Last night, my friend CJ and I sat in the very front row for the opening night of Hair at Denver Center. And let me say first that it was utterly brilliant.
But you probably need a little background. Hair focuses on a group of young hippies protesting the draft in 1967. They're wild and free, and they live in a psychedelic world of drugs, peace, and free love. There are several main guys: Berger, Claude, Woof, and Hud. Claude gets drafted, and of course the other hippies encourage him to burn his draft card. But he cannot do it. He goes to the war.
Though this plot may seem sad, Hair is possibly the happiest show I've ever seen. The energy on stage is evident throughout the entire show, and every single cast member seems overjoyed to be alive. It felt like I was really in the '60s, and although I can't say I was alive at that time, my mom assured me that the '60s really were that groovy.
The costumes were colorful, authentic, and fabulous. The set looked like a black light poster. The plot and characters were engaging and fun. And the audience obviously enjoyed the production. Everyone was laughing, clapping, and grinning. I even saw a few people get up and start dancing.
The music was brilliant. It was jubilant and victorious at times, dramatic and sad at others, and peaceful in a few places too. As a musician, I could really feel how much all the actors and musicians love the music in the show, and even my non-musician mom said she could tell everyone connected to it.
Hair was powerful and joyous. It is truly one of the best shows I've seen, and I can say from personal experience that it'll leave a smile on your face that you can't wipe off for quite a long time.
Hair is playing at the Denver Center until October 14, 2011.
The power of love and overcoming adversity are two of the most common themes in literature. But Tracy Letts masterfully crafts a story that gives a new spin to both themes in the play Superior Donuts, which is playing at the Denver Center for the Performing Arts until May 7, 2011. Superior Donuts tells the story of a middle aged Polish man, Arthur Przybyszewski, who owns a donut shop in Chicago. Arthur is behind the times in all aspects—clothes, hair, donut shop atmosphere—and he spends much of his time reminiscing about his past. When Arthur hires a young African American to work in the shop, he’s overwhelmed by the young man’s enthusiasm. With new ideas for a healthier menu, claims of writing the “great American novel”, and an excited (if not nosy) interest in Arthur’s life, the young man, Franco Wicks, leaps onto the scene of a fading donut shop—and Arthur’s dull life. Franco quickly starts digging into Arthur’s past and tries to help his future, and the two become closer despite the many differences between them. And then, when tragedy strikes, both Arthur and Franco learn about the bonds that love can bring, no matter the differences that separate people.
But beyond that, Superior Donuts really is an exploration of the human spirit. It details the lives of two very different people trying to live the American Dream. They both struggle against very different foes: Franco against the still-rampant racism against Blacks, and Arthur against the losses he’s suffered throughout his life. The play is witty and engaging, drawing the audience in to a clever, entertaining story with a deeper meaning than one would expect. The play explores the sacrifices we make for the ones we loves and the resilience that lies in us all. It truly shows the depth of our feelings and the optimism that we all should have.
Superior Donuts stars Mike Hartman as Arthur Przybyszewski, Sheldon Best as Franco Wicks, and several other talented actors and actresses. The entire cast shines in this powerful play, which plays at the Space Theater at DCPA until May 7. Tickets start at $10.00.
Cast:
Lady Boyle………………………………….…………Kathleen M. Brady*
Officer Randy Osteen…………………………........………Jeanne Paulsen*
Max Tarasov……………………………..…………………Robert Sicular*
Officer James Bailey…………………………............………Earl Baker Jr.*
Arthur Przybyszewski…………………………….…………Mike Hartman*
Franco Wicks…………………………...……………………Sheldon Best*
Luther Flynn……………………………………...……………John Hutton*
Kevin Magee…………………………………………...……Scott Thomas*
Kiril Ivakin……………………………………….....…Jeffrey Evan Thomas*
*Members of Actors’ Equity Association, the Union of Professional Actors and Stage Managers in the United States.
