REVIEW: Singin' in the Rain

SILLY SLICKERS: Scott Beyette, Alicia Dunfee and Bob Hoppe star in Boulder's Dinner Theatre's slap happy romantic musical comedy Singin' in the Rain. Photo credit: Sue Daniels Photography.

Nearly everything about Singin' in the Rain is fake. 

The musical supposedly takes place in the1920s, but actually came out as a movie in 1952. Hollywood during the Flapper era is depicted as a place where scrupulously moral New York vaudevillians can go to L.A., work hard, fall in love and rise to stardom seemingly overnight. Oh, and actors have 24-hour personal use of the studio and its equipment, and burst into song whenever they feel like it.

The whole shebang is an escapist fantasy, full of corny jokes and cardboard characters, with by-the-numbers plot and musical numbers. This is entertainment at its most contrived, calculated and artificial.

Recognizing this, Boulder's Dinner Theatre's director/choreographer Scott Beyette, who also stars in the Gene Kelly role, did something amazing. Rather than pretending that any of this is plausible, he turns the show into a "movie within a show within a movie." It's a brilliant choice. Between and even during each major scene, a "director" and a cameraman with movie camera move through the action. Scenes are announced in advance. The effect is as if we are a studio audience watching a movie musical about the movie business being made before our eyes.

Bertolt Brecht meets That's Entertainment. What a combination!

The pluses in this concept production far outweigh the minuses. The cast is encouraged to ham it up, with Bob Hoppe in the Donald O'Connor role dishing out most of the corn, but with Cindy Lawrence as the screechy voiced leading lady, A.K. Klimpke as the dumber than dirt studio owner, and Wayne Kennedy in a couple of hilarious cameos, following close behind. The result is that even the most dated, lamest gags and jokes manage to work The only drawback to this approach is that the romantic chemistry between the two leads (Beyette and co-choreographer Alicia Dunfee in the Debbie Reynolds role) never sparks.

But that doesn't really matter, because they act more like pals anyway, first butting heads and then working together to save careers and the studio, and put out a decent movie even though all the rules change when silent films abruptly turn into "talkies."

Scenic designer Amy Campion capitalizes on the concept by revealing the "backstage" area of BDT to be a backlot, where all the set pieces and major props are stored in between "takes." Stagehand/grips change the sets efficiently and in full view of the audience adding to the "behind the movie magic" effect.

There's a lot of dancing, mostly of the tap variety, and there might be one or possibly two songs that AREN'T huge, well known hits. Some of the numbers are motivated by the plot, and others are just squeezed in for good measure.

Dunfee's voice is gorgeous, Beyette makes the dancing look easy (it isn't), and Hoppe is all grins and goofiness. It's a winning combination, backed by a BDT ensemble that is at the top of its game. They know this show and others like it inside and out. There's not much that can take them by surprise, and the audience is lured into comfortable complacency.

Come to think of it, there is ONE thing that's absolutely, unmistakably real in BDT's splendid production of Singin' in the Rain: the RAIN! Yes, that's real water raining down on the actors, and Beyette clearly enjoys splashing and sloshing it all over the front four rows of the poncho-protected audience. The exhilaration of something so real happening on (and off) the stage further contrasts with the otherwise artificial atmosphere. That big first act finale (and the subsequent 20 minute intermission mop-up) brings a fresh breath of excitement and immediacy to what was a cozy nostalgia piece the day it opened.

Singin' in the Rain plays at Boulder's Dinner Theatre through February 14, 2010. Tickets for dinner and show start at $35. Call 303-449-6000 or visit www.bouldersdinnertheatre.com for information and reservations.

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PROMO: The Christmas Rescue at Heritage Square

Photo Credit: C. Helsley

The Heritage Square Music Hall Children's Theatre

presents
"The Christmas Rescue"
Written by Renato Lunnon
Directed by Rory Pierce

The sequel to Heritage Square's very popular "Santa Rescue" from last year, "The Christmas Rescue" brings back Santa's evil twin Rupert, as he tries once again to stop Christmas.  Come be Santa's helper and stop Rupert.  It's up to you to save Christmas!

