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EYES OPEN – MOUTH AGAPE

EYES OPEN – MOUTH AGAPE – Written and directed by Buntport Theatre Company.  Presented at Buntport Theatre (717 Lipan, Denver) through November 23.  Tickets available at 720-946-1388 or buntport.com. 

No one ever forgets their first time. That surprise that something could be so good.  Such an unexpected delight.  And you suddenly can’t wait for the next time.   You wish that those talented kids at Buntport did shows more often.  What? What did you think I was talking about?  Those of us who are old-timers exist in anticipation of their next production – even if it’s revisiting an older script.  Their older scripts are better than other writers’ brand-new scripts.   

What do we like about Buntport?  Well, for one thing, the genius of five (used to be six) kids who met in college and banded together to build one of Denver’s most successful theatres, doing only their own original scripts.  The creativity of thought and deed.  The brilliant take on pieces of literature adapted and molded into their own whacked-out version of something barely recognizable but insightful and clever.  The illogical logic of explaining the familiar in new terms.  The turn of a phrase that sheds a light.  The bravery and willingness to do anything for the laugh.  (I’ll never forget the look on the COYOTE’s face when caught in the museum). The confidence that their audiences will go along with their absurdities and understand their motifs.  The feeling that you, the audience member, enjoys when you get it – the mounting “in” joke – the pleasure of recognizing their intelligence and yours because you do get it. 

And no one does forget their first time.  Looking back through their archives, I realize that my first show was called THE ODYSSEY; A WALKING TOUR in 2002.  I’ve been watching Buntport for 22 years and have never been disappointed.  In this first one, the audience donned earphones while a tour guide (“We’re walking – we’re walking”) moved them through visualizations of Jason’s mythical journey.  It featured a giant eye projected against the wall as the cyclops and a pig pen full of transformed sailors.  But then the next was the brilliant and oft-repeated TITUS ANDRONICUS with its chalkboard marking off the murders, the van that made eight-point turns to expose another side and another location for mayhem, and the blood by the buckets full.  After a production of SOMETHING IS ROTTEN (an adaptation of HAMLET), my 12-year-old grandson explained to me that Ophelia had to be a goldfish because then she wouldn’t have drowned.  And my joy in realizing he GOT it. 

But what have they done lately?  They took a relatively insignificant incident that happened twenty years ago in Chicago and made us laugh.  A lone bus driver in a tour bus for the Dave Matthews Band decided to dump his honey wagon through the grid of a bridge not realizing that a sight-seeing open-air boat was going under the bridge at the same time.  The people below got something like 800 pounds of inglorious (even if it did come from the band members) poo dropped on their heads as they sat EYES UP, MOUTH AGAPE.  How do they tell this lurid tale?  A documentary is being filmed about the incident as the bus, the bridge, and the boat are being interviewed about their role in the horrendous happening.  A fifth character – the Willis Tower (formerly known as the Sears Tower) – chimes in with occasional observations from her excellent viewpoint.  The characters soon start bickering about whose fault it was and why they are not to blame, thwarting the camerawoman’s efforts to get the story told logically. 

The original group includes Sam (who provides the outstanding sound and light background for all the shows); Erin who doggedly continues to hope she can get her subjects to dampen their egos and answer her questions; Hannah, the righteously indignant boat full of caca; Erik, the bridge who insists he was an innocent bystander; and Brian, the bus which created the whole mess.  A fifth collaborator for this adventure was Emily Harrison from Square Product Theatre in Boulder, a quite tall Sears Tower with a spire hat and a guitar. 

Let me just close by saying you’ll not find a more creative and talented bunch of performers, search high and low as you may.  Attending Buntport shows is a rite of passage for Denver theatregoers.  And you’ll always remember your first.  Although there was that other one . . . . . oh, and don’t forget the one about the . . . . . .  

A WOW factor of 9!! 

NUNSENSE

NUNSENSE – Book, Music and Lyrics by Dan Goggin; Directed and Choreographed by Nancy Evans Begley; Music Direction by Andrew Fischer.  Produced by Parker Arts and Veritas Productions (Presented at the Schoolhouse Theatre, 19650 East Main Street, Parker) through November 17.  Tickets available at 303-805-6800 or ParkerArts.org. 

