Denver Public Library resources to enhance your experience at Water for Elephants READ The Ordinary Acrobat: A Journey Into the Wondrous World of the Circus, Past and Present by Duncan Wall Duncan Wall was an American Fulbright scholar in France when he decided to enroll in the École Nationale des Arts du Cirque, a […]
By Julia Schemmer, Founder of Puppetry on Broadway Feeling inspired by the incredible puppetry in Water for Elephants, and want to get started on your own puppetry journey? Thankfully, you don’t need to join the Benzini Brothers Circus to get started. There are so many incredible opportunities to learn, build, and play with puppets […]
With war time and revolutionary origins, the blossoming of the brass band dates back to Britain during the Napoleonic Wars. The popularity continued on through the veterans making their way home in the early 1800s. Over time the brass band evolved to include more instruments and became a fixture in parades and notably made a […]
Denver Public Library resources to enhance your experience at Meredith Willson’s The Music Man READ This Day Changes Everything by Edward Underhill Abby Akerman believes in the Universe. After all, her Midwest high school marching band is about to perform in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York City. If that’s not proof […]
Puppetry is an ancient form of storytelling where a person, called a puppeteer, manipulates a figure resembling a human, animal, creature, or inanimate object. In Water for Elephants, playing Denver’s Buell Theatre Feb 11-22, 2026, puppets and puppeteers are used to enhance the storytelling. Take, for example, Silver Star, the prized horse and equestrian act […]
The Broadway touring musical, Water for Elephants, brings the circus to life on stage, complete with animal acts, high flying trapeze, and slight of hand tricks sure to mesmerize audiences. Try the Vanishing Toothpick trick at home before or after the show. Materials: Toothpick Clear tape Mirror or camera (for practice) PREPARATION To begin, tear […]
Two incredible theatrical events took place in 1861. In Paris, France, construction started on the Palais Garnier, destined to become perhaps the most famous and elegant opera house in the world and the magical setting for Gaston Leroux’s Gothic horror novel, The Phantom of the Opera. Meanwhile, 7,850 kilometers away on the high plains of […]
In Mark Twain Tonight!, we hear an oft-quoted section from Twain’s autobiography: “In my schoolboy days I had no aversion to slavery. I was not aware that there was anything wrong about it…local papers said nothing against it; the local pulpit taught us that God approved it, that it was a holy thing, […]
Mere mortals rarely enjoy the lavish, multi-course meals typical of the six queens in SIX, but the DCPA’s restaurant partners have mouth-watering dishes to die for. CHAMPAGNE TIGER 601 E. Colfax Ave. • 303.942.0593 Open Wednesday – Sunday • Hours Vary With 13 options to choose from, champagne is only the beginning to a […]
The musical Water for Elephants is bringing the circus to Denver this February. In preparation for the titular pachyderm’s arrival, I spoke with Maura Davis, curator of large mammals at Denver Zoo Conservation Alliance, to learn more about Denver Zoo’s six Asian elephants: Groucho, Bodhi, Billy, Jake, Baylor, and Duncan. Our following conversation has been […]