Journey, Toto and Tootsie Are Coming to Town!
April 7, 2022
What’s happening this weekend and beyond? Well superstar bands of the 70s Journey and Toto are performing, comedians Jeff Ross and Chris Distefano are in town, and you can see the opening nights for Jersey Boys and and the fun-filled musical Tootsie! All happening this weekend and spilling into next week, too!
TODAY/TONIGHT: Thursday-Saturday, April 7-9
THE OTHER JOSH COHEN
Nominated for six Drama Desk Awards and the Lortel Award for Outstanding Musical, this hilarious, endearing and hummable musical was hailed by Jesse Green of the New York Times as “a spontaneously charming musical that is just right for right now.”
Enter the quirky world of Josh Cohen’s New York City apartment… as it is getting robbed. Thus begins the hilarious rock-and-roll romantic comedy about good guy Josh, caught in a lifelong battle with bad luck. Broke and alone, all hope seems lost – until a mysterious letter arrives that changes his life forever. Two actors play the hapless-yet-warmhearted title character – one eventful year apart – in a 90-minute life-changing laugh-fest that will leave you feeling better about the world.
DCPA, Garner Galleria Theatre, 1101 13th St, Denver
Thurs./Fri./Sat./Sun., 7:30 p.m.; Sat./Sun. 2:00 p.m.
Tickets: $46
Thursday-Sunday, April 7-10
PRIZE-WINNER: HURRICANE DIANE
Meet Diane– a permaculture gardener dripping with butch charm. (And keeping one, teeny-tiny secret.) Diane has supernatural powers. Probably because Diane’s not really Diane at all. She’s the Greek God Dionysus, in disguise and on a mission to gather mortal followers and restore the modern Earth to its natural state. Where better to begin than with four desperate housewives in a suburban New Jersey cul-de-sac? Don’t worry. It all makes perfect sense in this Obie-winning comedy with a twist! Pulitzer Prize finalist Madeleine George pens a hilarious evisceration of the blind eye we all turn to climate change and the sloppily drunken catharsis that awaits us. Even in our own suburban backyards.
Janae Burris returns in the title role, after her electrifying Fox debut in last season’s “Queens Girl in the World.”
The Aurora Fox Arts Center, 9900 E. Colfax Ave., Aurora, CO
Thurs.-Sat., 7:30 p.m.; Sun., 2:00 p.m.
Tickets: $40
Phone: 303-739-1970
Friday-Sunday, April 8-10
RACHMANINOFF PIANO CONCERTO
Russian composer, virtuoso pianist, and conductor. Sergei Rachmaninoff is widely considered one of the finest pianists of his day and, as a composer, one of the last great representatives of Romanticism in Russian classical music.
Dynamic Norwegian conductor Rune Bergmann lending elegance and expertise to the “Inextinguishable” Fourth Symphony from Nielsen. Of it, the Danish composer wrote “Music is life, and life is inextinguishable,” and indeed from the very first moment it offers an electrifying jolt of energy and rarely deviates from that dynamism. The addition of Finnish pianist Juho Pohjonen lends a distinctly Scandanavian flavor to this program. Pohjonen shows why he’s considered one of today’s most exciting pianists on Rachmaninoff’s prodigious Second Piano Concerto. Combining glorious melody and swelling orchestration, it’s no secret why this is regarded as one of the best piano concertos ever written. Verdi’s Overture from La forza del destino is theatrical even in its orchestral operatics, adding a fitting flourish to an evening of symphonic exuberance.
Boettcher Concert Hall, 1000 14th Street, Denver
Fri.-Sat., 7:30 p.m.; Sun., 1:00 p.m.
Tickets: $15-$89
Phone: 303-623-7876
THE COMEDY MUSICAL: TOOTSIE
Call it “musical comedy heaven” (Rolling Stone). Call it “the most uproarious new musical in years!” (The Hollywood Reporter). Call it Tootsie!
