Applause Magazine, Apr. 4 - May11, 2014 by The Publishing House

T H E

VOLUME XXV

NUMBER 7

Illustration by Kyle Malone.

APRIL – MAY 2014

D E N V E R

C E N T E R

F O R

T H E

P E R F O R M I N G

A R T S

ANIMAL CRACKERS

ALSO PLAYING…

ROCK OF AGES ONCE AMERICAN IDIOT n

PHOTO BY TERRY SHAPIRO

PRODUCING ARTISTIC DIRECTOR’S LETTER INDEX

Kent Thompson

As you’ve heard by now, we’re launching our 36th Denver Center Theatre Company season with a major revision of the beloved musical, The Unsinkable Molly Brown, featuring a new book by Dick Scanlan (based on Molly Brown’s real life), several songs replaced by others from the Meredith Willson catalog, and a top creative team, led by three-time Tony® Award-winning director/choreographer Kathleen Marshall. And that’s just the thrilling start of an exciting year. Below (and on pages 16-17) I am outlining the rest of our 2014/15 season. William Golding’s Lord of the Flies, a title many of us read in school, tells the harrowing story of a group of schoolchildren dropped on an island after a plane crash during World War II. Left to their own devices, they sink into power struggles, even savagery, as bullying wins over cooperation; a scary, but touching play. Next up, Christopher Durang’s Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike (winner of the 2013 Tony for Best New Play) delivers a very funny, sometimes wistful reflection about middle-age ennui, loosely based on Uncle Vanya with hilarious Chekhovian references, and the addition of a muscular “boy toy” and a prophetic, Producing Artistic Director sassy housekeeper. Denver Center Theatre Company

ANIMAL CRACKERS

A madcap romp with all your favorite brothers: Groucho, Chico, Harpo, Zeppo—and Margaret Dumont. by Doug Langworthy

ROCK OF AGES

Chart-topping rock songs and ballads from the 1980s offer “nothing but a good time.” This show’s a party! by Genevieve Miller Holt

At the holidays we’ll hold to tradition with our sumptuous staging of A Christmas Carol. We’ll celebrate our 10th annual Colorado New Play Summit in February with two world premieres that emerged from this year’s Summit to serve as the centerpiece for the next one: James Still’s Appoggiatura, a romantic and tender story set in the mystical beauty of Venice as time bends and magic lies just around the corner—and Benediction, adapted by Eric Schmiedl to complete a trilogy drawn from the popular novels of Colorado’s acclaimed writer Kent Haruf. As with Haruf’s Plainsong and Eventide, Benediction weaves together the authentic, vivid and deeply human stories of Holt, a fictional small town on the eastern plains of Colorado. The spring brings One Night in Miami..., a surprising contemporary play by Will Kemp that fictionalizes a real meeting in a hotel room in Florida. After Cassius Clay won his first world heavyweight championship (1964 against Sonny Liston), he spent the evening with three close friends: football legend Jim Brown, the remarkable composer/singer/ producer Sam Cooke and Malcolm X, culminating in an announcement from Clay that shocked the world. I call One Night in Miami... a “dramedy” because it’s filled with laughter, insight and, yes, drama. Our final stage show is yet to be selected, but we’re looking at several fascinating projects. Do come along for the adventure. Do join us again as a season ticket holder. n

APPLAUSE

d e n v er center. or g

ONCE

Vacuum cleaner repairman meets immigrant flower seller, make music, fall in love and part. But not before changing each other’s lives— and enriching yours.

AMERICAN IDIOT

A musical based on Green Day’s Grammy® Award-winning album. Three friends must choose between dreams and suburbia. All you need to do is enjoy. by Rob Weiner-Kendt

APPLAUSE M

VOLUME XXV

■

NUMBER 7

■

APRIL – MAY 2014

Editor: Sylvie Drake Associate Editor: Suzanne Yoe Designers: Kim Conner, Brenda Elliott, Kyle Malone Applause is published seven times a year by The Denver Center for the Performing Arts in conjunction with The Publishing House. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without written permission is prohibited. Call 303.893.4000 regarding editorial content. Applause magazine is funded in part by

For advertising information call The Publishing House 303.428.9529. 7380 Lowell Blvd., Westminster, CO 80030 Angie Flachman, Publisher

The Denver Center for the Performing Arts 1101 13th St., Denver, CO 80204 303.893.4000 • denvercenter.org

The Denver Center for the Performing Arts is a not-for-profit organization serving the public through the performing arts. BOARD OF TRUSTEES Daniel L. Ritchie, Chairman and CEO Donald R. Seawell, Chairman Emeritus Randy Weeks, President William Dean Singleton, Secretary/Treasurer W. Leo Kiely III, First Vice Chair Robert Slosky, Second Vice Chair

HONORARY MEMBERS Jeannie Fuller Glenn R. Jones M. Ann Padilla Cleo Parker Robinson HELEN G. BONFILS FOUNDATION BOARD OF TRUSTEES Lester L. Ward, President

Dr. Patricia Baca

Martin Semple, Vice President

Joy S. Burns

Judi Wolf, Sec’y/Treasurer

Isabelle Clark Navin Dimond

Donald R. Seawell, President Emeritus

Margot Gilbert Frank

W. Leo Kiely III

Thomas W. Honig

Daniel L. Ritchie

Mary Pat Link

William Dean Singleton

Trish Nagel

Robert Slosky

Robert C. Newman

Jim Steinberg

Richard M. Sapkin

Dr. Reginald L. Washington

Martin Semple Jim Steinberg

SENIOR MANAGEMENT STAFF

Peter Swinburn

Randy Weeks, President and Executive Director, Denver Center Attractions

Ken Tuchman Tina Walls Lester L. Ward Dr. Reginald L. Washington Judi Wolf Sylvia Young _______________________ Carolyn Foster, Executive Assistant to Daniel L. Ritchie Kim Schouten, Executive Assistant to Daniel L. Ritchie

Kent Thompson, Producing Artistic Director, Denver Center Theatre Company Dorothy Denny, Executive Vice President Vicky Miles, Chief Financial Officer Jennifer Nealson, Chief Marketing Officer Clay Courter, Director of Facilities Management

For those who can think oF wealth beyond just dollar signs Vectra Wealth Management wasn’t designed around numbers, percentages, trends and account numbers. That’s not to say we don’t take those things seriously, but we’re just as interested in getting to know you as a person, a family or a business — or all three. That’s why our dedicated relationship managers will offer you the attention and a multitude of benefits that help you maintain financial success, not just financial status.

Proud to be a presenting sponsor of Denver Center Attractions’ 2014 Season!

vectrabank.com 800.727.9243

Proactive Relationship Banking

Member FDIC

You have the superhuman power to stop child abuse and neglect. Use your powers for good. Give the gift of hope at Kempe.org.

Gail Johnson Philanthropist

This campaign made possible by the generosity and support of

303.864.5300

201 4 S UM M E R R E P E RT ORY SE AS ON

theatreaspen.org for tix & info Executive Artistic Director: Paige Price

L L U F E H T Y

MONT

COTTAGE JUNE 24 – AUGUST 9 Book by Terrence McNally Music and Lyrics by David Yazbek

JULY 22 – AUGUST 16 A new comedy, written by Sandy Rustin

JULY 1 – AUGUST 16

Book by Allan Knee - Music by Jason Howland Lyrics by Mindi Dickstein

Is LEG PAIN affecting your daily life?

www.eSafeT.com “I have been in the insurance business since 1997. I have often wished that there was a service that would document my assets, in case of a disaster. eSafeT offers this much-needed service.”

At Exempla Rocky Mountain Cardiovascular Associates our experienced physicians treat not only conditions of the heart, but of the entire cardiovascular system. Poor blood flow and circulation in your legs can be an indication of an underlying condition. • Do you have leg or foot discomfort (cramping) when walking that is relieved by rest? • Do you suffer from varicose veins?

Licensed Broker/Owner, Barbara Schneiderman

If you answer yes to one of these questions, you may be a candidate for a Peripheral Arterial Disease or Venous Reflux Disease diagnostic test. Let the skilled cardiologists at Exempla Rocky Mountain Cardiovascular Associates help.

Visit one of our FIVE locations across the Denver metro area. Downtown Denver Lafayette Lakewood Westminster Wheat Ridge

303-318-2460 www.rmcva.org/applause

Gift Certificates Available, call for more details.

5425 South Olive St. Greenwood Village, CO 80111

eSafeT:

Professional documentation of home and business contents for your protection. ➢ Most insurance companies

recommend that you have photographic records of home and business contents for filing claims.

➢ Homeowners policies in most

cases may only pay 30% for non-documented items. We want to increase your chances to be at 100%! We provide the documentation in case of claim. Safe, secure and off site.

➢ We are fully bonded, insured and

all your information is confidential and off line.

Call today for more information and peace of mind:

720-550-6901

Because differences matter.

Snell & Wilmer is proud to support the Denver arts community.

Understanding what makes you unique.

COMING ATTRACTIONS

Dixie’s Tupperware Party Now – April 20 Garner Galleria Theatre ON SALE NOW

once May 6 – 18 Buell Theatre ON SALE NOW

American Idiot May 23 – 25 Buell Theatre

Shadowlands Now – April 27 Space Theatre

ON SALE NOW

Animal Crackers Now – May 11 Stage Theatre ON SALE NOW

Celtic Woman April 19 Buell Theatre ON SALE NOW

Dixie’s Never Wear a Tube Top While Riding a Mechanical Bull... April 24 – May 11 Garner Galleria Theatre ON SALE NOW

Rock of Ages April 25 – 27 Buell Theatre

Pippin Sept 6 – 20 Buell Theatre Lord of the Flies Sept 6 – Nov 2 Space Theatre The Unsinkable Molly Brown Sept 12 – Oct 26 Stage Theatre Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike Oct 10 – Nov 16 Ricketson Theatre Kinky Boots Oct 29 – Nov 9 Buell Theatre

Forbidden Broadway: Alive and Kicking Nov 15 – March 1 Garner Galleria Theatre A Christmas Carol Nov 29 – Dec 29 Stage Theatre Jersey Boys Dec 10 – 14 Buell Theatre Dr. Seuss’ How the Grinch Stole Christmas! The Musical Dec 17 – 28 Buell Theatre Appoggiatura Jan 16 – Feb 22, 2015 Ricketson Theatre

One Night in Miami... Mar 20 – Apr 19, 2015 Space Theatre Annie April 29 – May 10, 2015 Buell Theatre Wicked June 3 – July 5, 2015 Buell Theatre The Book of Mormon Aug 11 – Sept 13, 2015 The Ellie

Benediction Jan 30 – Mar 1, 2015 Space Theatre Rodgers + Hammerstein’s Cinderella Feb 3 – 15, 2015 Buell Theatre

ON SALE NOW

Motown The Musical March 31 – April 19, 2015 Buell Theatre

SINGLE TICKETS ON SALE IN AUGUST

303.893.4100

TTY: 303.893.9582 • denvercenter.org AUDIO-DESCRIPTION, ASL INTERPRETATION AND OPEN CAPTIONING AVAILABLE AT SELECT PERFORMANCES; CHECK DATES/TIMES WHEN ORDERING.

Performances at The Denver Center are made possible in part through the generous support of:

Denver Center Theatre Company 2013/14 Season Sponsors

Denver Center Attractions 2013/14 Season Sponsors

he silver screen springs to life at the Denver Center Theatre Company in this stage version of the Marx Brothers’ Animal Crackers—a boisterous comedy about the theft of a valuable painting from a society dinner party that is quintessential Marx Brothers mayhem. Costume designer Kevin Copenhaver takes you back to the 1930s through vintage creations in this whodunit spoof. As with many productions that went on to meet broader fame on the big screen, this play with music is smaller in scale, with a nimble cast of nine actors playing multiple characters— sometimes with just one line of dialogue in which to make a change! The frequency of the lightning-fast costume changes helps dictate fabric and color, as well as how a costume is built. “I will be looking for stretch charmeuse, fanciful woolens, knits that resemble the rougher textures of stretch fabrics from the period, and some wacky brocades and sleek fabrics for the ‘dream’ sequence near the end of the play,” Copenhaver noted. A strong color palette also assists in defining character and affiliation, both in the clothes and hair color. Women’s fashion in the 30s went from the boyish, columnar silhouette of the 1920s to a more feminine form achieved by cutting garments on the bias. Because men’s fashions have not changed drastically since the 1930s, they will seem almost modern save for differences in lapel width, shoulder shape, trouser width and rise. From the show’s zinging one-liners to its slapstick brilliance, you will travel back to the swank of the 30s as Groucho, Harpo, Chico and Zeppo zip around the stage—and take your breath away. n

Red PMS 200 Gold PMS 123

Media Sponsors

For in that sleep of death what dreams may come… -William Shakespeare, Hamlet, Act III, scene i

Jeri Zucherman

APPLAUSE

The Denver Center is saddened to announce the loss of Jeri Zucherman, longtime member of the Best of Broadway and Directors societies, who recently passed away. Our condolences to Jeri’s family and friends at this difficult time. Jeri will be greatly missed. n d e n ver center. or g

Animal Crackers costume designs by Kevin Copenhaver

Daily inspiration should be as simple as looking out the window.

Breathtaking spaces abound inside and out at Vi. Make your home a place youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d want to write home about. Inspiration awaits. Discover Vi today.

2850 Classic Drive, Highlands Ranch, CO 80126 888.735.0806 â&#x20AC;˘ ViLiving.com/HighlandsRanch

AM0414

Vi at Highlands Ranch is owned by CC-Denver, Inc. and managed by Classic Residence Management Limited Partnership. Classic Residence Management Limited Partnership and CC-Denver, Inc. are separate corporations. CC-Denver, Inc., d/b/a Vi at Highlands Ranch, is the sole entity responsible for the performance of the continuing care contracts at Vi at Highlands Ranch. CC-Denver, Inc. does not discriminate against any person on the basis of race, color, national origin, disability, or age in admission, treatment, or participation in its programs, services and activities, or in employment. For further information about this policy, contact the director of human resources, (720) 348-7800/TDD 711.

