Happenings
Compiled by Mariasha Bunch
Entertainment and Calendar Editor
Neigborhood
Happenings-
Public Hearings Scheduled For The I-70 East Environmental Impact Statement- Tuesday, December 9th at Sable Elementary School, 2601 Sable Blvd., Aurora; Wednesday, December 10th at the Commerce City Recreation Center, 6060 E. Parkway Dr., Commerce City; Thursday December 11th at Bruce Randolph Middle School, 3955 Steele St., Denver; all three public hearings are scheduled from 5-8 p.m. The Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) recently released the Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) document that highlights proposed highway improvements for Interstate 70 in Denver between I-25 and Tower Road near Denver International Airport. The DEIS analyzes the project team’s study of four transportation packages and a “no-action” alternative. The no-action alternative includes replacing the existing I-70 viaduct between Brighton Boulevard and Colorado Boulevard. CDOT has determined that even if no other improvements are made to the corridor, the viaduct must eventually be replaced for the highway to remain operational. Two alternatives would improve the highway on its existing alignment between I-25 and Tower Road, while two others would place I-70 on a new alignment between Brighton Boulevard and Quebec Street and then improve the existing alignment from Quebec Street to Tower Road.
32nd Avenue Christmas Stroll – December 13, 2 – 6 pm on 32nd Ave between Clay and Zuni Streets. Get in the Christmas Spirit with a fun and free stroll down 32nd Avenue this December 13th. Kids will be delighted with the many fun (ad free) things to do. Some exciting things include: pictures with Santa Claus at Red Trolley Ice Cream (2-6 with individuals, families, kids, 7-9 add dogs), Caroling on 32nd with Denver School of the Arts, Merchant samples and gift cards, Holiday lights and more!!!
New Playground for Pferdesteller Park Public Workshop #2- Wednesday, December 17, 2008, 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.; Highland Senior Recreation Center, 2880 Osceola Street, Denver, CO 80212; Denver Parks and Recreation needs your help to determine the future design of the playground, from benches to play structures. Pferdesteller Park is part of the “Better Denver” bond program approved by residents in 2007. Bring your best ideas for renovating and creating a fun-filled playground at Pferdesteller Park!
Theatre and Art
The Santaland Diaries- December 4, 5, 6, 7, 10, 11, 12, 13, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21 and 22 at 8:00 p.m. Matinees: December 14, 20 and 21 at 2:00 p.m.; The Bug Theater, 3654 Navajo Street, Denver, CO 80211. Tickets for December 4 through December 7 are $23 general admission and $20 students with ID & seniors. Starting December 10, tickets cost $26 general admission and $23 students with ID & seniors. Reservations are highly recommended. The Bug Theatre Company is proud to present “The Santaland Diaries” by David Sedaris, first heard on National Public Radio’s Morning Edition. It is Sedaris’ humorous and acerbic account of working as an elf in Macy’s Santaland in Manhattan. The Santaland Diaries is for adults who don’t mind their humor a little bit wicked…
What the Dickens! – Dec. 2 – Dec. 23, 2008 Tuesdays & Wednesdays at 7:30 p.m. / Saturday, Dec. 13 at 3:00 p.m. The Avenue Theater 417 E. 17th Ave. Denver, CO 80203 What the Dickens!” is the perfect holiday fare for families. Featuring popular songs ripped directly from karaoke archives, as well as original songs written by the cast, “What the Dickens!” is a campy, musical look at the old classic, “A Christmas Carol.” This musical about a musical, placed in the fictional Colorado plains town of Fetter, focuses on six former friends who are brought together for the first time in 20 years following the death of their beloved theater mentor. As one final tribute, the group decides to produce a musical version of Charles Dickens’ “A Christmas Carol.” What happens next is a fascinating and hilarious journey of discovery as each person battles their personal ghosts to come to grips with their fading dreams, friendships lost and found, and the power of Christmas. Appropriate for ages 12 and up.
