Cleo Parker Robinson’s “Granny Dances to a Holiday Drum” returns for a 24th year.

NOTE: Each month, the DCPA NewsCenter offers an updated list of all upcoming Colorado theatre openings.

If it’s nearing December, then that means there will be a whole heaping of want, ignorance and Tuna on the collective holiday theatre table. This year features four variations on A Christmas Carol on local stages, perhaps most notably here at the DCPA, where actor Philip Pleasants has decided to play Scrooge for the last time; and at the Candlelight Dinner Playhouse in Johnstown, which has reunited Heritage Square Music Hall favorites T.J. Mullin and Annie Dwyer (pictured right). The last time Candlelight announced those two would be performing together on its stage 45 miles north of Denver, performances of Miracle on 34th Street had to be added to accommodate demand.

There also will be three separate stagings of A Tuna Christmas, the holiday spinoff of the ubiquitous small-town stage comedy Greater Tuna. It’s 24 hours before Christmas and the more than 20 screwball characters – all played by two actors – are attempting to cope with unusual seasonal traumas. Catch it in Fort Collins (Bas Bleu), Golden (Miners Alley Playhouse) or Colorado Springs (Millibo Art Theatre). (Pictured at right: Jay Benedict Brown and David Austin-Gröen, Bas Bleu Theatre (top), photo by William A. Cotton; and Christian Mast and Seth Maisel, Miners Alley Playhouse (below), photo by JR Cody Schuyler. Not pictured: Sammie Joe Kinnett and Sammy Gleason from Millibo Art Theatre’s “Greater Tuna.”.)

Those preferring holiday-themed fare with a subversive twist will be drawn to the Boulder Ensemble Theatre Company’s The SantaLand Diaries, an annual co-production with the DCPA’s Off-Center. Now in its seventh staging, this is David Sedaris’ caustic monologue about his experiences working as a Macy’s department-store elf. This year it will star  Michael Bouchard for the first time.

People wanting a break from holiday-themed shows altogether will be attracted to Vintage Theatre’s big splashy Barbra musical, Funny Girl. Subversives in Colorado Springs will want to check out Funky Little Theatre’s Hellcab, a 70-minute collection of comic and occasionally nasty scenes from a day in the life of a Chicago cabbie.

It will be yet another robust month of live theatre overall, with theatregoers getting to choose from 48 statewide options. The Denver Center will be bustling with six December titles, including the stage adaptation of the frozen-tongued classic, A Christmas Story The Musical.

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

THREE AT A GLANCE:
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The Edge Theatre Company’s Exit Strategies: While most of the Colorado theatre community is presenting holiday shows, The Edge will be celebrating the winner of its second annual new-play competition with a fully stage production of local playwright Jeffrey Neuman’s Exit Strategies. His story has a moderately successful playwright returning home for his father’s funeral, only to be drawn back into the explosive family dynamics he’s been trying to escape. Exit Strategies, featuring bigshots Emma Messenger, Andrew Uhlenhopp, Emily Paton Davies and Missy Moore, plays weekends Dec. 4-27 at 1560 Teller St., Lakewood, 303-232-0363 or theedgetheater.com

Lannie’s Clocktower Cabaret’s BALLS! A Holiday Spectacular: For seven years, a small group of local actors and musicians have dedicated their Decembers to staging an irreverent, holiday-themed variety show for the financial benefit a different local nonprofit. Over the years, GerRee Hinshaw, Mare Trevathan and Jim Ruberto, now joined by Emily K. Harrison, have raised $30,000 for worthy charities. This year’s designee is The Gathering Place, Denver’s only daytime drop-in center for women, their children and transgender individuals experiencing poverty or homelessness. BALLS is a blast, and pretty darned close to good, clean fun. With sock puppets. (Recommended for ages 16 and up.) Guest stars this year will include local musicians John Common, Jess DeNicola and Jen Korte; juggler Brian Landis Folkins; magician Gregg Tobo; comedian Christie Buchele; actor Adrian Egolf; the drunken team of Jack and Coke (aka Meridith C. Grundei and Gary Grundei); DJ Savior Breath; DJ YanceyleBeef and a special appearance by former 9News anchor Kirk Montgomery. BALLS! performs at 7 p.m. Mondays, Dec. 7 and 14 at Lannie’s Clocktower Cabaret, 1601 Arapahoe St., 303-293-0075 or lannies.com.

