Attendance for the Denver Center Theatre Company’s just-completed 31st season fell a staggering 20.3 percent, to its lowest level in 20 years. But the numbers aren’t quite as dire as they first appear.
The total attendance of 142,606 was down more than 25,000 from 2008-09. But the theater company produced two fewer shows than the year before. Artistic director Kent Thompson is just glad it wasn’t worse.
“We basically held on at a level similar to the season before,” he said. “In this economy, I look at the numbers as positive.”
To make up for the shortfall of orginal programming, the touring production of “August: Osage County,” was included in the theater company’s subscription package. But all ticketgoers for that show count toward the sister company Denver Center Attractions’ touring numbers.
Bottom line 1: Total performances by the theater company itself fell from 508 to 417. There were 17 percent fewer tickets available. Thus, the number of tickets sold fell 19 percent.
“To me, that means a slight decline — which I think we will reverse in next year’s season,” Thompson said.
But here’s bottom line 2: The number of butts in the seats watching homegrown, DCTC-generated material has fallen more than 50,000 in two years. This season’s attendance total is the worst since 1990-91.
Perennial favorite “A Christmas Carol” was again the top-attended play of the year, drawing 26,670. That’s actually an 11 percent increase over two years ago.
Next was the homegrown trucker musical “Mama Hated Diesels,” a close second at 26,390. But that offering was included in the touring subscription package as well, which accounts for its elevated numbers. By comparison, last year’s homegrown subscriber crossover, “Quilters,” drew 29,564.
The Denver Center’s world-premiere “Plainsong” continuation, “Eventide,” drew just 14,737. That’s nearly a 15 percent drop from “Plainsong” two years before. Also on the Stage Theatre, “A Raisin in the Sun” drew 14,963.
In the Space Theatre, “Othello” drew 15,589, “Absurd Person Singular” 10,566, the world premiere of “When Tang Met Laika” 9,901 and “The Voysey Inheritance” 9,850.
Most troubling, perhaps, are the numbers from the smallest theater, the Ricketson. “Mariela in the Desert” drew 7,192 there, outperforming the more heralded “Well” (6,748). But the year before, the worst-performing play at the Rick (“Inana”) drew 9,414.
Denver writer hailed in New York.
One of Denver’s hottest young playwrights going is Tencha Avila, whose “El beso del adios” (“Kiss Bessemer Goodbye”) has been extended through June 27 at Repertorio Español, an off-Broadway theater in New York.
Her comedy, winner of the 2007 MetLife “Nuestras Voces” National Playwriting Competition, is about what happens when the first college graduate in a Hispanic-American family living in Colorado decides to introduce her boyfriend to her relatives.
Wrote The New York Times: “A warm, funny, realistic circle of characters that it’s a pleasure to spend time with.” The multinational cast features six actors from six countries.
A play-by-play and year-by-year comparison
2009-2010 season (with attendance, total performances and theater):
“A Christmas Carol,” 26,670, 43
“Mama Hated Diesels, 26,390, 56
“Othello,” 15,589, 43
“A Raisin in the Sun,” 14,963, 35
“Eventide,” 14,737, 31
“Absurd Person Singular,” 10,566, 37
“When Tang Met Laika,” 9,901, 39
“The Voysey Inheritance, 9,850, 41
“Mariela in the Desert, 7,192, 47
“Well,” 6,748 45
Totals 142,606, 417
2008-2009 season (with attendance, total performances and theater):
“Quilters,” 29,564, 56 Stage
“A Christmas Carol,” 26,616, 41 Stage
“Noises Off,” 15,804, 34 Stage
“Richard III,” 14,759, 39 Stage
“The Miracle Worker,” 14,326, 42 Space
“A Prayer for Owen Meany,” 14,090, 33 Stage
“Radio Golf,” 12,163, 42 Space
“The Trip to Bountiful,” 11,488, 42 Space
“Glengarry Glen Ross,” 10,531, 46 Ricketson
“Sunsets and Margaritas,” 10,127, 48 Ricketson
“Dusty and the Big Bad World,” 10,001, 39 Space
“Inana,” 9,414, 46 Ricketson
Totals 178,883, 508
Last 10 seasons:
2009-10: 142,606
2008-09: 178,883
2007-08: 193,636
2006-07: 182,200
2005-06: 176,750
2004-05: 152,576
2003-04: 194,200
2002-03: 182,134
2001-02: 209,101
2000-01: 145,465
Hometown news: Coming to denverpost.com
On Thursday, Arvada Center and Country Dinner Playhouse vet Christopher Sergeeff, a grad of Northglenn High School, was added to the ensemble of the national touring production of “Mamma Mia” that will come through Denver from Nov. 2-7. Which makes this a good time to tell you that we’ve added a permanent new feature to our home page called “Honor roll: Coloradans on national stages.” It’ll be a continuously updated hometown report you can always find at .
So long, Elyria
Su Teatro, which has taken residence at the Denver Civic Theatre, said goodbye to its 21-year home in the Elyria neighborhood May 15 with a special farewell ceremony called a despedida. The celebration included a barbecue and a performance of “La Carpa de los Rasquachis.”
New Broadway musical would have Denver ties
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Matt Morris has more in common with India.Arie than hit records. Both are Denver-born recording stars. Morris graduated from Kennedy High School, and India.Arie, daughter of legendary Denver Rockets/Nuggets basketball player Ralph Simpson, lived here until she was 13. And soon they may be starring together on Broadway. The two have been offered leading roles for an expected 2011 Broadway production of Daniel Wise’s “Shlomo: The House of Love and Prayer.” To read the full story,
Video podcast: Coloradans on New York stages, in two parts
Denver Post theater critic John Moore recently traveled to New York City to interview many Colorado actors gainfully employed on the New York stage. Guests include Annaleigh Ashford, Gareth Saxe, Josh Buscher, Rachel de Benedet, John Behlmann, Jim Lewis, Alena Watters, Colin Cunliffe and Gabe Ebert. Filmed May 2010. Running time: 10 minutes each.
