Category: plays


A DATE* before you online date By Thea Tagower

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April 30, 2012

I know two couples who found love (and then marriage, kids, the whole shebang) through online dating. They are the only people I

Can real love be found at the click of a mouse?

know personally who have tried online dating so judging by their success, my view of online dating is that it’s a pretty darned good idea. The concept of vetting people before you even have to step foot out of your house seems brilliant. Eliminate those who don’t agree with your politics, religion, basic feelings about life and you automatically increase the chances that the two of you will get along – as long as everyone has told the truth, that is.

These are the concepts behind DATE*, playing at Off Center at the Jones, in the DCPA complex. The play was written and performed (and lived) by Luciann Lajoie, who herself tried the world of online dating and pretty much hated it. She turned her disappointment in the process into the play after having interviewed lots and lots of real people who had gone through it too, successfully and not so.

DATE* takes place on a simple set with Lajoie talking to the audience, augmented by the videos that pop up behind her on what is supposed to be the wall of her apartment.  The strips of molding on the wall and file cabinet against the wall distort some of the video shots making it annoying to watch. It seems like that could have been, and should have been, worked around prior to the show’s opening.

While Luciann’s performance is good and heart-felt (it had better be since it’s about her personal experiences), there are uncomfortable moments. As she changes for her first date, is it really necessary for her to strip down to her underwear? Was it so necessary to slip in some T & A into this otherwise worthy play? The audience held its collective breath as she stripped down, wondering what we were all in for.  The clothing changes ended up being a clever and integral part of the storyline, however, as the most physical evidence of the date after date Lajoie went on in her online quest for love. Should she look artsy for this guy? Conservative for that one? As the parade of dates went on, everything in the play accelerates including her frantic clothing changes, always augmented, unfortunately by popping a pill and washing it down with some white wine. (Really, do drugs and alcohol have to permeate every slice of life for 20-30-somethings? Grow up! Face reality? You can’t escape it so deal with it!)

As much as I was drawn into the emotions, confessions and action of the play, I did want to get out of my seat, march down to the stage, grab her by the shoulders and scream “Stop it! Just stop!”  Finding a magnificent love is everyone’s dream whether they want to admit it or not. But come on! At what point do we stop torturing ourselves and just let it go? It IS okay to be single. It is NOT okay to humiliate oneself in the name of love. Be worthy of being alone with yourself and good things will come your way. (By the way, this bit of commentary is coming from someone who dated plenty but has also been married a long, long time.)

As DATE* shows us, even with all the supposed truth-telling, people still lie and misrepresent themselves. But sometimes, you get lucky and meet someone terrific, which, fortunately is the kind of up-note Lajoie leaves us with.

Make a date to see DATE* with your honey to feel very fortunate or, if you’ve been through dating in any form, nod in recognition feeling a little less alone in the world. But isn’t that what it’s all about?

DATE* runs through May 12. Tickets are $16. http://denveroffcenter.org/ .  http://www.datetheplay.com/

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Wicked Good OR Why It Ain’t Easy Being Green

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April 13, 2012

“Wicked”, the prequel to “Wizard of Oz” takes a tornadic spin through Denver, wreaking laughter, catchy tunes and fun effects.

Glinda (Alli Mauzey) sets out to "fix" Elphaba (Mamie Parris) in "Wicked" playing the Buell Theatre through May 20. Photo courtesy Denver Center.

“Wicked” is the oh-so-predictable tale of two girls from different sides of the color wheel who hate each other, then like each other, love the same boy, battle evil and ultimately triumph in their own special ways.  Soooo typical.

I jest, of course. “Wicked’s” storyline is clever, exciting, heartwarming as well as thought-provoking.  For those who are familiar with “The Wizard of Oz”, this will explain A-LOT like how the scarecrow came to be and why that tornado in Kansas might not have been just a force of nature.

This is the second time I’ve seen “Wicked” and I have to say, I enjoyed it more the second time around.  Although the lines are the same and the basic set up of each scene is the same, each actor brings their own particular spin to the role. Alli Mauzey, for example, plays Glinda to the hilt with perfect comic timing and a delicious blend of ditziness, goodness and spice.  Throughout the hilarious scene in which Glinda decides to makeover Elphaba, singing the familiar “Popular”, her gestures and facial expressions were right out of a collection of Molly Shannon skits, almost to the point of distraction. Still, funny as all get out! Something appeared to be giving Mauzey problems within her mouth the night I saw the show. Maybe some food was stuck or her mouth was dry, what with our altitude.  Fortunately it didn’t inhibit her great singing.

