The Wiz

The Wiz
Ignite Theatre
Aurora Fox Arts Center
Aurora, CO
January 7-29, 2017

Earlier this month, Ignite Theatre announced that their January run of The Wiz would be their last. After seven years, the company will be shutting its doors. It made attending the show bittersweet.

Before the show began, one of Ignite’s board members pointed out that the set was composed of pieces from the previous 30 productions by the company. It was interesting, however, sentimental collection did little to set the scene for The Wiz.

The story for The Wiz is familiar even if many of the songs are not. The script seemed choppy and the band usually overpowered the vocalists. All these elements made the story hard to follow – it’s fortunate that most of us already know it.

The cast was young – overall the singing was stronger than the acting. A high point was the song “Lion,” by the Cowardly Lion. His performance was over the top and fun. Dorothy and her other friends were more generic.

The costumes for the show were well thought out as modern clothing and yet relating to the traditional characterizations. The Tin Man’s silver jeans and shirt were perfect for him and Dorothy’s silver sneakers were sparkly enough to make traditionalists happy.

After the show the majority of main characters circulated with the audience still in their costumes. Dorothy, in particular, made herself available to meet the children and take photos.  It's these special moments that make local theaters special for patrons.

The Wiz was not Ignite’s strongest production. But it is an enjoyable way to say goodbye to a talented member of Denver’s theatre community.

The Nutcracker

The Nutcracker
Colorado Ballet
Ellie Caulkins Opera House
Denver, CO
November 26 - December 24, 2016

The Nutcracker is a holiday tradition offered by the Colorado Ballet. The company presents a month-long production of the classic ballet and every year most performances sells out.

The performances offer some comfortable consistencies every year. We are treated to Geoffrey Gonzales at Drosselmeier, a snowstorm during the Dance of the Snowflakes, the silly antics of Mother Ginger. But they are not afraid to make changes to their beloved production. This year featured a new costume for the Sugar Plum Fairy and a more relaxed and funny performance.

Even with the subtle changes, it’s still the same charming show. The music inspires, the dancing astounds and the story makes everyone smile. For those who love it, The Nutcracker will always sparkle.

Frosty and Frozen

Frosty and Frozen
Colorado Symphony
Boettcher Concert Hall
Denver, CO
December 21, 2016

The Colorado Symphony has a wide variety of holiday concerts offered every December. Frosty and Frozen is a new show aimed towards children and families. The concert consisted of traditional holiday songs, a carol sing along, selections from Disney’s Frozen and a few well-selected classical pieces. The result was one of the most enjoyable concerts I have ever attended at Boettcher Concert Hall.

The concert began with Sleigh Ride, a festive piece that set the tone of the show.  The classical pieces included were well chosen. The selections from The Nutcracker were among the most familiar music and were well received. And while “winter” from Vivaldi’s Four Seasons might seem a bit difficult for children to sit through, the solo violinist, Yi Zhao, dazzled the audience and made what could have been a stuffy portion seem magical.

The concert also featured soloist Nadya Hill. Her initial appearance was for “Do You Want to Build a Snowman” from Disney’s Frozen. While she looked the part in her navy dress with a burgundy wrap, much which evoked Anna’s costume from the film, the performance wasn’t as impressive. Partway through the song, she forgot the lyrics. On the bright side, the children in the audience filled in for her nicely.

Hill later sang “Let It Go” where she tweaked the lyrics a bit. (With a song this epic, those changes are glaring.) She sang it well, but the emotion of the performance seemed lacking. She later led a sing along of songs. Some of the choices were less than familiar like “Toyland” and “All I Want For Christmas Is My Two Front Teeth.” Fortunately, the lyrics were in the program.

The difficulties of the soloist aside, the concert was fun and charming. It was a prefect blend of popular music and classical pieces. The audience participation was well-suited for the audience. While it was not a perfect show, I hope the symphony tries this one again!

Beauty and the Beast

Beauty and the Beast
Vintage Theater
Aurora, CO 
November 25, 2016 - January 8, 2017

The Vintage Theatre has never shied away from a challenge. They have a lovely, intimate stage which they regularly push to its limits. Beauty and the Beast is a beloved classic transformed into a stage spectacle. It’s a huge task to translate into a regional production.

The cast was very strong for this production. Belle and the Beast have strong, beautiful voices and clear understanding of their characters. The affection between them did seem to grow before our eyes. While their Gaston was not the muscle man of the film, his voice and swagger give us the bully the story needs. LeFou is his perfect sidekick, believable in his ridiculousness.

The castle staff have great chemistry between them, although their accents were often uneven. The ensemble was strong, pulling off great feats in the choral songs. The dance sequence in the song “Gaston” was heavily influenced by the Broadway production and they pulled it off flawlessly. “Be Our Guest” was flat by comparison – the cast was just not large enough to pull off the spectacle we are used to.

The biggest disappointment in the production was the set for the show. It seemed more like a high school set than one for a professional theater. Technically it functioned as needed, but it never changed throughout the show. So, the door to Belle’s home became the main entrance to the Beast’s castle and the entryway to the kitchen. Lighting effects helped to change the setting a bit, especially with some of the outdoor scenes.

The costumes for the show demonstrated far more creativity. While they were clearly modeled after the clothing the characters wore in the original film, the designer put her own spin on them. Lumiere’s black and gold sequin suit was stunning. And while Belle’s ball gown was still in its signature yellow, but it was more ornate and period appropriate than the movie version. The costumes for Cogsworth, Mrs. Potts and Chip were a bit crude, but they got the point across.

