The cast of Curious Theatre’s ‘The Secretary.’ Back row, from left: Leslie O’Carroll, Emma Messenger and Karen Slack. Front row: Adeline Mann, Kathy Brady and Devon James. Photo by Michael Ensminger.

After the holidays, theatre companies roll up their sleeves on Colorado stages

Traditionally, January is the most substantive month of the theatre year. Something about the end of the holidays and the start of the cold, dark season that tends to put winter theatregoers in the frame of mind for stories with deeper meanings. While the DCPA Theatre Company prepares to unveil its provocative world-premiere plays You Lost Me and twenty50, three alternative local collectives are collaborating on an exciting new interactive experience called Recipe that mixes food and Denver’s urban history. But for those who crave warmer weather, January doesn’t get hotter than SUMMER: The Donna Summer Musical. Here are 10 of the most intriguing theatergoing options this month, followed by a complete list of all January openings in Colorado.

1. The Secretary. You won’t find a more impressive ensemble than the one Curious Theatre director Christy Montour-Larson has assembled for Kyle John Schmidt’s incendiary black comedy about a high-school secretary who takes down a student shooter with six bullets. The play takes direct aim at the trope, “Guns don’t kill people, people kill people.” The powerhouse, all-female cast reunites DCPA Theatre Company legends Kathy Brady and Leslie O’Carroll with Karen Slack, Emma Messenger, Devon James and Adeline Mann. January 11 through February 22 at 1080 Acoma St., 303-623-0524 or curioustheatre.org

From a recent ‘Can I Kick it?’ screening.

2. Can I Kick It? A unique film experience comes to the Studio Loft Theatre above the Ellie Caulkins Opera House catering to lovers of Kung-Fu flicks and the music they inspired. At each event, cult classic martial arts films are screened and live-scored with a blend of hip-hop, soul and funk by DJ 2-Tone Jones. The result is a live, remixed soundtrack to the movies using music and DJ techniques to accentuate elements of specific scenes and fighting sequences. On January 24 the featured film will be the 1973 classic “Enter the Dragon“; on January 25 it will be “Blade.” Both films are Rated R. At 14th and Champa streets, 303-893-4100 or denvercenter.org

3. Recipe. This interview-based traveling performance about food and belonging celebrates Denver’s Five Points and Curtis Park neighborhoods. Recipe, based on interviews with Denver locals, moves through rooms of the historic Savoy at Curtis Park, built in 1889. Residents both historical and contemporary come to life, sharing stories of how food shapes their lives, relationships and experiences of home. Recipe is a collaboration between Theatre Artibus, Grapefruit Lab and Jeff Campbell of Emancipation Theater Company. Each performance will showcase a spoken-word artist sharing poems written in that era. The cast includes Buba Basishvili, Jeannene Bragg, new True West Award winner James Brunt, Jeff Campbell, Laura Chavez-Slack, Meghan Frank, Adrienne Martin-Fullwood, Mitchell Marquez, Julie Rada and Lisa Young. January 9 through 19 at 2700 Arapahoe St. More info: theartibus.com

‘Incessant Hum’ playwright Jeffrey Neuman is a multiple True West Award winner.

4. Incessant Hum: Beethoven 2020. Colorado Chamber Players celebrates the 250th anniversary of Ludwig van Beethoven with the commissioned world premiere of a music and theatre hybrid written by celebrated local playwright Jeffrey Neuman, who, like the famous composer, has experienced hearing loss himself. The work explores the emotional world that Beethoven experienced as he lost his hearing and ability to perform as a pianist and conductor. Featuring Chris Kendall and Chelsea Frye. Directed by Mare Trevathan. There will be performances January 14, 18 and 19 in three metro cities, with prices ranging from free to $80 (see below). More info: coloradochamberplayers.org