Elphaba, dear Elphaba, played by Mamie Parris, steals the heart (and the stage) at times. Her amazing voice gave me chills multiple

Mamie Parris plays "Elphaba" who represents the misfits in all of us in "Wicked". Photo courtesy Denver Center.

times and blended like cream with Mauzey’s. They were an excellent pairing.

I am partial to Elphaba, relating to her character and trials and tribulations as many people surely do. No, we don’t share her green skin color but most of us can relate to feeling a little different than everyone else,  desiring a life full of happiness yet not quite sure we’ll be able to achieve it.  We feel your green, Elphaba!

The costumes in “Wicked” are great fun –  a blending of Steam Punk and Dr. Seuss:  curvy, angular, twisted and off-kilter with wigs to match.

The sets are grand including the smokey-nostrilled dragon, flapping his wings and looming over the audience, a flashy Vegas-like Emerald City and giant clock-work elements.

The music is the highlight with the catchy, singable tunes.  But, no, don’t sing along during the performance! I’m talking to you, lady who sat behind me!  Stand-outs are “Popular”, “I’m Not That Girl”, “Defying Garvity”, “As Long As You’re Mine” and “For Good”.

Goody-goody Glinda, played by Allie Mauzey in "Wicked". Photo courtesy Denver Center.

You have a good, long opportunity to see “Wicked” which is playing until May 20 at the Buell Theatre. www.denvercenter.org, 303-893-4100 for tickets. Go! It’s wicked fun.

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Ring of Fire: The Music of Johnny Cash

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April 2, 2012

As a child, I remember being aware of Johnny Cash but not being a huge fan. It seemed like he and his wife June were all over TV.  He made me a little uneasy though with his somber personality and the black clothes he always wore (I didn’t know the reason, at the time).  He had that sort of ugly-sexy/bad-boy thing going on that I was conscious of but couldn’t quite wrap my brain around as a teen.  So when “Ring of Fire: The Music of Johnny Cash” opened at The Stage Theatre, I was anxious to go to learn more about him and his music.

Troy Burgess, Trenna Barnes and John Marshal lin the
Denver Center Theatre Company’s production of Ring
of Fire: The Music of Johnny Cash. Photo by Vicki Kerr.

At first, I was just confused. Two female and two male actors (with one set a little younger than the other), seemed to play the younger and older versions of Johnny and June. But then sometimes the younger two seemed to be their siblings or their children.  I wasn’t alone in my confusion. It was all the buzz in the ladies room at intermission.  In the second half, I decided to just forget about roles in a performance and look at it as a salute to his music, which, it turns out, was the intention all along.

With only enough dialogue to give a frame of reference, in the tradition of “Mama Mia”, where the body of work tells a story, Johnny Cash’s songs told of his life growing up to his passion for his wife, to his time in prison and his coming to terms with his life afterword.  It was a great way to let the songs speak for themselves as a journey for this man, as opposed to merely a collection of greatest hits. Highlights were “I’ve Been Everywhere”, “While I’ve Got IT On My Mind”, “Orleans Parish Prison” and “A Boy Named Sue”, which I was surprised to learn was written (words and music) by Shel Silverstein. Oh, and it turns out he took to wearing black after his prison stint, in an effort to show solidarity for all of those who were oppressed and downtrodden.

The performances were all excellent although great acting wasn’t really the point of this show. The voices were wonderful and the musicians were fantastic, filling in on their instruments, in singing and in some comic relief.

Ring of Fire: The Music of Johnny Cash is recommended for ages 6 and up.  Tickets start at $35.  The show runs through May 13.  Contact www.denvercenter.org or call 303-893-4100.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cOvo8NhfgBY

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“I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change” By Thea Tagower

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February 22, 2012

I don’t know how I managed to not see “I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change” when it had it’s long and successful run in Denver a few years ago. I kept thinking I would go but time got away from me. Thankfully, the show is back and I was there for opening night.

The show covers love in all of it’s stages and variations with humor, music and dance and poignance I did not see coming. While the first half is all humor and fairly light (much like the early stages in romance), the second half gets real (much like marriage and parenting). Oh, there are still a lot of laughs but the tender “Shouldn’t I Be Less In Love With You” sung by a man many years into his marriage and “The Very First dating Video of Rose Ritz” after a painful divorce, left the audience in absolute silence and tissues were passed, before erupting into applause.