There are shows that even the most casual theatregoer has probably seen.  FIDDLER ON THE ROOF – OUR TOWN – SOUND OF MUSIC – FOREVER PLAID – and, most likely, NUNSENSE, a cherished piece for when your company has more women than men.  So, it’s nice to revisit it once and awhile.  There’s nothing that makes these corny jokes and songs about being a nun very up-to-date, but you find yourself laughing (or smiling loudly) in spite of yourself.  Generally, because the women playing the nuns are having so much fun doing it. 

What makes the whole she-bang (see what I did there?) fun is when it is cast with five ladies who know their stuff, as Pace and Veritas Productions have done with this show.  Let’s take the Mother Superior, for instance.  Jennifer Burnett is more than qualified to lead this rowdy bunch.  She has taken leads in productions all over town, been nominated for Henry awards (and won one), toured nationally, and just did an outstanding job in a performance of CABARET.  Her Mother Superior is quietly commanding, generously gruff, and a no-nonsense leader of the pack.  Her introduction to nose candy is quite a rush (whoops! I did it again!) 

Sister Hubert is given an exuberant life by Arabella Beaubrun with a hardy laugh and bouncy humor.  Every musical with any hint of religion must have a big shouty gospel song and Arabella makes the most of hers with “Holier Than Thou.”  She is sympathetic to the trials of her fellow nuns, but still backs up the Mother Superior as in their duet of “Just a Couple of Sisters.”   

Sister Amnesia – so named because she lost her memory when a crucifix fell on her head – gives Jamie Molina a chance to shine.  She is the dippity doo in this crazy little show.  Her memory lapses allow the other nuns to poke gentle fun at her and reveals her personal gift of comic timing.  In a recent production at Town Hall Center, she held her own as the second banana to comic legend Annie Dwyer.  No small feat.  She brings the same commitment and charm to her role as Amnesia and gets the happy ending she deserves. 

Ali Chung is fast becoming a familiar face in Denver’s many theatres.  Here she plays the tough girl nun from New Yawk, Sister Robert Anne, who can strip down a motorcycle and save your soul without breaking a sweat.  Her running joke with the Reverend Mother is that she is not allowed to perform a solo and has to be devious in getting her moment to shine in “I Just Want to be a Star.” Ali is definitely already a star. 

A nun in training is called a novice but Kayleigh Bernier is no novice at musical comedy.  She’s already got lead roles under her wimple – such as her recent performance at the Pace Center as Ellie in LEGALLY BLONDE.  She brings an unabashed charm to her role as the nun-in-the-making with her gentle manner, quiet grace, and sweet voice.  Such is her talent and versatility. A marked change from the high-energy role she just completed in the bigger theatre in Parker. 

Director Nancy Evans Begley picked five differently talented women to complete her cast and then let them show their humor and talents confidently.  Her choreography is simple as suits women in habits yet well taught and performed.  A talented actress and dancer herself, she has now turned her energy to producing and directing.  Lucky us to benefit from her experience. 

A WOW factor of 8.75!! 

MURDERERS

MURDERERS; A Killer Comedy – Written by Jeffrey Hatcher; Directed by Bernie Cardell.  Produced by Vintage Theatre (1468 Dayton Street, Aurora) through November 17.  Tickets available at 303-856-7830 or vintagetheatre.org. 

Most murder plays concentrate on WHO dunnit and try to fool the audience with red herrings and subterfuge. MURDERERS is the exact opposite.  One at a time, the audience is introduced to three normal looking people, charming, funny, and murderous.  They readily admit their crime and are anxious to share with the audience how their dastardly deeds got done.  All three episodes are set at Riddle Key Luxury Retirement Living Center and Golf Course and involve residents and staff members.  Offhand, I would say this is not a good place to retire. 

The first murderer is Gerald (Troy Lakey) who got involved in a very complicated scheme with his fiancé and potential mother-in-law to beat the inheritance laws.  The story is full of characters with names like Spiff, Puss and Pepper and way too complicated to try to recall.  Suffice it to say, it all makes perfect sense and is a great way to protect the mother-in-law’s money for her daughter’s family . . . until it isn’t.  Troy reprises his role from the first covid-cancelled production and brings a charming, handsome, easily beguiled man to life while he awaits his execution. 

