TJ Miller took to the airwaves last week promoting his Denver East High School theater teacher, Melody Duggan. Oh, yeah, and his new movie, “Cloverfield.” But mostly, he was chatting up Duggan and the importance of theater education in American high schools.
Miller, best-known as a stand-up comedian, told “The Fan” audiences on 950 AM he wouldn’t be a stand-up today if not for Duggan, who may be the only high-school teacher in the nation who includes stand-up as part of her core theater curriculum.
“Isn’t TJ adorable?” said Duggan. “He acts like I taught him something, which is really flattering, but I just didn’t ruin what he already had.”
Duggan says she was “a famous waitress and a struggling stand-up” back in her New York days. She says stand-up is the perfect adjunct for introducing theater students to acting. “I teach it because it gives kids a real sense of what is funny and why it’s funny,” said Duggan, also known by the cool kids as mother of Buntport Theater ensemble actor Hannah Duggan.
Miller, from East’s class of 1999, “was the quintessential class clown,” Melody Duggan said. “He was irrepressible, he was nuts and he was gifted with a really natural sense of timing.” But he was also “showstopping” starring in Tom Stoppard’s “The Real Inspector Hound,” and as Marcellus Washburn, the fake professor’s comic sidekick in “The Music Man.”
Duggan believes Miller’s theater training helped him become a successful standup.
“Theater provides you with a cultural literacy, and performing gives you a connection with the human experience,” she said. “Rarely does any kid come out of a theater class without some empathy.”
Now Miller, 26, is starring in the big-buzz popcorn thriller “Cloverfield,” about a monster attack in New York. It’s filmed in the style of “The Blair Witch Project,” and alas, Miller’s character is holding the camera. So while you get to hear him throughout the movie, “I’m only on screen for a minute and a half,” he told his hosts at 950 AM.
Dairy hikes rents
Three area theater companies are facing new financial hurdles with news of huge rent increases at the Dairy Center for the Arts. The Dairy, one of the best facilities in the state, is home to Boulder’s Upstart Crow, the Boulder Ensemble Theatre Company and Theatre 13.
The 28-year-old Crow’s rent is going up 44 percent (to an average of $670 a week). The newer BETC, which was already paying $1,100 a week for a larger Dairy theater space, faces similar hikes, exacerbated by a newly increased fee of $1.75 per ticket.
“And when you only charge $15,” said Stephen Weitz, that’s quite a hit.”
The Crow’s Joan Bell said her company’s survival now depends on more populist titles. “We never would have chosen ‘John Gabriel Borkman’ (opening May 16) before the increase,” she said.
“Rent” finally due
The 1980s AIDS musical “Rent,” which has grossed more than $280 million, will close June 1 as the seventh-longest-running show in Broadway history, having played 5,012 performances and grossed more than $280 million over 12 years. Inspired by Puccini’s “La Bohème,” “Rent” opened April 29, 1996, but the Broadway version was never seen by creator Jonathan Larson, who died of an aortic aneurysm after the show’s final dress rehearsal.
Briefly …
Hey, all you “Spring Awakening” fans: Popster Duncan Sheik, who wrote the music, and is best known for ditties like “Barely Breathing,” is coming to Colorado, playing concerts in Boulder (Fox, Feb. 7), Aspen (Feb. 9, Wheeler Opera House) and Beaver Creek (Vilar Center, Feb. 11) …
And finally, this town’s not big enough for the both of them. Director and scenic designer Michael R. Duran, a former Denver Post theater person of the year, is tired of being mistaken for Boulder’s Dinner Theatre producing artistic director Michael J. Duran. So starting now, you’ll see Michael R. professionally credited as M Rey Duran.
John Moore: 303-954-1056 or jmoore@denverpost.com
This week’s theater openings
Thu.-March 1: Denver Center Theatre Company’s “Lydia” (at the Ricketson Theatre)
Thu-Feb. 10:Theatre 13’s “And Baby Makes Seven”
Thu-March 30: New Denver Civic’s “Office Broadway” (black box)
Fri-Feb. 17: Fine Arts Center’s “Sunday in the Park with George.” Colorado Springs
Fri.-Feb. 23: California Actors Theatre’s “On Golden Pond.” Longmont
Fri.-March 29: Grand Theatre’s “Romantic Fools.” Winter Park
Fri.-Feb. 16: Star Bar Players’ “Scapin.” Colorado Springs
Sat.-Feb. 24: Modern Muse’s “Body of Water” (at the Bug Theatre).
Sat.-March 2: Bas Bleu Theatre’s “Someone Who’ll Watch Over Me.” Fort Collins
This week’s theater closings
Today. National touring of “Jesus Christ Superstar” (at Buell Theatre).
Today. Cabaret Dinner Theatre’s “Scrooge.” Grand Junction
Today. Lake Dillon Theatre’s “The Sound of a Voice.”
Weekly podcast
 |
Running Lines with . . . Ted Neeley. On this special, expanded episode of “Running Lines …” John Moore talks with the star of the seminal 1973 film “Jesus Christ Superstar,” as well as the national tour playing twice today at the Buell Theatre. Neeley talks about filming in the Israeli desert, how he feels about recent tinkering to certain lyrics, how he lobbied creators to add the presumption of a resurrection and, most important, whether playing Christ for all these years hasn’t given him a Jesus Complex! To listen, . Then click on the miniplayer’s triangular “play” button, and the podcast will begin playing without your having to download.
