Matthew Schneck and Adriane Leigh Robinson.

Curious Theatre gives rare voice to indigenous female playwright while Phamaly offers first festival for writers with disabilities

A Christmas Carol is taking this solstice off at the Denver Center while the soon-to-be-renamed Wolf Theatre continues to undergo a rebuild, but fear not: Dickens will be haunting theatregoers from Arvada to Golden and beyond this holiday season. But before we dive too deeply into the coming seasonal fare, let’s focus on the wide variety of productions that will be showcased around the state this month. Side note: For the cinephiles, the first two weeks of November is all about the Denver Film Festival. (Here is our ultimate local guide to the 42nd annual fest.) Now, back to the stage: Here are our monthly choices for 10 intriguing titles to watch, along with our complete monthly list of all Colorado openings and ongoing productions.

1. Curious Theatre’s The Thanksgiving Play. Thanksgiving, that most American of holidays, has a long legacy of football, giant balloons on parade – and, yes, genocide and violent colonial expansion. In Larissa FastHorse’s celebrated play, recently published in full in American Theatre magazine, a troupe of white theatremakers in an unnamed American town attempt to devise a play about the holiday’s origins that will give due respect to the continent’s Native peoples, often erased by its celebration. They soon find their efforts thwarted by competing interests, creative differences and crippling liberal guilt. FastHorse is a playwright and choreographer from the Sicangu Lakota Nation. The director is Dee Covington. The cast includes Adriane Leigh Robinson, Emily Ebertz, John Jurcheck and Matthew Schneck. November 2 through December 15 at 1080 Acoma St., 303-623-0524 or curioustheatre.org

Phamaly playwright Garrett Zuercher.

2. Phamaly Theatre Company’s Come to Your Senses.  After 30 years of re-imagining established works for the stage featuring actors with disabilities, Denver’s acclaimed theatre company next introduces a one-act play festival featuring six short original works by playwrights with disabilities. The plays, designed to engage, explore and challenge all of the human senses, will be performed November 1-10 in interactive spaces at the RedLine Contemporary Art Center, 2350 Arapahoe St., 303-575-0005 or phamaly.org READ MORE

3. Destination Freedom’s Enrique’s Journey. Producer donnie l. betts’ boundary-breaking radio series continues its 20th anniversary celebration with a two-part presentation of Su Teatro’s landmark adaptation of the Pulitzer Prize-winning story by Sonia Nazario. Enrique’s Journey recounts the gritty odyssey of a Honduran boy who braves unimaginable hardship and peril to reach his mother in the United States. It is an epic journey that last year resulted in the detentions of a record 76,020 immigrant children. Both play readings, presented in front of a live audience, will be followed by musical guests and invited panelists. Part 1 will be presented on November 5 and Part 2 on November 12 at the Dairy Center for the Arts, 2590 Walnut St., Boulder, 303-440-7826 or thedairy.org. The program airs on kgnu.org READ MORE

Deborah Persoff.

4. Vintage Theatre’s Tuck Everlasting, RFK: A Portrait of Robert Kennedy and Looped. Vintage Theatre Productions produces more theatre than any other local company, and this month is even busier than usual. First up, in Vintage’s studio theatre at 1468 Dayton St. in Aurora is Looped from November 1 through December 15. Matthew Lombardo’s play is based on real events in the summer of 1965 when Tallulah Bankhead needed to redub (or “loop”) one line of dialogue for what would be her final movie. What starts out as a friendly visit to the studio quickly dissolves into a comic battle of wits and wills between the diva and the film’s editor. Directed by Craig A. Bond and featuring Deborah Persoff, Christian Mast and David Trimble. Meanwhile, James O’Hagan Murphy returns to his signature role in Jack Holmes’ one-man play exploring the final four years in the life of Bobby Kennedy, starting with the 1964 election of President Lyndon Johnson. RFK will be presented November 13-15 and 19-21 in Vintage’s studio theatre, as well as November 16-17 at the Bennett Community Center, 1100 E. Colfax Ave. (35 miles east of Denver). On Vintage’s mainstage theatre will be the regional premiere of  the new musical Tuck Everlasting from November 22 through January 5. Based on the best-selling novel by Natalie Babbitt, this is the evocative tale of 11-year-old Winnie Foster (played by Henry Award-winning Sophia Dotson), a free spirit who meets up with the Tuck family, who dangle a tantalizing choice: Return to her own family or join the Tucks for all of eternity. Directed by Michael O’Shea and Isabella Duran. Also featuring Elton Tanega, Hannah Quinn, Carter Edward Smith, Nick Johnson, Todd Black, Lee Ann Scherlong, Kate Bogdewiecz, Brian Trampler, Nathaniel Waite-Lutz and Kyriana Kratter. Call 303-839-1361 or go to vintagetheatre.com