Our second tale involves a woman done wrong.  Margaret – played by Mary Campbell – puts up with her philandering husband as long as she can.  The kicker is when she finds his viagra in his golf bag – in the little side pocket, you know, where he keeps his balls.  Margaret’s tale of woe is relayed with sass and authenticity as if this were the first time she told the story.  

The third go-around involves a successful serial killer named Minka who works at the Living Center and finds convenient ways to “take care” of inconvenient clients and members of their rotten families.  Mari Geasair brings a subtle slyness to her role that allows you to almost root for her continued success.  Her methods are creative and almost undetectable – but don’t get any ideas.  This is Mari’s third time in the role; she does it very well. 

Three very attractive and talented players explaining three very well-written episodes of three murder no-mystery-here stories. 

A WOW factor of 8.5!! 

SPIRIT LEVEL

SPIRIT LEVEL – Written by Pam Valentine; Directed by Paul Newman.  Produced by Evergreen Players (Presented at Center Stage, 27888 Meadow Drive, Evergreen) through November 10.  Tickets available at 720-525-1528 or evergreenplayers.org. 

What an wonderful way to spend an afternoon or evening!!  Most serious theatre companies – of which Evergreen Players is one – have a reading committee that spends their time investigating scripts to find the next great show for the company to perform.  Whoever found this script and encouraged its production is to be congratulated.  Ms. Valentine’s witty and poignant writing gave us everything we wanted in a drawing-room comedy – a clever story, crazy characters, great one-liners, and a message snuck in for good measure.  At its heart, SPIRIT LEVEL is like the third act of OUR TOWN when the characters who have passed over realize how much of their time on Earth they wasted with foolish arguments and not paying attention to the beauty of life.  

Jack and Susie Cameron (Dan Sares and Linda Swanson Brown) have drowned in a boating accident and have been refused entry into Heaven because Jack is a card-carrying atheist.  They are stuck in limbo in their cottage . . . . until the estate agent (Gary Leigh-Webster) arrives with a young couple intent on renting the place.  The agent has had some difficulty renting because of the machinations of the ghostly couple who want to keep the place to themselves.  But Jack and Susie are charmed by this couple because Simon (David Speechley) is a would-be mystery writer and a great admirer of Jack’s successful career.  Flic, his wife, (Tess Greenhaw) charms Susie when it is revealed that she is pregnant.  Keep in mind that the audience members are the only ones who can see Jack and Susie even though they are constantly present and commenting on the action. 

The discovery is made that Susie is a sort of medium and can transfer thoughts into the heads of all the characters.  This allows her to help Jack mentor Simon in his attempt to finish his own book.  She is also able to put thoughts in the minds of Flic and Flic’s overbearing mother in one of the funniest scenes you’ll ever see.  Watching the naughty spew forth from the mouth of an uptight grouch (Julie Williamson) was hysterical.  The ghostly couple also gets some advice on how to achieve Heaven from a deadpan Guardian Angel (Kathleen Davis) who talks to St. Peter on her cell phone.  I don’t want to give away too much because watching this story unfold and how the characters learn from the happenings is the joy of the production.  Suffice it to say that you will laugh uproariously and shed a tear or two during the evening.  And you’ll be happy you found this delight. 

All of the actors bring their A-game to their work on this show.  So much rests on the very able shoulders of Dan and Linda as the not-quite-angelic couple.  They must avoid bumping into the other actors in addition to moving the story along.  Their realistic take on a loving but troubled couple is spot on.  David and Tess, who are newly married and still excited about everything, provide a great contrast.  Gary is delightful as the bewildered and spooked estate agent.  Julie is one of the bravest actresses I’ve seen as she does a complete 180 on her character midway through the show in a daring scene of awakening.  And Kathleen as the “nothing phases her” angel was amazing with her matter-of-fact delivery of heavenly lines.   

Thanks to all who contributed to this sweet production.  Director Paul Newman caught just the right attitude from his actors by understanding the humor and sweetness of the script.  The costumes by Nealy Drew and the set by Biz Schaugaard provided just the right look for the production and avoided the cliche of putting wings on the Guardian Angel.  But the Angel from the top of the Christmas tree played a crucial part in the story.  Kathleen Davis (in addition to playing the pompous mother-in-law) and Nya Pruitt (also the Stage Manager)  came up with a clever sound effect for the transfer of thought from one character to another while Tom Junker devised a lovely effect to end each scene in a halo of light.  This is a team that came together under the guidance of Production Manager Marilyn Herrs to provide a touchingly sweet and funny afternoon/evening for their audiences. 

A WOW factor of 9.00!! 

FRANKENSTEIN

FRANKENSTEIN – Written by Alyssa Bosch; Directed by Logan Custer.  Produced by Audacious Theatre Company (Presented at Fiction Brewery, 7101 East Colfax, Denver).  Additional performances at a different site.  Tickets available at Audaciousimmersive.com through October 31. 

For pure unadulterated (well, maybe it is ADULTerated!) fun, you can’t beat Audacious Theatre Company.  They “pop up” in most unexpected places and ways.  Their current offering is a silly, over-the-top updated take on the Frankenstein story originally devised by Mary Shelley in 1818.  This version features a cast of six playing multiple roles to tell the story of a man-made monster. 

With dialogue straight out of a Victorian novel, Ren Manley – the mastermind behind this madness – plays Dr. Frankenstein who thought he was doing a good deed by creating new life from old parts.  Jason Toennis plays the hulking monster whose search for love and companionship leads to disaster.  The remainder of the crew – Sara Stephenson, Joaquin Liebert, Shawna Urbanski, and JoJo Pride – fill out the roles of damsel in distress, townspeople, friends of the fiend maker, and so on. 

More participatory than immersive, prop bags are handed out that include things like miniature flashlights to become lightning accompanying the many thunderclaps, a ballot to vote on the monster’s fate, and a couple more surprises to be used intermittently during the proceedings. The versatile pairing of steampunk costume pieces by Macbeth Richardson and the creation of a plethora of hand props by Rachel Lowman adds to the silly fun.  The actors’ dead-serious commitment to telling this story – no matter what happens in the room – is a wonder to behold. 

Just pure fun, they have one more weekend to delight you at the Fiction Brewery in Parker.  Their infamous take on the CHRISTMAS CAROL story known as DRUNK CHRISTMAS will start again in November playing all over town.  Check it out!! 

A WOW factor of 8.25!! 

THE LAST NIGHT OF RED BARKER

THE LAST NIGHT OF RED BARKER – Written by Jeff Neuman; Directed by Amanda Berg Wilson.  Produced by the Catamounts (Presented at the Westminster Grange Hall, 3935 West 73rd Avenue, Westminster) through November 2.  Tickets available at thecatamounts/well-attended.com. 

Lloyd (Red) Barker was a titular member of the infamous Barker Gang of the 30’s and 40’s Midwest.  Titular because he was born into the family of Arrie (Ma) and George Barker, but rarely took an active part in their bank robberies or kidnappings.  An early attempt at robbing the mail landed him in Leavenworth for 16 years, a sentence that taught him the error of his early ways and kept him (for the most part) on the straight and narrow after release. 

The audience knows this is Red’s last night going into the adventure.  Our journey is to find out why.  We meet Red (Jason Maxwell) at his last job – as a bartender at the Denargo Grill, probably close to the old Denargo Market in LoDo.  It is obvious that he is concerned over the phone calls he keeps getting from his upset wife until his boss Charlie (Sam Gilstrap) puts an end to her disturbance.  Even then, Red defends her to Charlie and acknowledges that she has “spells” that he has learned to live with.  When Charlie leaves, the Spanish character that symbolizes Dia de Muertos comes calling with her siren song.  She leads Red and the audience on a stroll through an adjacent park where scenes from Red’s life are revisited. 

At the first stop on our ghostly journey, we meet his younger brother Herman (John Hauser) who is neck-deep in the gang’s work and tries to recruit Red back into the fold.  Herman has been deceased since 1927 when he committed suicide to keep from being taken in by the police.  We next see an interaction between Red and his cellmate in Leavenworth (Don Randle), a man so desperate for proof that there is a world outside prison that he begs to read Red’s letters from his mother and smells them first, just to remember what outside smelled like.  Each stop along the way illustrates another thing that Red has learned. 

The third stop gives us a scene between Red who has gotten a job as a guard at the Ameche Internment Camp during WWII and one of his female detainees (Min Kyung Kim).  She wants to go outside the gate to get a medicinal plant that would help her father.  He stops her but when he hears her story and talks to her about her art, he lets her go.  It was such a touching scene that I wanted to tell him that it was a nice thing he did but found that I was so choked up that I couldn’t.  We’ve learned along the way that Red has a gentle soul and trying very hard to be a better man. 

Inside the Grange Hall, we finally meet Ma Barker (Emma Messenger) who was killed in an FBI shootout in 1935.  She has a great deal of affection for Red but doesn’t agree with his lifestyle and doesn’t like the woman he married.  She warns him that the only women men can ever trust are their Mothers.  But her love of her sons seems wrapped around what they can do for her without consideration of what it is doing to them.  He finally has a cookie and heads for home to confront his angry wife.  It is there that he meets his maker as we hear three gunshots after he enters the house.  A final scene memorializes Red for all of us as we have become his last friends. 

It’s a thoughtful piece about the decisions that people make that can impact the rest of their lives.  By virtue of Jason Maxwell’s considered understated performance as Red, we have all grown to know him as a good man.  Even his last act, as he squares his shoulders to face his wife and talk her down from her craziness, is an act of hope and kindness.  He just wasn’t successful, and she ended up in a mental asylum.  Everyone else along the way also contributed to our picture of Red as honorable.  John Hauser was a very persuasive younger brother but Red turned away without turning his back on his brother. Don Randle as Red’s cellmate put up a good facade of accepting his life sentence but his anxious body language gave him away.  The scene between Red and the lovely young Japanese girl beautifully illustrated how he had moved into kindness as a way of life despite his position as a guard to people who had done nothing to be locked up.  She had found a way to make their prison tolerable and shared it with him.  Even his conversation with his mother as she washed socks and “other” items allowed him to stand up to her demands and make his own way out the door.  Neuman’s vignettes from Red’s life were well conceived to illustrate his journey from kinda good to much better in a realistic way. 

By day, it’s a lovely park to stroll through.  With the understated lighting by Zoe Gidiere and the live music provided by Nika Garcia as our ghostly guide, it turns into a different setting altogether.  When you go, be sure to take a jacket and flat shoes; part of the path is not paved.  The nights are getting chilly and you are outside most of the time. 

A WOW factor of 8.25!! 

AROUND THE WORLD IN 80 DAYS

AROUND THE WORLD IN 80 DAYS – Adapted by Mark Brown from the novel by Jules Verne; Directed by Richard R. Cowden .  Produced by the Aurora Fox Arts Center (9900 East Colfax, Aurora) through October 27.  Tickets available at 303-739-1970 or AuroraFoxArtsCenter.org. 

What can you do with about eight boxes of varying sizes, some old rugs and blankets, and a few ropes?  Under the brilliant guidance of Director Richard Cowden and the technical genius of Brandon Case and his team, you can make a runaway train, a hot air balloon, and an elephant among other things.  These were all part of Phineas Fogg’s trip around the world in an 80-day journey.  It is estimated that a flight around the world today would take a little more than 46 hours. But this story is set in 1872.  

That sets up the script.  Then throw five incredibly talented actors into the mix and you’ve got a show. Director Cowden kept the cast moving through the character-building exposition, the discussion among friends that prompted the impromptu trip, and then the journey itself.  While we do not doubt that Fogg and his newly hired valet, Passepartout, will be able to complete the trip, the adventures they have along the way could not have been predicted.  To complicate matters, a Scotland Yard detective named Fix is following them because of a mistaken belief that Fogg was traveling with stolen money.  Then to make the journey even more perilous, in India, they rescue a woman about to be burned on her dead husband’s pyre and take her with them. The tale is replete with obstacles that need to be solved and overcome in creative methods. 

All five actors are making their Aurora Fox debuts, but how easily they work together as a cast telling the story while making all the set pieces out of the above-mentioned boxes, etc. In front of the audience.  Bill Diggle is a methodical, almost prissy Phineas Fogg.  He is unflappable with faith that all difficulties will be resolved by either ingenuity or money.  His growing relationship with his valet and his new traveling companion takes a little of the stiffness out of his upper lip, but he remains true to his character to the end. 

Matthew Murry is fast becoming one of my favorite actors to watch on stage. His turn as E.M. Forster in THE INHERITANCE was a study in calm deliberation.  This role has him running, jumping, and performing all sorts of crazy stunts as well as being in the subservient role of a valet.  He did it all with charm and athleticism.  Maya Jairam also makes an impressive debut at the Fox after gaining considerable experience in Fort Collins theatres.  She riffs between street people and the rescued East Indian woman Aouda with flexibility.  She is charming in both a sari and a proper English woman’s suit. 

