Dear fans, Check out this EP, Love, Coldplay
Tonight. Rock. Chris Martin is a man of the people, and his affable approach to being a rock star makes him easy to like. On his band Coldplay’s website you’ll see a prominent link to a note Martin wrote (“Dear Coldplay fans and friends . . .”), and it’s an interesting read and a solid example of an arena-sized band communicating with its fans in an almost-cool way. The handwritten note has Martin thanking his fans and telling them about a couple of new projects — including a remix of “Lost” featuring Jay-Z and a new EP, to be released next week, called “Prospekt’s March.” According to the note, “March” “includes eight songs that were not finished back in May (our deadline for ‘Vida la Vida’) but that have just been completed.” The letter is a nice touch — including a “sorry for the handwriting” note at the bottom — for a band that is sitting on top of the world. And Coldplay is already playing certain “Prospekt’s March” songs out live, so fans should expect to hear at least a couple of them when Coldplay lands at the Pepsi Center for a show tonight. Tickets, $49.50-$97.50, are available via and 303-830-8497. Ricardo Baca
Family Fun
Tonight. Tasty story. “Charlie and The Chocolate Factory” makes a delicious debut at the Denver Victorian Playhouse this weekend. Just in time for a season filled with sweet treats, the show tells the familiar story of Charlie Bucket and his grandpa on their visit to Willy Wonka’s magical factory. 7:30 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays, 2 p.m. Sundays through Dec. 21. 2 p.m. Saturday performances begin Dec. 6. $22 for adults, $20 students, seniors and military and $12 for children age 12 and younger. Purchase advance tickets by visiting or calling 303-433-4343. Kathleen St. John
Today and Saturday. Art, museums and a movie. Don’t forget, it’s Denver Arts Week still and there are plenty of (often free) events for adults and families. One that we’ll point out: “The Polar Express.” Based on the popular, beautifully illustrated book by Chris Van Allsburg, the movie follows a young boy’s Christmas journey to the North Pole to meet Santa Claus. Before the show, guests can walk the red carpet, get their faces painted and snack on a birthday cupcake. 11 a.m. Saturday. Ellie Caulkins Opera House at the Denver Performing Arts Complex, Speer Boulevard and Arapahoe Street. Admission is free with a donation of children’s pajamas for Denver’s Road Home or a toy for Toys for Tots. Without a donation, admission is $5. Kathleen St. John
Saturday. New exhibit. The Colorado History Museum and Mayor John Hickenlooper mark Denver’s 150th birthday with the opening of a new exhibit this weekend — and everyone’s invited to the party. Hickenlooper starts the shindig by cutting the ribbon to open “Imagine a Great City: Denver at 150,” an exploration of Denver’s history, people and culture. Admission is free all day, with live music, crafts and demonstrations. Don’t fret if you miss this weekend, though. The exhibit will run into 2010. 9:45 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday. Colorado History Museum, 1300 Broadway, 303-866-3682. Free. Kathleen St. John
Saturday. Magic show. Prepare to be dazzled at “Magic — Beyond Belief! III,” presented by the Mile High Magicians Society. Nine local magicians, including Dr. Nincompoop, Ann Lincoln, Matthew Knight, and Keir Royale and Annika, will wow the crowd with illusions, mind reading, improbable escapes and a little comedy too. A couple of amazing kid magicians, Derek McKee and Kimberly Holter, have tricks up their sleeves as well. 7 p.m. Saturday. Lakewood Cultural Center, 470 S. Allison Parkway; 303-987-7876. Tickets are $19.50 for adults and $14.50 for students, kids ages 3 to 12 and seniors age 65 and older. Call 303-987-7845 to reserve seats. Kathleen St. John
Dance
Monday and Tuesday. Local favorite on film. Cleo Parker Robinson Dance has been a Denver cultural institution for decades, which makes “Rejoicing the Roots” such an interesting project: Presented with Jae Ram Arts’ Tom Tilton, the film promises a different side of the company with “unique editing” and, presumably, new angles on the action. Selections include “Mournin’ Son” and the rarely performed “A Jazz Suite for Anne.” 7 p.m. Esquire Theatre, East Sixth Avenue at Downing Street. $7.25-$9.25. 303-733-9939. John Wenzel