ANIMAL CRACKERS

G N I K AC

N N Y U F

Ani

ssic Marx Brothers comedy a l c s i s acker r C l brought to the modern a stage

LAN

ILLUSTRATION BY KYLE MALONE

BY DOUGLAS

nimal Crackers, the hilarious Marx Brothers movie, started its life as a long-running Broadway musical that was hand-tailored to showcase the energy of the madcap brothers (Groucho, Chico, Harpo and Zeppo) and their signature comic personae. In the stage show, with a book by George S. Kaufman, highbrow meets lowbrow to exhilarating effect. Mrs. Rittenhouse, a high-society matron, is throwing a big party to celebrate the return of Captain Spaulding (Groucho) from the wilds of Africa. To mark the festivities, she wants to reveal a famous painting she has borrowed for the occasion.

APPLAUSE

d e n v er center. or g

Zeppo, the youngest, usually played the handsome straight man, although once during the run of Animal Crackers, Zeppo went on for Groucho and was accounted even funnier than Groucho himself. (A fifth brother, Gummo, left the group during World War I.) After a successful run in 1915 at the Palace in New York City, Chico was getting restless, saying they were “too good” for vaudeville. This might have been sour grapes, as the brothers had gotten themselves banned from the major vaudeville circuits because of a dispute with impresario E.F. Albee (the adoptive grandfather of playwright Edward Albee). So they decided to try to conquer Broadway, pulling together the revue I’ll Say She Is out of their old routines and musical numbers, loosely

u livers classic Gro cho one-liners e d s r e Crack l a m Ani ve forever, or die trying”), comedy routin i l o t d es, te n (“I in o f p y t h n y e s ical shtick. d pl erludes an t n i l a ment u r t ins By the time the Marx Brothers opened that show, they were at the height of their pre-Hollywood fame. They had been honing their craft on the vaudeville stage for more than 25 years. Minnie Schoenberg Marx, their ferocious stage mother—whose own parents were a magician and a yodeling harpist and whose brother, Al Shean, became a vaudeville star—shoved all her boys onto the stage, like it or not. They started out as a singing group (first the Three, then the Four Nightingales), but as the boys’ voices began to change, they tried peppering the act with jokes, funny characters and mock fights, and found that their antics earned them more applause than their music. riss-crossing the country on the vaudeville circuit, the brothers developed the roles they became known for, each picking up a nickname along the way: Groucho, the wise-cracker with bushy eyebrows, moustache, glasses and a cigar; Chico (pronounced Chick-o, because he chased after the chicks), the con man with an Italian accent who played the piano—and Harpo, the wide-eyed innocent with bushy hair who didn’t speak at all but liked to steal silverware and play the harp.

tied together by the story of a rich girl’s adventures with a variety of men. he show opened in 1924 and played for 313 performances. The Marx Brothers were the toast of the town. Then followed two more Broadway hits—The Cocoanuts (1925) and Animal Crackers (1928). As their fame kept growing, there was only one place left for them to go: Hollywood. When the first talkie (The Jazz Singer) was released in 1927, the Marx Brothers were perfectly positioned to bypass silent film and proceed directly to making pictures with sound. By the time the brothers started working on their first film, they were in their 40s with a wealth of theatrical experience under their belts. Paramount snapped up the team with a lucrative five-film contract. So while they were performing Animal Crackers in the evenings in Manhattan, during the day they filmed The Cocoanuts over in Queens at the Astoria Studios. In typical zany fashion, Groucho found his perfect comic foil in Margaret Dumont (Mrs. Rittenhouse), who played a succession of matronly high-society widows whom Groucho alternately insulted and pursued for their money. Her trademark deadpan was always able

to fend off Groucho’s attempts to drag her through the swamps of low comedy. Trained as an operatic singer and actress, she became a de facto “fifth brother,” starring in seven Marx Brothers films and two of their Broadway musicals, including Animal Crackers. How then do you stage a play so closely associated with its Marxian creators? According to Bruce Sevy, who directed this production, the actors portraying the famous siblings won’t be doing imitations per se. hat would get tiresome,” he says. “The challenge is to inhabit the spirit of these guys and their comedy so that the scenes live and breathe in the moment.” In a nod to the brothers’ musical virtuosity the actor playing Ravelli, the Chico role, will be doing some live tricks at the keyboard (one involving an orange). So is Animal Crackers serious theatre? Absolutely not. Is there a place in the theatre for laughter and silliness and comic anarchy? Absolutely. But let’s let Groucho have the final word. In a sardonic moment he once said: “If it weren’t for the brief respite we give the world with our foolishness, the world would see mass suicide in numbers that compare favorably with the death rate of lemmings.” Whoever would have thought “lemmings” could be the punchline of a joke? n

ANIMAL CRACKERS

n the meantime, a quartet of young lovers vie for each other’s affections, while Spaulding attempts to woo his wealthy widowed hostess. As it’s a musical, there are plenty of songs and choral numbers with clever lyrics such as “He’s ended our anxiety/and saved our high society/from shameless impropriety.” Into this genteel entertainment about the pastimes of the very rich, the four Marx Brothers zip around like bottle rockets, derailing the story and bursting the bubbles of societal pretension. The play itself serves as a backboard for these expert vaudevillians to fling themselves against. Animal Crackers delivers classic Groucho one-liners (“I intend to live forever, or die trying”), comedy routines, instrumental interludes and plenty of physical shtick.

“T

Douglas Langworthy is the Literary Manager of the Denver Center Theatre Company

April 4 – May 11 • Space Theatre Producing Partners: Margot & Allan Frank, Robert & Judi Newman Sponsored by HealthONE The performance on Wednesday, April 23, is dedicated to the memory of Jeri Zucherman ASL interpreted, Audio Described & Open Captioned • May 4, 1:30pm Perspective on the play: April 4, 6pm, Jones Theatre Attend this FREE moderated discussion with DCTC’s creative team. All are welcome.

Tickets: 303.893.4100 Toll-free: 800.641.1222 • TTY: 303.893.9582 Groups (10+): 303.446.4829 • denvercenter.org 303.893.4100

A P P L A US E

PREMIUM SUBSCRIPTIONS

PREMIUM SUBSCRIPTIONS Join Now – Support the Denver Center Theatre Company and enjoy the new 2014/15 Season as a VIP Member!

DIRECTORS SOCIETY Tailored for the subscriber who wants to get closer to the company: • Eight-play subscription on selected Wednesday evenings • Before the Show: members-only cocktail parties • After the Show: casual yet elegant dinners with the cast and crew • Behind-the-scenes programs led by Producing Artistic Director Kent Thompson • Personalized ticketing and exchange services

THE 2014/15 EVENTS The Unsinkable Molly Brown Sept 19 Lord of the Flies Oct 8 Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike Oct 22 A Christmas Carol Dec 10 Appoggiatura Jan 28 Benediction Feb11 One Night in Miami... April 1 Director’s Choice TBA April 15

$1,900 per person (A portion is tax deductible) Directors Society sponsored in part by:

PHOTOS BY SU

ZANNE YOE

MARQUEE CLUB Step up your nightlife! Tailored for the active professional:

THE 2014/15 EVENTS The Unsinkable Molly Brown Oct 2 Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike Nov 6 Appoggiatura Feb 5 Director’s Choice TBA April 16

• Four-play subscription on selected Thursday evenings • Before the show: members-only cocktail parties with open bar and hors d’oeuvres • After the show: meet the cast at Larimer Square hot spots • Personalized ticketing and exchange services $500 per person ($227 is tax deductible) Marquee Club sponsored in part by:

William

LaBAHN PHOTOS BY VICKI KERR

TO JOIN 12

APPLAUSE

d e n ver center. or g

visit www.denvercenter.org/members or contact David Zupancic at 303.446.4811 or davidz@dcpa.org

ONLY IN NEW MEXICO ONLY AT THE SANTA FE OPERA

SEASON

20 14

Mark Nohl photo

JUNE 27 - AUGUST 23

CARMEN Double Bill

Bizet

DON PASQUALE

THE IMPRESARIO American Premiere

Mozart

FIDELIO

Donizetti

LE ROSSIGNOL

DR. SUN YAT-SEN

Beethoven Stravinsky

Huang Ruo

TICKETS START AT $32! World-Class Opera in an Incredible Setting

Arrive early with a tailgate supper

SantaFeOpera.org

to enjoy the sunset and mountain views.

OPENING NIGHTS SPONSOR

877-262-4666 www.fourseasons.com/santafe

I 800-280-4654

Ask our partners about a special offer for Opera guests.

800-955-4455 www.eldoradohotel.com

800-727-5531 www.innatloretto.com

855-278-5276 www.laposadadesantafe.com

t rea s! g an ur t o o Lo u b bo k a n Jum s A so e rat

Take advantage of todayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s low Jumbo Mortgage rates. Guaranty Bank and Trust offers jumbo mortgage loans ($417,000 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; $1,500,000) to refinance or buy your dream home. We handle the complete application, underwriting, approval, funding and servicing all from our local branch network. A community bank serving Colorado for over 50 years, let us help you reach your financial goals. David Bolitho 303.293.5602 David.Bolitho@GuarantyBankCO.com NMLSR ID 492618 GuarantyBankCO.com | 303.293.5500

Subject to credit approval NMLSR ID 418476

The Aurora Fox

presents

Book and Lyrics by Eric Idle, Music by John Du Prez and Eric Idle

April 11 - 27, 2014 ...raises silliness to an art form glorious, irresistible silliness! - The Sunday Times

Tickets: $22- 28

303-739-1970

9900 East Colfax Ave.

www.AuroraFox.org

Saf fron Tower, 2006, 27 x 5 x 5’ Deser t Botanical Garden, Phoenix, 2008 Jersey Boys former cast members of

June 14 – novemBer 30, 2014 w w w. C h i h u l y I n D e n v e r. c o m

AS SEEN ON

WITH SPECIAL GUEST FROM THE CREATOR OF STRAIGHT NO CHASER AS SEEN ON

MAKING A CAPPELLA PITCH PERFECT! TICKETS START AT $29.50

MAY 8 PARAMOUNT THEATRE ALTITUDETICKETS.COM

AssoCIAte sPonsor

suPPortInG sPonsor

SEASON

Larry Paulsen, Sam Gregory

7 SHOWS FOR AS LOW AS $238! DENVERCENTER.ORG • 303.893.4100

Photos by Terry Shapiro

GROUPS (10+): 303.446.4829 • TTY: 303.893.9582

THE

UNSINKABLE

MOLLY BROWN Lyrics and Music by Meredith Willson Additional Lyrics and Book by Dick Scanlan Based on the Original Book by Richard Morris Directed and Choreographed by Kathleen Marshall Sept 12-Oct 26 • Stage Theatre WILLIAM GOLDING’S

LORD OF THE FLIES Adapted for the stage by Nigel Williams Sept 26-Nov 2 • Space Theatre

VANYA SONIA MASHA SPIKE

AND

By Christopher Durang Oct 10-Nov 16 • Ricketson Theatre

This exhilarating refresh of Meredith Willson’s 1960 musical tells the rags-to-riches romance of Colorado’s own heroine, Molly Brown. With a new book by Dick Scanlan (Thoroughly Modern Millie), new songs from the Willson songbook and staging by Tony-winning director/choreographer Kathleen Marshall (Anything Goes), the tempestuous can’t-live-with-him/can’t-live-without-him love story that survived the Silver Boom, Gold Rush and sinking of the Titanic returns to the stage in an all-new production.

A staple in classrooms for generations, Chicago Theatre Beat raves Lord of the Flies is a “powerful, passionate adaptation that breathes new life into the classic novel,” which tells the story of a group of English boys who become stranded on a deserted island. Intoxicated by sudden freedom, their games quickly descend to a savage struggle for power. A compelling glimpse into dystopia that explores the grimmest reaches of human nature and fragility of free will.

Absurdist master Christopher Durang blends melancholy with mayhem in what the The New York Times declares a “deliriously funny” black comedy. Winner of the 2013 Tony Award for Best Play, this Chekhovian mash-up erupts into chaos when Vanya and Sonia receive a surprise visit from their Hollywood star sister, Masha, and her boy-toy Spike. Residents and visitors of the normally quiet household are thrown into hilarious upheaval as they confront issues of sibling rivalry, regret, lust and love.

piro

(l-r) Leigh Nichols Miller, Drew Cortese, Caitlin Wise, Allison Pistorius

WORLD PREMIERE

APPOGGIATURA By James Still Jan 16-Feb 22 • Ricketson Theatre

Written by three-time Pulitzer nominee James Still, Appoggiatura follows three closely related Americans, each nursing a hunger and a hard-to-heal wound, as they travel to the romantic city of Venice seeking solace. As time bends and magic lies just around the corner, this favorite of the Colorado New Play Summit weaves a quirky and lyrical narrative exploring love, loss and the human soul.

WORLD PREMIERE

BENEDICTION By Eric Schmiedl Based on the novel by Kent Haruf Jan 30-Mar 1• Space Theatre

ONE NIGHT IN MIAMI... By Kemp Powers Mar 20-Apr 19 • Space Theatre

DIRECTOR’S CHOICE Mar 27-Apr 26 • Stage Theatre

Boasted a “masterful look at the end of life” by The Denver Post, this adaptation of best-selling Kent Haruf’s novel takes place on the high plains of Colorado. The final chapter of a trilogy, Benediction is a powerful drama about three souls searching for meaningful connections despite separation, loneliness and the race against time.

This slice-of-life dramedy that the LA Times calls “engaging and thought-provoking,” imagines what occurred the night of Cassius Clay’s historic win over heavyweight champ Sonny Liston. Declining a glamorous Miami Beach party, Clay chooses to celebrate in a hotel room with his closest friends: activist Malcom X, singer Sam Cooke and football player Jim Brown. Over the course of the night each man argues his vision for what it means to be black in 1964, culminating in an early morning announcement from Clay that will shock the world. Filled with “crackling good dialogue and timely themes,” as proclaimed by Variety, One Night in Miami... is a “decisive knockout.” Part of the thrill of live theatre is the element of the unexpected. We are reviewing a few dynamic choices for our final production of the 2014/15 season. Stay tuned!

ADDED ATTRACTION

A CHRISTMAS CAROL By Charles Dickens Adapted by Richard Hellesen Music by David de Berry Nov 28-Dec 28 • Stage Theatre

2014/15 SEASON SPONSORS

Essential to the holiday season in Denver, A Christmas Carol promises to “warm your heart and renew your holiday spirit” according to the Examiner. Based on Charles Dickens’ classic novel, this joyous and opulent musical adaptation traces money-hoarding skinflint Ebenezer Scrooge’s triumphant overnight journey to redemption. A Christmas Carol illuminates the meaning of the holiday season in a way that has resonated for generations.

Elite In Connection With Steamboat All Arts Festival, Emerald City Opera presents

Giuseppe Verdiâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s FALSTAFF (Sung in English)

August 15 & 17, 2014 Featuring:

David Malis, Megan Marino, Chad Armstrong, Keri Rusthoi and Max Hosner Directed by Glynis Leyshon | Orchestra conducted by Adam Flatt |*|*|*|*|*|*|*|*|*|*|*|*|*|*|*|*|*|*|*|*|*|**|*|*|*|

The Opera Artist Institute presents

Henry Purcellâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Dido and Aeneas

Falstaff Presenting Sponsor:

(Sung in English)

August 10 & 16, 2014

For lodging reservations call 800-525-2622

emeraldcityopera.com | Steamboat Springs, CO

# esca p e s PRESENTING

Toulouse-Lautrec and La Vie Moderne: Paris 1880-1910

Celebrating Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec and 94 avant-garde artists in the Parisian artistic and cultural scene, with over 180 objects that will delight you!

June 7 - August 17, 2014 Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec (1864-1901), Jane Avril, 1893, color lithograph, 48 ¾ x 36 inches, Musée d’Ixelles, Brussels.

2014 SUMMER SEASON June 20 – August 30

OKLAHOMA THE LIAR ONE MAN, TWO GUVNORS Famous Performing Arts Center

This exhibition is organized & circulated by Art Services International, Alexandria, Virginia.

131 W Main Street Trinidad Colorado (in the middle of the Creative District)

Downtown Golden, CO For more information: www.foothillsartcenter.org

www.scrtheatre.com

719.846.4765

Denver comes alive with

The Sound of Music Ellie Caulkins Opera House

August 2 - 10

June 28 - August 10

THE MARRIAGE OF FIGARO | DEAD MAN WALKING THE SOUND OF MUSIC in denver 303.292.6700 | CentralCityOpera.org

You won’t know until you go.

Elite

We We will will never never tell tell you you to to use use your your “inside “inside voice”! voice”!

The 27th Annual Schomp BMW Denver Polo Classic JUNE 27-29, 2014 The largest charitable polo event in the country Celebrating its 27th year, the Schomp BMW Denver Polo Classic is three days of exciting entertainment with all proceeds benefiting local children’s charities. The weekend events will take place at the exclusive Polo Reserve Development in Littleton. Set against the spectacular backdrop of the Rocky Mountains, under our signature white tent, patrons and guests of the Schomp BMW Denver Polo Classic will enjoy world-class polo matches, exquisite spirits, wines and beers, and gourmet food from some of the finest restaurants in Denver. Friday, June 27, Del Frisco’s - Sullivan’s Black Tie Ball Saturday, June 28, Family Day Sunday, June 29, Lockton Championship Day To purchase single day tickets or a weekend pass call 303-832-8390 or go to www.DenverPolo.com

An event of the Denver Active 20-30 Children’s Foundation benefiting at-risk and disadvantaged children

SPONSORED BY

On Animal Crackers the Denver Center Theatre Company’s Production Staff is responsible for costumes, wigs, lighting, props, furniture, scenic construction, scenic painting, sound and special effects. This adaptation of Animal Crackers received its world premiere at Goodman Theatre, Chicago, Illinois in September 2009. Robert Falls, Artistic Director; Roche Schulfer, Executive Director; Henry Wishcamper, Director Animal Crackers is presented by special arrangement with Samuel French, Inc. The video and/or audio recording of this performance by any means whatsoever are strictly prohibited.

THE STAGE THEATRE • APRIL 4 – MAY 11, 2014 2013/14 Season Partners

CAST Hives/Roscow W. Chandler/Major Domo . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . MICHAEL FITZPATRICK* Mrs. Rittenhouse/Queen of France . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . CELIA TACKABERRY* Arabella Rittenhouse/Mrs. Whitehead/Madame Dubarry . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . CHRISTINE ROWAN* Wally Winston/M. Doucet/Butler . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . JEREMY BENTON* Grace Carpenter/Mary Stewart/Girl A . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . STEPHANIE ROTHENBERG* John Parker/Horatio Jamison/Musketeer/Butler . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . M. SCOTT MCLEAN* Captain Jeffrey T. Spaulding/Butler/King of France . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . JIM FERRIS* Emanuel Ravelli/Butler/Musketeer/Guest A . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . JONATHAN BRODY* The Professor/Butler/Musketeer/Guest B . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . JONATHAN RANDELL SILVER*

UNDERSTUDIES Understudies never substitute for the listed players unless a specific announcement for the appearance is made at the time of the performance.

BRETT AMBLER (M. Doucet/Wally Winston/Butler/ John Parker/Horatio Jamison/Musketeer), JEFFREY ROARK* (Hives/Roscow W. Chandler/Major Domo/Emanuel Ravelli/Butler/Musketeer/Guest A), SHANNAN STEELE* (Mrs. Rittenhouse/Queen of France/Arabella Rittenhouse/Mrs. Whitehead/Madame Dubarry/Grace Carpenter/Mary Stewart/Girl A), JUSTIN WALVOORD* (Captain Jeffrey T. Spaulding/ Butler/King of France/The Professor/Butler/Musketeer/Guest B)

Tap Choreographer/Dance Captain . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . JEREMY BENTON* Stage Manager . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . CHRISTOPHER C. EWING* Assistant Stage Managers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . KURT VAN RADEN*, MATTHEW CAMPBELL* Production Interns . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . BECKY FRYBERGER, KRISTEN LITTLEPAGE Assistant Director . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . GEOFFREY KENT *Members of Actorsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Equity Association, the Union of Professional Actors and Stage Managers in the United States.

MUSICAL NUMBERS The Rittenhouse Manor, Long Island, New York. 1930...ish.

Act I Opening Act . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Hives, Butlers Hooray for Captain Spaulding . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Company Three Little Words . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Arabella, Wally Everyone Says I Love You . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Ravelli Why am I so Romantic? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Mary, John The Blues My Naughty Sweetie Gives to Me . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Grace, Mrs. Whitehead Finale Act I . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Company There will be one 15-minute intermission.

Act II Keep Your Undershirt On . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Hives Long Island Low Down . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Winston, Arabella, and Company Show Me a Rose . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Captain Spaulding, Mrs. Rittenhouse Watching the Clouds Roll By . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Mary, John Four of the Three Musketeers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Captain Spaulding, Ravelli, Jamison, Professor Finale . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Company

THE ORCHESTRA Associate Music Director/Conductor/Piano . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Erik Daniells Woodwinds . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Art Bouton Violin . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Phyllis Carlson Bass . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Brian Knott Drums . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Mike Marlier Trumpet/Flugelhorn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Terry Sawchuk Music Contractor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Jim Harvey Standby Conductor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . David Nehls

Orchestra musicians are represented by the Denver Musicians Association: AFM Local 20-623

EXECUTIVE STAFF

and Utah Shakespearean Festival. His popular production of 2 Pianos, 4 Hands has been seen at more than 20 theatres KENT THOMPSON (Producing Artistic nationally, including DCTC’s successful 2003 Director) is in his ninth season as Producing Artistic Director of the Denver Center Theatre production. Company. In Denver he directed productions of Hamlet, Just Like Us, Other Desert Cities, CHARLES VARIN (Managing Director) and Irving Berlin’s White Christmas, The Taming his team are responsible for administrative, financial and business operations related to of the Shrew, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, producing DCTC’s season of productions Plainsong, Eventide, Amadeus, The Liar and and other artistic and educational initiatives. Measure for Measure, among others. Two of Kent’s major accomplishments since Prior to DCTC Charles was General Manager for Geva Theatre Center in Rochester, NY moving to Denver have been the Colorado and also has worked at Glimmerglass Opera, New Play Summit, a premier national Asolo Repertory Theatre and Florida Studio festival for new American plays, and the Theatre. Charles serves on the board of the establishment of the Women’s Voices Fund, an endowment that supports the development Mile High Freedom Band and plays tuba with the organization. of new plays by women. Prior to moving to Denver he was Producing Artistic Director of the Alabama Shakespeare Festival for 16 years. In 1991 Kent created the Southern Writers’ Project (SWP), designed to commission and develop new plays that presented 16 world premieres during his tenure. He served for eight years on the Board of Directors for Theatre Communications Group (TCG) and as its president for three years. He has served on peer review panels for the NEA (also chair), TCG, The Pew Charitable Trusts, The Fulbright Scholars Program, The Wallace Funds, The Doris Duke Foundation and The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, among others. BRUCE K. SEVY (Associate Artistic Director and Director of New Play Development) has directed such memorable Denver Center productions as When We Are Married, Heartbreak House, Mariela in the Desert, The Voysey Inheritance, A Prayer for Owen Meany, Doubt, All My Sons, Master Class, Mrs. Warren’s Profession, A Christmas Carol, Cat On a Hot Tin Roof, The Little Foxes, Molly Sweeney, Amy’s View, Valley Song, Pierre, Dinner With Friends, and The Cripple of Inishmaan.

JEFF GIFFORD (Director of Production) oversees everything you see on stage except the actors and is thrilled to be joining the Denver Center Theatre Company, leading such a fine group of artisans. Prior to DCTC, Jeff was the Production Manager at the Dallas Theater Center and South Coast Repertory in Costa Mesa, CA. Guiding world premieres to their first opening night is especially gratifying and Jeff has worked on more than 35 of them. Among his favorites are Dinner with Friends, The Violet Hour, The Beard of Avon, Mr. Marmalade, and the new musical FLY. Jeff holds an MFA from California Institute of the Arts.

ARTISTIC STAFF

As Director of New Play Development, he oversees both the artistic and practical components of DCTC’s successful Colorado New Play Summit, including commissions from outstanding American playwrights.

GREGG COFFIN (Musical Director). At the Denver Center: Composer: Hamlet, Heartbreak House, The Taming of the Shrew, The Liar, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Mariela in  the Desert, Othello, A Prayer for Owen Meany, The Merry Wives of Windsor, Pride and Prejudice, King Lear, Measure for Measure. Musical Director/Orchestrator: Irving Berlin’s White Christmas, A Funny Thing...Forum, A Christmas Carol. Other Theatres: Stratford Festival of Canada, CanStage, Tarragon Theatre, National Arts Centre (Canada), Arena Stage, Alley Theatre, Geva Theatre Center, Indiana Rep, PCPA TheatreFest, Shakespeare Santa Cruz and the Oregon, Utah, California, Alabama, Great River and Georgia Shakespeare Festivals.

He has directed for Arizona Theatre Company, Cleveland Play House, Lark Play Development Center, Kansas City Repertory Theatre, Virginia Stage Company, Alabama Shakespeare Festival, Northlight Theatre, San Jose Repertory Theatre, Eugene O’Neill Theater Center, Pioneer Theatre Company, A Contemporary Theatre, Seattle Repertory Theatre, Empty Space and Intiman Theatre in Seattle, the Kimo Theatre in Albuquerque,

ERIK DANIELLS (Associate Music Director/Conductor/Piano). At the Denver Center: Associate conductor and pianist for Irving Berlin’s White Christmas. Other Theatres: Sacramento Music Circus (three seasons including The Music Man with Shirley Jones), The Oregon Cabaret (The Big Bang), PCPA Theatrefest, Sacramento Theatre Company (A Little Princess, world premiere),

New Helvetia Theatre Company (Ordinary Days), The Human Race Theatre (Right Next to Me). Training: Music Direction internship at PCPA Theatrefest. ALLISON HORSLEY (Dramaturg). At the Denver Center: Colorado New Play Summit, Death of a Salesman, The Giver, Eventide, Plainsong, 1001. Broadway/West End: Jersey Boys, Dracula, Chaplin (development). Other Theatres: O’Neill National Music Theater Conference, Oregon Shakespeare Festival, Kitchen Dog Theater, La Jolla Playhouse, Dallas Theater Center, Centerstage, Yale Repertory Theatre. Special/Training: Literal Translator of Five Chekhov Plays adapted by Libby Appel, translator/adapter of Leonid Andreev’s plays, collaborator on Date* with Luciann Lajoie. MFA, Dramaturgy, Yale School of Drama; BA, Russian and Theatre, University of Denver. Associate Professor, University of Denver. GEOFFREY KENT (Director of Physical Comedy/Assistant Director). At the Denver Center: Hamlet, Romeo & Juliet, Othello, Eventide, King Lear, Richard III and others. Other Theatres: Noises Off, Three Musketeers, Macbeth, Treasure Island and others (Colorado Shakespeare Festival); Lieutenant of Inishmore (Curious Theatre Company); Les Misérables, Twelfth Night (Arvada Center); Titus Andronicus, Cymbeline, Romeo & Juliet (Orlando Shakespeare Theatre); Carmen (Opera Colorado); Romeo & Juliet (Aspen/Sante Fe Ballet). Special/Awards: Former President, Society of American Fight Directors, 2011 Henry Award for Achievement in Fight Direction. KATHRYN G. MAES Ph.D (Voice and Dialect Coach). At the Denver Center: Shadowlands, Hamlet, black odyssey, A Christmas Carol, Jackie & Me, The Most Deserving, Just Like Us, Death of a Salesman, When We Are Married, Fences, The Three Musketeers, Heartbreak House, Great Wall Story. Other Theatres: Royal Shakespeare Company, Royal National Theatre (Arthur Miller’s American Clock). Special/Training: Voice and Dialect Coach for numerous professional theatre companies in the United States, Head of Voice at the Denver Center Theatre Company and the National Theatre Conservatory 1989 to 1992. Ph.D. in Theatre Arts, University of Pittsburgh; Advanced Diploma in Voice Studies, Central School of Speech and Drama, London, England. CHRISTINE ROWAN (Choreographer). At the Denver Center: Ensemble in Quilters; Fezziwig’s Daughter, Wife’s Sister, Street Singer in A Christmas Carol; Tessie in Irving Berlin’s White Christmas; Essie in You

