Sets are an integral part of theatre. Some of the most iconic musicals of all time have recognizable stages; think of the alleyway in CATS, the revolving turntable in Les Misérables, the underground river in The Phantom of the Opera. Sets quite literally set the scene for the musical, providing the audience with necessary context […]
During rehearsals and preparation for her spring musical, Man of La Mancha, Cherry Creek High School senior Amelia Mindlin-Leitner spent between 18 and 30 hours every week as stage manager, doing everything from attendance to blocking notes. Stage management can be thankless work. Behind the scenes, they’re running the show, even if the audience can’t […]
Musicals all have one thing in common – music, of course! And while the actors, chorus, and dancers take center stage, there is another world right beneath their feet. Most high school musicals feature a pit orchestra comprised of student musicians, all of whom share an immense passion for their craft. At the Bobby G […]
From the archives: this article was originally published on May 18, 2022 Each May, The Bobby G Awards gather high school students from across Colorado to celebrate and reward their theatrical achievements. After two years away from the stage, The Bobby G’s are back with more excitement than ever. “The energy, power and positivity in […]
On a brisk April morning, 4,500 students, educators, volunteers, family and friends filled downtown Denver. Passersby were overheard asking, “Is there a parade?” And, the answer was “yes,” but not just any parade. It was the fanfare that preceded the 39th annual Denver Public Schools Shakespeare Festival, which kicked off with remarks in Skyline Park […]
The Denver Center for the Performing Arts’ commitment to community performances goes back before Shakespeare in the Parking Lot, before its DCPAccess $10 ticket program, even before its founding in 1979. In fact, the very fabric of the DCPA was rooted in community because its benefactress, the late Helen Bonfils, made it her mission. When […]
The Denver Center for the Performing Arts (DCPA) Education & Community Engagement’s annual Middle School & High School Playwriting Competition inspires students across Colorado to connect with their inner artist. In this year’s tenth annual competition, three freshman winners were selected for the first time in the competition’s history. The DCPA is excited to see […]
Growing up in rural Arkansas in the 1970s, there were very few opportunities to experience culture…let alone theatre. I still remember the first time I saw a live performance. My church group drove two hours to see The Nutcracker in Tulsa, Oklahoma. It left an impression that ultimately led to a 30-year career in the […]
If sibling rivalry isn’t enough of a motivator, a little cash might do. Or so it seems on the surface when you talk to 2022 and 2023 Middle School Playwriting winners, Wilson and Liesel Walker (ages 13 and 11 respectively). But if you dig just a little deeper, expressing themselves creatively plus the encouragement of […]
Imagine two characters meeting on the street. One sincerely believes they know each other, while the other insists they have never met. How would their interaction go? If this prompt got your creative engine running, consider taking a playwriting class from the Denver Center for the Performing Arts (DCPA) Education Department. Since 2012, DCPA Education […]