Photos: My night at LIDA Project’s ‘The Hairy Ape’

Lorenzo Sariñana prepares backstage to perform  “The Hairy Ape” along with a skeletally inclined narrator and five mannequins — all speaking in a different language than he does.   By John Moore May 19, 2013 Welcome to my ongoing, 2013 labor-of-love photo series bringing you iconic snapshots from behind the scenes on opening nights in… Continue reading Photos: My night at LIDA Project’s ‘The Hairy Ape’

Photos: My night at Boulder Ensemble’s ‘Bach at Leipzig’

  By John Moore May 8, 2013 Welcome to my ongoing, 2013 labor-of-love photo series bringing you iconic snapshots from behind the scenes on opening nights in Colorado theater. All photos by John Moore copyright 2013 for www.CultureWest.Org. Opening No. 67: Boulder Ensemble Theatre Company’s “Bach at Leipzig”: Opening night for the theater company that… Continue reading Photos: My night at Boulder Ensemble’s ‘Bach at Leipzig’

Photos: My night at Rocky Mountain Deaf Theatre’s ‘Murder at the Howard Johnson’s’

  By John Moore May 8, 2013 Welcome to my ongoing, 2013 labor-of-love photo series bringing you iconic snapshots from behind the scenes on opening nights in Colorado theater. All photos by John Moore copyright 2013 for www.CultureWest.Org. Opening No. 66: Rocky Mountain Deaf Theatre’s “Murder at the Howard Johnson’s”: There’s not another theater company… Continue reading Photos: My night at Rocky Mountain Deaf Theatre’s ‘Murder at the Howard Johnson’s’

Moore on Moore: You can’t say ‘director’ without ‘dire’

How our overture looked and sounded to the audience (above)   The photo above shows how we staged the climactic song, “True Love,” just after Patsy Cline’s death. You can see how Megan Van De Hey (Patsy) was silhouetted in Louise’s window, singing (live) while a grainy video recording of her singing the same song… Continue reading Moore on Moore: You can’t say ‘director’ without ‘dire’

‘Step Up to the Mic’: A special karaoke party fundraiser June 1

  By John Moore May 5, 2013 This has been a time of extraordinary personal challenge for members of the Colorado theater community. Many of our friends have found themselves in great and sudden need, and with numbing regularity: Shelly Bordas’ terminal cancer prognosis. Frank Oteri and Max Peterson facing expensive colon surgeries. Robert Michael… Continue reading ‘Step Up to the Mic’: A special karaoke party fundraiser June 1

Fund to aid actor Robert Michael Sanders launches like a rocket

Robert Michael Sanders and Megan Van De Hey. Photo by Ellen Kaye. Below right, Sanders appears in the Denver Center’s “I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change,” with Shannan Steele, Daniel Langhoff and Lauren Shealy. Photo by Terry Shapiro.   By John Moore May 2, 2013 A modest effort by friends of a hospitalized Denver… Continue reading Fund to aid actor Robert Michael Sanders launches like a rocket

Photos: My night at the Arvada Center’s Dividing the Estate’

 “Dividing the Estate” cast members Ghandia Johnson (far left) and Kristen Adele (far right), are joined at the afterparty by Adrienne Martin-Fullwood, Sheila Traister, Lisa Young, Kathi Wood and Candy Brown.   By John Moore May 1, 2013 Welcome to my ongoing, 2013 labor-of-love photo series bringing you iconic snapshots from behind the scenes on… Continue reading Photos: My night at the Arvada Center’s Dividing the Estate’

Photos: My night at Miners Alley’s ‘The Memory of Water’

  By John Moore May 1, 2013 Welcome to my ongoing, 2013 labor-of-love photo series bringing you iconic snapshots from behind the scenes on opening nights in Colorado theater. All photos by John Moore copyright 2013 for www.CultureWest.Org. Opening No. 61: Miners Alley Playhouse’s “The Memory of Water”: Anyone who has read the “religious views”… Continue reading Photos: My night at Miners Alley’s ‘The Memory of Water’

Photos: My night at Buntport’s ‘A Knight to Remember’

Brian Colonna’s adventures are subtitled, “My Quest to Gallantly Recapture the Past.”   By John Moore April 30, 2013 Welcome to my ongoing, 2013 labor-of-love photo series bringing you iconic snapshots from behind the scenes on opening nights in Colorado theater. All photos by John Moore copyright 2013 for www.CultureWest.Org. Opening No. 60: Buntport Theater’s… Continue reading Photos: My night at Buntport’s ‘A Knight to Remember’

10 years and 2 days later, the first openly gay athlete in team sports history

By John Moore April 29, 2013 It’s hard for me to believe it was 10 years and 2 days ago that I wrote the following story about the new Broadway play “Take Me Out,” which imagined the serious repercussions of the first openly gay male athlete in the history of team sports. As of today,… Continue reading 10 years and 2 days later, the first openly gay athlete in team sports history

