The Nutcracker

The Nutcracker
Colorado Ballet
Ellie Caulkins Opera House
Denver, CO 
November 29 - December 27, 2014

The Nutcracker has become a holiday tradition in our home. So far, we've only taken in the Colorado Ballet production, but since they always deliver, do you really need to go elsewhere?

Every year, the costumes and the dances are the same, in a good way. Herr Drosselmeier is played by the same dancer and we love him. We watch a new Clara discover her nutcracker is actually a prince and we marvel over the magical places she visits on Christmas Eve.

The show is predictable if you have seen it before, but that is why we return every year. We want to experience Clara's wonder every year. That is why so many make The Nutcracker an annual tradition.

Colorado Ballet makes few, if any, changes in The Nutcracker from year to year, but they cannot be faulted for that. This is what people want to see, as evidenced by the sold out performances. The holiday magic people seek is here every time. There is no need to change a thing.

Into the Woods

Into the Woods
Ignite Theater
Aurora Fox Theater
Aurora, CO
October 17 - November 9, 2014

Into the Woods was my first chance to see a production by the Ignite Theater. They perform at the Aurora Fox Theater, where I learned of this production. My daughter loves this show, but had never seen a full scale performance of it.

The show did not disappoint. The sets for this show can be complex - needing to show several spaces at the same time. The simple, yet descriptive, backdrops gave the audience enough to see the various location without being burdensome. The characters also spend most of their time delving deeper and deeper into the forest and I was impressed with the simplistic "trees" which moved around throughout the production to simulate different places in the woods. It definitely gave the audience the feeling of movement.

However, it was the strong performances that carried the production. The beautiful voices of Cinderella and Rapunzel were a delight. Equally impressive was the performance of the young lady playing Red Riding Hood. The score was difficult, yet she handled it with great skill. It was refreshing to see the role played by an actual child (which removed much of the sexual tension that often takes over "Hello Little Girl" when Red is played by an adult.)


In this show, Act One is the easy part. The key is to build momentum to carry the audience through the dark and potentially depressing Act Two. This production accomplishes this difficult feat. While the songs are less hummable, "The Last Midnight" accomplishes the menace it needs and "You are Not Alone" will touch your heart.

This show is not for everyone. Due to the fairy tale theme, patrons might assume it is for small children. However, this show contains the death of several major characters, adultery and child abuse, so it is best left to older children and adults.

Halloween Spooktacular

Halloween Spooktacular
Colorado Symphony
Boettcher Center
Denver, CO
October 26, 2014

This was our second year at the Colorado Symphony's Spooky Symphony. It's a fun occasion for the kids (and their parents) to dress up. But it's a wonderful opportunity to expose children to the symphony.

I was thinking it would be the same concert as last year, so I was impressed that they had selected a completely new set of music for us. Most of it was taken from movies like Beetlejuice, Ghostbusters and Star Wars.

The orchestra members were also dressed up. The percussion section represented Marvel action heroes, the strings were costumed as the girls from Madeliene. So it was surprising that the conductor came out in a tuxedo. The first selection was from the movie Spiderman. When the piece was almost over, he turned around and opened his shirt to reveal a Spiderman shirt. And in the waning moments he completely transformed into Spiderman. For this, the conductor earned a loud ovation.

The adults probably appreciated the Suite from Mother Goose more than the children did.  But nothing took away from the festive atmosphere of the day.

A Midsummer Night's Dream

A Midsummer Night's Dream
Colorado Ballet
Ellie Caulkins Opera House
Denver, CO 
September 26 - October 5, 2014

A few months ago, I had an issue with some tickets we received as part of a group package. Colorado Ballet was quick to do their best to make up for it. They gave me fantastic seats for a performance of my choice. I decided on their season opener, A Midsummer Night's Dream.

Now, one would normal question a production of a Shakespeare play with no words. Isn't Shakespeare the greatest poet in the English language? But that never seemed to be an issue. The dancers of the company are skilled at conveying the emotions of a story through their bodies. Despite the complex storyline, very little was missed.