Today, the Traceables helped run an event called Kids’ Night on Broadway. After the show, the “Tiny Patrons” (as Heidi, the publications manager at DCPA, called the kids) gathered in the Bonfils Lobby at DCPA for some fun activities pertaining to “Traces”. The kids could crawl through the stacked rings that the artists jump through, take pictures in the wheel Brad spins in the show, and meet the artists in the show. We had some young adults who participate in Parkour come perform some tricks and show the kids how to balance on some pipes a few inches off the ground. The kids really enjoyed the activities, and everyone raved about the show.
The Traceables also gave our testimonials about the show. We were filmed answering several questions about the show. We all answered the questions a little different, but the gist was the same. My answers were as follows:
Q: What was your favorite part of the show?
A: My favorite part of the show was when Valérie and Mason performed near the beginning of the show. The trust they had for each other was very impressive, and you could see that they had a lot of nonverbal communication going on. The scene also communicated a lot about the human experience with love because it showed two people gaining trust for each other and was extremely emotion. It was passionate and seemed a little bit tragic, but it’s hard to say why I felt that the artists were communicating those particular emotions. The scene was fantastic and definitely helped the audience connect with the audience.
Q: What did you feel while you were watching the show?
A: While I was watching Traces, I felt very connected to the artists, which was interesting to me because they performed so many crazy stunts, and that made them seem a little bit superhuman. However, as you watch the show, it becomes apparent that the characters are quite human. They seem to shine brightly with the spirit that encompasses all humans—to live and leave a mark on the world—despite the darkness of the world they seem to be stuck in. That forges a deep connection between the audience and the performers.
Q: What surprised you about “Traces”?
A: I didn’t really know exactly what to expect; I had checked the show out online, but I still wasn’t quite sure of what it would be like. I had no idea how little dialogue there was, or how much truth the visuals could communicate, so it surprised me that there was so much truth and so much depth to the performance. It wasn’t just a flashy, exciting acrobatics show: Traces really is the story of the human spirit and the truth that encompasses us all.
Image: Chalk art of Brad Spinning in the wheel.
Image: A Parkour artist flips over a stack of mats.
Meet the Traceables: Jordan
“Traces” plays at the Stage Theater in the Denver Center for the Performing Arts until May 14, 2011.
Last night, “Traces” opened at Denver Center for the Performing Arts. I got to view the show with several of the other Traceables and we all found it completely fantastic. We were allowed to take pictures and videos all night (as long as we didn’t have the flash on!) and meet the cast at the opening night party afterwards. First, we got to see about fifteen minutes of the rehearsal before the show. The seven artists all warm up for two hours before every show, loosening up, stretching, and running some of their stunts and choreography. We got to see how the artists work before the show and how they get really ready to perform. It’s really hard work, especially because in Denver’s high altitude, the air is so thin, and the artists aren’t used to it. Nevertheless, they performed an outstanding show—and it looked practically effortless.
The show itself was everything I thought it would be and more. It communicated the human experience through movement and expression—there was almost no dialogue through the entire show. Each character began seeming fantastic and a little bit unreal, but throughout the show, developed into a complex, real character that the audience felt connected with. It was fascinating to me, as a language and word-lover, to see how so much feeling and truth can be conveyed by movement. There were parts where the movement and stunts made me connect with the characters so well that I could feel their desperation, joy, fear, love. One scene that really moved me was a scene near the beginning that seemed to depict a young man and woman falling in love. At first, they seemed shy with each other, doing several simple (well, simple for them) tricks and pulling away quickly. Then, trust seemed to build, and they became more daring in their stunts. At several moments, one of them would pull away and walk off, but the other would always pull them back. Finally, they ended up accepting their love, it seemed, and ending the scene in each other’s arms. I was blown away by the beauty of the unspoken truth told on stage at this point, and I can’t wait to see the show again to experience that feeling once more.
