As summer gets into gear, the local theatrical scene is in full swing. From an imaginative immersive experience to a heartfelt musical comedy and a beloved cult classic, here’s a closer look at what worked — and what needed work.
Whimsical world
The world premiere of Impossible Thingsat the Museum of Outdoor Arts is a fantastical spin on Lonnie Hanzon’s Cabinet of Curiosities and Impossibilities, a permanent installation of oddities at the museum’s new Marjorie Park headquarters. This immersive theater experience, created by Hanzon Studios and Boulder-based experimental troupe The Catamounts, begins with the high school graduation party for a nonbinary teenager named Alex. From there, it quickly evolves into a surreal fairytale of memories and possibilities.
Directed by Amanda Berg Wilson and written by Jessica Austgen, the production boasts an all-Colorado cast that guides you through the whimsical experience. Attendees are dropped into conversations with Alex and their supportive, albeit slightly abrasive, family as guests at a reception designed by the preppy “award-winning” party planner Barb (Maggie Tisdale).
After speeches from family members including Mom (Betty Hart) and Dad (Mark Collins), it becomes increasingly clear that Alex has no idea what they want from the future. This question serves as the audience’s call to adventure, as the “guests” are divided into five small groups and led through various scenes in Hanzon’s installation and other areas of the Marjorie Park outdoor sculpture garden. From there, visitors explore the venue — featuring more than 40 pieces designed after settings like the tea party from Alice in Wonderland — to meet fantastical characters such as Mother Goose, Mr. Grimm and the Ugly Duckling, who are played by the same actors as Alex’s family and offer advice at locations throughout the park.
Mel Schaffer’s portrayal of Alex captures the character’s inner turmoil and indecision about their uncertain next steps with grace. The rest of the cast, including Joan Bruemmer-Holden, Collins, Hart, Chris Kendall, Min Kyung (Cecillia) Kim and Tisdale, each bring gravitas to their often dual roles as family members and fantasy characters from Hanzon’s exhibition. The result is an enchanting experience that makes an excellent addition to Colorado’s thriving immersive arts community.
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ON STAGE: Impossible Things. Through Sunday, June 16, Museum of Outdoor Arts, 6331 South Fiddler’s Green Circle, Greenwood Village. $45
Uneven outing
The Prom, now playing at Littleton’s Town Hall Arts Center, is a musical comedy that aims to tackle LGBTQ+ themes with humor but often stumbles in its execution. The story follows four Broadway stars who seek redemption after a career-halting flop by championing a cause: helping a young woman take her girlfriend to the prom in a small Indiana town after she was banned from attending the dance by the school board.
Directed by Nathan Halvorson, the production features energetic performances from Megan Schraeder as Emma Nolan, Gavin Juckette as Trent Oliver and Piper Lindsay Arpan as Angie Dickinson. However, the show’s balance of social commentary and theatrical inside jokes is awkwardly juxtaposed, and the set design by M. Curtis Grittner — primarily centered around the high school gym — is overly elaborate and constraining.
Despite these drawbacks, Carrie Colton’s splashy, though slightly compact, choreography and the vibrant, rainbow-colored lighting design by Kate Bashore maximize the 260-seat theater, particularly in group numbers like “Love Thy Neighbor.” While the use of a backing track instead of live musicians detracts from the musical’s dynamism, the cast’s enthusiasm make it an enjoyable, if somewhat uneven, night at the theater.
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ON STAGE: The Prom. Through Saturday, June 22, Town Hall Arts Center, 2450 West Main St., Littleton. $34-$52
Rocky Horror rocks
Pride Month no longer “shivers with antici…pation” after The Arts HUB’s screening of The Rocky Horror Picture Show, starring Denver’s beloved Rocky Horror shadow cast: Colorado’s Elusive Ingredient. This cult classic, known for its audience participation and campy embrace of gender fluidity, invites guests to shout lines at the screen, throw props at the stage and sing along as Dr. Frank-N-Furter seeks to bring life to a hunky plaything inside his castle.
The Arts HUB’s intimate setting, which can accommodate nearly 200 people, strengthens the bond between the cast and the audience by reducing the separation between spectator and spectacle to almost nothing. This connection was bolstered by prop bags for audience members containing noisemakers and other items to use throughout the show.
Standout performances include the debut of a cast member billed as Motherdaddy, who plays the naive Janet, and Casper Smith as the romantic Brad whose dynamic presence energized the crowd. However, the performance did face a few challenges. The lack of captions or prompts for audience callouts left some attendees confused, especially those less familiar with the Rocky Horror tradition. Despite this, the dedicated fans in the crowd kept the energy high.
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ON STAGE: The Rocky Horror Picture Show featuring Colorado’s Elusive Ingredient. Friday, June 21, DCPA - Studio Loft, 980 14th St., Denver. $14 | Saturday, June 29, Esquire Theater, 590 N. Downing St., Denver. Sold out