The talented cast at the Music Hall has been doing children's plays for over eighteen years. In every bit of action on stage, every bit of interaction with the audience (before, during and after the show), this award-winning theatre truly brings the audience into the story. Flash photography is allowed, so bring your camera to capture those special moments on stage.

"The Christmas Rescue" runs through December 30 with performances every Saturday at 1:30 & 3:00 p.m. Tickets: $6.00 for children and adults, $5.00 for seniors (62 and up). Special rates for groups of ten or more children apply. Weekday performances are available, but vary, so call for information. For reservations, call 303-279-7800. Heritage Square Music Hall Children's Theatre is located at 18301 W. Colfax D-103, Golden, CO 80401. More information at www.hsmusichall.com

PROMO: Alice in Wonderland at the Denver Vic

Denver Victorian Playhouse

presents

Alice in Wonderland

By Lewis Carroll

Adapted by Kathryn Schultz Miller

Directed by Rita Broderick

The Denver Victorian Playhouse Children’s Theatre program presents “Alice in Wonderland.” Performances are Saturday and Sunday, through December 20. Denver Victorian Playhouse is located at 4201 Hooker St. in Denver. Tickets are $12 Adult and $8 Children (12 and under) and available by calling 303-433-4343 or online at www.denvervic.com.

Join Alice on her adventure as she meets many fun and interesting characters. “I wonder if I've been changed in the night? Let me think- Was I the same when I got up this morning? I almost think I can remember feeling a little different. But if I'm not the same, the next question is “Who in the world am I?” 

Alice wonders. Does she have the strength to stand up to the Queen of Hearts and decide what is real and what is not?

The stellar cast includes Pam Clifton as the Queen of Heart’s, Lauren Lang as Alice, Sloan Lyons, Matthew Miller and  Eloise Morris as the Storyteller’s , Zach Page as Mad Hatter and Trevor Rutkowski as Lewis Carroll. With Bonnie Evans (Cheshire Cat), Abriella Higman (Dormouse), Alek Kay (Caterpillar), Alexander Myers (White Rabbit), Clarissa Solis (March Hare), Emily Weston (Pigeon/Gardener), Neveah Brock, Soren Cacek, Miah Solis, and Seth Peterson (Cards).

All costumes and set design are created by this young and talented cast as they learn all aspects of theatre during their experience in Wonderland.

*On December 19 from 2-4p.m. a special guest visits us from the North Pole - Santa will join us in the lobby. Photographer Sarah Roshan will be taking picture and packages will be available beginning at $5.00 for purchase online. There is no charge to visit Santa, however donations of a new toy or unwrapped gift is appreciated. Those gifts will be collected and delivered for the holidays to Familytree.org, a non profit serving Homeless, at risk youth, Domestic violence victims and there families.

The Denver Victorian Playhouse presents

“Alice in Wonderland”

“If I'm not the same, the next question is “Who in the world am I”?

Sat / Sun at 1 p.m.

Nov. 21 - Dec. 20

*Santa visit Dec 19 from 2 - 4pm

$12 Adult and $8 Children (12 and under)

Denver Victorian Playhouse

4201 Hooker St., Denver

303-433-4343 or online at denvervic.com

PROMO: Little House on the Prairie

LITTLE HOUSE ON THE PRAIRIE THE MUSICAL

WITH MELISSA GILBERT AS ‘MA’

TO PLAY DENVER’S BUELL THEATRE DECEMBER 15 - 27

DENVER – LITTLE HOUSE ON THE PRAIRIE, a new musical based on the beloved Laura Ingalls Wilder series of classic American books, will arrive on December 15 at The Buell Theatre, presented by Denver Center Attractions.  Melissa Gilbert, who rose to fame as a child playing ‘Laura’ in the hugely successful NBC television series “Little House on the Prairie” during the 1970s, now continues her legacy ‘on the prairie’ by taking on the role of Ma.  LITTLE HOUSE ON THE PRAIRIE, THE MUSICAL will also star Steve Blanchard as Pa and Kara Lindsay (cast member in Denver Center Theatre Company’s recent production of Quilters) as Laura.  Single tickets are on sale at www.denvercenter.org or by phone and walk-up.

