LET NOTHING YOU DISMAY

FIREHOUSE THEATRE COMPANY at 
THE JOHN HAND THEATER ON LOWRY:  NOV 21 – DEC 21

Written by Topher Payne and directed by Paul Jaquith, Let Nothing You Dismay is a holiday free-for-all that’s a farce everyone can enjoy.  The cast includes local favorites, Verl Hite, Mary Campbell, Veronica Straight-Lingo and Johnathan Underwood and features Chrys Duran, Andrew Catterall, Jenny Eaves and Ben Butler.  These eight actors perform the roles of the twenty-two characters penned by playwright Payne.  The transformations these actors make from one character to the other will leave you breathless.

Standing out in this amazing cast are the gut-busting characterizations provided by Veronica Straight-Lingo, Mary Campbell and Verl Hite.  No spoilers! You deserve to discover them for yourselves! 

  The playwright has decided to insert an intermission and as everyone knows an intermission causes some of the steam from a farcical First Act to evaporate requiring the cast to get the sparks flying again afterwards.  That said, these fine actors get us back on track and up to speed in relatively short order.

The Costumes are thanks to Rachel Herring-Luna. Lighting is by Emily Maddox, and sound design by Madison Kuebler.

The set design is a community effort by Director Paul Jaquith, Jeff Jesmer and Megan Davis. 

One must give a shout out to Paul Jaquith for his outstanding work from the director’s chair.  This is one of the funniest productions to have been seen by this reviewer this year! Bravo!

It’s Family with all its quirks and idiosyncrasies, and the love thereof, that is at the heart of this play.   A Great escape from the horrors of the evening news and a tonic after all the chaos at the mall, it’s perfect for the holiday season.

NOT TO BE MISSED! 

GO AND LAUGH YOUR PROVERBIAL ASS OFF!!! RUN TO GET TICKETS!!!

For tickets call: 303-562-3232 or go online at www.firehousetheatercompany.com

 AN ECHOING SPRING

A Story of Matthew Shepard

JOHN HAND THEATRE: Dec. 3 – 16

(a traveling production of Colorado TINTS in local cooperation with Act One Productions)

 

In the intimacy of the John Hand Theatre, playwright Mike Broemmel’s haunting play about Matthew Shepard is not only heart-breaking, but also heart-opening.

Paul Page, who has been admired for his fine acting in Colorado for years, here steps into the role of director, illuminating Broemmel’s play with a sensitive touch that allows the play to unfold in a natural way.

Suzanne Nepi imbues the character of Judy Shepard with a tenderness and strength that makes us see why she has become a favorite in the Denver theatre community! A mother herself, Nepi’s personal memories of maternal experiences dealing with joyful storytelling and healing traumatic pain inform this very fine performance.

In the role of Matthew Shepard, Aiden Evans is eminently confident. This young actor’s monologues engage the audience with a congenial and conversational delivery. One looks forward to seeing him soon again upon the Denver stage.

One is certain that humanistic plays such as this one will touch the hearts of all who attend. May theatre such as this help to eliminate homophobia and all heinous hate crimes!

For tickets call:   303-562-3232      or go online at theatrixdenver.wellattended.com

                      THE MYSTERY OF EDWIN DROOD 

                             VINTAGE THEATRE : DEC. 5 TO JAN 11 

            The cast of "THE MYSTERY OF EDWIN DROOD" (Photo credit: RDG Photography)

DROOD is the HOTTEST TICKET IN TOWN FOR THE  HOLIDAY SEASON!RUN TO GET TICKETS!!!

When was the last time you woke up humming the tunes you heard at theatre the night before? There are so many Glorious ear-worms in this score, you will be humming and singing these tunes for days! With book, music and lyrics by Rupert Holmes, Vintage Theatre’s production of THE MYSTERY OF EDWIN DROOD is not to be missed! In1985 “Drood” received Tony Awards for Best Musical, Book and Score. 

         On opening night a rousing, rollicking good time was had by all! Rowdy, and sometimes a bit on the bawdy side, the broad strokes of humor on display describing London’s Music Hall tradition may put you in mind of the American Vaudeville theatre.     The show is directed by the esteemed Bernie Cardell, who makes sure that we are entertained to the max!  For this reason alone, it is advised that any theatre lover get tickets as far in advance as possible.

The title role is played by Michelle Merz-Hutchinson. It is wonderful to see this actor’s superb acting and hear her outstanding vocals! Her singing of “Two Kinsmen” and “Perfect Strangers” is an utter delight.

Brian Trampler’s chairman, the show’s emcee, introduces the play by welcoming us  to the music hall with his singing of “There You Are,” lifting our spirits and making us hungry for the unfolding mystery to come. The chairman is also a sort of narrator who introduces characters and ties together the clues and events which follow. Trampler’s performance stuns!

Rosa Bud, Drood’s fiancee and the student of choirmaster John Jasper, is played by Makenzie Couch, who sings “Moonfall” with a soprano that is a breathtaking ribbon of silk. William B. Kahn’s acting and singing of Jasper, who secretly lusts after his student, has a baritone to die for. His singing of “A Man Could Go Quite Mad” is indelible.

Adam Johnson’s acting in the comic role of Bazzard made him an audience favorite. His singing of “Never the Luck” is hysterical.

Deborah Persoff’s performance in the role of Princess Puffer, the proprietor of a London opium den, is one for the books! This meticulously crafted and nuanced portrayal is so richly imagined that Dickens himself would applaud this actor’s masterful singing and acting of : “The Wages of Sin,” “Don’t Quit While You’re Ahead” and “The Garden Path to Hell."

It’s wonderful to see Daniel Traylor treading the boards once again as Mr. James Throttle. 

Musical director Jeremiah Otto did splendid work accompanying the actors on the keys as well as evoking stunning choral work from the cast in such numbers as, “Off To the Races,” and “An English Music Hall.” 

Charles Dickens’ vital, vibrant characters are all dressed in Cole Emarine’s extravagant eye-popping Victorian costumes!

Don Fuller’s set design and Emily Maddox’s lighting were both well executed. There were a couple of glitches in Russ Kirby’s sound design on the night this reviewer was in attendance, but they were quickly addressed and rectified.

Charles Dickens died before his novel was finished. As a result we as audience get to decide who the murderer was.

 This is just the ticket for the Holidays! Not to be missed!!!

For tickets go online at Vintagetheatre.org  or call the box office at 303-856-7830