Can’t Take It With You; Philia in A Funny Thing Happened… Forum. Other Theatres: Reluctant Pilgrim - the Lesser Known Songs of Stephen Schwartz (New York Musical Theater Festival), FLOPZ (Joe’s Pub), Embrace! (Westside Theatre), Interborough Repertory Theatre, The Duplex, Don’t Tell Mama, Sacramento Music Circus, Alabama Shakespeare Festival, Barter Theatre, Sierra Rep, Seaside Music Theatre, Theatre by the Sea, Ryman Auditorium, toured nationally. Training: New York University graduate, resides in New York City. BRUCE K. SEVY (Director). See bio under Executive Staff. ELISSA MYERS CASTING, Paul Fouquet, CSA. For PBS “Poisoner’s Handbook,” “Becoming Helen Keller,” and the mini-series “Mystery of Matter.” Other PBS projects include “The Abolitionists,” “Dolly Madison,” “Alexander Hamilton,” “John and Abigail Adams,” “Benjamin Franklin” (Emmy Award), “Liberty” (Peabody Award), “God in America,” “People vs. Leo Frank,” “Louisa May Alcott,” as well as PBS “Great Performances” (Artios Award for Outstanding Achievement in Casting). Additionally three “Movies of the Week,” as well as five pilots. Feature films include Hank and Asha (Audience Award at Slamdance 2013) and The Union. Theatre includes seven Broadway shows, including Tony nominated Having Our Say, as well as 26 Off-Broadway shows. Regional theatre casting in the past two years includes Denver Center, Geva Theatre, Cleveland Play House, Alabama Shakespeare Festival, Magic Theatre, Arena Stage, Alley Theatre, George Street Playhouse, and Arizona Theatre Company. The office has so far received 16 nominations and has won three Artios Awards for Outstanding Achievement in Casting.

DESIGNERS CRAIG BREITENBACH (Sound Designer). At the Denver Center: Hamlet; Just Like Us; Sense & Sensibility The Musical; Irving Berlin’s White Christmas; Ring of Fire: The Music of Johnny Cash; A Christmas Carol; To Kill a Mockingbird; A Midsummer Night’s Dream; Mama Hated Diesels; Eventide; A Raisin in the Sun; Quilters; A Prayer for Owen Meany; Noises Off; Third; A Funny Thing…Forum; King Lear; Amadeus; Crowns; The Clean House; Measure for Measure; A Flea in Her Ear; Fire on the Mountain; The Misanthrope; The Three Sisters; Love’s Labor’s Lost; The Skin of Our Teeth; Betrayal; Spinning Into Butter; Dinner With Friends; Gross Indecency: The Three Trials of Oscar Wilde; The Laramie

Project; The Little Foxes. Awards: 2008 Henry Award (Plainsong). KEVIN COPENHAVER (Costume Designer). At the Denver Center: (23 seasons) Just Like Us, Ring of Fire: The Music of Johnny Cash, World Premiere The Whale, Dracula, Mama Hated Diesels, A Christmas Carol, Noises Off, A Funny Thing…Forum, Living Out, Crowns, Fire on the Mountain, Boston Marriage, Oedipus Rex, Dirty Story, Blithe Spirit, Lobby Hero, Blue/Orange, Almost Heaven, Scapin, The Miser, Jesus Hates Me, Bernice/Butterfly, Pierre, Inna Beginning, Elevation of Thieves, Servant of Two Masters, Tantalus. Other Theatres: Smokey Joe’s Café; Love, Janis; Hedwig and the Angry Inch; Dream a Little Dream; Titus Andronicus; regional premiere Peter and the Starcatcher (USF). Training: BA in Theatre Design, University of Cincinnati CollegeConservatory of Music, Centro Maschere e Strutture Gestuali, Padua, Italy. JAYMI LEE SMITH (Lighting Designer). At the Denver Center: Debut. OffBroadway: Moon for the Misbegotten (The Pearl Theater). National tour: Once Upon a Midnight. Other Theatres: Oregon Shakespeare Festival, Dallas Theater Center, Utah Shakespeare Festival, The Goodman, Steppenwolf, The Alliance Theater, San Jose Repertory, Milwaukee Repertory, South Coast Repertory, Hartford Stage, The Court Theater and the Clarence Brown Theater, among others. Special/Awards: Head of Design and an Associate Professor of Lighting Design at the University of California, Irvine. 2003 Michael Merritt Emerging Designer Award and a 2010 Joseph Jefferson Award. VICKI SMITH (Set Designer). At the Denver Center: When We Are Married, Fences, Heartbreak House, The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, Mariela in the Desert, 47 others. Other Theatres: Geva Theatre Center, Arizona Theatre Company, Children’s Theatre Company, Oregon Shakespeare Festival, Cincinnati Playhouse, Indiana Repertory Theatre, Cleveland Play House, Kansas City Repertory Theatre, Seattle Repertory Theatre, Actors Theatre Louisville, Repertory Theatre St. Louis, Milwaukee Repertory Theatre, and others. Awards: Bay Area Critics Awards: Kite Runner, Execution of Justice; Dramalogue Award: Cyrano; Colorado Theatre Guild Henry Award: Mariela in the Desert, Plainsong, Doubt; Denver Post Ovation Awards: Mariela in the Desert, Pierre, I’m Not Rapaport; Prague Quadrennial Design Exposition 2007: Pierre.

PLAYWRIGHTS GEORGE S. KAUFMAN & MORRIE RYSKIND (Playwrights) George S.Kaufman (1889-1961) was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. He is known as one of the most successful writers and directors in the first half of the 20th Century. Between 1921 and 1958, at least one Kaufman project appeared every season on Broadway. Plays with Moss Hart include Once in a Lifetime (1930), Merrily We Roll Along (1934), You Can’t Take It With You (1936), and The Man Who Came to Dinner (1939). Kaufman also was a respected director. Besides some of his own plays, his best-known credits included the original productions of The Front Page (1928), My Sister Eileen (1940), and Guys and Dolls (1950). Morrie Ryskind (18951985) was a leading playwright, screenwriter, lyricist, and director. Kaufman and Ryskind co-wrote the librettos for the stage version of Animal Crackers (1928) then wrote the screenplays for four Marx Brothers films: The Cocoanuts (1929), Animal Crackers (1930), A Night at the Opera (1935), and Room Service (1938). They also co-authored the librettos for the Gershwin musicals Of Thee I Sing (1932 Pulitzer Prize) and Let ‘Em Eat Cake (1934). Ryskind received Academy Award nominations for his screenplays for My Man Godfrey (1936) and Stage Door (1939). Ryskind’s Broadway credits also included the librettos for Strike Up the Band (1930, music by George Gershwin, lyrics by Ira Gershwin), and Louisiana Purchase (1941, music and lyrics by Irving Berlin). During the 1940s and ’50s, Mr. Ryskind became a political columnist for the Los Angeles Herald Examiner. BERT KALMAR & HARRY RUBY (Music & Lyrics). Bert Kalmar and Harry Ruby’s collaboration spanned from the 1920s to 1940s, and took them from Tin Pan Alley to Broadway and eventually to Hollywood. Born in New York in 1884, Kalmar performed as a magician in tent shows and in vaudeville before founding a music publishing company. Born in New York in 1895, Ruby made a living as a pianist on the vaudeville circuit until Kalmar hired him to plug songs. The two began a collaboration that would create some of the best-known tunes of their era, including “Who’s Sorry Now?,” “I Wanna Be Loved By You,” and “A Kiss to Build a Dream On” (co-written with Oscar Hammerstein II). They wrote music and lyrics for Broadway shows including The Ziegfeld Follies, The Ramblers, The Five O’ Clock Girl, Animal Crackers, and High Kickers. The team moved to Hollywood in 1930 and contributed songs to films including Check and Double Check, The Cuckoos, The Kid from Spain, and the

Marx Brothers’ films Horsefeathers, Duck Soup, A Night at the Opera, and A Night in Casablanca. In 1950, three years after Kalmar’s death, the duo’s success story was made into a film starring Fred Astaire as Kalmar and Red Skelton as Ruby. Although Ruby continued to write after Kalmar’s death, he did not produce another hit. He died in 1974. HENRY WISHCAMPER (Adaptor). As playwright/adaptor: Animal Crackers (Goodman Theatre, Williamstown Theater Festival, Baltimore Center Stage, Lyric Stage Company of Boston); The Polish Play (Katharsis Theater Company); Pippi Longstocking (Theater at Monmouth). As Director: Off-Broadway: Spirit Control (MTC), Graceland (LCT3), Port Authority (Atlantic Theater Company), Elvis People (New World Stages), The Polish Play (Katharsis Theater Company), Pullman Car Hiawatha (Keen Company). Regional: Ask Aunt Susan, A Christmas Carol, Other Desert Cities and Talking Pictures (Goodman Theatre); Animal Crackers (Goodman Theatre and Williamstown Theatre Festival); Dance of Death (Writers Theatre); The Birds (The Guthrie); Engaging Shaw and The Mystery of Irma Vep (The Old Globe); Art (Barrington Stage Company); The Seafarer and Speech & Debate (Hartford TheaterWorks). Assistant director of the Broadway productions of August: Osage County and Shining City. Henry is a Resident Artistic Associate at Goodman Theatre and the Artistic Director of Katharsis Theater Company. He is a Drama League Directing Fellow and a graduate of Yale University. DOUG PECK (Orchestrator). Regional: Jungle Book, Candide, Dreamgirls, Shenandoah, Fiddler on the Roof, Cabaret, Sweet Charity, Hair, Grey Gardens, My Fair Lady, Beauty and the Beast. Recordings: Bright Young People, Foiled Again Live, Loving, Repeating. Other: Goodman, Chicago Shakespeare, Writers, TimeLine, Northlight, Drury Lane Oakbrook, Porchlight, Ravinia, Huntington, Long Wharf, Asolo, Peninsula Players. Film: A Night at the Oscars. Awards/Training: Five Joseph Jefferson Awards, Two After Dark Awards for music direction. Northwestern University graduate, Interlochen Center for the Arts.

STAGE MANAGEMENT CHRISTOPHER C. EWING* (Stage Manager). At the Denver Center (28 seasons) Death of a Salesman, Sense & Sensibility The Musical, When We Are Married, Fences, Ring of Fire: The Music of Johnny Cash,

A Christmas Carol, To Kill a Mockingbird, Dracula, Mama Hated Diesels, Eventide, A Raisin in the Sun, Quilters, A Prayer for Owen Meany, Noises Off, Plainsong, Mrs. Warren’s Profession, A Funny Thing… Forum, The Clean House, Gem of the Ocean, A Flea in Her Ear, Crowns, Fire on the Mountain, John Brown’s Body, The Skin of Our Teeth, Almost Heaven and 2 Pianos, 4 Hands. Other Theatres: Colorado Ballet, Denver Center Attractions, Bonfils Theatre. Training: BFA in Theatre Design/Technology from Loretto Heights College. KURT VAN RADEN* (Assistant Stage Manager). At the Denver Center: (30+ productions) Hamlet, Just Like Us, Romeo & Juliet, Irving Berlin’s White Christmas, The Three Musketeers, Ring of Fire: The Music of Johnny Cash, The Taming of the Shrew, A Christmas Carol, The Liar, Superior Donuts, The House of the Spirits, Othello, Eventide, A Raisin in the Sun, A Prayer for Owen Meany, Richard III, Noises Off, The Merry Wives of Windsor, Our House, Pride and Prejudice, Third, Mrs. Warren’s Profession, 1001, Season’s Greetings, Living Out, After Ashley. Other Theatres: 40 productions with The O’Neill Theatre Center (National Playwrights Conference, Cabaret and Performance Conference), The Great River Shakespeare Festival. MATTHEW CAMPBELL* (Assistant Stage Manager). At the Denver Center: Hamlet, Just Like Us, Other Desert Cities, Romeo & Juliet, When We Are Married, The Three Musketeers, Heartbreak House, The Taming of the Shrew, A Christmas Carol, To Kill a Mockingbird, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Dracula. Other Theatres: Colorado Shakespeare Festival, Arvada Center, Cleveland Play House, Hope Summer Repertory Theatre in Holland, Michigan, Colorado Festival of World Theatre, Country Dinner Playhouse, Candlelight Dinner Playhouse, Omaha Symphony. Served as Assistant Professor of Technical Theater at Brooklyn College. Training: MFA, University of Iowa; BA, University of Northern Colorado.