Denver Art Museum Winter festivities- Winter Break, December 19 through Sunday, January 4, The Denver Art Museum, on 13th Avenue between Broadway and Bannock. All though Winter break, kids under 18 will receive FREE admission to the Denver Art Museum. For younger children, there is an array of fun activities to do, including “Not a Bag”, where kids take paper bags and turn them into imaginative paper sculptures, live demonstrations of stone sculpting techniques in Houdon from the Louvre, create a Navajo weaving or Egyptian flower collar, playing dress-up with Western wear or Old English Costumes, Family Backpacks and Art Tubes, DAM’s gallery adventures-in-a-pack, include art-making activities that are hands-on and educational. For older kids and their parents, there are some special exhibits on display, including Houdon from the Louvre which showcases sculptures and busts from French sculptor Jean-Antoine Houdon, known for his lifelike portraits of political and intellectual movers and shakers including George Washington and Benjamin Franklin.
Fair Trade Holiday Bazaar/What Would Jesus Buy? The 5th Annual ArgusFest Fair Trade Holiday Bazaar at the Mercury Cafe will have vendors on hand selling fair trade gifts so you can do some of your holiday shopping with a conscience. Also a screening the hilarious film “What Would Jesus Buy?” follows Reverend Billy and the Church of Stop Shopping Gospel Choir as they go on a cross-country mission to save Christmas from the Shopocalypse: the end of mankind from consumerism, over-consumption and the fires of eternal debt!
From producer Morgan Spurlock (SUPER SIZE ME) and director Rob VanAlkemade comes a serious docu-comedy about the commercialization of Christmas.
Wax Burner Prayer Candle Art Show – Art Pimp/Dunn & Czr Prz present Wax Burner a Chicago/Denver art show just in time for the holidays. Sponsored by All Us, Twisted Sol and All Hail. Wax Burner is a Prayer Candle Art Show. That means all art displayed will be on Prayer Candles. We have over a hundred and twenty (120) different paintings available on Prayer candles. Denver and Chicago artists provide all of the artwork. The first Wax Burner show was in Chicago in September. The goal is to move to other major cities and add artists along the way. The holidays are near and who does not like candles and art? Beside the candles we are adding two other elements, STEEL & GLASS. Steel sculptors Jeff Erwine & Kamber Sokulsky, and Glass artist Agnes Sanchez. KAZE Gallery 3245 Osage St. Denver. For more information contact eric matelski: 303-898-4350 or artpimpinfo@mac.com
Music and Dancing
Light from the Desert: Israeli-Palestinian Peace Concert- Saturday December 6, 8:00 p.m; Old Main Chapel, University of Colorado, Boulder; Sunday December 7, 6:30 p.m; Hamilton Hall, the Newman Center, University of Denver; Tickets: $20, $28 Sponsor level. With great virtuosity and passion, world-class musicians Yair Dalal, Naser Musa and Ty Burhoetrasverse cultures and bring to life the authentic music of the Middle-East, with a reach spanning the region from the Balkans to India, the meeting points between Arab and Jew, Palestinian and Israeli. Their musical influences reflect both the ancient and modern worlds. ISME and The Mizel Museum present a light of hope through art. Join them in supporting peace between Jews and Arabs, Israelis and Palestinians, as they work together to awaken an essential message of hope for their hearts and minds.
Regis Collegium December Concert- December 9, 7:30 p.m, Berkeley Community Church W 50th and Meade, Denver Tickets: FREE. Regis University Collegium presents “Spain and the New World Motets, Cantigas, Villancicos, and Spanish Romances from the 13th – 17th Centuries”. Enjoy old beautiful and entertaining music close to home! 303-964-3609.