LITTLE HOUSE ON THE PRAIRIE, THE MUSICAL is the uplifting story of an American family forging a new life amidst the mighty challenges, heartbreaks, joys and triumphs that face them in the newly-settled heartland.   It is also the story of young Laura Ingalls, as she begins her life as a young woman, finding purpose, and finding love.   Above all, it is the celebration of the pioneering spirit and the core values on which this country was founded – a spirit that still resonates today.

Single tickets for LITTLE HOUSE ON THE PRAIRIE, THE MUSICAL start at just $15.  To charge by phone, call Denver Center Ticket Services at 303-893-4100.  Groups of 15 or more, please call 303-446-4829.  Tickets may also be purchased at the Denver Center Ticket Office, located at the Helen Bonfils Theatre Complex Lobby, or at TicketsWest outlets, located in all King Soopers stores.  Buy and print online at www.denvercenter.org.

For more information about LITTLE HOUSE ON THE PRAIRIE, THE MUSICAL and to read cast and creative bios, please visit www.littlehousethemusical.com.

REVIEW: Christmas of the Angels

HOLY FAMILY: Theo Wilson as Gabriel, and Ansherea James as Mary, anticipate the birth of the Savior in Shadow Theatre Company's inspiring gospel musical production of Christmas of the Angels.


There are plenty of "Christmas" plays offered to holiday theatre-goers in Denver this season, and I'm going to see most of them. Some will warm my heart, and others chill my blood.

Here's the short list: A Christmas Carol at the Denver Center and Evergreen Players, It's a Wonderful Life at Miner's Alley, Miracle on 34th Street at the E Project, Dickens' The Haunted Man and The Christmas Rescue at Heritage Square, Colorado Ballet's Nutcracker, A Christmas Story at the Aurora Fox; not to mention the "anti-Christmas" shows, like Vintage Theatre's Santaland Diaries, A Tuna Christmas at the Denver Victorian Playhouse, Absurd Person Singular at The Denver Center, and the LIDA Project's Balls!

Well, you get the picture. And most of these titles are being offered at more than one local theatre!


There are literally dozens of "Christmas" shows out there from which to choose, and I encourage you and your family to attend as many as you can.

But only ONE professional company in town has the courage to present a musical that acknowledges the REAL Christmas, which is, in case you've forgotten, the birth of Jesus Christ, the Word made flesh, the Messiah who gives hope to the world.

Oh yeah, Him!

Shadow Theatre Company's production of the gospel musical Christmas of the Angels goes right to the heart of the Nativity story, and reveals, once again, what that celestial choir of angels was singing about in the first place.

A homeless couple (Tim Johnson, Adrienne Martin-Fulwood) take shelter under a freeway overpass. Soon they are joined by another destitute woman (Ansherea Jones). It's cold, the world is a dangerous place, and they aren't just knocked out of the fast lane, they're huddled together UNDER it. Silently, they share soup and break bread together. They have every reason to give in to despair, but instead, kindness, gentleness and hope hangs about them. Then one of them opens her mouth and begins to speak.

Lo and behold, she's proclaiming the first chapter of the Gospel of John! A whole lot more excited, dispossessed people join them, and before we know it, we're in the midst of a Christmas Pageant, acted out by the very marginalized, powerless and suffering people for whom the infant king came to bring comfort and joy. They don't have much, but they have Good News, and when speaking isn't sufficient, they sing out loud and strong!

The Nativity narrative is presented with great ingenuity and in its fullness, from Gabriel's visit to Zechariah in the temple, to the Annunciation, Visitation, Joseph's dream, the Birth of Jesus, then the Adoration of the Angels, Shepherds and Wise Men. Songs are presented by the ensemble between each scene, and often within scenes, accompanied by musicians from the Aurora Symphony Orchestra.

