PAST AND PRESENT

‘Ruin’ world premiere tackles Colorado’s bloody history of colonialism

BY TONI TRESCA

Aaron Klass has been enthralled by the Civil War era since he was a kid. His interest in the decades surrounding the pivotal American conflict led the local history buff to establish himself as an independent researcher and historian who now works as curator of the Merchant Tailor Museum in Longmont.

“Many people have asked me where my interest in this time period comes from, and I don’t have a good answer,” Klass says. “I have just always found this era’s clothing and historical context fascinating.”

Klass’ work as a public historian and commitment to making the past accessible to new generations inspired him to write and direct Ruin, a historical play whose world premiere will run at the Dairy Arts Center from June 29 through July 2.

The mystery is set in Colorado Territory in the spring of 1865, close to the ruins of Fort Vasquez, an early and important fur-trading post in Weld County that was abandoned roughly two decades prior. It centers on Hersa Paxton, a recently widowed woman who hires two frontiersmen to find her missing husband. The fictional story is based on historical primary sources, highlighting Colorado’s bloody colonial past.

“Although the play’s narrative and characters are fictitious, there are anecdotes and references in Ruin that are true to life,” Klass says.

Few of these historical realities loom as large as the Sand Creek Massacre, when more than 230 non-combatant Cheyenne and Arapaho citizens were killed in a surprise attack by the U.S. military near Fort Lyon on November 29, 1864. The play also touches on the assassination of American abolitionist Silas Soule, commander of Company D of the 1st Colorado

Cavalry, who testified about the carnage he witnessed that day.

“Silas Soule is famous for not firing on the village and testifying before a military tribunal that was formed to investigate the wrongdoings at Sand Creek,” Klass says. “Silas gave testimony in February 1865, and in April 1865, two Colorado soldiers in uniform killed him on the streets of Denver; their identities were known, but they were never brought to justice. Ruin is set in the spring of 1865, and deals with the aftermath of these events.”

Stranger Than Fiction

The historical drama is being produced by Blunt Force Drama (BFD), a Boulder-based guerilla theater company that has been staging performances in unconventional spaces since 2013. Ruin is BFD’s first performance at the Dairy Arts Center, its first since the pandemic and its first new work.

When it comes to dovetailing history and fiction, Klass says the upcoming production has been meticulously researched down to each individual artifact used onstage, most of which date back to the mid-1800s.

“There is a broad overlap between my work at the museum and the production design for Ruin,” he says. “Many of our costume pieces for the show are copied from garments that we are in possession of, and the pro-

“I referred them to as many primary sources as I could stomach,” Klass says. “One of the things the cast said was helpful were trips to see Fort Vasquez, History Colorado’s exhibit on the Sand Creek Massacre, some other trading forts and the site of the Sand Creek Massacre. I am familiar with the activities of the massacre and how it played out, so I walked them through that.”

The production is dedicated to the memory of Silas Soule and the victims of the Westward expansion. And as BFD continues to produce work in Boulder, they hope to maintain this educational emphasis in future projects. But for now, Klass and his team are focused on the task ahead.

“Initially, I was going to write it as a screenplay, but I liked the intimacy of a play,” Klass says. “No one should write anything the way I wrote Ruin. I basically sat down in early 2021 and wrote for four days, only stopping to drink water and cram food in my mouth. I’ve written a few things like that; you have to go back and edit extensively, but it gets it out.” duction design is all historically accurate. I envision much of the talkback after each show will be about the play’s material culture and history.”

During the rehearsal process, Klass led the actors, Anna Vernier, Dan Gustavson, and Ding Liu, through a dramaturgical process to help them comprehend the gravity of the play’s events.

“This is the first full-length play I have written, so I am curious to see if my storytelling and dialogue resonate with people,” he says. “For all of its heaviness, I tried to keep it fun because I think it is a way to access this heavy material. It’s structured like a Western, and I hope that will make it entertaining and thought-provoking.” p.m.

FRI.

BOULDER COMEDY FESTIVAL

7-8:30 p.m. Thu-Sun, June 22-25, various locations, Boulder. $20

THU.

23

SUMMER SILENT DISCO

9-11 p.m. Friday, June 23, Por Wine House, 836 ½ Main St., Louisville. $16

24

Rezdawg Rescue Adoption Event

FRI. 6/30 - 8PM

The city’s funniest long weekend is back with a stacked lineup of nearly 50 standups from Boulder County and beyond at the Dairy Arts Center, BOCO Cider, Wonderland Brewing and Finkel & Garf. Don’t miss this year’s Native Comedy Showcase hosted by Joshua Emerson at the Dairy on Saturday, June 24. For more details, check out last week’s Boulder Weekly feature on the fest by scanning the QR code above.