This laugh-out-loud love letter to the theater tells the story of Michael Dorsey, a talented but difficult actor who struggles to find work until one show-stopping act of desperation lands him the role of a lifetime. Featuring a hilarious Tony®-winning book by Robert Horn and an outrageously clever score by 2018 Tony-winner David Yazbek (The Band’s Visit, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels), this New York Times Critic’s Pick is “a joyful delight” (The Washington Post) that’s “so packed with punchlines, it should be called a jokebox musical!” (Bloomberg). “In these turbulent times, when the world seems out of balance, we need a place to let the good times roll,” raves Rolling Stone. “Tootsie is it!”
Buell Theatre at DCPA, 1350 Curtis St., Denver
Thurs./Sat./Sun., 2:00 & 7:30 p.m.; Fri., 7:30 p.m.
Tickets: $35-$115
Box Office: 303-893-4100
JEFF ROSS LIVE!
Jeff Ross a.k.a. the Roastmaster General is an actor, writer, director, producer, and comedian originally from Newark, New Jersey. Best known for his show-stopping performances at celebrity roasts honoring some of America’s favorite stars such as Charlie Sheen, Flavor Flav, Emmitt Smith, Donald Trump, has crowned him, “The Meanest Man in Comedy.”
Jeff created and starred on The Burn with Jeff Ross on Comedy Central and continues to produce and star in their wildly popular celebrity roast franchise. He’s seen on the big screen in Jeremy Garrelick’s, The Wedding Ringer with Kevin Hart and Josh Gad, as well as, Flock of Dudes with Chris D’Elia. He also starred on ABC’s multi camera comedy pilot Keep It Together, produced by Kevin Hart.
Jeff’s writing credits include the screenplay The Comedian (co-written with Art Linson) and the book, I Only Roast The Ones I Love, published by Simon & Schuster. Jeff continues to tour the world performing live as The Roastmaster General.
Denver Comedy Works, 1226 15th Street Denver
Fri., 9:45; Sat., 9:45; Sun., 7:00 p.m.
Tickets: $30
303-595-3637
CAT ON A HOT TIN ROOF
From the author of A Streetcar Named Desire, comes another scorching drama. When the family gathers in the oppressive Mississippi heat to celebrate Big Daddy’s birthday, old secrets, sexual tensions, and hidden agendas swell just beneath the sweaty surface. After Brick Pollitt injures himself while drunkenly revisiting his high school sports-star days, he and his tempestuous wife, Maggie, visit his family’s Mississippi plantation for the 65th birthday of his hot-tempered father, Big Daddy.
Cantankerous even with declining health, Big Daddy and his wife Big Momma demand to know why Brick and Maggie haven’t yet given him a grandchild, unlike Brick’s brother Gooper and his fecund wife, Mae. Family secrets reveal and unravel themselves on one hot Mississippi night. Tennessee Williams’ searing, poetic portrait of a family’s fight for survival is a 20th century masterpiece.
Vintage Theater, 1468 Dayton St., Aurora
Fri.-Sat., 7:30 p.m.; Sun., 2:30 p.m.
Tickets: $20-34
Phone: 303-856-7830
Saturday, April 9
CHRIS DISTEFANO, LIVE!
Chris first burst onto the scene as a standout on MTV’s talking heads franchise Guy Code/Girl Code, with PopSugar naming him the “funniest guy on MTV.” He went on to star in the IFC series Benders and serve as co-host of Netflix’s Ultimate Beastmaster. He also recently starred in and Co-Executive Produced the Sony/CBS pilot Distefano, based on his life and written by Carter Bays and Craig Thomas, the creators of How I Met Your Mother. In July 2021, Chris hosted Backyard Bar Wars, a home renovation series for the WarnerMedia cable network.
With his first hour standup special premiering, his popular TV series extended, and an overall deal with Comedy Central, Chris has become a favorite with audiences and industry insiders alike.