Unlike many church pageants, this cast doesn't need "cute" to carry them through. They've got the talent, training and unmistakable faith to make Christmas of the Angels absolutely inspiring and irresistible. By the end of the show, which runs just under an hour, the audience is standing, clapping, dancing, and singing along.

Producer/Director Keith L. Hatten, "playwright" Michael R. Duran and music director Vonnie D blur the distinction between performance and worship. For this production, Shadow Theatre Company becomes a sacred space, and all I can say is "bless you."

Christmas of the Angels is a show to bring not just the whole family to see, but entire groups to enjoy together. More than any other show in town this holiday season, Christmas of the Angels goes to the source and gets it right.


The Christmas of the Angels plays at Shadow Theatre Company's new space near Colfax and Dayton in Aurora, through December 20. Call 720-857-8000 or visit www.shadowtheatre.com for information and reservations.

Promo: Upstart Crow presents Shakespeare's 'Comedy of Errors'

The Upstart Crow's last Shakespearean production was The Two Noble Kinsmen, written in 1613, two or three years before his death. Their next Shakespearean production is one of his earliest, possibly his first: The Comedy of Errors, written—perhaps—in 1591.  What a difference a couple of decades can make! If you saw Kinsmen, you will remember the dark, Baroque sophistication and the strangely ambiguous morality of that wonderfully problematic play that few companies have had the courage (or folly) to attempt. And now for something completely different. 

The Comedy of Errors is one of the most frequently produced Shakespearean plays simply because it is  so much fun. It's almost pure farce and as funny as Shakespeare  ever gets which means it is very funny, indeed. As always when The Upstart Crow does Shakespeare, they use, as actors' scripts, the text of the First Folio, and they approach what may be Shakespeare's most light-hearted play with the same respect they give to Lear or Hamlet. They don''t take comedy lightly.

The Comedy of Errors opens Friday, Nov. 20, for a three-weekend run at the Dairy Center. (But no performance on Thanksgiving.) Group rates and student rates are available. For more information or to purchase tickets, go to The Upstart Crow's website: http://www.theupstartcrow.org or email info@theupstartcrow.org. 

REVIEW: It's a Wonderful Life: A 1940's Radio Play

A "cast of 1,000 voices" performs It's a Wonderful Life: A 1940's Radio Play at Miners Playhouse in Golden.



It's a Wonderful Life is a perennial holiday classic that is turning into a franchise. Originally a short story entitled "The Greatest Gift" by Philip Van Doren Stern, the tale of a man who learns what the world would be like if he'd never been born skyrocketed to glory with the 1946 Frank Capra film starring James Stewart as a distraught and disillusioned man who is rescued by an apprentice guardian angel. It was adapted into a Broadway musical in 1991.

Because of the story's cinematic scale, multiple locations, myriad characters and frequent flashbacks, adapting It's a Wonderful Life for small theatres with meager budgets takes some doing. And Joe Landry has done it by turning It's a Wonderful Life into a 1940's radio play, with no set, props or costumes (other than what the five radio actors are wearing), performed before a live studio audience.

It works, and not just because it's possible to replay the beloved movie in your head while listening to the dialogue. In fact, images of the film and even memories of Jimmy Stewart's inimitable performance quickly fade in favor of what's happening here and now. The audience easily accepts this cast of  a thousand voices' own interpretation of the text, along with visuals that reinforce the story but simultaneously tell another, unspoken one, about the radio actors and their relationships to each other and the script.

And speaking of script: there isn't one! Thank goodness (and director Robert Kramer) that unlike other live radio shows, there are no handfuls of loose papers read by the actors and accumulating into piles on the floor by the microphones like autumn leaves. The cast has MEMORIZED the radio play, and that makes all the difference. Sure, theatrical actors always memorize the text, but in radio, they didn't have to. These actors are free to actually speak the lines to each other, enhancing visual variety and dramatic impact. And, 90 minutes into the show when the character of George Bailey gets his wish, even microphones and studio recede to the background, as the fantasy sequence plays out with no artifice. All we really needed were versatile actors, an empty space, and a wonderful story about a meaningful life.

