Featuring Matt Marco, Joelle LaChance, and Lana Sugarman
Jan. 29, 2027 at 7:30 p.m.
UB Katharine Cornell Theatre

$25 Adults
$20 Seniors/Veterans/UB Employees
$15 Students/Children
$10 UB Students
(Ticketmaster fees apply when purchasing online.)

The faculty recital is a tradition found in the collegiate music conservatory to highlight the talents of various faculty members within a concert setting held at their university. In this program, members of the Department of Theatre and Dance explore the idea of the “Jack-of-all-trades,” highlighting the many skills of the crossover artist.  This evening promises laughter and tears with works from opera, operetta, and many styles of musical theatre. The featured repertoire includes pieces by R. Strauss, W.A. Mozart, F. Lehar, S. Sondheim, B. Moore, and many more!

The UB Theatre and Dance 2026-2027 season is sponsored in part by Fox Run at Orchard Park, celebrating its eighth year in support of the department.

Music by Stephen Schwartz
Directed by James Beaudry
Music Direction by Matt Marco

Feb. 6, 2027 at 7:30 p.m.
UB Katharine Cornell Theatre

$25 Adults
$20 Seniors/Veterans/UB Employees
$15 Students/Children
$10 UB Students
(Ticketmaster fees apply when purchasing online.)

The fourth annual UBMT Sings concert will showcase BFA Music Theatre students performing the work of one of Broadway’s most celebrated composer-lyricists, Stephen Schwartz.

Schwartz first gained international acclaim with his groundbreaking score for “Godspell” in 1971. Over the past five decades, he has continued to shape the landscape of musical theatre by blending folk influences, piano-driven rock, and traditional theatrical styles in landmark works such as “Pippin,” “The Baker’s Wife,” “Working,” and “Children of Eden.” His storytelling extends to film as well, with beloved scores for “Pocahontas,” “The Hunchback of Notre Dame,” “The Prince of Egypt,” and “Enchanted.”

His global phenomenon “Wicked” (2003) remains the fourth-longest-running show in Broadway history. A member of the Songwriters Hall of Fame, Schwartz has received three Academy Awards, three Grammy Awards, a Golden Globe, and six Tony Award nominations.

Join our students as they celebrate Schwartz’s extraordinary legacy, exploring the rich melodies and complex characters that have defined generations of musical theatre.

The UB Theatre and Dance 2026-2027 season is sponsored in part by Fox Run at Orchard Park, celebrating its eighth year in support of the department.

Written and directed by Ty Burgess as part of the Student Directed Series

Feb. 12 - 13, 2027 at 7:30 p.m.
UB Katharine Cornell Theatre

$25 Adults
$20 Seniors/Veterans/UB Employees
$15 Students
$10 UB Students
(Ticketmaster fees apply when purchasing online.)

“Chrysalis” follows Abel, a transmasculine creator who separates his soul from his body, retreating into a surreal, dreamlike realm while his physical form labors within the oppressive, authoritarian Angler Institute. Gifted with journals by Andromeda—the embodiment of the universe—and by his sister Selene, Abel discovers he can write his desires into existence.

As the world beyond him begins to collapse, Abel must confront the frightening truth that his creative power can both shape and endanger the future. Over time, he becomes increasingly aware of his role within the narrative, recognizing the weight of his influence. Ultimately, he chooses to pass his journals on to Jacob, a connection he formed at the Institute. In accepting his own end, Abel embraces transformation, coming to understand that pain is not merely suffering, but resistance to becoming whole.

Content Advisories: Themes include death, violence, and forced detransition.

The UB Theatre and Dance 2026-2027 season is sponsored in part by Fox Run at Orchard Park, celebrating its eighth year in support of the department.

Directed by Lana Sugarman
Musical Direction by Matt Marco
Design/Technology Coordination by Lynne Koscielniak

Feb. 21, 2027 at 6 p.m.
UB Katharine Cornell Theatre

$25 Adults
$20 Seniors/Veterans/UB Employees
$15 Students
$10 UB Students
(Ticketmaster fees apply when purchasing online.)

