Plus, an interview with DCPA Off-Center’s Charlie Miller about Sweet & Lucky: Echo

In this episode of the OnStage Colorado Podcast, hosts Alex Miller and Toni Tresca return with a bonus episode packed with show reviews, industry news and an exclusive look at one of Denver’s most anticipated immersive theater experiences. From Shakespeare under the stars in Boulder to a notorious female pirate, we also look at some sobering news about the challenges facing small-town movie theaters. 

Later in the episode, Alex interviews DCPA Off-Center Executive Director/Curator Charlie Miller about the upcoming production of Sweet & Lucky: Echo. 

A midsummer’s theatre retrospective, plus a chat with Dixie Longate and the Top 10 Colorado Headliners

In this episode of the OnStage Colorado Podcast, hosts Toni Tresca and Alex Miller look at the best shows of the year so far on Colorado stages. Later in the show, Alex talks with Dixie Longate, who’s final run of her show Dixie Longate’s Tupperware Party is at the Denver Center’s Garner Galleria this summer.

Also in this episode, we run down the Top 10 Colorado Headliners — shows of interest we think are worth checking out. This week’s list:

• Moulin Rouge! The Musical, Denver Center, August 6-17
• Pippin, Denver Center, August 7-24
• The Play That Goes Wrong, StageDoor Theatre, Conifer, August 8-23
• Escape to Margaritaville, Theatre SilCo, Silverthrone, August 8-31
• Assassins, Miners Alley Performing Arts Center, Golden, August 8-September 14
• Guys & Dolls, Rocky Mountain Repertory Theatre, Grand Lake, ends Aug. 29
• Special Sauce, Bas Bleu, Fort Collins, Aug. 8-10
• Dogs and Cats Living Together, One Night Stand Theatre at Vintage Theatre, Aug. 10
• The Entrepreneur Girlfriend Hour, Talking With Teri Studio, Centennial, 2nd and 4th Tuesdays
• Elizabeth I: In Her Own Words, BETC, Dairy Arts Center, Aug. 12-20

In this episode, hosts Toni Tresca and Alex Miller run down the Henry Awards winners from Monday night's ceremony at Lone Tree Arts Center. 

You can see the whole list of winners here.

Extreme heat, wildfire smoke and other climate-related issues are having an effect – especially on outside performances. Plus, Top 10 Colorado Headliners and an interview with Miners Alley Associate AD Warren Sherrill.

The phrase “the show must go on” has long been theatre’s rallying cry, but climate change is beginning to force a harsh reckoning with that philosophy. From the Oregon Shakespeare Festival’s $2 million loss due to wildfire smoke to actors literally collapsing from heat exhaustion during outdoor performances, extreme weather is no longer an occasional inconvenience – it’s an ongoing threat. Yet this crisis is also revealing unexpected opportunities, as air-conditioned indoor venues become coveted refuges during heat waves. 

In this episode, hosts Alex Miller and Toni Tresca dive into how rising temperatures and extreme weather are reshaping live performance, then explore this week’s Colorado Headliners including The Mikado in Space, Twelfth Night productions in multiple venues, and Dixie’s Tupperware Party. Plus, Alex sits down with Warren Sherrill, Associate Artistic Director at Miners Alley Performing Arts Center, to discuss his upcoming production of Sondheim’s provocative musical Assassins – a show about presidential assassins that feels particularly relevant in our current political climate.