The stories of mismatched love came through clearly as well as the feud between Titania and Oberon. The ballet was beautiful and funny.In fact, I think a child would have a much easier time following the ballet than the original play.

Productions like this one show the power of ballet. It can even take the most complex stories and share them with the masses.

Once On This Island

Once On This Island
Aurora Fox Theater
Aurora, CO
September 12-October 5, 2014

I was fortunate to win the tickets for the Aurora Fox's production of Once On This Island in a Facebook contest. I must admit, the idea of this show intrigued me. I knew it was loosely based on The Little Mermaid by Hans Christian Anderson. I know the original was not a happy story, so I was interested in this retelling of the tale.

The show was full of color and energy. It began with a clear message that people of the island dance in two separate worlds - divided by race. The very talented cast took turns outside the ensemble to play various roles. Yet the transitions were nearly seamless. It was delightful to hear each cast member as they got a chance to sing solo.

The story revolves around Ti Moune and the actress who played her commanded the stage. At times I'm not sure the theater was big enough to contain her voice. The story does not work if you don't love Ti Moune, and we all did.

Like the original story, Once On This Island doesn't have a happy ending. When Ti Moune's fate is revealed, it is a bit hokey in a story that had been so well told before the moment of revelation. But that can be overlooked as the message of forgiveness rings out in the finale.

The Unsinkable Molly Brown

The Unsinkable Molly Brown
Denver Center Theater Company
Denver Center for the Performing Arts
Denver, CO
September 12-October 26, 2014

The Denver Center for the Performing Arts production of The Unsinkable Molly Brown stood out as a "must see" for me. This was called a "restaging," however, having never seen the original production or even the movie, the changes were lost on me. I approached this show with no biases.

From the opening number, "Colorado, My Home," the show captivated the audience and didn't let go. The cast was top notch, looking at their bios was impressive and their performances delivered. The voices soared beautifully and the characters moved through time, their experiences shaping them believably.

The greatest change was watching Molly mature from a rough country girl into a refined member of the upper class. Her relationship with her husband changes and it doesn't. You never lose the spark they find early in the story.

The sets are simple and exactly enough for each scene. The costumes develop from rough coal miners to sophisticated gentry and you hardly know how you got there. Most importantly, it all flows from one extreme to another with the natural evolution of the story.


I see theater all the time. This is a production that I can honestly say is not to missed. The quality of this show would rival any on Broadway. 

Shrek

Shrek
Boulder Dinner Theater
Boulder, CO
May 17 - September 6, 2014

Boulder Dinner Theater always schedules a kid-friendly show in the summer time and this year, it was Shrek. I had seen the national tour of this show and was intrigued to see it as a regional production.

The story and the characters are pretty much as you remember them from the movie. We do get a glimpse into the childhood of both Shrek and Fiona which helps flesh them out as the adults we see them as.

Most of all, the show is silly and fun. We meet a crazy assortment of fairy tale characters along the way. Donkey is as annoying and lovable as ever. We all know the story, but we love the journey.

The ogre make up is a bit messy and the costumes not always polished, but the charm of the show endures.We're cheering for Shrek to defeat the Lord Farquad (although you have to admire an actor who performs the entire show on his knees.)

The score is full of original songs, which are enjoyable if not memorable. You'll mostly remember the finale "I'm a Believer."  But the songs are funny and well placed throughout the show. As always, the Boulder Dinner Theater provides a talented cast. The sets and costumes never disappoint.

As an additional appeal to the children in the audience, after each performance you can purchase a photograph on the stage with the cast members.

Peter Pan

Peter Pan
Candlelight Dinner Theater
Johnstown, CO
June 19 - August 24, 2014

I'd seen Peter Pan earlier this year and my daughter loved it, so she was happy to see it again. This was our first visit to the Candlelight Dinner Theater. It was quite a drive to Johnstown but the drive was worth it.

