Entries by Emma Holst

Protest Songs of the 60s and 70s

The 1960s and 70s were a tumultuous time, dominated by political and social unrest, the Vietnam War, Civil Rights protests, feminist activism, and more. The music industry was rife with young artists lending their voices on behalf of an entire generation. Here is a list of songs from the 60s and 70s where singers and […]

Understanding Shakespeare in Much Ado About Nothing

Modern audiences don’t have the benefit of footnotes when enjoying a Shakespeare play. When reading the text, footnotes are often necessary to comprehend the nuances of Elizabethan age humor, slang, and history. Shakespeare’s Much Ado About Nothing is heralded as one of Shakespeare’s best comedies, containing copious amounts of wordplay and banter. Before attending a […]

I Am Denver Screening: Reclaiming Denver’s Chinatown

Chinese immigration in the United States has a long, fraught history. The first large wave of migrants reached the West Coast in the mid 1800s, hoping to find wealth in the gold rush. Instead, they found strict laws that prohibited Chinese people from owning gold mines and experienced widespread racism. Prior to this, there were […]

Celebrate LatinX Heritage Month with ArtistiCO’s Amalia

Denver’s own ArtistiCO Dance Company is kicking off Latinx heritage month with Amalia, a tribute to the founder of the world-renowned Ballet Folklórico de Mexico. ArtistiCO will be the first local Latinx organization to produce its own dance production at the Denver Performing Arts Complex, with the performance taking place on September 11 at the […]

Movie-to-Musical Adaptations: Pretty Woman and more!

For decades, movies with big hearts and larger than life stories have received a special makeover treatment. From Hollywood blockbusters to cult-classics and everything in between, movie-to-musical adaptations can be found all over Broadway, in the musical theatre archives, and on tours across the world.   At the Denver Center for the Performing Arts (DCPA) alone, […]

How a Pretty Woman Rescues the Prince

If you’re a movie fanatic, you’ve likely confessed to a friend that Pretty Woman is a “guilty pleasure.” But why be ashamed to admit it? The attitude in our society toward romantic comedies, a genre typically associated with women, implies they shouldn’t be taken seriously. The implication is that only superficial women would waste their […]

DCPA Honored with 47 Henry Awards Nominations

The Henry Awards honor outstanding theatre achievements in Colorado. Established in 2006 by the Colorado Theatre Guild, the event also serves as the CTG’s annual fundraiser. Named after Denver theatre producer, Henry Lowenstein, nominees come together to celebrate and support the arts across Colorado. This year, the 16th annual awards ceremony will take place on […]

Early Arts Education to Broadway: Costume and Set Design for Moulin Rouge! The Musical

At the Denver Center for the Performing Arts (DCPA), we provide arts education for children through our year-round acting classes. A signature DCPA summer experience? The Musical Madness, Musical Mayhem, and Musical Mania courses where children create original ten-minute musicals.   These classes have been a longstanding trademark of the DCPA summer sessions since their inception […]