Pulling something like this off takes an incredible cast, and Kramer has brought together some of the best actors in town. James O'Hagan Murphy, who played the hateful bigot in Fat Pig, redeems his image with a charming yet honest portrayal of George, who suffers a lifetime of disappointments and discouragement, but still manages to remain a "swell guy."

Haley Johnson is doubly effective as Mary, the woman who swears to love George Bailey until the day she dies, and also as a jelly bean snarfing radio actress who falls for her leading man. Missy Moore vamps it up as Violet, the "bad girl of Bedford Falls," as well as in the studio. She also shines in a variety of character roles, as does David Blumenstock, who effortlessly runs the gamut from narrator to chief angel, to the despicable Potter, and many, many more--sometimes at the same time! Jason Maxwell is the consummate clown, lending frequent comic relief as Clarence the angel and in other roles, as well as accidentally creating chaos in the studio.

Presenting It's a Wonderful Life as a 1940's radio play is such a good idea, it's a wonder no one ever thought of it before. Actually, they did. The script was presented as an ACTUAL radio show, twice in 1947 and once in 1951, with Jimmy Stewart and Donna Reed reprising their roles each time.

We can't go back to those good old days, we can only go up--up to Golden and Miners Alley Playhouse to see a fantastic story  "broadcast" live, and with only two hilarious commercial interruptions.

It's a Wonderful Life: A 1940's Radio Play performs at the Miners Alley Playhouse through Dec. 20, 2009. Call 303-935-3044 or visit www.minersalley.com for information and reservations.

REVIEW: The Haunted Man

It's not even Advent yet, but theatrically speaking, the Christmas season is upon us. Among the first shows to poke it's toe through the stocking is Heritage Square Music Hall's production of Charles Dickens' lesser known holiday ghost story The Haunted Man, which was adapted, directed and produced by and stars the popular and prolific actor-playwright-manager T.J. Mullin.

I can't think of a more charming setting for a 19th century Christmas play. The Victorian architecture of the entire Heritage Square complex nestled in the Golden foothills, beautifully lit and decorated for the holidays and, in the case of opening night, dusted with snow, instantly puts the audience in the right mood for the Music Hall's unique brand of cozy, comforting, silly and sentimental entertainment.

Warmth and good cheer abound at the Music Hall, which serves a piping hot "meat and potatoes" buffet dinner, with an excellent salad bar and a dizzying array of beverages.

Then it's downstairs to the jewel-box theatre, where Randy Johnson greets the audience with ragtime piano of breathtaking velocity, and host/emcee Mullin announces birthdays, anniversaries and groups in attendance. It's a bonding experience for the whole audience, and reinforces the family-friendly feeling that epitomizes the Heritage Square Music Hall.

The Haunted Man can't compare to Dickens' masterpiece A Christmas Carol, but it does present a compelling premise and an interesting psychological study. Redlaw (Charlie Schmidt), a morose and moody teacher who looks like a cross between Tiny Tim (the one with the ukelele) and Severus Snape, is haunted to distraction by the memory of his dearly departed sister.

A "ghost," who is really his own alter-ego or perhaps a spiritual being who mimics the man's appearance, blesses/curses him with forgetfulness of anything sorrowful, and, like the Midas touch, causes everyone he meets to do the same. As it turns out, no one becomes any happier, and in a conversion experience eclipsed by the glorious transformation of Scrooge, Redlaw accepts the paradox of duality: that there can be no joy without sorrow, no gain without loss, no life without death.

That's a pretty heavy subject to lay on an audience expecting a Christmas comedy, so Mullin and his merry troupe "yuck it up" at every opportunity. And there are PLENTY of opportunities. The result is a sometimes confusing but always entertaining show that is equal parts Dickens and Mullin, moody melodrama and farce. Duality indeed!

