#COArts In Focus Magazine

#COArts In Focus - Host and Producer Eden Lane covers Colorado's vibrant Arts Community - Including: Theater Dance Music Art Film Writers and more

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Watch Full Episodes Online of In Focus with Eden Lane on PBS

Watch In Focus with Eden Lane videos on demand. Stream full episodes online. IN FOCUS WITH EDEN LANE explores behind the scenes of Colorado Arts. Award winning host Eden Lane interviews artists in Theater, Dance, Music, Film, and more.

In Focus #COArts Updates for Season 10 Begin

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I’ll Be Home For Christmas - World Premiere at the Arvada Center

For the first time in the 40 year history of the Arvada Center, the main stage production is a brand new musical. I’ll Be Home for Christmas Original Music & Lyrics by David Nehls Book by Kenn McLaughlin

It has already been a big year for The Arvada Center for the Arts and Humanities not only celebrating the 40th anniversary, but separating from the City of Arvada as an independent non-profit arts organization, launching a the Black Box Repertory Company, and now mounting an original musical. 

Set in 1969, the Bright family prepares for their annual Christmas variety show, one of the most-watched and anticipated television events of the year. In the midst of rehearsals, they welcome their eldest son home from the war. A decorated hero, and former teen idol, Simon is challenged by his return to civilian life and the expectation and anticipation of performing again. I’ll Be Home for Christmas is set in the hours leading up to and during the live TV broadcast, featuring rich costumes, great dance numbers and exciting new music along with many seasonal favorites. Bring the entire family to this holiday music spectacular!

Pictured L-R: Noah Racey (Dana Bright), Megan Van De Hey (Louise Bright), Jake Mendes (Simon Bright) and Kim McClay (Maggie Bright). Photo: M. Gale Photography

Holiday programing is financially important to any arts organization, and audiences have the best to choose from so the stakes are even higher when straying from the tired and true, the familiar offerings that often become family traditions. That basic truth underscores the faith the Arvada Center has placed in the creative team behind this new musical. One reason for that faith is the composer is well known to the Arvada Center staff, and audiences as 14 season veteran musical director David Nehls.

Foreground L-R Megan Van De Hey (Louise Bright), Kim McClay (Maggie Bright), Noah Racey (Dana Bright) and Jake Mendes (Simon Bright) Photo: P. Switzer Photography

After the exciting opening night performance I asked David Nehls to share some thoughts about this big, new, original production.

EL: You have written new musicals before, but this is the first time at the Arvada Center, your home. How does it feel?

DN: It feels great to be able to create something new in a theatre I am so familiar working in, especially at Christmas.  The staff at Arvada is a very tight machine and it is the perfect venue to be able to nurture new works.  Once the audience becomes more familiar with the idea, I think it would be exciting to see more of it here!   It is weird to watch my own work unfold from the pit, which is like my second home!    

I'll Be Home for Christmas: Kim McClay (Maggie Bright) and ensemble Photo: P. Switzer Photography 

EL: The songs have a variety of styles while keeping the overall tone of the period, how did you approach the challenge?

DN: This was not really a challenge at all since I grew up watching the variety shows of the 1960's/70's.  It really was my strongest connection to entertainment as a child living in rural Pennsylvania.  The whole family would gather around the TV when a special came on and it was lovely to watch my parents be so excited to experience their favorite entertainers with us.  The Variety element was very important to me. We have songs that range from Big Band to Country to Rock and Roll, all keeping the flavor of the 1960's in mind.  And it was so fun to play with traditional Christmas Carols breathing new life into them.  The 60's are a fun period to play with since so much of previous eras of music were still popular, yet there were new things happening that shook up the music industry.

I'll Be Home for Christmas: Jake Mendes (Simon Bright) Photo: P. Switzer Photography  

EL: The title song, I'll Be Home For Christmas, has become an American Standard since the 1943 Bing Crosby recording  of the Gannon - Ram - Kent song. How did you tackle fitting new songs around that familiar piece? What was the thinking behind using that classic alongside the new songs in the show?

DN: The song was not part of the original fabric of the play.  But it so perfectly helps to orchestrate the true meaning of the piece, families coming together at the holidays even under difficult circumstances, that to not have it would be wrong.  The variety shows of the day had such a mixture of the new and the familiar that this was a perfect fit.  Plus the title is so popular it helps and audience to feel comfortable walking into a new show knowing that they will at least know one song. 

The dynamic and multitalented cast brings the evening to life with humor, style, and a wistful heart. On opening night the audience did more than give the standing ovation (which has become seemingly standard in most theaters) but they were actually moved to sing the title song along with the cast during the final reprise. It seems likely most audiences will be similarly moved by this delightful new production. 

