Little Women

Little Women
Aurora Fox Theater
Aurora, CO 
November 27 - December 27, 2015

Like many women, I read the Louisa May Alcott novel Little Women. It's hard to imagine it as a musical, but being the theater fan I am, I was willing to give it a try.

The sets for this show were very impressive. We started out in the intimate March home. The cozy walls of the home turned to reveal the other locations in the story, which were just as detailed as the original set. A raised loft on stage left gave the characters an attic to narrate the huge scope of the story.

The four March girls were well cast. Each exuded her own personality and the songs they sang together were lovely.

The songs were pretty, but mostly forgettable. None of them were personally engaging or hummable. But they were all well sung by the very talented cast.

The story line followed the book fairly well but it was condensed. The costumes made the passage of time harder to see. At the beginning, each character wore a simple everyday dress and only changed for specific reason. That was believable enough. However, closer to the end of the show, the costumes were more distinct and it seemed strange for the characters to wear them every day.

Fan of the book will appreciate this production. The stories they love are there. (Beth's death is over the top, but it will still play on your emotions.) It is a real story about life, love and most of all, family. A perfect sentiment for this time of year.

The Nutcracker

The Nutcracker
Colorado Ballet
Ellie Caulkins Opera House
November 28 - December 27, 2015

As with many families, The Nutcracker has become an annual tradition in my family. As always, the Colorado Ballet does not disappoint in it's production. The sets and the costumes are wonderfully made ans used. Very little changes from year to year - which can be both good and bad. While it is nice to have the traditions from year to year, something new would be enjoyable as well.

The cast changes from performance to performance with no way for the audience to know who will be performing which role. Happily, Gregory Gonzales plays Herr Drosselmeyer in every performance. He excels at playing strange and mysterious characters. It was a disappointment that the Ballet's premiere ballerina, Marina Mosina, was not performing the role of the Sugar Plum Fairy at the performance I attended. However, she danced the role of the Arabian Woman exquisitely.

There is a good reason The Nutcracker is an enduring Christmas favorite. The music is classic, the dancing beautiful and the story timeless. The Colorado Ballet performances will give you everything you are looking for in this enduring holiday classic.

The Lion King

The Lion King
National Touring Company
Buell Theater
Denver, CO 
November 4-29, 2015

In the 18 years since it opened on Broadway The Lion King stage musical has become a "must see" in modern musical theater.It has the perfect combination of excellent staging, beautiful music and appeal to audiences of all ages.

Despite its many years on tour, the show still creates excitement when it comes through town. The puppets used throughout the show continue to impress. The recreation of Pride Rock, the wildebeest stampede and elephant graveyard are awe inspiring, even to the adults. The choreography is not complex, but it fits the music and mood.

The strength of the show, like the film which inspired it, is the music. The original songs by Tim Rice and Elton John still inspire. The songs written for the stage version are just as wonderful. While the acoustics in the performance I attended were not ideal, the music still shone through.

West Side Story

West Side Story
Candlelight Dinner Playhouse
Johnstown, CO
September 24 - November 15, 2015

The Candlelight Dinner Playhouse is presenting a season full of classic musicals. Their most recent offering is West Side Story.

The menu was a blend of 1950's American comfort food and Puerto Rican inspired dishes. The desserts were especially good.

The show got off to a dramatic start. The opening sequence was an effective blend of street fighting and dance sequences. While most of the actors were clearly older than their characters, the performances were good enough to let us overlook that fact.

The set was impressive, the street acted as a backdrop of the rest of the scenes. Other sets such as the fire escape, Maria's bedroom and the bridal shop were all swiftly brought onto the stage and removed.

The show itself is still a masterpiece. Every song is a familiar classic. This production doesn't try to improve or modernize the songs, and there is no need for it. The voices were strong and the music soared.

The choreography was also impressive. It is difficult to get gang members to dance believably. The transitions between dancing and fighting aren't seamless, but they do flow together. And the cast has the talent to pull off the exhausting sequences.

West Side Story is a show that everyone should see and productions like this one keep it alive for future generations.

Halloween Spooktacular

Halloween Spooktacular
Colorado Symphony
Boettcher Concert Hall
Denver, CO
October 31, 2015

The Halloween Spooktacular concert is an annual tradition at the Colorado Symphony. Just like most of the audience, the musicians dressed in costumes. The stage was also festively decorated with pumpkins and ghosts.

The program began with the Imperial March from Star Wars. While the music played, the conductor walked out dressed as Darth Vader. The concert was made up of familiar music from movies and classical music which fit the Halloween theme. The conductor spent time before each classic piece to help the young members of the audience follow the story inside the music.

Halfway through the concert, the orchestra played the theme from Superman. The conductor raced offstage and returned in a Superman costume. The audience loved the change.

The conductor officiated a costume contest of the orchestra members with the audience as judge and each child received a bag of goodies as they left.

The symphony does a wonderful job of making sure the Spooktacular is fresh every year and it remains the perfect way to introduce children to the Colorado Symphony.

Golden Dragon Acrobats

Golden Dragon Acrobats
PACE Center
Parker, CO
October 23, 2015

The PACE Center has an impressive record of bringing famous international acts to their venue. This year it was the Golden Dragon Acrobats. As expected, the show was sold out.

The show was an entertaining combination of music, dance and acrobatics. The group of performers was actually fairly small, but they performed a wide range of astonishing feats.

The show began with a line of five women with meticulously choreographed arm movements which evoked Hindu gods. They were followed by four acrobats who stunning stacked and manipulated their bodies into unbelievable shapes.

We watched in awe as women juggled balls with their feet and passed them easily to each other. Acrobats performed somersaults and flips over each other in rapid succession. Performers rode unicycles, jumped several ropes at once and acrobats created elaborate tableaus.

We were astounded by seven people balanced on a small bicycle. But the highlight was clearly when one male acrobat stacked eight chairs and balanced treacherously near the stage lights on the ceiling. As each chair was brought out, the audience sat further on their edge of their seats.

While it was astounding to see the acts in person, it bears noting that occasionally the performers did make mistakes. It was only further proof that the routines are very difficult.

The evening was much like a Cirque du Soliel show without the astounding price tag.

La Sylphide

 La Sylphide
Colorado Ballet
Ellie Caulkins Opera House
Denver, CO
October 2-11, 2015 

La Sylphide is one of the oldest ballets on record. After seeing many of the classics over the years, it was interesting to see one that preceded them all.

The storyline is simple – as many ballets are. The hero awakens to find a beautiful sylph in his home. His obsession with her causes him to lose everything.

The costumes in this show evoked the Scottish highlands. I must admit it was refreshing to see the male dancers in kilts rather than tights. The women’s long dresses did not make them look like ballerinas, but the dancing seamlessly blended with these changes.

The choreography in Act 1 was reminiscent of the dancing from the Scottish Highlands. The highlight of the evening was the company dancing in the great hall. It was a spectacular sequence, even if James, the hero, had to be pulled back in while chasing his elusive sylph.

Act two started strongly with Madge, the witch, doing a strange dance around her cauldron, reminding me of the witches in Macbeth. The rest of the act was dominated by the sylphs. The set up was much like the Wilis’ dance in Giselle. Unfortunately, these sequences were not as captivating as the Wilis.

With the exception of the ending, the production didn’t feel old fashioned. It was beautiful to watch and easy to follow.