Today’s best bet: Schindler’s youngest survivor speaks in Fort Collins
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Leon Leyson is a World War II Jewish Holocaust survivor and the youngest member of Oskar Schindler’s famous list to survive. Schindler’s humanitarian efforts were dramatized in the movie “Schindler’s List,” and now Leyson travels the country telling the story of his family’s narrow escape from Nazi persecution. Leyson will appear Sunday as part of the Bas Bleu Theatre Company’s Speaker Series. Because of demand, the event will be held at 7 p.m. at the Colorado State University Center for the Arts’ Griffin Concert Hall, 1400 Remington St. in Fort Collins. $22 ($12 for students). 970-491-2787 or
And finally . . .
The Denver Public Schools’ recent 26th annual Shakespeare Festival is the largest of its kind in the world. And it’s not just the 4,000-plus students who make it go, but the teachers who spend months preparing them. And among them are many members of the local theater community who double by day as schoolteachers, including Joaquin Liebert, Jessica Austgen, Rita Broderick, Jimmy Miller and former Rocky Mountain News theater critic Lisa Bornstein.
John Moore: 303-954-1056 or jmoore@denverpost.com
This week’s theater openings
Opening Friday, May 28, through June 20: Vintage Theatre’s “Hospitality Suite”
Opening Friday, May 28, through Sept. 5: Heritage Square Music Hall’s “Loud: This Is It” Golden
Opening Saturday, May 29, through Aug. 7: Creede Repertory Theatre’s “Zeus on the Loose” (children’s)
This week’s theater closings
Today, May 23: National touring production of “Fiddler on the Roof,” at the Ellie Caulkins Opera House
Today, May 23: Today: Evolution’s “tick . . . tick . . . Boom!” at the Dairy Center Boulder
Today, May 23: Heritage Square Music Hall’s “The Pinch Hitter” Golden
Today, May 23: Inspire Creative’s “An Evening on Broadway,” at the Mizel Center
Thursday, May 27: Jester’s Dinner Theatre’s “High School Musical 2” (Wednesdays and Thursdays only) Longmont
Saturday, May 29: California Actors Theatre’s “Talking With” Longmont
Saturday, May 29: LIDA Project’s “Mouse in a Jar”
Saturday, May 29: The Avenue’s “The Bootyguard”
Saturday, May 29: Star Bar Players’ “Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?” at the Lon Chaney Auditorium Colorado Springs
Sunday, May 30: Candlelight Dinner Playhouse’s “My Fair Lady” Johnstown
Sunday, May 30: Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center’s “Crazy for You”
Sunday, May 30: openstage etc.’s “Shining City” Fort Collins
Sunday, May 30: Lake Dillon’s “The Little Dog Laughed”
Most recent theater openings
“Books on Tape” In this comedy by local playwright William Missouri Downs, four strangers are looking for love in the modern world. Performs at 10:30 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays, and 7:30 p.m. Sundays. Through June 21. Vintage Theatre, 2119 E. 17th Ave., 303-839-1361 or and here’s
“The Complete Works of Shakespeare (Abridged)” Backstage Theatre brings back its popular staging that shows three actors trying to perform all the plays written by Shakespeare — in less than 90 minutes. Through May 31. 121 S. Ridge St., Breckenridge, 970- 453-0199 or backstage
“An Evening on Broadway” An evening of Broadway showtunes from shows including “Wicked,” “Les Miserables,” “The Sound of Music,” “Phantom of the Opera,” “Fiddler on the Roof,” “West Side Story” and more. Saturday and Sunday only. Presented by Inspire Creative at the Mizel Center, 350 S. Dahlia St., 303-790- 0875 or
“Fiddler on the Roof” National touring production of the classic musical about change in the small town of Anatevka that is famously rooted in tradition. Tevye the milkman is played by Harvey Fierstein. Through Sunday, May 23. Ellie Caulkins Opera House, Denver Performing Arts Complex, 14th and Curtis streets, 303-893-4100 or and here’s
“A Hotel on Marvin Gardens” A friendly game of Monopoly turns into a night of ruthless strategy and good old American greed in Nagle Jackson’s acclaimed play. Through June 19. Presented by Spotlight Theatre at the John Hand Theatre, 7653 E. First Place, 720-880-8727 or
“Jugged Rabbit Stew” Buntport’s final production of its ninth season is another unusual musical collaboration with Adam Stone. Alec the Amazing and All-Powerful Magician and his assistant, Mystical Marl, have had to put their magic shows on hold because Snowball, the white rabbit who is supposed to emerge from the top hat, is depressed … and life as they have known it seems to be vanishing. Through June 19. 717 Lipan St., Denver, 720-946-1388 or
Video podcast: National Theatre Conservatory graduates in New York City
Denver Post theater critic John Moore interviews National Theatre Conservatory graduates in New York City about the closing of their graduate school, and their Big Apple staging of “Richard II” – on a trapeze. Interviewees: Steven Cole Hughes, Vince Nappo, John Behlmann, Danielle Slavick and January LaVoy. Recorded May 15, 2010. Running time: 7 minutes.
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
The Running Lines blog
Catch up on John Moore’s roundup of theater news and dialogue:
