The Magic Flute

The Magic Flute
Central City Opera
Central City, CO
July 7 - August 5, 2018

The Magic Flute is one of Mozart's seemingly timeless operas. It is usually presented as a grand fantasy, however Central City Opera put their own spin on this production.

The performance was set in the early 1900's in the imagination of three boys whose imaginations created a blend of fantasy and their reality. At times it worked but in some moments it was a bit odd.

The show seemed to be slow to start as the ladies of the Queen of the Night were the governesses of the boys. While it was a clever twist, it lacked the fantasy element and revealed the character of the Queen of the Night earlier than it should have.

The appearance of the Queen through a picture was clever. She was every bit the glamorous apparition the audience wanted. Sorastro was equally impressive - appearing as a ringmaster of an antique circus. While that concept was an interesting one, it seemed strange to have ancient Egyptians mixed in at his temple was puzzling.

Pamina and Tamino were the typical hero and heroine. Papageno was a bit more original as an Aussie on an ostrich. But that initial gag did seem to get old after a while.

The performance I was was the young artists and this was a very strong group. Sorastro had a few snags in the opera, but the rest connected beautifully with the more experienced ensemble.

The show was enjoyable, if not spectacular. It was a creative interpretation of the show and fun to watch. But it lacked the wow factor of previous shows at Central City Opera.

Les Miserables

Les Miserables
National Tour
Buell Theater
Denver, CO 
July 25 - August 5, 2018

Musicals don't get any more epic than Les Miserables. After more than 30 years, this show still has an audience in London, Broadway and on tour.  The story of the redemption of Jean Valjean has not lost its impact on people.

In 2010, the show was restaged, removing the revolving stage and creating more realistic backdrops. The result was a more intimate and darker show. Some moments, such as "One Day More," were left virtually the same and for good reason, the staging was spectacular.


The actor playing Jean Valjean was difficult to understand in the opening scenes of the show. For a through-sung musical, that's a problem. However, he got better as the show progressed, receiving an extended ovation for a stunning rendition of "Bring Him Home."

The performance of Javert was strong throughout. His character was strong an militant. His motivation was clearly shown in "Stars." Fantine was beautiful and vulnerable and Eponine was as tragic as ever. Marius and Cosette created a moving love story in the midst of tragedy.

Despite being over 30 years old, Les Miserables is not showing it's age. The story and music is still as powerful and human as they were on it's opening night in 1987.

Irish Tales Along the Trail

Irish Tales Along the Trail

Arts in the Open
Chautauqua State Park
Boulder, CO
July 7 - August 5, 2018

Irish Tales Along the Trail seems an appropriate title for a play performed on a hike. This production presented four fun stories from Ireland in scenic Chautauqua Park. While the stories were not familiar to most audiences, they were easy to follow and well told.

The cast all used Irish accents throughout. They were consistent and not at all grating. They easily switched for character to character - often in the same scene. And when an actor played more than one character in the same scene, it was easily distinguishable.

This show did not attempt much scenery other than the framework of the park. But the sets and costume pieces were enough to create each location.

Irish Tales brought audiences what they have come to expect from Arts in the Open - outrageous characters, just enough costumes to create the characters and funny stories.

The Book of Mormon

The Book of Mormon
National Tour
Ellie Caulkins Opera House
Denver, CO 
June 13 - July 1, 2018

The musical The Book of Mormon took Broadway by storm in 2011. In that time, the appeal of this satirical show has not died down. Even on its third trip to Denver the tickets sold quickly.

The show started quickly with “Hello,” showing a group of young men training to go door to door. From there the story took off running. The songs were full of energy and the choreography added to the humor.

The main characters of Elder Price and Elder Cunningham were fun to watch. They had good chemistry between them. Nabulungi was charming but when she sang it was difficult to understand the words. On a song like “Sal Tlay Ka Siti" it was unfortunate because much of the humor was lost.