Robert Michael Sanders, Daniel Langhoff, Shannon Steele and Lauren Shealy played over 20 different characters in multiple vignettes – a common set up for the intimate Garner Galleria Theatre which seems to have that style show a lot.  Heather Lacy and Scott Severtson are “swings” and replace two of the actors on various nights.

I am always amazed at the energy and talent that goes into these shows. It’s exhausting just watching what’s going on, on stage and then imaging the crazy costume changes going on backstage.

Don’t be like me – go see “I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change” during this run, lest you miss out on this accurate and funny view into life and love.

For a unique perspective on the show, read the commentary/review of the show on the Parent Tango blog, a he said/she said perspective:  http://colorado.parenthood.com/parenttango.php

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Two Things…to Tame the Shrew By Thea Tagower

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February 3, 2012

Things are getting really riled up at the Denver Center Theatre Company!  “Two Things You Don’t Talk About at Dinner” and “The Taming of the Shrew” are full of intensity, argument, physicality and emotion.  They both make for exhausting but exhilarating evenings at the theater.

The cast of the Denver Center Theatre Company’s production of Two Things You Don’t Talk About At Dinner. Photos by Terry Shapiro

“Two Things You Don’t Talk About at Dinner”  has been going round and round on the controversial topics of religion and politics since January 20. Fortunately it runs until February 19 so you still have an opportunity to be a fly on the wall of this annual Passover Seder.  Replace the specific topics with those that pop up most in your family gatherings and you’ll feel right at home. The beautiful set suggestions help that along nicely.

Emotions and antics run high in “The Taming of the Shrew”, playing through February 26.  This very clever version of one of Shakespeare’s most popular plays is set in the 1950’s which makes it ever so much more enjoyable. The sets are clever and whimsical. The costumes are beautiful and lush.  Although the words are the same as those penned by Shakespeare, their timelessness is made obvious by being set in a time when men’s and women’s roles were clearly defined (whether to their detriment or not).

Although many people take offense at the notion of taking a head-strong woman and, through treating her badly, bend her to a man’s will, there is more to the story.  Kate, the “shrew” is over-the-top nasty and does need something to shake her into the reality that you just can’t act that way. Her husband, Petruchio, goes about his mission in cruel ways that do rub women and open-minded men the wrong way. However, looking beyond the surface, their story is also about compromise and learning from each other to create something better.  Both Kate and Petruchio, two full-of-spit-and-vinegar people, end up taming each other.  At least that’s how I prefer to think of it to avoid getting really pissed off!  Frankly, I liked Kate better when she was howling mad and taking swings at her husband.  He was an ass.

The cast of the Denver Center Theatre Company’s The Taming of the Shrew. Photo by Terry Shapiro.

There’s far more to the story than just the main characters.  Nearly every character is yanked around by the deceit they either initiate or are forced to play a part in.  There is trickery, false identities, prat falls, double entendres – all the stuff of farcical comedy.

The performances are top-notch. Standouts are John-Michael Marrs as Hortensio and Matt Zambrano as Tranio. Both are so thorough with their characters down to mannerisms and quirks, never leaving their characters for a second, even when not the focus of the action .  I loved both of them in The Liar as well.

Go see “Two Things You Don’t Talk About at Dinner” and “The Taming of the Shrew” quickly. Then plan to go somewhere afterword where you can freely engage in the conversation and arguments that will likely ensue.

For information and tickets, go to www.denvercenter.org.

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The circle of life: “String of Pearls”

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January 22, 2012

Have you ever, like me,  looked at a dollar bill in your wallet and wondered if you’ve had that dollar before? Did you use that very dollar bill five years ago to buy a pack of gum? And then did it make 200 transitions between people, cash registers, pausing for a year in a child’s piggy bank before being set free to make its way back to the dark crevices of your wallet?  Well, I think about crazy stuff like that which is why I loved the concept behind String of Pearls, written by Michele Lowe and directed by Gillian McNally.  

A string of beautifully white, perfectly round pearls starts out as a declaration of love to one woman and makes its way around the world, across the years and through generations serving as everything from just a piece of pretty jewelry to salvation.

Four women play over 20 characters, changing with simple costume and set changes.  Angela Pettigrew, Elgin Kelley and Samantha Provenzano slip in and out of identities and storylines with ease.  Although their performances are strong, Amie Mackenzie is the glue of the show. This is due, not only to her bookend roles that bring the story full circle but to her lively and emotional performance.