Episode Summary

Opening & What We’ve Seen

Alex’s Reviews: 

• Cirque du Soleil Echo - Outstanding production with amazing digital/practical effects and an enormous Rubik’s Cube set piece at Ball Arena
• Richard II (Colorado Shakespeare Festival) - Streamlined, engaging production directed by Tim Orr, starring Kevin Rich
• Woodlands and Wyverns (Audacious Immersiave) - D&D-style immersive theater at First Baptist Church basement; nerdy but fun with improving production values

 Toni’s Reviews: 

• Some Like It Hot (touring) - Exceptional production with great dancing and smart adaptation of gender themes
•  A Doll’s House Part 2 (Denver Theatre Ensemble) - Well-acted but too much static sitting 
• Nightmare on Strip Street - Fun horror-themed burlesque parody with impressive athletic performances

News Segment

• Colorado Creative Industries launched Community Revitalization Tax Credit for 10 projects supporting artists, childcare, and affordable housing
• Memorial tributes to poet laureate Andrea Gibson (died at 49 after cancer battle) and Kevin Ahl (Phamaly Theatre Company co-founder, died at 67)
• Henry Awards preview - ceremony July 27th at Lone Tree Art Center

Main Topic: Climate Change and Theater

Deep dive into how extreme weather is affecting live performances:

• Heat Impact: Shakespeare actors collapsing from heat; Town Hall Art Center canceling shows due to excessive heat
• Financial Losses: Oregon Shakespeare Festival lost $2 million from wildfire smoke cancellations in 2018
• Safety Measures: Theaters implementing cooling tents, water breaks, lighter costumes, and flexible cancellation policies
• Equipment Failures: Instruments going out of tune, sound equipment failing in extreme heat
• Human Cost: Fan deaths at concerts, hospitalizations from heat-related issues
• Insurance Costs: Weather-related coverage doubling from 1.25% to 2.5% of guaranteed amounts 

Colorado Headliners (Top 10 Upcoming Shows)

Beehive: The 60’s Musical, The Butte Theater, Cripple Creek, July 18-August 31

A look at the summer dreck on the big screen, plus Top 10 Colorado Headliners and a chat with zombie playwright Bryce Edmonds

In this episode of the OnStage Colorado Podcast, hosts Toni Tresca and Alex Miller take a little break from the stage to talk about this summer’s big movies. We also get into lots of news, including a bit of drama at Longmont Theatre, Kenny Moten taking on Associate AD duties at the Arvada Center, Local Theater Company’s upcoming season, Community Revitalization Tax Credits benefitting Colorado arts organizations, and yet another dip into the topic of multi-gender bathrooms.

As usual we also pick out our Top 10 Colorado Headliners: Upcoming shows that might be of interest. Here they are, in no particular order:

• Mamma Mia!, Theatre Aspen, July 5-August 2
•  A Nightmare on Strip Street: A Burlesque Parody, The Arch, Denver, July 9-August 3 
• Woodlands and Wyverns: Traitors at Badler’s Door, First Baptist Church of Denver, July 11-August 2
• D-TOWN: This Time It’s Personal, The People’s Building, Aurora, July 14
• ArounD the WorlD in 80 ToyS, Buntport Theater, Denver, July 19-August 3
• Some Like it Hot, Denver Center Buell Theatre, July 8-20
• The Barber of Seville, Central City Opera House, through Aug. 3
• What the Constitution Means to Me, Theatre SilCo, Silverthorne, July 11-Aug. 3
• Cirque du Soleil - ECHO, Ball Arena lot/tent - July 12-Aug. 17 
• Flyin’ West, ENT Center/Theatreworks, Colorado Springs - July 10-27

From Durango to Greeley, we run down all the great stuff going on around the state this summer — plus Meow Wolf's Brie Lipari on 'Phenomenomaly' and our Top 10 Colorado Headliners

Show Summary

In this episode of the OnStage Colorado podcast, hosts Alex Miller and Toni Tresca discuss recent theater experiences, local news, and provide a comprehensive guide to Colorado's summer theater festivals. The episode features an interview with Brie Lipari from Meow Wolf Denver about their new interactive experience Phenomenomaly. We also share our weekly Colorado Headliners segment, highlighting upcoming shows across the state.

