They say when God closes a door, he opens a window. “Well, he just opened a garage door for me,” said Keith Hatten.
Four years ago, Bell’s Palsy took the right side of Hatten’s face. On Saturday, he was introduced as Shadow Theatre’s second artistic director. He replaces founder Jeffrey Nickelson, who resigned last month after 12 years.
Hatten, an actor with the Denver Center Theatre Company from 1995-2005, performed in “The Madwoman,” Donovan Marley‘s farewell production, with a severely drooped mouth, an eye he couldn’t close and impaired speech. Last year, he delivered an Ovation Award-nominated performance as “The Emperor Jones” for the Aurora Fox.
“People tell me now they can barely see it,” Hatten said. “Of course, I feel like John Merrick” — the Elephant Man.
Hatten, 40, says he’ll hardly be The Emperor Hatten at Shadow, Denver’s only primarily black theater company. “I’m more of a laborer,” he said.
Hatten graduated from Montbello High School, where he said he learned all he needed about theater in four years under four drama teachers.
“Janet Johnson taught me there are rules to this thing,” he said. “Don Heinman taught me black kids could do Shakespeare. Ken Grimes taught me freedom on stage. And most important, George Stevenson taught me I didn’t have to be a jerk about it.”
Hatten was set to make his first stage appearance for Shadow in “Paul Robeson” when the Bell’s Palsy hit. That’s the paralysis of a facial nerve.
When Nickelson resigned, the fear was that Shadow’s identity might go with him, as well as that part of the audience base that was loyal to Shadow because they were loyal to him.
Hatten submitted a five-year plan to the mostly new Shadow board. Point 1 was offering Nickelson emeritus status, “to acknowledge and honor what he has done,” Hatten said. “Keeping that connection going is very important to me.”
But Hatten has a following, too. “I don’t know if there’s anyone in the state of Colorado of color who has been on that stage for as long as I have,” he said. “I believe I know what it takes, and I believe I can bring that out of other people.”
Hatten will star in the season- opening “Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom” Sept. 3, to be directed by Hugo Jon Sayles, who has decided to remain at Shadow under Hatten.
Nickelson’s duties will be shared. A search is underway for a producing artistic director to handle business affairs.
Hatten promises to raise the level of talent and customer service at Shadow. That’s been his specialty working as customer service supervisor for Best Buy.
“If you are going to pay $20 to sit in that chair, I’m not going to waste your time,” Hatten said. “I’m going to give you 120 percent.”
Denver Civic’s new direction
Reaction in the theater community to last week’s sale of the New Denver Civic Theatre has been mixed. Although most are happy the performing-arts complex has been spared from developers, owner Craig Lindsley‘s plan to use it primarily for live concerts means there are two fewer premium spaces for theatrical productions in Denver.
Then again, under the previous owners, the Civic’s mainstage has sat empty 61 of the past 81 weeks. That’s just one of many reasons no one is bemoaning the end of the Sibling era at the Civic. That’s the New York producing company that took over in 2002 and leaves owing more than $100,000 in back rent and unpaid wages.
Just six weeks ago, the Sibling team promised a pre-Broadway run of the forthcoming “White Noise,” a production ridden with such strife in its tryout run in New Orleans that producer and co-director Mitchell Maxwell has been banned from his own show, according to the New York Post. The paper reported that he lunged and screamed at a cast member in a tantrum that so worried guests in the Omni Hotel lobby that they called police.
Bas Bleu teams up with city
The Bas Bleu Theatre will receive $220,000 from the Fort Collins Downtown Development Authority over the next 10 years in exchange for making its space available for free to community groups and the general public.
The 150-seat theater will be used for community seminars, meetings performances, recitals and more.
The unusual public- private partnership “will make the theater available to a broader group of users and increase the number of days it’s in operation, thereby increasing the positive economic impact on other downtown businesses,” said DDA executive director Matt Robenalt.
“I’m absolutely thrilled because this speaks to the core mission of Bas Bleu being a center for the community to come and play,” said artistic director Wendy Ishii.
Most of the funds will go toward paying down the remaining $503,000 mortgage on the historic Giddings building.
Briefly …
Luis Saguar, who starred in the Denver Center Theatre Company’s “September Shoes” in 2006, died of liver cancer July 8 at 52, leaving a wife and 2-year-old daughter. He also appeared in the John Sayles movie “Silver City,” filmed in Colorado. His last role was as the gruff father in the DCTC-born “Lydia” for the Marin Theatre Company in San Francisco. A fund has been set up to help his family at …
Save the dates: The sixth Curious New Voices performances (short plays by writers ages 15-21) is July 31-Aug. 2 (303-623-0524), and the fourth Playwrights Showcase of the Western Region is Aug. 5-8 (303-914-6231). Both at Curious Theatre, 1080 Acoma St.