Although the overall framework of the story is predictable, like a pearl necklace, each story serves as the individual beads, strung together, linking to return to where it all began.  The play runs an hour and a half without intermission, for which I was grateful. Although I feel one or two of the stories could have been edited or even eliminated, each did serve its purpose in the grand scheme of things. To have stopped for an intermission would have broken the flow.

Despite being a very enlightened male, my husband felt there needed to be more action and some breaks in the talking.  “So…much…talking” he said, coming out of the play a little dazed.  I can’t say that he was alone in his views because I noticed several men in the audience starting to squirm mid-way through while us women-folk were glued.  Why wouldn’t we be? There was at least some element in every storyline that one could relate to.  The women were empowered and empowering even at their lowest points.  Mix that with some pretty jewelry, lots and lots of conversation and, hey, what’s not to like?! Once he snapped out of his “constant talking” stupor, he did say it was a great play and he found it very interesting.

Carrying the female-empowerment theme beyond the stage, The Avenue Theater has partnered with the non-profit “Free the Girls” to help end human trafficking in Africa. The organization helps women and girls make a living selling bras, which are a luxury in Africa. Avenue Theater is the exclusive drop off point for downtown Denver.  Anyone who makes a clean bra donation will receive a card for $3 off any regular season General Admission show ticket for that same day or in the future.

String of Pearls runs January 20 – February 25.
Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays – 7:30pm, Sundays – 2:00pm.
Tickets $25 Friday and Saturday, $20 Thursday and Sunday.
Student, senior and group discounts available.
The Avenue Theater, 417 E. 17th Ave., 303-321-5925. www.avenuetheater.com.

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Review: “Dearly Departed”

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January 16, 2012

Life is hard but it’s also what you make of it. That’s the message I came away with after seeing Dearly Departed, by the Spotlight Theatre Company.   That message is reinforced scene after scene in this comedy that shines, well, a spotlight, on the complexities of family, the drama of daily life and opportunities for redemption given every day.  And it’s all done with a southern drawl, y’all.

Dearly Departed, written by David Bottrell and Jessie Jones, who have both written for TV and film, create 17 well-paced, distinct scenes that provide the opportunity to focus on individual characters without losing the continuity of the overall story. Set in the heat of summer in the deep, rural south, the Turpin family, with names like Raynelle, Ray-Bud, Junior and Delightful, try to come to grips with their patriarch’s sudden passing.  The planning of his funeral dishes out old resentments, disappointments and forgiveness between the members of the Turpin family, like the gloppy casseroles served at the funeral.

The play isn’t afraid to take edgy shots at obesity, miscarriage, unemployment, alcoholism, infidelity, the old and infirmed and murderous urges. But hey, it’s all in good fun!

Although all of the actors (many of whom play multiple roles) performed very well and made all of their characters believable and loveable, the standout was Eric Reynolds.  I was surprised to read that this is his first production because he has such a presence on stage. His character Ray-Bud, son of the deceased, is grappling with so many feelings and although he puts on a stoic front, wears his heart on his sleeve.  When other characters seem more like a caricature, his character remains really real.

Almost constant laughter (including annoying cackling from several audience-members) prevented all lines from being heard. Enough got through though to make for an evening of great fun, dappled with poignant moments.   Despite the religious, steamy, southern setting for this play, its universality will ring true with everyone. The play runs through February 11 at The John Hand Theater, 7653 E. 1st Place. Call 720-880-8727 or at www.thisisspotlight.org.


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“Bring It On” makes me like cheerleaders!

Filed under: Family, plays, Theater — 1 Comment
January 13, 2012

I never thought much of cheerleaders. I bought in to the whole “they’re snooty,  overly-perky, and will shun you” thing.  However, I loved the cheerleaders in “Bring it On”, playing now through January 21 at The Buell Theatre.  Truthfully, I was expecting a silly little romp with so much sweetness it would make my teeth hurt. But the show was a whole lot more than I expected, as evidenced by my Tweet during intermission when I said “I’m having so much more fun than I expected!”  Oops, was that rude? Sorry, but it was honest.

Adrienne Warren in "Do Your Own Thing". Photo by Craig Schwartz

“Bring It On” is just a heck of a good time with a decent storyline, lots of humor, fabulous dancing and yes, amazing cheerleading moves.  I attended with my 14-year-old daughter who could really appreciate the drama of high school scene. The cheerleader girls in front of us were a hoot to watch as they commented on all the great moves of the cheerleaders (and the great butts of the men).  The old folks next to me were shakin’ it to the really catchy songs.  Everyone was having a great time, no matter what their situation or background. That’s an accomplishment!