I’m pleased that I was present on the day that the swing for the character of Detective Fix – Joseph Steiner – took a turn in the role.  Normally played by Grant Bowman who this day took on the task of putting the boxes in the right place at the right time to represent the modes of travel.  Joseph did an excellent job of portraying the frustration of Detective Ha Ha Fix as he plays catch up to Fogg on their mutual journey.  Fix too is a very athletic role that Steiner took in stride.  I’m sorry I didn’t get to see Grant in the role, but I’ve seen him perform any number of characters in nearly every theatre in town.  I know how good he is. 

This leaves Brian Watson who describes his character(s) as “Everyone Else.”  This includes gnarly sailors, English gentlemen, cowboys, and train engineers – in other words, fourteen versions of the necessary everyone else.  He too proved to be an athletic actor performing quick costume changes, adapting boxes into set pieces, and making the whole thing come together.  Brian is a versatile actor who, as far as I can tell, can do darn near anything he wants on stage and does it well. 

True brilliance was shown in the construction of this show.  The simplicity of the sets was complimented by an amazing set of projections against the screened back wall.  I’ve not seen anything in Denver as beautiful as the ocean scenes were toward the end of the show when they are rushing to get home in time.  A very subtle sound design by Patricia Mondragon allowed you to believe that the water was breaking on the shore and was close enough to come over the edge of the stage.  Truly subtle and amazing – good work!  Linda Morken also provided a full range of costumes for all 39 characters from top hats to cowboy hats. 

This season at the Fox is getting off to a great start.  This is a great way to spend an evening at the theatre. 

A WOW factor of 8.50!! 

THE ROCKY HORROR SHOW

ROCKY HORROR SHOW – Music, Lyrics and Book by Richard O’Brien; Directed by Kelly McAllister.  Produced by Stagedoor Theatre Company (25797 Conifer Road, Conifer) through October 26.  Tickets available at stagedoortheatre.org. 

Let’s be perfectly clear from the get-go: ROCKY HORROR SHOW is not my favorite show.  In fact, it’s pretty high on the list of shows I’m not crazy about.  But some shows seem to have a mystique about them that actors who have performed in them adore.  Rocky seems to be one of them.  Since its premiere in London in 1973, it has gained cult status with multiple productions across the country usually around Halloween.  Its longevity and honored place in the catalog of shows every theatre MUST do at least once has moved it to the top of the mountain of cult favorites. 

It was bold and ground-breaking in 1975 when the movie version was released.  To the outsider, it is ridiculously campy, misrepresentational of transgender folk, outdated in its attempts at shock value, and hopelessly convoluted plot-wise.  Before I go all crazy on the piece, let me state that I understand the social significance of works like Rocky.  It was written 49 years ago in 1973 when outward gayness was rewarded with time in jail. When cross-dressing was a criminal perversion.  When women wore aprons and men only wore dresses in the privacy of their bedroom.  Rocky’s outrageous costumes (or almost lack thereof), language, sentiments, and sexual statements helped break the mold – open the door – for the community at that time. Even today, the freedom of self-expression, sexual freedom, fluid gender identities, and other-ness acceptance is an ongoing struggle.  If Rocky speaks to teenagers and “others” who are slow in finding their place in the world, then more power to it.

To make a quick stumbling synopsis of the confusing story, two innocents – Janet and Brad – find themselves stranded on a dark and stormy night.  They seek shelter in a dark and stormy mansion populated by a mixed set of aliens and sexually ambiguous creatures.  The top dog is Frank-n-Furter who has created a perfect male robot named Rocky as his sex toy.  But Rocky’s naivete and willingness to experiment with his new body gets him initiated into the pleasures of the flesh pretty quickly.  Taking many of the other characters with him.  Until they all fly off into space to return to their home planet. 

