It’s a Weekend of Music in Aurora and Denver!
May 16, 2019
The skies over the Mile-High City will be filled with music this weekend, as Denver welcomes the first of the big outdoor music festivals of the season! The 7th annual Spread the Word Music Festival features three days of Colorado’s favorite music acts along with vendors, live painters, and silent discos. Other concerts in the area this weekend include the Colorado Symphony’s tribute to the silver screen, Aurora Symphony Orchestra’s tribute to the American West, and a special tribute to the immigrant experience through song at the People’s Building in Aurora!
Thursday-Sunday, May 16-19
#1 PLAY OF THE YEAR
Sweat is an inspiring and authentic portrayal of a small working-class town in Pennsylvania that is ripped apart when the local factory begins laying people off. This is the place where family members work side by side, and lifelong friendships—and even romances—are made. So it’s heart wrenching when one worker is pitted against another in the struggle for economic viability.
This play won the Pulitzer Prize for Drama in 2017 and Time Magazine named it the “#1 Play of the Year.” The New York Times raves “Sweat is an extraordinarily moving drama” about survival—as well as life’s greatest joys.
Space Theatre/DCPA, Speer Blvd. & Arapahoe St., Denver
Thurs., 6:30 p.m.; Fri./Sat., 7:30 p.m.; Sun., 1:30 p.m.
Tickets: $40-$75
Phone: 303-893-4100
THE UNTOLD TALE OF THE WITCHES OF OZ!
In case you haven’t heard, there’s a fantastic and imaginative Broadway musical that tells the backstory of the Good and Wicked Witches of Oz. Wicked is also a moving story of friendship, betrayal, and the kind of hurt that doesn’t go away.
Once upon a time, long before Dorothy arrived in Oz, an extraordinary young woman with emerald skin and special talents met a popular bubbly blonde, and the two became unlikely friends. That is, until the world decided to call one “good” and the other “wicked.” Don’t miss this blockbuster musical during its short run in Denver!
Buell Theatre/DCPA, Speer Blvd. & Arapahoe St., Denver
Thurs./Fri./Sat./Sun.,7:30 p.m.; Sat./Sun., 2:00 p.m.
Tickets: $49-$214
Phone: 800-641-1222
Friday, May 17
TOY STORY SCREENS AT KIDS NIGHT OUT
A safe and fun night out for the kids means that parents can treat themselves to their own night out! Sponsored by the Southshore YMCA, kids will have a night of fun and food, including a screening of the original Toy Story! Kids will love seeing Woody, Buzz and the whole gang on the big screen! Children must be potty-trained, and all ages up to 10 years old are welcome.
The Lakehouse, YMCA Southshore, 27151 East Lakeview Dr., Aurora
6:00-10:00 p.m.
Registration: $15
Phone: 720-870-2221
Friday-Sunday, May 17-19
SPREAD THE WORD MUSIC FESTIVAL
You really will want to spread the word about this first big music festival of the season—there’s something for everyone! This music extravaganza features a diverse selection of styles ranging from rock, jam, funk, electronic, reggae, folk and every kind of fusion in between. For three days, Colorado’s favorite music acts will take multiple stages, both indoors and out, including at Cervantes Masterpiece Ballroom & Other Side, the Denver Coliseum, and the Levitt Pavilion. For an even more festive experience, there will also be live painters, local vendors, meet-and-greets, silent discos, giveaways, and more!
This ultimate party takes the grassroots approach to assembling an unforgettable lineup of talent and the result is a fantastic celebration of Colorado’s thriving music scene. Acts include BoomBox, Karl Denson’s Tiny Universe, Wookiefoot, Mike Love, The Werks, Rebirth Brass Band, A-Mac & The Height, Head for the Hills, Bill Nershi & Jill Nershi, The Jauntee, Yak Attack, Analog Son, Jon Wayne and the Pain, Chewy & Bach, Future Joy, Modern Whiskey Market, and many more!
Denver Coliseum, 4600 Humboldt St., Denver
1:00 – 10:00 p.m.
Tickets: $20-$50
Phone: 719-964-0203
THE LANGUAGE ARCHIVE
A play about a man who is an expert at language—except as it’s applied to his own life. George’s wife is about to leave him because he doesn’t know how to talk to her, while he tends to speak too much to his lab assistant, Emma, who has a crush on him.
This Regional Premiere comedy-drama by Julia Cho is full of surprises!
Vintage Theatre Productions, 1468 Dayton St., Aurora
Fri./Sat., 7:30 p.m.; Sun., 2:30 p.m.
Tickets: $32
Phone: 303-856-7830
SYMPHONY MUSIC CELEBRATES THE MOVIES
Motion pictures were just in their infancy during the time that Ravel composed, but his work heavily influenced future generations of film composers. Ravel was known for writing music for the stage, including his fully-orchestrated ballet, Mother Goose. The Colorado Symphony performs this complete ballet, alongside other works from the silver screen in this weekend’s concerts.
