It was a runaway hit performed in runaway heat. In the heart of summertime, Paragon Theatre’s “Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf” played to an estimated 85 percent overall capacity and garnered its first four-star review, making it the landmark production of the company’s seven-year history.
But despite a revenue windfall 25 percent higher than any previous Paragon show, the lasting impact of “Virginia Woolf” on a small company like this one comes in perception and reputation. Everyone from audiences to sponsors to producers to grant-funders will look at it differently from now on.
Paragon always has existed somewhat in the shadow of the like-minded Curious Theatre, but while Curious has never staged anything you may have seen previously in Denver, Paragon has made its sudden move into the big time in the oddest of ways – with plays 20 and 40 years old.
Just five days before “Virginia Woolf” opened in July, Paragon’s “Frankie and Johnny” was named the Colorado Theatre Guild’s best play of 2006, also sweeping best-actor and best-actress Henry Awards for Emily Paton Davies and Thomas Borrillo.
Then came the knockout “Virginia Woolf,” starring the estimable Martha Harmon Pardee and the Denver Center Theatre Company’s ace, Sam Gregory. Just going to show that, against all conventional wisdom, it doesn’t take new works to establish yourself as an emerging and dynamic young theater company.
It just takes good works. Well cast. And well done.
“Virginia Woolf” was all of that. But it was not without risk. Gregory was the company’s first Equity (professional union) hire in its 19 stagings. “We could have flopped, and that could have been very damaging,” said director Warren Sherrill, “but even though we are small, we are stable and we are smart – so we build that possibility into the equation. So if we had lost money, it wouldn’t have killed us.
“But obviously, we can’t afford to do that three times in a row.”
Paragon is an ensemble-driven company whose members choose their season together. That always means a mix of old and new, though co-artistic director Michael Stricker said that after “Virginia Woolf,” his company has a fond new appreciation for a good old play.
Creede garners award
Steppenwolf … Old Globe … Roundabout … Goodman … Creede Repertory Theatre?
Yes, our very own CRT, a summertime jewel 250 miles southwest of Denver, has joined some esteemed company in winning the National Theatre Conference’s Outstanding Achievement Award for 2007. How big a deal is this? Last year’s winner was The Public Theatre in New York.
“It’s cool for us, as it is the first national award CRT has received in its 42-year history, and the previous recipients are in the stratosphere in terms of their artistic reputation and accomplishment,” said executive director Maurice LaMee. “We feel quite honored that we might be ever mentioned in the same sentence with any of the others.”
Briefly …
The DCTC has tinkered a bit with its upcoming season, with “Lydia” (now opening Jan. 17) and “Our House” (Jan. 24) flipping opening weekends. Also, “Lydia” and “Doubt” will run one fewer week than originally announced, with extensions possible if necessary …
The crazy Big Apple comedy team headed by Denver brothers Jeff and Chuck LaGreca is taking its act off-Broadway. “Minimum Wage,” a silly a cappella satire of on-the-job training at a fast-food burger barn, opens Sept. 28 at the Bleecker Street Theater (burgerboys.com) …
So the Arvada Center’s “Do I Hear a Waltz” wasn’t much to waltz over, but it was obvious that co-star Jennifer DeDominici has opera-caliber chops. No wonder, then, she’s been named to perform the title role in Opera Theatre of the Rockies’ 10th-anniversary production of Bizet’s “Carmen” next March in Colorado Springs …
Comedy Works is bringing “Tony N’ Tina’s Wedding” back to Denver Nov. 27-Dec. 2 at the 1770 Sherman Street Event Complex (303-595-3637) …
The winners of the 2007 New Rocky Mountain Voices Award are “The Organist’s Daughter,” a romantic comedy by William Kovacsik of Denver (also an actor with the Colorado Shakespeare Festival); and “A Choice Piece,” a satiric comedy by Diana Lewis of Santa Fe. The one-acts will be performed Sept. 7-8 at the Jones Theater in Westcliffe …
The Colorado Festival of World Theatre’s “Sondheim Celebration” on Sept. 21 in Colorado Springs is sure to sell out, so order tickets now at 719-475-1737. And keep an eye out for my colleague Kyle MacMillan’s exclusive interview with the Colorado-bound Stephen Sondheim, winner of the fest’s Donald R. Seawell Award.
Theater critic John Moore can be reached at 303-954-1056 or jmoore@denverpost.com.
This week’s theater openings
FRI-SEPT. 22 | Creede Repertory Theatre’s “Everything in the Garden”
FRI-SEPT. 2 | “A Theatre Group’s “Shirley Valentine” (at the Grand Imperial Hotel) | SILVERTON
SAT-SEPT. 29 | OpenStage & Company’s “Arabian Nights” | FORT COLLINS
This week’s theater closings
MON | Boulder International Fringe Festival (at 14 venues around Boulder)
THU | Denver Civic’s “Sistas and Storytellers” (Thursdays only)
SAT | Victorian Playhouse’s “Barefoot in the Park”
SAT | Theatre Aspen’s “The Last Five Years”
SAT | Crested Butte Mountain Theatre’s “Reefer Madness, the Musical” | CRESTED BUTTE
SAT | TheatreWorks’ “Antonio’s Revenge” | COLORADO SPRINGS
SEPT. 2 | TheatreWorks’ “Hamlet” | COLORADO SPRINGS
SEPT. 2 | Boulder’s Dinner Theatre’s “The Sound of Music”
SEPT. 2 | Little Theatre of the Rockies’ “Bad Dates” (at Norton Hall) | GREELEY
SEPT. 2 | Cabaret Dinner Theatre’s “Sugar” | GRAND JUNCTION
