Arts & Entertainment

Lots of great fiction was published in 2023, but Stephen Graham Jones's Don't Fear the Reaper — the second in his Indian Lake trilogy, which began with My Heart Is a Chainsaw and will finish up later this year with The Angel of Indian Lake — really stuck with us. Fans of horror will love every blood-soaked word in this trilogy of desperation and flat-out dark thrills. The series is not for the faint of heart, but Graham puts a beautifully Indigenous spin on what's become a love letter to the whole horror genre. This isn't just the best fiction book from a Colorado author in the past year; it's one of the best books of the year, period.

In May 2023, the Denver Art Museum concluded its multi-year effort to reinvent a trio of collections in its permanent galleries and showcase work that hadn't been seen in years. There's the Modern and Contemporary Art collection, which covers 108 years of history with 145 works. The Arts of Africa collection comprises 800 works from a variety of countries, with some pieces hundreds of years old and others contemporary. The Arts of Oceania collection, meanwhile, involves works in a variety of genres from all major island groupings. And while polishing its collections, the museum has continued hosting must-see exhibitions, including Desert Rider, which examined lowrider culture in Colorado and the Southwest.

The Museum of Contemporary Art has earned a reputation for exhibiting works that make visitors think in new ways. This year, the MCA turned a critical eye toward the archetype of the American cowboy in its show Cowboy, which included both loans and new commissions from 27 artists across the globe, including Asian American, Latinx and Native perspectives. The museum also looked at the American South through the lens of Black artists in the acclaimed traveling exhibition The Dirty South. Both shows exemplified how this museum continues to bring fresh perspectives to the city.

Eight local muralists painted across downtown Boulder for a series called Celebrating Colorado's Black Street Artists, produced by Street Wise Arts and the Museum of Boulder to go along with the museum's exhibition Proclaiming Colorado's Black History. Thomas "Detour" Evans, Yazz Atmore, Jahna Rae, Rob Hill, Marcus Murray, Devin "Speaks" Urioste, Jasmine Holmes-Piesco and Selah Laurel all created murals that reflected the exhibit's theme of Black history in the state. The exhibit, which was two years in the making, is on view through September 2025. 

It's fun when relatives visit, but finding a place in the Mile High City that will please dear old Dad can sometimes be a tricky task. This nearly seventy-year-old transportation history museum near the Coliseum (the museum's original home is now the REI flagship store) is at your service. Dad will enjoy the old-timey cars at the Forney, and the look of childlike wonder on his face when he gets to climb into the Union Pacific Big Boy is well worth the $17 admission fee.

Museo de las Americas has been a staple of the Art District on Santa Fe for more than three decades. From First Friday celebrations in its intimate gallery space to Day of the Dead festivities that take to the streets outside the hot-pink stucco building, the Museo offers an immersion in Chicano culture. It also has a wide variety of programs, from workshops for schools and groups to mural tours, public gatherings and discussions, to special options for members.

Latino Cultural Arts Center founder Adrianna Abarca donated warehouse spaces at 1935 West 12th Avenue to the nonprofit, and after significant fundraising, including a gift of $2.5 million in congressional spending pushed by Senator Michael Bennet and $1.9 million from Colorado Creative Industries, LCAC is planning to fill the space with Las Bodegas. An intergenerational creative hub, Las Bodegas will include digital and visual arts programs, including LCAC's Day of the Dead Ofrendas project and a mentorship setup for burgeoning artists.

The Chicano Humanities and Arts Council received the gift of a lifetime this year: Kyle Schneider, the son of late artist Katherine Payge, gave his mother's gallery building at 834 Santa Fe Drive to CHAC. The nonprofit, which began in north Denver in 1978 and moved to the Art District on Santa Fe in 1986, was priced out of that neighborhood in 2022. While CHAC will maintain its space in the 40 West Arts District in Lakewood, the gallery on Santa Fe not only allows more engagement with Denver, but marks a sentimental return to its original community in the city's historically Chicano neighborhood.

The Kirkland Museum of Fine & Decorative Art is named for Vance Kirkland, the iconic Colorado artist who came to Denver in 1929 as the founding director of the University of Denver's School of Art. While the museum is known for its expansive collection that includes artists of note from this state and beyond, its 2023 Kirkland retrospective, Vance Kirkland's Cosmos, was a revelation, showing how the artist moved from landscapes and surrealism to expressionism and radical modernism. The museum also unveiled several never-before-seen works by the late master.

William Havu once had rock-star dreams, even performing with Jimi Hendrix in 1967, but luckily for Denver, he became a gallerist and staunch supporter of the local arts. His career has now passed the five-decade mark, which he celebrated with a retrospective show at his Golden Triangle gallery that highlighted the wide variety of artists he represents: Sushe and Tracy Felix, Tony Ortega, Emilio Lobato and more. Havu has been integral to the city's growing art scene, and From All Angles: Fifty Years in the Art Business showed just how indispensable he is.

