DCPA NEWS CENTER
Enjoy the best stories and perspectives from the theatre world today.
May in Colorado theatre: Phamaly turns 30 with retro concerts
Funky Little Theatre Company.
Landmark company for disabled actors will celebrate milestone birthday with retrospective concerts at three locations
Here are just a few of your intriguing theatregoing options on Colorado stages this month, followed by a complete list of all May openings and ongoing productions:
The cast of Phamaly’s 2018 production of ‘Into the Woods.’ Photo by Michael Ensminger.
Phamaly Theatre Company’s 30th Anniversary Concert. Denver’s groundbreaking, landmark Phamaly Theatre Company has now been making performance opportunities for actors with disabilities for 30 freaking years. Attention must be paid. Longtime company members Lucy Roucis and Mark Dissette have put together a revue of unforgettable stage moments for this family-friendly retrospective concert that will celebrate the impact Phamaly has had here in Denver and around the world. But this is no one-off event. This concert will be held at three locations between May 24 and June 6: May 24 at the Aurora Fox Arts Center, 9900 E. Colfax Ave.; June 2 in the Mizel Arts and Culture Center’s Elaine Wolf Theatre, 350 S. Dahlia St.; and June 6 at the Levitt Pavilion, 1380 W. Florida Ave. That final date will be the largest public performance in Phamaly’s history. All tickets to every show are free, with a $30 suggested donation. Directed by former Artistic Director Steve Wilson. 303-575-0005 or phamaly.org
‘The Last Defender’ takes you through a puzzle experience with the fate of the world at stake. Photo by Johnny Knight.
Off-Center’s The Last Defender: The next immersive experience by the DCPA’s most adventurous wing will be part theatre, part puzzle hunt and part live-action gaming experience. The Last Defender draws on the political and social turmoil of the 1980s, the golden age of arcades and impending nuclear threats to give audiences the chance to save the world from nuclear annihilation. “The Last Defender is an exhilarating 90-minute experience where the audience’s decisions and actions determine the outcome of the story,” said Off-Center Curator Charlie Miller. May 28-July 28 beneath the Patagonia retail store at 1510 Blake St., 303-893-4100 or denvercenter.org. OUR INTERVIEW WITH CREATOR NATHAN ALLEN
- Black Actors Guild and Emancipation Theatre’s Mosque. This story of a Muslim family living in post-9/11 New York follows a young man named Mohammad who runs a corner store with his father, Abdul. American as can be, Mo and Abdul are staples in their diverse and supportive community. They have tackled all of the tough questions that 9/11 brought up, but things get complicated as the Mosque near Ground Zero becomes a topic of national conversation and outrage. Written by busy local actor Jihad Milhem (Colorado Shakespeare Festival). May 19-June 2 at The People’s Building, 9995 E. Colfax Ave., Aurora, eventbrite.com
Cast members prepared for And Toto too Theatre Company’s ‘Show of Force’ by visiting a gun range.
And Toto too Theatre Company’s Show of Force: This world premiere by Beverly Coyle offers powerful stories of women veterans from all branches of military service. “Women veterans transition from military to civilian life very differently than their male counterparts, and when this transition doesn’t go well, women veterans are 250 percent more likely to commit suicide,” said Director Susan Lyles. “We hope that bringing this struggle to the stage will bring awareness and help us find better ways of supporting our military women.” Show of Force will play five performances only from May 9-12 in the Studio Loft at the Ellie Caulkins Opera House. Featuring Kristina Fountaine, Candace Joice, Min Kyung Kim and Kate Poling. 1400 Curtis St. (Note new location). 720-583-3975 or andtototoo.org
- Miners Alley Playhouse’s Queen of Conspiracy: Miners Alley commissioned award-winning local playwright Josh Hartwell to write the untold true story of Mae Brussell, considered America’s first mainstream conspiracy theorist during the 1960s and 1970s. Her popular radio shows, for example, linked the Kennedy assassinations to the Watergate scandal. “As I delved into my research, so many things she was saying back in the ’60s and 70s sounded like things she would be saying right now,” said Hartwell, whose new drama is set in present-day Denver and imagines the family who inherited Brussell’s legacy. Featuring Abby Apple Boes, Chloe McLeod, Sinjin Jones, Bill Hahn, Erica Borrillo and Damon Guerrasio. May 17-June 23 at 1224 Washington St., Golden, 303-935-3044 or minersalley.com
