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ANYTHING GOES – Music and Lyrics by Cole Porter; Original Book by P.G. Wodehouse, Guy Bolton, Howard Lindsay, and Russel Crouse; New Book by Timothy Crouse and John Weidman; Directed and Choreographed by Kate Vallee; Music Direction by Mason Siders. Produced by Candlelight Dinner Playhouse (4747 Marketplace Drive, Johnstown) through June 14. Tickets available at 970-744-3747 or ColoradoCandlelight.com.

I have this vision of the people who auditioned for this dance-heavy production. The choreographer would say to the people on stage waiting to show their stuff, “All right, let’s see who can do fifty time-steps in a row. Five, Six, Seven, Eight!” The ones still standing at the end of the first fifty made it to callbacks. Watching the dance numbers now, you can only imagine what the rehearsals must have been like. Some of these dancing dynamos finish Act I with the spectacular ANYTHING GOES tap number – then go out into the house and complete their serving duties. Whew!!

Starting off a little slowly, the show quickly picks up speed, leading to the familiar “You’re the Top” and “Friendship.” By the time we get to the second act and the showstopper “Blow, Gabriel, Blow, all of us old-timers have resigned ourselves to humming along with the easy-to-remember melodies. When was the last time you walked out of a modern musical able to hum a song you had just heard? Where have you heard lyrics like “Friendship, friendship, just the perfect blendship”? Thanks to Cole Porter for the love songs, production numbers, and novelty pieces that pepper the score and add sparkle to your evening. And, thanks to Candlelight for having the moxie to bring back one of the good ol’ musicals.

While the leads in this production are excellent, we’ll get to them in just a moment. I want to sing the praises of the “Ensemble.” That usually unsung band of backup singers (a line or two to speak, if they are lucky) and dancers (maybe 15 seconds in a breakout move in a ten-minute musical number if they can impress the choreographer). But they keep coming back; they keep the dances set on their bodies for one production while they spend their afternoons in rehearsal for the next one. They may get a speaking role in May and move into the ensemble in June. They are the actual people who live out A CHORUS LINE over and over again.

So let’s say Hello to the new people who are making their Candlelight debut as members of the chorus – Melissa Foreman, Justin Pappas, Aaron Pardini, and Thaddius Williamson. Here’s hoping they have a long productive Candlelight life.

Let’s give special honor to those who are back for a second or more curtain call. Recent additions to the corps include Taylor Baker, Tia Bloom, Ian Doyle, Jack Griffin (who gets a solo as the stuffy Lord Evelyn), Kristine Hintz, Jessie Hobson, Christian Kintzley, Jacob Meyerson, Stephanie Ochs (who also gets a solo as Moonface’s girlfriend), and Caleb Reasy. There should be stars on each of their dressing room doors for the job they do in this show.

And how very special to welcome back old friends to the mix. Seasoned as they are, they bring a special glow of familiarity, reflecting your memories of past performances swirled into the fun of this present experience. Michelle Jeffres continues to delight with charm and whimsy in her role as the wealthy and demanding Mrs. Harcourt. As only an experienced actor can, Scott Severtson makes the most of his time on stage as the wealthy and drunken Ellisha Whitney. Stephen Turner and Hugh Butterfield are playing the S.S. American’s ship’s officers with dignity and deference until it’s time to tap. Then watch out!!

Our lead performers for the evening are an equal blend of the familiar and the new. Jacob Meyerson takes the crucial role of Billy Crocker and never lets go. His partner in romance is the talented Rachel Turner, a long-time regular in several front range theatres. You have to believe in this couple or the romance doesn’t work. From the moment Hope walked up to Billy on stage with her big, moony eyes on him, and he turned and looked at her, you believed them. Brandon Sutorius, a long-time favorite at Candlelight, has a very funny turn as Moonface Martin, Public Enemy No. 13, who sings like a bluebird.

But those who know the show know that the evening belongs to the actress who plays Reno, that raucous singing evangelist who – trust me! – is NOT holier than thou. But gets all the best songs and knocks them out of the ballpark. This would be the work of Libby Shull in her first role at Candlelight. Libby has been working all over town, waiting for her big break – and here it is! She brings fervor – not necessarily religious – to the production numbers and whimsy when she slows down. When she sings with her “Angels,” you know they are not being angelic.

Once again, the costumes in this production are spectacular. The looks are straight out of 1934 – except maybe the sexy red sequined dresses of the Angels after they have had their “come to Jesus” moment. The live band gets not one, but two overtures and makes the most of them. The forecastle deck, where a lot of the action takes place, is well built and a great place to dance. All in all, a spectacular show that works.

A WOW factor of 8.75!!

HELL’S KITCHEN – Music and Lyrics by Alicia Keys; Book by Kristoffer Diaz; Produced by the Denver Center for the Performing Arts Broadway (Presented at the Buell Theatre, 15th and Curtis, Denver) through April 26. Tickets available at 303-893-4100 or DenverCenter.org.

In the program for this production, the centerfold shows posters of the upcoming 2026-27 season featuring both JERSEY BOYS and MAMMA MIA. Which is ironic, because I would place this new jukebox musical about the early life of Alicia Keys square in the middle of those two long-lived productions of a similar genre. With JERSEY BOYS being one of the best, most tuneful musicals of its era. In decades to come, perhaps we will look back on this piece as reminiscent of the 90’s as much as the JERSEY BOYS who became symbols of the 60’s and 70’s.

Ms. Keys is telling her own story her own way with her own music. I’m sure her mother’s musical would have a different point of view. But we watch the young Ali as a teenager loving hip hop, discovering love, fighting with her mother (who could have predicted?), learning about her father, and beginning to become an adult. On the story alone, it’s worth a look and a listen. But throw in the music and the amazing street dancing, and you’ve got a whole evening of fun.

The voices of this group of people are spectacular, with Kennedy Cauchell leading the pack. As Ali’s mother, Jersey, she never loses an opportunity to exercise her acting chops and vocal abilities. Close on her heels is Miz Liza Jane, Ali’s grandmother-like guardian angel. An elder in the close-knit community, she teaches Ali the power of music, how it can heal, how you can trust it to always be there. Roz White, a comparatively young woman (if you can believe her picture in the program) becomes the elder, becomes the beloved teacher, and won Ali and the audience over with her emotional portrayal.

The men in the cast held up their end of the bizness as well. Desmond Sean Ellington, as Ali’s absent father, at the request of Jersey, came back when her teenage daughter began to get troublesome. Mr. Ellington was well-suited for his role as a saloon on-the-road singer with his smooth moves and cabaret voice. “Knuck” had to be somebody’s real name in Alicia’s early life; it’s too cute to have been invented for the show. But the character Knuck is real enough and becomes Ali’s introduction to love and lust. His songs express his affection for her and his dismay at finding out how young she was. You feel his pain.

Special kudos go to Maya Drake, who plays Ali. Fresh out of high school, she has the shortest bio in the program and the definite look of a young Alicia Keys. Maya tackles this singing, dancing, being a brat, experiencing love for the first time, scared, angry, growing up, young performer with gusto and charm. Even when she’s being a brat, you kinda love her. I predict that this touring experience will season her and give her strength on stage. She has a long career in front of her.

There is a dance ensemble in this production that reflects the freedom and exuberance of street dancing better than any I’ve seen. They move together and then break out in what seems like original, spontaneous moves – then come back together with perfect synchronicity. A major joy with this production is wrapped up in those bodies expressing their passion with energy and imagination. Each one seems to get a moment or two to shine, to sing a few bars as a solo, make a few moves in the spotlight – you can tell they love it.

A complicated set keeps them grounded in that little corner of New York, shifting to the various rooms in the Manhattan Towers, their home base. I couldn’t help but think, It will be a hard set to adapt for eventual regional theatre productions. But you know, they will find a way.

A WOW factor of 8.5!!

WHITE – Written by James Ijames; Directed by Julie Kaye Wolf. Produced by Firehouse Theatre Company (Presented at the John Hand Theatre, 7653 East 1st Place, Denver) through May 3rd. Tickets available at 303-562-3232 or Firehousetheatercompany.com.

