There are 8 million stories in the Naked City. Denver has, uh, five.
Curious Theatre Company wants to show you the “Denver Stories” at a fundraiser April 5. Organizers have cajoled five high-
profile locals to write 10-minute plays (with real playwrights) about their lives and Denver. Look for tales of the city from 5280 publisher Dan Brogan, socialite Holly Kylberg, restaurateurs Mel and Janie Master, former Denver first lady and runner Ellen Hart Peña, and developer Mickey Zeppelin with artist Susan Wick.
“When they first talked to me, I thought they were trying to find (former Mayor and ex-husband) Federico,” says Peña. “When they wanted me, I was totally and completely surprised. It’s sort of predictable, but (the play) is going to have a running theme. Running away from things, running toward things.”
The Masters say they no idea how to condense a wild life together into 10 minutes. Zeppelin says he is in the project after kicking and screaming. “I hope it’s a comedy.”
Brogan, laid up with kidney stones recently (ouch!), hasn’t given it a moment’s thought but knows he has to, pronto.
Kylberg says, “I have five ideas, and one of them I’ll use. I want it to be tongue-in-cheek and kind of campy.” Just like Holly!
Call 303-562-3333.
Palm Friday
It was one wild time Friday night at the Concert for Kids Celebrity Waiter Dinner at the Palm. Bold-name plate-dealers included Walter Isenberg, Josh Hanfling, Walt DeHaven, Jack Finlaw, RD Sewald, Steve Katich, Barry Hirsch feld, Molly Hughes, Bill Mosher and Tom Philand. All earning big tips for the cause.
Philand dressed in a pink tutu and sang the chicken song for extra tips. The guys lined up to pass an orange around held only by their chins, resulting in a back-breaking hug that Isenberg and Hanfling are still trying to forget. “This is wrong,” mumbled a Palm server.
Many of the men came with waiter experience. Frontier Airlines’ flack Andrew Hudson had the most, from pearl diving (dishwashing) with Epicurean Catering when he was 14 to cooking at Jose Muldoons while in college. “You never learn more about yourself than when you make 60 gallons of guacamole on a Sunday morning,” said Hudson.
Topless titan John Soto brought a surprise celeb: Efren Ramirez, who played Pedro in “Napoleon Dynamite.”
Much of the talk at the brassy party was about Mayor John Hickenlooper’s possible run for governor. The consensus: Yes, he will.
Hair
Core magazine features Channel 2 anchor Asha Blake on the cover this month – and she tells interviewer Richie Hunter that people call her to ask all sorts of questions.
“The women who call me want to know about the news, how best to make their lives function well, how to take care of their families and where I get my hair cut. They are serious about the news, but they also want to know where I get my hair cut!”
For the record, we share the same sultry stylist: Lisa Nichols at Posh.
City spirit
London-based Financial Times just ran a story praising Denver with the headline: “More than just a staging post: Denver is shaking off its roughneck, cowboy reputation” … Sez who: “Nobody in football should be called a genius. A genius is a guy like Norman Einstein.” Joe Theismann
Bill Husted’s column appears Sunday, Monday, Tuesday and Thursday. Husted also appears on Fox 31 News. You can reach him at 303-820-1486 or at bhusted@denverpost.com.