Cleo Parker Robinson Dance Ensemble’s Granny Dances to a Holiday Drum: For the 24th year, dance legend and Colorado cultural icon Cleo Parker Robinson presents her signature holiday show (born at the Denver Center back in the day). Granny blends dance, live music, spoken word and seasonal celebrations and customs from around the world into a local tradition like no other.  Granny, whose memories are her gifts to those she loves, is starting to forget many of her stories, as well as the magical dances she has witnesses or performed in a lifetime spanning the African Harvest, the Native American Winter Solstice, the Celtic Yule Time, Las Posadas in Mexico, Kwanzaa, the ancient Hebrew Festival of Lights, the Chinese New Year and even the Caribbean’s Junkanoo Day. For the first time in more than 20 years, Robinson is bringing her Denver original back to its original home in Five Points. “We felt this was certainly the time to bring Granny right back home to where her story began,” Robinson said. “Our theatre is so beautifully renovated now, and we wanted to share our excitement and pride with everyone in the community by inviting them to see the show in the place where it was first created.” Plays Dec. 5-20 at 119 Park Avenue West (Corner of 20th Avenue, Park Avenue and Washington Street), 303-295-1759, ext. 13, or cleoparkerdance.org

THIS MONTH’S DCPA OFFERINGS AT A GLANCE:

Ian Lowe and Joe Kinosian in “Murder for Two.” Photo by Joan Marcus

Though Nov. 29: Disney’s The Lion King 
Though Feb. 21: Denver Center Cabaret’s Murder For Two
Nov. 27-Dec. 27: Off-Center’s The SantaLand Diaries
Dec. 4-27: DCPA Theatre Company’s A Christmas Carol
​Dec. 12-13: Mannheim Steamroller Christmas by Chip Davis
Dec. 16-27, 2015: A Christmas Story, The Musical, Buell Theatre
THIS MONTH’S THEATRE OPENINGS IN COLORADO:
(Submit your listings to jmoore@dcpa.org)
Nov. 27-Dec. 27: Vintage Theatre’s Jacob Marley’s A Christmas Carol
1468 Dayton St., Aurora, 303-839-1361 or vintagetheatre.com

Nov. 27-Jan. 17: Vintage Theatre’s Funny Girl
1468 Dayton St., Aurora, 303-839-1361 or vintagetheatre.com

Through Dec. 27: Off-Center’s The SantaLand Diaries
(Presented with Boulder Ensemble Theatre Company)
Jones Theatre,14th and Curtis streets, 303-893-4100 or denvercenter.org   

Nov. 27-Dec. 31: Candlelight Dinner Playhouse’s A Christmas Carol
4747 Marketplace Drive, 970-744-3747 or coloradocandlelight.com

Nov. 27-Jan. 2: Midtown Arts Center’s Merry and Bright
3750 S. Mason St, Fort Collins, 970-225-2555 or midtownartscenter.com

Nov. 27-Dec. 27: Aurora Fox’s Little Women, The Musical
9900 E. Colfax Ave., Aurora, 303-739-1970 or aurorafoxartscenter.org

Nov. 27-Dec. 20: Rattlebrain Theatre’s Santa’s Big Red Sack
At The Avenue Theater, 417 E. 17th Ave., 303-321-5925 or www.avenuetheater.com

Nov. 27-Dec. 27: Thin Air Theatre Company’s The Christmas Donkey
139 E. Bennett Ave., Cripple Creek, 719-689-3247 or thinairtheatre.com​

Dec. 3-20: Su Teatro’s A Colorado Christmas
721 Santa Fe Drive, 303-296-0219 or su teatro’s home page