First Annual Holiday Gala Ballroom Dance- On Saturday, December 13th, from 6 – 9:00pm, Berkeley Community Church, 3701 W. 50th Avenue, Denver CO; Tickets: $10 per person before Dec. 7th. After December 7th, tickets will be $15 per person. No tickets will be sold at the door. A percentage of this event will go to Berkeley Community Church. Preregistration is a must. Admission includes the dance lesson. This will be a fun-filled evening the public is encouraged attend. There will be a free Ballroom Dance lesson for beginners at 6:30pm sharp. You might not win a dance competition, but you will be able to dance around the floor once you’ve had the lesson! This is an evening for any of you who might have two left feet to jump in with both lefts and begin dancing. A fabulous dance showcase will be performed at 7:15pm by local students. Come find out just how much fun ballroom dancing really is! This evening is for adults. No partner necessary, although you are encouraged to bring along someone to dance with. Festive evening attire requested! No jeans please! Call Lucinda 303-277-0930 by December 7th to get your $10 ticket for an evening of total fun.
Neigborhood Happenings-
Tennyson Street Cultural District Celebrates Arts Week – 11/21/2008, 6-9 pm. In celebration of Denver Arts Week on Friday, November 21, 2008 the Tennyson Street Cultural District galleries and artist studios will open their doors to the community for an interactive evening of hands-on activities fun for all ages. This evening will include artist demos, FREE and low-cost workshops and lectures. The Fear No Art movement on Tennyson will draw attention to the importance of the arts in everyday life, education, and culture. The Fear No Art interactive event will be from 6 – 9 pm. Tennyson Street from 38th Avenue to 45th Avenue.
Father Woody Wrap Party at Regis University – For 18 years, the Father Woody Wrap Party has signaled the beginning of the Christmas season for many in the Regis University community. This year will be no exception, with the annual event set for 9 a.m. to about 3 p.m. Nov. 22, in the Regis University Student Center Dining Room. The Father Woody Wrap Party is a Regis University tradition in which staff, faculty, students and alumni donate hundreds of new gifts and then wrap them in festive holiday paper to be given to homeless residents of the metro area for Christmas on Dec. 21. It’s a program created by Monsignor C.B. Woodridge, RC ’50, and maintained in his memory since his death in 1991. Father Woody, as he was and is affectionately known, was an early crusader for Denver’s poor, especially the homeless on whose he behalf he worked to provide food and shelter, literally throwing open the doors to the sanctuary of Holy Ghost Church when he was pastor there during icy winter nights in the 1980s to give those in need a warm place to sleep. Devoted and passionate, he worked to establish various programs that returned a modicum of dignity to those he helped. “We are here to serve, not to judge,” was one of his famous sayings. Father Woody’s idea for an annual Christmas party for the homeless, where for at least one day each year those with little else would receive something new in the spirit of Christ, is an enduring component of his legacy. It’s also one embraced by Regis University, under the direction of Victoria McCabe, director of the Freshman Commitment Program. Each fall, donations of new items are gathered and then wrapped at the party. Father Woody attended Regis College before entering St. Thomas Theological Seminary. He was a long-time pastor of Holy Ghost Catholic Church in downtown Denver and a tireless advocate for the homeless. He co-founded the Samaritan House. In 1987, he was awarded Regis University’s highest honor, the Civis Princeps award. Father Woody died on Nov. 10, 1991.