The building itself was beautiful. A formal lobby and box office flowed smoothly into the hostess station where we seated quickly. I was glad I checked out the menu ahead of time because it was very hard to see inside the dining room. The menu had a Jamaican influence and unlike other dinner theaters I have visited in the past, the food was very tasty.

The dinner theater is huge and we were fairly far away. With the exception of the table across from us, the sight lines were very good. Our server was Wendy in the production and the service was good. The show, however, was even better.

The performers in many of the roles were very young, yet they were very talented. The audience was encouraged to boo every time Captain Hook walked on stage and he enjoyed every minute of it. It made the show a bit more fun to be interactive like that, especially for the kids. The flying was also delightful to watch the flying sequences, even if you could see the wires.

After the show, all the major characters were available in the lobby for photos. They stayed around for quite a long time, until there was no one left waiting. Such an exciting way to end the experience.

Tarzan

Tarzan
Arvada Center
Arvada, CO
July 6 - August 3, 2014

I've seen most of the Disney Broadway shows on tour, but Tarzan was one that had a short life on Broadway and never had a national tour that played in Denver.  So I was looking forward to seeing the regional premiere at the Arvada Center this summer.

Unlike some of the previous Disney on Broadway endeavors, Tarzan is not a natural transition to the stage. Most of the songs are not sung by the characters, rather are used as background. So it was interesting to see their incorporation into a musical.

The result was a refreshing new look at the story the movie tells. It's wonderful to hear Kala sing the entire song "You'll Be In My Heart" rather than the tiny sliver in the movie. She also performs "Son of Man" as we watch Tarzan grow up.

The stage version contains many new songs, "Waiting For This Moment" sung by Jane is chance to get to know her and the duet "For the First Time" is a tender moment missing from the film.

The performances at the Arvada Center were spectacular. The costumes for the apes were far out, suggestive and made the gap between man and beast thinner. Through this production, you felt more like we are "One Family."

The characters you love are all there and more endearing than ever. And the additional songs make the experience richer and don't take anything away from the original. It's just a reminder that the story and music are timeless.

Alice In Wonderland

Alice in Wonderland
Theatre-Hikes Colorado
Cherokee Ranch and Castle
Sedalia, CO
June 7 - July 6, 2014

Alice in Wonderland is the third production I've seen from Theatre-Hikes Colorado. The first two were performed at the Denver Botanic Gardens which was more like a nice walk than a hike. However, with the popular Chihuly exhibit I'm sure the Gardens didn't want to add to the crowds. It's really too bad because exhibit would have a perfect backdrop for Alice.

Today's performance was at Cherokee Castle and Ranch in Sedalia. It's a beautiful mountain setting and I could see we were in for a real hike. The group met in front of the castle and the staff made sure everyone checked in before the  hike began.

We followed a violin player who walked with our guide at the head of the group. When we arrived at the first location, the actors were already in place. There was a lovely blonde playing Alice and the rest of the actors played multiple characters. They didn't change clothing, but they added enough accessories for the audience to easily see who they were.

We hiked to five different locations for the five scenes. The cast used each of the locations well to frame the scene. The actors were clearly having fun with the ridiculous story and that only made it more fun for the audience. The script also included lesser known characters from the book which only kept us guessing even more.

The Theatre-Hikes productions are not the greatest performances you will ever see. But the choice of fun material and natural scenery make them more memorable.

The Snow Queen

The Snow Queen
Aurora Fox Theater
Aurora, CO
June 10-26, 2014

With the success of Disney's Frozen, it's not surprising that local theaters will be adapting Hans Christian Anderson's The Snow Queen to capitalize on the movie's success. The original story, however, is much different from the popular film.

The set and costumes were imaginative and a group of snowflakes acted as the narrator's of the show as we followed Gerta's journey to free her friend Kai from the evil snow queen. Her adventures included escape from a old woman with talking flowers and coming across a feisty wolf.

At the end, Gerta's love melts the heart of the Snow Queen and she announces she is "the queen of the sun." It is an abrupt, but satisfying conclusion. After the curtain call, the cast walked down the aisle to the lobby where they graciously met with the audience, which was mostly school groups. As it turned out, they were all kids and clearly enjoyed their time together.

