Rhonda Brown. Photo courtesy Richard H. Pegg.

NOTE: At the start of each month, the DCPA NewsCenter offers an updated list of all upcoming Colorado theatre openings. Companies are encouraged to submit listings and production photos at least two weeks in advance to the DCPA NewsCenter at jmoore@dcpa.org.

Six intriguing titles for October:

Award-winning actor Rhonda Brown, who relocated to Creede two years ago, returns to Denver for a three-night run of what has become her signature role: As the late, unapologetically left-leaning columnist Molly Ivins in Red-Hot Patriot: The Kick-Ass Wit of Molly Ivins. Ivins, who had a bumpy spell with the New York Times, was a three-time Pulitzer Prize finalist who was constantly telling us to “stop letting big money buy our elections” and to “raise more hell.” Oct. 7-9 at Lannie’s Clocktower Cabaret, 16th and Arapahoe St. 303-293-0075 or lannies.com

Denver First Lady Mary Louise Lee will return to her professional roots when she appears in a special workshop production of Lady Day at Emerson’s Bar & Grill from Oct. 28-30 in the Jones Theatre. Lee’s performing career began at the Denver Center when she was 18 and still a senior at Thomas Jefferson High School. Lady Day is a haunting look at Billie Holiday, a woman with a singular singing voice  — and a lethal heroin habit. During the performance, Lee tells the jazz legend’s troubled life story through the songs that made her famous, including “God Bless the Child.”

Spill examines the massive Deepwater Horizon oil disaster that killed 11 workers off the coast of Louisiana and triggered the largest oil spill in history. For 87 days, millions of gallons of oil flowed into the Gulf of Mexico in what President Barack Obama called “the worst environmental disaster America has ever faced.” Spill was written by Leigh Fondakowski (pictured right), who was the Head Writer of the Denver-born The Laramie Project, and is based on more than 200 hours of interviews. Oct. 14-29 at Naropa University, 2130 Arapahoe Ave. in Boulder.

The Boulder Ensemble Theatre Company presents the world premiere of Full Code, winner of the company’s first “Generations” play competition. After a freak accident puts a man in a coma, he must decide which of two women he wants – if he wakes up, that is. David Valdes Greenwood‘s story has been described as “a gripping look inside the human mind.” Featuring Casey Andree, Laura Norman, Karen Slack, Warren Sherrill, Devon James and Luke Sorge. Oct. 20-Nov. 13 at the Dairy Arts, Center, 2590 Walnut St., Boulder, 303-440-7826 or betc.org

Local Theater Company opens its fifth season with the world premiere of Firestorm, a raw look into the first year of a biracial marriage. Playwright Meridith Friedman focuses on the response of a white political candidate’s African-American wife when the media discovers a racially charged prank from her husband’s past. Friedman says her play is “a searing look at who we decide to spend our life with,” and begs the question: How well do we really know our partner? Oct. 20-Nov. 13 at the Dairy Arts Center, 2590 Walnut St., in Boulder, localtheatercompany.org

Firehouse Theater Company will undertake perhaps the largest production in its long history when it stages Arthur Miller’s cautionary The Crucible, set during the Salem witch trials but really more of a commentary on the McCarthyism of the 1950s. Director Peter J. Hughes’ large cast includes Jeff Jesmer, Lisa Kraai, Daniel Langhoff, Carolyn Lohr and David Fletcher. Oct. 8-Nov. 5 at the John Hand Theatre, 7653 E. 1st Place, 303-562-3232 or firehouse’s home page  

More Colorado theatre coverage on the DCPA NewsCenter

And that’s just the start of things. Here are all your options in one handy list:  

THIS MONTH’S THEATRE OPENINGS IN COLORADO:

(Submit your listings to jmoore@dcpa.org)

Sept. 30-Nov. 6: Arvada Center’s Tartuffe
6901 Wadsworth Blvd., 720-898-7200 or arvadacenter.org READ MORE

Sept. 30-Oct. 16: Inspire Creative & Parker Arts Monty Python’s Spamalot
At the PACE Center, 20000 Pikes Peak Avenue, Parker 303-805-6800 or parkerarts.org

Sept. 30-Oct. 30: Thin Air Theatre Company’s Cripple Creep Show
139 E. Bennett Ave., Cripple Creek, 719-689-3247 or thinairtheatre.com

