Denver's fall lineup offers audiences something old as well as much that's new as companies try to entice patrons back to the theater after a difficult couple of years. From seminal musicals to daring plays and a plethora of premieres, these troupes continue 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 director. "Last season, our sales were highly variable and difficult 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."
In Lakewood, Benchmark Theatre is embracing change and experimenting with its programming. Executive producer Haley 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 supporting new work, local work and allowing artists to have a voice rather than driving our programming solely on profit," 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 barriers to live performance," she says.
"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 business 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 first phase's opening on December 1, Wonderbound is celebrating its first 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 performing 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 appointment to the role ends a fourteen-month hiring search to replace Helen R. Murray, whose shows were creative yet struggled to find 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 creativity, diversity and resilience. The shows must go on!
Here's a look at the upcoming season from twelve companies; watch westword.com for more on this new theater season.
A Little Night Music (through. October 8) and Clyde's (October 27-Nov.ember 26)
Denver Center for the Performing Arts, 1101 13th Street, Denver
Tickets start at $30 for A Little Night Music and $35 for Clyde’s
To kick off its 44th season, the DCPA Theatre Company revisits the beloved Sondheim's seven-time Tony Award-winning musical and the regional premiere of Lynn Nottage's new comedy. Artistic director Chris Coleman says he's wanted to produce the musical "for many years, and with Sondheim’s passing, it seemed a nice opportunity to breathe life into the piece. ... I also love that it is quickly followed up by Lynn Nottage’s play Clyde's, which couldn’t be more different than A Little Night Music, but audiences that loved Sweat from a few years ago will love this [new] play from Nottage."
Beautiful: The Carole King Musical (through October 15) and The Laramie Project (September 29-November 5)
Arvada Center, 6901 Wadsworth Boulevard, Arvada
Tickets start at $56 for Beautiful and $32 for The Laramie Project
Ideation (through September 24) and The Woman in Black (October 13-29)
Wheat Ridge Theatre Company, 5455 West 38th Avenue, Unit J, Wheat Ridge
Tickets start at $28
This community theater group is staging a dark corporate satire and a spooky horror play in its intimate black box space. Ideation was slated to be produced in 2020, "but the pandemic halted the process," says Maru Garcia, Ph.D., and the executive producer at Wheat Ridge Theatre. "It is an interesting show that combines comedy with intrigue. The Woman in Black is a classic horror story. ... We choose our productions considering shows that will attract audiences but that will make people think [and] that have not been produced by other companies in the Denver metro area recently."
The Minutes (through October 14) and Letters of Suresh (November 11-December 9)
Curious Theatre Company, 1080 Acoma Street
Tickets start at $27.50 (previews) and $37.50 (opening and onward)
Two regional premieres kick off Curious Theatre's 26th season. “At Curious, we aim to produce challenging new plays from exciting voices in contemporary theater, plays you are unlikely to see anywhere else," says Jada Suzanne Dixon, who took over as artistic director in 2022. "The Minutes is a standout script straight from Broadway and one of America’s best playwrights, the amazing Tracy Letts. ... Letters of Suresh is a moving and lyrical piece exploring longing and human connection through letters."
Cabaret (September 14-October 22) and Cadillac Crew (October 20-November 26)
Vintage Theatre, 1468 Dayton Street, Aurora
Tickets start at $38 for Cabaret and $34 for Cadillac Crew
A musical about the horrors of Nazism and a regional premiere play about the women who led the civil rights movement begin Vintage Theatre’s 21st season. "This is what we’ve been doing at Vintage: giving our patrons some of the shows we know they will love AND introducing them to new authors and new works," artistic director Bernie Cardell says.
Blues in the Night (September 22-October 8), Mom's Unhinged Comedy Show (September 24), Phamaly Theatre Company and America’s Got Talent Season 6 runner-ups, The Silhouettes present Indescribable (November 3-5), and The Denver Dolls: Salute to Veterans (November 11-12)
The Aurora Fox Arts Center, 9900 East Colfax Avenue, Aurora
Information here
"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 director. "Last season, our sales were highly variable and difficult 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 director of marketing and communications, reports 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 difficult to compare ticket sales year-to-year due to variance in programming, the company is "very pleased with how the season is shaping up and the audience response to the first 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 Haley 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 supporting new work, local work and allowing artists to have a voice rather than driving our programming solely on profit," 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 barriers to live performance," she says.
Vintage Theatre in Aurora is experiencing 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 Theatre Company has seen ticket sales increase since it started performing in its space in January. And the news is particularly good in Golden.
Ideation, a dark corporate satire about work, is on stage at Wheat Ridge Theatre Company through September 24.
Courtesy of Kiso Kyle
"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 business 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 first phase's opening on December 1, Wonderbound is celebrating its first 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 performing 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 appointment to the role ends a fourteen-month hiring search to replace Helen R. Murray, whose shows were creative yet struggled to find 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 creativity, diversity and resilience. The shows must go on!
Here's a look at the upcoming season from twelve companies; watch westword.com for more on this new theater season.
A scene from Stephen Sondheim’s classic musical A Little Night Music, at DCPA.
Courtesy of Amanda Tipton Photography
Denver Center for the Performing Arts, 1101 13th Street, Denver
Tickets start at $30 for A Little Night Music and $35 for Clyde’s
To kick off its 44th season, the DCPA Theatre Company revisits the beloved Sondheim's seven-time Tony Award-winning musical and the regional premiere of Lynn Nottage's new comedy. Artistic director Chris Coleman says he's wanted to produce the musical "for many years, and with Sondheim’s passing, it seemed a nice opportunity to breathe life into the piece. ... I also love that it is quickly followed up by Lynn Nottage’s play Clyde's, which couldn’t be more different than A Little Night Music, but audiences that loved Sweat from a few years ago will love this [new] play from Nottage."
Beautiful: The Carole King Musical (through October 15) and The Laramie Project (September 29-November 5)
Arvada Center, 6901 Wadsworth Boulevard, Arvada
Tickets start at $56 for Beautiful and $32 for The Laramie Project
A musical about a modern icon and a play about a small-town response to a hate crime start the Arvada Center's five-show season. "The contrast between these two pieces, both rooted in real-life events and captured in two very different styles of theater, is really compelling," says marketing director Sarah Kolb. "[Beautiful is] emotionally grounded and real — just like Carole’s iconic album Tapestry. The Laramie Project began its life as hundreds of real-life interviews, conducted by Moisés Kaufman and the Members of Tectonic Theater Project after Matthew Shepard’s death. ... I hope people come to experience both!"
Ideation (through September 24) and The Woman in Black (October 13-29)
Wheat Ridge Theatre Company, 5455 West 38th Avenue, Unit J, Wheat Ridge
Tickets start at $28
This community theater group is staging a dark corporate satire and a spooky horror play in its intimate black box space. Ideation was slated to be produced in 2020, "but the pandemic halted the process," says Maru Garcia, Ph.D., and the executive producer at Wheat Ridge Theatre. "It is an interesting show that combines comedy with intrigue. The Woman in Black is a classic horror story. ... We choose our productions considering shows that will attract audiences but that will make people think [and] that have not been produced by other companies in the Denver metro area recently."
The Minutes transports audiences to a city council meeting in the fictional town of Big Cherry.
Courtesy of Michael Ensminger Photography
Curious Theatre Company, 1080 Acoma Street
Tickets start at $27.50 (previews) and $37.50 (opening and onward)
Two regional premieres kick off Curious Theatre's 26th season. “At Curious, we aim to produce challenging new plays from exciting voices in contemporary theater, plays you are unlikely to see anywhere else," says Jada Suzanne Dixon, who took over as artistic director in 2022. "The Minutes is a standout script straight from Broadway and one of America’s best playwrights, the amazing Tracy Letts. ... Letters of Suresh is a moving and lyrical piece exploring longing and human connection through letters."
Cabaret (September 14-October 22) and Cadillac Crew (October 20-November 26)
Vintage Theatre, 1468 Dayton Street, Aurora
Tickets start at $38 for Cabaret and $34 for Cadillac Crew
A musical about the horrors of Nazism and a regional premiere play about the women who led the civil rights movement begin Vintage Theatre’s 21st season. "This is what we’ve been doing at Vintage: giving our patrons some of the shows we know they will love AND introducing them to new authors and new works," artistic director Bernie Cardell says.
Blues in the Night (September 22-October 8), Mom's Unhinged Comedy Show (September 24), Phamaly Theatre Company and America’s Got Talent Season 6 runner-ups, The Silhouettes present Indescribable (November 3-5), and The Denver Dolls: Salute to Veterans (November 11-12)
The Aurora Fox Arts Center, 9900 East Colfax Avenue, Aurora
Information here
The Fox is shifting its season timeline to match the city’s fiscal year and producing “The Fox Interlude,” a lineup of entertainment playing through the end of the year. "Rather than trying to squeeze full productions into this window, the staff made the decision to offer shorter runs of a few shows that we otherwise might not have been able to present," says executive producer Cowden. "Regardless, there’s a LOT in the interlude for our patrons — both existing and new — to enjoy."
Dracula (September 30-October 28) and The Odd Couple (November 19-December 17)
Firehouse Theatre Company, The John Hand Theater on the CFU Lowry Campus, 7653 East First Place
Tickets start at $27
Just in time for the spooky season, Dracula is the perfect play to sink your teeth into. “Why not have some delicious scary fun to start off the fall and get in the mood for Halloween?" asks Firehouse's executive producer and board president, Helen Hand. "After Dracula, we will present Neil Simon's The Odd Couple, directed by Dwayne Carrington with an interracial cast. While our two fall shows are clearly very different kinds of shows, the diversity of actors that are telling the stories makes the shows come alive in new ways.”
