W E S T W O R D F A L L A R T S G U I D E 2 0 2 3 WESTWORD.COM 10 It’s Showtime! DENVER THEATERS ARE LOOKING TO THE FUTURE...AND COURTING NEW AUDIENCES. BY TONI TRESCA Denver’s fall lineup offers audiences some- thing old as well as much that’s new as companies try to entice patrons back to the theater after a diffi cult couple of years. From seminal musicals to daring plays and a plethora of premieres, these troupes con- tinue to demonstrate that the city is serious about transforming into a major market for theater. “It’s been a wild few years as COVID has wreaked havoc on theater ticket sales across the industry,” says Jeannene Bragg, Curious Theatre Company’s managing di- rector. “Last season, our sales were highly variable and diffi cult to predict. ... We are seeing a concerning decline in subscriptions, which have long been very strong at Curious, as more folks are taking a less committed approach and opting for single-ticket sales.” Sarah Kolb, the Arvada Center’s direc- tor of marketing and communications, re- ports that the company’s “been weathering changes in our ticket sales, a slow return to full houses and some inconsistent sales in recent productions. ... So far, our 2023-2024 season feels pretty positive — particularly for single-ticket buyers. We’re above where we were this time last year for the 2022-2023 season and only slightly behind our last pre-COVID season.” Meanwhile, a Denver Center for the Performing Arts spokesperson notes that its 2023-2024 subscription sales are “exactly on par with those at this time last year, which is 90 percent of where we were at this point in our sales cycle in our last full season before COVID.” Though the DCPA says that it is diffi cult to compare ticket sales year-to-year due to variance in programming, the com- pany is “very pleased with how the season is shaping up and the audience response to the fi rst show of the season, Stephen Sondheim’s classic musical A Little Night Music.” In Lakewood, Benchmark Theatre is embracing change and experimenting with its programming. Executive producer Ha- ley Johnson says that while Benchmark’s annual season membership subscriptions have declined in 2023, the June production of Stonewall was its highest-grossing and most-attended show to date. Coming out of the pandemic, “we want to continue sup- porting new work, local work and allowing artists to have a voice rather than driving our programming solely on profi t,” she adds. Buntport Theater, now in its 23rd season, remains dedicated to its “name-your-price” ticketing model, which was implemented during the pandemic. Buntport member and co-founder Erin Rollman emphasizes the ongoing commitment to affordability and accessibility. “We’ve always been passionate about being affordable and removing barri- ers to live performance,” she says. Vintage Theatre in Aurora is experienc- ing a surge in both season ticket and general ticket sales; artistic director Bernie Cardell attributes this success to word of mouth, affordable ticket pricing and an emphasis on programming that supports authors of color. “The more people are out there talking about Vintage, the more people want to check it out,” Cardell says. “At Vintage, there is always a great buzz of energy when the new season is starting, and I can feel that in the community, since the majority of our theaters start their seasons in the fall as well. It’s a very exciting time.” Firehouse Theatre Company says sales are up from last year, and Wheat Ridge The- atre Company has seen ticket sales increase since it started performing in its space in January. And the news is particularly good in Golden. “Ticket sales have been through the roof this year, and we think that 2023 might be our best season to date,” says Len Matheo, producing artistic director at Miners Alley Playhouse. “We have always had growing audiences over the years, and it’s because our strategy has always been to remember that we are also in the entertainment busi- ness and that we want our audiences to have a great evening out and to be moved and entertained by the theater arts.” As Miners Alley works to convert the former Meyer Hardware Store into a new performing arts center in time for the fi rst phase’s opening on December 1, Wonder- bound is celebrating its fi rst full season in its new facility and 260-seat theater located in Northeast Park Hill, which opened in May. Despite many challenges, Wonderbound remained operational and retained its staff through the pandemic. “We were also one of the only perform- ing arts organizations in Colorado to offer performances for — albeit very small — live audiences,” says Wonderbound’s marketing manager, Sally Walker. “Through these efforts, we were able to garner new patrons, and subscription and ticket sales have been steadily on the rise since our 2021-2022 season.” The Aurora Fox is welcoming a new face to a historic space. Rich Cowden, previously the general manager and executive director of the JCC Mizel Arts and Culture Center, is the newly appointed executive producer of the Aurora Fox Arts Center. Cowden’s ap- pointment to the role ends a fourteen-month hiring search to replace Helen R. Murray, whose shows were creative yet struggled to fi nd an audience. “The chance to lead the Fox into a new era of excellence — building on years and years of wonderful success — is for me a dream come true,” Cowden says. “What I’m excited about for the Fox itself is the vast potential this place has to be one of the cornerstones of the cultural community — not just in Aurora, but in the metro area and beyond.” As the curtains rise on Denver’s theater scene this fall, it’s evident that the city’s artistic spirit is unwavering, and audiences can expect a season brimming with cre- ativity, diversity and resilience. The shows must go on! Watch westword.com for more on this new theater season. Len Matheo, producing artistic director of Miners Alley Playhouse, poses inside the Meyer Hardware store.