5. The Squirrels. If you’re like me, you hate squirrels for that one time they sneaked down your chimney while you were out of town and shredded everything in every room. But if you’re the kind of person who can see past your own personal trauma, check out Robert Askins’ metaphorical look at race and class in America at the Aurora Fox. In this world of this play, where the actors all really play the filthy vermin, winter is on its way, and these rodents of unusual size are growing restless. As mistrust grows between the Greasers and the Socs … I mean between the rich Gray Squirrels and the outcast Fox Squirrels, an epic animal kingdom soap opera erupts with rebel armies, dark conspiracies and divided family loyalties. Directed by Missy Moore. Featuring Hossein Forouzandeh, Joshua Levy, Leiney Rigg, Rachel Turner, Andrew Uhlenhopp and Kelly Uhlenhopp. Advisory: Adult situations and violence. January 17 through February 9 at 9900 E. Colfax Ave., Aurora, 303-739-1970 or aurorafox.org

6. Before You Go. Noted actor, director, producer, playwright and former theatre critic John Ashton was forever changed by his recent True West Award-winning performance in the gentle suicide play Every Brilliant Thing. In his own new play, which gathers three adult siblings to the home of their dying mother, Ashton explores well-trod terrain through a very untrod lens: Actual, unapologetic tenderness. Ashton’s characters genuinely love each other, which makes this unexpected comedy something akin to an anti-August: Osage County. Ashton will introduce his partly autobiographical, developing work at a staged reading featuring an all-star cast of Eric Mather, Missy Moore, Augustus Truhn, Billie McBride, Damon Guerrasio, Maggy Stacy and Brian Landis Folkins. 6:30 p.m. January 19 at the John Hand Theatre, 7653 E. 1st Place, 303-562-3232

Kanoken ‘Ken’ Kanokozawa of Tokyo is a cast member in Phamaly’s ‘Honk.’

7. Honk! Phamaly Theatre Company, which exists to create performance opportunities for actors with disabilities, opens its 31st season with this musical adaptation of The Ugly Duckling for children. Honk! follows the story of Ugly, a unique kind of fowl who strays from his home on the farm to discover that being different isn’t bad, it’s just … well, different. After a two-week run at the Aurora Fox, Phamaly will embark on its second-ever international goodwill voyage, presenting two special performances at the Toshima-Ku Art and Culture Theatre in Tokyo. This production, directed by Stacey D’Angelo and Martha Yordy, is a collaboration with Japan’s Cue Arts, and the cast includes two Japanese performers with disabilities. Phamaly cast members include Adam Johnson, Sam Barrasso, Erin Schneider, Toby Yount, Jacob Elledge, Kevin Pettit, Miranda Ireland, Amber Marsh, Shannon Sauer and Kathleen Traylor. January 11 through 26 at the Aurora Fox, 9900 E. Colfax Ave., 303-575-0005 or phamaly.org

8. Murder on the Orient Express. The Arvada Center’s fine-tuned repertory theatre company is back for a fourth full season of plays, starting with Agatha Christie’s classic mystery. Just after midnight, a snowdrift stops the Orient Express luxury train in its tracks. By morning, an American tycoon will be stabbed a dozen times – his door locked from the inside. It’s up to detective Hercule Poirot to identify the killer before he (or she) decides to strike again. Directed by Geoffrey Kent and featuring Kevin Rich as the detective alongside Jessica Austgen, Jake Mendes, Emily Van Fleet, Kate Gleason, Kevin Hart, Josh Robinson, Edith Weiss, Annie Barbour, Zachary Andrews, Ava Brewer-Newman and Elise Meier. January 31 through May 17 at 6901 Wadsworth Blvd., 720-898-7200 or arvadacenter.org

9. Crushes. Stories on Stage’s annual collaboration with the inventive nerds from Buntport Theater this year focuses on first (or 40^th) crushes, stranger crushes, forbidden crushes and one-true-love crushes in a range of storytelling forms from flash fiction to memoir to vignettes. All stories, real or imagined, have been contributed by local writers. Featuring Brian Colonna, Hannah Duggan, Erik Edborg, Erin Rollman and Samantha Schmitz. There will be performances January 11 at Su Teatro and January 24 at Chautauqua Community House in Boulder (see below). More info: storiesonstage.org