Dec. 3-24: TheatreWorks’ Born Yesterday
3955 Regent Circle, Colorado Springs, 719-255-3232 or theatreworkscs.org

Dec. 4-19: Funky Little Theater Company’s HellCab
2109 Templeton Gap Road, Colorado Springs, www.funkylittletheater.org

Dec. 4-31: The Edge Theatre’s Exit Strategies
1560 Teller St., Lakewood, 303-232-0363 or theedgetheater.com​

Dec. 4-27: DCPA Theatre Company’s A Christmas Carol
Stage Theatre,14th and Curtis streets, 303-893-4100 or denvercenter.org

Dec. 5-20: Cleo Parker Robinson Dance Ensemble’s Granny Dances to a Holiday Drum
119 Park Avenue West (Corner of 20th Avenue, Park Avenue and Washington Street), 303-295-1759, ext. 13 or cleoparkerdance.org

Dec. 7 and 14: BALLS! VII: A Holiday Spectacular
Lannie’s Clocktower Cabaret, D&F Clock Tower, 16th and Arapahoe streets, 303-293-0075, lannies’ home page or www.ballsaholidayspectacular.com

Dec. 10-20: Thunder River’s Bakersfield Mist
67 Promenade, Carbondale, 970-963-8200 or thunderrivertheatre.com

Dec. 10-19: Springs Ensemble Theatre’s Stocking Stuffers
1903 E. Cache La Poudre St., Colorado Springs, 719-357-3080 or springsensembletheatre.org

Dec. 10-27:  The Millibo Art Theatre’s A Tuna Christmas
1626 S. Tejon St. Colorado Springs, 719-465-6321 or order tickets here

Dec. 11-Jan 3: Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center’s Irving Berlin’s White Christmas
30 West Dale St, Colorado Springs, 719-634-5581 or csfineartscenter.org

Dec. 11-13: Central City Opera’s Amahl and the Night Visitors
At Trinity United Methodist Church, 1820 Broadway, Denver, 303-292-6700 or CentralCityOpera.org

Dec. 11-19: Equinox Theatre’s Musical Shenanigans 2015
At the Bug Theatre, 3654 Navajo St., 720-984-0781 or equinox’s home page

Dec. 11-20: Longmont Theatre Company’s Sleeping Beauty
513 Main St., Longmont, 303-772-5200 or longmont’s home page

Dec. 11-20: The Stampede Troupe’s ‘Twas the Night Before Christmas
Hensel Phelps Auditorium, 701 10th Ave., Greeley, 970-356-5000 or ucstars.com

Dec. 12-13: Mannheim Steamroller Christmas by Chip Davis
Buell Theatre,14th and Curtis streets, 303-893-4100 or denvercenter.org 
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Dec. 12-13 Stories on Stage’s Making Merry
2 p.m. Dec. 12 at Chautauqua, 301 Morning Glory Drive, Boulder, 303-440-7666 or chautauqua.com
1:30 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. Dec. 13 the King Center, 855 Lawrence Way, on the Auraria Campus. 303-494-0523 or storiesonstage.org

Dec. 16-27, 2015: A Christmas Story, The Musical
Buell Theatre, 14th and Curtis streets, 303-893-4100 or denvercenter.org

Dec. 18-20: Evergreen Players’ A Christmas Carol  (staged reading)
At Center/Stage, 27608 Fireweed Drive, 303-674-4934 or evergreen players’ home page

Dec. 30: Lone Tree Arts Center’s One-Man Star Wars
10075 Commons St., just west of Interstate 25 and Lincoln Avenue, 720-509-1000, lone tree’s home page

Currently continuing productions:

Through Nov. 28: OpenStage & Company’s Superior Donuts
Lincoln Center, 417 W. Magnolia St., Fort Collins, 970-484-5237 or openstagetheatre.org

Through Nov. 29: National touring production of Disney’s The Lion King
Buell Theatre,14th and Curtis streets, 303-893-4100 or denvercenter.org   