1. Opening & Recent Theater Experiences (00:11 - 04:21)

• Host introductions and weekend recap
• Tony's camping adventure that prevented theatre-going
• Alex's parking struggles at Meow Wolf due to stadium events

2. Alex's Theater Reviews (04:21 - 11:00)

• "Something Rotten" at Stage Door Theater in Conifer - highly recommended
• "The Book Handlers" at Buntport Theater - creative but hot venue
• Discussion of theater comfort and venue challenges

3. Colorado Theater News (11:00 - 19:54)

• Ballyhoo - New performance space opening in Denver's Highlands neighborhood
• Bruce Seve Tribute - Remembering the DCPA Christmas Carol director (2005-2014)
• Federal Theater Renovation - Historic venue being converted to 650-seat music venue
• Windsor Community Playhouse - New season announcement
• OpenStage Theatre - Leadership transition with new artistic director Jacob Offen

4. Colorado Summer Theater Festivals Guide (21:05 - 30:54)

• Creed Repertory Theatre - 60th anniversary season
• Thingamajig Theatre Company (Pagosa Springs)
• Little Theatre of the Rockies (Greeley) - 91st season
• Rocky Mountain Repertory Theatre (Grand Lake)
• Colorado Shakespeare Festival (Boulder)
• Theatre Aspen
• Durango Playfest - New works festival
• Central City Opera
• Theatre Silco (Silverthorne)

5. Meow Wolf Interview with Brie Lipari (33:19 - 49:43)

• Introduction to "Phenomenomaly" - interactive experience through August 9th
• Behind-the-scenes look at Meow Wolf operations

6. Colorado Headliners - Upcoming Shows (50:26 - 1:02:20)

5th Annual Boulder Comedy Festival, Venus in Boulder County, June 25-29

Young Frankenstein, Breckenridge Backstage Theatre, June 25-August 10

Lincoln Goes to Hollywood, Thunder River Theatre Company, Carbondale, June 27-29

SAW The Musical: The Unauthorized Parody of Saw (New York National Tour), Dairy Arts Center, Boulder, July 3-27

Richard II, Colorado Shakespeare Festival, Boulder, July 6-August 10

Rumplestilskin and Other Tricksters, Arts in the Open, Boulder Chautauqua, through July 6

Rock of Ages, Parker PACE Center, June 27-July 20

Clue: A Walking Mystery – Aspen Edition, Wheeler Opera House, June 20

Alex and Toni return from their theater road trip to Steamboat Springs to discuss the 27th Annual Colorado New Play Summit, dive into the 2025 Henry Award nominations, and interview two Bobby G Awards winners heading to Broadway.

Highlights

Colorado New Play Summit (01:18) - We experienced four compelling new works at this prestigious festival that boasts a 75% success rate of plays moving to regional theaters or NYC. Shows included "Creature Feature" (Roundabout Theater), "Vienna, Vienna, Vienna" (Six Point Theater), "Dawn" by Tuyết Thị Phạm and Lauren Gunderson's "Muse of Fire" where she starred as Anne Hathaway opposite Shakespeare.

Henry Awards Discussion (16:22) - Analysis of the newly announced nominations, including the major shift to gender-neutral performance categories. Denver Center leads with 29 nominations, while Little Shop of Horrors, Music Man, and Waitress top the nomination counts. Ceremony: July 28th at Lone Tree Arts Center.

Bobby G Winners Interview (26:00) - Grayson Graham (Lutheran HS) and Hannah Schnorr (Fossil Ridge HS) discuss their winning moments, upcoming Jimmy Awards trip to Broadway, and advice for aspiring young performers. Hannah heads to NYU's Tisch School while Grayson is now seriously considering theater programs.

Key Takeaways

• Steamboat's festival directly partners with theaters, creating built-in production opportunities
• This year's Henry Awards feature tier-based categories instead of gendered divisions
• Colorado continues nurturing theater talent from high school to professional levels

Next Week: Full episode topic TBD. Subscribe to our Thursday newsletter for the latest Colorado theater updates.

