Theater doesn’t take a summer vacation in Colorado. In fact, there are 61 currently running productions around the state, making July a busier month on the theater calendar than even September, the traditional opening of most companies’ new seasons.
Our many summer repertory companies in mountain communities are largely responsible for the proliferation. Some, such as the Creede Repertory Theatre, offer as many as seven titles at once.
But it’s also uncommonly busy in the metro area, where the touring show of , just opened at the Buell Theatre. For the next two weeks, Boulder’s Colorado Shakespeare Festival will offer five titles in rotation.
Paragon has just opened Tom Stoppard’s , starring the Denver Center Theatre Company’s Sam Gregory, and a new summer tradition has taken hold at the Barth Hotel, staging , in its lobby as a benefit for Senior Housing Options.
The handicapped theater PHAMALy runs its four-star , through Aug. 15. Tonight only, “Zoot Suit” plays on the grounds just outside the historic Elitch Theatre. And a big reason for the spike is the surging mystery-dinner trade. Six companies are offering, for lack of a better term, death for dinner.
But the theater calendar tends to flip quickly. A month from now, all but eight of the 61 current shows will have passed into memory.
John Moore: 303-954-1056 or jmoore@denverpost.com
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
This weekend’s theater openings
“Cymbeline” Shakespeare weaves a wicked stepmother and a deadly potion. A banished groom and a disguised bride. A loyal friend and a jealous enemy. Through Aug 15. Longmont Theatre Company, 513 Main St., 303-772-5200 or
“Guys and Dolls” Classic musical about gamblers desperate to find a place to hold their floating craps game. Through July 31. Presented by Inspire Creative at the Byron Theatre in the University of Denver’s Newman Center, 2344 E. Iliff Ave., 303-790-0875 or
“I’m Getting Murdered in the Morning” A wacky wedding is the setting for this interactive murder mystery comedy. Through Sunday. Parker Arts Council at Victorian Peaks Collection, 11020 S. Pikes Peak Drive, Parker, 303-840-5406
“Summer Madness” Two one-acts: The manic farce “Madly in Love,” by Paul Ableman, and the classic comedy “The Bald Soprano,” by Eugene Ionesco. Through Aug. 29. Germinal Stage-Denver, 2450 W. 44th Ave., 303-455-7108 or
“Summertree” A young, nameless man drifts among moments of innocent childhood, conflicted adolescence and present-day reality in a wartime play that encourages audiences to question their origins, destinations and present values. Through Aug. 1. Presented by Applebox at the University of Colorado Denver Arts Building Blackbox Theatre, Room 278, 900 Curtis St., 303-523-7067 or
“South Pacific” Coming off its recent first Broadway revival, “South Pacific” is best-known for its extraordinary 1949 score, including “Some Enchanted Evening,” “Younger Than Springtime,” “Bali Ha’i” and “There Is Nothin’ Like A Dame.” But this national touring production also tells a deeply-felt story of Americans stationed in an alien culture in wartime. At the Buell Theatre, Denver Performing Arts Complex. 303-893-4100 (800-641-1222 outside Denver), at all King Soopers or
“This Day and Age” In this sophisticated comedy by Nagle Jackson, a widow decides she is going to live life on her own terms, despite the expectations of her adult children. Through Sept. 24. Creede Repertory Theatre, 124 N. Main St., 719-658-2540, 866-658-2540, or
“Tomfoolery” Cameron Mackintosh has taken 28 of Tom Lehrer’s greatest songs and added narrative for an evening that attacks American sacred cows from the 1950s and ’60s — but only after having milked them first. Through Aug. 28. Victorian Playhouse, 4201 Hooker St., 303-433-4343 or
“Zoot Suit” Luis Valdez’s classic play combines swing and style with a potent message about the corrosive power of racism. This production reunites some of the North High students who performed the play at the Buell Theatre six years ago. The band is directed by DeVotchKa’s Shawn King. 7:30 Friday, July 23. Outdoors next to the Elitch Theatre, 38th Avenue and Tennyson St. 303-623-0216
The Running Lines blog
Catch up on John Moore’s roundup of theater news and dialogue:
