OnStage Colorado podcast OnStage Colorado

A look at more sustainable theatre, plus an interview with
playwright Cipriano Ortega

 

In this episode of the OnStage Colorado Podcast, hosts Alex Miller and Toni Tresca take a look at all of the live theatre going on around the state and what’s ahead. They also tackle the topic of how arts organizations can create productions just a tad bit more sustainable – all in honor of Earth Day coming up April 22.

Later in the episode, Alex sits down with Cipriano Ortega, whose new play Cheyanne opens April 26 at The People’s Building in Aurora in association with Control Group Productions. The playwright, who’s also a musician and painter, has been tweaking the story for a decade and talks about the process of getting it on stage and directed by Phil Luna. The play also features Iliana Lucero Barron, Angelo Mendez, Magally Luna and Ortega himself.

 

Theatre companies and organizations mentioned in this episode:

 


Control Group Productions
Deep Space Drive In
Denver Center
One Night Stand Theatre
Wheat Ridge Theatre Company
Lone Tree Arts Center
Windsor Community Playhouse
Springs Ensemble Theatre Company
Don’t Tell Comedy
Candlelight
Colorado Ballet
The Catamounts
Evergreen Players
Roaming Gnome
Stages/Practical Theatrical
Rattlebrain Productions
Steel City Theatre Company
Mesa Experimental Theatre
Jester’s Dinner Theater

The ‘Emma’ playwright on revisiting the classics, plus a
look at new season announcements and a roundup of theatre around Colorado

 

In this episode of the OnStage Colorado podcast, hosts Alex
Miller and Toni Tresca look at the many shows up and opening around the state. Also, a look at new season announcements from the Denver Center Theatre Company, Bas Bleu, Fine Arts Center at Colorado College and BETC.

 

Plus, how do we think about the legacy of Michael Jackson as the touring Broadway musical MJ opens at the Denver Center’s Buell Theatre this week?

 

Later in the pod, Toni interviews playwright Kate Hamill, whose musical Emma opens this weekend at the Denver Center.



>Theatre companies and organizations mentioned in this
episode:

 


Adams Mystery Playhouse
Arvada Center
Aurora Fox
Ballet Ariel
Bas Bleu
BETC
Curious Theatre
Dairy Arts Center
Denver Center
Don’t Tell Comedy
Evergreen Players
Fine Arts Center at Colorado College
Firehouse Theater
Funky Little Theater Company
Improvised Shakespeare Company
Lone Tree Arts Center
Moon Theatre Company
The Catamounts
Theatre Artibus
Third Law Dance/Theatre
Town Hall Arts Center
Vintage Theatre
Windsor Community Playhouse

>The growing standup scene around town, plus catching up with Vintage Theatre’s Bernie Cardell



In this episode of the OnStage Colorado podcast, hosts Alex
Miller and Toni Tresca take a look at the many shows up and opening around the state.



Later in the pod, Toni goes over some of his reporting in a Westword cover story about how much touring comedians love to play Denver as well as all the other comedy happening around Colorado.



Finally, Toni meets up with one of the hardest-working
theatre artists in Denver, Bernie Cardell. As the artistic director at Aurora’s Vintage Theatre, Cardell keeps up a brisk pace producing, directing and even acting in shows. In fact, he recently notched 150 shows as an actor in director since coming to Denver, and he reflects on some of his favorites and the road ahead for Vintage.

 

Theatre companies and organizations mentioned in this
episode:

 


Arvada Center
Aurora Fox
Boulder Theatre
Comedy Works
Cripple Creek
Curious Theatre
Denver Center
Firehouse Theater
Millibo Art Theatre
No Tell Comedy
OpenStage
Paramount Theatre
Performance Now
Phamaly
Rise Comedy
The Bug
Theatre Artibus
Town Hall Arts Center
Vintage Theatre

The choreographer on the buzz around Ryan Gosling’s big
number at the Oscars, plus a look at picking a strong theatre season

 

In this episode of the OnStage Colorado Podcast, hosts Alex
Miller and Toni Tresca talk about some of the season announcements from Colorado theatres. What does it take to put together a good mix of shows that put butts in seats while also satisfying the quest to do socially relevant or
new plays?

