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WNY Soundstage
By Buffalo RisingSociety & Culture
WNY Soundstage episodes
- Why music is really a language? A Conversation with Xavier FoleyOn this episode of WNY Soundstage, host Daniel Lendzian speaks with Xavier Foley, double bassist and composer, ahead of his performance of his own Soul Bass Concerto with the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra. A 2016 graduate of the Curtis Institute of Music, where he studied composition and performance with Edgar Meyer and Hal Robinson, Foley draws on the soul, R&B, and gospel he grew up with, and writes music that connects with every person in the audience. Foley joins conductor Keith [...]18 min
- Unmasking Comedy: Inside The Haunting of Hooverton Hotel with Playwrights Jacob Albarella and Jay KaiserOn this episode of WNY Soundstage, Host Daniel Lendzian speaks with Jacob Albarella and Jay Kaiser, playwrights of The Haunting of Hooverton Hotel. The Haunting of Hooverton Hotel is a comedic caper inspired by Saturday morning cartoons; the play leans into every mystery trope that audiences love: Ghosts, secrets, a missing will, a suspicious cast of characters, and a group of completely unqualified heroes who have no choice but to solve the mystery – no matter how ridiculous. The Haunting [...]37 min
- From Science to Symphony: A Conversation with BPO’s Amy GliddenOn this episode of WNY Soundstage, host Daniel Lendzian speaks with Amy Glidden, Associate Concertmaster and Louis P. Ciminelli Family Foundation Endowed Chair of the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra. Amy Glidden is associate concertmaster of the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra and a lecturer in applied violin at Buffalo State University. She has appeared as a BPO soloist and performed with orchestras including the Amherst Symphony, Buffalo State Philharmonia, Cheektowaga Symphony, and Orchard Park Symphony, among many others. She is also assistant principal [...]27 min
- Tullis Johnson on the Art of Curating Something Sinister: The Haunted Landscapes of Charles E. BurchfieldOn this episode, host Daniel Lendzian speaks with Tullis Johnson, Charles Cary Rumsey Curator at the Burchfield Penney Art Center. Johnson curated Something Sinister: The Haunted Landscapes of Charles E. Burchfield, which opens October 29, 2026, and runs through February 28, 2027. The exhibition explores the artist’s early fascination with the mysterious, emotional, and sometimes unsettling qualities of the natural and built environments around him. This interview includes:24 min
- JB Smoove on Laughter, Live Comedy, and a “Vacation of the Mind”On this episode of WNY Soundstage, Host Daniel Lendzian speaks with JB Smoove. Audiences will recognize JB Smoove from his Emmy-winning work on Curb Your Enthusiasm, as well as his roles in Spider-Man: No Way Home and Spider-Man: Far From Home. A comedian, actor, writer, and producer, Smoove has also appeared in The Millers, Uncle Drew, and The Last O.G. He currently hosts Hell’s Kitchen and continues to tour with his stand-up comedy. JB Smoove is performing at Buffalo State [...]18 min
- Inside Becky Shaw: Gina Gionfriddo on Humor, Morality, and Human MessinessOn this episode of WNY Soundstage, Host Daniel Lendzian speaks with Gina Gionfriddo, playwright of Becky Shaw at Alleyway Theatre. Gina Gionfriddo’s plays Becky Shaw and Rapture, Blister, Burn were finalists for the 2009 and 2013 Pulitzer Prize for Drama, respectively. She has written for the television series Law & Order, Law & Order: Criminal Intent, FBI: Most Wanted, The Alienist, and House of Cards. In Becky Shaw, when Suzanna sets Max up on a blind date with Becky, she [...]25 min
- Ron Spigelman on the Magic of Gershwin and the Power of PopsOn this episode of WNY Soundstage, host Daniel Lendzian speaks with Ron Spigelman, conductor of S’Wonderful Gershwin at the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra. Ron Spigelman is the Principal Pops Conductor of the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra and brings decades of experience conducting symphonic music, pops, ballet, opera, musical theater, and live-to-film productions to the BPO. For S’Wonderful Gershwin, he will be joined by the vocalist Alexandra McArthur, pianist Eric Huebner, clarinetist William Amsel, and a jazz trio featuring Harry Graser on piano, [...]39 min
- Where Art Meets Camp: Adam Weekley on Building Camp EverythingOn this episode of WNY Soundstage, host Daniel Lendzian speaks with Adam Weekley, whose exhibition Camp Everything is on view until October 26, 2026, at The Burchfield Penney Art Center. Adam Weekley is a Buffalo-based visual artist, arts educator, and professor. His work has been exhibited throughout Western New York, including at the Burchfield Penney Art Center, Hallwalls, Canisius College, Buffalo Arts Studio, and the Western New York Book Arts Center. He was named a Burchfield Penney “Living Legacy Artist” [...]38 min
- Conversation with Tiffany Gaines, curator, and Valeria Cray, Artist, Surface Tension is now on view at The Burchfield Penney Art MuseumOn this episode of WNY Soundstage, host Daniel Lendzian speaks with Tiffany Gaines, curator at The Burchfield Penney Art Museum, and Valeria Cray, whose exhibition Surface Tension is now on view until September 27, 2026. Valeria Cray is a sculptor and public artist, a longtime Buffalo resident, and has been widely celebrated and recognized in the community. Her public artworks have become landmarks throughout the city, including the Tops Unity Memorial at the Jefferson Avenue Tops. Valeria Cray: Surface Tension [...]45 min
- Bandits on the Run on Rough Magic, Busking, and Coming Back to WNYOn this episode of WNY Soundstage, host Daniel Lendzian speaks with Bandits on the Run about their upcoming performances at the Chautauqua Institution. Hailing from the Brooklyn-Queens Border, Bandits on the Run is a trio featuring Adrian Blake Enscoe, Sydney Shepherd, and Regina Strayhorn. Together, they blend rich harmonies, inventive instrumentation, and theatrical storytelling, creating a sound that bridges folk, indie rock, and performance art. The trio will perform a free concert on Sunday, August 9 at 3:00 PM at [...]34 min
About WNY Soundstage
From the publisher's feed
Explores WNY's creative economy through a series of conversations with artists, musicians, producers, directors, and authors from WNY and beyond. Join host, Daniel Lendzian, as he pulls back the curtain and gives listeners a behind the scenes look at current trends in the arts industry.
What started during the pandemic as a series of free virtual concerts while stages were mostly dark, has turned into an in-depth reflection on current trends in the creative economy. Western NY's arts and cultural organizations generate more than $352.1 million in total economic activity throughout our region. Through this series we look at where the industry is heading with an evolving definition of art in all its forms, as well as feature the best our region has to offer across all artistic genres.
In addition to this podcast, local event guides are posted monthly on BuffaloRising.com.
Hosted By Daniel Lendzian | a working artist, author, and educator. He has mentored thousands of students across the U.S. in classical and contemporary theatre techniques, as well as performed in hundreds of individual shows on international, national, and regional stages. Currently, he is a lecturer in SUNY Fredonia Department of Theatre and Dance as well as host of Buffalo Rising's WNY Soundstage podcast. Dan also writes micro-fiction and has devised dozens of original works of theatre. He is a certified Pilates Instructor and completed his Masters of Fine Arts at The University of Texas at Austin.