The Studio Arena Theatre of Buffalo's mounting of A.R. Gurney's latest, Buffalo Gal, starring Betty Buckley, may shuffle off to New York City after its March 17-April 21 run. Gurney told Playbill On-Line Jan. 28 that commercial Broadway producer Julian Schlossberg is attached to the project.

"It all depends on how we do up there," said Gurney. He pointed out that any NYC transfer would not be to a nonprofit house, but to a commercial Off Broadway theatre.

Buffalo Gal is about a famous actress who returns to her hometown of Buffalo to star in a production of The Cherry Orchard, but is unexpectedly confronted with the sale of her grandmother's house (shades of Chekhov) and the reborn affections of her high school sweetheart.

The play received its debut this past June at the Williamstown Theatre Festival, where it opened the Nikos Stage 2001 season. Mary Tyler Moore was first announced to star, but soon bowed out due to a foot injury complicated by diabetes. Mariette Hartley took her place.

Gurney said he had made many changes in the script since the Williamstown run. John Tillinger will direct in Buffalo, as he did at Williamstown.

The opening night at Studio Arena is March 21 and the run is longer than usual for the company, which is expected high ticket demand.

—By Robert Simonson