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 […]
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 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, […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
The article was originally published in 2022 and updated in 2026. Nearly 1.2 million adults in Colorado have a mental health condition and many don’t have access to help in their communities. Here are some local and national mental health resources. In March 2025, the National Alliance on Mental Illness in Colorado reported that 1,186,000 […]
This article was originally published in 2024 and was updated in 2026. Whether it’s William Shakespeare’s Hamlet or Andrew Lloyd Webber’s The Phantom of the Opera, period stories of love and revenge often feature sword fights, duels, and derring doo. Feeling like a swashbuckler, yourself? While DCPA Education regularly offers various classes in stage […]
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 […]