![Director <B>Jose Mercado,</B> left, with Historic Elitch Theatre Foundation board member <B>Scott Anderson;</B> Anderson's daughter, <B>Cassidy</B>; and CBS4 critic <B>Greg Moody. </B> <!--IPTC: [CUT1]Director Jose Mercado, left, with Historic Elitch Theatre Foundation board member Scott Anderson; Anderson’s daughter, Cassidy, and CBS4 critic Greg Moody. [CREDIT]Steve Peterson, Special to The Denver Post-->](/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/20100728__20100730_D16_FE30DAVIDSONp1.jpg "20100728__20100730_D16_FE30DAVIDSON~p1.JPG")
Into every life some rain must fall; fortunately, there’s a roof over what used to be the carousel at the original Elitch Gardens amusement park in north Denver, and that kept everyone nice and dry for the “A Taste of the Americas” walkabout supper Sean Yontz put together for opening-night VIPs at “Zoot Suit,” the Luis Valdez play staged on the lawn in front of the Elitch Gardens Theatre.
The carousel has long been dismantled — the rides and other attractions now operate in the Central Platte Valley — but the enclosure (pictures: denver ) made a nice setting for folks to relax and enjoy specialty dishes from Root Down, Duo, Lola, Tambien and Little Man Ice Cream.
The storm was intense but brief, and by curtain time, the sky had cleared and umbrellas weren’t needed as the 200 diners joined 400 others for the first of two performances that raised money to fund the theater’s restoration.
This was the second time actor and University of Colorado Denver theater professor Jose Mercado has mounted a “Zoot Suit” production in Denver. The first was six years ago, when he was North High School’s drama teacher and sold out two shows at Buell Theatre.
“I had a flashback moment when I just now looked across the way and saw the line of people waiting to get in,” Mercado confessed. “It took me back to when I was loco enough to take this to the Buell and there were lines stretching out to 14th Street.”
The response, Mercado believes, “speaks to what this play means to the community. It — and the theater experience in general — gives kids the power and permission to succeed.”
Those in the opening-night crowd included Denver Art Museum president Cathey Finlon; Denver Film Society director emeritus Ron Henderson; such Historic Elitch Theatre Foundation board members as Paul Franke, Scott Anderson, Drew Frady and Chuck Perry; North graduate Mieko Bailey; Patricia Baca; Leonora Hill; Ron and Naomi Montoya; Lawrence French and Gregory Sargowicki; Lois Paul; Dave and Jody Charmatz; and Walter and Christy Isenberg.
The CU Buffoons will sing and DJ Absolute is coming in from New York City to spin the tunes for the True Warrior Celebration that benefits the Sharon Antcliff Foundation and its work on behalf of those with early-onset Alzheimer’s. Denver’s Chris Voth (“Last Comic Standing”) is the host, the setting is Space Gallery, 765 Santa Fe Drive, and tickets can be purchased by visiting . . . . Jennifer and Chris Rehm’s lakeside home is the setting for a French-themed soiree benefiting the Jeremy Bloom Wish of a Lifetime Foundation. Highlights of the $80-a-couple event include the granting of wishes to two low-income senior citizens and a fireworks display. Learn more about the 6:30 p.m. event by visiting . . . . Homestead Hoedown is the theme for a barbecue thanking the 500 donors who helped raise $20 million to build Roundup River Ranch, a camp due to open next summer for children with life-threatening illnesses.
Joanne Davidson: 303-809-1314 or jdavidson@denverpost.com; also, and GetItWrite on Twitter