The Cast:

Noah Racey - Dana Megan Van De Hey - Louise Jake Mendes - Simon Kim McClay - Maggie Andrew Diessner - Len Sharon Kay White - Carol Marie Darius Jordan Lee - Sandy Sheryl McCallum - Ruby

Norrell Moore, Maddie Franke, Rae Case, Rachel Turner Jean-Luc Cavnar, Tucker Worley, Benjamin Roeling, Darrell T. Joe

November 18 - December 23

Performances: Tues – Sat @ 7:30 p.m., Wed @ 1:00 p.m., Sat – Sun @ 2:00 p.m.

Tickets/Box Office 720-898-7200 720-898-7204 fax 9:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m., Mon-Fri 10:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m., Sat 1:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m., Sun

Or Online visit https://support.arvadacenter.org/single/PSDetail.aspx?psn=59451

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A Little Star Quality At Candlelight Dinner Playhouse! Candlelight Dinner Playhouse is the E-Ticket this week! It's surprising how well this company can tell the story...complete with great singing, some demanding dancing, and powerful visuals...and still serve a great meal! www.coloradocandlelight.com

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Frankenstein - More Than a Monster

It could easily be seen as a gimmick, the double casting of the lead roles in Frankenstein at the Denver Center Theatre Company, until you see this riveting production.  The clever idea was actually how this adaptation by Nick Dear was produced for the world premiere at the Royal National Theatre. (02/ 2011) That cast starred Benedict Cumberbatch and Jonny Lee Miller alternating the roles of  Victor Frankenstein and the Creature.  The DCTC production stars Sullivan Jones and Mark Junek.

“My approach was to first find out who Mark and Sullivan are as actors and then work out their needs. Even though they are playing the two leading characters, there are huge sections where they aren’t interacting with each other onstage. So I have isolated them a lot of the time - and it’s been interesting to watch them because they both come to the exact same conclusions some of the time, and at other times they come up with their own versions.” –  Sam Buntrock (Director).

 There is more to dig into here than the lead actors sharing these roles.  The storytelling is fast-paced and the visuals command the space without overwhelming the performances.  Frankenstein isn’t merely a monster story, and this cast finds every moment and each metaphor to help a modern audience find plenty of ideas, and feelings, to discuss all the way home.

“This play matters because it speaks directly to one of the bigger contradictions of this particular period in history. As we find ourselves in the midst of an area of unprecedented technological progress and sophistication, we are no less perplexed by the age-old question of how to live, love, and die. This play accents that inconsistency in a pretty provocative way. I think the play raises some important questions about the ethics and responsibility of innovation and I especially hope that it serves as a reminder to not take those we love for granted.” – Sullivan Jones (Victor/The Creature)

“I think this play highlights the complicated relationship between parents and their children, mostly the disappointing realization that you can't control who your family is. Children can't pick who they are born to and parents can't control how their children will turn out ultimately. The bond of family is still so strong that even if you try to deny it, it'll come back to haunt you.

I hope the audience is really scared in an entertaining way, like a great scary movie. But I also hope they're moved by our performances and it makes them think about their own lives in one way or another. You know a play is good when people are talking about their own lives in relation to the play rather than the play itself!” – Mark Junek (Victor/ The Creature)

 The natural question is which version is the best? Is there a difference? Yes, there is a difference between the leading actors portrayals of Victor Frankenstein/The Creature.  The entire cast reacts to each version with subtly. It was fascinating to see both interpretations, and if you can, I think you too will find both compelling, worthwhile, and moving. I did respond to one version a bit more, and if you see both please share your thoughts with me.

U.S. PREMIERE FRANKENSTEIN By Nick Dear From the novel by Mary Shelley Directed by Sam Buntrock Sep 30 - Oct 30, 2016

Special DCTC Ticket Offer

See our actors in both roles: 

Buy 2 performances and save 25% on both tickets*

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Mid-Life 2 at BDT Stage

How do you take the pain out of Mid-Life? 

With Song (a bit of dance), Humor, and a talented cast. 

BDT Stage Photo by Glenn Ross Photography

BDT Stage presents a world premiere musical Mid-Life 2 (#WhatDidIComeInHereFor) that takes the pain out of reaching mid-life...for an evening anyway.  

This follow up to the hilarious Mid-Life: The Crisis Musical takes us back into the middle ages once again with a hilariously tuneful look at the aches, pains, and joys of getting older. Plays through 11/12/13 only. 

Check out the feature on In Focus TV

Host Eden Lane meets with the Co-Writers/Co-Directors, broadway veterans and brothers, Jim and Bob Walton. We also get highlights of this talented cast at BDT Stage. https://vimeo.com/ondemand/iftv 

Visit BDT Stage online for ticket and show information. http://www.bdtstage.com/event/mid-life-2/

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Tartuffe - The Premiere Production for the Arvada Center Black Box Repertory Company is a delight, and is my #ETicket for this week! 

