Ballet, Mel Brooks and Punkin’ Chunkin’!
October 4, 2018
Fall is getting lively with a long list of cultural openings and premieres! It’s the opening weekend of Vintage Theatre’s production of David Mamet’s wickedly funny Boston Marriage; Mel Brooks comes to Denver for a screening of Blazing Saddles; Colorado Ballet opens their fall season with Sleeping Beauty; and Ballet Ariel premieres an original ballet based on the life of the unsinkable Molly Brown! Fall festivals for the whole family include corn mazes and punkin’ chunkin’ contests —while a two-day beer and bluegrass extravaganza awaits the over-21 crowd! Don’t miss the fun in Denver and Aurora this weekend!
Thursday-Saturday, October 4-6
TWO TIMES THE LAUGHS
Identical twins Randy and Jason Sklar don’t hide from the fact they’re twins, but their comedy doesn’t use it as a crutch either. Instead, the Sklar Brothers are a post-modern take on a stand-up comedy duo. You might have seen them on their current one-hour stand-up special on Netflix, What Are We Talking About, or their newest stand-up special, Hipster Ghosts, on Starz Network.
The Sklar Brothers are also writers, directors and actors appearing in a wide variety of shows including Entourage, It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia, Maron, and Curb Your Enthusiasm. They are best known for their cult classic, ESPN Classic’s Cheap Seats, and they also appear as recurring characters on TruTV’s Those Who Can’t.
Comedy Works-Downtown, 1226 15th St., Denver
Thurs., 8:00 p.m.; Fri./Sat., 7:30 p.m. and 9:45 p.m.
Tickets: $17-$25
Phone: 303-595-3637
Thursday-Sunday, October 4-7
GET LOST IN A CORN MAZE!
It’s October—which means it’s time to get lost in a corn maze! You don’t need to drive far to visit one of the biggest and best corn mazes in the state! It takes at least 40 minutes to complete the Maize in the City corn maze, at almost 20 acres in size. The whole family will enjoy participating, since this maze is not scary or haunted.
Don’t miss Super Hero Day on Saturday, when kids can come in costume and meet their favorite superheroes! Story time, stunts, and performances by a variety of superheroes will make your kids’ day!
Maize in the City Farm, 10451 McKay Rd., Thornton
Thurs., 12:00-7:00 p.m., Fri., 10:00 a.m.-7:00 p.m.; Sat./Sun., 9:00 a.m.-7:00 p.m.
Tickets: $3-$12
POWERFUL MUSICAL THEATER
When a confidence-boosting letter he wrote to himself is intercepted by a school bully, lonely teenager Evan Hansen’s life is forever changed. A contemporary musical like no other, Dear Evan Hansen follows a snowballing series of events that spring from the publication of his letter on social media, rocketing him to unexpected stardom.
As the winner of six Tony Awards, including Best Musical, and the 2018 Grammy Award, Dear Evan Hansenis a profoundly personal story that is poignant, powerful, and courageously truthful, “a gut-punching, breathtaking knockout of a musical” (New York Times).
Buell Theatre/DCPA,1350 Curtis St., Denver
Thurs./Fri./Sat./Sun., 7:30 p.m.; Sat./Sun., 2:00 p.m.
Tickets: $40-$145
Phone: 800-641-1222
Friday, October 5
KIDS HAPPY NIGHT OUT
It’s a happy night out for your kids—and you! When you bring the kids to the YMCA Southshore’s Kids Night Out, they will enjoy dinner, a movie screening of Despicable Me, and crafts—while you enjoy a parents’ night out of your own! The animated movie features supervillain Gru who hatches a plan to steal the moon. Surrounded by an army of little yellow minions, his greatest challenge is three orphan girls who want to make him their dad! Your kids will have lots of fun (up to age 12) and you can relax, knowing they are safe and well cared for! Children must be potty-trained in order to attend, and registration for the event is required.
The Lakehouse, YMCA Southshore, 27151 E. Lakeview Dr., Aurora
6:00-10:00 p.m.
Cost: $15-$17
Phone: 720-870-2221
SCIENCE IN MUSIC!
An extraordinary, genre-defying production, A Light in the Void fuses contemporary classical music, performed by the Colorado Symphony, with an unforgettable theatrical narrative story involving real-life world-renowned scientists! As one of the most funded classical music Kickstarter campaigns of all time, this show features arresting visuals, cutting-edge lighting design, and an original score.
When a lost and broken young woman seeks answers to life’s biggest questions, a mythical journey of scientific discovery unfolds, revealing a team of renowned scientists and explorers who all prove to have her back—including a physicist, anthropologist, and space explorer. The story is ancient and timeless, reminiscent of the wonder experienced in looking a night sky full of stars. This concert is a marriage of storytelling, science, stunning visuals, and symphonic music, designed to ignite your senses with the elation of discovery.
Boettcher Concert Hall/DCPA, Speer Blvd. & Arapahoe St., Denver
7:30 p.m.
Tickets: $15-$89
Phone: 303-623-7876
Friday-Sunday, October 5-7
COLORADO BALLET PRESENTS SLEEPING BEAUTY
Tchaikovsky’s enchanting score accompanies the beloved story of a spellbound princess, the dreamy fairies who watch over her, and true love’s quest to save her! The Colorado Ballet’s uplifting performance will entertain and mesmerize the entire family.
Ellie Caulkins Opera House/DCPA, 1385 Curtis St., Denver
Fri./Sat, 7:30 p.m.; Sat./Sun., 2:00 p.m.