David Henry Hwang

5. University of Colorado-Colorado Springs’ Prologue Series with David Henry Hwang. The renowned author of M Butterfly (the source play for Miss Saigon), Yellow Face and the new musical Soft Power will talk about his career before joining a panel conversation about the complexities of updating problematic plays from centuries past. Series host Kevin Landis’ panelists will include Lavina Jadhwani (director of TheatreWorks’ upcoming production of Around the World in 80 Days), and Dartmouth scholar Monica Ndounou. November 11 at the Ent Center, 5225 N. Nevada Ave., Colorado Springs, 719-255-3232 or theatreworkscs.org

6. And Toto too Theatre Company’s Charlie’s Waiting. Mêlisa Annis’ new play follows two  women the night before their wedding. Everything is going to plan until a pregnant Louise is forced to confront questions of trust and soon discovers how quickly plans can get derailed. This is the 14th season-ender for And Toto too, which only presents works by women playwrights. Directed by Susan Lyles and featuring Amy Serafin, Jennie Leski and Amalia Adiv. November 1 through 16 at The 1245 Champa Studio, 1245 Champa St., 720-583-3975 or andtototoo.org

7. Cherry Creek Theatre’s Tuesdays with Morrie. Based on Mitch Albom’s best-selling book, this life-affirming true story tells how a self-absorbed sports reporter reunites with an inspiring old college professor dying from Lou Gehrig’s Disease. What starts as a simple visit turns into a weekly pilgrimage and a final lesson in the meaning of life. Directed by Colorado Theatre Guild Lifetime Achievement winner Billie McBride. Featuring Chris Kendall and Antonio Amadeo. Through November 24 at the Mizel Arts and Culture Center, 350 S. Dahlia St., 303-800-6578 or cherrycreektheatre.org

8. Cast members from The Phantom of the Opera perform Company. Cast members from the national touring production of The Phantom of the Opera (performing at the Buell Theatre from November 6-17) will present a one-night-only concert version of Stephen Sondheim’s Tony Award winning musical Company to benefit The Denver Actors Fund and Broadway Cares at 7 p.m. Monday, November 11, at the downtown Hard Rock Café, 500 16^th St. Call 303-623-3191 to reserve by phone. Order online here.

9. Benchmark Theatre’s Parfumerie. This old-fashioned comedy by Hungarian playwright Miklós László follows the tangled tale of a perfume store’s romantically intertwined employees. Just days before Christmas, the boss fires a man he mistakenly suspects to be the lover of his unfaithful wife. Meanwhile, that same boss discovers the stranger he has himself fallen for is, in fact, a co-worker with whom he constantly feuds. This is the play (adapted by E.P. Dowdall) that inspired the ubiquitous musical She Loves Me.  November 22 through December 21 at 1560 Teller St., Lakewood, benchmarktheatre.com

10. Red Thread Playback Theatre’s Show No. 8: Playback invites audience members to tell true stories from their lives covering just about anything – work, romance, family, travel, marriage and more. Then, actors perform (or “play back”) these stories, instantly turning them into theatre. As stories are acted out, deeper layers are often revealed. November 16 at Theatre O, 5311 Western Ave., Suite 120, Boulder, brownpapertickets.com

Companies are encouraged to submit listings and production photos at least two weeks in advance to the DCPA NewsCenter at jmoore@dcpa.org.

John Moore was named one of the 12 most influential theater critics in the U.S by American Theatre Magazine in 2011. He has since taken a groundbreaking position as the Denver Center’s Senior Arts Journalist.