If you go into this experience with the mindset that it is basically a Frankenstein story, it may help you understand what happens. In most plays or movies that use creation, novelty, and rebellion as a storyline, you’ll begin to see similarities. Remember EDWARD SCISSORHANDS, BAT BOY, POOR THING, even ROCKY HORROR. There’s an introduction to the creator, then we watch the creation, the initial acceptance, and eventually the rejection of what the “creature” has become. With the query of which of the duo is actually the monster.

James Ijames has tapped into this fascination with the somewhat macabre with his script for WHITE. We meet two fairly normal people with fairly normal goals in life . . . to have their art recognized and to be seen. The creators. The two work together to create a new personality for one – they create the “creature.” At first, it’s fun, feisty, a joint project that pleases them both. But then the creation begins to resent the demands and continued restraints of the “master” and turns on him. Leading to confrontations and open rebellion that leads to . . . . . but that would be giving it away, wouldn’t it??

I have to confess that a lot of the fun of this show is seeing a (somewhat) privileged white male get a wakeup call of epic proportions. Watching the two main characters formulate a third personality between them that suits their mutual purpose is a charm. There’s a normal loving relationship between the character of the painter and his boyfriend, who also have normal loving differences. All of the characters are well-drawn and believable. Sensible people who somehow allow a situation to get out of hand. It’s funny till it’s not.

The cast jumps into the fun with both feet. Andrew Catterall takes on the difficult role of Gus, a man with a bright idea who sees it turned in mush and mayhem. He’s an accomplished painter, with the other characters praising his work, while perhaps not understanding it. His paintings are part of the proverbial “white” of the title. Andrew gives equal expression to his own belief in himself and his idea, the gradual disintegration of his confidence, and the puzzlement of “what went wrong?” Timmy Panintuan, as Gus’s love interest, takes what could have been a sort of throw-away role and makes it into a strong and interesting character. He lets us believe that you can be loving and yet still not approve of what your partner is doing. Maya Ferrario (Jane) is key to Gus’s problem. As a trusted friend, she’s a noted gallery administrator with her own ideas of what the art world needs. It’s not another white man’s art on her walls. Therein lies Gus’s dilemma. While Jane is supportive, she’s also confident and strong in her decisions.

But you have to admit the evening belongs to Kenya Mahoghany Fashaw as the actress hired to be Gus’s “ghost painter.” Hesitant at first but soon caught up in the excitement of the “role,” she embraces her new persona with gusto. Melding from an insecure actress who can’t get a break to an outspoken, feisty woman with a mission, she is a hurricane of energy and attitude. Not one to be trifled with once she adopts her new self, she becomes a tsunami, steamrolling and winning all to her way of thinking.

There are, of course, political overtones to the script. Racial tourism, gender identity, white privilege, the importance of art, class differences – all have reference in this excellent script. But there’s also an almost whimsical quality to watching the underdog “creature” come into her own. We knew it couldn’t last.

A WOW factor of 8.75!!

ANGELS IN AMERICA – Written by Tony Kushner; Part I directed by Bernie Cardell; Part II directed by Troy Lakey. Produced by Vintage Theatre Productions (1468 Dayton St, Aurora) through May 10. Tickets available at 303-856-7830 or VintageTheatre.org.

When I first discovered that Vintage intended to do Angels in the smaller of their two theatres, I thought that this story was too big for that small place. But as usual, Bernie and Troy knew what they were doing. The small but magnificent set, designed by Brendan Cochran, built by Biz Schaugaard, Lexi Renfro, and Don Fuller, and painted by Bernie Richard, exactly fits this intimate and personal production as directed by both. This is not a big and blustery production; it is private, even delicate, poignant in the most quiet ways. It is having a secret whispered in your ear. It is curtains blowing in a gentle breeze, hiding the pain of the one standing behind them. It is turning away.