Sept. 30-Oct. 15: Thunder River Theatre Company’s Dr. Jekyll And Mr. Hyde
67 Promenade, Carbondale, 970-963-8200 or thunderrivertheatre.com

Sept. 30-Oct. 30: Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center’s The Stinky Cheese Man and Other Fairly Stupid Tales
Second Stage, 30 W. Dale St., Colorado Springs, 719-634-5581 or csfineartscenter.org

Oct. 6-15: Buntport Theater’s The Rembrandt Room
At the Millibo Art Theatre, 1626 S. Tejon St. Colorado Springs, 719-465-6321 or TICKET INFO

Oct. 6-8: square product theatre company’s This Aunt is Not a Cockroach
At Buntport Theater, 717 Lipan St., 800-838-3006 or TICKET INFO

Oct. 7-30: DCPA Theatre Company’s Frankenstein
Stage Theatre, Denver Performing Arts Complex, 14th and Curtis streets, 303-893-4100 or denvercenter.org READ MORE

Oct. 7-Nov. 6, 2016: Aurora Fox’s Dracula
9900 E. Colfax Ave., 303-739-1970 or aurorafoxartscenter.org

Oct. 7-29: Bug Theatre’s Night of the Living Dead, Live (with Paper Cat Films)
3654 Navajo St., 303-477-9984 or bugtheatre.info

Oct. 7-30: Cherry Creek Theatre’s The Last Romance

Shaver Ramsey Showroom, 2414 E. 3rd Ave., Denver, 303-800-6578 or cherrycreektheatre.org

Oct 7-8: Off-Center’s Cult Following
Jones Theatre, Denver Performing Arts Complex, 14th and Curtis streets, 303-893-4100 or denvercenter.org READ MORE

Oct. 7-8: Lannie’s Clocktower Cabaret’s Red Hot Patriot – The Kick-Ass Wit of Molly Ivins
D&F Clock Tower, 16th and Arapahoe streets, 303-293-0075 or lannies.com

Oct. 7-Nov. 27: Jesters Dinner Theatre’s Godspell
224 Main St., Longmont, 303-682-9980 or jesterstheatre.com

Oct. 7-22: StageDoor Theatre’s The Rocky Horror Show
27357 Conifer Road, 303-886-2819 or stagedoortheatre.org

Oct. 8-Nov. 5: Firehouse’s Theatre’s The Crucible
John Hand Theatre, 7653 E. 1st Place, 303-562-3232 or firehouse’s home page

Oct. 8-Nov. 5, 2016: The Avenue Theater’s Wait Until Dark
417 E. 17th Ave., 303-321-5925 or avenuetheater.com

Oct. 8-May 13, 2017: Buntport Theater for All Ages’ Siren Song: A Pirate Odyssey
717 Lipan St., 720-946-1388 or buntport.com
(1 p.m. and 3 p.m. the second Saturday of each month through May)

Oct. 13-Nov. 6: Su Teatro’s El Sol Que Tu Eres, or The Sun That You Are
At the Su Teatro Performing Arts Center, 721 Santa Fe Drive, 303-296-0219 or suteatro.org

Oct. 13-29: OpenStage Theatre Company’s Ultimate Beauty Bible
At the Center for Fine Art Photography, 400 N. College Ave., Fort Collins, 970-484-5237 or openstagetheatre.org

Oct. 13-30: Springs Ensemble Theatre’s The Elephant Man
1903 E. Cache La Poudre St., Colorado Springs, 719-357-3080 or springsensembletheatre.org

Oct. 14-Nov. 13, 2016: The Edge Theatre’s Marie Antoinette
1560 Teller St., Lakewood, 303-232-0363 or theedgetheater.com

Oct. 14-29, 2016: Naropa Universiity’s Spill
2130 Arapahoe Ave., Boulder MORE INFO

Oct. 14-30: Thingamajig Theatre Company’s Grounded
At the Pagosa Springs Center for the Arts, 2313 Eagle Drive, 970-731-7469 or pagosacenter.org

Oct. 14-23, 2016: Town Hall Arts Center’s Guys on Ice
2450 W. Main St., Littleton, 303-794-2787 or townhallartscenter.org

Oct. 15-March 12, 2017: DCPA Cabaret’s An Act of God
Galleria Theatre, Denver Performing Arts Complex, 14th and Curtis streets, 303-893-4100 or denvercenter.org READ MORE