After the show, the other Traceables and I stayed for the opening night cast party. We got to mingle with the cast and other fans and get autographs from the artists. It was great fun chatting with them and asking them about how they like Denver, the show, and performing. All the artists were friendly and humble; they seemed almost a little shy when my friend and I asked for autographs and raved about the show. It was nice to see that although the artists are extremely talented, they certainly don’t let it go to their heads and were still accessible and kind.
Overall, “Traces” was a fantastic show that communicated human spirit and power through movement and other visuals. It was easy to connect with the characters despite their almost inhuman feats, and I will definitely see it again. “Traces” runs at the Stage Theater in the Denver Performing Arts Complex until May 14th.
The Artists: Mason Ames
Mason was born in New Hampshire but moved to Montreal to train at the National Circus School. He specialized in hand to hand. Mason has performed in several of the Seven Fingers productions as well as in Cirque du Soleil and at the Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympics.
Valérie Benoît-Charbonneau
Valérie trained at Montreal’s National Circus School for seven years. She specialized in hand to hand and banquine. Valérie has performed in Cirque du Soleil and at the Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympics.
Mathieu Cloutier
Mathieu is from Gaspe, Quebec, and spent three years at the Circus School of Quebec. He specialized in acrobatics, rollerblade, and diabolo. Mathieu has performed in Cirque du Soleil and in acrobatics shows at Seabreeze amusement park in New York.
Bradley Henderson
Bradley has been touring as an original member of the “Traces” cast since 2005. He is from San Francisco and attended the National Circus School in Montreal until 2002.
Philippe Normand-Jenny
Philippe was born in Montreal. He attended the Circus School of Quebec, specializing in hand to hand, teeterboard, and trampoline. Philippe has performed with Cirque du Soleil and Seabreeze amusement park in New York.
Florian Zumkehr
Florian is from Switzerland. He began his training at a young age and eventually trained at the Berlin Circus School. He specializes in hand balancing and acrobatics. Florian has performed with Cirque Éloize and GOP cabaret.
Xia Zhengqi
Xia was born in China. He joined that Shenyang Acrobatic Troupe at age six. Xia has performed in Cirque du Soleil and is a gold medalist in the National Acrobatic Competition in China.
About Seven Fingers:
Seven Fingers translates from the French “Les 7 Doigts de la Main”, meaning “the 7 fingers of the hand”. It was founded in Montreal in 2002 and was created to make the circus a little more human. They’ve produced several shows: Loft, Traces, La Vie, and Psy, all of which bring circus arts to a more human scale and communicate truth through movement. Seven Fingers finds that juxtaposing dark themes with the life and joy of circus arts helps communicate truth and connect with all audiences.
Hello there! This is Jordan, checking in for the first time with the new blog. This blog will mostly contain my adventures as a Denver Center Ambassador as well as random musings and wild imaginings. First order of business: some things about me.
Favorites:
Cartoon: Avatar: The Last Airbender (GO FIREBENDERS)
TV Show: House
Book: The Haunting of Alaizabel Cray (by Chris Wooding)
Drink: Water
Food: Chips & Guacamole
Song: You're Gonna Go Far, Kid (by The Offspring)
Musical: Spring Awakening
Play: The Crucible
Movie: Blood Diamond
Band: Train
But really, the important thing here is that I’m a volunteer for DCPA. As a volunteer, I get to promote shows, help out at events, and hang out with a lot of awesome people! Currently, we’re promoting a new show called “Traces”. It’s fabulous! “Traces” is a show about seven people living in a make-shift shelter living what they believe will be their last moments on earth. They believe that creation is the only way to stop destruction and so they do: they sing, they dance, they talk and write and do crazy acrobatics, hoping to leave their traces behind when they are gone. The audience gets to know the various characters through the entirety of the performance, and even though there is a superhuman aspect, the characters eventually become extremely human and amazingly real.
As we’re working on “Traces,” the Denver Center Ambassadors are currently called the Traceables. Opening night is Friday, so we’re all extremely excited! My next update will certainly go over details of the show and discuss all the excitement.
