Theater kids don’t go to summer camp. They go to summer “intensives.”
While their friends go fishing, they immerse themselves in accelerated programs that explore every aspect of theater production, from first draft to curtain call.
Experience matters less than all-out commitment. But the further these teens venture into the land of make-believe, the more they seem to learn about the real world.
At Curious, the focus is on playwriting. At Shadow, it’s on tackling real-life problems on the stage. Both programs require time and discipline. But they give back unprecedented creative opportunities for budding artists of their ages.
For a decade, the black Shadow Theatre has taken teens from all races and backgrounds and turned them into ensembles. Last summer, they studied Anna Deavere Smith’s landmark “Twilight: Los Angeles, 1992,” chronicling the unrest in Los Angeles after the Rodney King trial.
“A lot of us didn’t know anything about it,” said Jaliah Peters, 15. Most of them, artistic director Jeffrey Nickelson noted, hadn’t been born in 1992. “They are so young, they have no idea that we are still healing from social manifestations of our own ills,” he said.
The kids then interviewed their elders about the riots. “We learned a lot about why what happened was so hurtful to the African-American community,” Peters said, “and that, in many ways, their voices are still not being heard.”
With the help of program founder Hugo Jon Sayles and LIDA Project artistic director Brian Freeland, the students turned their writing into their own play exploring what it means to be young in this time and culture.
“They did not want to dwell on what is but more on what can be and what should be,” said Freeland, who has helped stage more than 100 plays in Denver. “And of all of them,” he said, “that was the most transformative creative experience I’ve ever had.”
For Nickelson, it was the summer of 2001. Shadow gathered at-risk youths to create an original look at the juvenile prison system, at a time when Colorado was the nation’s leading jail-builder. “And most of them were being built for them,” Nickelson said of his ensemble. “We wanted to communicate to these young people that these prisons were being designed with them in mind to fail.”
Shadow’s youth program was, until recently, called CRUNK, for Community Resources Uniting Neighborhood Kids. But its allusion to the controversial pop-music genre made funders uncomfortable, so it’s now the Shadow Youth Ensemble.
That’s important, because the program costs about $40,000 each summer. And unlike most others that charge tuition, Shadow actually pays every student who makes it through to the end $300. That’s because it’s a rigorous and demanding program, and for those five weeks, Nickelson said, it’s their full-time job.
His reward comes from seeing the end result on stage, always a sold-out production. Like last year, when a young girl from a wealthy family performed alongside a girl who was in her eighth foster home. Jaliah’s reward came when she won a role in the Denver Center Theatre Company’s “The Miracle Worker.”
“I know my time at Shadow made that possible,” she said.
At Curious, limitless writing
Bailey Williams, a 19-year-old rising sophomore at New York University, feels the same way about Curious Theatre’s nationally regarded New Voices program, which puts up to a dozen 15- to 21-year-olds through a four-week writing intensive that culminates with public performances by prominent local actors.
Dee Covington started New Voices in 2003 to encourage the next generation of American playwrights. Since then, at least five of its more than 50 students have had their plays published, even though many are still not yet 21. Last summer, Denver’s Max Posner had two New Voices scripts playing on opposite coasts.
Williams’ “The 10 Billionth Baby” was staged at the 2008 National Performing Arts Convention, and again last month at a New York festival of environmentally conscious plays.
“I became irrevocably committed to becoming a playwright the night I saw my first play performed at Curious,” Williams said of the summer of 2007. “I became completely addicted to the process of creating a play.
“I cannot describe the value in giving a teenager the opportunity and the trust to do the work of a professional playwright,” she said.
Covington said New Voices is a safe haven for kids who best relate to the world in terms of language. “I’m just looking for writers,” she said, “kids who write on their shoes and jeans.”
The writers are mentored in one-week increments by a rotating team of nationally regarded playwrights, including Pulitzer winners Suzan-Lori Parks and Paula Vogel, and Quiara Alegría Hudes, whose “26 Miles” is now being staged at Curious.
“New Voices gives student playwrights nearly limitless avenues to find the plays inside them,” said playwright Elaine Romero, who in 2006 contributed to Curious’ world premiere, “The War Anthology.”
The mentors treat each student as a serious writer. For six hours a day, Romero said, they are put through exercises in overcoming intimidation and breaking through layers of resistance to unleash each writer’s authentic voice.
“My most frequent command is, ‘Don’t think, just write,’ ” said Romero. “My theory is, if the students write fast and hard enough, and to the point of exhaustion, they will leave their internal critics at the door, and the real writing will emerge.”
Vogel, who wrote “How I Learned to Drive,” said the work of these young writers is often more bold and freeing than that of older, more experienced playwrights because, she said, “No one is teaching them ‘no.’
“At Curious, a 16-year-old is an artist. Not a 16-year-old artist. An artist. You can see in them a maturity, a seriousness of purpose, a love of the form and a playfulness. When you’ve put all of that together, attention must be paid.”
New Voices, which now offers year-round programming, allows young writers “to really discover parts of themselves at a time in their lives when the questions are really important,” Covington said.
She smiles, recalling the day one teen heard her words read for first time. “She had no idea how she’d be received,” Covington said. “Her eyes got wide, her mouth fell open and she said, ‘Oh my God, I’m funny!’ ”
John Moore: 303-954-1056 or jmoore@denverpost.com
Summer youth ensemble intensives at a glance
CURIOUS NEW VOICES
For ages: 15-21
Dates: July 6-Aug. 2
History: Six years
In brief: An innovative playwriting program that gives emerging playwrights the opportunity to work alongside nationally recognized playwrights, teachers, actors and directors in crafting their own plays, and then producing them onstage in a festival featuring members of the local acting community.
Public performances: July 31, Aug. 1-2
Tuition: $500 (scholarships available)
Application deadline: Application and a short play sample must be submitted by June 1
Info: 303-623-2349 or e-mail dee@curioustheatre.org for guidelines
SHADOW THEATRE YOUTH ENSEMBLE
For ages: 13-18
Dates: July 7-Aug. 16
History: 10 years
In brief: Shadow Theatre’s goal is to encourage an interest in theater and the real world. Classes are offered in all facets of live performance. This year’s focus will be on exploring positive newspaper headlines. The program will culminate in a play written by the students in collaboration with the Aurora Symphony Orchestra. “We want to celebrate fabulous and true stories from our world, instead of the darkness that seems to be engulfing people in this country,” said artistic director Jeffrey Nickelson.
Public performances: Aug. 6-16 at 1468 Dayton St., Aurora
Tuition: None. Students in good standing receive $300 stipend upon graduation from the program.
Application deadline: June 19
Info: 720-857-8000,
PARAGON YOUTH ENSEMBLE
For ages: 14-18
Dates: June 8-July 11
History: First year
In brief: Five-week professional ensemble theater prep program that educates and trains a select group of teenagers how to mount a full-length play while working in a collaborative ensemble. Students will conceptualize, design, build and perform their own full-length production.
Public performances: July 10-11 at the Crossroads Theatre, 2590 Washington St.
Tuition $300
Application deadline: Friday, May 22
Info: 303-300-2210
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
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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
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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.
