Jon Bee - Page 3

I’ve always had a soft spot for the songs of yesteryear. Jukebox musicals usually leave me in a happy place by the time the show ends. In the case of Million Dollar Quartet at Arvada, this show left me feeling the same way I felt from the moment it started - joyful.

Let me start by saying how lovely it was to sit and enjoy live theater again after so much time away. As we all start to come out of the woodwork and step into a new world, I stand ready and exhilarated for the new renaissance of art that is headed our direction. Welcoming me to this new age was Candlelight Theatre’s staff, cast, and crew and their current production, Little Women.

We don't always get to choose our family. Often, there are at least a couple black sheep in every family. But what happens when everyone is the black sheep?

As a long time thespian, I have seen first-hand what happens when a performance does not go according to plan. In fact, it is through theater that I learned the important concept of "cope and adjust." But what happens when everything goes up in flames? Well, you cope and adjust, until the last flame burns out. Such is the case in the latest show to hit DCPA, The Play That Goes Wrong.

In Cherry Creek Theatre's current production of A Little Night Music, the talented storm the stage to produce a cohesive and clean production. 

As children grow older, it is almost a requirement to leave the world of princesses and fairies behind you. But what happens when the princesses grow up too? This is where we find them in BDT's newest staging of Disenchanted.

In Candlelight Dinner Playhouse's current production of Nonsense, things go awry after one of the Little Sisters of Hoboken accidentally poisons more than half of the nuns. In an effort to raise funds and reman stable, those that are left decide to put on a variety show for the community where things don't go exactly as planned.

One of my earliest Christmas memories is watching the movie version of White Christmas with my family. To this day, it is still a valued family tradition to sit back and tune in to a film that defined part of my childhood, as I'm sure it did for many. With the stage version on the road, it is the perfect opportunity to dive headfirst into the holiday spirit.

A Christmas Carol in and of itself, is a Christmas tradition, if not for all, certainly for many families across the world. In fact, when the book first went to print on December 19, 1843, it sold out by Christmas Eve. I suppose the story has been a tradition for some stemming back generations; back to the beginning. AT DCPA, the telling of A Christmas Carol is what many look forward to each holiday season, and this year's production does not disappoint. 

Some shows in the Christmas theatre canon are taken from classic stories such as A Christmas Carol, while others perhaps form a more original holiday tale. And then there are the special few that can only be described as "cult-classic." In A Christmas Story, we once again meet little Ralphie and his family as he hopes for a Red Ryder Carbine Action BB Gun from Santa - or at least his parents. From the infamous scene at the flag pole to the leg-lamp in the window for all the neighbors to see, this current production at BDT Stage has it all for those wishing to live out a live version of their favorite Christmas movie. 

Opera is not just a classical style of performance. It is the foundation for everything that would come after. Thus, knowing where we came from is just as important as knowing where we're going. In Opera Colorado's production of Verdi's La Traviata, the classical art form is presented at it's best with elements of both the past and present.

Art, as we know, is subjective. It can also be beautiful, controversial, awe-inspiring, or sometimes all of the above. But what happens when art comes between religion and family? In the current production at Cherry Creek Theatre, My Name is Asher Lev, a boy learns these struggles at an early age, but doesn't understand what they mean until it's too late.

Did you ever have an imaginary friend as a child? Perhaps something like a "heffalump" or even fairy godparents? Creative minds will take children far, but what about an adult man whose best friend is a six foot tall invisible rabbit? We might say he is in need of some psychological assistance. In the classic, Harvey, that's exactly the scenario we find at the home of Elwood P. Dowd, his sister, Veta Louise Simmons, and her daughter, Myrtle Mae.

It's no secret that entertainment culture has an obsession with sequels and beyond. Movie trilogies become sagas and soon enough Jude Law is playing young Albus Dumbledore. This desire to expand the story; to pick up where you left off is prevalent even on the stage, although perhaps not as regularly. In Andrew Llyod Webber's Love Never Dies, the story isn't over just yet for Christine Daae, The Phantom, and many other important players from it's predecessor, The Phantom of the Opera. 

Not all shows need to have exuberant sets, notable actors, or even a solidified plotlines to be impactful. As we move further and further into the age of 'contemporary musical theater,' more song cycles - shows composed primarily of music with no dialogue and presented themes instead of a plot - are making their way into the limelight. Musicals like Edges and Smokey Joe's Cafe are among those that have cemented their place in time, as is Songs for a New World, currently playing at the Aurora Fox Arts Center.

Teen angst is not something to ignore. Often times, it is the only semblance of emotion that youths exhibit in hopes of finding comfort from others and answers from themselves. Just as these emotions are real, so too is the music that exemplifies these feelings. The combination of these ideas leads us to such musical performances as Green Day's American Idiot at Town Hall Arts Center.

In today's musical theater songbook, you'd probably find a handful of tunes from bio-shows and juke box musicals. From Carole King to Elvis Presley, there plenty of stories to tell, even if they are not those of the music artists. In Arvada's latest production, Mamma Mia, music sensation ABBA is highlighted in all the right ways. 

Not every tale begins with 'once upon a time' just as they are not always a love story. Rather, a different kind of love - an equally important love - is presented. In Candlelight's Dinner Playhouse's latest production, Mary Poppins, the love between children and adults, whether it be between kids and their parents or a lovable, stern nanny, is the certain focal point.

In some ways, history is all we have in terms of building a brighter future. At times, we either forget that history, or we never learn about such events that would lead us to make more informed decisions. Remembering historical events clearly isn't the most sought after activity to spend your time. Thus enters the world of theater, where people come to delve into stories and as an added bonus walk out after the show a little more educated than they were walking in. Such was the case for myself in taking in DCPA's production of Vietgone.

Throughout history, performance artists have become staples in pop culture, many of which can rightfully claim "icon" status. However, aside from music performance, songwriting has long been an underrated quality in the music industry. Even if songwriters become notable performers, it is not always widely known that they have written, and continue to write, for other top artists. Such is the case of Carole King, as told by Beautiful, The Carole King Musical.