He Said/She Said Critiques
NEWS
Lone Tree Arts Center Announces 2013-2014 Season
At a private event for subscribers last night, the Lone Tree Arts Center (LTAC) announced its third season. With everything from Rodgers and Hammerstein to the Beatles to Celtic rock, the 2013-14 season for LTAC is jam-packed. Full of variety for all types, one common thread unites the programming. “The most important thing we want to deliver to our patrons is high quality, professional performances that they may not be able to enjoy anywhere else in the region.” says Executive Director Lisa Rigsby Peterson. “The upcoming season offers metro Denver area audiences the chance to see a huge variety of works that highlight outstanding performers in an outstanding, intimate, and acoustically wonderful venue.”
INTERVIEW: Brian Mallgrave On the Set of “La Mancha”
The Arvada Center opens one of the most well-known Broadway musicals tonight with Man of La Mancha. Brian Mallgrave, who is in his seventh consecutive season designing for the Arvada Center, was the scenic designer for the production. Man of La Mancha musically tells the story of Don Quixote – not directly, but as performed by prisoners during the Spanish Inquisition. Challenged with creating a scenic design that supports a play within a play, Mallgrave was excited to think about a non-traditional take on the scenic design. Luckily, the unique configuration of the Arvada Center’s mainstage, paired with a highly talented and collaborative technical team, made joyful work out of this challenge.
Arvada Announces 2013-2014 Season
The Arvada Center has announced its seven-play season of which three are regional premieres. The four musical, three play package is filled with popular titles and includes an ongoing collaboration with Creede Repertory Theatre.
In the past several months, two very important decisions were made. One was to poll the Arvada Center patrons about possible shows to present in the upcoming year. Audience members voted for their favorites, and two of those titles – Camelot and Tarzan, were selected as a result. It was also decided that subscription ticket prices would stay at the same level as the previous year. Both these moves are reflected in what the Center is calling its 2013-2014 Patron Appreciation Season.
Stage Left Brings Shows to Denver’s Spark Theater
Due to unforeseen circumstances, Spark Theater’s scheduled production of The Singing Room has been cancelled. In its place, Stage Left Theater Company from Salida will be performing two shows at Spark Theater in April.
I Am My Own Wife: 2004 Pulitzer Prize winner for Drama and 2004 Tony Award for Best Play. This acclaimed one-man show is funny, dark and powerful. It explores the astonishing true story of Charlotte von Mahlsdorf, who successfully navigated the two most oppressive regimes of the past century-the Nazis and the Communist-while openly gay and defiantly in drag. This one hour festival version includes a talk back after each performance and plays one weekend only: April 5-7. Friday and Saturday at 7:30pm and Sunday at 2:00pm. Tickets $12 at http://www.sparktheater.org.
Love, Loss and What I Wore: Winner of the 2010 Drama Desk Award for Unique Theatrical Experience and the 2010 Audience Award for Favorite New Off-Broadway Play, Love Loss and What I Wore is a collection of monologues written by Academy Award nominee Nora Ephron and her sister Delia Ephron, based on the novel of the same name by Ilene Beckerman. Using clothes and accessories as a memory trigger, the show is performed by five actresses who portray many characters recalling momentous times their lives. It is a poignant, comedic theatrical experience that every woman (and a surprising number of men!) will relate to. One weekend only: Friday and Saturday April 12th and 13th, 7:30 pm. Tickets $20 at http://www.sparktheater.org.
New Edge Theatre Pulls Race Card
The Edge Theatre Company is proud to present the regional premiere of David Mamet’s “Race” in their new home at 1560 Teller Street in Lakewood, a partnership with 40 West Arts District, on March 15 – April 7.
To celebrate the new space, The Edge is hosting a Grand Opening Fundraiser Gala on March 15, 2013 at 7:00pm. Tickets for this event are $100 or $150 per couple and will include catered food, champagne, a ribbon cutting ceremony with Lakewood dignitaries, and the opening performance for regional premiere of David Mamet’s RACE at 8:30pm.
Described as a gritty comedy, “Race” follows “three attorneys, two black and one white, offered a chance to defend a white man charged with a crime against a black woman.” The plot unfolds as the three lawyers and defendant grapple with the evidence of the case and their own feelings about race. Mamet has said that the “theme is race and the lies we tell each other on the subject.”
“…a new African-American recruit who has arrived in time to be on the team of what promises to be the firm’s stickiest case: the defense of Charles Strickland, a rich and famous white guy accused of raping a young black woman. The question of Strickland’s guilt leads to a broader examination of cultural conscience and paranoia. At the same time Mr. Mamet delivers a topical detective story, with sequins among the prime evidentiary clues.” – Ben Brantley, NYT
The cast includes Richard Cowden as Jack, Ampy Koranteng as Henry, Brian Landis Folkins as Charles, and Krisangela Washington as Susan.
