Theatre:
“Bright Star”
By Steve Martin and Edie Brickell
- Sept. 28-30, 7:30 p.m.
- Oct. 5-7, 7:30 p.m.
- Oct. 8, 2:30 p.m.
Mild adult themes;
Eugenia Rawls Courtyard Theatre – Directed by Carrie Colton
Inspired by a true story and featuring a Tony-nominated score by Steve Martin and Edie Brickell, Broadway musical “Bright Star” tells a sweeping tale of love and redemption set against the rich backdrop of the American South in the 1920s and ’40s. When literary editor Alice Murphy meets a young soldier just home from World War II, he awakens her longing for the child she once lost. Inspired by their unique connection, Alice sets out on a journey to understand her past. What she finds has the power to transform both of their lives. With beautiful melodies and powerfully moving characters, the story unfolds as a rich tapestry of deep emotion. An uplifting theatrical journey that holds an audience tightly in its grasp, “Bright Star” is as refreshingly genuine as it is daringly hopeful.
“Girls Like That”
By Evan Placey
- Nov. 9-11, 7:30 p.m.
- Nov. 16-18, 7:30 p.m.
- Nov. 19, 2:30 p.m.
Adult themes, images and language
Studio Theatre
Directed by Julia Mitchell
This urgent, explosive play explores the pressures on young people today amid advancing technology. The play tells the coming-of-age story of a group of 10 schoolgirls through high school. Friendship bonds and notions of sexuality are tested when a naked photo of Scarlett, a girl from their class, goes viral.
Metropolitan State University of Denver’s Department of Theatre and Dance has two full productions and a slew of dance performances in the works for the fall season.
Each production’s selection process is traditionally done by the program coordinators and is a comprehensive and tedious project. Once the shows are selected, the harder work begins. Putting a show together can take thousands of combined person-hours per show among the director, designers, students and production manager.
How to attend
MSU Denver faculty and staff members can purchase tickets for $11 with a valid ID; other adults are $21; seniors and non-MSU Denver students are $11; and MSU Denver students can attend for free.
Dance:
Sans Souci Festival of Dance Cinema:
The Dance company at MSU Denver will host the Sans Souci Festival of Dance Cinema for a dance-film showing and live performance Oct. 13. This will be co-directed by Michelle Bernier, executive director and artistic co-director of the Sans Souci Festival of Dance Cinema, and Nicole Predki, faculty/Dance program co-director at MSU Denver. The event will include a Dance Cinema showing and a live performance that includes MSU Denver dancers.
Center for Visual Arts Partnership performance:
This season with MSU Denver Dance also brings a new partnership with the Center for Visual Art for an event at the CVA on Oct. 20 at 6:30 p.m. This collaborative dance performance is inspired by works and themes featured in the CVA’s “Women to Watch” exhibition. Students from the Choreography 2 course will engage with this compelling exhibition by creating and performing original dance works in conversation with the visual artwork.
This event, whose title has not been selected, is a fully collaborative effort that will be co-directed by Cecily Cullen, CVA director and curator, and Leslie Merrill Schmidt, faculty/Dance program co-director at MSU Denver. The show will be free, and those interested in attending will be asked to preregister through a link on the CVA website as the event gets closer.
Cleo Parker Robinson Dance and MSU Denver:
An MSU Denver fall dance performance at the Cleo Parker Robinson Dance Theatre will be the weekend of Nov. 10. Students in the Dance Production course organize all aspects of this performance from start to finish. They come up with the performance theme, auditions, marketing, fundraising, etc.
“Essentially, the students are running a small business from concept to fruition,” said Nicole Predki, who will officially direct this performance. The objective is to give the students a real-world experience in producing a professional-level performance from the ground up.
The MSU Dance Ensemble will also have some pop-up performances throughout the semester on campus and in metro Denver. Everyone is welcome to attend.
Keep your calendar up to date:
MSU Denver’s THAD productions and events webpage is the best location for upcoming show dates, times and tickets.
The MSU Denver Theatre and Dance Facebook page is consistently updated with upcoming performances and productions.
Similarly, the @msudenvertheatreanddance Instagram page is a great way to get sneak previews of the wonderful talent within the department.