Our special episode from the opening night will be available soon. 

Visit the Arvada Center website for ticket and show information.

https://arvadacenter.org/tartuffe

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RIPCORD

A story told with Adobe Spark

Just weeks into Season 9 and we have two #ETickets in the same week. 

RIPCORD at Boulder Ensemble Theatre Company

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The 6 little murderers of the Town Hall Arts Center jail in a MisCast rendition of the Cell Block Tango | Denver Actors Fund

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Vintage Theatre’s current production of Roald Dahl’s Willy Wonka is a delightful evening of family theater.

The performance I attended kept the children and parents entertained with some unexpected magic. 

The adventures experienced by Charlie Bucket on his visit to Willy Wonka’s mysterious chocolate factory features the enchanting songs from the 1971 film starring Gene Wilder and new songs by Leslie Bricusse (Jekyll & Hyde, Doctor Dolittle) and Anthony Newley.

The cast features Eddie Schumacher (Willy Wonka), Ashlynne Bogema (Charlie Bucket), Brian Walker Smith (Grandpa Joe), John White (Phineous Trout), Eli Testa (Augustus Gloop), Elin Martin (Veruca Salt), Serena Kopf (Violet Beauregard), Sean Whitson (Mike Teavee), Brian Rollins (Mr. Bucket), Holly Dalton (Mrs. Bucket), Brooke McNamara (Grandma Georgina), David Ballew (Grandpa George), Margaret Norwood (Mrs. Gloop), Bob Mitchell (Mr. Salt/Grandma Josephine), Angie Mitchell (Ms. Teavee) and Selena A. Naumoff (Mrs. Beauregarde). Rounding out the cast are Oopma Loompa’s David Ballew, Jordan Manchego, Mike Barlow and Brooke McNamara who are joined by ensemble members Seamus Rollins, Megan Whitson and Gracie Woo.

Tickets are $17 to $31

children tix (12 or under) for $12 and  “Family” tix (groups of 4 or more)

www.vintagetheatre.org or 303-856-7830 Vintage Theatre, 1468 Dayton St., Aurora 80010

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Roundabout Theatre Company's CABARET Opens At The Buell Theatre Tonight!

Sam Mendes’ (Skyfall, American Beauty) and Rob Marshall’s (Into the Woods and Chicago, the films) Tony Award-winning production of Cabaret makes a tours top at the DCPA.

As part of its 50th anniversary season, the critically-acclaimed and award-winning Roundabout Theatre Company presents a revival of CABARET.  

Welcome to the infamous Kit Kat Klub, where the Emcee, Sally Bowles and a raucous ensemble take the stage nightly to tantalize the crowd––and to leave their troubles outside. But as life in pre-WWII Germany grows more and more uncertain, will the decadent allure of Berlin nightlife be enough to get them through their dangerous times?

Leave your troubles outside – life is beautiful at Cabaret, John Kander, Fred Ebb and Joe Masteroff’s Tony-winning musical about following your heart while the world loses its way. Best known songs include “Cabaret,” “Willkommen” and “Maybe This Time.” 

Show Info:

Roundabout Theatre Company's CABARET

Sep 27 - Oct 9, 2016

Denver Center for the Performing Arts- Buell Theatre

Ticket Price: Starts at: $30 | 

denvercenter.org

or 303.893.4100

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In Focus Season 9 Now Available On Demand

The first episode of our 9th season is now available for streaming on VOD.

First up we visit with some cast members and the playwright of Waiting For Obama. We sit down to hear their thoughts on taking an all Colorado team to the NY Fringe Festival. 

Watch on iOS, Apple TV, Roku, and Chromecast

Subscribe for unlimited streaming

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Step Right Up - Wonderbound’s Season Opener Revels in Magical Love Under the Big-Top

A Gothic Folktale opens October 14 bringing dance, live music and illusions to Denver audiences.  

This October, A Gothic Folktale opens the 2016-2017 Wonderbound  season with a fantastical circus straight from the mind of Artistic Director Garrett Ammon. Set to the hauntingly beautiful music of Jesse Manley and His Band and featuring the interactive illusions of Professor Phelyx, this original production will pull audiences into the curious world under the big-top.

“I’m so proud to be bringing A Gothic Folktale back for the opening of Wonderbound’s 2016-2017 season,” said Ammon. “Jesse and Phelyx outdid themselves when we created this program in 2013, and it is one of our most requested productions. I can’t wait to see it live on the stage again.”