Overall, the production suffered very little being scaled down. The Vintage extended the magic after the show by having both Belle and the Beast/Prince in the lobby after the show for meet and greets. It was a popular draw for children of all ages and it continued until everyone had a chance to take photos.

Porgy and Bess

Porgy and Bess
Aurora Fox Theater
Aurora, CO
November 25, 2016 - January 1, 2017

Porgy and Bess is an icon in American musical theater. George and Ira Gershwin’s 1934 opera was the first to feature and entirely African American cast. It was an important step in theater as well as in American society. Despite the importance of the piece, it is rarely performed.

The script the Fox team used is a 2011 adaptation by Suzan-Lori Parks, which transformed the opera into a musical and widened the scope of characters. Despite the adaptation, the story is full of stereotype characters: crippled beggar, drug addicted floozy, criminal kingpin, religious zealot, bossy wife, flashy drug dealer. However, the performances from this incredibly talented cast bring a realism to these roles that overcomes the caricature roots.

In the hands of the Fox creative team, Porgy and Bess is not a racial story. It's a human story. Race does have a place in the story in a few places when the white police officers show up. In those few scenes a real tension is on display. But for the rest of the show, the characters are just people living their lives.

The costumes only enhance the realism of these characters. They could wear the same outfits for the entire show, but they don’t. At the community picnic everyone wears their Sunday best, and it’s a delight to see. And after the picnic they returned to everyday clothes, but not the ones from the day before – just as real people do.

The set is more suggestive than realistic, but it takes the audience into Catfish Row – a simple community. Porgy’s home is completely closed to us – highlighting this private man. The lighting and sound crew are able to transport us to the ocean.

In the center of all this phenomenal staging is the music. The Gershwin score is amazing to begin with. But in the hands of the Fox’ music director it soars to heights even the composers would love. Each performers voice was strong and up to the challenging music. The harmonies created by this team were beautiful. The duets between Porgy and Bess are not traditional – they usually end up singing separately in time and those parts were in perfect balance.

Porgy and Bess will likely never escape the controversy that has always surrounded it. Some audience members may be bothered by the stereotypical nature of the characters, the drug use or the violence. Despite these concerns, the Fox has created a valuable theatrical experience – both socially and artistically.

Godspell

Godspell
Jester's Dinner Theater
Longmont, CO
October 7, 2016 - January 29, 2017

Jester’s Dinner Theatre is an intimate theater nestled on Main Street in Longmont. It has been around for 17 years but it is likely unfamiliar to most residents of the Denver Metro area. The space is small, the menu is simple and the staff is incredibly friendly.

Godspell was a good fit for the intimate space. The set was very simple – on stage were a piano, a ladder and an array of props and costume pieces used throughout the show. The costumes were modern. The Hawaiian shirt on John the Baptist and the smiley face t-shirt on Jesus were fun.

The script for Godspell is a loose one with plenty of openings for improv. The cast made great use of these moments to represent them as millennials. The show didn’t feel like a relic from the early 1970’s – if came across as a modern telling of the Christian Gospels. Godspell is more like a series of sermons and hymns than a musical. The cast didn’t shy away from this concept.

Overall the show was well staged. The occasional use of the aisles gave it a sense of unpredictability. While much of it was humorous, the treatment of the Last Supper and Crucifixion scenes were given the seriousness they deserve. Godspell was widely criticized for featuring the Crucifixion without the Resurrection. The cast cleverly addressed this by suggesting it during the curtain call.

The biggest flaw in the production was the acoustics. Many of the female actors’ voices were not strong enough to carry without amplification. Their voices would occasionally be drowned out by the chorus or even the piano. Despite that, the cast seemed to enjoy performing and it was contagious.

As a side note, after the show my daughter asked a group of actors to have her photo taken with them. They responded by gathering the entire cast for the photo. We all left feeling appreciated as new audience members. The hometown feel of this theater will certainly bring us back!

Jersey Boys

Jersey Boys
National Tour
Buell Theater
Denver, CO
November 9-13, 2016

Broadway has been filled with autobiographical musicals over the years. So Jersey Boys, the story of the Four Seasons, doesn’t seem to be much different. However, the way that the story is told is what makes it special. That is why after eleven years it is still playing on Broadway and touring the US.


The story started in “Spring,” a chapter narrated by bad boy member Tommy De Vito. It got off to a fast start and kept a breathtaking pace throughout. The simple set changed from city streets, restaurants, jail houses and stages quickly thanks to the effective lighting and screen displays.

When the season switched to “Summer,” and Bob Gaudio took over the narration the mood changed. And when the group broke into “Sherry” the energy in the building exploded. The band’s rise to the top was swift and the audience was transported to a 1960’s concert.

Just when we thought we knew everything, Nick Massey took over the “Fall” narration. Suddenly we got another side of the story. And in final season, “Winter” our hearts broke as we heard Frankie Valli’s tragedies behind the scenes.


Between the Jersey accents and the fast pace we really entered the world around the band as they evolved. The story was filled with intelligent humor and the music that everybody knows.

The performers told the story with impeccable timing and the songs were a walk down memory lane. At times the actor portraying Frankie was a bit shrill and "My Boyfriend's Back" didn't really sound anything like the original recording. But that didn't any of the joy out of hearing these classics live.

At curtain call I was amazed to see all the women in the show were played by three actresses - an impressive feat. All the characters were somewhat exaggerated and yet still believable. I see a lot of theater, but I have never been to a performance where the audience was on their feet before the first actors arrived for the curtain call. The standing ovation was well deserved. Jersey Boys was one of the most enjoyable nights of theater I have had.