Sponsored by Town Hall Arts Center, Miners Alley, Rocky Mountain Rep, Colorado Candlelight, Aurora Fox, Colorado Shakespeare Festival, and Boulder Ensemble Theater Company.

In this episode of the OnStage Colorado Podcast, hosts Alex Miller and Toni Tresca began by discussing our Colorado theatre experiences since the last episode. Alex reviewed & Juliet at the Denver Center, describing it as surprisingly enjoyable despite disliking the pop music soundtrack. He also attended the 24 Hour Plays fundraiser at Curious Theatre, featuring six playwrights creating original works in 24 hours, with notable performances from Denver theater veterans.

Toni covered several productions including Forbidden Broadway: Merrily We Stole a Song (which we discussed in detail on a bonus episode), the interactive art installation Oracle at Union Hall, Comedy Works’ New Faces competition (25th year, 168 local comics competing), Little Miss Sunshine at Aurora Fox (which he found problematic as an adaptation), and The Tempest at Colorado Shakespeare Festival, which he praised for its visual magic and strong performances.

Denver Fringe Festival Recap

Time: 24:30 - 33:30

We both attended the sixth annual Denver Fringe Festival, which kicked off with a showcase at Cleo Parker Robinson Theater hosted by Juice the Clown. Alex saw three shows including a cabaret performance and Plant the Musical (a confusing two-person show where both actors played the same character). Toni saw eight shows and published seven reviews, with Ben Franklin Sex Party at Rise Comedy being his favorite — an immersive comedy involving the audience in founding a new country called “Birdlandia” that ended with a group orgy scene and syphilis outbreak.

Tony Awards Discussion

Time: 33:30 - 42:45

We discussed the relevance of the Tony Awards for Colorado theatergoers, noting that while the shows are only in New York initially, Tony wins can help shows tour nationally. Major winners included Maybe Happy Ending (Best Musical) and Purpose (Best Play). Toni watched clips of the ceremony, praising host Cynthia Erivo’s opening and noting that the Hamilton reunion performance was the evening’s highlight, though it overshadowed other nominees.

Colorado Theater News

Time: 42:45 - 49:45

Theater Funding Crisis: As reported by the Denver Gazette’s John Moore, two northern Colorado theatres - Bas Bleu (33 years old) and OpenStage (50 years old) – are both facing financial shortfalls due to reduced public arts funding, needing emergency fundraising of $40,000 and $15,000 respectively. This contrasts with Denver metro theaters that benefit from the Scientific and Cultural Facilities District (SCFD).

Other News:

• Colorado Renaissance Fair opens June 14th for its 48th season, though elephants may be banned due to legal challenges
• Denver native Annaleigh Ashford returns for DCPA’s Saturday Night Alive gala on June 14th
• Breaking news: We announced the 19th Annual Henry Award nominees, with the ceremony scheduled for July 28th at Lone Tree Arts Center. Notably, this is the first year without gendered performance categories.

Interview: Sasha Cucciniello, Telluride Theater

Time: 49:45 - 1:15:15

We interviewed Artistic Director Sasha Cucciniello about her journey from avant-garde theater in New York (Performance Space 122) to founding Telluride Theater 18 years ago with just $68. The theater has grown to three full-time employees including new Operations Manager Kevin Douglas and Executive Director Ryan Heidenreich.

Key Topics We Covered:

• Unique Programming: Combines traditional theater with burlesque performances through their troupe “House of Shimmie Shake,” which sells out annually
• Original Works: Cucciniello has written over 20 plays, mostly devised collaboratively with ensemble casts
• Recent Success: Ski Bum the Musical by local ski bum Li

Bonus episode: Toni and Alex review the latest show at Denver’s Garner Galleria — plus, an interview with performers at UpStart Theatre’s upcoming production of ‘Hold Onto Your Butts’ in Ouray

In this bonus episode of the OnStage Colorado Podcast, hosts Toni Tresca and Alex Miller comment on the new show at Denver’s Garner Galleria: Forbidden Broadway – Merrily We Roll Along. 

