Cameron Mackintosh on the bathtub birth of The Phantom of the Opera
The famous chandelier has been made even more spectacular for new North American production .
Entries by DCPA Press
Inspired by Puppetry in Water for Elephants? Check out 5 Local Puppetry Resources
By Julia Schemmer, Founder of Puppetry on Broadway Feeling inspired by the incredible puppetry in Water for Elephants, and want to get started on your own puppetry journey? Thankfully, you don’t need to join the Benzini Brothers Circus to get started. There are so many incredible opportunities to learn, build, and play with puppets […]
Q&A with 2026 Student Playwrighting Winners, Finalists
Six winners have been announced for the Denver Center for the Performing Arts’ 14th annual Middle School & High School Playwriting Competition, three in each age group. This year, the DCPA’s Education & Community Engagement team received 288 submissions from students across Colorado. The top three plays by each age group will be included in […]
A Q&A You Can Sink Your Teeth Into
In between their on-stage antics in the Denver Center for the Performing Arts current cabaret comedy, Dracula: A Comedy of Terrors, cast members answered a fun-filled Q&A while fending off a feeding frenzy. If your version of Dracula had a dating profile, what would it say — and what’s his most toxic trait? Adriane Leigh Robinson (Lucy […]
Playwright Terence Anthony discusses Godspeed
Playwright Terence Anthony spoke with the DCPA when his play, Godspeed, was featured in the 2024 Colorado New Play Summit. Now, it comes to the stage in a fully produced world premiere running January 30-February 22, 2026 in the Kilstrom Theatre. This interview has been edited for length and clarity. View the original interview on […]
Puppetry: An Ancient Form of Storytelling
Puppetry is an ancient form of storytelling where a person, called a puppeteer, manipulates a figure resembling a human, animal, creature, or inanimate object. In Water for Elephants, playing Denver’s Buell Theatre Feb 11-22, 2026, puppets and puppeteers are used to enhance the storytelling. Take, for example, Silver Star, the prized horse and equestrian act […]
Activity: Vanishing Toothpick
The Broadway touring musical, Water for Elephants, brings the circus to life on stage, complete with animal acts, high flying trapeze, and slight of hand tricks sure to mesmerize audiences. Try the Vanishing Toothpick trick at home before or after the show. Materials: Toothpick Clear tape Mirror or camera (for practice) PREPARATION To begin, tear […]
Winners Announced for DCPA’s 2026 Student Playwriting Competition
Denver Center for the Performing Arts (DCPA) Education and Community Engagement is happy to announce the winners of the 14th annual Middle School and High School Playwriting Competition. The Playwriting Competition is grounded in workshops hosted by DCPA Education Teaching Artists. These in-school workshops introduce students to the fundamentals of playwriting, bolster creative writing skills, and […]
The Risks and Rewards of New Play Development
By Chris Coleman, Denver Center Theatre Company Artistic Director Whether it’s Hamilton or Hamlet, every play started as a new work. Someone was excited by a story and brought together a group of collaborators to carve out a path toward opening night. It’s always a risky venture. Ask anyone in our industry and you’ll find that […]