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.

The Wizard of Oz

The Wizard of Oz
Inspire Creative
PACE Center
Parker, CO
January 23 - February 8, 2015

Shows don't get more classic than The Wizard of Oz. Musicals are not beloved for 80 years for no reason. The 1939 movie is so cherished that many don't see a way to improve on the original. The PACE Center production doesn't try to, it is an homage to the movie and for that we love it.

Dorothy is the same, a lonely young girl in a blue gingham dress. Her suffering is universal - the grown ups just don't understand her. And young and old in the audience identify with her isolation. But her fantastic journey in the land of Oz make it clear to all of us that even if we feel misunderstood, home is the most important thing.

While this production may lack creativity, it doesn't lack heart. They do provide a few new spins - like the witches arriving from the side rather from the air, but nothing is unexpected. The song, "The Jitterbug" has been added back, having been cut from the movie. And "King of the Forest," my least favorite song from the movie, is entertaining and funny.

There are a few modern twists on this classic tale. Glinda is played as a bit of an airhead, a nod to her character in the popular show Wicked. And the Wizard's initial appearances seem to be inspired more by the movie Oz the Great and Powerful, than the original Wizard of Oz.

The cast is strong and the story heart warming. The Wizard of Oz is like an old friend you don't realize how much you miss them until they are with you again.

Dreamgirls

Dreamgirls
Ignite Theater
Aurora Fox Theater
Aurora, CO
December 27, 2014 - January 18, 2015

After seeing Ignite Theater's impressive production of Into the Woods, I was excited to check out Dreamgirls. But before my review of the show, I have to give Ignite Theater props for their customer service. I had an issue with the date I purchased tickets for. I called their box office and my tickets were changed quickly and easily with no issue. They even did their best to get me seats as close to my original ones. This is a great perk for any theater goer who worried when purchasing theater tickets in advance.

That being said, it was only the first delight in my experience seeing Dreamgirls. I had only seen the movie prior to this and, as expected, there were differences. The director did not shy away from turning Deena into a full blown diva, not an innocent victim like the movie. Curtis is less charming and more conniving. Michelle is a full fledged character, not an afterthought. Effie is also not perfect, but no one here is.

The vocal performances are strong and the music is infectious. Even "Stepping to the Bad Side," my least favorite song in the movie, is powerful and showstopping. And then there is Effie's voice, which will blow you away in "And I'm Telling You, I'm Not Going" and "I Am Changing," just as they are supposed to. And at the end, the Dreams move into place as Effie's backup singers and you see what should have been. It's breathtaking.

The sets are not complex, but the use of every inch of the stage is impressive to give you a feel of different places. The costume and wigs are fantastic, changing the decades by themselves.

This is one show I feel bad for people who have missed it. This was one of those rare life-changing performances.

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.