The Crossroads Theatre has a new home on the ground floor of The Point Project, a residential space at 2550 Washington St. Artistic director Kurt Lewis plans to open his new 3,600-
square-foot theater, art gallery and dance space May 7 with the world premiere of “The Sisters, Sweetwater,” written by Denver’s Hugo Jon-Sayles and directed by Jimmy Walker.
Lewis, who has agreed to a five-year lease at the residential property, envisions a 125-seat performance space he will build for about $100,000, some of which will come from a city of Denver low-interest loan.
The building is near the namesake intersection of Denver’s historic Five Points neighborhood, a once high-crime area the cultural crowd may have been reluctant to venture to a decade ago. But in recent years, Five Points has regained its status as a lively hot spot, thanks in large part to the nearby Cervantes’ music hall.
Lewis will have 30 indoor parking spaces available, “But we are really going to market light rail, which is really changing the way people get around in the north part of downtown,” he said. The light rail stops in front of his building, he said.
Crossroads left its former home at 2180 Stout St. in October when it was discovered the landlord never had that space properly zoned for public performance.
Too much theater?
Many readers questioned the veracity of our report that 99 theater companies had performed at least one production in Colorado in 2004. The disbelief was understandable, but the numbers don’t lie, and the proliferation is only growing. We are now in a stretch that began Jan. 6 during which 72 plays are opening in 51 days. During a 28-day span within that window, the Denver Center alone is opening seven titles.
It’s not letting up anytime soon. Feb. 9-11 will be particularly busy, with 17 new productions opening. That’s not counting the Denver Center Theater Company’s inaugural Colorado New Play Summit that weekend.
Lake Dillon’s “Urinetown,” Shadow’s tribute to August Wilson, the Avenue’s “The Smell of the Kill” and the annual “Colorado Quickies” short-play festival are among anticipated productions that will fight for audience and critical attention.
At some point one must wonder whether we have the audience base to support that many simultaneous productions and what that much theater does to a thinning talent pool. Wouldn’t we all be better off if we had fewer companies joining forces and producing better theater?
While it’s true 99 companies were active in 2004, less than half presented full seasons of at least four productions. And 30 of the 99 drew fewer than 1,200 patrons for the year. With that little revenue being generated, you know most actors are simply not being paid.
That said, a recent Scarborough study contends that 30 percent of all adults living in Denver attended at least one play in 2004, or 578,235. That ranks Denver 10th in the country in per-capita theater attendance.
But just because this state affords widespread opportunities for actors to perform and audience to attend theater does not automatically translate into great theater.
The Paragon is on a high
The Paragon Theatre’s “Sneak Peek” was an innovative scheme to rally interest in its 2006 season in the weeks before “Sailor’s Song” opens Feb. 18. Paragon threw a free, good-vibe pep rally at Theatre On Broadway on Jan. 21, drawing an overflow crowd of boosters and potential season-ticket holders who were plied with food, wine and short performance excerpts from each of the company’s upcoming plays.
It was a good opportunity for Paragon to brag about its growth and to further brand its stated creative vision: “Honest. Intimate. Bold.”
In 2005, Paragon’s ticket revenue increased 46 percent, while prices remained unchanged. Subscription revenue increased 23 percent, and attendance at its free public readings grew 103 percent. Paragon also commissioned its first new play, Ellen Graham’s “How We May Know Him,” for possible inclusion on the 2007 season.
Also on tap for 2006: Harold Pinter’s “The Caretaker,” directed by Terry Dodd, and the Doug Hughes adaptation of Henrik Ibsen’s “Hedda Gabler.” (303-300-2210)
Briefly …
Monday is Denver Center founder Donald Seawell’s big day in New York. He’ll receive the Theatre Hall of Fame’s Founder’s Award. …
It’s that time of year again: TheatreWorks stages four days of “The Vagina Monologues” in Colorado Springs beginning Thursday (719-262-3232).
Theater critic John Moore can be reached at 303-820-1056 or jmoore@denverpost.com.