The Theatre Senior Showcase provides graduating undergraduate students in Acting, Musical Theatre, and Design/Technology an opportunity to present their work to the public, strengthening their portfolios as they prepare to pursue professional careers in the performing arts. The program features songs, monologues, and scenes performed as solos and duets, along with a meet-and-greet that connects graduating students with the community.

The UB Theatre and Dance 2026-2027 season is sponsored in part by Fox Run at Orchard Park, celebrating its eighth year in support of the department.

Co-Directed by Kerry Ring and Michael Deeb Weaver

Mar. 5, 2027 at 7:30 p.m.
Mar. 6, 2027 at 7:30 p.m.*
Mar. 7, 2027 at 2 p.m.**
Morning Program: Mar. 5, 2026 at 10 a.m.***
UB Center for the Arts Drama Theatre

$25 Adults
$20 Seniors/Veterans/UB Employees
$15 Students
$10 UB Students
(Ticketmaster fees apply when purchasing online.)

Founded in 1974, Zodiaque Dance Company (ZDC) has been UB’s premier pre-professional dance company for more than five decades, known for its innovative and dynamic performances. In keeping with its mission, the spring program features a diverse range of dance styles, including modern, contemporary, jazz, tap, and other percussive forms. The works are created by a talented and accomplished group of choreographers, including faculty co-directors Kerry Ring and Michael Deeb Weaver. ZDC highlights the versatility and individual artistry of our dance majors through faculty-driven creative research and collaborations with the Theatre Design/Technology program.

Special Experiences:

* Studio Night Out (Mar. 6): Dance studios—10 tickets for $100 and your studio name on the big screen!

** UB Dance Day (Mar. 7): All standard ticketing options are available plus a special $35 UB Dance Day Ticket, which includes:
·         A participatory pre-show workshop for ages 14 and up in the UB Center for the Arts Dance Studios (Rooms B82 & B82 in the basement of building).  Arrive at noon in the hallway outside of the Dance Studios (rooms B82 and B84) for check-in.
·         A dance class focusing on movement presented in the 2pm performance and observation of company warm up, plus Q&A with UB dance majors. No specific dancewear required. Come dressed to move!
·         Admission to "Zodiaque Dance Company 52^nd Season Fall Concert" 2 p.m. performance in the Drama Theatre.

*** Morning Program (Mar. 5): The general public is welcome to attend the morning program. Tickets may be purchased online or in person at the Box Office. Schools, senior centers, and other groups can purchase discounted tickets for $8 each. To reserve, please contact rjf3@buffalo.edu. Backstage tours for groups are available upon request.

• Group Sales for Studio Night Out and Morning Program: rjf3@buffalo.edu
• UB Dance Day Info: kring2@buffalo.edu

Target Audience: Appropriate for all audiences; approximate 2-hour run time.
WARNING: This production contains haze, as well as moving, strobing, and flashing lights.

The UB Theatre and Dance 2026-2027 season is sponsored in part by Fox Run at Orchard Park, celebrating its eighth year in support of the department.

By Bella Poynton
Directed by Eero Laine

Apr. 1 - 2, 2027 at 7:30 p.m.
Apr. 3 - 4, 2027 at 2 p.m.
UB Center for the Arts Black Box Theatre

$25 Adults
$20 Seniors/Veterans/UB Employees
$15 Students
$10 UB Students
(Ticketmaster fees apply when purchasing online.)

“2191,” a new play presented in its debut production, follows Fleur, a lone traveler searching for her missing brother, guided by three interconnected AI systems. As she encounters increasingly threatening anti-AI sentiment, Fleur's reliance on generative technologies becomes dangerous. Crossing the harsh landscape towards the last viable water sources—the Great Lakes—Fleur must grapple with the uneasy truth that the very technology keeping her alive also helped destroy her world.