 

Later in the episode, Alex catches up with Mandy Moore (not that one, the other one!) Mandy, who grew up in Breckenridge, has gone on to be one of the top choreographers in the world, with credits including La La
Land, So You Think You Can Dance, Zoe’s Incredible Playlist, Taylor Swift’s Eras tour and, just this month, two pieces at the 2024 Oscars ceremony.

 

Working with Ryan Gosling and 62 other dancers — plus Slash and Wolfgang Van Halen — Mandy put together a Barbie tribute that pretty much eclipsed any other big Oscar numbers in recent memory. She also choreographed the In Memoriam segment, using dance to add a touching new
layer to the annual tribute. In the interview, Mandy talks about how it all came together as well as her own path as a choreographer and how dance still resonates with people.

 

And by the way, Mandy is now the third member of the Moore Family to be feature on the podcast. Her dad Bob and sister Missy have also been on!

 

>Theatre companies and organizations mentioned in this episode:

 


Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences
Arvada Center
Aurora Fox
Boulder Ballet
Breckenridge Backstage Theatre
Codpiece Players
Colorado Ballet
Curious Theatre
Denver Center
Durango Arts Center
Firehouse Theater Company
OpenStage Theatre & Company
Performance Now
Phamaly
Stories On Stage
Su Teatro
Theatre Artibus
Town Hall Arts Center
Vintage Theatre
Viva Theater

>The vanishing arts reviewers — plus a conversation with SCFD’s Deborah Jordy

 

In this episode of the OnStage Colorado podcast, hosts Alex Miller and Toni Tresca are joined by veteran performing arts critic Alice Kaderlan to talk about the role of the critic. In a media landscape where newsrooms are cut to the bare minimum, arts reporters are often the first to go. What’s left are part-time critics, bloggers and others who may not be as blunt as those critics of yore.

 

Also in this episode, Toni catches up with Deborah Jordy, executive director of the Science & Cultural Financial District. SCFD  is a taxing distric between seven Colorado counties that funds some 300 organizations along the Front Range to the tune of $60 million a year. Toni and Deborah talk about how they choose recipients, the organizations they support and a lot more.

 

Theatre companies and other organizations mentioned in this episode include:


Bas Bleu
Boulder Bllet
Boulder Weekly
Cirque du Soleil
Colorado Ballet
Curious Theatre
Denver Center                     
Denver Post
Durango Arts Center
ENT Center
Funky Little Theatre Company
Iron Springs Chateau
Local Theater/Local Lab
Longmont Theatre Company
Magic Circle Players
Millibo Art Theatre
Motus Theater
Ovation West
SCFD
Stillwater Music
Vintage Theatre
Viva Theatre
Westword

A look at dining and drink options around the theatre complex, plus an interview with ‘A Jukebox for the Algonquin’ playwright Paul Stroili


In this episode of the OnStage Colorado podcast, hosts Alex
Miller and Toni Tresca recap some of the action from the Denver Center’s
Colorado New Play Summit and have some fun with the new musical Gwyneth Goes
Skiing — a campy retelling of the recent lawsuit between the film star and
Goop magnate and a litigious optometrist. Will it come to Colorado? We hope so!
(Here’s the trailer.)

 

Later in the pod, Alex catches up with playwright Paul
Stroili, whose newish comedy A Jukebox for the Algonquin is now running
at Miners Alley Performing Arts Center. Stroili, who also appears in the MAP production,
recounts how the story came about, his experience premiering it at Jeff Daniels’
famous Purple Rose Theatre and
what it’s been like acting in his own play.

 

Theatre companies and other organizations mentioned in this
podcast include:

 


801 Fish
Arts HUB Lafayette
Bas Bleu
Benchmark Theatre
Bistro LeRoux
Boulder Ballet
Breckenridge Backstage Theatre
Colorado New Play Summit
Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center
Creede Repertory Theatre
CU Boulder Theatre Dept.
Dazzle
Denver Center
Funky Little Theatre Company
Garner Galleria
Geffen Theatre
Hotel Teatro
Impossible Players
Local Theater/Local Lab
Miners Alley
Pleasance Theatre
Prelude & Post
Purple Rose Theatre
Sam’s No. 3
STK Steakhouse