After a brief intermission, the cast returns for a Christmas-themed musical and comedy revue, that (dualistically) mixes the ridiculous (a doo-wop version of "Grandma Got Run Over By a Reindeer") and the sublime ("O Holy Night" and "Silent Night" by candlelight).

Okay, I wasn't quite ready for all that holiday music in mid-November, but by the end of the revue I was filled with the Christmas spirit. And since there are a whole lot of "anti-Christmas" plays to see in the next few weeks, I was grateful for a dose of genuine good cheer.

Outside of going to church together, I can't think of a better tradition for the Christmas season than to bring family and friends to the Heritage Square Music Hall for dinner and a show.

The Haunted Man plays at the Heritage Square Music Hall in Golden through December 31. Call 303-279-7800 for information and reservations. For more information on the Music Hall, performance dates and their outstanding children's theatre program, visit www.hsmusichall.com.

REVIEW: Well

INFECTIOUS LAUGHTER: Kathleen M. Brady as Ann Kron and Kate Levy as Lisa Kron in the Denver Center Theatre Company production of Well by Lisa Kron, directed by Christy Montour-Larson. Photo by Terry Shapiro.

It takes colossal hubris, or perhaps extreme insecurity for someone to write a play about herself and then star in it. Stand-up comedians and performance artists aren't typically good at sharing the stage, and Well, Lisa Kron's autobiographical "metatheatrical exploration," leaps headlong into nearly every available trap.

Then why is the Denver Center Theatre Company's current production of Well at the Ricketson Theatre so, well, liberating? I believe there are three reasons.

First, beloved DCTC stalwart Kathleen M. Brady plays Kron's invalid and formerly progressive mother. Brady has such a commanding presence, even when tilted back in a recliner with a newspaper over her face, and generates such warmth, authenticity and depth, she quite literally saves the show.

Second, a real actress, Kate Levy, plays the lead role, giving us a level of artistic distance from a play that raises navel gazing to previously unexplored heights of self-indulgence.

Third, there are some truly funny lines and moments, startling incongruities, wry observations, inspiring political speeches, and even scenes of poignancy and tenderness. When a person gushes their life all over the place for public display, it should come as no surprise when, in the midst of all the messy neurotic debris and exhibitionism, some actual humanity find its way onto the stage.

Well's conceit is that somehow Kron's personal triumph over debilitating psychosomatic allergies is comparable to and as important as her chronically fatigued mother's heroic crusade for racial integration and the resurrection of an entire neighborhood suffering urban decline. Kron is on an inward quest that brings her physical vitality, but no peace, and ultimately benefits no one. In fact, the further she pursues this project, the more unstable she becomes.

The play unravels, scenes are increasingly interrupted, the playwright Kron loses control, and because she's onstage, can't do anything about it. Even the actors walk out on her, and for a time she walks out on herself, leaving mom/Brady to anchor the whole hodge podge. But by now the "play" has lost its focus and direction, and spiraled into a near disaster. But then, what does artistic unity matter, if there are enough creative, entertaining moments tossed around?

Kron's convoluted attempts to equate her mother's productive life, in which she overcame severe personal limitations to serve the greater good, and Kron's own egocentric reclaiming of personal power from a childhood bully are mere head games, perhaps meaningful to self-absorbed New York intellectuals who think the purpose of art is to validate their own existence. The frumpy mother is supposed to be the repulsive one, but it is the fit and fidgety daughter who is truly unappealing. Kron believes that by reconciling the two opposites, she can find some level of integration and understand better why some people stay sick, and others get well.


There's a running gag in which Kron insists that the play is not about her, but of course it is. Can a narcissist who makes fun of herself for being an exhibitionist really find therapeutic catharsis through this kind of revelatory "process"? Or does it all just feed the rampaging ego even more? Kron rides this merry-go-round until it spins out of control, and even accepted theatrical conventions break down. Meanwhile, her mom, always considerate of others, is tossing snacks to the audience and apologizing that they had to pay to see her daughter indulge herself so shamelessly.

