About one-third of all Colorado theater companies have gone dead or dormant in the past year, most of them the smallest nonprofit kind that present sporadic plays as opposed to full seasons. Some might be back, someday.
But only about 65 companies have upcoming shows scheduled, down from 97 just a year ago. Some believe the Colorado theater community has outgrown the size of its potential audience, and that this kind of retraction was not only inevitable but also necessary for the greater good.
And yet, while the economic downturn continues to pick off small companies, others continue to start up and give it a go. The newish 73rd Avenue Theatre is offering “A Doll’s House” in Westminster (720-276-6936), while the new Evolution Theatre bows Friday at Lannie’s Cabaret with already the fourth local staging of the vanilla musical “Altar Boyz” in the past 12 months (303-293-0075).
While many troupes come and go without much notice, one absence that will be felt is Next Stage, which has just suspended its 2009 season after the comedy “3 Guys in Drag Selling Their Stuff” drew negligible box office. It probably won’t be back.
Next Stage, founded in 2004, alternated tough, hit-and-miss comedies like the 9/11-themed “Recent Tragic Events” and “The Intelligent Design of Jenny Chow,” with musicals like “Chess” and “Falsettos.” It will be remembered most for Stephen Sondheim’s “Assassins,” which assembled the likes of John Wilkes Booth and John Hinkley Jr. for a difficult evening of song and dance.
President Jessica Clare cited financial challenges. “We felt passionately that we should not compromise the integrity, quality or mission of Next Stage by trying to push forward (with more commercial fare),” she said.
But while the Arvada Center’s record-setting season proves audiences will still pay big bucks for big musicals like “Evita,” there may be too many nonprofit companies that look too much like Next Stage in mission and content for all of them to survive.
Curious has positioned itself in a class by itself. Germinal and Buntport have singular identities. But while companies like Paragon, Miners Alley and the Boulder Ensemble Theatre Company have built solid subscription bases and artistic reputations, the field starts to look less distinguishable when you throw in more precarious small companies like Modern Muse, Firehouse, Spotlight, Hunger Artists and a dozen more.
Modern Muse canceled “Reclaimed” when company co-founder Gabriella Cavallero had a chance to make some actual money performing in Curious’ current “26 Miles.” She had hoped to perform one play right after the other, but the married mother could not afford to take the time off from her (bills-paying) day job to make both work.
“We are most definitely feeling the crunch, but we are planning to continue next season,” she said, despite dwindling resources and donations.
“Scary times,” she said. “Heartbreaking, actually.”
Modern Muse plans a new-play festival June 25-27 with works by local playwrights Judy GeBauer, Josh Hartwell and Gary Leon Hill. Also “Tango Seduction” will be staged July 31 and Aug. 1 at the King Center, an original piece celebrating the tango.
Firehouse, the company started by murdered Colorado Free University founder John Hand, is forging ahead with a new season under the guidance of Maggie Stillman, formerly of Hunger Artists.
Firehouse and Spotlight will share the John Hand Theatre as co-resident companies, said president Helen Hand, who believes the companies “share a collaborative spirit, and are committed to helping one another succeed.”
Steamboat steamroller
The 12th annual Perry-Mansfield New Works Festival will feature workshop presentations of new plays by three women writers June 19-21 in Steamboat Springs.
The Denver Center Theatre Company will bring Elysabeth Gregory Wilder’s new play, “The Bone Orchard” (She wrote “Gee’s Bend.”) Actors Theatre of Louisville (Ky.) will bring “Poor Behavior” by Theresa Rebeck (“Our House”). And David Mamet’s Atlantic Theater Company of New York will bring Lucy Thurber’s “Bottom of the World” (800-430-2787 or perry-mansfield.org).
And finally … “Ni!”
At Wednesday’s opening of the national touring production of “Spamalot,” The Knights Who Say “Ni!” became instead, The Knights Who Say the Nuggets Score — causing the crowd to erupt in cheers.