Photos: My night at square product’s ‘The Ding Dongs’

The world might run a little more peaceably if people only respected other people’s door signs.   By John Moore April 28, 2013 Welcome to my ongoing, 2013 labor-of-love photo series bringing you iconic snapshots from behind the scenes on opening nights in Colorado theater. All photos by John Moore for www.CultureWest.Org. Opening No. 59:… Continue reading Photos: My night at square product’s ‘The Ding Dongs’

Photos: My Night at ‘Glengarry Glen Ross’

If you’ve ever been backstage at the Mary Miller Theatre, you know the largest single space back there is the bathroom. So that’s where I gathered the eight members of director Ian Gerber’s cast for this portrait, which sort of seems appropriate for a play as hilariously pocked with potty language as David Mamet’s profanity-laced… Continue reading Photos: My Night at ‘Glengarry Glen Ross’

Photos: My night at The Edge’s ‘The Shadow Box’

 Haley Johnson, left, with “Shadow Box” castmate Patty Ionoff.   By John Moore April 24, 2013 Welcome to my ongoing, 2013 labor-of-love photo series bringing you iconic snapshots from behind the scenes on opening nights in Colorado theater. All photos by John Moore for www.CultureWest.Org.     Opening No. 56: The Edge Theatre’s “The Shadow… Continue reading Photos: My night at The Edge’s ‘The Shadow Box’

Photos: Opening weekend of ‘Always … Patsy Cline’

From left: Carla Kaiser Kotrc as Louise, music director Jalyn Courtenay Webb and Megan Van De Hey as Patsy Cline.   By John Moore April 14, 2013 Opening No. 54: Starkey Theatrix’s “Always … Patsy Cline”: Photos from opening weekend, including an on-stage proposal! Starring Megan Van De Hey as Patsy Cline and Carla Kaiser… Continue reading Photos: Opening weekend of ‘Always … Patsy Cline’

Photos: My night at the Arvada Center’s ‘The Man of La Mancha’

William Michals, left, and Ben Dicke, who play Don Quixote and Sancho Panza, strike their pre-show poses.   By John Moore April 1, 2013 Welcome to my ongoing, 2013 labor-of-love photo series bringing you iconic snapshots from behind the scenes on opening nights in Colorado theater. All photos by John Moore for www.CultureWest.Org. Opening No.… Continue reading Photos: My night at the Arvada Center’s ‘The Man of La Mancha’

Video: Oskar Eustis on the American theater: ‘The worst of both worlds is happening’

Video by John Moore for CultureWest.Org.   By John Moore April 3, 2013 Public Theatre artistic director Oskar Eustis does not mince words when speaking about the state of the American theater. While in some ways it is healthier than it has ever been, especially in the areas of diversity and decentralization, he also says… Continue reading Video: Oskar Eustis on the American theater: ‘The worst of both worlds is happening’

Outtakes: My night at ‘Tell Martha Not to Moan’

  By John Moore, March 24, 2013 Opening No. 52: Athena Project Festival’s “Tell Martha Not to Moan”:  The play, by Clinnesha D. Sibley, looks at the changing world through an African-American home in Detroit 2007. As the presidential campaign plays out on the national stage and the 40th commemoration of the Detroit Riot is… Continue reading Outtakes: My night at ‘Tell Martha Not to Moan’

Breaking news: Fourth actor takes reins of “Other Desert Cities” in its final weekend

Kate Berry stars in “Other Desert Cities” at the Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center. Photo by Jeff Kearney.   By John Moore March 30, 2013 There’s been another twist in the wild tale of the Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center’s Colorado premiere of the celebrated play “Other Desert Cities.” David Hastings is now the fourth… Continue reading Breaking news: Fourth actor takes reins of “Other Desert Cities” in its final weekend

Anatomy of a theater director: A daily Q&A with Colorado’s creative minds

  By John Moore May 3, 2013 My return to directing (“Always … Patsy Cline,” which closed April 27 at the PACE Center), had me revisiting a story idea I always wanted to do for The Denver Post, but never got around to: The anatomy of the theater director. So I am doing it now,… Continue reading Anatomy of a theater director: A daily Q&A with Colorado’s creative minds

Outtakes: My night at ‘Pardon My Dust’

Billie McBride as Dorothy Parker.   By John Moore, March 24, 2013 Opening No. 50, And Toto Too Productions’ “Pardon My Dust”: “I don’t care what anybody says about me … as long as it isn’t true.” That’s one of the many Dorothy Parker witticisms actor Billie McBride quick-fires while portraying one of the greatest… Continue reading Outtakes: My night at ‘Pardon My Dust’