- Curious Theatre Company’s Sanctions: Incendiary playwright Bruce Graham (White Guy on the Bus) tackles the world of Division I college football, where there is no room for scandal and no tolerance for losing. As the ‘Cats are coming off NCAA sanctions, accusations have the staff battling over how far they are willing to bend the rules and look the other way to ensure a win. It’s academics vs. football and money vs. integrity in this collision of cover-ups. Directed by Chip Walton. May 4-June 15 at 1080 Acoma St., 303-623-0524 or curioustheatre.org READ MORE: OUR INTERVIEW WITH DEE COVINGTON
- Control Group’s Aggregate Immateriality. Have you ever heard of a better tagline than this: “An immersive journey through an abandoned slaughterhouse”? Artistic Director Patrick Mueller says Aggregate Immateriality is currently the largest-scale immersive theatre production in the Mountain West. He calls it “an uplifting rumination on darkness, fear and death.” The genre is an experiential, interactive combination of theatre, dance, design and site. “We invite audiences to contemplate their mortality as we follow a friend through her transition from life into death,” Mueller said. “In a space made for animal mass murder, we offer gentle gifts and warm human contact, working to dispel our fear of the specter of death and invigorate the exquisite sensation of being alive.” Newly extended through May 11 at 4800 Washington St. (rear entrance), brownpapertickets.com. Click for content warnings and audience instructions
- Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center at Colorado College’s Barnum: Broadway’s circus musical, complete with jugglers, clowns, trapeze artists and more, tells the story of The Greatest Showman. P.T. Barnum, who worked with talents such as the oldest woman alive (Joice Heth), tiny Tom Thumb and the famous Swedish opera singer, Jenny Lind, with whom he fell in love. Directed by Scott RC Levy. May 23-June 16 at 30 W. Dale St., Colorado Springs, 719-634-5581 or csfineartscenter.org
- Sis Tryst Productions’ Heisenberg: Former DCPA Education Head of Acting Lawrence Hecht – and Sis Tryst – are back with a staged reading of Heisenberg by Simon Stephens (The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time). Amid the bustle of a crowded London train station, Georgie spots Alex, a much older man, and plants a kiss on his neck. This electric encounter thrusts these two into life-changing events. Starring Hecht and Allison Watrous. Directed by Sabin Epstein. May 3-5 only at the University of Denver’s Johnson-McFarlane Hall, 1903 E. Iliff Ave. $10 suggested donation. Email for your reservation at sistryst@gmail.com.
- Sphinx’s Riddle Theatre Company’s Root Baby: A Play with a Drinking Game and a Rock Band. This new company endeavors to create theatre projects for every age (not all at the same time.) This inaugural effort is a wacky, semi-immersive new play with rock music – and staged at a brewpub. The story follows a bullied 10-year-old girl who earnestly believes fairies have changed her from a human child into a root who then embarks on an odyssey to return to her native soil. Complete with puppet encounters, drug dealers and dream sequences. Aimed at an adult crowd. May 3-18 at Diebolt Brewing Company, 3855 Mariposa St., eventbrite.com
NOTE: At the start of each month, the DCPA NewsCenter offers an updated list of upcoming theatre openings, spotlighting work being presented on stages statewide. 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.
Erin Mackey and Mariand Torres in ‘Wicked.’ Photo by Joan Marcus.
MAY THEATRE OPENINGS AND EVENTS IN COLORADO:
May 3-26: DCPA Theatre Company’s Sweat
Space Theatre at the Denver Performing Arts Complex, 14th and Curtis streets, 303-893-4100 or denvercenter.org
May 3-5: Sis Tryst Productions’ Heisenberg (staged reading)
At the University of Denver’s Johnson-McFarlane Hall, 1903 E. Iliff Ave. Email for your reservation at sistryst@gmail.com.