The latest iteration of the long-running franchise features some newer musicals to spoof (& Juliet, The Outsiders, etc.) as well as beloved classics from Gypsy to The Lion King and plenty of Sondheim.

Also featured in this episode is an interview Alex did with Kate Kissingford at the UpStART Theater in Ouray. They are presenting Hold Onto Your Butts — a spoof of the Jurassic Park films — June 6-8 at the Wright Opera House. They’re joined by three of the performers, who will also present the show in Denver at the Clocktower Cabaret June 6.

A deep dive into Denver Fringe featuring an interview with Ann Sabbah, plus our weekly Top 10 Colorado Headliners

In this episode of the OnStage Colorado Podcast, hosts Alex Miller and Toni Tresca go big on Denver Fringe Festival — coming up June 4-6. We take a look at 20 of the dozens of shows coming up and chat with Denver Fringe founder and director Ann Sabbah along with performers Soleil Kohl, True Smith and Megan Dille.

Later in the episode, we run down our Top 10 Colorado Headliners — upcoming shows around the state that might be of interest.

Chapter Breakdown

Opening & Recent Theater Experiences (00:00 - 12:00)

•Welcome and catch-up after previous week’s hiatus

•Discussion of John Moore’s guest appearance on previous episode

•Alex’s experience at The Narrators at Buntport Theater - monthly storytelling event celebrating its 15th anniversary

•Toni’s coverage of The Narrators for Westword

•TV/Film discussion: Mission Impossible Final Reckoning and Netflix’s The Four Seasons

Recent Productions & Reviews (12:00 - 19:00)

•Toni’s review of Exhibit at Curious Theatre - one-woman show by Regina Taylor

•Discussion of Hundreds of Beavers film screening at Sie Film Center with actress Olivia Graves in attendance

•Preview of Oracle immersive art installation at Union Hall

Theatre News & Industry Updates (19:00 - 26:00)

•Bobby G Awards coverage (Denver Center’s high school theatre competition)

•Sundance Film Festival’s $34 million incentive package to move to Boulder

•OpenStage Theater’s cancellation of Agnes of God production mid-run

•Discussion of funding challenges for local arts organizations

Denver Fringe Festival Main Coverage (26:00 - 39:00)

•Overview of the sixth annual Denver Fringe Festival (June 4-8)

•Festival statistics: 200+ performances, 75 shows, 20 venues

•Ticket pricing and artist revenue sharing (70% to performers)

•Toni’s curated show selections across three days

•Alex’s anticipated picks including family-friendly and experimental works

Featured Show Highlights Include:

•Nuptial Nightmare (horror comedy)

•Mouse City Podcast (mice starting a podcast)

•Arkham Ass-Sylum (Batman villain burlesque)

•Rocky Mountain Puppet Slam

•Dichotomize Me (immersive absurdist play)

•Various experimental, comedy, and performance art pieces

Colorado Theatre Headliners (40:00 - 53:00)

Top 10 Upcoming Shows:

•On Your Feet, Town Hall Arts Center, Littleton, May 23-June 22

•Xanadu, Creede Repertory Theatre, Creede, May 24-Sept. 7

•Forbidden Broadway: Merrily We Stole a Song, DCPA, Denver, May 28-June 29

•Torch Song, Vintage Theatre, Aurora, May 30-June 29

•[title of show], Little Theatre of the Rockies, Greeley, June 5-15

•Aladdin and the Wonderful Lamp, Miners Alley, Golden, through June 28

•A Tuna Christmas, Bailey Theatre Company, Glen Isle Resort in Bailey through June 8

•Something Rotten!, Thingamajig Theatre Company at Pagosa Springs Center for the Arts, through Aug. 30

•Another Medea, Bas Bleu, Fort Collins, Through June 15

•Ripcord, Firehouse Theatre Company at John Hand Theatre, Denver, through June 29