Naughty Bits (October 6-22)
Buntport Theater, 717 Lipan Street
Tickets are name-your-price
Naughty Bits is an original show about Lansdowne Hercules's genitals, first staged back in 2014. "After creating so many plays (now 52 and counting), bringing old ones back occasionally is a fun way to explore our history," Rollman says. "There are various factors that go into our decision-making as to which one to remount. Naughty Bits is a ridiculous romp, but it also seems particularly pertinent at the moment with the current efforts to censor art. We're looking at you, Florida."
Blasted (October 13-November 4)
Benchmark, 1560 Teller Street, Lakewood
Tickets start at $18
Although this play's initial performance in 1995 was highly controversial, it has been recognized as a necessary exploration of the horrors of the battlefield inspired by the Yugoslav wars. Artistic director Neil Truglio says, "We knew that the Ukrainian war was something that we wanted to talk about on stage, but when exploring play ideas, I was much more interested in looking at the human cost of war rather than the political ramifications."
The Cherry Orchard (October 13-November 5)
Miners Alley Playhouse, 1224 Washington Avenue, Golden
Tickets start at $42
Wonderbound, 3824 Dahlia Street
Tickets start at $65
Young lovers fight for their lives against a hurricane, a zombie puppeteer, and a gator who feeds on the hearts of children. "Our production of Wicked Bayou featuring the Widow’s Bane live is a deliciously dark adventure; perfectly timed for the Halloween season," says marketing manager Sally Walker. "Set in the Spanish moss-filled bayou, it is full of legend and lore, including a bruja, zombie puppets and an alligator. It is also one of the last chances audiences will have to see the Widow’s Bane perform, as the band will be saying farewell shortly after."
Firehouse Theatre Company, The John Hand Theater on the CFU Lowry Campus, 7653 East First Place
Tickets start at $27
Just in time for the spooky season, Dracula is the perfect play to sink your teeth into. “Why not have some delicious scary fun to start off the fall and get in the mood for Halloween?" asks Firehouse's executive producer and board president, Helen Hand. "After Dracula, we will present Neil Simon's The Odd Couple, directed by Dwayne Carrington with an interracial cast. While our two fall shows are clearly very different kinds of shows, the diversity of actors that are telling the stories makes the shows come alive in new ways.”
Naughty Bits, an original show about Lansdowne Hercules' genitals, plays at Buntport Theater October 6-22.
Courtesy of Buntport Theater
Buntport Theater, 717 Lipan Street
Tickets are name-your-price
Naughty Bits is an original show about Lansdowne Hercules's genitals, first staged back in 2014. "After creating so many plays (now 52 and counting), bringing old ones back occasionally is a fun way to explore our history," Rollman says. "There are various factors that go into our decision-making as to which one to remount. Naughty Bits is a ridiculous romp, but it also seems particularly pertinent at the moment with the current efforts to censor art. We're looking at you, Florida."
Blasted (October 13-November 4)
Benchmark, 1560 Teller Street, Lakewood
Tickets start at $18
Although this play's initial performance in 1995 was highly controversial, it has been recognized as a necessary exploration of the horrors of the battlefield inspired by the Yugoslav wars. Artistic director Neil Truglio says, "We knew that the Ukrainian war was something that we wanted to talk about on stage, but when exploring play ideas, I was much more interested in looking at the human cost of war rather than the political ramifications."
Wolf at the Door (October 12-29)
Su Teatro, 721 Santa Fe Drive
Tickets start at $7
Su Teatro's season opener is written by Marisela Treviño Orta and will be directed by local Latinx artist Micaela Garcia de Benavidez. It's a Latino fairy tale that tells the story of Isadora finding the strength to stand up to her abusive husband, Septimo, when he forces the very pregnant Yolot to stay against her will.
Su Teatro, 721 Santa Fe Drive
Tickets start at $7
Su Teatro's season opener is written by Marisela Treviño Orta and will be directed by local Latinx artist Micaela Garcia de Benavidez. It's a Latino fairy tale that tells the story of Isadora finding the strength to stand up to her abusive husband, Septimo, when he forces the very pregnant Yolot to stay against her will.
The Cherry Orchard (October 13-November 5)
Miners Alley Playhouse, 1224 Washington Avenue, Golden
Tickets start at $42
Slated to be one of the company's final productions in its current space is Russian author Anton Chekhov's last full-length play, The Cherry Orchard, about an impoverished landowning family whose estate is about to be auctioned off. While Chekhov "is usually thought of as heavy and dramatic, this translation by Stephen Karam is very funny, even farcical at times, and I am excited to introduce audiences to a classic play that is also a fun time in the theater," says producing artistic director Len Matheo.
Wicked Bayou with the Widow’s Bane (October 19-29) 
Wonderbound, 3824 Dahlia Street
Tickets start at $65
Young lovers fight for their lives against a hurricane, a zombie puppeteer, and a gator who feeds on the hearts of children. "Our production of Wicked Bayou featuring the Widow’s Bane live is a deliciously dark adventure; perfectly timed for the Halloween season," says marketing manager Sally Walker. "Set in the Spanish moss-filled bayou, it is full of legend and lore, including a bruja, zombie puppets and an alligator. It is also one of the last chances audiences will have to see the Widow’s Bane perform, as the band will be saying farewell shortly after."