ACTING COMPANY

Opera House), Don Lockwood in Singin’ In The Rain (Gateway Theatre), Phil Davis in White Christmas (Westchester Broadway), Mame (Kennedy Center), Jimmy Shreve in Storyville (Off-Broadway), Kenneth Gibson in Call Me Madam (Lyric Theatre), Stormy Weather (Pasadena Playhouse), Fred Astaire in Backwards In High Heels, Bob Hope in CAGNEY!. Film: The Producers. www.jeremybenton.net JONATHAN BRODY* (Emanuel Ravelli/Butler/ Musketeer/Guest A). At the Denver Center: Debut. Other Theatres: Broadway: Spamalot, Titanic, Sally Marr...and her escorts, Me and My Girl. Tours: Mary Poppins, Funny Girl, My Fair Lady. Off-Broadway: Pirates of Penzance, Gimpl the Fool, Theda Bara & the Frontier Rabbi, Eating Raoul. Regional: Jacob Marley’s Christmas Carol, Diary of Anne Frank, Lost in Yonkers, Animal Crackers, Hamlet. TV: “Boardwalk Empire,” “Guiding Light,” “Sondheim Celebration at Carnegie Hall,” “An Evening With Alan Jay Lerner,” “Porgy & Bess: An American Voice.” JIM FERRIS* (Captain Jeffrey T. Spaulding/ Butler/King of France). At the Denver Center: Debut. Other Theatres: Broadway/Tour: The Lion King; Around the World in 80 Days; Hello, Dolly! Off B’Way: Prelude to the First Day (Emerging Artists), Grand Hotel (Gallery Players). Regional: Privates on Parade (Studio Theatre), Into the Woods (Signature Theatre), Twelfth Night (Interplayers Theatre), Over the River…(Totem Pole Playhouse), Chicago (Theatre by the Sea), Westport Country Playhouse, Round House Theatre, Stages St. Louis, Allenberry Playhouse, Boston Post Road Stage Company, Theatre J. TV/Film: Upcoming: “The Leftovers” (HBO), Dave, The Pelican Brief and Born Yesterday. He is married to actress/comedienne Erin Maguire. For my original Nightingales.

JEREMY BENTON* (Tap Choreographer/ MICHAEL Dance Captain/Wally FITZPATRICK* Winston/M. Doucet/ (Hives/Roscow W. Butler). At the Denver Chandler/Major Domo). Center: Debut. Other At the Denver Center: A Theatres: Billy Lawlor in Christmas Carol. Other 42nd Street (Broadway, Theatres: 42nd Street Riverside Theatre), Billy Crocker in (First National Tour); Anything Goes (Roundabout Theatre, Taipei Beauty and the Beast (Atlanta TOTS);

Gross Indecency (Off-Broadway and Theatre in the Square in S.F.); Richard III, Romeo & Juliet, Twelfth Night, Henry IV, King Lear and Othello (Great River Shakespeare); A Christmas Carol (Geva); Two Gentlemen of Verona, The Tempest, Forever Plaid, The Compleat Wks of Wm Shkspr (Utah Shakespeare Festival); Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead (Willamette Rep); Tommy, The Lion in Winter, Henry II (PCPA). TV/ Film: “Nash Bridges,” “Six Degrees,” Remission, Violin Case, Pearl, and Scary Larry (in production). Training: American Conservatory Theatre Masters Program. M. SCOTT MCLEAN* (John Parker/Horatio Jamison/Musketeer/ Butler). At the Denver Center: Death of a Salesman (Happy); Grace, or The Art of Climbing (Mitch); Dracula (Arthur); When Tang Met Laika (Young Capitalist); A Christmas Carol (Fred, Young Scrooge); A Prayer For Owen Meany (Ensemble). Other Theatres: The Unexpected Guest (Julian), Arts Center of Coastal Carolina, Sense and Sensibility (Willoughby) at TheatreWorks; The Rover (Willmore) at New York Classical Theatre; Legally Blonde (Emmett) at Merry Go-Round Theatre Company. He is a graduate of the American Academy of Dramatic Arts and the National Theatre Conservatory. STEPHANIE ROTHENBERG* (Grace Carpenter/Mary Stewart/Girl A). At the Denver Center: Sense & Sensibility The Musical (Elinor Dashwood). Other Theatres: Broadway: How To Succeed in Business Without Really Trying (Rosemary). World Premieres: Roman Holiday at the Guthrie Theater (Princess Anne); Frog Kiss, The Musical at Virginia Stage Company (Princess Clementine); Castle Walk at NYMF (Young Irene Castle). Training: New York University, Tisch School of the Arts, CAP21. CHRISTINE ROWAN* (Arabella Rittenhouse/ Mrs. Whitehead/Madame Dubarry). See bio under Artistic Staff.

JONATHAN RANDELL SILVER* (The Professor/Butler/ Musketeer/Guest B). At the Denver Center: Debut. Other Theatres: Regional: The Fantasticks! (Long Wharf); Shear Madness! (Charles Playhouse); Charlotte’s Web (TheatreWorks); Under Milk Wood, Threepenny Opera (Williamstown); Peter Pan & Wendy (A.R.T.). Off-Broadway: Please Continue, Christmas in Queens, Suicide Math, The Most Ridiculous Thing (NYMF Award). Film/TV: Rover, Mary & Louise; Keeping the Faith; Jack; Dear John, “Bored To Death,” “Royal Pains.” Training: BA, Drew University. www.jonathanrandellsilver.com CELIA TACKABERRY* (Mrs. Rittenhouse/Queen of France). At the Denver Center: Debut. Other Theatres: Broadway: Sweet Charity, dir. Bob Fosse; A Day in Hollywood and a Night in the Ukraine, dir. Tommy Tune. Off-Broadway: Transport Group’s The Audience and Jewish Rep’s The Cocoanuts. National Tours: My Fair Lady, The Music Man, Sweet Charity. Regional Theatre: The Women and Animal Crackers at Arena Stage; Hollywood/Ukraine and Anything Goes at St. Louis Rep; Crazy For You and Singing In The Rain at Ogunquit Playhouse; Animal Crackers and Exactly Like You at Goodspeed.

UNDERSTUDIES BRETT AMBLER (Understudy). At the Denver Center: Debut. Other Theatres: Princeton/ Rod in Avenue Q; Malcom in The Full Monty; Historian/Prince in Herbert Spamalot (Boulder’s Dinner Theatre); Bobby Strong in Urinetown (Swift Creek Mill Theatre); Snoopy in You’re A Good Man, Charlie Brown; The Cat In The Hat in Seussical The Musical; Miles in The Drawer Boy (Virginia Repertory Theater). JEFFREY ROARK* (Understudy). At the Denver Center: Hamlet, A Christmas Carol, To Kill A Mockingbird, Heartbreak House, The Trip to Bountiful, King Lear, White Christmas, Gross

Indecency, A Winter’s Tale, The Tempest, Merry Wives of Windsor, Dracula. Other Theatres: The Crucible, Evita, Big River, Jekyll & Hyde, Cabaret, Legally Blonde and Curtains (Arvada Center); An Ideal Husband (Papermill Playhouse); My Fair Lady, HMS Pinafore (Berkshire Theatre Festival); Sorrows of Stephen (Blue Heron Theater-OffBroadway); Drood, Life is a Dream (Creede Repertory); The Doyle and Debbie Show, My Way (Denver Center Attractions). Training: BFA, Miami University, MFA, National Theatre Conservatory. SHANNAN STEELE* (Understudy). At the Denver Center: Denver Center Attractions: I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change (CTG Henry Award nom); The Last Five Years; My Way. Other Theatres: The Arvada Center: 20 productions including The 1940s Radio Hour (Ginger Brooks: Ovation Award, CTG Henry Award nom), Les Misérables, Pippin, and Violet. Theaterworks: Church. Most recently at Cherry Creek Theatre: Baby the Musical (Pam: True West Award nom). TV/Film: Ink. JUSTIN WALVOORD* (Understudy). At the Denver Center: Jackie & Me, The Adventures of Tom Sawyer (US), Measure for Measure, The Madwoman, A Flea In Her Ear, A Christmas Carol. Other Theatres: Metamorphoses (Aurora Fox), The 39 Steps (Theatreworks), Second (NY), True West (Vermont Stage Company), Complete History of America (Oregon Cabaret Theatre), Pinocchio (Smithsonian Institute), Expedition 6 (Magic Theatre). TV/Film: Looking for Sunday, “Law and Order: Criminal Intent.” Training: MFA, National Theatre Conservatory.

DENVER CENTER THEATRE COMPANY STAFF

PLEASE BE ADVISED

EXECUTIVE Kent Thompson, Producing Artistic Director Bruce K. Sevy, Associate Artistic Director Charles Varin, Managing Director Jeff Gifford, Director of Production

ARTISTIC New Play Development: Bruce K. Sevy, Director of New Play Development Douglas Langworthy, Literary Manager/Dramaturg Chad Henry, Literary Associate Emily Tarquin, Artistic Associate/ New Play Coordinator Sylvie Drake, Advisor PRODUCTION Jeff Gifford, Director of Production Rick Noble, Assistant Production Manager Robert L. Orzolek, Interim Technical Director Christopher C. Ewing, Production Stage Manager Julie Brou, Production and Artistic Office Manager Scenic Design Lisa M. Orzolek, Director of Scenic Design Scenic Design Assistants: Lindsey Mayer, Nicholas Renaud Lighting Design Charles R. MacLeod, Director of Lighting Lighting Design Assistant: Lily Bradford Multimedia: Charlie I. Miller, Resident Multimedia Specialist Topher Blair, Multimedia Assistant/Operator Sound Design John E. Pryor, Director of Sound Sound Designers: Craig Breitenbach, Jason Ducat, Tyler Nelson Stage Management Christopher C. Ewing, Production Stage Manager Stage Managers: Matthew Campbell, Rachel Ducat, A. Phoebe Sacks, Kurt Van Raden Production Assistants: D. Lynn Reiland Stage Management Interns: Becky Fryberger, Pearl Kerber, Kristen Littlepage Scene Shop Josh Prues, Assistant Technical Director Lead Technicians: Albert “Stub” Allison, Louis Fernandez III Scenic Technicians: Mike Hamer, Justin Hicks, Brian “Marco” Markiewicz, Keli Sequoia, Ross Wick

Prop Shop Robin Lu Payne, Properties Director Eileen Garcia, Assistant Properties Director Roo Huigen, Lead Props Artisan Props Artisans: Jamie Stewart Curl, Charles Dallas, David Hoth, Katie Webster Paint Shop Jana L. Mitchell, Charge Scenic Artist Melanie Rentschler, Lead Scenic Artist Brian Proud, Scenic Artist Paint Intern: Darcey James Costume Shop Janet S. MacLeod, Costume Director Costume Design Associates: Meghan Anderson Doyle Drapers: Stephanie Cooper, Carolyn Plemitscher, Louise Powers, Jackie Scott First Hands: Cathie Gagnon Tailor: Sheila P. Morris Stitchers: Belinda Haaland, Kelly Jones, Teresia Larsen, Jenny Milne, Zoe Pielsticker, Britta Powers Costume Crafts Kevin Copenhaver, Costume Crafts Director Costume Crafts Artisans: Judy Craigo-Robb. Karen King Wigs Diana Ben-Kiki, Wig Master House Crew Doug Taylor*, Supervising Stagehand Stagehands: Mariah Becerra*, Jennifer Guethlein*, Andrew Hamer, Stephen D. Mazzeno*, Miles Stasica*, Matt Wagner*, Jim Berman* (*IATSE Local 7 Stagehands) Wardrobe Brenda Lawson, Director Wig Assistants: Jocelen Barnett, Maria Y. Davis Dressers: Robin Appleton, Amber Donner, Amoreena Kissel, Tim Nelson, Alan Richards, Brooke Vlasich

ADMINISTRATION Charles Varin, Managing Director Ryan Meisheid, Associate Managing Director Alyssa Stock, Company Manager Allison Taylor, Assistant Company Manager Cassie Brown, Business Administrator

MARKETING Brianna Firestone, Director of Marketing Alexandra Griesmer, PR & Promotions Manager Jane McDonald, Marketing Coordinator

LATECOMERS are seated at designated breaks. PHOTOS & VIDEO RECORDING are prohibited. TURN OFF cell phones and alarm watches. CHILDREN UNDER 4 are not admitted. COUGH DROPS are available at Patrons Services.

The Directors and Choreographers are members of the Stage Directors and Choreographers Society, an independent national labor union. The actors and stage managers employed in these productions are members of Actors’ Equity Association, the union of professional actors and stage managers in the United States. Backstage and Ticket Services Employees are represented by the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees, Moving Picture Technicians, Artists and Allied Crafts of the United States and Canada. (or I.A.T.S.E.) Scenic, Costume, Lighting and Sound designers in LORT theatres are represented by United Scenic Artists Local USA-829, IATSE

Member of the Colorado Theatre Guild

The Denver Center Theatre Company is grateful for the funds provided by the Scientific and Cultural Facilities District. Special thanks also to grants from Arts & Venues Denver; the Helen G. Bonfils Foundation; and contributions from corporations, foundations and individuals. The Denver Center Theatre Company is a division of The Denver Center for the Performing Arts, a not-for-profit organization serving the public through the performing arts. The DCTC operates under an agreement between the League of Resident Theatres (LORT) and Actors’ Equity Association, the Union of Professional Actors and Stage Managers in the United States; and the Stage Directors and Choreographers Society. The DCTC also operates under an agreement with Denver Theatrical Stage Employees Union, Local No. 7 of the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees, Moving Picture Technicians, Artists and Allied Crafts of the United States and Canada. The Denver Center Theatre Company is a constituent of Theatre Communications Group (TCG), the national organization for the American theatre.

