It’s a three-ring circus
Thursday-Oct. 13. Old-time variety. It takes a lot to live up to the billing of “The Greatest Show on Earth.” It takes elephants, lots of them. And horses and tigers. It takes clowns. And daring acts. And enough performers to fill up a train. Consider: The Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus has to buy 60 dozen eggs, 36 pounds of butter, 25 pounds of flour and 40 pounds of pasta each week just to feed its human crew. The show pulls into town next week with plenty of appearances at the Denver Coliseum on Thursday through Oct. 13. Tickets for most shows start at $15 and can be purchased through or by calling 303-830-TIXS. See the complete schedule at .
Theater
Tonight-October 25. Multimedia documentary. Listen Productions combines theater and video for “DNC Mediamockracy,” opening tonight at the Buntport Theater. Using original video footage from the Democratic National Convention, satire and audience interaction, “DNC Mediamockracy” investigates how the relationship between media and the political system impacts democracy. Several times during the performance, action will stop, and audiences will be engaged in talkbacks. The production stars Karen Slack, William Hahn and GerRee Hinshaw, and multimedia content includes interviews with Ralph Nader and Rosario Dawson. 7:30 p.m. Thursdays-Saturdays, 4 p.m. Sundays through Oct. 25 at 717 Lipan St. $20 (2-for-1 Thursdays); 720-290-1104 or dncmediamockracy . John Moore
Visual Arts
Thursday. Installation art. A constant of life on Earth is the horizon, the line separating land and sky. “Fine Line,” an exhibition opening Thursday at the Museo de las Americás, 861 Santa Fe Drive, explores that reality in an innovative way. A group of artists from across the Americas have created installations that deal with a horizontal line drawn across the museum’s walls. An opening reception is set for 7-9 p.m. Thursday. $4. Through Feb. 15. 303-571-4401 or . Kyle MacMillan
Today. Photography. They can be creepy and repellant, but insects can also be fascinating, even oddly alluring, especially when seen in enlarged close-ups. That has been the focus of “Attracted to Light,” an acclaimed photography series by the brothers Mike and Doug Starn. Using innovative approaches, the duo invites viewers to see moths in new, unexpected ways. The show opens with a 6-9 p.m. reception today. Through Oct. 25 in the Steele Gallery at the Rocky Mountain College of Art + Design, 1600 Pierce St. Free. 303-225-8575 or rmcad . Kyle MacMillan.
Ongoing. Photography and ephemera. “Art” used to mean painting and sculpture, but its definition blurred in the 20th century, especially during the 1960s and 1970s. A new exhibition, “In Plain Sight: Street Works and Performances, 1968-1971,” explores a time in New York when art left the galleries and took to the streets, merging with poetry and theater. Through Jan. 4 at the Laboratory of Art and Ideas at Belmar, 404 S. Upham St., Lakewood. Suggested admission is $5. 303-934-1777 or belmarlab . Kyle MacMillan
Classical Music
Saturday and Sunday. Choral and orchestral music. Musicologists might still be trying to sort out his legacy, but it’s clear that English composer Ralph Vaughan Williams deserves to be better known. The St. Martin’s Chamber Choir and Musica Sacra Chamber Orchestra mark the 50th anniversary of his death with concerts this weekend. Performances are set for 7:30 p.m. Saturday at Augustana Lutheran Church, 5000 E. Alameda Ave., and 3 p.m. Sunday at St. John’s Episcopal Church, 1350 Washington St. $20 and $25. 866-464-2626 or tickets . Kyle MacMillan
Saturday. Classical guitar.Adam Holzman, founder of the guitar program at the University of Texas, performs regularly in major international venues. This weekend he shows up at 7:30 p.m. Saturday at South Broadway Christian Church, 23 Lincoln St., under the auspices of the Denver Classical Guitar Society. $15. Tickets available at the door. Denverclassicalguitar . Kyle MacMillan.
Pop music
Tonight. Rock ‘n’ roll. “Dig Lazarus Dig!!!” the 14th studio album from Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds, is proof that Cave still writes music that can keep you thinking and rocking out — at the same time. The band plays the Ogden Theatre tonight. The show is sold out, but you might try your luck at the door. Ricardo Baca
Saturday. Singer-songwriter. Ani DiFranco is as well-known for her do-it-yourself mentality than her thought-provoking music. Di Franco started her own label, Righteous Babe, in the early days of her career, and ever since she’s taken her whole career DIY. She plays the Paramount Theatre on Saturday. Tickets, $33-$38, are available through . Ricardo Baca
Thursday. Indie pop. Richard Edwards remains one of the most talented singers you’ve never heard. Edwards, the primary songwriter behind the pop supergroup Margot and the Nuclear So & So’s, has a way with words and melodies — we’ll see if the band’s new record deal with Epic takes their show to a larger stage. Margot plays the Bluebird Theater on Thursday. Tickets, $12-$14, are available through . or 303-830-8497. Ricardo Baca
A lively celebration of the dead
Today and Saturday. Folk dance. The Mexican holiday Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead), which celebrates the memories of those who have died, has become increasingly popular in the United States. The Fiesta Colorado Dance Company performs a colorful showcase of traditional dances in conjunction with the annual event at 8 p.m. today and Saturday at the Lakewood Cultural Center, 470 S. Allison Parkway. The Denver-based Mariachi Sol de Mi Terra will provide accompaniment. $18-$20. 303-987-7845 or . Kyle MacMillan