The curtain opens on The Fool, an overlooked young janitor, who watches from afar as the ringmaster directs act after act. Suddenly, the spotlight falls upon The Star, a daring beauty who spins her magic throughout the stage and steals the heart of The Fool. Tied together with an original score by Manley, their tale unfolds as other circus characters (all inspired by the tarot) perform their acts: blindfolded Justice with her swords, strange Death and more - even siamese twins make an appearance.

“To create the music, I wanted to go back in time and understand the music of an earlier era - I wanted to transport the audience to a long-ago place and time,” said Manley. “I studied the Vaudevillian music of Kurt Weill’s Threepenny Opera, in addition to the superbly eerie storytelling of Tom Waits. I learned to play the tenor banjo and the musical saw to harken back to the 1920s, and I studied a specific kind of guitar picking, called ‘Travis Picking,’ to fully capture the sound of the time.”

Throughout the production, Professor Phelyx weaves a magic all his own as he calls upon the audience to aid him in his mind-bending illusions.

“Of all of the highlights of my 35 years on stage, A Gothic Folktale is one of the true gems,” said Professor Phelyx. “I am so very pleased that this treasured journey will once more be shared with audiences!”

A Gothic Folktale will be preceded by a limited seating Teaser at the Wonderbound Studio at Junction Box on September 27, allowing audiences a taste of what the full length performance will hold. Each production at the Performing Arts Complex at Pinnacle Charter School will also feature an exclusive exhibition of work by Denver artist Jonathan Saiz curated by Leon Gallery.

As always, the public is encouraged to experience the performers, not only at the official shows throughout the season, but in their rehearsal space in the heart of Denver. Visitors are asked to call to confirm rehearsal schedules.

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Principal Dancer Maria Mosina Announces Her retirement

Breaking #COArts News: "Principal Dancer Maria Mosina Announces Her retirement"

During filming for a segment on Colorado Ballet’s season opening production of Swan Lake, Artistic Director Gil Boggs shared his feelings about Maria Mosina’s decision. 

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The 39th Denver Film Festival dates announced - November 2-13, 2016.

The Denver Film Society produces this annual film festival and offers member and non-member ticket packages. Package on sale dates: Wednesday, September 14 - Monday, October 10.

Six Pack: $60 ($10 a ticket) Member, $78 ($13 a ticket) Non-Member -Valid for matinee and regular screenings and panels, not valid for special presentations. Fifteen Pack:  $135 ($9 a ticket) Member, $180 ($12 a ticket) Non-Member - Valid for matinee and regular screenings and panels, not valid for special presentations. Red Carpet Pack: $75 member/ $90 non-member ($25/$30 per ticket). Flavor of the Fest:  $100.00, includes 1 Red Carpet Film and Party and 4 vouchers for regular screenings.

Packages can be purchased online at http://denverfilmfestival.denverfilm.org/get-tickets/packages/ or the DFS main box office location at the Sie FilmCenter (2510 E. Colfax Ave., Denver, CO 80206)

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Augustana Arts & St. Martin's Chamber Choir presents "Give Us Peace"

Stratus Chamber Orchestra and St. Martin’s Festival Singers come together for two nights only to perform Ralph Vaughn Williams’ masterpiece, Dona nobis pacem. Give Us Peace" is performed at 7:30 p.m. on Friday, September 16 at St. Andrew’s United Methodist Church, 9203 South University Boulevard, Highlands Ranch, CO 80126 and again on Saturday, September 17 at Augustana Lutheran Church, 5000 East Alameda Avenue, Denver, CO. 80246. Tickets are $10-$35 and are available online at www.stmartinschamberchoir.org by calling 303-298-1970, or at the door.

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Tuesday September 20th, get ready for some "informed" and "heartfelt" TED-style talks from the Buntport folks. We solicited topic suggestions on Facebook, put them into a hat, and are now preparing to say all the smart things at you. http://buntport.com/show/buntport-x/

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The 38th Annual Aspen Filmfest Tickets On Sale

The festival will screen 20 highly anticipated features, new foreign films and documentaries, including four U.S. premieres.  Aspen Filmfest is scheduled for Sept. 21-25 with screenings taking place at The Wheeler Opera House in Aspen, and the Crystal Theatre in Carbondale.

Individual tickets are on sale for $20 and $15 for Aspen Film Members to all Aspen and Carbondale shows available through the Wheeler Opera House Box Office (320 E. Hyman Ave., 970.920.5770, aspenshowtix.com); tickets for Carbondale shows are also available through Bonfire Coffee (433 Main St., 970.510.5327, bonfirecoffee.com). Festival passes are available to Aspen Film members at the Producer level and above. More information on membership and benefits at aspenfilm.org/membership.  

more information on the Aspen Filmfest website  www.aspenfilm.org.