Jordan Bellow and Timothy D. Stickney in the DCPA Theatre Company’s ‘Sweat.’ Photo by Adams VisCom
May 3-18: Longmont Theatre Company’s Chess (U.K. version)
513 Main St., Longmont, 303-772-5200 or longmonttheatre.org
May 3-18: Theatre Company of Lafayette’s The Memory of Water
Mary Miller Theater, 300 E. Simpson, 720-209-2154 or tclstage.org
May 3-18: Sphinx’s Riddle Theatre Company’s Root Baby: A Play with a Drinking Game and a Rock Band
At Diebolt Brewing Company, 3855 Mariposa St., eventbrite.com
May 3-18: Coal Creek Theater of Louisville’s Outside Mullingar
Louisville Center for the Arts, 801 Grant St., 303-665-0955 or www.cctlouisville.org
May 3-11, 2019: The Odd Couple (Female Version)
Dairy Center for the Arts, 2590 Walnut St., Boulder, 303-440-7826 or thedairy.org
May 4-June 15: Curious Theatre Company’s Sanctions
1080 Acoma St., 303-623-0524 or curioustheatre.org
May 4-Aug. 31: BDT Stage’s Beauty and the Beast
5501 Arapahoe Ave., 303-449-6000 or bdtstage.com
May 4-5: Lake Dillon Theatre Company’s A Day of Sky: A Cabaret for Climate Change featuring Sonya Meyer
At the Silverthorne Performing Arts Center, 460 Blue River Pkwy, Silverthorne, 970-513-9386 or lakedillontheatre.org
May 4-19: Millibo Art Theatre’s Incredible Circus Millibo
1626 S. Tejon St. Colorado Springs, 719-465-6321, themat.org
May 5: Stories on Stage’s Hollyweird, Twisted Tales from Tinseltown
Chris Parente, John Jurcheck and Candy Brown read tales from the weird world of Hollywood.
1:30 and 6:30 p.m. at the Su Teatro Performing Arts Center, 721 Santa Fe Drive, 303-494-0523 or storiesonstage.org
May 6: Clocktower Cabaret’s Abby Apple Boes Sings … Again!
An evening of cabaret with Abby Apple Boes
D&F Clock Tower, 16th and Arapahoe streets, 303-293-0075 or clocktowercabaret.com/
May 8-June 9: National touring production of Wicked
Buell Theatre at the Denver Performing Arts Complex, 14th and Curtis streets, 303-893-4100 or denvercenter.org
May 9-12: And Toto too Theatre Company’s Show of Force
In the Studio Loft at the Ellie Caulkins Opera House, 1400 Curtis St. (Note new location.) 720-583-3975 or andtototoo.org
May 9-26: Springs Ensemble Theatre’s The Moors
1903 E. Cache La Poudre St., Colorado Springs, 719-357-3080 or springsensembletheatre.org
May 10-June 16: Vintage Theatre’s The Language Archive
1468 Dayton St., Aurora, 303-839-1361 or vintagetheatre.com
May 10-June 8: Germinal Stage-Denver’s Hay Fever
At the John Hand Theater on the Colorado Free University Campus at Lowry, 7653 E 1st Place, 303-455-7108 or germinalstage.com
May 10-11: Aurora Fox Presents Jayln Courtenay Webb’s This is Me (an evening of cabaret)
9900 E. Colfax Ave., Aurora, 303-739-1970 or aurorafox.org
May 16-26: Upstart Crow’s Pygmalion
Dairy Center for the Arts, 2590 Walnut St., Boulder, 303-442-1415 or theupstartcrow.org
May 17-June 23: Miners Alley Playhouse’s Queen of Conspiracy
1224 Washington St., Golden, 303-935-3044 or minersalley.com
May 17-June 16: Town Hall Arts Center’s Sister Act
2450 W. Main St., Littleton, 303-794-2787 or townhallartscenter.com
May 17-September 15: Thingamajig Theatre Company’s Ring of Fire
2313 Eagle Drive, 970-731-7469 or pagosacenter.org
May 17-June 1: Funky Little Theatre Company’s August: Osage County
1367 Pecan St., Colorado Springs, 719-471-4462 or funkylittletheater.org
May 18-June 9: Bas Bleu Theatre Company’s Harvey
401 Pine St., Fort Collins, 970-498-8949 or basbleu.org
May 19-June 2: Black Actors Guild and with Emancipation Theatre’s Mosque
At The People’s Building, 9995 E. Colfax Ave., Aurora, eventbrite.com
May 23-June 16: Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center at Colorado College’s Barnum
30 W. Dale St., Colorado Springs, 719-634-5581 or csfineartscenter.org
Erik Edborg, Evan Weissman and Brian Colonna in Buntport’s ‘Something Is Rotten.’ Buntport(1)
May 24-June 6: Phamaly Theatre Company’s 30th Anniversary Concert
303-575-0005 or phamaly.org
- May 24 at the Aurora Fox Arts Center, 9900 E. Colfax Ave.
