NOCO Energy Group to Support THE RETURN OF ALEC BALDWIN, 1/27

Local non-profit theatre company Road Less Traveled Productions (RLTP) today announced that NOCO Energy Corp. has committed to a supporting sponsorship of its upcoming benefit event, The Return of Alec Baldwin .

The event will take place on Friday, January 27, 2012, at the University at Buffalo (UB) Center for The Arts (CFA). Proceeds from the event support RLTP programming, dedicated to Western New York (WNY) writer and theatre artist development.

At the event, film, stage, and screen star Alec Baldwin, together with an ensemble cast of 10 of WNY’s best actors, will perform live in a professionally directed reading of the Clifford Odets’ play The Big Knife . Baldwin will read the role of Charlie Castle, a Hollywood icon whose attempts to walk the line between integrity and celebrity place him in conflict with family and industry. As many as 1,500 patrons are expected to attend the benefit event. WBFO radio personality Bert Gambini will serve as Master of Ceremonies.

“As a locally owned and operated third-generation family company, we are proud to support organizations such as Road Less Traveled,” said James D. Newman, NOCO Energy Corp. President. “At NOCO we believe that by working together we are building a stronger community, for everyone’s benefit.”

RLTP Executive Director Scott Behrend thanked NOCO for its support of the upcoming benefit event and of WNY cultural growth. “I am humbled when I realize that businesses in our community see the connection between economic development and the arts and take the initiative to grow that connection,” said Behrend. “By supporting RLTP, NOCO is supporting the development of future opportunities for WNY writers and theatre artists of all ages to tell their stories, near and far, for years to come.”

Baldwin, a member of RLTP’s National Advisory Board, has appeared in Buffalo twice previously in support of RLTP programming.

Tickets for the 8:00PM reading (doors open at 7:30PM) are $75 and $60, depending on seating locale. A limited number of $250 VIP tickets – which include cocktails, dinner, and priority seating in the first five rows for the reading – are available.

Tickets are available through Ticketmaster by phone at (800) 745-3000, online at www.ticketmaster.com, and at ticketing outlets, including at FYE Stores in the McKinley Mall and Chautauqua Mall, Shea’s Performing Arts Center, and Wal-Mart locations in Buffalo and Rochester.

Tickets also are available at the UB CFA Box Office, Monday-Friday, 10:00AM-6:00PM and one hour prior to the performance. For ticket inquiries, please contact the UB CFA Box Office at (716) 645-ARTS (2787) . The UB CFA Box Office accepts cash, VISA, MasterCard, American Express, and UB Campus Cash. The CFA is located on UB’s North Campus at 103 Center for the Arts, Buffalo, NY 14260.

About NOCO Energy Corp.

NOCO is a family-owned and operated company with deep roots in the Western New York Community, headquartered in Tonawanda, NY for over 75 years. NOCO is committed to meeting the energy needs of our residential and commercial customers at home, at work, and on the go through a full line of products and services – including natural gas, electricity, propane, heating oil, HVAC sales and service, commercial fuels and industrial lubricants. The company also operates 32 NOCO Express convenience stores throughout the Western New York region. We pride ourselves on quality products at value prices. For more information, visit www.noco.com.

About Road Less Traveled Productions

Road Less Traveled Productions (RLTP) is a professional, not-for-profit theatre company founded in 2002 by Scott Behrend with Jon Elston. RLTP is dedicated to the development and production of new theatrical works by Western New York playwrights as well as presentations of esteemed modern dramas of outstanding literary merit. The Road Less Traveled Theater is located at 639 Main Street, within the Market Arcade Film & Arts Centre, in the Downtown Buffalo, NY Theatre District. Secure parking is available in the M&T Bank parking lot on Washington Street. Valid parking stubs will be refunded at the concession stand. For subscription and ticketing information, please visit www.roadlesstraveledproductions.org or call to make a reservation with the RLTP Box Office at (716) 629-3069. RLTP’s work is made possible through public funds from the New York State Council on the Arts, a state agency.