In 2019, the Denver Center for the Performing Arts established the Daniel L. Ritchie Spotlight Award to recognize individuals and organizations that advance the DCPA’s mission. Named after former DCPA Chairman & CEO Dan Ritchie, award recipients are those who are passionate about the way in which theatre and arts education can engage and inspire […]
Just as the great Bard had patrons to help produce what would become iconic plays at the Globe Theatre, so does the DCPA’s annual Shakespeare in the Parking Lot. One of the major supporters is UCHealth, which understands the importance of theater, art, and music for the human condition. “UCHealth is pleased to partner with […]
Shakespeare in the Parking Lot is a testament to the magic of live theatre, reaching audiences in unexpected ways; whether they are performing in an under-served community, making Shakespeare relatable to a teenager, or sparking an interest in the arts in a child. The Denver Center for the Performing Arts (DCPA) is immensely proud of […]
Originally published in 2024. Updated for 2025. The idea for Shakespeare in the Parking Lot came from teachers who wanted to bring to life the Bard’s beautiful plays to help students truly understand why the works have been so important for centuries. “It is meant as a dramatic text and meant to be performed […]
Originally published in 2024. Updated in fall 2025. “Something [fantastic] this way comes!” Let’s face it. Shakespeare can be confusing. “Thee” and “thou” can often sound like a foreign language. But enter Shakespeare in the Parking Lot…stage right. DCPA’s Education and Community Engagement Department returns with its popular program for a seventh season. And […]
If you’ve been to downtown Denver in mid-summer, you might have encountered creatures from a different planet…known locally as FAN EXPO but known nationally as Comic Con. That one weekend a year when sci-fi enthusiasts convene to embody their favorite character, meet celebrities and delve into all things comic-sci-fi-horror-anime-gaming. Fast forward six months and you […]
Originally published in 2023. Updated in 2025. The Denver Center for the Performing Arts’ commitment to community performances goes back before Shakespeare in the Parking Lot, before its DCPAccess 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 […]
Students involved in the arts are 4x more likely to be recognized for academic achievement and 3 more likely to win an award for attendance. Children need a solid foundation to thrive, but not every child has the same building blocks. Whether it’s poverty or access or cost or simply a parent who is stretched […]
Originally published in 2022. Updated in 2025. DCPA Education’s Shakespeare in the Parking Lot program is returning for its twelfth season. This fall, three Shakespeare productions will go on tour throughout the community and visit area schools. And these aren’t your typical performances. Shakespeare in the Parking Lot is exactly what it sounds like […]
This season is all about returning favorites — A Christmas Carol, Camp Christmas, Hip Hop Nutcracker and Shakespeare!?! While Romeo and Juliet isn’t on the season lineup, it returned — for free — as part of DCPA Education’s Shakespeare in the Parking Lot program.