Paragon Christens New Space with Opening of ‘Miss Julie’

It’s a big week for one of Denver’s most loved and most celebrated theatre companies. For Paragon Theatre Ensemble, this weekend’s opening of Strindberg’s classic Miss Julie not only marks the start of their 2012 season, their 11th season as a company, but it also stands as the inaugural production in their new home in the RiNo (River North) Arts District. After bouncing from space to space, spending years sharing venues with other companies, Paragon announced at the end of last year that they had signed a lease to their very own home and were looking forward to settling in. “In a word, producing and rehearsing Miss Julie in the new theatre has been ‘heaven”, says Founder Warren Sherrill. ” It is a pure pleasure and rare treat to be able to rehearse on the actual stage where you perform and we do not take this privilege for granted.”

It has been a long road, both for Miss Julie and the new space. Before either could open, they had to put in some work.

Review: Devil’s Thumb Shows Us Raw ‘Shape’

How many transgressions does artistic license cover? Neil LaBute’s 2001 script explores exactly this, with a sharp, modern feel that is bound to make you feel uncomfortable at some point in the evening. Adam is a shy college student before he meets Evelyn, a confident MFA student with strong views on what constitutes artistic expression. Although Evelyn turns off his friends, Adam is smitten, and forced to think about exactly how much of himself he’s willing to change for her.

Weekend foreCAST: Paragon, BDT, and Firehouse

Of the shows opening this weekend, these are the ones we want to see. These could be the best shows of the year or these shows could end up being terrible. As always we encourage you to chime in with your thoughts on our list and what shows you are seeing this weekend.

Coming Soon: The Backstage Theatre presents Neil Simon’s Oscar and Felix

America’s comic mastermind has updated his classic comedy, The Odd Couple, bringing the trials and tribulations of Felix Unger and Oscar Madison to the present day.  Breckenridge’s Backstage Theatre, winner of the 2010 Outstanding Regional Theatre award by the Colorado Theatre Guild, is proud to present Oscar and Felix opening March 1^st.

Coming Soon: ‘Proof’ at Cherry Creek Theatre

On the eve of her twenty-fifth birthday, Catherine, a troubled young woman, has spent years caring for her brilliant but unstable father, a famous mathematician. Now, following his death, she must deal with her own volatile emotions; the arrival of her estranged sister, Claire; and the attentions of Hal, a former student of her father’s who hopes to find valuable work in the 103 notebooks that her father left behind. Over the long weekend that follows, a burgeoning romance and the discovery of a mysterious notebook draw Catherine into the most difficult problem of all: How much of her father’s madness—or genius—will she inherit?

Coming Soon: The Busy World is Hushed by Ignite Theatre

A skillful mix of comedy and drama, The Busy World is Hushed examines the contradictions we find in our faith, our families and ourselves. Never preachy and claiming no answer to the age-old challenge of reconciling a benevolent god with human suffering, this show encompasses an engaging mix of human interest, religious debate, and complex relationships.

Review: Arvada Mounts an ‘Earnest’ Gem

Calling Oscar Wilde’s comedy The Importance of Being Earnest hammers home the main device of this classic farce — ridiculous misrepresentation.

There’s a good reason that The Importance of Being Earnest is a constant crowd-pleaser, and therefore a popular choices for theater companies of all sizes. The comedy rotates around two men — Jack and Algernon, whose names I only mention to be perfectly clear that neither is named Earnest. Algernon is delightfully irresponsible, and Jack sickeningly in love. When Algernon learns that Jack has fabricated a brother named Earnest to protect his impressionable young ward from his weekend adventures, and Jack learns that his fiancee is quite attached to his pseudonym, both are determined to manipulate the situation to their advantage — even if it means mistaken identity, brotherly rivalry, and throwing each other under the bus without a second thought.

Sneak Peek: First Rehearsal of Xanadu at The Aurora Fox (VIDEO)

Review: Visit Town Hall for “A Funny Thing”

Often times in theatre, you see plays or musicals where the characters know they are in a show. They break the fourth wall and look/talk/interact directly with the audience, but they usually will stay in character. It’s not too often you see a musical where, from the very beginning, it is made clear that everyone on stage knows that they are an actor playing a part in a show.

In A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, our narrator comes out at the top of the show and welcomes us, informs us of what part he will be playing, introduces the cast/characters while leading the opening ensemble number. As the title suggests, our guide spells out, and the chorus sings clearly is that this is meant to be a light-hearted comedy through and through. The show uses every trick in the book to get laughs – slapstick, raunch, farcical chase scenes – and while some land heartily, we left the show with mixed feelings overall.

First Look: Edge Theater Company’s ‘Glengarry Glen Ross’ (Video)

Weekend foreCAST: Edge, Vintage and Stories on Stage

Of the shows opening this weekend, these are the ones we want to see. These could be the best shows of the year or these shows could end up being terrible. As always we encourage you to chime in with your thoughts on our list and what shows you are seeing this weekend.

Backstage Presents World Premiere “The Wedding Eve”

Breckenridge’s Backstage Theatre, winner of the 2010 Outstanding Regional Theatre  award by the Colorado Theatre Guild, is proud to present a World Premiere screwball comedy, The Wedding Eve, written and directed by Backstage Artistic Director Christopher Willard and starring area favorites, Bob and Missy Moore.