10. Small Mouth Sounds. One of the year’s most popular new plays takes place entirely at a silent yoga retreat, where six misfits strive for self-acceptance. Yep, silent! With the exception of an unseen guru running this spiritual retreat, the characters hardly ever speak. So both the humor and the pathos mostly spring from wordless interaction. The New York Times calls Bess Wohl’s enchanting play “a model of theatrical ingenuity.” Directed for Colorado Springs TheatreWorks by Tasia A. Jones and featuring Jihad Milhelm, Julia Greene, Russell Sperberg, Lavour Addison, Christina Norris, Prentiss A. Benjamin and Josue Prieto. January 30 through February 16 at the Ent Center, 5225 N. Nevada Ave., Colorado Springs, 719-255-3232 or theatreworkscs.org

Colorado theatre 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.

JANUARY THEATRE OPENINGS IN COLORADO:

Lisa Young and James Brunt rehearse for ‘Recipe.’ Photo by Meghan Frank.

January 9-19: Theatre Artibus’ Recipe (with Grapefruit Lab and Emancipation Theater Company)
At the Savoy at Curtis Park, 2700 Arapahoe St., theartibus.com

Jan. 10-26: Performance Now’s A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum
Lakewood Cultural Center, 470 S. Allison Parkway, 303-987-7845 or performancenow.org

January 10-February 9: Town Hall Arts Center’s Disenchanted
2450 W. Main St., Littleton, 303-794-2787 or townhallartscenter.com

January 10-19: Longmont Theatre Company’s Some Enchanted Evening
513 Main St., 303-772-5200 or longmonttheatre.org

January 10-11: Dairy Arts Center’s Mrs. Eda Bagel: In Concert … With Herself!
2590 Walnut St., Boulder, 303-440-7826 or thedairy.org

January 10-11: StageDoor Theatre’s Circus Olympus
25797 Conifer Road, Conifer, 303-838-0809 or stagedoortheatre.org

January 11-February 22: Curious Theatre’s The Secretary
1080 Acoma St., 303-623-0524 or curioustheatre.org

January 11-26: Phamaly Theatre Company’s Honk! (for children)
At the Aurora Fox, 9900 E. Colfax Ave., Aurora, 303-575-0005 or phamaly.org

January 11: Boulder Ensemble Theatre Company’s Seal Boy, a free reading of “Generations” new-play winner Ken Weitzman’s play
Dairy Center for the Arts, 2590 Walnut St., Boulder, 303-440-7826 or boulderensembletheatre.org

January 11: Stories On Stage’s Crushes: A Buntport Collaboration
At the Su Teatro Performing Arts Center, 721 Santa Fe Drive, 303-494-0523 or storiesonstage.org

January 11-12: Millibo Art Theatre’s Oz
1626 S. Tejon St., Colorado Springs, 719-465-6321, themat.org

January 14: Colorado Chamber Players’ Incessant Hum: Beethoven 2020
7:30 p.m. At Broomfield Auditorium, 3 Community Dr. Broomfield, coloradochamberplayers.org

January 15: Buntport Theater’s The Narrators
717 Lipan St., 720-946-1388 or buntport.com

January 16-February 16: Breckenridge Backstage Theatre’s The Great Gatsby
121 S. Ridge St. 970-453-0199 or backstagetheatre.org

January 16-February 1: Invictus Theatre Company’s Othello
The People’s Building, 9995 E. Colfax Ave., Aurora, eventbrite.com

January 16-18: Millibo Art Theatre’s David and Katie Get Remarried
1626 S. Tejon St., Colorado Springs, 719-465-6321, themat.org

January 17-February 23: DCPA Theatre Company’s You Lost Me (opens January 24)
Ricketson Theatre, Denver Performing Arts Complex, 14th and Curtis streets, 303-893-4100 or denvercenter.org READ MORE

Director Missy Moore leads the cast of ‘The Squirrels’ in rehearsal for the Aurora Fox’s upcoming production.

