By Hope Grandon
For the DCPA NewsCenter

The Denver Center for the Performing Arts is excited to announce a friendly wager between two Denver theatres and two Charlotte theatres based on the outcome of Super Bowl 50 between the Denver Broncos and the Carolina Panthers.

The “Super Bet” will pit the Denver Center for the Performing Arts and Denver’s Phamaly Theatre Company (Team Broncos) vs. Blumenthal Performing Arts and Children’s Theatre of Charlotte (Team Panthers).

And while Forbes Magazine is estimating that $4.2 billion will be wagered on the game, this challenge comes with real consequences. The Denver Center is putting its loyalty where its art is:

THE TERMS:

• Losing city’s theatres must incorporate an element of the opposing team into the set of a future production. (For example: in the highly unlikely event of a Broncos loss, the DCPA Theatre Company will place a framed photo of Cam Newton on the set of its world premiere production of FADE).

• Staff of losing city’s theatre companies must wear the opposing team’s colors to work on Monday, Feb. 8 and document it on social media.

• Losing city’s theatres must buy a stuffed version of the opposing team’s mascot and prominently display it at their box offices from Feb. 8-14.

THE TEAMS:

About The Denver Center for the Performing Arts
The Denver Center for the Performing Arts (DCPA) is a not-for-profit theatre organization dedicated to creating unforgettable shared experiences through beloved Broadway musicals, world-class plays, educational programs and inspired events. The DCPA is the largest non-profit theatre organization in the nation, offering more than 40 plays and musicals year-round that engage and inspire audiences of all ages and interests. The Denver Center for the Performing Arts is a not-for-profit organization.

About Blumenthal Performing Arts
Blumenthal Performing Arts serves the Carolinas as a leading cultural, entertainment and education provider. For more information, call (704) 372-1000 or visit BlumenthalArts.org. Blumenthal Performing Arts receives operating support from the Arts & Science Council and North Carolina Arts Council. Blumenthal Performing Arts is also supported by PNC Bank, sponsor of the PNC Broadway Lights.

About Phamaly Theatre Company
Now in its 27th season, Phamaly is an award-winning Colorado based theatre company comprised entirely of performers with a wide variety of physical, cognitive, and emotional disabilities. Phamaly’s mission is to inspire people to re-envision disability through professional theatre.

About Children’s Theatre of Charlotte
Children’s Theatre of Charlotte was established in 1948 by the Junior League of Charlotte. Sixty-eight years later, it has become one of the top professional theatre companies for young audiences and families. This year, 18 productions will offer approximately 600 performances – more than any other theatre company in the state. Called “the city’s leading professional troupe,” Children’s Theatre of Charlotte has been praised as “the most technically imaginative and resourceful theatre productions in the region.” The powerful productions are matched by an extraordinary range of Education programs. Each year the Theatre enrolls more than 2,300 young people in enrichment classes and summer camps, teaching confidence and self-esteem while encouraging creativity and self-expression. Children’s Theatre also offers programs for every grade of the Charlotte Mecklenburg school system, from residencies that enhance core curriculum using drama techniques, to productions and workshops addressing alcohol and substance abuse prevention. The Theatre is also proud of its Community Involvement Program, which encourages participation among non-traditional audiences in the region. Its home at ImaginOn was created through a partnership of Children’s Theatre of Charlotte and the Charlotte Mecklenburg Library which now serves as a national model for integrating literacy, education and the performing arts, and has been named #1 in Libibility.com’s list of the Top 10 Libraries for Children.

MORE ACTION!
There are other cultural institutions in both cities that are getting into the betting spirit. The Denver Zoo has agreed to a friendly wager with the North Carolina Zoo and the Western North Carolina Nature Center over Super Bowl 50.  If the Denver Broncos win, the directors of the North Carolina agencies will have to greet their guests at the main entrance holding a sign congratulating Denver on the win. Should Carolina win, Denver CEO Shannon Block will wear Newton’s jersey in the zoo’s main plaza while holding a sign congratulating Carolina.