How often I have dreamed to eat a meal where the great Vanilla Ice once performed.  If I purchase tickets for Round One of a three-part theatrical extravaganza as part of Curtain Up! 2011 on Friday, Sept. 16, this wild fantasy could be a reality.

If there is one thing that Buffalo does well, it is gatherings.  The annual Curtain Up! celebration to kick off the unofficial opening of the theatrical season in the city is a fine example.  For 30 years, Buffalo’s Theatre District has exploded with a late summer celebration of another thing that our city does well—trodding the boards.

Here’s what’s on the docket for Curtain Up! 2011:

Act 1:
4:30 p.m. Cocktails in Shea’s Grand Lobby
6:00 p.m. Dinner on Shea’s Main Stage (aka Buffalo’s stop on the 1991 To The Extreme tour)

Act 2:
Curtains rise at theatres throughout WNY (8:00 p.m. Curtain Call)
There are 16 different productions set to hit stages on the night of Friday, Sept. 16—for a complete list, visit the Theatre District of Western New York online.

Act 3:
Community Celebration in the Theatre District featuring live entertainment, cocktails, food and more.  If this is anything like years past, expect a lot of drag queens, jugglers, attractive middle-aged women in gowns, singing, dancing and general carousing on Main Street.  Try not to get hit by the Metro train.

You can watch a TV special on the forthcoming Curtain Up! festivities on WIVB-TV at 7 p.m. on Thursday, Sept. 15.  This will give you something to do while you pre-game for the Cut/Copy show (which is also conveniently located in the Theatre District).

If you are interested in attending the cocktail hour and dinner party, call Shea’s at 716-901-5745.

If you want to see a show on Friday night, you should probably check out the Curtain Up! Facebook page, which is full of useful links to show previews as well as the latest info on the festivities.

If you simply want to head downtown and party with a bunch of theatre-going mad men and women, hop on the southbound Metro (that’s the train pointing towards HSBC Arena) or otherwise direct yourself to the Theatre District around 10 p.m. and just start drinking.  The rest will take care of itself.