ART PARTNERS

WELLS FARGO ADVISORS Proudly working together for a better Colorado

side from the contribution Wells Fargo Advisors, LLC, makes to The Denver Center for the Performing Arts, team members in the Rocky Mountain Market of Wells Fargo Advisors strive to make a difference in their local communities…whether it’s through contributions of time, talent or resources. Wells Fargo invested $78.9 million in 28,000 not-forprofit organizations in 2012. Team members also personally contributed more than $60 million and logged more than 232,000 volunteer hours. More recently, Wells Fargo contributed $100,000 to the American Red Cross, $30,000 to the Salvation Army and $20,000 to Foothills Relief Fund to support flood disaster relief and recovery efforts in Colorado. Wells Fargo Advisors, LLC is proud to make a difference in the lives of those in need. n

Wells Fargo Advisors Rocky Mountain Market team members jumped into action collecting donations to aid wildfire victims.

The Colorado Springs branch raised more than $10,000 for the American Cancer Society with a Relay for Life team led by Stephen Drexler, Managing Director – Investments. Wells Fargo Advisors’ Managing Director - Market Manager Marc Beshany and his team presented a check for $18,000 to Jeff Reilly, Chief Development Officer of the American Red Cross Mile High Chapter.

A proud sponsor of the 2013/14 Denver Center Theatre Company Season Wells Fargo Advisors, LLC, Member SIPC, is a registered broker-dealer and a separate non-bank affiliate of Wells Fargo & Company. 0214-00836

APPLAUSE

d e n ver center. or g

MEN’S RIGHTS

WellGevity & Aesthetics

Do you feel and look your best? Clear Sky Medical has the answers to your questions when it comes to natural health and beauty. Mention th and take is ad $ Dermape 200 off n or Lase Package. r

Personalized Programs: Anti –Aging / Hormone, Thyroid & Adrenal Health / Aesthetic Dermatology / Nutrition / Neurotransmitter Testing and Balancing Dr. Katia Meier, M.D. is Board Certified in Anti-Aging Medicine and is a trained in Naturopathic Medicine, Bio-Identical Hormone Therapy and Aesthetic Dermatology. Our Programs can: • Take years off your appearance with minimal downtime & risk • Make you lose the weight you need to be healthy • Help your have the energy you want, to do all the fun things in life • Get your mood and sleep at its best • Reverse and prevent illness to optimize health and beauty at any age Panarama Falls • 9083 E. Mineral Circle, #260 Centennial, CO 80112

303-790-7860

“Protecting Men’s Rights for Over 25 Years” • FAMILY LAW • DIVORCE • CUSTODY/VISITATION • PATERNITY • JUVENILE MATTERS • SUPPORT/ALIMONY • PROPERTY DIVISION • DOMESTIC VIOLENCE • CRIMINAL DEFENSE • PRENUPTIAL AGREEMENTS • CIVIL UNION DISSOLUTIONS

BlochChapleau.com

(303) 331-1700

1725 Gaylord St. Denver Denver | Park Meadows | Vail Offices

Introducing the NEW Body Contouring Treatment An affiliation of South Denver Neurosurgery

1 Treatment 1 Hour 1 Size Smaller

Fat reduction that fits

Specializing in the surgical treatment of: • Parkinson’s • Essential Tremor • Dystonia • OCD

Deep brain stimulation can be performed with either the traditional awake method, or while the patient remains completely asleep.

1-855-202-9303 (toll free)

Skin | Laser | Sugery

7780 S. Broadway, Suite 350 Littleton, CO 80122

www.cucosmetics.com

Liposonix – Are you a candidate? Call (303) 724-7770

David VanSickle, MD, PhD

DenverDBSCenter.org

extending your living space into the garden... Creating outdoor spaces for our discriminating clientele is our mission. Helping you realize your dreams…. is our passion. Contact us for a Consultation today!

303.750.6060 PhaseOneLandscapes.com email@phaseonelandscapes.com

{ F I N E

A R T S }

{ M U S I C A L

A R T S }

{ P E R F O R M I N G

A R T S }

Up here, your senses awaken. August 8-18, 2014

Indulge in the delights of all your senses at the Steamboat All Arts Festival, where visual creations burst with color and originality, where the sounds of Verdi arias and Nuevo flamenco guitar fill the mountain air, and where pinots and rosĂŠs delight the taste buds. {www.SteamboatAllArtsFestival.com - 970-879-0880}

ONCE PHOTO BY FRANK OCKENFELS | ORIGINAL BROADWAY CAST

Going from the Big Screen to the Broadway Stage, ONE look, ONE song & ONE dance step at a time…

APPLAUSE

d e n ver center. or g

of music. Immediately I thought, ‘We’re going to be able to see actors create that music in front of us.’ That’s really exciting. Actors have played instruments onstage for years, but not always in a show about making music.” In reading through John Carney’s screenplay, Walsh discovered there was much he could relate to. “I’m a big fan of the movie Brief Encounter, and I saw similarities,” he says. “There’s a bittersweet pang that really hurts. Very quickly I thought I was a good match for the material. I tend to write characters that are inarticulate and lonesome, and something comes into their life that changes them. From listening to the songs, I thought it might be good for me to do something about Ireland, which was so hurt in the recession. A little love letter to Dublin.

‘‘Each person is riffing off a love that’s been lost, that got away. That was the key: for the audience to feel part of the experience, and look at the people on the stage and go, ‘ They’re us.’ ’’

~ Enda Walsh, book writer

“That was my way in. You start by bringing two people together and getting them to talk to one another. The tone shows itself quickly, so you step out of the way and allow it to write itself. “I knew all along that there were markers. I just had to unlock a stage language that was right. As soon as the Girl started talking, I thought, ‘That’s the swagger of it.’ She became the style of it and the force of the piece—and the central storyteller.” The 12 adult members of the cast play at least one instrument and are onstage virtually throughout the show. “I didn’t want anyone on stage we didn’t get to know intimately,” says Tiffany. By individualizing each character, adds Walsh, “we built a community, and that became the heart of the piece. “They’re an ensemble of misshapen people who sing and tell the story. Watching them play the music and sing and find their voice is very beautiful and very strong. But in addition, we wanted the show to be hugely communal. So how do we do that? We allow the audience on stage.” Prior to the start of the show, the audience

is welcome to come up on stage, buy a drink at the bar, mingle with the cast. There’s a bit of a jam session going on. This bonding ritual obliterates the fourth wall. “We wanted the audience to own the experience,” says Walsh. As the show unfolds, the focus, of course, is on the relationship between Guy and Girl, but the audience also catches glimpses of the lives of the other characters. e needed to be sure that there are all these other love stories in the air. Each person is riffing off a love that’s been lost, that got away. That was the key: for the audience to feel part of the experience, and look at the people on the stage and go, ‘They’re us.’ ” Casting the show wasn’t easy. “We needed actors who could act brilliantly, move and play instruments,” said Tiffany. They found them, “but it took ages,” he adds. “Casting the first production was easiest, because we arranged the music around the instruments the actors could play. We got used to having the bank manager play the cello, for instance, and a character named Baruska has to play the accordion because it fits who she is.” Because there are only a dozen performers on stage in once, they can’t hide. If they can’t play the piano, the guitar or the violin, they’re out. In addition, Walsh’s text is difficult to do and demands really good actors. Finally, Steven Hogget’s choreography may look easy, but it requires a great deal of skill. In the end, the material proved to be as powerful on stage as it is on film. “What’s very moving about the piece is how sometimes we meet people who we don’t necessarily stay with forever, but they give us the resources to move on to the next part of our life,” says Tiffany. “There’s something very truthful in that. People have said to me, ‘When I was sitting in the theatre watching once, I felt like I was watching it with everyone I’ve ever loved, whether or not they’re still in my life.’ ” n

ONCE

In 2007, the seductive, off-beat Irish film once opened to glowing reviews and quickly developed a fervent following. This lyrical musical tells the story of two down-on-theirluck musicians: an angst-ridden Dublin street singer/songwriter who works as a vacuum cleaner repairman, and a Czech immigrant who sells flowers to support herself and her family. Girl (as she is known) initiates a friendship with Guy (as he is known), and in the course of a week they make music together, fall in love and part, but not before changing each other’s lives. The movie’s stars—Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova—also wrote much of the score and received an Oscar for their beautiful ballad, “Falling Slowly.” once is both graceful and gritty. It has a naturalism and intimacy that are generally best achieved in film, which explains why the Irish playwright Enda Walsh was less than enthusiastic when he was asked if he would write the book for a Broadway-style musical based on the movie. “I guffawed when my agent called and asked me to speak to the producers,” says Walsh. “I said, ‘What a stupid idea.’ It’s a two-hander with very little plot. It’s delicate. I called the producers and told them it wasn’t for me. There’s no tradition of musical theatre in Ireland. Then they told me John Tiffany was attached to it as director.” Walsh and Tiffany are longtime friends, and although Tiffany also had doubts at first as to the viability of the material as a musical, he convinced Walsh not to reject the idea outright. Says Walsh, “John said, ‘Let’s just take two days, and we can read the screenplay and listen to the songs and talk about it.’ I said, ‘Okay, we’ll do two days—and that’s all we’ll do.’ ” Well, not quite. “Those two days convinced us that we wanted to do this show,” says Tiffany. he musical became such a critical and commercial success that it spawned a London production, a Broadway show and a U.S. national tour—a journey that saw this modest undertaking win no fewer than eight 2012 Tony® Awards, including Best Musical, Best Book (Walsh), and Best Direction of a Musical (Tiffany). “I never think about adapting films for the stage. That’s not the way I work,” insists Tiffany. “When I was approached about once, I hadn’t even seen the film. But one of my best friends said, ‘You will love the music.’ So I downloaded the soundtrack—and I absolutely loved it. I’d never heard music like that. [It’s] the reason I wanted to do the show. Not just the music itself, but the fact that it’s a story about creating music, the healing power

“W

Portions of this text were provided by the show’s production company.

May 6 – 18 • Buell Theatre Sponsored by HealthONE and Comcast ASL interpreted, Audio Described & Open Captioned • May 18, 2pm

Tickets: 303.893.4100 Toll-free: 800.641.1222 • TTY: 303.893.9582 Groups (10+): 303.446.4829 • denvercenter.org 303.893.4100

A P P L A US E

SPECIAL EVENTS

PRESENTS

The best seats to the best shows….. Announcing VIP evenings for the coming season!

A great way to entertain clients, celebrate a special occasion or have fun with friends and family. All events include center orchestra seating, pre-show cocktails, hors d’oeuvres and catered dinner. A tax-deductible contribution is included with each ticket purchase. “

T D! JUSUNCE O NN

HHHHH “

Daily News

Time Out NY

2013 TONY AWARD

WINNER! BEST MUSICAL REVIVAL

The Unsinkable Molly Brown Lyrics and Music by Meredith Willson Additional Lyrics and Book by Dick Scanlan Based on the Original Book by Richard Morris Directed and Choreographed by Kathleen Marshall

Sept 20, 2014 • $225

Motown® is a registered trademark of UMG Recordings, Inc.

Oct 16, 2014 • $200

Dec 11, 2014 • $225

April 17, 2015 • $225

June 12, 2015 • $250

VIP EVENING SERIES SPONSORS

reservations: 303.446.4815 • denvercenter.org/vipevenings 30

APPLAUSE

d e nver center. or g

Colorado’s Family Law Team

Fine Oriental Rugs hand cleaned by experts at Coit y

The Harris Law Firm Plays to a Different Tune by:

y y y

Guaranteed Cleaning Pickup & Delivery Free Estimates Repair, Reweave, Restore

Limiting Conflict, and • Protecting Children •

The Harris Law Firm 1125 17th Street, Suite 1820 Denver, CO 80202

303.299.9484

www.harrisfamilylaw.com

WORLD’S MOST EXPERIENCED CLEANERS OF AIR DUCTS, CARPET, UPHOLSTERY, DRAPERY, AREA RUGS, NATURAL STONE AND TILE & GROUT

For Local Service Call

888-541-2648

Fresh Fish. Flown in Daily.

THINK DRINK EAT LOCAL

Happy Hour Sunday–Friday Open– Close LoDo 303.260.7222 | Lakewood 303.922.5800

Park Meadows 303.790.7744 | Broomfield 720.887.6200

ONLINE ORDERING AND RESERVATIONS AT PFCHANGS.COM

Across from Theatre 14th & Arapahoe St. • (303)991-2277 theoceanaire.com

Show your tickets and receive a free appetizer with your purchase of two entrées. Offer good at both locations!

501 16th Street marlowesdenver.com (303) 595-3700

519 16th Street paramountcafe.com (303) 893-2000

PRIME RIB SUNDAYS $16.00 OPEN 4PM ON SUNDAY

Pre-theatre 3 course dinner $35 per person

Daily & Lunch Specials Seafood and Italian Classics

Open Mon-Sat, 5pm-Close

Call us for Banquets, Weddings and Parties (up to 300 people) Three Tier Dining Opera House Setting

1512 LARIMER #38

(In the heart of Writer Square)

Open Daily from 11am to 9pm/10pm

303.595.860O

Visit us at DiCiccosColorado.com

www.redsquarebistro.com

6701 Tower Road, Denver

303.574-1956

Fresh Baked Bread • Fresh Ingredients Prepared In-House

FREE Glass of House Wine With Ticket Stub

Happy Hour Daily 3-6pm & 9pm-Close

Fine Wines.

DCPA patrons receive a free bottle of Canvas wine and a $10 hotel parking credit with the purchase of two dinner entrees.

Half Price Pizzas & A Happy Hour Drink List

Brunch Served Every Sat. & Sun.

Located at 15th and Platte Streets

Entrance on Platte, Downtown Denver

303.445.4TEA • 303.455.4832

Free Pot of Tea with Ad

10am-2:30pm Enjoy $10 Bottomless Mimosas

2600 East 12th Ave., Denver 80206 303.377.2091 shellsandsauce.net

Open Daily 10 a.m. - 6 p.m. 2401 Fifteenth Street

Offer valid thru 12/30/13.