Top: Emma Grimsley and Jordan Craig in ‘The Phantom of the Opera.’ Photo by Matthew Murphy. Right: The Hip Hop Nutcracker. Photo by Tim Norris

NOVEMBER THEATRE OPENINGS IN COLORADO:

October 31-November 3: Shakuntala, an adaptation of the play by Kalidasa
At the Loft Theatre, University of Colorado Boulder, 303-492-8008 or cupresents.org

Chris Kendall

October 31-November 24: Cherry Creek Theatre’s Tuesdays with Morrie
At the Mizel Arts and Culture Center, 350 S. Dahlia St., 303-800-6578 or cherrycreektheatre.org

November 1-10: Phamaly Theatre Company’s Come to Your Senses, a one-act play festival
At the RedLine Contemporary Art Center, 2350 Arapahoe St., 303-575-0005 or phamaly.org

November 1-December 15: Vintage Theatre’s Looped
1468 Dayton St., Aurora, 303-839-1361 or vintagetheatre.com

November 1-16: And Toto too Theatre Company’s Charlie’s Waiting
At The 1245 Champa Studio, 1245 Champa St., 720-583-3975 or andtototoo.org

November 1: Denverwrights’ Always with a Bang (staged reading of a new play by Frank Oteri)
​5​138 W. 29th Ave., theater29denver.com

November 2-December 15: Curious Theatre’s The Thanksgiving Play
1080 Acoma St., 303-623-0524 or curioustheatre.org

November 2-30: OpenStage Theatre & Company’s The Full Monty
Lincoln Center, 417 W. Magnolia St., Fort Collins, 970-484-5237 or openstagetheatre.org

November 5 and 12: Black Radio Days Live’s Enrique’s Journey (with Su Teatro)
Dairy Center for the Arts, 2590 Walnut St., Boulder, 303-440-7826 or nocredits.com

November 6-17: National touring production of The Phantom of the Opera
Buell Theatre, Denver Performing Arts Complex, 14th and Curtis streets, 303-893-4100 or denvercenter.org READ MORE

November 7-24: Millibo Art Theatre’s Mother Courage and Her Children
1626 S. Tejon St., Colorado Springs, 719-465-6321, themat.org

November 7-9: Red Rocks Community College’s Macbeth
13300 W 6th Ave., Lakewood, 303-914-6458, tinurl.com/rrcctickets

November 8-December 29: Town Hall Arts Center’s Meet Me In St. Louis
2450 W. Main St., Littleton, 303-794-2787 or townhallartscenter.com

Erin Rollman.

November 8-9: Buntport Theater’s The Rembrandt Room
717 Lipan St., 720-946-1388 or buntport.com

November 8-December 1: Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center at Colorado College’s Tiny Beautiful Things
30 W. Dale St., Colorado Springs, 719-634-5581 or csfineartscenter.org

November 8-17: Parker Arts Schoolhouse Theater’s Little Women
20000 Pikes Peak Avenue, Parker, 303.805.6800 or parkerarts.org

November 8-16: Platte Valley Players’ Disaster! The Musical!
At The Armory at the Brighton Cultural Center, 300 Strong St., Brighton, 303-227-3053 or plattevalleyplayers.org

November 8-23: Funky Little Theater Company’s The Vagrant
1367 Pecan Street, Colorado Springs, 719-471-4462 or funkylittletheater.org

November 8-9: Lake Dillon Theatre Company’s Divas and Duets concert series with Kelly Renoux
At the Silverthorne Performing Arts Center, 460 Blue River Pkwy, Silverthorne,  970-513-9386 or lakedillontheatre.org

November 11: University of Colorado-Colorado Springs’ Prologue Series with featured guest David Henry Hwang
At the Ent Center, 5225 N. Nevada Ave., Colorado Springs, 719-255-3232 or theatreworkscs.org

November 13-21: Vintage Theatre’s RFK – A Portrait of Robert Kennedy

• November 13-15 and 19-21 at the  Vintage Theatre, 1468 Dayton St., Aurora; 303-839-1361 or vintagetheatre.com
• November 16-17 at the Bennett Community Center, 1100 E. Colfax Ave. (35 miles east of Denver); 303-839-1361 or vintagetheatre.com

November 16: Red Thread Playback Theatre’s Show No. 8
At Theatre O, 5311 Western Ave, Suite 120, Boulder, brownpapertickets.com

November 16-17: Local Theater Company’s LocalWRITES (plays by middle-school students from Boulder’s Casey Middle School)
Dairy Arts Center, 2590 Walnut St., Boulder, 720-379-4470 or localtheatercompany.org

Betty Hart.