Paramount Theatre, 1621 Glenarm Pl., Denver
7:30 p.m.
Tickets: $40
303-623-0106
Saturday-Sunday, April 9-10
SPRING MASTERWORKS: CHEROKEE TRAIL
The Cherokee Trail High School will host the Aurora Symphony spring music program to feature the Roman Carnival Overture by Hector Berlioz. Included in the Program are the following performances:
Un bel di vedremo from Madame Butterfly by Giacomo Puccini
Featuring: Margaret Ozaki, soprano
Mon cœur s’ouvre à ta voix from Sampson and Delilah by Camille Saint-Saëns
Featuring: Clea Huston, mezzo-soprano
Fu la sorte dell’armi a’ tuoi funesta from Aida by Giuseppe Verdi
Featuring: Margaret Ozaki, soprano and Clea Huston, mezzo soprano
Intermezzo from Cavalleria Rústicana by Pietro Mascagni La fleur que tu m’avais jetée from Carmen by Georges Bizet
Featuring: Alex Sierra, tenor
Avant deux quitter ces lieux from Faust by Charles Gounod
Featuring: Malcolm Ulbrick, baritone
Au fond du temple saint from Pearl Fishers by Bizet
Featuring: Alex Sierra, tenor and Malcolm Ulbrick, baritone
Bella figlia dell’amore from Rigoletto by Verdi
Featuring: Margaret Ozaki, soprano, Clea Huston, mezzo soprano, Alex Sierra, tenor and Malcolm Ulbrick, baritone
Cherokee Trail High School, 25901 E. Arapahoe Rd., Aurora
Sat., 7:30 p.m.; Sun., 3:00 p.m.
Tickets: $15-$20
NEXT WEEK: Monday, April 11
JOURNEY & TOTO IN CONCERT!
(Photo Credits: Kevin Rolfe)
“Dear friends we’re back!,” reads the post announcing the Journey tour on social media. “Come out and rock with us on our JOURNEY FREEDOM TOUR 2022 with very special guests Billy Idol & Toto.” For Journey, Lead singer, Arniel Pineda has loads of personality on stage, but It’s the music that brings people back to see their lives shows year after year. The songs are so popular, so infectious that even though people would love to see Steve Perry with Journey, the love for Arneil is strong, too. Expect to hear “Don’t Stop Believin,” “Lights,” “Faithfully,” Suzanne,” and “Wheel in the Sky” among others.
And for Toto fans, songs like “Georgy Porgy” and “ Home of the Brave” are sure to bring back a flood of memories forf. Expect to hear TOTO’s cover of The Beatles’ “With a Little Help From My Friends” — Joe Cocker style, “Rosanna” and their mega-hit, “Africa”.
Ball Arena, 1000 Chopper Circle, Denver
7:00 p.m.
Tickets: $142-$2,974
Phone: 303-405-1100
Friday-Sunday, April 15-17
THE ONE-ACT PLAY THAT GOES WRONG
You all know the classic murder mystery story. There has been an untimely death at a country manor, everyone is a suspect, and an inspector is set on the case to find who the culprit is. However, when this play is performed by the accident-prone thespians of The Cornley Drama Society, everything that can go wrong…does! The actors and crew battle against all odds to make it through to their final curtain call, with hilarious consequences! From Mischief, the creators of the West End smash Peter Pan Goes Wrong, critically acclaimed TV series The Goes Wrong Show, and the Tony-winning Broadway hit The Play That Goes Wrong, this is the original one-act play which started everything going wrong. Over the course of an hour, expect a plethora of disasters from missed lines to falling props. Do you ever find out who murdered Charles Haversham? You’ll have to see for yourself!
Vintage Theater, 1468 Dayton St., Aurora
Fri.-Sat., 7:30 p.m.; Sun., 2:30 p.m.
