Once upon a time, there was Glen Hansard and Markéta Irglová, and together they were the Swell Season, a pair of folk-rockers from Ireland and Czechoslovakiathe Czech Republic and then out of, love. Ironically, the bandmates became enamored while making the 2006 film Once, the story of an Irish and a Czech musician who meet and fall in and out of love over a series of open-mic performances. The movie, which was centered around songs written by the couple, was later adapted to the stage as a musical that took eight Tonys in 2012, including awards for Best Musical, Best Actor and Best Book. Bittersweet real-life stories tend to make beautiful music on stage, and that’s the heart of Once, which comes to the Buell Theatre beginning tonight as part of a Broadway tour.
Once opens at 6:30 p.m. at the Buell, in the Denver Performing Arts Complex, and runs daily except Mondays through May 18; for tickets, ranging from $25 to $105, go to denvercenter.org or call 303-893-4100.
Tuesdays-Sundays, 7:30 p.m.; Saturdays, Sundays, 2 p.m. Starts: May 6. Continues through May 18, 2014