Oct. 16-Nov. 13: Local Theater Company’s The Firestorm
Carsen Theater at The Dairy Center, 2590 Walnut St., Boulder, 720-379-4470 or localtheatercompany.org

Oct. 20-Nov. 13: Boulder Ensembe Theatre Company’s Full Code
Grace Gamm Theater at the Dairy Center for the Arts, 2590 Walnut St., Boulder, 303-440-7826 or betc.org

Oct. 20-Nov. 6, 2016: TheatreWorks’ Game of Love and Chance
3955 Regent Circle, Colorado Springs, 719-255-3232 or theatreworkscs.org

Oct. 21-Nov. 13: Ignite Theatre’s Nevermore: The Imaginary Life and Mysterious Death of Edgar Allan Poe
2590 Washington St., 866-811-4111 or click here for tickets

Oct. 21-Nov. 6: Evergren Players’ Stepping Out
At Center/Stage, 27608 Fireweed Drive, 303-674-4934 or evergreen players’ home page

Oct. 21-29: Longmont Theatre Company’s Bat Boy: The Musical
513 Main St., Longmont, 303-772-5200 or longmonttheatre.org

Oct. 21-22: Phamaly Theatre Company’s Roald Dahl’s James and the Giant Peach
At the Lakewood Cultural Center, Lakewood Cultural Center, 470 S. Allison Parkway, 303-575-0005 or phamaly.org

Oct. 21-30: Southern Colorado Repertory Theatre’s Sarah, Plain and Tall
Famous Performing Arts Center, 131 W Main St., Trinidad, 719-846-4765 or scrtheatre.com

Oct. 21-Nov. 19 2016: Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center’s Too Much Light Makes the Baby Go Blind
Second Stage, 30 W. Dale St., Colorado Springs, 719-634-5581 or csfineartscenter.org

Oct 28-30: DCPA’s Lady Day at Emerson’s Bar & Grill
JonesTheatre, Denver Performing Arts Complex, 14th and Curtis streets, 303-893-4100 or denvercenter.org READ MORE

Oct. 28-Nov. 12: Coal Creek Theater of Louisville and Theater Company of Lafayette’s Absurd Person Singular
At the Louisville Center for the Arts, 801 Grant Ave., Louisville, 303-665-0955 or cctlouisville.org 

Oct. 28-Nov. 27: Vintage Theatre Company’s Stella and Lou
1468 Dayton St., Aurora, 303-839-1361 or vintagetheatre.com

CONTINUING CURRENT PRODUCTIONS:

Through Oct. 1: Rocky Mountain Repertory Theatre’s Million Dollar Quartet
800 Grand Ave, Grand Lake, 970-627-3421 or rockymountainrep.com

Through Oct. 1: OpenStage Theatre Company’s La Bête
Lincoln Center, 417 W. Magnolia St., Fort Collins, 970-484-5237 or openstagetheatre.org

Through Oct. 1: Millibo Arts Theatre’s Oddville: Happiness Comes in a Cardboard Box
1626 S. Tejon St. Colorado Springs, 719-465-6321 or themat.org

Through Oct. 2: Arvada Center’s Sister Act
6901 Wadsworth Blvd., 720-898-7200 or arvadacenter.org READ MORE
Through Oct. 2: Jesters Dinner Theatre’s Oklahoma
224 Main St., Longmont, 303-682-9980 or jesterstheatre.com

Through Oct. 2: square product theatre company and CU Theatre & Dance’s 44 Plays for 44 Presidents
University Theatre, University of Colorado-Boulder campus, 303-492-8008 or colorado.edu

Through Oct. 8: The Catamounts’ The Taming
At the Dairy Center for the Arts, 2590 Walnut St., Boulder, 303-440-7826, 720-468-0487 or thecatamounts.org READ MORE

Through Oct. 8: Wide Eyed West’s theMumblings
At The Bakery, 2132 Market St., wideeyedproductions.com READ MORE

Through Oct 9: Roundabout Theatre Company’s Cabaret 
Buell Theatre, Denver Performing Arts Complex, 14th and Curtis streets, 303-893-4100 or denvercenter.org READ MORE

Through Oct. 9: Evergreen Chorale’s My Fair Lady
At Center/Stage, 27608 Fireweed Drive, 303-674-4002 or evergreenchorale.org