Through Dec. 5: Upstart Crow’s Deirdre of the Sorrows
Dairy Center for the Arts, 2590 Walnut St., Boulder, 303-442-1415 or upstart’s home page

Through Dec. 5: Equinox Theatre’s Dog Sees God, Confessions of a Teenage Blockhead
At the Bug Theatre, 3654 Navajo St., 720-984-0781 or equinox’s home page

Through Dec. 6: Local Theatre Company’s Faith
The Dairy Center, 2590 Walnut St., Boulder, 720-379-4470 or local’s home page
Through Dec. 6: Theatre Esprit Asia’s Coming to America
At ACAD Galery, 1400 Dallas St., Aurora, 720-492-9479, or www.theatre-esprit-asia.org
Through Dec. 6: Rattlebrain Theatre Company’s Voddville!
At the Aurora Fox, 9900 E. Colfax Ave., Aurora, 303-739-1970 or aurorafoxartscenter.org

Through Dec. 13: Lake Dillon Theatre Company’s Sherlock Holmes: The Final Adventure
176 Lake Dillon Drive, Dillon, 970-513-9386

Through Dec. 19: Curious Theatre Company’s Marcus; Or the Secret of Sweet
1080 Acoma St., 303-623-0524 or curious’ home page

Through Dec. 19: Firehouse Theatre Company’s A Ring-a-Ding Christmas: A Crooner Holiday Revue
John Hand Theatre, 7653 E. 1st Place, 303-562-3232 or firehouse’s home page

Through Dec. 20: Miners Alley Playhouse’s A Tuna Christmas
1224 Washington St., Golden, 303-935-3044 or minersalley.com​

Through Dec. 23: Arvada Center’s Irving Berlin’s White Christmas
6901 Wadsworth Blvd., 720-898-7200 or arvadacenter.org​

Through Dec. 27: Town Hall Arts Center’s Shrek
2450 W. Main St., Littleton, 303-794-2787 or townhallartscenter.org

Through Dec. 27: Bas Bleu Theatre’s A Tuna Christmas
401 Pine St, Fort Collins, 970-498-8949 or basbleu.org

Through Dec. 30: Breckenridge Backstage Theatre’s A Christmas Story
Riverwalk Center, 150 W. Adams Ave., Breckenridge,  970-453-0199 or backstagetheatre.org

Through Dec. 31: Casino Murder Mystery’s Let’s Kill the Whistle Blower
At the Lumber Baron Inn, 2555 W. 37th Ave., Denver, CO 80211, 303-477-8205 or CasinoMurderMysteries.com

Through Jan. 2: Midtown Arts Center’s Rock of Ages
3750 S. Mason St, Fort Collins, 970-225-2555 or midtownartscenter.com

Through Feb. 21, 2016: Denver Center Cabaret’s Murder For Two
Garner Galleria Theatre, 14th and Curtis streets, 303-893-4100 or denvercenter.org

Through Feb. 27: BDT Stage’s The Addams Family
5501 Arapahoe Ave., 303-449-6000 or bdtstage.com

For a complete list of performances benefiting the Denver Actors Fund, click here

ONGOING OR MONTHLY PROGRAMMING:

ADAMS MYSTERY PLAYHOUSE
Ongoing productions
2406 Federal Blvd., Denver, 303-455-1848 or adamsmysteryplayhouse.com

BUNTPORT THEATRE
Dec. 15: The Great Debate: Arguing dumb topics.
Dec. 16: The Narrators: Firsts. True stories centered on a monthly theme
717 Lipan St., 720-946-1388 or buntport.org

THE SOURCE THEATRE COMPANY
Every third Monday: Monday! Monday! Monday! Cabaret
At Su Teatro Performing Arts Center, 721 Santa Fe Drive, 720-238-1323 or thesourcedenver.org

SPARK THEATER
First Saturday of each month at 11 a.m.: Rodents of Unusual Size
985 Santa Fe Drive, 720-346-7396 or sparktheater.org