Content Advisory: “2191” contains depictions of violence, murder, and societal collapse. The production contains strong language and themes of mental health distress, loss, and survival. 

WARNING: This production contains haze, as well as moving, strobing, and flashing lights.

The UB Theatre and Dance 2026-2027 season is sponsored in part by Fox Run at Orchard Park, celebrating its eighth year in support of the department.

MFA Dance Thesis Directed by Anne Burnidge
MFA Dance Thesis Choreographed by Madeline Dembowski
ChoreoLab Directed by Jenna Zavrel

Apr. 9 – 10, 2027 at 7:30 p.m.
Apr. 11, 2027 at 6 p.m.
Apr. 10 – 11, 2027 at 2 p.m.
UB Center for the Arts Black Box Theatre

$25 Adults
$20 Seniors/Veterans/UB Employees
$15 Students
$10 UB Students
(Ticketmaster fees apply when purchasing online.)

The spring program foregrounds the MFA Dance Thesis, featuring the premiere of new work by MFA candidate Madeline Dembowski. This performance represents the culmination of her creative research, a central requirement for the conferral of the Master of Fine Arts degree. The concert highlights collaborative processes with designers, technologists, and student performers.

The Master of Fine Arts in Dance—considered the terminal degree in the field, equivalent to a PhD in other disciplines—reflects the synthesis of sustained artistic inquiry and the development of a distinct creative voice. The MFA Dance Thesis Concert offers audiences the opportunity to engage with new work by emerging artists whose practices contribute to the future of the field.

Presented in conjunction with this thesis performance, ChoreoLab, now in its eighth season, functions as a performance and choreographic research laboratory for faculty, graduate and undergraduate dance students, and guest artists. Dedicated to fostering a diverse and exploratory creative environment, the program embraces contemporary practices while supporting investigations into the role of dance within society and culture.

ChoreoLab includes a large cohort of undergraduate and graduate performers, as well as student technical crew, with works created by a varied group of choreographers. Under the direction of faculty member Jenna Zavrel—who will also contribute choreography—the program reflects current practices in dance-making and features collaborations with the Theatre Design/Technology program.

WARNING: This production contains haze, as well as moving, strobing, and flashing lights.

The UB Theatre and Dance 2026-2027 season is sponsored in part by Fox Run at Orchard Park, celebrating its eighth year in support of the department.

By Naomi Iizuka
Directed by Quest Sky Zeidler

Apr. 16 - 17, 2027 at 7:30 p.m.
Apr. 17, 2027 at 2 p.m.
UB Katharine Cornell Theatre

$25 Adults
$20 Seniors/Veterans/UB Employees
$15 Students
$10 UB Students
(Ticketmaster fees apply when purchasing online.)

“Polaroid Stories” brings tales of Greek mythology into the dark and dizzying streets of an urban wasteland. In an underworld of shady alleys and chain link fences, a pantheon of vagrant youths do what they can to survive. Though these street kids have been left to rot in the shadows, their lives play out on a mythic scale. The lost souls of “Polaroid Stories” struggle with themselves, each other, and a world which has cast them aside. When you have nothing left to lose, death seems less like a threat and more like a metamorphosis.

This production embraces the fuzzy ambiguities of Naomi Iizuka’s retelling of Ovid’s tales of love and loss. Far from Mount Olympus, “Polaroid Stories” plays out in the liminal spaces of the city: a concrete no-man’s land, an asphalt nowhere. Language here floats between poetry and slang, spoken by street rats with the names of Greek heroes and deities. It is a play world defined by juxtaposition and impossibility, where blood blooms into flowers and a beautiful boy can shatter into a million pieces. By merging the abject with the divine, “Polaroid Stories” asks us to reconsider which stories we dignify and which we disregard.

“Polaroid Stories” is presented by arrangement with Dramatic Publishing Company (DPC).
www.dramaticpublishing.com  

Content Advisory: This work includes mature themes related to adolescence, such as substance use, sexual content, violence, and strong language.