Starts at $15.00

SAT. 7/1 - 11:30PM Dead

JOSLYN AND THE SWEET COMPRESSION

Starts at $20.00

SUN. 7/2 - 11:30PM Dead

DAVE M cMURRAY

Starts at $20.00

SAT. 7/8 - 7:30PM

A.J. FULLERTON with full band

Starts at $15.00

WED. 7/12 - 7:30PM A DEER FELLOW with STURTZ AND ROBIN LEWIS

Starts at $15.00

22

TRIDENT FOURTH THURSDAY JAZZ JAM

5:30-8:30 p.m. Thursday, June 22, Trident Cafe, 940 Pearl St., Boulder. Free

Enjoy an early summer night on the Trident patio during the Fourth Thursday Jazz Jam. Local musicians will take the stage at the West Pearl staple for a night of free live music designed for spectators and participants alike. Bring your instrument or just kick back and enjoy the evening during this monthly music showcase hosted by Pedro Urbina of Thunderboogie.

Grab your dancing shoes and head to Por Wine House for “the best dance party in Louisville.” Headphones will be provided at this East County hotspot’s monthly outdoor summer disco, presented in partnership with Big Little Sound.

23

2023 Stem Youth Summit

10 a.m.-3 p.m. Friday, June 23, Google Boulder, 2930 Pearl St. Free

Google Boulder invites local middle and high school students to connect and engage with Black and Latinx Google workers at this year’s STEM Youth Summit. Students from all over the area will have the chance to explore Google’s Boulder campus, along with an up-close look at work related to science, technology, engineering and math.

Want more Boulder County events? Check out the complete listings online by scanning this QR code.

1-5 p.m. Saturday, June 24, Rocky Mountain Tap and Garden, 1071 Courtesy Road, Louisville. Free

On the search for your next four-legged friend? Rezdawg Rescue hosts this dogadoption event at Rocky Mountain Tap and Garden on Saturday for an afternoon of live music, “bark-cuterie” boards from Gourmet Ghost Charcuterie and, of course, loads of adorable pups looking for their forever homes.

24

GRATEFUL DEAD MEET-UP AT THE MOVIES

8 p.m. Saturday, June 24, Boulder Theater, 2032 14th St., Boulder. $15

We don’t have to tell you that Dead & Company return to Folsom Field for their annual slate of shows next weekend. But if you just can’t wait to kick off your onceyearly shakedown, you won’t want to miss this night at Boulder Theater featuring exclusive footage from the Dead’s legendary 1991 performance at Soldier Field in Chicago, combining reels from the show’s six-camera feed.

WESTMINSTER TRAIL HALF MARATHON/10K/5K

7 a.m. Saturday, June 24, Westminster Trail, 10020 100th Ave., Broomfield. $75

Start your summer off with a bang at the American Trail Running Association’s ninth annual trio of races around Standley Lake. The course is meant for all experience levels, with dirt trails, single track and stunning views of the Front Range.

25

ROLLERPALOOZA

1-5 p.m. Sunday, June 25, between Arapahoe Avenue and Canyon Boulevard, 1770 13th St., Boulder.

Anything on wheels is welcome at Boulder Social Street’s annual Rollerpalooza. Skate around a nostalgic roller rink to the disco and funk tunes of DJ Elijah Moore, and indulge in a scenic bike tour up and down Boulder’s buzzing 13th Street at this afternoon event.

26

SUSHI ROLLING AND SAKE TASTING WITH HAPA SUSHI

6:30-9 p.m. Monday, June 26, Hapa Sushi, 1117 Pearl St., Boulder. $70

Learn the art of Japan’s staple dish at Hapa Sushi this coming Monday, where an expert sushi chef will be your personal teacher for the night. Five different rolls will be broken down, with a sake drink to accompany your work, and when it’s all wrapped up, you can take the bamboo rolling mat home with you.

25

POLLINATOR PALOOZA FESTIVAL

10 a.m.-3 p.m. Sunday, June 25, Butterfly Pavilion, 6252 W. 104th Ave., Westminster. Free

What’s all the buzz about? Find out for yourself at the Pollinator Palooza Festival, “where the wonders of nature come to life in a spectacular celebration of pollinators and the vital role they play in our world.” Festivities include a pollinator artisan market and food trucks, plus kid-friendly fun like face-painting and games, garden tours, butterfly releases and more.

25

BARNYARD CRITTER DAY

10 a.m.-3 p.m. Sunday, June 25, Agricultural Heritage Center, 8348 Ute Highway, Longmont. Free

The Agricultural Heritage Center in Longmont invites you to get up close and personal with livestock and their crucial role on the farm. This all-day event features sheep herding and shearing demos alongside meet-and-greets with chickens, pigs, goats and other barnyard critters — plus food trucks, fun farm activities like butter and flower-pressing, and more.

28

BIKE TO WORK DAY

6:30-9 a.m. Wednesday, June 28, various locations. Free

Join the estimated 7,000 commuters across Boulder County who will be getting to work on two wheels during this year’s Bike to Work Day. The annual event will feature breakfast stations at participating locations throughout the area, including a “mountain of donuts” at Community Cycles Super Station. Scan the QR code for the complete map.