The Tempest

The Tempest
The Colorado Shakespeare Festival
Mary Rippon Theater
Boulder, CO 
June 6 - August 10, 2014

When I attended the University of Colorado, I went to the Colorado Shakespeare Festival. Among the last plays I saw was The Tempest. That was many years ago, so I was interested to see how they would perform this classic play now.

When I arrived it was clear this would be a very different version. The set looked like a shipwreck and when the sun went down the lighting was magical.

As with all Shakespeare plays, we met a multitude of characters with various purpose. We meet Prospero, the tragic leading man and his daughter Miranda, the lovesick teenager. Stephano and Triniculo provide the comic relief. And we have a healthy dose of the supernatural with Ariel, the sprite and the monster, Caliban.

Many story lines intertwine on this magical island, but in the end all is well. (This is a comedy, after all.) The acting is stellar and the lighting superb at changing the stoic set into many locations. The Cirque De Soleil acrobatics of Ariel aren't seamless, but it's fun to watch. The special effects are dynamic, if not spectacular. The director has made the most of this space and the audience is always involved.

It's a magical event under the stars.

Fantasia Live in Concert

Fantasia Live in Concert
Colorado Symphony
Boettcher Concert Hall
Denver, CO 
May 10, 2014

The symphony is usually not a place children enjoy going. That is why performances like Fantasia In Concert are a brilliant idea. The original animation is shown on screens around the concert hall while the symphony plays the classical music live.

The musical selections were taken from Fantasia and Fantasia 2000. In my opinion, they picked many of the best ones. The music is beautiful and timeless. The animation kept the attention of the kids in the audience. It was the best of all worlds.The whole experience was immersive. The kids felt they had seen a movie, the parents got to hear a classical concert.

It was a wonderful opportunity to introduce children to live classical music.

Cinderella

Cinderella
Colorado Ballet
Ellie Caulkins Opera House
Denver, CO 
February 14-23, 2014

Over the years, I've seen many versions of Cinderella, but the ballet version was a new one for me. But I've seen many fairy tales performed by the Colorado Ballet and this one did not disappoint.

The sets were impressive - a house for Cinderella to clean and an impressive royal hall among them. The costumes were lovely. Most of the cast blended into the background to allow Cinderella to dazzle in her entrances to the ball.

Since we all know the story, the action was easy to follow. Most enjoyable was definitely the two male dancers clumsily playing the stepsisters. Cinderella was lovely and easy to identify with.

The special effects were believable. Most impressive is the old beggar woman transformation into Cinderella's fairy godmother. The coach was beautiful, even if it was pulled by dancers dressed as horses.

The finale showed Cinderella's wedding to her prince and her coronation.The happily ever after was complete.

As a side note, I had an issue with my seat for the show. (I went with a group and my seat was nothing short of awful.) I emailed the Colorado Ballet after the show. The response was quick and satisfying. They offered me free tickets to an upcoming show. In this day and age good customer service is hard to come by. Clearly, Colorado Ballet wants their customers to be happy.

Peter Pan

Peter Pan
Inspire Creative
PACE Center
Parker, CO
January 24 -February 9, 2014

When it comes to family musicals, it doesn't get more classic than Peter Pan. I've only seen one production at the PACE Center and I was looking forward to the next.

Clearly, this show was a big deal. The entire lobby was filled with posters promoting it. The promotion only escalated the excitement of entering the theater. The theater itself is comfortable and intimate. The staff was very friendly.

The sets for the show were impressive. The Darling's bedroom was lovely and the big picture window a nice centerpiece. When Peter Pan made his entrance, you want to fly with him. The transition to Neverland was smooth and complete.

Most of all, I was impressed with the cast of this show. I was expecting an amateur production based on the ticket prices. But these were clearly professional actors and the performances were wonderful.

Theater is one of my favorite hobbies, but it can be an expensive one. This production was only $25 per ticket, making it a great value. With affordable pricing and high quality shows, the PACE Center will be seeing me again.