Enter Stage Right

It's hard to imagine how you'd turn Jane Austen's Sense and Sensibility into a musical, but a couple of artists have done it, and the result will be read at the Denver Center's New Play Summit, today through Sunday, along with two other new plays. The musical will be directed...

By Juliet Wittman

February 9, 2012

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It's hard to imagine how you'd turn Jane Austen's Sense and Sensibility into a musical, but a couple of artists have done it, and the result will be read at the Denver Center's New Play Summit, today through Sunday, along with two other new plays. The musical will be directed by Marcia Milgrom Dodge, who's responsible for the much-lauded Broadway revival of Ragtime. Another promising offering is Michael Mitnick's multimedia comedy Ed, Downloaded, in which the dying protagonist can achieve immortality by having his brain -- that is, his memories -- downloaded. Britisher Sam Buntrock arrives to work on this one; he's the director whose Sunday in the Park With George revival received raves from the New York Times. "A rhapsody of images," said Ben Brantley.

Two of last year's plays, The Whale and Two Things You Don't Talk About at Dinner, are currently receiving full productions, and these can be viewed as part of the Summit package. Two or three of this year's offerings will be chosen for the next season.

Small wonder the six-year-old Summit keeps gaining in stature, filling the building annually with a throng of industry people, critics and theater lovers. You can get a full pass for $195; special rates are available for students and subscribers, as well as free readings. Call 303-893-6030 or go to www.denvercenter.org/summit.
Feb. 10-12, 2012

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Juliet Wittman is an investigative reporter and critic with a passion for theater, literature, social justice and food. She has reviewed theater for Westword for over a decade; for many years, she also reviewed memoirs for the Washington Post. She has won several journalism awards and published essays and short stories in literary magazines. Her novel, Stocker's Kitchen, can be obtained at select local bookstores and on Amazon.

Contact: Juliet Wittman