Take a look at this video. It will give you a good taste of what you’re in for.

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The Girls are Back in Town! “Girls Only” Returns to Denver.

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November 29, 2011

Give yourself and your favorite women the gift of humor this holiday. The wonderfully funny women of “Girls Only” are back, so gather all of your female friends and head to the Garner Galleria Theatre to laugh yourselves silly at “Girls Only”, running through December 31.  With sweetness, spot-on, universal observations and humor, you’ll be laughing with recognition over all that it is to be the fairer sex.

“Girls Only” has returned to the Garner Galleria Theatre, where it got its start several years ago.  Inspired by both their friendship and the rediscovery of their adolescent diaries, Barbara Gehring and Linda Klein created a two-person show that celebrates everything that has to do with being a girl – including all that is awkward and wonderful.  At times playing off of the audience, the show has some parts that are different every time and parts that adhere to a conversational script. I, for one, have seen the show four times and find it refreshing and wonderful every time.

I had the opportunity to interview Barbara and Linda a couple of years ago, just before they debuted the show at the Garner Galleria Theater.  In order to have some semblance of a life, and in hopes of growing the show, the women hired other actresses to have their stint at doing the show too.  Back then, there was some trepidation on the parts of Barbara and Linda who had to watch as other women read their personal diaries and rummaged through their childhood belongings.  They were protective of their words, stuff and stories.  But like all “parents” must do, they had to release their “baby” into the world to let it flourish on its own. And flourish they have with the show opening in Des Moines, Charlotte, Winnipeg and Minneapolis, with other actresses sharing in the performances with Barbara and Linda.

Upon their return to the intimate setting of the Garner Galleria Theater, I had the opportunity to interview the “girls” again to see how things had changed for them and the show.

Q:         Now that you have turned your “baby” over to other women, living out your lives, ideas and words for a while now, how does it feel?
A:            Like a dream has come true.  It is like the baby has grown up and gone off to college and we couldn’t be prouder.

Q:.         Given that the material is so personal, when you have auditioned women to be in the show, how do you know when you’ve met the right person?
A:         We know she is the right gal when we don’t want her to leave the audition because we are enjoying her energy so much.  When we have the feeling like we would like to hang out and go for lunch with her, we know we have found the right gal. The show is like a big party and the actresses are hostesses. They have to be fun, kind and interesting. Someone you would like to spend an hour and a half with.

Q.        Do you have favorite actresses who play you? (No need to name names)

A.            Every actress brings themselves to the show, and our company of a dozen actresses all are amazing performers.

Q.         Has the show changed much as it has grown?

A.            It is a tighter 1 ½ hour show, and we also have a few new songs. Same lovely intimate experience though.

Q.           You told me last time that it was hard to see strangers going through your childhood treasures, holding them and telling YOUR stories. Has that gotten any easier?
A.            Yes, amazingly so. We have learned that the show is not about us, it is about those women in the audience, so the stories, being told by another actress, don’t even feel like ours anymore.

Q.          Have you two changed much as individuals or actresses through the process of growing the show and travelling with it?
A.         Well we certainly have learned to wear many hats…actresses, playwrights, producers, choreographers, business women. I think we have always been flexible people but now we are always in a new situation, new theatre, new city and we just go with the flow. We bring along our talents and run with it. I think we are also so very aware that anything is possible. We don’t like to use the word no, and we don’t take no for an answer.

Q.        What are the logistics of taking the show on the road?
A.            We typically open the show so the actress can see the whole process, the most important being the interaction with the audience.  We like to be there for the local cast’s opening night and oversee the rehearsals and watch them with an audience. It is fun to sit in the audience and have a drink and watch women of all ages enjoying our words and experiences. We have women, not knowing we are the playwrights, say ‘Isn’t this such a funny show?’ One woman said to us, ‘Oh you gals are too young to get why this is funny.” Little did she know…

Q.            How do you manage balancing the work and travel with having families?
A.            With very supportive husbands.  I (Barbara) have two kids, a 5 1/2 year old girl and a 2 1/2-year-old boy. They either travel with me for long hauls or stay at home with Dad on short trips.  The kids have grown up with the show and understand that this is what Mommy does for a living.  My daughter Isabella will surely take over the show someday if her natural ability to learn the dances and songs are any indication.   Linda always is sure to take a vacation to see her nieces and nephews at the beginning and end of a show.

Q.            Was growing the show what you expected it to be (the whole experience)?
A.            More “business woman hat” than we expected. Some parts move faster than expected and other parts slower.

