operator | Sophia Scotto |
| Backstage Crew | Chandler Eckel, Alejandro Mojica |
| Photography | Daryll Morgan |
| Set Painting and Construction | Scott Bergman, Ronald Evans, Bill Riley |
The Cast
One of the unique benefits of being both the author and the show’s photographer is that I can convey my points and tell the story of the show with the perfect images, and of course, take cast selfies!
Moon Over Buffalo runs through September 28, 2025, and tickets are available at https://www.artsglenallen.com/performances-and-special-events/henrico-theatre-company
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Did you see Moon Over Buffalo? Let us know your thoughts in the comments!
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