Levy does yeoman's work in a role that mostly consists of hand-wringing narration, and a talented ensemble of other actors are nameless pawns, who play satellites orbiting around Kron, self-declared center of a universe of her own creation/recollection. But each shines in what amounts to a parade of kooky cameo roles. Meanwhile, Kron's mother, who prefers watching ice skating to plays and resents having herself and her entire living room brought on stage, finally insists, "Stop hiding behind this play and talk to me!"


Well is a mixed bag, a worthy effort. There are plenty of entertaining and involving moments. I laughed out loud many, many times, and the moments of pathos were truly affecting. Kron serves up large helpings of food for thought, and Kathleen Brady's performances are always worth the price of admission.

Well performs at the Ricketson Theatre in the Denver Performing Arts Complex through December 19. Call 303-893-4100 or visit www.denvercenter.org for information and tickets.

REVIEW: Den of Thieves

LOSER LINEUP: Jacquelyn Garcia, Christian Mast, David Harms and Sarah Mae Johnson play a motley crew of misfits 12-stepping their way through wretched, precious life in Vintage Theatre's oddly affirming, adults-only regional premiere production of Den of Thieves. Photo Credit: Ellen Johnson

In a culture where there's a 12-Step group for any problem: alcohol, drugs, tobacco, sexual promiscuity, overeating, even shoplifting, you'd think we'd all be a lot healthier. After all, if everyone would own up to their addictions, get a sponsor and begin making amends, the world would be a much better place, one day at a time.

Unless it's the hilariously offbeat, proudly profane, messed up, misfit-filled world created by playwright Stephen Adly Guirgis in his play Den of Thieves, enjoying a stand-out regional premiere production at the Vintage Theatre.

With a compulsive collection of self-serving, born-loser characters reminiscent of Elmore "Get Shorty" Leonard, and long philosophical monologues and seemingly trite but heavily nuanced conversations in an environment of imminent violence made popular by Martin McDonagh and Quentin Tarantino,  Guirgis joins the ranks of edgy, off-putting and intentionally offensive writers whose cynicism is masked by a brilliant sense of character-based humor and a penchant for shocking the audience.


A motor-mouthed, reformed safe-cracker and professional 12-Stepper (David Harms) tries to simultaneously sponsor and seduce a sullen, suicidal kleptomaniac (Sarah Mae Johnson), until her gun-waving, psychotic gangsta-wannabe but pathetically Anglo ex-boyfriend (Christian Mast) and his current flame, a strikingly fit exotic dancer/sex industry specialist (Jacqueline Garcia) lure him into helping them rob a disco. 

You just can't blame all the ensuing complications on fate, because each character is profoundly talented at making bad choices and failing to learn from past mistakes. But one or more of their lives may come to an abrupt and noisy end when it turns out the disco is run by the dread but equally dysfunctional mob boss Big Tuna (Len Matheo), his squeamish, donut dealing, butter loving son (Brian J. Brooks) and matter of fact, murderous muscle (Russ Dale).


Director Bernie Cardell, a master farceur, plays the humor broad and larger than life, but pays fine attention to the complex characters. There simply is no top for these lowlifes to "go over," as the situation and personal revelations become increasingly outrageous. The highlight of the show is an extended scene during which the incompetent quartet sit side by side, bound hand and foot and awaiting execution. They take turns justifying their pathetic, meaningless and squandered lives. They even occasionally tell the truth, a vastly difficult thing to do. To the credit of the remarkable cast, Cardell's direction and Guirgis' writing, each character makes a compelling argument and even wins the audience's sympathy, even when we all suspect the world actually would probably be a better place if NONE of them, or their captors, got out of the mobster den alive.

But everyone deserves a second -- or in some cases a first -- chance. The whole point of the Christian faith is that though none are worthy, anyone can be redeemed and then transformed by grace. If there is a God in the Den of Thieves universe, he's got his work cut out for him.


Due to explicit language and adult situations, this comedy is definitely not for children or teens, and probably not for most adults, either. But for those who are courageous enough to take a step inside, Den of Thieves is a remarkable, challenging, gutsy and immensely funny play. 