January 17-February 9: Aurora Fox’s The Squirrels
9900 E. Colfax Ave., Aurora, 303-739-1970 or aurorafox.org

January 17-February 9: Sasquatch Productions and Parker Arts’ Matilda The Musical
20000 Pikes Peak Avenue, Parker, 303-805-6800 or parkerarts.org

January 17-18: Evergreen Players’ Platinum Broadway Revue
At CenterStage, 27608 Fireweed Drive, 303-674-4934 or evergreenplayers.org

January 17-25: Moss Performing Arts Center’s Catch the Wind
1221 N. 12th St., Grand Junction, 81501, coloradomesa.edu

January 18-February 15: OpenStage Theatre Company’s Men on Boats
Lincoln Center, 417 W. Magnolia St., Fort Collins, 970-484-5237 or openstagetheatre.org

January 18: Colorado Chamber Players’ Incessant Hum: Beethoven 2020
6:30 p.m., At Opus Two Hall, 9167 Davidson Way, Lafayette, coloradochamberplayers.org

January 18: Lone Tree Arts Center’s Cross That River: A Concert About the Black West
10075 Commons St., just west of Interstate 25 and Lincoln Avenue, 720-509-1000 or lonetreeartscenter.org

January 19: John Ashton Presents Before You Go, a staged reading of a new play
John Hand Theatre, 7653 E. 1st Place, 303-562-3232

January 19: Colorado Chamber Players’ Incessant Hum: Beethoven 2020
2 p.m. at Boulder Public Library Canyon Theatre, 1001 Arapahoe Ave,, Boulder, coloradochamberplayers.org

January 20: Buntport Theater’s We Still Like You
717 Lipan St., 720-946-1388 or buntport.com

Bob Moore

January 20: Thunder River Theatre Company’s Diva Cabaret with Bob Moore
67 Promenade, Carbondale, 970-963-8200 or thunderrivertheatre.com

January 21: Buntport Theater’s BuntporTEDTalks
717 Lipan St., 720-946-1388 or buntport.com

January 23-Feb 23: Bas Bleu Theatre’s Best Brothers
401 Pine St., Fort Collins, 970-498-8949 or basbleu.org

January 24-25: DCPA Broadway Presents Can I Kick It?
Studio Loft Theatre, Denver Performing Arts Complex, 14th and Curtis streets, 303-893-4100 or denvercenter.org

January 24-March 1: Miners Alley Playhouse’s Frankie and Johnny in the Clair de Lune
1224 Washington St., Golden, 303-935-3044 or minersalley.com

January 24-February 15: Equinox Theatre’s Bubble Boy
At the Bug Theatre, 3654 Navajo St., 720-984-0781 or equinoxtheatredenver.com

January 24: Stories On Stage’s Crushes: A Buntport Collaboration
At Chautauqua Community House, 900 Baseline Road, Boulder, 303-494-0523 or chautauqua.com

January 24-February 8: Miscreant Theatre Collective’s MacBeth, A Very Serious Play
At the The Bakery Arts Warehouse, 2132 Market St.,  720-771-8826 or ticketleap.com

January 24–February 23: Cherry Creek Theatre’s My Way: A Musical Tribute to Frank Sinatra
Pluss Theatre at the Mizel Arts and Culture Center, 350 S. Dahlia St., 303-800-6578 or cherrycreektheatre.org

January 24-February 8: Funky Little Theatre Company’s Lend Me a Tenor
1367 Pecan Street, Colorado Springs, 719-471-4462 or funkylittletheater.org

January 24-25: Millibo Art Theatre’s Objectivity Dance Theatre
1626 S. Tejon St., Colorado Springs, 719-465-6321, themat.org

January 24: Dangerous Theatre’s Dangerous Talk: Sex, Drugs and Comedy
2620 W. 2nd Ave, No. 1, Denver, 720-989-1764 or dangeroustheatre.com

January 25: Red Thread Playback Theatre’s Playback (Audience members share true stories that actors then instantly act out)
At Theater O, 5311 Western Ave., Boulder, brownpapertickets.com

January 25: Missoula Children’s Theatre’s Cinderella (for children)
DL Parsons Theatre, 11801 Community Center Drive, Northglenn, 303-450-8800 or northglennarts.org

January 27: The Bug’s Freak Train (every last Monday)
3654 Navajo St., 303-477-9984 or bugtheatre.info

