Fiddler on the Roof

Fiddler on the Roof
BDT Stage
Boulder, CO
November 14, 2014 - February 28, 2015

While there are plenty of theater options in the Denver metro area, finding anyone performing classic musicals is actually fairly difficult. I was thrilled to see Fiddler on the Roof on the BDT Stage's schedule. Apparently I was not the only one excited for this production, most of the shows have been sold out.

The sell outs were for a good reason. It was a wonderful production. You couldn't help but feel deeply connected to Tevye, the man who finds humor in all of his trials. His family is warm and welcoming and you feel a part of it.

As the show went on, I couldn't help but be amazed at how many of the songs were strongly familiar, yet they are still relevant after 50 years. And as we watch the family struggle with the changes forced on them by the modern world we can't help but feel their pain.

While the performance was outstanding, the food was disappointing. My last meal at this theater was such an improvement I had hoped for better.

The cast were available for meet and greets after the show, if you can catch them as they close out their tables. But everyone we met was more than gracious despite their table waiting responsibilities.

My greatest hope is that more companies will take a page from BDT and perform more of the classics. They are classic for a reason - they maintain their ability to engage audiences, no matter how much time goes by.

Swan Lake

Swan Lake
Russian National Ballet Theater
PACE Center
Parker, CO
February 19, 2015

Prior to this evening, I have only seen professional ballet presented by the Colorado Ballet. And while their company has many Russian dancers in it, there is something very exciting about seeing a company from Russia. Apparently I am not the only one who thinks so because the performance has been sold out for months.

The performance has everything you would expect, stunning costumes and fantastic dancing. The PACE Center might be too intimate a venue to see a production like this, it was hard to view the stage as a whole. I also missed the narrative cues the Ellie Caulkins Theater provides throughout the performance. And since there was no synopsis in the program, the audience was expected to know the storyline.

Despite Swan Lake being a renowned ballet, the story is not universally known. Fortunately one of our neighbors shared the synopsis they brought with them, otherwise I would have been lost. It is a stretch that the prince would mistake the voluptuous blonde black swan for the anorexicly thin brunette white swan. But that is what the audience is asked to believe.

Despite the far fetched casting, the dancing was beautiful. Even as a casual ballet patron I could tell the difficulty level was high. It was exciting to watch a company of dancers who clearly live up to their national reputation.

Cinderella

Cinderella
National Tour
Buell Theater
Denver, CO
February 3-15, 2015

I've seen Rodgers and Hammerstein's Cinderella before, but I couldn't resist the opportunity to see the recent revival of the show. What I didn't know was, this production has a brand new book to go along with the classic score.

This Cinderella is more political than her predecessors. She not only attends the prince's ball in a white gown, but a banquet the following night in a gold gown. In this production she is not only following her heart, she is fighting for the equality of people in the kingdom as well.

The classic story is still there: a mistreated young woman, a misunderstood prince and the stunning glass slipper, but there are deeper implications than just one couple finding love. We root for Cinderella and her Prince to be together because we believe Cinderella will bring the common person's view to the government (something we can all identify with today).

Through the changes, the eternal songs of Rodgers and Hammerstein endure, touching our hearts and binding our hope to that of the characters.

The performers are impeccable, as you would expect in a national tour. And the sets and costumes are spectacular - Cinderella's costume changes elicited a round of applause from the audience. Through every retelling, the story is clearly one audiences still identify with.