The recent production at Conifer’s Stagedoor Theatre encourages – nay, almost demands – audience participation.  This means the audience is taught the Time Warp dance before the show and encouraged to get up and dance in the aisles when it arrives.  They also encourage bringing or buying prop bags that contain tools like glow sticks, confetti, toilet paper, playing cards, and other assorted items that could be hurled onto the stage on designated lines.  There were call-and-response gambits throughout that were to be delivered by the audience on cue.  For instance, every time Janet’s name was uttered, the whole audience responds by shouting “Slut!”  and so on.  This gave the audience a lot of fun, but even the actors admitted to me after the show that it was a little distracting to those on stage.  Even when they knew it was coming.  They felt like they had to wait for the audience’s response before they could move to their next line. It was also confusing for those members of the audience who were Rocky virgins and didn’t know the secret language. It made the evening feel choppy and disjointed.  But that’s the way it’s supposed to be done, according to the Rocky rules. 

 Roger Ebert, a noted film critic, described the movie made from the original script in 1975 as “a horror-rock-transvestite-camp-omnisexual-musical parody.” That just about sums it up.  Even the staid BBC asks in a review of the original play: “Will it appeal to everyone? Certainly not. But for those willing to experiment with something a little bit different, a little bit outré, The Rocky Horror Show has a lot to offer.”

So, if you are curious or determined to see one of the Rocky’s being performed on this 49th anniversary year, there’s plenty to choose from in this Denver Halloween theatre scene. The Conifer version is a lively, energetic, very sexy, compelling production that both the actors and audience seemed to enjoy sharing. Ignore the caution of an old lady. 

A WOW factor of 8!! 

CABARET

CABARET – Book by Joe Masteroff; Music by John Kander; Lyrics by Fred Ebb; Directed and Choreographed by Kelly Van Oosbree; Music Direction by Bonnie Simcox.  Produced by Platte Valley Players (presented at The Armory, 300 Strong Street, Brighton) through Oct 19.  Tickets available at plattevalleyplayers.org. 

Any passionate play-goer worth their salt probably sees this show at least once every few years.  We all know the story of Sally and Cliff, the young lovers; Fraulein Schneider and Herr Schultz, the younger lover; and the puppeteer Emcee pulling the strings.  No point in explaining the story that you already know.  I will barely mention how relevant the story seems this year and this month. 

It remains only to tell you about the cast you will see creating these familiar characters.  Director Kelly Van Oosbree has gained a reputation for putting way-above-average productions together, attracting the best performers, creating tightly synchronized dancing ensembles, devising creative ways of adding to while telling the story, and building a village with people who can’t wait to work with her again.  Every Van Oosbree show is carefully designed with no detail overlooked. 

This is really Sally’s story.  In Abby Kochevar, the director has found a dancer whose every move, with or without music, is a statement in grace and confidence.  Even with Sally’s facade of a devil-may-care showgirl from England in pre-Nazi Germany, you still get flashes of the fear underneath.  An early hint is her admission to Cliff (Tyler Strickland) after she has bulled her way into his flat that she was terrified that he would not let her stay.  Such a poignant tone to her confession of needing to be needed.  As time passes and a sort of love blooms, the audience still detects her insecurity, her fear of the future, and her hesitancy to commit.  At a pivotal point, she must face who she is and what it is she has with Cliff.  As the emcee sings “I Don’t Care Much,” her path to a decision is written across her face as tears roll down her cheeks. 

The same is true of Jeffrey Parker as the Emcee.  Aware but unbothered by the coming troubles.  “What does it have to do with me?”  Being too smart to believe his own declarations, he seeks to solidify his safety by playing the game.  He includes anti-Jewish songs and jokes in his cabaret and becomes the gayest (as in fun-loving) guy on the block.  But still in the slight hesitations that creep into his dialogue, in his forlorn looks out into the audience, we learn that he knows what’s happening.  This doesn’t keep the stunned “What happened?” look off his face when the end comes. 

Juxtaposed against the story of fated love is played a corresponding story of two older people who have found a late-in-life joy with a little schnapps and a little fruit.  Joel Silverman and Jennifer Burnett bring smiles and tears with the predicament of a German citizen depending on government permission for her livelihood loving a Jewish (while also German) shopkeeper.  Jennifer’s rendition of “What Would You Do?” – a most difficult story song – is one of the best I’ve heard.  Joel’s pleading to her breaks his heart and yours. 

The supporting cast of Kit Kat Boys and Girls provide strong backup for the novelty club songs.  Adam Luhrs is a suitably smarmy Ernst; Sarah Kit Farrell is a hoot as a horny and hard-working Fraulein Kost. 

