The Pride of Denver

Denver’s lion population will soon be doubling. On October 23, Simba, Nala, and their fellow big cats will return to the Buell Theatre for the Denver Center’s production of The Lion King. In anticipation of the pride’s arrival, I spoke with some of the wildlife experts at Denver Zoo Conservation Alliance, where Denver’s real-life lions […]

Finding the Heartbeat in The Notebook

Sentimentality is often scrutinized. Rightly so — let the teary among us admit. Yet, in the hands of people who appreciate its power but also believe it has integrity, the sentimental can be more than merely moving or easily nostalgic. Enter singer-songwriter Ingrid Michaelson and writer Bekah Brunstetter, the tag team responsible for the musical […]

Activity Central: Dr. Seuss’ How the Grinch Stole Christmas! The Musical

Nearly 70 years after How the Grinch Stole Christmas was published, the story is as popular as ever. Before you bring your little tykes to the theatre to see the live musical on stage, ignite their creativity with these activities inspired by the original illustrations and story by Dr. Seuss himself.   COLORING SHEETS COOKING […]

Fun Facts & Trivia from Who-ville

  Since 1957, How the Grinch Stole Christmas has been a staple of the holiday season. Generations have grown up with the story of the curmudgeonly green creature who learns that “Maybe Christmas…doesn’t come from a store. Maybe Christmas…perhaps…means a little bit more!” Test your knowledge of the story with this trivia from Who-ville followed […]

Grinch Helps Rediscover the Magic of Christmas

Theodore Seuss Geisel began his career as a cartoonist in the 1920s after one of his fellow Oxford students noticed him spending more time doodling in class than taking notes. Not long after that, his work began appearing in magazines with the name “Dr. Theophrastus Seuss” next to them, which the cartoonist quickly shortened to […]

Harry Potter and the Cursed Child Tickets go on sale on Halloween

“One of the most defining pop culture events of the decade” – Forbes   Tickets for the Denver engagement of Harry Potter and the Cursed Child go on sale October 31 at 10am — fittingly, on the most magical day of the year. This spellbinding continuation of the wizarding world’s legacy arrives in Denver as […]

Filleting Questions from the Fishbowl

A large glass bowl with what could be mistaken for paper confetti sits atop a table where Charlie Miller, John Ekeberg and Chris Coleman have gathered in the Wolf Theatre in the Helen Bonfils Theatre Complex. Not a stooge among them, the three gents of the Denver Center’s Off-Center, Broadway and Theatre Company divisions respectively […]

How to Build a Season to Remember

    Ever wonder how the heads of the Denver Center’s three branches — Broadway, the Theatre Company, and Off-Center — chart their seasons? When does Artistic Director Chris Coleman, start puzzling out the Theatre Company’s intricate season? What goes into the immersive offerings of Off-Center, helmed by Executive Director and Curator Charlie Miller? When […]

Julie Taymor: Queen of The Lion King

This article was originally published in Applause magazine for the national touring premiere of The Lion King in Denver in 2002. Almost from the moment Julie Taymor was born — in 1952, into a comfortable upper middle class Boston family — she was destined for a career in the theatre she could never have foreseen. […]

Loading in The Lion King

When the North American touring production of Disney’s The Lion King pulls into Denver’s Buell Theatre, an astonishing transformation begins. First, 17 semitrucks transport the puppets, set pieces, costumes, and other materials from city to city. Sixteen of the trucks are 53’ in length. Once unloaded, it takes four days of on-site technical preparation and […]