John Moore: 303-954-1056 or jmoore@denverpost.com
This week’s openings
Opening today, through Aug. 9: Colorado Shakespeare Festival’s “Two Gentlemen of Verona” Boulder
Thursday-July 26: National touring production of “Chitty Chitty Bang Bang,” Buell Theatre
Thursday-Aug. 2: Westcliffe Players’ “I Hate Hamlet”
Thursday-Aug. 2: Crested Butte Mountain Theatre’s “The Wild Guys”
Friday-Aug. 8: National touring production of “August: Osage County,” Ellie Caulkins Opera House
Friday-Aug. 15: Colorado Shakespeare Festival’s “Complete Works of Shakespeare (Abridged),” CU Mainstage
Friday-Aug. 28: Creede Repertory Theatre’s “The Imaginary Invalid”
Friday-Sept. 12: Adams Mystery Playhouse’s “Murder in Hollywood”
Saturday-Aug. 16: PHAMALy’s “The Man of LaMancha,” Space Theatre
This week’s closings
Today, July 19: Miners Alley Playhouse’s “Over the River & Through the Woods” Golden
Today, July 19: Union Colony’s “A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum” Greeley
Friday: Little Theatre of the Rockies’ “The Taffetas” Greeley
Saturday: Little Theatre of the Rockies’ “Hay Fever” Greeley
Saturday: Arvada Festival Playhouse’s “Hit the Road, Jack”
Saturday: Celebrationworks’ “Shakespeare’s Brother,” at McGlone Center
Best bet: “The Hobbit”
Middle Earth is back. The Aurora Fox Theatre’s “Little Foxes” celebrate its 25th year of presenting children’s theater with “The Hobbit.” J.R.R. Tolkien’s classic tale follows the quest of home-loving Bilbo Baggins to win a share of the treasure guarded by the dragon, Smaug. 10 a.m. Tuesdays and Fridays; 1 p.m. Mondays, Wednesdays and Saturdays, through July 30. $7 (303-739-1970).
Most recent theater openings
“Chapter Two” Neil Simon’s semi-autobiographical comedy chronicling his marriage to Marsha Mason. Directed by Emmy Award-winning Jay Sandrich (“The Mary Tyler Moore Show”). Through Aug. 22. Theatre Aspen, 400 Rio Grande Place, 970-925-9313 or
“Die, Mommie, Die!” Chris Whyde is back as fading chanteuse Angela Arden in Charles Busch’s swinging 1960s Hollywood noirish satire of movies like “Whatever Happened to Baby Jane?” “It’s all about lust, poison suppositories and family values . . . as seen through the lens of intense glamour,” Whyde said. Through Aug. 29. The Avenue Theater, 417 E. 17th Ave., 303-321-5925 or and here’s
“The Drunkard” Backstage Theatre returns to its formative years, when “cheer the hero” and “hiss the villain” melodramas were its stock-in-trade. Through Aug. 16. 121 S. Ridge St., Breckenridge, 970-453-0199 or
“The Merchant of Venice” Free traveling performances of the tale of the merchant who demands his infamous “pound of flesh.” Dates, times and locations vary. Through Aug. 15. Co-presented by Longmont Theatre Company and Theatre Company of Lafayette; 303-772-5200 or for exact schedule
“Old Times” In Harold Pinter’s masterpiece, a seemingly innocent visit from an old friend escalates into a desperate battle for possession of a woman’s soul. Pinter weaves menace and mystery throughout. Through Aug. 15. Presented by Paragon Theatre Company at the Crossroads Theatre, 2590 Washington St., 303-300-2210 or
“Shakespeare’s Brother” Local playwright Carol Roper debuts her theater company in the McGlone Center, formerly occupied by the Shadow Theatre. She’s written a comedy that weaves people from Shakespeare’s life with characters from his plays. Through July 25. 1420 Ogden St., 303-905-9740 or
“To Kill a Mockingbird” Stage adaptation of Harper Lee’s Depression-era tale of a young Alabama girl who is fascinated by reclusive neighbor Boo Radley. Sam Gregory of the Denver Center Theatre Company, plays the iconic Atticus Finch. Through Aug. 5. Colorado Shakespeare Festival, Mary Rippon Outdoor Theatre, CU-Boulder campus, 303-492-0554 or
“Two Gentlemen of Verona” The story is set backstage at the 2009 Colorado Shakespeare Festival, where the company is rehearsing for an Elizabethan staging of Shakespeare’s comedy about two courtly young gentlemen in love with two spirited women. Director Tom Markus who has written in roles for the director and stage manager. Through Aug. 9. University of Colorado Mainstage Theatre, Boulder campus, 303-492-0554 or
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
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