Tickets: $20-34
Phone: 303-856-7830
JERSEY BOYS
“The most exciting musical Broadway has seen in years.” – Chicago Tribune
“The crowd goes wild!” – The New York Times
“Too good to be true!” – New York Post
They were just four guys from Jersey, until they sang their very first note. They had a sound nobody had ever heard… and the radio just couldn’t get enough of. But while their harmonies were perfect on stage, off stage it was a very different story — a story that has made them an international sensation all over again.
Go behind the music and inside the story of Frankie Valli and The Four Seasons in the Tony and Grammy Award®-winning true-life musical phenomenon, JERSEY BOYS. From the streets of New Jersey to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, this is the musical that’s just too good to be true.
Featuring the legendary top ten hits:
“Sherry” • “Big Girls Don’t Cry” • “Walk Like A Man” • “Can’t Take My Eyes Off You” • “December, 1963 (Oh What A Night)”
Buell Theatre at DCPA, 1350 Curtis St., Denver
Thurs./Sat./Sun., 2:00 & 7:30 p.m.; Fri., 7:30 p.m.
Tickets: $35-$115
Box Office: 303-893-4100
BALLET MASTERWORKS
Colorado Ballet’s season crescendos to a mesmerizing close with a compilation of unique works of art, combining unforgettable music and incredible physical expression. This dynamic program includes George Balanchine’s Theme and Variations, Jirí Kylián’s Petite Mort and Twyla Tharp’s Nine Sinatra Songs. Experience this program featuring world-renowned masterpieces that profoundly impacted the art form and remain central to 20th century innovative repertoire.
Ellie Caulkins Opera House, DCPA, 1386 Curtis St., Denver
Fri., 7:30 p.m.; Sat./Sun., 2:00 & 7:30 p.m.
Tickets: $40-$160
Saturday, April 16
BRIAN SIMPSON AND STEVE OLIVER: TOGETHER AGAIN
After graduating from Northern Illinois University, keyboardist and composer Brian Simpson relocated to Los Angeles where he was soon playing alongside musicians Gerald Albright and Norman Brown and eventually on a world tour with Janet Jackson.
In 1990 Simpson received a call from George Duke that led to a decade of touring and production work with the late jazz legend. It was his tenure with George that led to working with a variety of artists, from James Ingram and Anita Baker to Dave Koz and Wayman Tisdale.
With a career spanning over 25 years in music, multi-instrumentalist, singer, songwriter and producer Steve Oliver is still being heard each day on contemporary and smooth jazz radio around the world.His career has produced multiple #1 hits on the Billboard charts and countless radio staples over nearly two decades – including with his latest album “Unified” (2020) – a collaboration with keyboardist Brian Simpson that has reached the #1 spot on the Billboard and Amazon jazz sales charts.
Soiled Dove Underground, 7401 E. 1st Ave., Denver
7:00 p.m.
Tickets: $25-$35
MAHLER 2 “RESURRECTION”
Celebrate the return of your Colorado Symphony Chorus in their first classical performance since February 2020, joining the Colorado Symphony, guest conductor Peter Oundjian, and a pair of vocal soloists for a special Easter weekend performance of Mahler’s colossal “Resurrection” symphony. This monumental work deals with nothing less than the meaning of life, as Mahler confronts an existential quest for understanding amid life’s myriad challenges and incomprehensibilities. A gripping, emotional work of sheer brilliance, Mahler concludes with an expression of hope and optimism that will leave you simply spellbound.
Boettcher Concert Hall, 1000 14th Street, Denver
7:30 p.m
Tickets: $15-$89
Phone: 303-623-7876
The Arts, Music and More Near Southshore!
Enjoy Life at the Lake in the master-planned community of Southshore—and find all sorts of entertainment within easy reach! You can personalize your living space – just check out the beautiful model homes from Taylor Morrison, Richmond American Homes, and Century Communities. It’s easy to picture yourself in your own new home here, priced from the $500s to the $800s.