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.