Then it catches you by surprise with an unexpected hearty laugh or a comical response to a difficult question. A breathtakingly tender moment. Juxtaposed against this heartfelt human reality is the comic relief of politics. The utter absurdity of a character like Roy Cohn, who in 2026 could have at least a dozen other names from today’s headlines. He and his ilk cannot be real, can they? Sadly.

The smaller environment allows the audience to sit in the bedrooms, follow the cast into their offices and living rooms, visit their hospital beds, and be more a part of the story than an observer. The length of their storytelling builds affection and concern for what is happening to them. It’s no slam-bam, finished, done, over. It’s more of a “and then this happened” kind of experience. So, yes, the intimacy counts. The directors knew that. The actors embraced it. The audience revels in it.

The length of the play and the intricacies of the script give each actor an optimum time to develop familiarity with their characters. Plural. All of the actors play multiple roles and angels. However, you never lose sight of the storyline or their individual roles in making it come alive. It’s just fun watching Haley Johnson move from being a Rabbi (mustache and all), conducting a levaya to a lookalike Ethel Rosenberg to a distraught Mormon mother.

It is always a joy watching actors you know jump into the skins of a new character. Watching Dakota Hill do anything on stage is always a treat. His Louis, becoming tormented by guilt and uncertainty, moves you to compassion in one moment and makes you want to slap some sense into him the next. A real “to be or not to be” moment or two that he carries off well. Johnathan Underwood continues his long string of “never two alike” characters with his Belize, a caring friend, a no-nonsense, yet practical nurse. Kelly Uhlenhopp succeeds as the advice-giving Bethesda Angel, as well as in roles as a nurse who tends to AIDS patients and a Mormon woman in a diorama. The last role calls upon her to stand for a good five or six moments without moving – a hard thing for anyone to do.

Special notice must be given to Andrew Uhlenhopp for his riveting portrayal of Roy Cohn.  He started his ANGEL connection playing Louis in the original Vintage production. His Roy, which incorporates the sixteen years Andrew has been playing other (kinder) roles and living his own creatively productive life, comes to this performance with a spitting anger, an absurd view of the world, and a selfishness hard to believe.  Can a man truly be that sure of his exalted place in the world that he needs no one, cares for no one?  Kushner would have us believe that.  It’s only in his final hours that his abject loneliness and fear show themselves. 

And then there’s the new kids in town. Three of the lead roles are given to people new to Vintage. Chad Hewitt plays the difficult role of Joe Pitt, raised a Mormon with an antiquated version of morality (remember this is the 80’s), married to a woman who wants more than affection, and fighting his personal attraction to men. Joe is tormented by the lure of political positioning, a tentative first-time relationship with a man, and the needs he can’t meet for his addicted wife. Heartbreak and personal disappointment rock his sense of himself; a hard lesson for one trying so hard to be a moral Mormon.

Casey Board gives us a sterling and heartfelt performance in Prior Walter. His journey into and out of AIDS takes him to despair and back again. He runs the gauntlet of emotions in this episode and takes the whole audience with him. With all of us having gone through the more recent COVID trip (just in case you didn’t live through the 80’s and the AIDS crisis), it is not difficult to respond to his pain, fear, and disappointment in Louis, who abandons him. It is no wonder that Hannah Pitt, Joe’s mother, responds to his dry humor and becomes his caregiver. His final confrontation with Louis becomes a personal triumph for both him and the audience.

Nicole Kaiser as Harper Pitt, Joe’s long-suffering wife, gives a stunning tour de force portrayal of a woman disappointed in her choice of husband; he kisses her on the head and calls her Buddy! That seems to be the extent of his lovemaking. It has led to her dependence on Valium to get her through the day and through hallucinogenic dreams. But slowly, slowly, she comes to see the light of day and works her way back to reality and her own independence. Changes you utterly believe in Nicole’s performance. It will be so much fun to see what these three do next.

There are many ways and many days left to see this icon of a theatrical experience. If you are not attracted by the amazing story being told, by the brilliance of the production, by the warmth of attending a Vintage performance . . . at least honor the place in theatrical history that this script holds. A Pulitzer award and a Tony for Best Play! Even Wikipedia calls it a “timeless and relevant masterpiece.” Does it get any better? I don’t think so.