Q.        Has your friendship changed at all through this whole process?

A.       Interestingly enough, we have gotten to know each other even more. Sometimes we feel we don’t give ourselves much time to be friends, as we are always working on the next production. We work at making time for each other just as friends.

Q.         Are you cautious about keeping the show to a certain level of growth?
A.            We oversee every creative aspect of the show so we make our choices of where the show is moving to very deliberately.

Q.       What are your dreams for the show now?
A.      We would like to get into the Chicago market, Off-Broadway, the world and then retire our supportive husbands.

Q.    Do you have any other projects in the works that you want to talk about?
A.    Creativity comes out in many unexpected ways.  We’re never sure how our next project will manifest.  We’re open.  We’ll keep you posted.

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Disney’s The Lion King messes with my mind, in a good way By Thea Tagower

Filed under: Family, plays, Theater, Uncategorized — Leave a comment
November 11, 2011

My children must have watched the movie “The Lion King”  at least 500 hundred times – a month.   I watched it with them about 350 times, I’d say, with the remaining viewings serving as, I’ll admit it, a babysitter while I got some work done.  I had the scenes from the movie timed to the minute.  The big scene in the canyon with thundering wildebeests? Great, I had enough time to work on an article. Simba and Nala meet up again after the Pridelands have fallen into near run by Scar?  Maybe enough time to get a load of laundry in and finish the dishes.  The kids sang along to the songs and reenacted scenes afterword. “The Lion King” was a part of their childhood and my motherhood (and house-wifery).

André Jackson as “Simba” and the Ensemble singing “He Lives In You.” Photo: Joan Marcus; ©Disney

That’s why, when I saw scenes from the Broadway production of “Disney’s The Lion King“, I had some trepidation. It looked abstract. Had they honored the movie? Was it too artsy for the average audience member and especially children to absorb?

I got the chance to find out when I attended opening night of The Lion King in Denver at the Buell Theatre.  The opening scene is stunning with characters, in human/animal form entering from the sides of the theater, down the center aisles, past the audience and up on the stage. An ethereal, life-size elephant! A cougar, birds, antelope and giraffes, oh my, walking right past us.

One of my biggest faults as an observer and critic is that I am constantly looking to see HOW they do things instead of just being able to sit back and take it all in.  So I spent the first half of the show being at once impressed and bothered by the disjointedness of the characters’ painted faces with separate masks.  I think I missed entire conversations between Scar and Mufasa because I was so busy looking between the actors’ faces and their masks. Faces, masks, faces, masks. And the hyenas! I was obsessed with trying to imagine what it must have been like to be those actors manipulating the animal’s front legs with one hand while handling the hyena’s head with the other. And the giraffe’s! I can’t fathom being stooped over, on stilts, hands AND feet, wearing a head-dress! Unbelievable.  It truly wasn’t until the second half that I got past the wondering how to just enjoying.  I’m sure most audience members are better able to just take it all in and enjoy the show from the first moments. I envy them.

I had to wonder about the kids in the audience, who, like my children, were so very familiar with the familiar animated scenes of lions looking pretty much like lions and meerkats looking like meerkats. Was this stylistic, modern production just too foreign to enjoy? Apparently not. I looked around and all children were transfixed. Except for being really tired after the two-hour show, they all seemed to have really enjoyed it.

Even if you are weird like me and have to dissect how they do things and why it’s so different from the animated movie, this production is a wonder.  I was pleasantly surprised at how the show was firmly planted in African heritage from the Zulu language to the absolutely beautiful African fabrics in the scenery and on the cast members.  Scar wore pants that appeared to be made of woven leather and were shaped, well, like M.C. Hammer pants. Mufasa had patterns up and down his muscular arms.  Of course, the movie took place in Africa, I just hadn’t thought of it before.  But the stage show makes sure you know it and feel it and absorb it. I loved that.  I also loved the modern dance throughout, clever sets and inventive props to suggest loping animals, rushing wildebeests, swaying grasses and my absolute favorite,  the body of water drying up. Brilliant!

Fans of The Lion King movies won’t be disappointed. They will be surprised and maybe confused at first but then they will be delighted and transported to a mystical, powerful, graceful place.

There may be only a few tickets left but try to get some. And if you don’t, fear not, as enthusiastic as Denver’s audiences have been, I’m sure the show will be back. Then, be very smart and order tickets as soon as they are announced.

The Lion King plays at The Buell theater only through December 4. Visit www.denvercenter.org or call 303-893-4100 for tickets.

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