Theater set for grand season

     By Sonya Padgett
     View staff writer
      Anyone who still believes that Las Vegas is a cultural wasteland probably doesn't know Carl Butto.
      Butto is the artistic director for the 8-year-old Off Broadway Theatre, 900 E. Karen Ave., Suite D-116. The theater's five-show season opened Friday and runs through May 14.
      "I find that the people who say there's no culture here don't go out and support the theater," Butto said. "I've been here since 1972; there was no culture here in 1972. Now there's plenty of theater."
      Butto is looking forward to a successful, exciting season, with attendance expected to be at an all-time high. He's expecting the number of season-ticket holders to reach 450, up from 337 last year.
      "In my opinion, we're definitely going to top last year's attendance," Butto said. "It's a season of laughter and good times."
      The group is doing all comedies this season, starting with "Moon Over Buffalo."
      "We'd love to do some dramatic stuff, but it's almost a demand from our audience for us to do comedy," Butto said. "People love it. We're limited in what we can do because of our location, but we make up for it with our actors. And we have fun."
      Competition is strong with 17 theater groups in town, Butto said. Five groups opened plays Friday. But the competition doesn't bother him. In fact, Butto would like to see about 40 theater groups in the valley.
      "If it's a good play, people are going to come see it," Butto said, adding that community support for the theater is getting better as new people discover it every year.
      Actress Kelly Bangora believes residents' involvement could be better, but noted that she has seen an improvement over the last couple of years.
      "I think support is growing. Just in the past six years there are more companies than ever before," she said.
      The growing audience has meant expansion for Off Broadway, which started with 35 seats eight years ago and now has 100.
      The comfortable, sea-foam green chairs give the theater an art deco look, the way off-Broadway theaters in New York originally looked, Butto said.
      The actors like the theater's intimate, comfortable feel, Butto said, so there are no plans to expand it in the future. The facility has grown about 20 percent per year since opening in 1991.
      This is the first season the theater will have guest directors, but Butto is directing two plays, starting with "Moon Over Buffalo." He said he wanted to direct "Moon" because it presented him with a challenge.
      "Moon" is a Ken Ludwig farce that Butto insists will have everyone who sees it laughing.
      The production is about an acting couple on tour in Buffalo who have a chance to star in a Frank Capra movie. Butto said the play is full of a lot of slamming doors and characters coming in and out, all characteristics of a farce.
      Bangora, who plays the wife, said it's the funniest play she's ever been in.
      "But Carl makes you keep it real," she said. "Carl brings out all sorts of things you never knew you could do."
      Directing the play almost presented too much of a challenge for Butto, one that he didn't solve until a week before opening.
      The play calls for three different sets, with a total of four set changes. The Off Broadway stage isn't set up for such elaborate staging, so Butto had to come up with a way to make it work.
      "It's a difficult show to do, especially for a theater like this," Butto said, gesturing to the stage. "If the timing doesn't work, it could be a disaster."
      But the cast rehearsed for three weeks before opening, and towards the end it all came together, Butto said, so much that it had him laughing.
      John Pitacciato, Bangora's real-life husband, is also her husband, George, in the play. "Moon" is his fourth production at Off Broadway.
      "It's a funny play," Pitacciato said. "There are a lot of doors slamming, people popping in and out. It's a true farce."
      The group's second production, "Convertible Girl," was written by Danny Simon, former television and variety writer and brother of playwright Neil Simon. Butto said Danny Simon is coming to Las Vegas for the casting of the play.
      "It's going to be somewhat interesting for us," Butto said. "I had to get his permission to do it, and he's very particular about the casting. But it's a real honor for us that he's coming in."
      Those interested in securing reservations for the shows can call 737-0611.