A WOW factor of 9.50!!

COME FROM AWAY – Book, Music and Lyrics by Irene Sankoff and David Hein; Directed by Kenny Moten; Music Direction by David Nehls, Choreography by Jessica Hindsley.  Produced by the Arvada Center (6901 Wadsworth Boulevard, Arvada) through May 10th.  Tickets available at 720-898-7200 or arvadacenter.org. 

When was the last time you attended a play that made you want to be a part of what was happening on-stage?  When you felt such kinship with the people on stage that you rejoiced with them and cried with them? That you wished you could have shared the experience they are portraying with them?  When a show hits you so hard in your heart that you know you’ll carry it with you forward?  If you haven’t seen COME FROM AWAY previously from the touring production or the filmed version on TV, you MUST get a ticket for the Arvada Center production if and when you can to see it now. (Of course, I realize that all good theatre creates that sentiment for its audiences every night! But this script and music is outstanding.) 

On 9/11, the people of Gander, Newfoundland, rallied to welcome 7000 stranded passengers from 38 planes diverted away from the events on the mainland.  Lodgings were created, food was found, activities scheduled, and friends were made over the five days they had to stay.  The show was written, as the playwrights stated, as “a tribute to the real people of Gander, but not necessarily them.” The music that propels the action of the production is at times lively, at times poignant, and at times rousing. The opening number, “Welcome to the Rock,” foreshadows what we are going to witness.  The rest of the show does not disappoint in welcoming us into their stories. 

The playwrights also wanted to give future productions the ability to perform it easily by allowing for “flexible cast size and . . . technical creativity.”  The Arvada Center has taken advantage of this invitation for change.  Walls and carts of suitcases adorn the set and provide seating for the cast as they move through the story.  The cast of twelve easily moves from multiple roles as both passengers and townspeople.  It is always clear who they are at any given moment by their flexible costumes.  Their travelling clothes differ just slightly from their Newfoundlander everyday clothing, but it makes all the difference. 

Of course, the ease with which they move from the stranded passengers to the helpful townsfolk is primarily the result of the incredible skill of each of these actors.  They have all brought their “A” game to this complicated task, making it seem like child’s play.  The choreography of this production extends far beyond how they dance.  Kenny Moten, the director, has kept his cast focused, streamlined, and warm as they tell these stories and build this community.  Over and over, they illustrate the humanity and joy in caring, sharing, and giving to both humans and animals, If this production of this script doesn’t lighten your heart and move you to jump to your feet to reward with your applause at the end of the show, you are made of stone. 

It’s hard to call out individual actors in a brilliant ensemble piece such as this.  But there is the calm steady presence of the pilot of one of the downed planes (Kelsey Crismon), the two strangers who meet and make a life out of that chance meeting (Megan Van De Hey and Ralph Prentice Daniel), the lady who cares for the animals found in the planes (Mary McGroary), Randy Chalmers as a sexy pilot and a man fearful for his wallet; Nicole deBree whose son is a firefighter in New York, Colin Alexander as the Mayor of Gander, and so many other well-developed characters both from the air and on the ground.  The whole ensemble and the on-stage band make a rousing and restorative night at a bar come alive.   

In the middle of it all, you find yourself remembering.  Where was I on 9/11?  How did that horrible day impact my life?  Remember how proudly patriotic everyone was for awhile?  Flags flying everywhere.  What happened to that?  The show revisits the lasting impact of that day.  

A tiny bit of trivia to send this review:  I discovered that Rodney Hicks, a playwright and actor currently living and working in Denver, was in the original cast of COME FROM AWAY.  What a joy it must have been to have been a part of creating this original production. 

A WOW factor of 10!! 

PS: The Arvada Center has done us proud in this first production locally.  There will soon be productions all over the state, now that licensing has been released for versions.  If for some reason you are unable to attend this production, find one this summer in your travels as they begin to blossom in theatres large and small. You won’t be sorry.