Tickets: $30-$120
Phone: 303-837-8888
BOSTON MARRIAGE
David Mamet’s wickedly funny satire spares no one in the fashionable fringes of upper-class society! Anna and Claire are two bantering, scheming “women of fashion” who have a long history together, pursuing advantageous relationships. Anna has just become the mistress to a wealthy man, while Claire is infatuated with a respectable young lady. As the two women exchange barbs, Claire’s young inamorata suddenly appears, setting off a crisis that puts both the women’s futures, and their relationship, at risk.
Vintage Theatre Productions, 1468 Dayton St., Aurora
Fri./Sat., 7:30 p.m.; Sun., 2:30 p.m.
Tickets: $32
Phone: 303-856-7830
Saturday, October 6
CHILDREN’S THEATRE FAVORITE – CORDUROY!
Everyone loves the adorable teddy bear, Corduroy, and now he appears on stage in a special live performance! This tender, enduring story of true friendship follows Corduroy on his noble quest to find a missing button in order to be taken home by Lisa, the little girl who loves him. This heartwarming comedy’s themes of problem-solving, resiliency, responsibility, and acceptance is perfect for kids aged pre-K through third grade.
Conservatory Theatre/DCPA,1350 Curtis St., Denver
1:30 p.m.
Tickets: $10-$15
Phone: 800-641-1222
BLAZING SADDLES SCREENING WITH MEL BROOKS!
If you are a Mel Brooks fan, you can’t miss this chance to hear from the man himself, in a live conversation and audience Q&A, following the screening of his outrageous masterpiece, Blazing Saddles! One of the top comedy films of all time, Blazing Saddlespokes fun at cowboys, cowgirls, Westerns—and just about everything!
The incomparable Mel Brooks gives an exclusive, inside look at his storied career and the making of the legendary and groundbreaking movie Blazing Saddles. Somebody give the Governor a harrumph! Memorable and monumental, Mel Brooks and Blazing Saddles…back in the saddle again.
Bellco Theatre, 700 14th St., Denver
2:00 p.m.
Tickets: $49.75 – $139.75
Phone: 720-476-5561
RODGERS AND HAMMERSTEIN CELEBRATION
The Colorado Symphony pays homage to the masters of American musical theater, Rodgers and Hammerstein! The evening not only celebrates the collaboration of these two geniuses, but also includes songs of Hammerstein’s collaboration with Jerome Kern (Showboat) as well as Rodgers’ collaborations with Lorenz Hart.
This wonderful evening features vocalists Sarah Jane McMahon, Gary Mauer, and William Michals, and includes show-stopping Broadway tunes such as Climb Every Mountain, Oklahoma, Some Enchanted Evening, and songs from South Pacific and The King and I, among many others!
Boettcher Concert Hall/DCPA, Speer Blvd. & Arapahoe St., Denver
7:30 p.m.
Tickets: $20-$92
Phone: 303-623-7876
Saturday-Sunday, October 6-7
PUNKIN CHUNKIN COLORADO
This is the fall festival you’ve been waiting all year for! In its 19th year, the Punkin Chunkin sends pumpkins flying! Bring your family and friends to see just how far a pumpkin can fly, using a variety of air cannons, catapults and other wild contraptions.
Eighteen teams of Chunkers from Colorado, Texas, and Oklahoma compete in an effort to break world records and gain bragging rights. In addition to cheering for your favorite Punkin Chunkin team, you can pick your own prized pumpkin from the expansive patch. Kids will enjoy pony rides, face painting, crafts, and other family activities. A wide variety of food and beverage vendors will also be on hand!
Arapahoe Park Race Track, 26000 E. Quincy Ave., Aurora
Sat., 10:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.; Sun., 10:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.
Tickets: $5
Phone: 303-739-7163
THE BIG WONDERFUL – BEER AND BLUEGRASS!
Nothing beats bluegrass and beer on a beautiful October day! The Big Wonderful makes a return appearance to Denver for an all-day event filled with live music, Colorado’s best local beers and ciders, and a bazaar filled with craft vendors and makers! The best Denver food trucks will also be on hand with tasty bites.
All-day bluegrass line-ups on both days include: That Damn Sasquatch, The Big Wonderful All Stars with Erik Yates, White Water Ramble, Woodshed Red, Dead Phish Orchestra and a Super Special Guest!
4400 Fox St., Denver
12:00-6:00 p.m.
Tickets: $5-$7
MOLLY BROWN BALLET DEBUT!
The Unsinkable Molly Brown is the subject of this original ballet performed by Ballet Ariel as it opens its 20th anniversary season! Master storyteller and Artistic Director, Ilena Norton, developed the piece in collaboration with the Molly Brown House Museum. This three-act ballet depicts the epic life of local legend, Molly Brown, from her courtship with JJ Brown in Leadville, through her rise in Denver society after JJ strikes gold, to her involvement in the suffrage movement, and later, survival of the Titanic.
Ballet Ariel will also be performing the enchanting classic ballet, La Vivandiere, choreographed by the great dance duo Arthur Saint-Léon and Fanny Cerrito with music by prolific Italian composer, Cesare Pugni.
Cleo Parker Robinson Theatre, 119 Park Ave West, Denver
Sat., 7:30 p.m.; Sun., 3:00 p.m.
Tickets: $15-$25
Phone: 303-945-4388
Location is Key in Southshore!
Location is key in the master-planned community of Southshore near shopping, entertainment, recreation and more! Stop by and tour the amazing offerings from Colorado Builders: Toll Brothers, Richmond American Homes and Century Communities. Choose from ranch and two-story designs, priced between the upper $300s and the $700s.