Through Oct. 9: Town Hall Arts Center’s Once Upon a Mattress
2450 W. Main St., Littleton, 303-794-2787 or townhallartscenter.org

Through Oct. 9: Boulder Ensemble Theatre Company’s Ripcord
Grace Gamm Theater at the Dairy Center for the Arts, 2590 Walnut St., Boulder, 303-440-7826 or betc.org READ MORE

Through Oct. 15: Curious Theatre’s Water by the Spoonful
1080 Acoma St., 303-623-0524 or curioustheatre.org

Through Oct. 16: DCPA Theatre Company’s The Glass Menagerie
Ricketson Theatre, Denver Performing Arts Complex, 14th and Curtis streets, 303-893-4100 or denvercenter.org VIDEO

Through Oct. 16: Bas Bleu’s The Blue Flower
401 Pine St., Fort Collins, 970-498-8949 or basbleu.org

Through Oct. 16: Germinal Stage-Denver’s The Tracks Home
At the 73rd Avenue Playhouse, 7287 Lowell Blvd., 303-455-7108 or germinalstage.com

Through Oct. 16: Miners Alley Playhouse’s God of Carnage
1224 Washington St., Golden, 303-935-3044 or minersalley.com READ MORE

Through Oct. 16: Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center’s Shear Madness
30 W. Dale St., Colorado Springs, 719-634-5581 or csfineartscenter.org

Through Oct. 16, 2016: BiTSY Stage’s The Fortune Teller’s Fortune: A Tale From Nicaragua
1137 S. Huron St. Denver, 720-328-5294 or bitsystage.com (Admission is free)

Through Oct. 23: Vintage Theatre’s The Oldest Boy (with Theatre Esprit Asia)
1468 Dayton St., Aurora, 303-839-1361 or vintagetheatre.com

Through Oct. 30: Vintage Theatre’s Roald Dahl’s Willy Wonka, The Musical
1468 Dayton St., Aurora, 303-839-1361 or vintagetheatre.com

Through Nov. 5: Midtown Arts Center’s Motones vs. Jerseys
3750 S. Mason St., Fort Collins, 970-225-2555 or midtownartscenter.com

Through Nov. 12: BDT Stage’s Mid-Life 2! (#WhatDidIComeInHereFor)
5501 Arapahoe Ave., 303-449-6000 or bdtstage.com

Through Nov. 13: Candlelight Dinner Playhouse’s Evita
4747 Marketplace Drive, Johnstown, 970) 744-3747 or coloradocandlelight.com

ONGOING, MONTHLY or ONE-TIME PROGRAMMING:

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

BUNTPORT THEATRE

Sept. 30: Untitled at the Denver Art Museum
Oct. 8: Siren Song: A Pirate Odyssey (monthly theatre for young audiences)
Oct. 18: The Great Debate
Oct. 19: The Narrators (a live storytelling show and podcast)
Oct. 21-22: So You Think You Can Watch Us Dance!
Oct. 28: Untitled at the Denver Art Museum
717 Lipan St., 720-946-1388 or buntport.com

DENVER ACTORS FUND PRESENTS …
(Monthly film series in partnership with local theatre companies)
Oct. 10: Night of the Living Dead
Pre-screening entertainment by cast of Bug Theatre’s current production.
At the Alamo Drafthouse, Aspen Grove, 7301 S Santa Fe Dr, Littleton, 720-588-4107 or BUY TICKETS

LONE TREE ARTS CENTER
10075 Commons St., just west of Interstate 25 and Lincoln Avenue, 720-509-1000 or lonetreeartscenter.org
Oct. 1: The Doo Wop Project
Oct. 29: The Wonder Bread Years

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

STORIES ON STAGE
Oct. 14 and 16: Things That Go Bump in the Night
*Oct. 14: 7 p.m. at the Chautauqua Community House, 301 Morning Glory Drive, Boulder, 303-440-7666 or TICKETS
*Oct. 16: 1:30 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. Su Teatro Cultural and Performing Arts Center, 721 Santa Fe Drive, 303-494-0523 or TICKETS
Selections include “The October Game” by Ray Bradbury, read by John Arp; “The Open Window” by SakiPoor, read by Adrian Egolf; “The Specialist’s Hat” by Kelly Link, read by Anne Penner