Hyatt Regency Denver at Colorado Convention Center 650 Fifteenth Street, Denver, CO 80202 303 486 4434

Lunch • Traditional Afternoon Tea Bridal Showers • Birthday Parties • Tea Tastings Catering Available for Special Events

Specializing in the finest

extra-virgin olive oils and balsamic vinegars from around the world.

Four Diamonds AAA Four Stars - 5280 magazine Just 3 blocks from the theater complex 909 17th Street at Champa Call 303.296.3525 for reservations

>,Âť=, :;,(2,+ 6<9 *3(04 7YPTL :[LHR Â&#x2039; -PUL >PUL Â&#x2039; 7YP]H[L +PUPUN

$OWNTOWN

Ă&#x2019;7YNKOOPĂ&#x2019;3T Ă&#x2019;|Ă&#x2019;MORTONS COM DENVER

LoDo

1338 15th Street (15th at Market) in LoDo 303-974-5784 Monday-Thursday: 11-6pm Friday-Saturday: 11-7pm Sunday: 11-4pm Bring in your program for 10% off your purchase.

Littleton

2660 Main Street (Next to Savory Spice Shop) 720-328-4783 Monday: 10-5pm Tuesday-Friday: 10-6pm Saturday: 10-5pm Sunday: 11-4pm

â&#x20AC;&#x153;Urban Eclecticâ&#x20AC;? American Cuisine with an innovated touch! 1 5 3 0 B l a ke S t U n i t B â&#x20AC;˘ D e n v e r (303) 298-5000 w w w. Lo d o J i m m y s . c o m

15% off

your bill when you show your ticket for that dayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s show.

1659 Wazee St. at the hiStoric oxford hotel (303) 825-1107 (303) 893.2233 934 16TH ST. DENVER VER 80202 8 893 2233 RIALTOCAFE.COM RIA

MccorMickandSchMickS.coM

Salute! Mexican Comfort Food

one of downtown denverâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s best happy hours

Bring in this ad for a

FREE HOUSE MARGARITA with EntrĂŠe purchase, good for up to 4 people.

1530 Blake St., Denver, CO 80202 720-904-8226 â&#x20AC;˘ dcorazonrestaurant.com

The Cheesecake Factory features an extensive and creative menu of more than 200 dishes made fresh from scratch, along with more than 50 low-calorie â&#x20AC;&#x153;SkinnyLiciousâ&#x201E;˘â&#x20AC;? dishes and 50 signature cheesecakes & desserts. Enjoy lunch, dinner, late night dining and Sunday Brunch.

1201 16th Street â&#x20AC;˘ Tabor Center â&#x20AC;˘ Denver (Just a short walk from the Performing Arts Complex, at the corner of 16th & Larimer St.

303-595-0333

www.thecheesecakefactory.com

Join us daily from 3:30-6:30 pm ENTARY COMPLIM VALET

890 14th Street â&#x20AC;˘ 303.623.2811

pizzarepublica.com

ART PARTNERS

COLORADO STATE BANK AND TRUST Long Live Our Community “We’re proud to contribute our professional resources and personal time to Denver and the Rocky Mountain Region. It’s gratifying to support residents and valued institutions such as the DCPA.” — Bill Sullivan CSBT President and CEO

Auction Sponsor of Saturday Night Alive

key part of Colorado State Bank and Trust’s (CSBT) mission statement is “Long Live Our Community.” That’s why CSBT is proud to partner with The Denver Center for the Performing Arts (DCPA) as sponsor of the Saturday Night Alive Auction. Saturday Night Alive benefits the DCPA Arts in Education programs, making a difference in the classroom as well as the community. CSBT’s history of community involvement dates back more than 100 years. Today, as part of BOK Financial, a strong regional financial services company, the bank is fortunate to be in a position to continue that involvement by bringing significant financial and personal resources to local residents. Through the Private Bank and Wealth Management divisions, a variety of financial solutions are available, including sophisticated deposit and credit options, asset management, retirement solutions, and trust and estate planning. The commercial team provides business owners, nonprofit organizations, government entities, and others with credit and other services essential to the growth and vitality of their operations. Many CSBT employees volunteer to teach kids about financial literacy, serve on boards and assist nonprofit organizations and other worthy local causes. “We’re proud to contribute our professional resources and personal time to Denver and the Rocky Mountain Region,” said Bill Sullivan, CSBT President and CEO. “It’s gratifying to support residents and valued institutions such as the DCPA. We look forward to continuing our partnership with this vibrant community.” n Find out more about Colorado State Bank and Trust at www.csbt.com

Colorado State Bank and Trust leadership (from left): Andy Aye, SVP, Commercial; Mike Burns, SVP, Private Bank; Aaron Azari, EVP, Wealth Management. Seated: Bill Sullivan, President and CEO.

APPLAUSE

d e n ver center. or g

Voted BEST GARDEN CENTER by Denver’s A-List 7 straight years, including 2013.

COMPARE and SAVE!

DIA Covered Parking $23.00/day USAirport Covered Parking w/coupon* $11.00/day DIA Outerlying Shuttle Lots DIA Economy Lots USAirport Open Parking w/coupon*

First Class Convenience for DIA

Your LOCAL Choice Since 1998!

* Rate does not include Access Fee.

Lettuce help you grow...

year-round, indoors and outdoors.

$8.00/day $12.00/day $7.00/day

Parking $200 OFF Uncovered

7711 S. Parker Rd. Centennial

Every Day You Stay at USAirport Parking!

303.690.4722

Valet fees extra. Valid With Or Without Frequent Parker Card. Not Valid With Any Other Offer. One Per Visit. Not Valid With Monthly Or Yearly Prepaid Rates. Rates & Offers Subject To Change. Access fees do apply.

Expires 8/31/2014

1-866-PARKING First Time Customer? oYes oNo

$3 OFF 00

Covered Parking

Every Day You Stay at USAirport Parking! Valet fees extra. Valid With Or Without Frequent Parker Card. Not Valid With Any Other Offer. One Per Visit. Not Valid With Monthly Or Yearly Prepaid Rates. Rates & Offers Subject To Change. Access fees do apply.

• Full Service Clinic & Hospital

• Laser Surgery

• Wellness Care for All Life Stages

• Cold Laser Treatment

• Exotic Pets Welcome

• Acupuncture Therapy

• Dietary Counseling

• HydroSurge® Bathing Services

• On-Site Radiology & Laboratory

• Cat Boarding

Expires 8/31/2014

1-866-PARKING First Time Customer? oYes oNo

303-371-7575

USAirportParking.com

393 S. Pearl St. • 303-871-8050 www.washingtonparkvc.com

Karen Jones-Diller, DVM | Emily Edgar, DVM

the Coolest room in town!

Underground at the Clocktower | 16th Street Mall at Arapahoe

www.lannies.com | (303) 293.0075

denver’s variety nightclub

rhonda ross

an intimate evening with muSiC royaLty!

Singing SenSation and daughter oF diana roSS

one nighT onLy!

mother’S day brunch

Pure Piaf The Life and music of ediTh Piaf

Starring leonard e. barrett, Jr Broadway tuneS: gypSy, my Fair Lady, weSt Side Story, more! reLiSh Catering

Sunday may 4th 7:30pm Sunday may 11th NOON

Starring britta laree

SaturdayS

may 10th, 17th, 24th, 31st 8pm

THE SHOWS

DENVER CENTER ATTRACTIONS

“

HHHHH “

Daily News

Time Out NY

2013 TONY AWARD

WINNER! BEST MUSICAL REVIVAL

Sept 6–20, 2014

Nov 15–March 1, 2015

Buell Theatre

Garner Galleria Theatre

Oct 29–Nov 9, 2014 Buell Theatre

Feb 3–15, 2015

April 29–May 10, 2015

Buell Theatre

March 31–April 19, 2015 Buell Theatre

Santino Fontana and Laura Osnes from the Rodgers + Hammerstein’s CINDERELLA Original Broadway Company. Photo by Carol Rosegg

AP P L A U S E

d e n v er center. or g

IBE R C S B SU ! TODAFOYR AS LOW AS

ENTS M Y A P 8 38 OF $21.

ADDED ATTRACTIONS

Sept 19 - Oct 19

Oct 10-12

Dec 10–14

Dec 17–28

Garner Galleria Theatre

Buell Theatre

Jan 23-24, 2015

April 22-26, 2015

June 3–July 5, 2015

Aug 11–Sept 13, 2015

Buell Theatre

WITH

The Ellie

AND

303.893.4100

GROUPS: 303.446.4829 TTY: 303.893.9582

denvercenter.org/bwaysubs

303.893.4100

A P P L A US E

2014/15 SEASON Generously Sponsored for the 11th Consecutive Season by:

I M PAC T CRE TIVIT Y A

T D! JUSUNCE NO AN

The Unsinkable Molly Brown Lyrics and Music by Meredith Willson Additional Lyrics and Book by Dick Scanlan Based on the Original Book by Richard Morris Directed and Choreographed by Kathleen Marshall

SEP 19, 2014 “

HHHHH “

Daily News

Time Out NY

2013 TONY AWARD

WINNER! BEST MUSICAL REVIVAL

OCT 29 OR NOV 7

NOV 18 OR DEC 5

DEC 17

APR 29 OR MAY 1, 2015

JUNE 4 OR 5, 2015

BECOME A PREMIUM DENVER CENTER ATTRACTIONS SUBSCRIBER WITH THIS SPECIALLY CUSTOMIZED SEASON

All with concierge services Membership Benefits Include:

V Front-and-Center orchestra seating on Opening Night or Opening Week Fridays

V Elegant pre-show dining at Kevin Taylor’s at the Opera House

V Opportunity to purchase great seats to any added attractions, such as Jersey Boys

V Personalized ticketing and exchange services by our concierge staff

V Intermission cocktails in the private Wolf Room

V A generous tax deduction Limited ticket availability

Membership is $5,000 per person (a generous portion is tax deductible). To personally discuss your membership, please contact David Zupancic:

303.446.4811

•

davidz@dcpa.org

($250,000 or more) The James S. and Lynne P. Turley Ernst & Young Fund for Impact Creativity Clear Channel Outdoor* CMT/ABC*

($50,000 or more) AOL*

MAR 31 OR APR 3, 2015

FEB 3 OR 6, 2015

Impact Creativity is an urgent call to action to save theatre education programs in 19 of our largest cities. Impact Creativity brings together theatres, arts education experts and individuals to help over 500,000 children and youth, most of them disadvantaged, succeed through the arts by sustaining the theatre arts education programs threatened by today’s fiscal climate. For more information on how “theatre education changes lives,” please visit: www.impactcreativity.org

($100,000 or more) The Hearst Foundations

Motown® is a registered trademark of UMG Recordings, Inc.

SEP 10 OR 12

CURRENT CONTRIBUTORS List Complete August 2013

•

denvercenter.org/premium

($10,000 or more) Christopher Campbell/ Palace Production Center* Lisa Orberg Frank and Bonnie Orlowski The Ralph and Luci Schey Foundation The Schloss Family Foundation Southwest Airlines* James S. Turley John Thomopoulos Wells Fargo ($5,000 or more) Steven and Joy Bunson Paula Dominick Christ Economos Mariska Hargitay* Ogilvy & Mather* The Maurer Family Foundation ($1,000 or more) Nick Adamo Mitchell J. Auslander Ryan Dudley Bruce R. Ewing Jessica Farr Steve & Donna Gartner Glen Gillen Peter Hermann Janet and Howard Kagan John Major Jonathan Maurer and Gretchen Shugart George S. Smith, Jr. Florence Miller Memorial Fund Theodore Nixon Carol Ostrow RBC Wealth Management Isabelle Winkles *Includes In-kind support

Honor Those You Love With the Choice of Monarch Society “Thank you to each & everyone at Monarch Society for your help, support, kindness & compassion. We will be forever grateful” - P & D

www.blowsalondenver.com

• Accredited Professional • On-Site Crematory Team •A vailable Statewide, • Serving All Faiths 24/7 • Grief Support

• Pre-Plan Savings & Veteran’s Benefits

Full Service SALON

4243 W 38th Ave. Denver, CO 80212

A Locally Owned & Operated Mortuary 1534 Pearl Street, Denver, CO 80203 monarchsociety.com info@monarchsociety.com

303.837.8712 (24/7)

(720) 484-5889

ducts:

Our Pro

MUSICALS

album BROADWAY SHOW

or how to turn an

INTO A

GOOGLE IMAGES

AMERICAN IDIOT

THE

American Idiot is yet

another example of a strong collection of songs lending themselves to transformation into a powerful stage show. B Y R O B W E I N E RT- K E N D T

“The amount of freedom I had to dream and imagine was unprecedented. For whatever reason, something alchemical happened when I spent time with these characters.” — Director Michael Mayer

AP P L A U S E

d e n v er center. or g

Once upon a time, composers and playwrights conceived musicals together, with some degree of simultaneity and shared understanding about the story they were striving to tell. From Daponte and Mozart to Rodgers & Hammerstein, teams teamed, toiling to marry music and theatre into a harmonious whole. That’s so last millennium, dude. Today’s rock and pop musicals might start instead with a catalogue of well-known songs, artfully woven into an evening of theatre (Mamma Mia!, Jersey Boys) or with a club-seasoned troubadour whose story/cabaret songs seem to want to grow into something play-like (Passing Strange, Hedwig and the Angry Inch). Then there’s the concept-album-turned-Broadway-rock-opera, a unique hybrid form that began in 1969 with a pair of messianic double-LP extravaganzas, Jesus Christ Superstar and Tommy. Neither was written for the stage, though both were eventually theatricalized and filmed: Superstar on Broadway in 1971 and on film two years later, and The Who’s pinball allegory, first as a film in 1975 and then on Broadway in 1993. While the Superstar album looks in retrospect like an audition demo for its writers, Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice, The Who had no such ambitions, let alone theatrical know-how. Apart from its outré film adaptation by the late Ken Russell, Tommy seemed destined to be performed as a sort of rock oratorio—until the La Jolla Playhouse’s Des McAnuff came along in the early 1990s. With the help of Pete Townshend, The Who’s lead songwriter, McAnuff rethought Tommy for the stage, turning it into the song-and-dance entertainment it didn’t know it was meant to be. irector Michael Mayer played a similar role with American Idiot, the chart-busting 2004 album by the punk-pop band Green Day, which he helped shape into a Broadway show in 2010. But Mayer’s job proved a good deal more involved and interpretive than McAnuff’s had been—not least because, while Green Day front man and main songwriter Billie Joe Armstrong proved open and cooperative, the narrative threads holding together the American Idiot album were more tenuous. “It’s not easy to follow,” Mayer admits of the record. “The story is deliberately ambiguous. It’s almost more an emotional narrative than it is a literal narrative.”

