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.