November 16: Stories On Stage’s Feeding the Dragon, a solo play by Sharon Washington performed by Betty Hart
At the Su Teatro Performing Arts Center, 721 Santa Fe Drive, 303-494-0523 or storiesonstage.org

November 17: The Bechdel Cast presents The Santa Clause – LIVE in Denver!
At Buntport Theater, 717 Lipan St., 720-946-1388 or buntport.com

November 17: Ovation West’s An Afternoon of Opera: From Mozart to Musical Theatre
Center Stage, 27608 Fireweed Drive, Evergreen, 303-674-4002 or ovationwest.org

November 17: The Source Theatre Company’s Monday! Monday! Monday! Cabaret
At Su Teatro, 721 Santa Fe Drive, 720-238-1323 or thesourcedenver.org

November 18: Buntport Theater’s We Still Like You
717 Lipan St., 720-946-1388 or buntport.com

November 19: Buntport Theater’s BuntporTED Talks
717 Lipan St., 720-946-1388 or buntport.com

November 20: Buntport Theater’s The Narrators
717 Lipan St., 720-946-1388 or buntport.com

November 21-December 22: Bas Bleu Theatre Company’s Last Train to Nibroc
401 Pine St., Fort Collins, 970-498-8949 or basbleu.org

November 21-December 22: Benchmark Theatre’s Parfumerie
1560 Teller St., Lakewood, benchmarktheatre.com

November 21-December 1: The Upstart Crow’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream
Dairy Center for the Arts, 2590 Walnut St., Boulder, 303-442-1415 or theupstartcrow.org

November 22, 2019-January 5, 2020: DCPA Off-Center’s Camp Christmas
At the Stanley Marketplace, 2501 Dallas St, Aurora, 303-893-4100 or denvercenter.org READ MORE

November 22-December 22: DCPA Theatre Company’s Twelfth Night
Space Theatre, Denver Performing Arts Complex, 14th and Curtis streets, 303-893-4100 or denvercenter.org READ MORE

November 22-December 22: Arvada Center’s A Christmas Carol, The Musical
6901 Wadsworth Blvd., 720-898-7200 or arvadacenter.org

Some cast and crew from ‘Tuck Everlasting’ gathered at the 2019 Henry Awards. Photo by John Moore.

November 22, 2019-January 5, 2020: Vintage Theatre’s Tuck Everlasting
1468 Dayton St., Aurora, 303-839-1361 or vintagetheatre.com

November 22-December 8: Lake Dillon Theatre Company’s Tiny Beautiful Things
At the Silverthorne Performing Arts Center, 460 Blue River Pkwy, Silverthorne,  970-513-9386 or lakedillontheatre.org

November 22, 2019-January 4, 2020: Cirque Dreams’ Holidaze
6700 N. Gaylord Rockies Boulevard, Aurora, gaylordrockies.com

November 22, 2019-January 4, 2020: The Glenwood Vaudeville Revue
915 Grand Ave., 915 Grand Ave., Glenwood Springs, 970-945-9699  or gvrshow.com

November 22-December 21: Iron Springs Chateau’s Christmas Scheming…or…Sittin’ on the Dock of the EBay
444 Ruxton Ave., Manitou Springs, 719-685-5104 or ironspringschateau.com

November 22-December 8: The Windsor Playhouse’s Every Christmas Story Ever Told
561 E. Garden Drive, 970-674-1790 or windsorplayhouse.org

November 23-24: National touring production of The Hip Hop Nutcracker
Buell Theatre, Denver Performing Arts Complex, 14th and Curtis streets, 303-893-4100 or denvercenter.org

November 23-December 22: Firehouse Theater Company’s Calendar Girls
John Hand Theatre, 7653 E. 1st Place, 303-562-3232 or firehousetheatercompany.com

November 26-December 1: National touring production of Jesus Christ Superstar
Buell Theatre, Denver Performing Arts Complex, 14th and Curtis streets, 303-893-4100 or denvercenter.org

November 29-December 23: Miners Alley Playhouse’s A Christmas Carol
1224 Washington St., Golden, 303-935-3044 or minersalley.com

Sara Kowalski and Ben Griffith.

