Getting Spooky In Denver

A Guide to Denver’s Gothic Haunts and Happenings Walking in downtown Denver, you’ll see young couples with dogs, old folks carrying Trader Joe’s grocery bags, and bicyclists racing down Broadway. You might not even be aware of the Gothic subculture living its best life in Denver. In case you’re confused, we aren’t talking about the […]

Improv Theatre Creates New Stories Each Night

There are many improv shows in Denver. This is not an article about improv shows. This is an article about improv theatre — a long-form type of improvisation wherein an entire plot of a performance is devised around a single audience suggestion. Denver audiences may recall the antics of The Improvised Shakespeare Company®, which appears […]

Sharing the Joy of Music With Kids

Originally published 2023. Updated in 2026. Music entertains, trains the ear, aids in dance parties, adds spice to a special occasion and can soothe tender feelings. Really, there isn’t much music can’t do to help heal and fuel the soul, which is why getting children involved in the art form proves beneficial. Choose from full […]

Preparing for the DPS Shakespeare Festival

DCPA Education offers in-school workshops that hone students’ approach to the Bard   It was morning on April 24, and the Denver Performing Arts Complex was packed with witches, queens, kings, maids topped with wreaths of flowers, capes and pantaloons. The students from my school, Polaris Elementary? Well, instead of Elizabethan costumes, our fourth and […]

The Dry: A Story of Determination

In 1909, the United States government passed the Enlarged Homestead Act to encourage dry-land farming in most western states including Colorado, Wyoming, Utah, Arizona, Montana, Washington, Oregon, and Nevada. Individuals could claim up to 320 acres of land while married couples were entitled to 640 acres. Despite the daunting challenge of farming this seemingly barren […]

The Five Points of the East

The musical Hell’s Kitchen is more than a young girl’s coming of age story – it is the story of a place and a time – a notorious, vibrant, ethnic neighborhood that was rife with crime in the 90s but also a center for cultural innovation where the dramatic arts could flourish. Since that time, […]

Haunted Dining in Denver

From the archives: this article was originally published on June 27, 2023 Please note: Restaurant hours, locations, and menus are subject change, so please visit the restaurant website or call in advance of visiting. When you think of the “Old West,” you just assume that comes with cowboy boots, tumbleweeds and your fair share of […]

Bringing Shakespeare to the Community

For the Denver Center for the Performing Arts, community connection is central to its mission. That commitment is vividly realized through Shakespeare in the Parking Lot, a program designed to bring free, high‑quality theatre directly into neighborhoods across the metro area. Performed outdoors in everyday public spaces, these lively productions make Shakespeare accessible, informal, and […]

Learn English — or Farsi — as a Second Language

In Sanaz Toossi’s Pulitzer Prize-winning play English, a group of students outside of Tehran are learning English as a second language —  foibles, inconsistencies, antiquated expressions and all. For local audiences who may want to take Enlish or Farsi as a second language or need help prepping for the TOEFL (Test of English as a […]

Mentorship Matters: Youth Programs Strengthening the Metro Denver Community

Strong mentorship can change the trajectory of a young person’s life. Across metro Denver, numerous organizations are working every day to provide supportive relationships, leadership opportunities, and safe spaces for youth to grow. Whether offering arts enrichment, career exploration, character development, or one‑on‑one mentoring, these programs help young people discover who they are and who […]