Arts and Entertainment continued from page 40 ment, so it’s only fi tting that as part of its fi ftieth-anniversary celebration, Su Teatro reprised its original production War of the Flowers, the story of the Kitayama Carna- tion Strike in Weld County, which culmi- nated with fi ve women being tear-gassed when they chained themselves to the gates of the factory. For the past fi ve decades, since it got its start in a University of Col- orado Denver class, Su Teatro has been fi ghting the restrictions of traditional sto- ries to push political truths and tell the real stories of the community. Now at home in the former Denver Civic Theatre, Su Teatro just keeps adding programs for that community, everything from the Chicano Music Festival to the XicanIndie FilmFest. But ultimately, the play’s still the thing. Best Fiftieth Original Show for a Theater Company Buntport Theater 717 Lipan Street 720-946-1388 buntport.com Every now and then, something pops up that feels purely Denver, and in the Best Theater Company Programming Motus Theater 720-432-2004 motustheater.org The mission of Motus Theater is to “cre- ate original theater to facilitate dialogue on critical issues of our time,” and it’s defi - nitely delivered during the pandemic. The company grew out of Rocks Karma Arrows, a multimedia work exploring Boulder history through the lens of class and race; over the past fi fteen years, the focus has expanded to take in the entire country. Most recently, the JustUs and UndocuAmerica projects brought in speakers from all walks of life to share the words and experiences of prisoners and im- migrants, which were then shared online. Best New Colorado Documentary 2022: The Year of Lincoln Hills historycolorado.org/lincoln-hills-100th- anniversary Talented actor, playwright, director, fi lm- maker and activist donnie l. betts delves into Black history regularly for his Destination Freedom radio-play series on the Broadway Podcast Network. But betts is also an award- winning documentarian who’s struck gold with positive stories about Black life and 42 theater scene, that’s Buntport, a com- pany of six talented artists who create their productions — often hilarious, sometimes deeply moving — through a brainstorming process that miraculously always produces a coherent script. It’s experimental work, but not the arro- gant, “you’re-too-stupid-to-get-this” kind or the trendy, expensive immersive stuff turning up everywhere these days. Based on whatever intriguing morsel of news, myth or fantasy has caught a com- pany member’s attention at some point, Buntport’s work is homegrown, original, and entirely itself. Catch it if you can, and/or take any visitor who asks what’s special about Denver. After a pandemic- induced delay, Buntport’s fi ftieth original show debuts this month. Black heroes, including Colorado-centric fi lms about the historic enclave of Dearfi eld and Denver physician Dr. Justina Ford. His latest is 2022: The Year of Lincoln Hills, the story of a Black-owned mountain resort community that opened in 1922, some of which still survives today. It’s just one more link in betts’s campaign to preserve the past and share it with today’s audiences. Best Film Festival Programming Colorado Dragon Boat Film Festival cdfi lm.org The Colorado Dragon Boat Festival has grown from a summertime tradition to a year-round institution that includes a fi lm festival. Academy continued on page 44 APRIL 7-13, 2022 WESTWORD | BACKBEAT | MUSIC & VENUES | FOOD & DRINK | ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT | SHOPPING & SERVICES | CONTENTS | westword.com GETTY IMAGES