Den of Thieves plays at the Vintage Theatre in Capitol Hill through November 29. Call 303-839-1361 or visit online at www.vintagetheatre.com for information and reservations.








 

REVIEW: I Love You, You're Perfect, Now Change

MID-LIFE MERRYMAKING: Robert Payo and Melissa Fike play a married couple anticipating an evening of rushed romance, if only they can manage to find time to be together amidst their non-stop parenting responsibilities in Woof! Theatre Productions' musical sketch revue I Love You, You're Perfect, Now Change. Photo Credit: Heather Frost.

Joe Di Pietro's wildly popular musical comedy sketch revue I Love You, You're Perfect, Now Change makes a mirthful mockery of the urban middle class approach to humanity's most powerful natural force: the urge to find a mate without killing yourself in the attempt, procreate without eating your young, and die feeling a little less alone than you do right now.

Cynical? Yep. Crass and occasionally raunchy? You bet. Nearly two hours of non-stop hilarity? Absolutely. Feeling awkward, lonely, rejected, unattractive, unloved and unlovable has never been so much fun. At least not since middle school.


And, because master director Pat Payne has ingeniously doubled the size of the typical "IPC" cast from four to eight, misery has even more company to love! 

Twenty separate, stand-alone (pun intended) satirical scenes, most of which include a song by Jimmy Roberts with clever lyrics by DiPietro, take pot shots at immature and egocentric city dwellers who are stuck playing the mating game without a rule book. Often against their better judgment, they are drawn into a confusing miasma of conflicted feelings, embarrassing moments, and thwarted fulfillment.

Single women bewail and bemoan the lack of interesting, eligible and worthy men. Clueless guys stumble and trample their way through love's garden. Married couples discover a vast chasm or insurmountable obstacles separating them from true intimacy. And when a relationship crashes and burns, emotionally wounded and battered men and women find themselves tossed back like chum into the shark tank called dating.


In a society where relationship means relinquishing identity, career, and values, singleness seems the only non-suicidal alternative. Except that it's impossible to ignore the instinctual DRIVE hard-wired into them. Even the elderly characters don't seem to have gotten any better at establishing a meaningful connection with another human being, but they keep trying.


Don't look for maturity or morality in a show like this. That would spoil the fun. It never occurs to anyone that at it's zenith, love is selfless and sacrificial. In the world of this show, characters are worried if they're not having sex by the fourth date. And as for any religious or biblical perspective on meaningful relationships, forget it. The show begins and ends with a pseudo biblical/ecclesiastical lampoon, as if God deliberately created people to be fools for love.


But it's inappropriate to expect a satire to uphold and affirm high principles. I Love You, You're Perfect, Now Change aims low and hits the target every time, and in a spectacular variety of ways. Payne's fast pace and wonderfully diverse and versatile cast keeps the zingers flying so that you're laughing again before you can say "ouch, that hit close to home."

I Love You, You're Perfect, Now Change plays at the Dairy Center for the Arts in Boulder  through November 21. For reservations and information, call 303-444-7328 or visit online at www.thedairy.org.







 

Theatre Artist-friendly House Church forming in Lakewood

I'd like to start a "house church" in my home in Lakewood, CO on Wednesday nights. This would be a small, supportive group of people who come together for prayer, encouragement, and food!

I'm especially inviting theatre artists who are hungry for, or curious about their spiritual life and what that has to do with their unique gifts, talents, hopes and dreams. The prayer time would be based on the Northumbria model of Celtic Christianity -- it's simple, gentle, and artist-friendly!

If you're interested, please e-mail me at thetroupe@gmail.com. If you haven't met me yet, you can learn more about me at www.thetroupetheatre.blogspot.com, or ask around. Ask Gloria Shanstrom, or Rick Bernstein, or Pat Payne, or Bernie Cardell, or Chris Wiger, or Deb Flomberg, or ...

If you've never been part of a house church, now is the time to check it out!

Blessings,
Patrick Dorn+