The Armory provides a perfect space for the action with the 15-piece Kit Kat Band on the stage behind a glittery curtain and the area in front of the stage easily becoming a dance floor, Cliff’s humble room, Fraulein Schneider’s flat, and all the other locales required.  The glittering marquee designed by Arvada Center’s Brian Mallgrave creates a false sense of gaiety and class.  The proceedings are greatly enhanced by the lighting design of Mandy Heath augmented by multiple follow spots and a very light fog that moved the whole picture out of reality. The pretty costumes designed by Nicole Harrison are almost too nice for the occasion.  My thought was that Victor, the club owner, must be doing very well to afford such pretty outfits for the dancers. 

It’s only about a 20-minute drive to Brighton.  Lots of great restaurants up and down Bridge Street.  You won’t regret a trip north to see this accomplished cast and beautiful production. 

A WOW factor of 8.75!! 

SHERLOCK HOLMES AND THE ADVENTURE OF THE ELUSIVE EAR

SHERLOCK HOLMES AND THE ADVENTURE OF THE ELUSIVE EAR – Written by David MacGregor; Directed by Heather Beasley.  Produced by Miners Alley Performing Arts Center (1100 Miners Alley, Golden) through November 10.  Tickets available at 303-935-3044 or minersalley.com. 

Sherlock Holmes has met his match!!  And he loves it.  This latest saga in the Holmes catalog of cases takes place later in his life after he and actress Irene Adler have found each other and are living together on Baker Street, much to the chagrin and embarrassment of Dr. Watson.  But what a delightful threesome they make.  Working together to solve crimes to make enough money to keep the wolves from the door.  Watson puts a great emphasis on finding interesting cases to solve so he can write about them so they can pay the rent.  While Holmes and Adler seem content to just be together and indulge in a little hanky-panky.  

But as fate would have it, good cases seem to fall in their lap and, once again, the game is afoot.  But for this one they don’t even have to leave their delightful flat on Baker Street.  And what a homey place it is in which they live.  The resident set designer Jonathan Scott-McKean and Set Dressing pro Samantha Piel outdid themselves in creating this lovely Victorian habitat complete with the bits and bobs that one picks up on a well-lived and well-traveled life, as well as the signature props from the Holmes history.  It is comfortable, colorful, and charming. 

Vincent Van Gogh comes a-calling asking for help to find the “elusive ear” that he chopped off.  Despite the stories that circulated as to why he would commit such self-destruction, the truth was he yearned to give his lady love a “piece of himself,” but then lost it in the hubbub the act created.  The lady love in question, Marie Chartier, shows up herself but not to help look for the ear.  She has a devious long-term plan regarding Van Gogh’s art, not his heart.  She also has her own personal ax to grind with Holmes but chooses to use a rapier instead of a hatchet.  In a charming twist, the ear is found in the most unexpected place and the truth comes out (somewhat) about the devious Marie.  Along the way, Oscar Wilde also shows up to share a bon mot or two and a little opium with Watson. 

The actors in the company are having so much fun telling this story and invite the audience into the parlor to join in the festivities.  It is a little odd to see your old favorite Holmes behaving as a young man in love, but it also makes him more human and likable, less stuffy than usual.  Christian Ray Robinson finds all the levels of this familiar character and makes them his own.  He may be a new lover, but he is also a serious detector of the facts and analyst of the clues.  Just a little less serious this time around; I very much like this new Holmes.  The reason for the changes is the beautiful and equally talented Irene Adler, played with a whimsical sense of humor and a down-to-earth outlook on life and moralities, even in Victorian days.  Colleen Lee is beautiful, smart, and an excellent swordswoman.  She creates a totally new environment in which the familiar characters of Holmes and Watson live.  Denver favorite Chas Lederer gives a rousing portrayal of Watson, fussy over bills, embarrassed over the behavior of his flat-mates, and bewildered by this turn of affairs. 

The historical figures introduced into the script are given authentic life by John Wittbrodt as a scruffy desperate Van Gogh and Ryan Omar Stack as an outrageous and colorful Wilde.  What a pair of opposites they are!  The evilness herself Marie Chartier is a new character brought to active and devious life by Erika Mori.  One can only hope that she will show up in the continuing adventures of Holmes, as his villains so often do. 

This is not a play that will change the world, but it’s a jolly good way to spend an enjoyable evening laughing with friends on the stage. 

A WOW factor of 8.50!!