The UB Theatre and Dance 2026-2027 season is sponsored in part by Fox Run at Orchard Park, celebrating its eighth year in support of the department.

Book by Joe Masteroff
Music by John Kander
Lyrics by Fred Ebb
Directed by James Beaudry
Choreographed by Michael Deeb Weaver
Music Direction by Matt Marco

Apr. 22 - 24, 2027 at 7:30 p.m.
Apr. 24 - 25, 2027 at 2 p.m.
UB Center for the Arts Drama Theatre

$25 Adults
$20 Seniors/Veterans/UB Employees
$15 Students
$10 UB Students
(Ticketmaster fees apply when purchasing online.)

“There was a cabaret and there was a master-of-ceremonies and there was a city called Berlin in a country called Germany, and it was the end of the world; and I was dancing with Sally Bowles, and we were both fast asleep.”

A masterpiece of musical theatre, “Cabaret” explores the heady and tumultuous lives of Berliners and expatriates in 1929 and 1930, as economic collapse and the rise of Nazism threatens the German Republic. Cliff Bradshaw, a young American writer newly arrived in Berlin, a city still alive with art, ideas and possibility, is taken with the enigmatic cabaret singer, Sally Bowles.

A master of ceremonies leads Cliff and the audience through the story and into the bawdy, coarse and beautiful Kit Kat Klub, where every thrill and embrace comes with a price-tag, and optimism turns decadent and fades into reality.

Based on Christopher Isherwood’s semi-autobiographical novels, “The Berlin Stories,” “Cabaret” includes some of the most beloved songs in musical theatre history, including “Willkommen,” “Mein Herr,” “Maybe This Time,” “Money” and the unforgettable title song. Life is a cabaret. Right this way—your table’s waiting.

“Cabaret” is presented by arrangement with Concord Theatricals on behalf of Samuel French, Inc.
www.concordtheatricals.com

Content Advisory: This work includes mature themes and historical depictions of sexual content, antisemitism, and political extremism.

WARNING: This production contains haze, as well as moving, strobing, and flashing lights.

The UB Theatre and Dance 2026-2027 season is sponsored in part by Fox Run at Orchard Park, celebrating its eighth year in support of the department.

Directed by Violet Schraver as part of our Student Directed Series

Apr. 30 - May 1, 2027 at 7:30 p.m.
May 1, 2027 at 2 p.m.
UB Center for the Arts Drama Theatre

$25 Adults
$20 Seniors/Veterans/UB Employees
$15 Students
$10 UB Students
(Ticketmaster fees apply when purchasing online.)

Founded in 1977, Dancers Workshop is an annual student-run showcase led by UB Dance majors, extending to all undergraduates, for a unique dance show experience. The 50^th installment includes work from a substantial cohort of choreographers working with a sizable cast of dancers in a variety of styles. Dancers Workshop is a fun way to celebrate diverse talent at UB beyond the Department of Theatre and Dance and to commemorate the end of a successful year for all students.

The UB Theatre and Dance 2026-2027 season is sponsored in part by Fox Run at Orchard Park, celebrating its eighth year in support of the department.

Directed by Grace Lamanna and Abby Postle
as part of our Student Directed Series

May 2, 2027 at 4 p.m.
UB Katharine Cornell Theatre

$25 Adults
$20 Seniors/Veterans/UB Employees
$15 Students
$10 UB Students
(Ticketmaster fees apply when purchasing online.)

The annual Dance Senior Showcase provides graduating dance majors with a final opportunity to perform their own choreography for the community before their future professional endeavors in the arts. The program features more than a dozen graduating seniors who appear primarily in solo works, as well as in collaborative group pieces, as they take the UB stage a final time. Senior Dance Showcase is student-directed and produced.

The UB Theatre and Dance 2026-2027 season is sponsored in part by Fox Run at Orchard Park, celebrating its eighth year in support of the department.