Theater
Through Dec. 20. New classic. The Denver Center Theatre Company is presenting William Gibson’s “The Miracle Worker” as the second installment in its new, annual middle- school series. It’s the familiar tale of young Annie Sullivan, the recent graduate from an institute for the blind who in 1887 Alabama was charged with teaching the deaf, dumb and blind kid Helen Keller. It’s a huge accomplishment for any Denver Center student to land a leading role, and Annie is being played by the National Theatre Conservatory’s Kate Hurster. The usual schedule to start: 6:30 p.m. Mondays,-Thursdays, 7:30 p.m. Fridays, 1:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. Saturdays through Nov. 29. But from Dec. 1-20 there are no Monday-Tuesday evening performances to accommodate school matinees. At the Space Theatre, Denver Performing Arts Complex. $16-$51. 303-893-4100, 866-464-2626 (800-641-1222 outside Denver), all King Soopers or denver . John Moore
This week and beyond. Musical. Everyone knows Jesus is the rock star of contemporary musical theater. And this week, you can have him any way you like him. The folky, James Taylor kind of Jesus can be found in the Aurora Fox’s “Godspell,” while the more intense, Nick Cave kind of rock god will be buzzing Greeley for one night only in “Jesus Christ Superstar” on Tuesday. The latter will again star Ted Neeley, who has been playing Jesus for more years now than Jesus was on Earth. Info for Greeley: $27-$75. Union Colony Civic Center, 701 10th St. 970-356-5000 or at . Info for Aurora Fox: $26. 7:30 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays (some Thursdays), 2 p.m. some Sundays, through Dec. 6, at 9900 E. Colfax Ave., 303-739-1970, . John Moore
Film
Tonight. Superstar appearance. Plenty to see at the Starz Denver Film Festival this weekend. But in other local movie events, actor Will Smith is scheduled to walk the red carpet this evening at the United Artists Colorado Center theater in support of his latest film, “Seven Pounds.” The red-carpet presentation will begin at 5:30 p.m. and is open to the public. The theater is at 2000 S. Colorado Blvd. 303-757-3700. Lisa Kennedy
Events
Tonight-Saturday. Rodeo. Get roped into a heated competition at the Mountain States Circuit Finals of the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association. The two-day competition features events like roping, steer wrestling and saddle bronc and bull riding. The winners of this weekend’s contests will move on to the national finals next year. 7:30 p.m. today, 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. Saturday. National Western Complex Event Center, 4655 Humboldt St.; 303-297-1166. Tickets are $14 for adults, $8 for children ages 3 to 12, seniors age 65 and older and military members with ID. Visit ticketswest . or call 866-464-2626 to order tickets in advance. Kathleen St. John
Pop music
Tuesday. Metal. You know a band is doing something right when 99 percent of their dates at arenas the world over are sold out. And more than 35 years after first forming in Sydney, Australia, AC/DC is doing something right. Three sold-out nights in London’s O2 Arena, two in Oakland, two in Antwerp, two in Milan, two in Seattle/Tacoma, two in Paris, two in Stockholm and one in Denver — on Tuesday at the Pepsi Center. AC/DC’s latest full-length, “Black Ice,” is smartly formulaic — big metal power chords and the kinds of choruses that are learned quickly and on the fly. If any tickets are released, they’ll be distributed through Ticketmaster and the Pepsi Center box office. (It wouldn’t hurt to check . every so often if you’re still in the market for tickets and don’t want to pay scalper markups.) Ricardo Baca
Wednesday. Retro. The holidays bring people together — and not just families. Bands often embrace the seasonal spirit and come together for shows you won’t see at any other time of the year. One of those traditions features members of Polytoxic and other local groups. This year the massive collective of 30-plus musicians will be re-creating the Band’s epic “The Last Waltz.” It all goes down at 9 p.m. Wednesday at Cervantes’, and don’t forget to bring some canned food for the drive that will benefit the Denver Rescue Mission — a donation that will save you $2 from the $15 cover. Ricardo Baca