Rosa Linda’s Thanksgiving Feast – The Aguirre family will be hosting its 24th annual free Thanksgiving Day Feast for Denver’s needy families. The event will take place at the family’s restaurant, Rosa Linda’s Mexican Café, at 2005 W. 33rda Ave. from 10 am to 4 pm, on November 27, 2008, Thanksgiving Day. The menu includes shredded turkey, Green Chile, Rice, beans, stuffing and much more. All food donations will be accepted at Rosa Linda’s Mexican Café Monday thru Saturday 10 AM-9 PM. Volunteers are urged to look around their neighborhood and surrounding area and make contact with somebody who may need a warm meal and a little company on Thanksgiving Day. For more information feel free to call (303) 455-0608 or email the family at Rosalindasmexicanca fe@gmail.com
Vegetarian Thanksgiving Feast – The Rocky Mountain Animal Defense is hosting a vegan dinner on Thanksgiving at the Highlands United Methodist Church (31st/Osceola). It is being catered by Govinda’s. Turkey-Free Thursday; An animal-friendly Thanksgiving banquet featuring delicious homemade plentiful food. Friends! Children Welcome, Live Music, Silent Auction, Community, FUN! Thursday, November 27, 2008, 1 pm • Highlands United Methodist Church • 3131 Osceola Street, Denver RSVP Price: $29 for adults ($24 if paid early); $10 for children ages 5–14, FREE for children ages 1–4 Reserve your place by calling the RMAD office at 303-449-4422
Denver School of the Arts Auditions – With the advent of more academic choices in Denver Public Schools, things have gotten a little easier for creative students. DSA is actively seeking new students interested in studying the arts in this premiere arts magnet program. School buses provide transportation to the arts magnet located at Montview and Quebec. DSA serves 6th -12th grade students. Mandatory meetings take place on Schedule of Mandatory Pre-Audition Meetings: Dec. 1, 6-8 p.m. – Orchestra – Concert Hall; Band – Concert Hall; Visual Arts – Schomp Theatre | Dec. 2, 6-8 p.m. – Creative Writing – Library, Stagecraft & Design – Schomp Theatre, Dance – Concert Hall, Piano – D103 | Dec. 8, 6-8 p.m. – Vocal Music – Concert Hall, Theatre – Schomp Theatre, Video Cinema – Library. www.dsa.dpsk12.org 7111 Montview Blvd. 720-424-1700
3rd Annual North High School Community Open House sponsored by the North PTA including a community resource fair – Thursday, December 4, 2008, 5:00-7:30 P.M., North High School, 2960 Speer Blvd., Parking available at 32nd and Eliot. Learn about the Computer Magnet, The Future Center, College Assistance, Athletics, Family Resources, Student Clubs, Academic Programs. Here the students perform music. See their art. Community Resources and Extra-Curricular Activities will be showcased Jennifer Draper Carson or Melissa Craven at 720-423-2700.
Winter Hiking and Snowshoeing with your Baby – 12/16/2008 7:00 PM – Come join us for a discussion on all the details you’ll need to hike and snowshoe in the winter with your baby! We will review baby carriers and snowshoes, discuss the best locations, and go over what you’ll need to bring. Moms all over the front range get out with their babies even as newborns, and all it takes is good preparation. After this class you’ll have the confidence to give it a try! Taught by Joy Opp, Colorado Mountain Mamas, www.comountainmamas.com REI Denver Flagship, (303) 756-3100, Free
Theatre
Granny Dances to a Holiday Drum- Dec 6 – Dec 21 Opening Sat, Dec 6 at 7:30 p.m. Fri – Sat 7:30 p.m. / Sat. & Sun. 2 p.m. Cleo Parker Robinson Dance at the Byron Theatre, Newman Center for the Performing Arts at University & Iliff; Granny’s memories are her gifts to those she loves, but she has forgotten many of her stories and the magical dances she’s seen in her lifetime. In her youth she danced in festivals honoring the birth of Christ, the African Harvest, the Native American Winter Solstice, the Celtic Yule Time, Las Posadas in Mexico, the ancient Hebrew Festival of Lights, Chinese New Year and Junkanoo in the Caribbean. Now Granny seeks to retrieve these memories. Through dance, live music, and spoken word, she relives her experiences of the world’s diverse holiday celebrations. Single tickets $38 adult / $33 seniors (62+) and students /$25 Children (12 and under) 303-871-7720 or Ticketmaster at 303-357-ARTS (2787) ticketmaster.com, Groups Sales (8 or more) 303-295-1759 x 13