- June 2 in the Elaine Wolf Theatre at the Mizel Arts and Culture Center, 350 S. Dahlia St.
- June 6 at the Levitt Pavilion, 1380 W. Florida Ave.
May 24-June 1: Buntport Theater’s Something is Rotten
717 Lipan St., 720-946-1388 or buntport.com
May 24-June 2, 2019: Peak to Peak Players’ Romeo and Juliet
Dairy Center for the Arts, 2590 Walnut St., Boulder, 303-440-7826 or thedairy.org
May 28-July 28: Off-Center’s The Last Defender
Beneath the Patagonia retail store at 1510 Blake St., 303-893-4100 or denvercenter.org
May 31-June 29, 2019: Bull in a China Shop
1560 Teller St., Lakewood, benchmarktheatre.com
May 31-August 24: Creede Repertory Theatre’s Peter and the Starcatcher
124 Main St., Creede, 81130, 719-658-2540 or creederep.org
May 31-September 1: Thingamajig Theatre Company’s Mamma Mia!
2313 Eagle Drive, 970-731-7469 or pagosacenter.org
CONTINUING THEATRE PRODUCTIONS IN COLORADO:
Through May 3: Denver Children’s Theatre’s The Little Prince
Elaine Wolf Theatre at the Mizel Arts and Culture Center, 350 S. Dahlia St., 303-316-6360 maccjcc.org
Through May 4: Pandemic Collective’s Laveau
At Theatre 29, 5138 W. 29th Ave., Theater29denver.com
Through May 5: Aurora Fox’s Caroline, or Change
9900 E. Colfax Ave., Aurora, 303-739-1970 or aurorafox.org
Through May 11: Control Group’s Aggregate Immateriality
At 4800 Washington St. (rear entrance), brownpapertickets.com
Through May 17: Arvada Center’s The Diary of Anne Frank
6901 Wadsworth Blvd., 720-898-7200 or arvadacenter.org
Through May 18: Arvada Center’s The Moors
6901 Wadsworth Blvd., 720-898-7200 or arvadacenter.org
Through May 19: Arvada Center’s Sin Street Social Club (SOLD OUT)
6901 Wadsworth Blvd., 720-898-7200 or arvadacenter.org
Alex Rosenthal and Michael Morgan in the Boulder Ensemble Theatre Company’s production of ‘The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time.’ Photo by Michael Ensminger.
Through May 19: Boulder Ensemble Theatre Company’s The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time
Dairy Center for the Arts, 2590 Walnut St., Boulder, 303-440-7826 or boulderensembletheatre.org
Through May 19: Colorado Springs TheatreWorks’ Little Shop of Horrors
5225 N. Nevada Ave., Colorado Springs, 719-255-3232 or theatreworkscs.org
Through May 22: Arvada Center’s Ella Enchanted (for children)
6901 Wadsworth Blvd., 720-898-7200 or arvadacenter.org
Through May 26: DCPA Off-Center’s Between Us
Various locations around downtown Denver, 303-893-4100 or denvercenter.org READ MORE: JOHN MOORE GOES ON A ‘BLIND DATE’
Through May 26: Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center at Colorado College’s Bad Dates
30 W. Dale St., Colorado Springs, 719-634-5581 or csfineartscenter.org
Through May 26: Candlelight Dinner Playhouse’s Oliver!
4747 Marketplace Drive, Johnstown, 970-744-3747 orcoloradocandlelight.com
Through May 26: Midtown Arts Center’s My Fair Lady
3750 S. Mason St, Fort Collins, 970-225-2555 or midtownartscenter.com
Through May 26: Vintage Theatre’s The Boys in the Band
1468 Dayton St., Aurora, 303-839-1361 or vintagetheatre.com
Through June 5: Buntport Theater’s Magnets on the Fridge (First Wednesdays)
717 Lipan St., 720-946-1388 or buntport.com
Through June 9: The Love and Violence Trilogy (Three short plays by Luke Gomez)
2620 W. 2nd Ave, No. 1, Denver, 720-989-1764 or dangeroustheatre.com
Through August 1: Iron Springs Chateau’s One Bad Apple, or As the Worm Turns
444 Ruxton Ave., Manitou Springs, 719-685-5104 or ironspringschateau.com
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.