The Edge Theatre
“Race”
March 15 – April 7*(please note date change)
Fri. / Sat. @ 8 p.m.; Sun. @ 6 p.m. and Saturday, March 30 & April 6 @ 2:00 p.m.
Tickets for the March 15, 2013 Grand Opening Celebration are $100 for individual, $150 per couple.
All other dates $20 adult / $16 student & seniors
*303-521-8041 or online at http://www.theedgetheater.com.
*The Edge Theatre, 1560 Teller Street, Suite 200, Lakewood CO 80214. Free Parking.1 hour 30 minutes with no intermission
DCTC’s 2013-2014 Season
The Denver Center Theatre Company announced a 10-play season including four exhilarating world premieres selected from the 2013 Colorado New Play Summit. Karen Zacarías’ adaptation of Helen Thorpe’s book Just Like Us, Catherine Trieschmann’s comedy The Most Deserving, Matthew Lopez’s heartfelt The Legend of Georgia McBride and Marcus Gardley’s adaptation of Homer’s epic poem, black odyssey, will all take to the stage to dazzle Denver audiences. Also selected for the season is a Pulitzer Prize-winning drama, an adaptation of a Marx Brother’s script, Shakespeare’s tragic masterpiece, a powerful and poignant love story and the return of a Christmas classic. “We had such compelling and imaginative writing at this year’s Colorado New Play Summit that could not be overlooked,” said Producing Artistic Director Kent Thompson. “Our selections this year are wide-ranging and diverse and I think will bring excitement to our patrons’ experience at the theatre.”
INTERVIEW: Catch Stephen Anthony if You Can
The first national tour of Catch Me If You Can, the musical that tells the story of legendary con man Frank Abagnale, Jr. cruises into Denver this week. Sharing the same name as the movie starring Leonardo DiCaprio, the musical version equally embraces nostalgia for 1960’s America and the musical theatricality of Broadway. Stephen Anthony plays Frank Jr., the infamous charlatan pursued by federal agent Carl Hanratty over the course of the musical. Continue reading
Interview: Teal Wicks on the Many Sides of Jekyll & Hyde
In Jekyll & Hyde, the conflict within the central character is mirrored in the two women vying for his affection. Jekyll’s fiancee Emma, who is all sweetness and purity, stands in contrast to tough-spirited Lucy, with both women hoping to capture the best of the man they adore. In the current national tour, Emma is played by Teal Wicks, who made a name for herself as Elphaba in Wicked, in LA, San Francisco, and on Broadway.
Denver Center Honors Robert Garner and Students with The Bobby G Awards
The Denver Center announced The Bobby G Awards today – an awards program aimed at encouraging and rewarding outstanding achievements in the production of high school musical theatre. Named for the late Robert Garner, “The BobbyG Awards” will provide an opportunity for excellence in musical theatre at the high school level to be celebrated by the professional community. Continue reading
Weekend foreCAST: Maple & Vine, Office Space, and This Week’s Openings
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.
Interview: Patrick Osteen Shares His Experience in ‘War Horse’
The special bond between a child and an animal has been the basis for many powerful stories. War Horse takes several variations on the boy-bonds-with-horse plot line. The currently touring production has made headlines for its gorgeous, innovative puppetry designed by Handspring Puppet Company in South Africa. But in addition to the breathtakingly realistic depictions of the horses, this story is unique because of it takes place during a time of war. Patrick Osteen, an ensemble member who rotates through roles as a puppeteer for two of the horses, as well as other roles, is most struck by the powerful messages about war told in the piece.
He Said/She Said’s Favorite Productions of 2012
The end of this year finds us reminiscing more than usual, probably because this year has been so eventful for all of us in so many ways. The University of Denver hosted the first Presidential debate. Tragedies throughout our state and country saw communities come together to support one another. More personally, the two of us were married in the very theater where we met a few years ago. For us, perhaps like all theatre fans, it is impossible to reflect on the past year without considering the theatre related moments that have affected us most. We started the year by losing one of our favorite companies – Paragon Theatre Ensemble. We have expanded our list companies we have had the pleasure of visiting including Creede Rep, Midtown Arts Center, the Byers-Evans House, and more. Old classics, new works, and newly formed companies have created exciting moments for us to recall as of late. Several writers share these thought by way of announcing their respective Awards, but we just want to share with you the theatre that has made lasting impressions on the both of us.
He Said/She Said Critiques 