Denver Center for the Performing Arts dazzles our mile-high loyal theater buffs
By Kastle Waserman
Photo by Matthew Murphy for MurphyMade
Live theater is an integral part of any community’s cultural and social fabric—and Denver metro residents place a high value on it. With some of the country’s most engaged and responsive audiences, Denver hosts many pre-Broadway debuts, boasts Janice Sinden, president and CEO of Denver Center for the Performing Arts (DCPA). “Our audiences are phenomenal! And they’re loyal—we offer five lines of theatrical programming lines with two subscription packages totaling about 28,000 subscribers. That’s a lot of commitment. Our peers across the country don’t see the kind of loyalty we see in Denver.”
It could also be the number of prestigious shows that come to the stages of the Buell Theatre, with a 2,800-seat capacity, and the Ellie Caulkins Opera House, with 2,200 seats. Sinden credits the DCPA’s Executive Director, John Ekeberg, for bringing award-winning shows: “He’s a Tony voter, so he sees every show that’s up for a Tony award. He understands the sentiment of voters and knows what show will possibly be going on the road. He considers which shows have been here and which should be invited back. He’s usually building the calendar a couple of years out.”
Theatergoers have an exciting year coming up with blockbuster Broadways shows, including “The Wiz,” “Life of Pi,” “Funny Girl,” “Some Like It Hot,” “Back to the Future” and “Gutenberg The Musical.” There are also shows from the Tony Award-winning DCPA Theater Company, which creates world-class stage productions from scratch. This year’s lineup includes “Hamlet,” “I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter,” “Little Shop of Horrors,” “Avaaz,” “The Suffragette’s Murder,” “The Hot Wing King,” “The Reservoir” and “A Christmas Carol.”
There are other ways to enjoy the performing arts in Denver as well, including intimate performances from the DCPA Cabaret at the Garner Galleria Theatre, immersive experiences from DCPA Off-Center and a Theatre for Young Audiences.
A couple of standouts Sinden is looking forward to are “Kimberly Akimbo,” about a girl growing up and growing old at the same time and “& Juliet,” a new spin on Shakespeare’s classic play.
High-quality theater productions are often associated with high ticket prices. But the DCPA strives to accommodate everyone and has options for lower-priced tickets, including:
For those looking to go from watching the stage to being on it, the DCPA offers adult and children’s classes in acting, body movement, voiceover, playwriting, camera techniques and improv, as well as kids camps and a resiliency program for adults with neurodiversity and disabilities.
“My heart grows ten sizes when I see the excitement and enthusiasm as people leave these classes clapping and giggling with joy,” Sinden says.
The DCPA is the largest 501(c)(3) non-profit theater organization in the country, made possible by the support and participation of the many theater enthusiasts who attend and donate. Funding also comes from the Scientific and Cultural Facilities District (SCFD), which serves seven counties in Colorado. Each participating county receives a share of the tax collected and decides how to spend the tax.
Denverites are lucky to have a well-supported theater and performing arts center that brings exciting shows to look forward to all year round. “Our communities place value on the arts,” Sinden says. “It’s where stories are told and people come together.”
Denver Center for the Performing Arts
Denver Performing Arts Complex
1400 Curtis St.
Denver
720.865.4200
denvercenter.org