John Moore: 303-954-1056 or jmoore@denverpost.com
This week’s theater openings
Opening Thursday, May 21, through May 31: Westcliffe Players’ “The Odd Couple” (female version)
Opening Thursday May 21, through May 24: Crested Butte Mountain Theatre’s “Around the Campfire” (10-minute plays)
Opening Friday, May 22, through June 28: Town Hall Arts Center’s “Oklahoma!” Littleton
Opening Friday, May 22, through June 20: LIDA Project’s “Joseph K” (at Bindery Space)
Opening Friday, May 22, through May 31: Backstage’s “The Syringa Tree” Breckenridge
Opening Friday, May 22, through June 14: Lake Dillon’s “The Baltimore Waltz”
Opening Friday, May 22, through June 27: Evolution Theatre’s “Altar Boyz” (at Lannie’s Cabaret)
Opening Friday, May 22, through June 20: California Actors Theatre’s “The Middle Ages” Longmont
Opening Saturday, May 23, through June 20: Spotlight’s “Don’t Drink the Water”
Opening Saturday, May 23, through June 20: OpenStage’s “Pride and Prejudice” Fort Collins
This week’s theater closings
Today, May 17: National touring production of “Monty Python’s Spamalot,” Buell Theatre
Today, May 17: TheatreWorks’ “Cyrano de Bergerac” Colorado Springs
Today, May 17: StageDoor Theatre’s “Thoroughly Modern Millie” Conifer
Today, May 17: Arvada Festival Playhouse’s “The Pill — Ibuprofen”
Friday, May 22: Boulder’s Dinner Theatre’s “Nunsense A-Men” (Wednesday and Friday)
Saturday, Nay 23: Boulder’s Dinner Theatre’s “Nunsense” (today, Thursday and Saturday)
Saturday, May 23: E-Project’s “Seascape” Lakewood
Sunday, May 24: Arvada Center’s “Evita”
Sunday, May 24: New Denver Civic’s “When We Were Fab”
Sunday, May 24: Heritage Square Music Hall’s “The Desperado” Golden
Sunday, May 24: openstage etc.’s “The Maiden’s Prayer” Fort Collins
This week’s bet bet
 |
What’s left for the innovative Buntport Theater ensemble to tackle? How about mud wrestling? Buntport will perform its original adaptation of Nikolai Gogol’s short story entirely in a 12 foot by 19 foot mud pit. It’s a yarn about how swiftly two inseparable friends can be separated.
It is, literally, Buntport’s filthiest comedy to date.
“We’re going to be advertising on all of the professional wrestling channels,” joked actor Evan Weissman, part of a team that has written and staged more than 25 original plays.
The catalyst here is an absurd argument, and Weissman said the play explores how “a lot of strange formality takes place in the way people interact.” He says it is funny and sad, wickedly funny “and with a tinge of sadness to it as well.”
“The Squabble” opens tonight and plays 8 p.m. Thursdays-Saturdays, plus 2 p.m. June 1 and 14, at 717 Lipan St. $13-$16 (720-946-1388 or
.
Most recent theater openings
“Damn Yankees”
In this 1955 musical variation of the Faust legend, the devil offers a middle-aged fan of the Washington Senators baseball team the chance to turn into young baseball star Joe Hardy. Songs include “You Gotta Have Heart.” Through July 5. Jesters Dinner Theatre, 224 Main St., Longmont, 303-682-9980 or
“Kimberly Akimbo”
David Lindsay-Abaire’s wild adventure about a suburban New Jersey teenager with a rare condition causing her body to age faster than it should. Through June 14. Vintage Theatre, 2119 E. 17th Ave., 303-839-1361 or
Monty Python’s “Spamalot”
The national touring production of “Spamalot” is back to taunt Denver a second time. This time, with John O’Hurley as King Arthur, the principled, if idiotic, leader of the quest for the Holy Grail. He’s best known as catalog maven J. Peterman on “Seinfeld.” Through Sunday. Buell Theatre, Denver Performing Arts Complex, 14th and Curtis streets, 303-893-4100 or
“Oscar and Felix”
Neil Simon’s classic comedy about two divorced men sharing an apartment, but with a twist: Simon has updated the story, with Felix and Oscar played by two black men, Hugo Jon Sayles and Jeffrey Nickelson. Through June 14. Shadow Theatre, 1468 Dayton St., Aurora, 720-857-8000 or
“The Seagull”
Anton Chekhov’s four-act play about the search for love, and the personal tragedies that occur when love remains unrequited. Through May 30. Presented by Upstart Crow at the Dairy Center, 2590 Walnut St., Boulder, 303-444-7328 or
Compiled by John Moore
This week’s video podcast:
Running Lines at the Denver Public Schools’ Shakespeare Festival
This week, John Moore takes you along to the largest student Shakespeare Festival in the country. More than 4,000 school kids participated in the May 8 festival throughout downtown Denver. Run time: 10 minutes.Coming soon to .
Complete theater listings
Go to our complete list of in Colorado, including summaries, run dates, addresses, phones and links to every company’s home page. Or check out our listings or
And introducing … The Running Lines blog
You can now find John Moore’s roundup of daily theater news and dialogue. blogs.denverpost.com/runninglines
Re-cap: This week’s theater coverage in The Denver Post
John Moore’s column: Next Stage is the latest local theater company to take a powder.
Summer intensives: Shadow, Curious and Paragon offers teens the chance to immerse themselves in accelerated programs that explore every aspect of theater production, from first draft to curtain call.
Joanne Ostrow’s column: You don’t have to be a theater geek to enjoy “Glee.” There’s sufficient tension and wit at the core to make the show more than a collection of high school production numbers. The new Fox show debuts following the “American Idol” finale on Tuesday.
Arts leaders hail Rocco: Colorado arts leaders say Rocco Landesman will shake up the National Endowment of the Arts.
REVIEW: Curious Theatre’s “26 Mles” ***
REVIEW: Paragon Theatre’s “Bus Stop” **1/2
AUDITIONS: Complete list, updated up to three times a week.
