With a nod to the upcoming National Performing Arts Convention, set for June 10-14, Denver Center Theatre Company artistic director Kent Thompson celebrates the end of his third season with a glittering display of vocal virtuosity and club-style entertainment. “3 Mo’ Divas” is exactly what it claims to be: three more of the best and most exciting singers you’re ever going to hear. Sure, you’ve heard all the great singers, from Marion Anderson, Mahalia Jackson and Leontyne Price to Ella Fitzgerald, Billie Holiday and Aretha Franklin. But have you ever seen them all rolled into one — or three? That’s exactly what creator Marion J. Caffey had in mind with this show.
For openers, sopranos Nova Y. Payton and Jamet Pittman and mezzo-soprano Laurice Lanier blow us away with a three-part aria from Puccini’s “La Bohême,” and then take turns each evening with a solo aria, before rolling through nine more styles of music, including Broadway, R&B, blues, jazz, soul, disco, rock ‘n’ roll, spirituals and gospel.
As impressive as their range is, it’s their mastery of the various idioms that sets these divas apart from great niche artists. They can do it all and sound true to the genre. Backed up by a nine-piece ensemble led by multitalented musical director and pianist Annastasia Victory, the music segues from the operatic opener to jazz with a sassy, swinging compilation from Duke Ellington’s musical “Queenie Pie” designed to showcase the spectrum of voice talent through harmonies and short riffs.
The ensemble follows with a slick and sophisticated medley of Broadway and movie tunes, including “Lullaby of Broadway,” and “Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy,” before it launches into a series of blues and jazz solos, beginning with Pittman’s haunting, plaintive “Your Daddy’s Son,” from “Ragtime.”
Unique orchestration and an impressive piano solo from Victory set up Payton’s soulful and ascendant “Summertime” that includes a fun dialogue between her scat and some hot licks from guitarist Chuck Pierce.
Of the many other highlights among the two dozen songs, a revelatory arrangement of “Strange Fruit,” with Lanier’s rich timbre floating over Pittman’s mournful wails is particularly poignant. Later, Lanier digs deep and comes up big in the finale, “His Eye is on the Sparrow.”
These divas pack a punch. Expect this show to build on its reputation, with seats becoming scarce as the run continues and the conventioneers arrive. Get your tickets early.
Bob Bows also reviews theater for Variety, for KUVO/89.3 FM, and for his own website, . He can be reached at mailto:bbows@coloradodrama.com.
“3 Mo’ Divas” ***1/2 (out of four stars)
Theatrical concert. Presented by the Denver Center Theatre Company at the Space Theatre, Denver Performing Arts Complex. Created and directed by Marion J. Caffey. Starring Laurice Lanier, Nova Y. Payton and Jamet Pittman. Through June 29. 6:30 p.m. Mondays-Thursdays; 7:30 p.m. Fridays; 1:30 and 7:30 p.m. Saturdays (after May 27: no Mondays, but 1:30 p.m. Sunday matinees added). $36-$46. 303-893-4100, King Soopers or .
How the songs span the centuries
The “3 Mo’ Divas” tackle 10 vocal styles that together constitute a 35-song, 233-year timeline of pop music itself, from opera to rock to Broadway. Here are samples from each vocal styling:
Opera:“O Del Mio Dolce Ardor,” 1770
Spiritual/Gospel: “His Eye Is on the Sparrow,” 1905
R&B: “Summertime,” 1935
Blues: “Strange Fruit,” 1937 Jazz: “My Funny Valentine,” 1937
Television*: “Harlem Nocturne,” 1939
Film*: “Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy,” 1941
Pop: “My Boyfriend’s Back,” 1963
Rock: “Proud Mary,” 1969
Soul: “Best of My Love,” 1977
Disco: “It’s Raining Men,” 1979
Broadway*: “Defying Gravity,” 2003
*Categorized together as “show tunes”
The complete song list
Here is the complete song list in chronological, not performance order:
“O Del Mio Dolce Ardor,” Opera, 1770
“Una Voce Poco Fa,” Opera, 1816
“Quando M’en Vo,” Opera, 1896
“Mon Coeur S’ouvre A’ Ta Voix,” Opera 1877
“Je Veux Vivre, Opera,” 1867
*Note: Not all arias sung every performance
“His Eye is on the Sparrow,” spiritual, 1905