January 28-Feb 9: National touring production of SUMMER: The Donna Summer Musical
Buell Theatre, Denver Performing Arts Complex, 14th and Curtis streets, 303-893-4100 or denvercenter.org

January 30-February 16: TheatreWorks’ Small Mouth Sounds
Ent Center, 5225 N. Nevada Ave., Colorado Springs, 719-255-3232 or theatreworkscs.org

January 30-March 29: Candlelight Dinner Playhouse’s Jekyll & Hyde
4747 Marketplace Drive, Johnstown, 970-744-3747 or coloradocandlelight.com

January 31-March 1: DCPA Theatre Company’s twenty50 (opens February 7)
Space Theatre, Denver Performing Arts Complex, 14th and Curtis streets, 303-893-4100 or denvercenter.org READ MORE

January 31-May 17: Arvada Center’s Murder on the Orient Express
6901 Wadsworth Blvd., 720-898-7200 or arvadacenter.org

January 31-February 16: Stage Door Theatre’s A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder
25797 Conifer Road, Conifer, 303-838-0809 or stagedoortheatre.org

January 31: Dangerous Theatre’s Out: Coming Out Stories Across the Sexual Spectrum
2620 W. 2nd Ave, No. 1, Denver, 720-989-1764 or dangeroustheatre.com

January 31-March 13: Arvada Center’s The Velveteen Rabbit (for children)
6901 Wadsworth Blvd., 720-898-7200 or arvadacenter.org

January 31: UpstART Theatre’s Tiny Beautiful Things, staged reading
Sherbino Theatre, 604 Clinton St, Ridgway, 970-325-3501 or sherbino.yapsody.com

February 1: UpstART Theatre’s Tiny Beautiful Things, staged reading
Wright Opera House, 472 Main St., Ouray, 970-325-3501 or thewrightoperahouse.org

February 1-9: Thingamajig Theatre Company’s The Texas Homecoming Revolution of 1995
Pagosa Springs Center for the Arts, 2313 Eagle Drive, 970-731-7469 or pagosacenter.org

February 1-April 19: Jesters Dinner Theatre’s Seven Brides for Seven Brothers
224 Main St., Longmont, 303-682-9980 or jesterstheatre.com

February 1-29: Miners Alley Playhouse’s Hansel & Gretel  (for children)
1224 Washington St., Golden, 303-935-3044 or minersalley.com

February 1-2: Millibo Art Theatre’s Animal Amigos (for children)
1626 S. Tejon St., Colorado Springs, 719-465-6321, themat.org

February 1: Millibo Art Theatre’s The RIP (improv comedy)
1626 S. Tejon St., Colorado Springs, 719-465-6321, themat.org

CONTINUING THEATRE PRODUCTIONS IN COLORADO:

Through January 12: Fine Arts Center Theatre Company at Colorado College’s The Sound of Music
30 W. Dale St., Colorado Springs, 719-634-5581 or fac.coloradocollege.edu

Through January 12: Thingamajig Theatre Company’s A Grand Night For Singing
At the Pagosa Springs Center for the Arts, 2313 Eagle Drive, 970-731-7469 or pagosacenter.org

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

Through January 26: Jesters Dinner Theatre’s The Addams Family
224 Main St., Longmont, 303-682-9980 or jesterstheatre.com

Through February 9: Vintage Theatre’s Frost/Nixon
1468 Dayton St., Aurora, 303-839-1361 or vintagetheatre.com

Through February 16: 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: BDT Stage’s Mamma Mia!
5501 Arapahoe Ave., 303-449-6000 or bdtstage.com

Through March 22: 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

Ongoing:

Adams Mystery Playhouse (interactive murder mystery comedy dinner theatre), 2406 Federal Blvd., Denver, 303-455-1848 or adams’ home page

The Dinner Detective (interactive murder mystery comedy dinner theatre) held most Saturday evenings in Denver, Fort Collins and Colorado Springs, 866-496-0535 or thedinnerdetective.com:

• Embassy Suites Denver Downtown, 1420 Stout St.
• Hilton Fort Collins, 425 W. Prospect Road
• Great Wolf Lodge, 9494 Federal Drive, Colorado Springs

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.