The brief bits from the actually Book of Mormon helped put the show in context. The “Spooky Mormon Hell Dream” served as a psychological analysis as well as a production number. Songs like "I Believe" and "Baptize Me" showed relatable sides of the characters.

The show was funny, often vulgar and never took anything seriously. It pushed the limits of good taste and the comfort level of the audience. The result was a hilarious presentation that somehow managed to show the human side of all the characters involved.

The Commedia of Robin Hood

The Commedia of Robin Hood

Arts in the Open
Chautauqua State Park
Boulder, CO
June 2 - July 1, 2018

Robin Hood seems like a natural fit for a theatre hike from Arts in the Open. The natural setting at Chautauqua State Park can easily stand in for Sherwood Forest.

The Commedia of Robin Hood was presented as a play within a play. The first scene introduced the audience to the actors - a pretentious Shakespearean, a young narcissist, an exasperated director. Once the parts were assigned, the action of the story began. Occasionally we would see the actor behind the character. It was impressive to see each actor playing two characters at once.

All the familiar characters were part of the show: Robin Hood, Maid Marian, Friar Tuck, Will Scarlet, the Sheriff of Nottingham. The introduction of each one brought on tales that some audiences may not have been familiar with, but each was memorable.

The story contained plenty of action. The actors (aside from Robin Hood) switched from character to character to tell the story. At times the portrayal was quite silly, but it was all in good fun.

The limited props and simple costumes were brought alive by the talented cast and clever directing. The weather changed during the performance I attended and the actors persevered through it. Even a rainstorm couldn't stop the famous Robin Hood!

School of Rock

School of Rock
National Tour
Buell Theater
Denver, CO 
May 29 - June 10, 2018

The movie School of Rock wasn’t the most obvious choice to become a musical, especially on written by superstar composer Andrew Lloyd Webber. But that is the journey this show took.

The show was exactly what audiences wanted. The music was not-too-heavy rock and roll. The story was fun and inspiring. The script was funny and the pace was quick and the characters were relatable.
The cast carried the show. It was often difficult to understand the lyrics when Dewey was singing, but his portrayal of the character was spot on. The children’s performances were also very enjoyable, particularly the know-it-all Summer. The announcement before the show that the children actually play the instruments during the performance only increased the appreciation of their performance
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The songs are not reminiscent of past Andrew Lloyd Webber scores. However, there are two soaring ballads that he is known for: “Where Did the Rock Go?” and “If Only You Would Listen.” Other songs like “You’re In the Band” and “Stick It to the Man” are very different than what we would expect.

The set for the show seemed simple. Most only took up a portion of the stage giving them an intimate feel. The technology used made each scene flow seamlessly into the next.

The show was a real crowd pleaser. It was the perfect show to introduce children to live theatre, especially teens and tweens.

A Hymn to the Goddess

A Hymn to the Goddess
Bitsy Stage
Denver, CO
May 18 – June 18, 2018

It has become the tradition of the Bitsy Stage to create theatrical pieces featuring the folklore for children of all ages. The shows are increasingly difficult to get tickets for. Their latest offering A Hymn to the Goddess sold out the entire run before it even opened.

This show was not as action oriented as those we have seen in the past. The storytelling device was an archeologist telling her much younger assistant the myths of Isis and Osiris. There was little humor or action, so the story seemed a bit slow.

The show was well acted. Isis was deliberate and seductive and Set was mysterious and deliberate. The other supporting gods were less intriguing, but still worth watching.  The costumes for the show were lovely in detail. It was a compelling moment when the younger archeologist dressed as Set, the villain.

As always, the production featured a simple set which transformed to exotic locations. The beginning where Isis made ruins into building again was an interesting start, if a bit clunky in execution.

Egyptian mythology is less familiar and more psychological than others, so the stories created a more mysterious and more thought provoking play. It may not have the appeal to younger children as other Bitsy shows, but it brought the eternal themes of Egypt to  life in modern day.