“Io Son L’umile Ancella,” opera, 1902
“Downhearted Blues,” blues, 1922
“Solitude,” jazz, 1934
“Summertime,” opera, jazz, R&B, 1935
“Lullaby of Broadway,” showtunes, 1935
“Strange Fruit,” blues, 1937
“My Funny Valentine,” showtunes, jazz, 1937
“God Bless the Child,” blues, showtunes, 1939
“Harlem Nocturne,” jazz, television, 1939
“Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy,” film, 1941
“Let the Good Times Roll,” R&B, showtunes, 1946
“Moody’s Mood for Love,” jazz, 1952
“Lady Sings the Blues,” jazz, blues, 1956
“Sweeping through the City,” gospel, 1962
“It’s in His Kiss,” pop, 1963
“My Boyfriend’s Back,” pop, 1963
“Feeling Good,” showtunes, jazz, 1965
“Proud Mary,” rock n roll, 1969
“Everything Must Change,” R&B, 1974
“Something He Can Feel,” soul, 1976
“Best of My Love,” soul, 1977
“I’m Every Woman,” disco, 1978
“It’s Raining Men,” disco, 1979
“It’s Got To Be Real,” disco, 1979
“Little Shop of Horrors,” showtunes, 1982
“I Believe in You and Me,” soul, 1982
“Style,” showtunes, 1986
“Seasons of Love,” showtunes, 1996
“Your Daddy’s Son,” showtunes, 1996
“Get Ready,” soul, 1966
“Defying Gravity,” showtunes, 2003
Theater openings
“The Bully”: This one-man show features Bob Moore as the original rough-rider, Teddy Roosevelt. Covers his passion for nature, take-no-prisoners political style and oldest son’s death on the battlefield. Through June 1. Backstage Theatre, 121 S. Ridge St., Breckenridge, 970-453-0199 or
“Burn This”: Lanford Wilson’s acclaimed play about a woman visited by the brother of her recently deceased gay roommate. This menacing, profane interloper transforms the lives of everyone he meets. Through June 28. California Actors Theatre, 1250 Hover Drive, Twin Peaks Mall, Longmont, 303-774-1842 or
“Company”: From Broadway’s era of narcissistic, personal-pronoun musicals comes Stephen Sondheim’s coup-de-gras exploration of bachelorhood. It follows five married couples who want to see their bachelor friend Bobby join their unique little corner of hell. Through June 29. Town Hall Arts Center, 2450 W. Main St., Littleton, 303-794-2787 or
“Man of La Mancha”: Classic musical about an imprisoned playwright who enacts his tale of the impossible dreamer before a kangaroo court. Through June 21. OpenStage & Company, 417 W. Magnolia St., Fort Collins, 970-221-6730 or
“Rabbit Hole”: In David Lindsay-Abaire’s surprise 2007 Pulitzer winner, a life-shattering accident involving a child turns one couple’s world upside down. A bittersweet search for comfort in the darkest of places. Through June 22. Lake Dillon Theatre, 176 Lake Dillon Drive, 970-513-9386 or
“Retro Loud”: Heritage Square Music Hall’s latest offering in a series of pop-music revues. To read our story on the 20th anniversary of the Music Hall, . Through Sept. 14. 18301 W. Colfax Ave., Golden, 303-279-7800 or .
“Suspenders”: This world premiere is an upbeat musical by Boulder’s Nina Davis and Debi Stevenson that looks at a group of modern, upbeat senior citizens. Through June 1. Longmont Theatre Company, 513 Main St., 303-772-5200 or and here is
Complete theater listings
Go to our complete list of every currently running production in Colorado, including summaries, run dates, addresses, phones and links to every company’s home page.
Compiled by John Moore
This week’s podcast
Running Lines at . . . the Drama League Awards. John Moore reports from New York’s Times Square, with featured guests including Chazz Palminteri (“A Bronx Tale”); Kerry Butler (“Xanadu”); Denver native Sierra Boggess (“The Little Mermaid”), former Denver Center Theatre Company actor Tobias Segal (“From Up Here”); Deanna Dunagan (“August: Osage County”) and Christine Ebersol (“Grey Gardens”). Listen by . Once there, click on the miniplayer’s triangular “play” button, and the podcast will begin playing without your having to download. Or, right-click on the “download MP3” option to save a copy to your own desktop.
Drama League Awards photos
To go with the podcast, above, here our images from the Drama League Awards on May 16, 2008, in New York City. Photos by Denver Post theater critic John Moore.