Outtakes: My day at Magic Moments’ ‘Spirit & Soul’

  By John Moore, March 24, 2013 Opening No. 49, Magic Moments’ “Spirit & Soul”: That’s 193 people — count ’em! — at the curtain call for Magic Moments’ 30th annual pop-music revue at Kent Denver High School. Magic Moments integrates disabled and able-bodied cast members of all abilities, ages and experience levels for a… Continue reading Outtakes: My day at Magic Moments’ ‘Spirit & Soul’

Revisiting “Marisol” in Colorado Springs means revisiting Armageddon in New York

  By John Moore March 24, 2013 There’s a lot that’s still freaking me out about revisiting the apocalyptic drama “Marisol” for the first time in eight years last Sunday — not the least of which is that afterward, I couldn’t concretely answer when I was asked how Theatre ‘d Art’s current staging in Colorado… Continue reading Revisiting “Marisol” in Colorado Springs means revisiting Armageddon in New York

Outtakes: My night at Theatre ‘d Art’s ‘Marisol’

“I’m looking for my lost skin. Have you seen my lost skin? It was once very pretty. We were very close. I was really attached to it.” — Joseph Forbeck, as “Man with Scar Tissue.” In this photo, Forbeck in the process of having his makeup applied backstage by artist Sarah Nasatka.   By John… Continue reading Outtakes: My night at Theatre ‘d Art’s ‘Marisol’

Outtakes: My night at UC-CS’s “Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson”

Sunday’s performance was preceded by a theater conversation between Kevin Landis, left; legendary Public Theatre producer Oskar Eustis, who brought “Bloody” to Broadway in 2010; and “Bloody” composer Michael Friedman. Watch for the video podcast to come.   By John Moore March 20, 2013 Opening No. 46, “Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson”: Students at the University… Continue reading Outtakes: My night at UC-CS’s “Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson”

Outtakes: My night at the grand re-opening of The Edge Theatre

The Edge Theatre’s new storefront  at 1560 Teller St. in Lakewood. The grand re-opening was marked on March 15 with a party and the opening performance of David Mamet’s “Race.”   By John Moore March 20, 2013 Opening No. 45, “Race”: The Edge Theatre has moved 2 miles east, into a new, 99-seat theater in… Continue reading Outtakes: My night at the grand re-opening of The Edge Theatre

Magic Moments’ rotund roster includes some big-name local actors

It is not uncommon for more than 200 people to participate in the annual Magic Moments pop-rock revue. This year’s crew includes some established names in the local theater community, including Amy Board, Sarah Rex, Ronni Gallup, Keegan Flaugh, Mark Shonsey, Dana Hart Lubeck, Donna Debreceni, David Nehls and others.   By John Moore March… Continue reading Magic Moments’ rotund roster includes some big-name local actors

Outtakes: My night at the Local Lab New Play Festival in Boulder

From left: Meridith Crosley Grundei, Lorenzo Gonzalez, Pun Bandhu, Rachel Fowler, George A. Keller and Belita Moreno read from Deborah Zoe Laufer’s Informed Consent.”   By John Moore March 19, 2013 Opening No. 44, Local Lab New Play Festival: The Local Lab is an annual weekend of three new American play readings at the picturesque… Continue reading Outtakes: My night at the Local Lab New Play Festival in Boulder

Outtakes: My night at Lakewood High School’s ‘Les Misérables’

Connor Kingsley, center, who plays Marius, gathers the cast in the hallway outside the school auditorium to salute director Tami LoSasso after an ambitious opening performance of “Les Misérables” on March 13.   By John Moore, March 14, 2013 My ongoing, 2013 labor-of-love photo series, “It’s Opening Night in Colorado Theater,” brings you one intimate,… Continue reading Outtakes: My night at Lakewood High School’s ‘Les Misérables’

Photos: My day at ‘Lilly’s Purple Plastic Purse’

Stage manager Emily MacIntyre has no defense for Brian Landis Folkins’ whiskery charms before Sunday’s first public performance of the Denver Children’s Theatre’s “Lilly’s Purple Plastic Purse” at the Mizel Arts and Culture Center.   By John Moore March 13, 2013 Opening No. 41, “Lilly’s Purple Plastic Purse”: “Lilly” is back for a second staging… Continue reading Photos: My day at ‘Lilly’s Purple Plastic Purse’

Photos: My night at the Galleria’s ‘The Doyle & Debbie Show’

  By John Moore March 13, 2013 Opening No. 39, “The Doyle & Debbie Show”: The latest cabaret show to move into the Garner-Galleria is this simultaneous homage to, and parody of, country music’s iconic duos. Doyle Mayfield, an old-guard country star with a handful of old-school hits, is reviving his career — 30 years,… Continue reading Photos: My night at the Galleria’s ‘The Doyle & Debbie Show’