One of the most recognizable and iconic film scores that did a remarkable job of instilling emotion in the viewer was Herrmann’s Suite from Psycho. His ingenious use of strings to convey a “black and white sound” mirrors the black and white images of Hitchcock’s classic thriller. Closing the concert is a piece by one of the most prolific of all film score writers, Danny Elfman, who composed the scores for films such as Batman, The Nightmare Before Christmas, and Good Will Hunting. Tonight’s performance is the Colorado premiere of Elfman’s Concerto for Violin and Orchestra, Eleven Eleven.
Boettcher Concert Hall/DCPA, Speer Blvd. & Arapahoe St., Denver
Fri./Sat., 7:30 p.m.; Sun., 1:00 p.m.
Tickets: $15-$89
Phone: 303-623-7876
Saturday, May 18
HEROES IN THE HANGAR
Hometown hero David Burnett was born and raised in Parker, and has returned to home to share his amazing stories about his life in the 160th SOAR (Special Operations Aviation Regiment), also known as Night Stalkers. These highly-trained soldiers are recognized for their proficiency in nighttime operations and accomplish the very toughest missions in all environments, anywhere in the world, with unparalleled precision.
After countless years of training, Burnett deployed with the SOAR unit five times before deciding he wasn’t going to reenlist. He put pen to paper after receiving an honorable discharge from the unit and began writing his story in Making a Night Stalker. Hear all about Burnett’s adventures and get a sneak preview of his book!
Wings Over the Rockies Air & Space Museum, 7711 E. Academy Blvd., Denver
1:00 – 2:00 p.m. and 3:00 – 4:00 p.m.
Tickets: $8.50-$15
Phone: 303-360-5360
IMMIGRANTS’ SONGS
The Denver Art Song Project performances are a unique blend of story, art, and song, with this new production’s theme revolving around songs inspired by the immigrant experience. Pablo Romero curates this artistic performance that brings to life the stories of immigrants through song.
The People’s Building, 9995 E. Colfax Ave., Aurora
7:00 – 8:00 p.m.
Tickets: $5 – $10 Cover
Phone: 729-819-6680
Saturday-Sunday, May 18-19
MASTER GARDENER SALE
Not just any garden sale, but the CSU Master Gardener plant sale is in Denver this weekend! These are the experts who know the differences between all the tomato varieties, from heirloom to modern, and can help you choose which one you want for your garden. Get great advice and the answers to all your gardening questions about New Mexico chilis, herbs, colorful annuals, and perennials.
There will also be gently-used gardening containers, tools, books, and more for sale. Bring the kids! In addition to getting them interested in gardening by letting them buy their own little seedling to nurture, there will also be balloons and CSU door prizes.
Harvard Gulch Park, 888 E. Iliff Ave., Denver
Sat., 8:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.; Sun., 10:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.
Information: FREE
Phone: 720-913-5270
RODEO AT THE SYMPHONY
You don’t need to leave the neighborhood to catch a great concert! Aurora Symphony Orchestra presents an exciting evening of song centered around the American West! The concert celebrates life in the Old West through music: the sounds of cowboys on vast expanses of ranch and magnificent tributes to the beauty of our western landscapes. Selections include and Copland’s Rodeo: Four Dance Episodes and Grofé’s Grand Canyon Suite.
The winners of the Colorado State Music Teachers Association Concerto Competition will join the ASO as special guests! Plan on arriving half an hour early for the informative pre-concert talk by the conductor to get the most out of this special program.
Aurora Fox Arts Center, 9900 E Colfax Ave., Aurora
Sat., 7:30 p.m.; Sun., 3:00 p.m.
Tickets: $15 – $20
Phone: 720-262-3850
Sunday, May 19
COMMEMORATING APOLLO
As part of a series of talks that go in-depth about the the mission which started with the invention of rockets and culminated in landing on the moon, the Apollo Lecture Series continues this week with the exciting episode that acted as a dress rehearsal for the lunar landing mission. Your ticket to this lecture by space-enthusiasts Stephen Kelly and Chuck Stout will also give you entry into the museum for the day!
Between May 18 and 26, 1969, three veteran astronauts, John Young, Gene Cernan, and Tom Stafford, manned the Apollo Command and Service Module as it orbited the moon. At the same time, the lunar module conducted a simulated landing profile, coming to within 50,000 feet of the surface, as a final dry run for the techniques that would take humans to a landing at the Sea of Tranquility two months later.
Wings Over the Rockies Air & Space Museum, 7711 E. Academy Blvd., Denver
1:00 – 2:30 p.m.
Tickets: $8.50-$15
Phone: 303-360-5360
The Arts, Music and More Near Southshore!
Enjoy Life at the Lake in the master-planned community of Southshore—and find culture and entertainment within easy reach! Looking for a new home you can add your signature style to? Tour the beautiful model homes from Century Communities, Richmond American Homes and Toll Brothers. Available in ranch and two-story designs, Southshore homes are priced between the upper $400s and the $700s.