The Plains Truth

Plainsong, Colorado author Kent Haruf's lyrical, spare novel, was considered too racy for the One Book, One Denver program. But it should work just fine at the Stage Theatre, where the world premiere of the adaptation based on the novel debuts tonight in previews. Last year, the Denver Center Theatre Company hosted a reading of playwright Eric Schmiedl's initial script, "and it was incredibly well-received," reports the DCTC's Jeff Hovorka. "That's why we decided to move forward. People loved it." So the script became a full-fledged stage production that fleshes out the story of the McPheron brothers and the unwed mother they take in at their old ranch on the plains. But Plainsong the play remains true to Plainsong the book.

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• Denver Center for the Performing Arts
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"Oprah picked it and it has local flavor, so it's a perfect fit for the Denver Center," Hovorka continues. "We have high hopes for this project." And he's not just talking about Plainsong, but the two other world premieres that the DCTC is staging right now, Our House and Lydia. Plainsong runs through February 23 and will be part of the Colorado New Play Summit slated for February 14 through 16 at the Denver Performing Arts Complex; for ticket information, go to www.denvercenter.org or call 303-893-4100.
Jan. 24-Feb. 23; Thu., Feb. 7, 11 a.m.; Thu., Feb. 21, 11 a.m., 2008