THE COMPANY OF AMERICAN IDIOT. (PHOTO BY JEREMY DANIEL)

of the show, Mayer did invent characters and situations. “Jesus of Suburbia,” a.k.a. Johnny, now has two friends: Will, who stays home to molder in the small town, and Tunny, who escapes with Johnny but grows disaffected, enlists in the army and ends up wounded in Iraq. “I had great anxiety with the liberties we were taking, dramatically as well as emotionally, and I kept thinking we would cross a line that would be intolerable,” Mayer confesses of the writing process. “But Billie Joe kept encouraging me to go further. The amount of freedom I had to dream and imagine was unprecedented. For whatever reason, something alchemical happened when I spent time with these characters.” Such was the simpatico nature of this odd collaboration, Mayer says, that he recalls “the very cool feeling of hearing Billie Joe talk about characters I’d made up in a way that demonstrated his understanding of them—which he should, given that he’d written what they say.” So American Idiot may have enough narrative content to fill an evening. But it wouldn’t be a musical at all if the songs themselves hadn’t cried out for the stage. he music has such buoyancy and authenticity,” Mayer effuses. “That’s what got my heart racing when I thought of putting it on stage and creating stories that would fulfill the promise of this rock opera they’d written. They play against the tragedy of the story. If the songs were all slow, mournful, dirge-like, minor-key hymns to destruction, you wouldn’t want to watch it at all.”

“T

This dramatic flair for contrast may be no coincidence; Armstrong had been a rosycheeked child performer before he became a spike-haired Berkeley punk rocker. “As far as I’m concerned, Billie Joe is a direct descendant of Al Jolson,” Mayer says. “Having seen him sing ‘Rockabye Your Baby With a Dixie Melody’ at the Bowery Ballroom, I can say it’s in his DNA. He’s a real entertainer, and that comes through.” ltimately, what comes through American Idiot—and the thing that made this ad hoc adaptation process work at all—is not only Green Day’s knack for show-stopping rock, but a sort of overarching coherence of attitude and tone. This quality, in turn, may be traced to some of this concept musical’s antecedents. “He was thinking of Tommy and Rocky Horror Show,” Mayer says of Armstrong’s Idiot templates. “He also thought about West Side Story, and I think he thought a little bit about Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band.” That Green Day had a template in mind may have helped Mayer feel his way to a story. But don’t ask him to pin down the punk lightning he’s caught in this musicaltheatre bottle. “I’ve been trying very hard not to define it for anyone, because it is unusual and it is its own thing,” Mayer says. “Is it a musical? Is it an opera? Is it a rock opera? Is it a punkrock opera? Is Green Day even punk?” (A seemingly simple question that can start a long debate, if you’re up for it.) Mayer throws up his hands and says, “I’m just committed to calling it a show.”

AMERICAN IDIOT

ts rough outline follows a sad sack described in the song suite as “Jesus of Suburbia” as he travels into the depths of a city nightlife, where he meets “punk-rock freedom fighter” St. Jimmy as well as an “Extraordinary Girl” later called simply “Whatshername.” “St. Jimmy is powerful and sexy and dangerous and possibly destructive,” Mayer explains, “and this girl, who’s a rebel, is someone with whom he has some real connection.” There’s not a lot else in terms of concrete story points, Mayer concedes. “What you glean from listening to the album a lot, and reading it in a particular way, is that Jesus returns home having experienced the suicide of St. Jimmy and the destruction of his relationship with the girl. It’s kind of a mock-heroic return. Billie Joe describes it as one step forward, two steps back.” That wouldn’t be enough to sustain an evening of theatre, in other words. Besides, Armstrong, though open to the idea of a stage version, wasn’t a playwright. That left Mayer—who had a background in shepherding both bracing new works and unlikely adaptations to the stage, from The Triumph of Love to Thoroughly Modern Millie to Spring Awakening—to embark on his first professional writing gig (he shares book-writing credit with Armstrong). “It was the conceit of the project that I would take the record and basically write a story onto it and from inside it,” Mayer says. “All the songs are intact and in order” (and there are a few bonus tracks, courtesy of Green Day’s follow-up album, 21st Century Breakdown). Though Armstrong’s lyrics are virtually the only text

Rob Weinert-Kendt is a senior editor at American Theatre and has written about theatre and the arts for The New York Times, The Los Angeles Times, Variety, The Guardian and The San Francisco Chronicle.

May 23 – 25 • Buell Theatre ASL interpreted, Audio Described & Open Captioned • May 24, 2pm

Tickets: 303.893.4100 Toll-free: 800.641.1222 • TTY: 303.893.9582 Groups (10+): 303.446.4829 • denvercenter.org

303.893.4100

A P P L A US E

ART PARTNERS

BRUSHSTROKES STUDIO-GALLERY “Street Musicians (Prague)” by Anita Mosher

Brushstrokes artists welcome visitors to their relaxed gallerystudio setting.

“Traditional Girls” by John K. Harrell

ationally noted as an exemplary artist-owned gallery, Denver’s Brushstrokes is the creative home of acclaimed painters John Harrell, Kit Hevron Mahoney, Anita Mosher and Kelly Berger. These artists can be found painting most days in the gallery’s gorgeous turn-of-the-century space where visitors are welcome to drop in and watch them work. The gallery’s owner/artists have garnered awards and media coverage and are well-represented in private and corporate collections worldwide. They have been longtime supporters of The Denver Center’s Arts in Education programs by contributing to Saturday Night Alive’s silent auction. They welcome commissions, corporate art consultation, giclée reproductions, pet portraits, original paintings and affordable miniatures—while continually displaying freshly created art on the gallery walls. Find them at 1487 S. Broadway, at Florida Ave., 303.871-.0800, Tue-Sat, 11am-5pm (or happily by appointment) www.brushstrokesstudio.com. n

LUFTHANSA and the Arts A proud sponsor of VIP Evenings

ne of the world’s most prestigious and innovative airlines, Lufthansa has served the Denver market for more than 12 years. Through its extensive global network, it provides the city access to more than 250 destinations in 103 countries. In the spirit of connecting people, countries and cultures, Lufthansa is a strong supporter of outstanding cultural events and institutions everywhere. The airline has sponsored The Denver Center for the Performing Arts (DCPA) for many years. It also supports the German Forum in New York City, another of the carrier’s important U.S. gateway cities. Among its cultural initiatives in Germany, Lufthansa was the first Global Partner of the Gürzenich Orchestra in the airline’s hometown of Cologne. It has presented Berlin’s annual Lufthansa New Year’s Concert for 17 years and this year will present London’s 30th Lufthansa Festival of Baroque Music. Lufthansa’s dedication to social responsibility also extends to humanitarian efforts. Social and philanthropic endeavors are centered around Lufthansa’s Help Alliance employee-founded charity and other humanitarian efforts around the world. n For reservations or additional information, visit lufthansa.com.

AP P L A U S E

d e n v er center. or g

The University of Northern Coloradoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s

Little Theatre of the Rockies

80th Professional Summer Stock Theatre Season

Altar Boyz June 12 - July 27 (in Repertory)

The Marvelous Wonderettes June 19 - 22

Sylvia

June 26-July 25 (in Repertory)

Megan Van De Hay in

God of Carnage July 3-July 19 (in Repertory)

Where great theatre leaps off the page!

Swing!

July 31-August 3

Box Ofďż˝ice: 970-351-2200

www.arts.unco.edu/ltr Greeley, Colorado

SATURDAY NIGHT ALIVE

A sold-out crowd of 800 guests raised a record-breaking $842,000 in net proceeds for the DCPA’s Arts in Education programs at the March 1 Saturday Night Alive. The 34th annual black-tie fundraiser supports the educational efforts serving 50,000 students each year. Song and dance man Matthew Morrison (who also stars in the hit TV series “Glee”) headlined the benefit, which was chaired by Susan and Leo Kiely.

9 7 8

APPLAUSE

d e n v er center. or g

IN REVIEW

10 11 12

1 Whitney Moehle, Event chair Susan Kiely, Matthew Morrison and Julie Erlich 2 Patrons Claudia Miller, Jane Netzorg, Debi Tepper & Cindi Burge enjoyed the evening. 3 DCPA Trustee and Event Chair Leo Kiely welcomes the 800 guests. 4 Kat Wong & Matt Watkins 5 Matthew Morrison performs. 6 Beverlee Hackmeister (center) hosted Dina and Eddie Altman at the JHL Constructors table. 7 Adrienne & Jack Fitzgibbons 8 Peter Swinburn, CEO of event sponsor MolsonCoors with Linda and Mike Rengel. 9 Patrons Al and Terri Fisher 10 Noreen Salah Burpee, OIL & GAS PRODUCERS executive director of the Salah Foundation, with her son Fred Churbuck. The OF COLORADO Salah Foundation granted matching funds for items in the silent auction. 11 Pa-

COLORADO ENERGY PRODUCERS

trons and past Saturday Night Alive chairs Steven and Ryta Sondergard 12 Ron & Chris Yaros with Sandi Hewins and Craig Fleishman 13 State Representative Rhonda Fields with donating artist Juliette Hemingway and her husband Paul Chase 14 Will Amerine & Andrea Ho 15 Patrons Denise & Ray Bellucci 16 Auction chair Susan Stiff, area director of PR for event sponsor Westin Downtown Denver, joined Danny Showers at the baby grand piano the Westin donated in addition to accommodations to the more than 60 Starwood Hotel & Resort Properties around the world. 17 Bill Sullivan, President of Colorado State Bank & Trust with his wife Tricia. CSBT returned as silent auction sponsor for the third year. Photos by Vicki Kerr & John Moore.

And a big thank you to our contributing supporters: The Anschutz

COLORADO ENERGY PRODUCERS

rs of

303.893.4100

A P P L A US E

ART PARTNERS

MICROSOFT Powering joy, fun and intellect through art

“We are proud of the innovation and new ideas made possible through our work with the DCPA. There are dynamic new works and musical collaborations in development that will benefit the community and inspire others to achieve greatness.” —J.P.Westwood, Microsoft General Manager overseeing Denver.

A proud supporter of The Denver Center for the Performing Arts

APPLAUSE

d e n v er center. or g

any know Microsoft as the brand behind their favorite software, services and devices. But they might not know that the company has a heart as big as its brand, committed to giving back in every region it serves. In fact, an official corporate giving program has been in place since the company went public in 1986. Microsoft believes a community is only as strong as its ability to nourish the mind and spirit through excellent, diverse and accessible programming in the visual and performing arts. It is within this vision that the company works with The Denver Center for the Performing Arts (DCPA). Since 1996, Microsoft has given the DCPA more than $2.3 million in software to present exceptional theatre, embrace classics, create new work and be a center for learning and civic engagement. Microsoft technology enables more than 300 DCPA employees to innovate and stay competitive in the industry as they produce plays, present Broadway and cabaret musicals and provide arts education and school matinees for as many as 50,000 students each year. Through Microsoft’s software donation, the DCPA now has the latest desktop and server operating systems to provide operational improvement and the flexibility to meet patron and user needs.

“We are proud of the innovation and new ideas made possible through our work with the DCPA,” said J.P.Westwood, Microsoft General Manager overseeing Denver. “There are dynamic new works and musical collaborations in development that will benefit the community and inspire others to achieve greatness.” A significant portion of the Microsoft funding is directed through ArtsFund, a federated giving program for local corporations, foundations and individuals. In addition to the arts, Microsoft is committed to serving Denver and other local communities in four key areas: empowering youth, empowering nonprofits, empowering employees—and humanitarian and disaster response. With these pillars in mind, Microsoft donated more than $9.5 million to Colorado charities in the company’s most recent fiscal year. State employees also have utilized 2,792 volunteer hours to increase their community impact in a way above and beyond dollars and cents. n Learn more about Microsoft corporate giving at http://www.microsoft.com/about/ corporatecitizenship. Our stores host regular events ranging from free educational workshops to community events with local nonprofit partners. To find your local store visit: content.microsoftstore.com.

Ready for something new?

Then let us welcome you to our home. We’re a Colorado company with a local touch and a global reach. We’ll introduce you to our collection of the rare and the beautiful from around the world. And we’ll bring it all together for you with incredible service, whether it’s a quick delivery from our deep inventory or in-home custom design. Because to us, business is personal. Stop by. We promise it will be anything but ordinary. 2013 National Home Furnishings Retailer of the Year Cherry Creek North : Denver

Pearl Street : Boulder

Landmark : Greenwood Village

A Colorado company

hwhome.com

Setting the Market Standard for Premium Quality Dental Implants in Colorado

Call Today for your free consultation (Includes Free Scanora 3D Image & Consultation) Insurance not accepted with this offerâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;New Patients Onlyâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;Some Restrictions Apply

The Most Advanced State of the Art Dental Practice in all of Colorado

Dental Associates of Aurora Privately Owned Practice Since 1996 1075 S. Peoria St. Aurora CO 80012

(303) 341-4878

www.DentalAssociatesofAurora.com

Single Implant Surgery & Crown

Only

$1,795 ($2,400 off)

Consultation MUST occur before June 13, 2014