COLORADO THEATER REVIEWS

In the history of musical theater certain shows have had their place in time while others seem to transcend lifetimes. Parents bring their children to the same musical that their parents brought them to at their age and suddenly a new family tradition has started. The nice thing about traditions is ...

You won't hear me complain about a musical with male strippers, but I got a lot more than I bargained for with The Full Monty, now playing at Rocky Mountain Repertory Theatre....

Let's be honest - you probably know exactly how you feel about Annie before you take your seat. You're either set to swoon over the spunky little orphan or groan after she reprises 'Tomorrow' a third time....

Disney has a history of fantasy. Truly, this is the area in which they find their greatest achievements. Bringing such magic to the stage has long been in their wheelhouse. However, the land of imagination is not limited to fantasy. In Disney's Newsies, the only magic in the air is that which comes ...

Even though its source material is a children's book, The Secret Garden plays on stage with a complex emotional maturity....

As a child of the 90s, the classic Disney movies have a special place in my heart. The company's track record of transforming these tales into full-length musical productions has always been met with anticipation of how the magic of the movies will blossom on stage. The Little Mermaid, the current p...

Over time, we have come to a point where the musical theater genre is as identifiable as any other genre. In today's age, we have come full circle in that the line between musical theater and other genres is thinner than ever. Lin Manuel's Hamilton is a perfect example of the next generation of musi...

Theater is a business built on fantasy. We attend productions with suspended disbelief in an effort to step into a world different than our own, and yet, some of the most groundbreaking theatrical works are grounded in historical reference. Some of these shows are on my list of personal favorites, a...

Throughout musical theatre history, there have been many shows that have set a new standard for the stage. Among them are those that become classics of the musical theatre repertoire, such as Fiddler on the Roof, Carousel, and Candlelight's latest production, Man of La Mancha....

The Who's rock opera has come a long way since its 1969 release as a concept album....

Musicals generally give me all kinds of feels, but Passing Strange hit me deep. Give me an existential journey and I'm totally on board, but present it the way this musical does, and it could change the way you look at your own life....

In case you are unfamiliar, Ragtime tells the story of three distinct groups of people in the early 1900s: highbrow Caucasians, middle-class African-Americans and poverty-driven immigrants, each with a titular character to represent the trials and tribulations they must overcome or be succumbed. Alt...

Originally a 1930s propaganda film, this parody musical follows the lives of Jimmy and Mary and their introduction to the devil's lettuce, leading them on a hysterical downward spiral filled with evil jazz music, sex and violence. Also a movie-musical, Reefer Madness is full of memorable songs and g...

Art isn't easy, but the Arvada Center has the kind of finesse to make it look that way....

There are some kinds of magic you think might be only possible with genies--and then Disney creates another Broadway musical....

In Sisters of Swing, produced by Town Hall Arts Center, the lives of LaVerne, Maxene and Patty, are put on display as they sing their way through the years. The show follows the sisters from their early days on the road and rise in fame to their dissembling over irreconcilable differences. With a sc...

Nowadays, you can argue anything is art. But I've never questioned if graffiti was. The bigger question is where it belongs, examined in DCPA Off-Center's latest feature....

A Kid Like Jake, by Daniel Pearle, is Benchmark's second-season opener. Directed by Warren Sherrill, the engaging one-act examines modern parenting and how society can pressure children out of authenticity....

If you think you've seen Into The Woods too many times, allow Performance Now's current production to change your mind....

It takes a bit of push to get me to attend more classical works of musical theatre. I didn't grow up with the movies, so the nostalgia is a little lost on me. That being said, I was excited to see the tour of the Lincoln Center's recent production of The King and I, which nabbed a Tony Award for Bes...

It's no surprise I love a musical about pie, but its recipe is what makes Waitress so delectable....

Sometimes you don't need a lavish design to make a musical about Vegas play well. I mean, it would have definitely brought another level to Vintage Theatre's current musical production of Honeymoon in Vegas, but the cast is what gives this one its dazzle....

Rent was one of the first musicals I truly loved. My affinity for musicals didn't start as early as a lot of theatre people I know. I first picked up Rent in junior high, a 2-disc set from the library. I'd borrow it over and over until I learned all the words. Rent is the reason why angsty rock m...

Hot. Shredded. Cheese. You know what I'm talking about. That gooey kind that stretches from the plate to your mouth, and you just can't get enough. That's how BDT Stage's current '80s jukebox musical Rock of Ages feels....

Sometimes I wait to pay attention to a certain musical until I can experience it fully. That was the case with Something Rotten!, currently on tour playing the Denver Center for the Performing Arts. I've been impatiently avoiding listening to the music since its release but let me tell you, the wait...