November 29-December 22: Aurora Fox’s The Second City’s Twist Your Dickens
9900 E. Colfax Ave., Aurora, 303-739-1970 or aurorafox.org

November 29, 2019-January 19, 2020: Candlelight Dinner Playhouse’s Irving Berlin’s Holiday Inn
4747 Marketplace Drive, Johnstown, 970-744-3747 or coloradocandlelight.com

November 29-December 14: Longmont Theatre Company’s The Best Christmas Pageant Ever
513 Main St., Longmont, 303-772-5200 or longmonttheatre.org

More Colorado theatre coverage on the DCPA NewsCenter

CONTINUING THEATRE PRODUCTIONS IN COLORADO:

Through November 2: Iron Springs Chateau’s The Rocky Horror Picture Show
444 Ruxton Ave., Manitou Springs, 719-685-5104 or ironspringschateau.com

Through November 2: StageDoor Theatre’s Into the Woods
25797 Conifer Road, Conifer, 303-838-0809 or stagedoortheatre.org

Through November 2: Audacious Theatre Company’s Grimm’s Scary Tales
In the basement of Felt Billiards, 101 W. Floyd Ave., Englewood, audacioustheatre.com

Through November 3: 5280 Artists Co-Op’s Waiting to Be Invited
At the Aurora Cultural Arts District Building, 1400 Dallas St., 720-500-3352 or 5280ArtistCoop.com

Through November 9: Theatre Company of Lafayette’s Pippin
Mary Miller Theater, 300 E. Simpson, 720-209-2154 or tclstage.org

Through November 9: Coal Creek Theater of Louisville’s The Importance of Being Earnest
Louisville Center for the Arts, 801 Grant St., 303-665-0955 or cctlouisville.org

Through November 9: Germinal Stage-Denver’s Mrs. Warren’s Profession
John Hand Theater on the Colorado Free University campus, 7653 E 1st Place, 303-455-7108 or germinalstage.com

Kate Gleason and Gareth Saxe.

Through November 10: Arvada Center’s Plaza Suite
6901 Wadsworth Blvd., 720-898-7200 or arvadacenter.org

Through November 10: Evergreen Players’ Laughing Stock
At Center/Stage, 27608 Fireweed Drive, 303-674-4934 or evergreenplayers.org

Through November 17: Boulder Ensemble Theatre Company’s The Realistic Joneses
Dairy Center for the Arts, 2590 Walnut St., Boulder, 303-440-7826 or boulderensembletheatre.org

Through November 17: Flame Broiled. or the ugly play
Carsen Theater at The Dairy Center, 2590 Walnut St., Boulder, 720-379-4470 or localtheatercompany.org READ MORE

Through November 17: Candlelight Dinner Playhouse’s The Hunchback of Notre Dame
4747 Marketplace Drive, Johnstown, 970-744-3747 or coloradocandlelight.com

Through November 23: The BiTSY Stage’s The Necromancer’s Stone
1137 S. Huron St., 720-328-5294 bitsystage.com (admission is always free)

Through November 24: DCPA Theatre Company’s A Doll’s House and A Doll’s House, Part 2, in repertory
At the Ricketson Theatre, Denver Performing Arts Complex, 14th and Curtis streets, 303-893-4100 or denvercenter.org READ MORE

Through December 1: Jesters Dinner Theatre’s The Addams Family
224 Main St., Longmont, 303-682-9980 or jesterstheatre.com

Through December 21: BDT Stage’s Cinderella (children’s series)
5501 Arapahoe Ave., 303-449-6000 or bdtstage.com

Through December 29: Arvada Center’s Ella Enchanted! (for children)
In the black-box studio theatre, 6901 Wadsworth Blvd., 720-898-7200 or arvadacenter.org

Through February 16, 2020: DCPA Education’s Goodnight Moon
Randy Weeks Conservatory Theatre, Denver Performing Arts Complex, 14th and Curtis streets, 303-893-4100 or denvercenter.org READ MORE

Through February 22, 2020: BDT Stage’s Mamma Mia!
5501 Arapahoe Ave., 303-449-6000 or bdtstage.com

Through March 22, 2020: DCPA Cabaret’s The Improvised Shakespeare Company®
Garner Galleria Theatre, Denver Performing Arts Complex, 14th and Curtis streets, 303-893-4100 or denvercenter.org READ MORE

More Colorado theatre coverage on the DCPA NewsCenter

Onstage Colorado: Your comprehensive online Colorado theatre calendar

Want to know what shows are performing on any specific date? We at the DCPA NewsCenter want to point you Alex Miller’s OnStage Colorado, which offers Colorado theatre news, reviews and a comprehensive, functional and searchable Colorado theatre calendar. You can look for shows by title, date or company. Continue to send your show listings to jmoore@dcpa.org and info@onstagecolorado.com.