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory – By Roald Dahl; Adapted by Richard R. George; Directed by Rita Broderick; The story revolves around a boy called Charlie Bucket and the strange happening at Willy Wonka’s Chocolate Factory. Charlie Bucket is not stronger, faster or better than other children; his family is not rich, powerful, or well connected. But, he was the luckiest boy in the entire world; he just didn’t know it yet. The Denver Victorian Playhouse opens “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory” on Friday, November 21 through December 21 with performances on Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30 p.m.; Sundays at 2 p.m., Saturday Dec 6, 13 and 20 matinees at 2 p.m. Additional performance on Monday, December 1 at 7.30 pm. Tickets are $22.00 Adult; $12 Children (12 and under) and available by calling 303-433-4343. More information at www.denvervic.com 4201 Hooker St., Denver Not suitable for children under 4
It’s a Wonderful Life: A live Radioplay- Friday & Saturday’s Nov 28-Dec 20, 7:30 pm; Sunday Dec 7, 2:30 Matinee The Gaslight Theater Gaslight Theatre 7287 Lowell Blvd., Westminster, CO 80030 This American holiday classic comes to captivating life as a live 1940s radio broadcast. With the help of an ensemble that brings a few dozen characters to the stage, the story of idealistic George Bailey unfolds as he considers ending his life one fateful Christmas Eve. Tickets are $16 for adults and $13 for students/seniors (55+). Reservations may be made by calling 720-232-7285. www.gaslighttheatrecompany.com
When Pigs Fly (with Santa) for the Holidays – Through December 27, 2008 In this side splitting musical extravaganza by the creators of Howard Crabtree’s Whoop Dee Doo!, new heights of hilarity are achieved in outrageous skits. During its long off Broadway run it has been honored with two Drama Desk awards including Best Musical Revue and two Outer Critics Circle awards including Best Off Broadway Musical. $25/General Admission; Friday and Saturday 7:30pm; Theater on Broadway 13 South Broadway, Denver 80209
Christmas Belles – by Jessie Jones, Nicholas Hope, Jamie Wooten – It’s Christmas-time in the small town of Fayro, Texas, and the Futrelle Sisters—Frankie, Twink and Honey Raye—are not exactly in a festive mood. A cranky Frankie is weeks overdue with her second set of twins. Twink, recently jilted and bitter about it, is in jail for inadvertently burning down half the town. And hot-flash-suffering Honey Raye is desperately trying to keep the Tabernacle of the Lamb’s Christmas Program from spiraling into chaos. But things are not looking too promising: Miss Geneva, the ousted director of the previous twenty-seven productions, is ruthless in her attempts to take over the show. The celebrity guest Santa Claus—played by Frankie’s long-suffering husband, Dub—is passing a kidney stone. One of the shepherds refuses to watch over his flock by night without pulling his little red wagon behind him. And the entire cast is dropping like flies due to food poisoning from the Band Boosters’ Pancake Supper. Due to the “grown-up” humor and running time of this show children under 10 may not find this show engaging. December 4th, 5th, 6th and 12th @ 7pm; December 13th @ 2pm & 7pm; at Pinebrooke Community Church 11700 W. 80th Ave.; (80th just west of Simms) Make a plan to get some Christmas shopping done at our CRAFT FAIR Dec. 6th from 10am to 6pm at Pinebrooke, go and grab a bite to eat, then come back to see the show!
Music and Art
Denver International Airport Performance Series – Musicians, dancers and other entertainers will make Denver International Airport more festive during the busy Thanksgiving/Christmas travel season. For 17 days – from Tuesday, Nov. 25 through Wednesday, Dec. 31 from 8:00am until 5:30pm, DIA will host its International Performance Series, featuring more than 350 hours of regional entertainment. Performances are scheduled from 8 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Nov. 25 and Nov. 26, resuming Nov. 29- Dec. 1. School choirs perform on Dec. 18. The full series continues Dec. 19-24, and then from Dec. 27-31.
Denver Potters Association Brings to You Their Annual Holiday Show and Sale – Shoppers will be delighted by hand-made ceramics, jewelry, wood, glass and other fine crafts by nearly 40 Colorado artists. The show opens Thursday, December 4, at the Sixth Avenue United Church, 3250 East Sixth Avenue (Sixth and Adams), in Denver. Thursday, December 4, 3 pm to 8 pm; Friday, December 5, 10 am to 8 pm; Saturday, December 6, 9am to 6pm; Sunday, December 7, 11 am to 3 pm.; Admission is FREE; Agnete Cohen or Joyce Bickel at 303.377.5535.