The Robischon Gallery has been a beacon for the city's arts community since it opened on Wazee Street in 1982, back when LoDo was just becoming a hub for the arts. And it goes back even further than that: Jim Robischon originally founded his gallery as Blue Door II on Parker Road in 1976. While many other galleries moved from LoDo after Coors Field opened in 1995, Robischon has remained for four decades, a testament to the museum-quality exhibitions mounted there throughout the year, usually highlighting multiple artists at once. Sleek, contemporary paintings and more mind-boggling works await in this art lover's paradise, where you're always sure to discover something new.

A nonprofit community art hub, Denver Art Society is where many up-and-coming artists of all ages are able to first showcase their work. The volunteer-run co-op maintains multiple artist studios and offers a variety of classes and workshops to the public, so you can try your own hand at creative pursuits. But with art at affordable prices set up in booths inside the sprawling space, this is where you can also start becoming an art collector — and support a local artist at the same time. Once you catch the collector bug, Denver Art Society's location presents you with the perfect medicine, since it's situated in the Art District on Santa Fe.

Leon Gallery opened in 2011, rewarding artistic risk-takers, outliers and forward thinkers with a space where they could showcase work that other commercial galleries might not deem "sellable" — and giving 70 percent of any sales to artists who show there, when most galleries split sales 50/50. Recently, Leon has presented everything from the clubbing snapshots by Shadows Gather and photographs documenting police brutality protests in Iran to Raafi Rivero's jerseys honoring Black victims of violence. But while the exhibits were rich, the gallery was not, and by mid-January, Leon was at risk of losing its lease. A fundraising campaign announced via social media paid off quickly, however: With donations from the community, the gallery hit its $20,000 goal within five days. Long live Leon!

The nonprofit nomadic art museum Black Cube commissions large-scale works that comment on a variety of topics, and the installations it mounted last year were particularly big. For the Cities Summit of the Americas, Black Cube went along with the theme of "Global Challenges, Local Solutions" in Pipelines, an interactive installation created from PVC water and sewage pipes by Toronto artists Julia Jamrozik and Coryn Kempster. The most impressive installation, however, was Orisons, by renowned artist Marguerite Humeau, which involved 84 sculptures planted on 160 acres of land at Jones Farms Organics in the San Luis Valley. Humeau took years to speak with people in the area and plan the work, resulting in an otherworldly, historic masterpiece.

A spiraling realm of psychedelia and surrealism awaits at Ryan Joseph Gallery, where artists defy traditional expectations in paintings with cascades of color and emotional depth. Micah Ofstedahl, for example, showed a new way of looking at landscapes in works on shaped canvases, but with overlaid geometry twisting the otherwise photo-realist form; Vanessa Lemen contributed glowing oil paintings that dabble in expressionist abstraction while hinting at pre-known forms. Even the portraits in the most recent group exhibition were imbued with intriguing, surrealist twists, showing that no two artists think or look at things the same way.

When John Lennon called his relationship with May Pang "the lost weekend," it remained a thorn in her side. The pair had a year-and-a-half-long committed relationship, and she has the evidence to back it up. Pang decided to set history straight with her collection of photographs, which landed at Bitfactory last September in The Lost Weekend: Photography of May Pang. Through candid shots of Lennon during the most productive time of his solo career, Pang showed a man reconnecting with his son, smiling with friends and happily in love. She even took what is considered to be the last picture of Lennon with fellow Beatle Paul McCartney. It was an intimate glimpse into the life of one of the world's most famous musicians, and laid to rest any misconceptions about Pang's impact on his life.

Pride isn't limited to one month, and the Northglenn Arts Center and Chicano Council for the Arts and Humanities made that clear with Amor Es Amor, which included works from twelve Latino and Chicano artists, many of whom are also in the LGBTQ+ community. The exhibit revolved around unique narratives, identities and stories of queer individuals. "Queer joy is my priority," artist Tania Maldonado said, "and seeing a wall full of that art — that is something that all of the oppressive systems and things we are having to combat can't take away from us."

Many locals bemoan the loss of old Denver. There's been a lot of change over the years, particularly in the last three decades, when the city slowly and inexorably moved away from $150-a-month rents for whole floors of old warehouse and factory spaces near downtown that artists could fill with their own work and that of others. Roots of an Era: Mixtape to the Old North Denver Art Scene at BRDG Project honored that time and all the creativity that sprang from it. The show included works from photographer Mark Sink and other local stalwarts such as artists Phil Bender, Reed Weimer, Arlette Lucero, Jerry Jaramillo and the late Stevon Lucero. Because of efforts like this, the city can honor its artistic roots and create some fertile soil for new growth.

Artist residencies are a vital part of the artistic community — personal creative think tanks meant to support artists in their development with the time and space to work. RedLine offers the best opportunities in Denver: full two-year residencies for up to eighteen emerging local artists, who get 0x200Bfully subsidized studio spaces and "the freedom to explore and experiment without commercial constraints." Those who receive the residencies also receive mentorship, career development, promotion and the opportunity to work in close proximity with a supportive peer community during their time at the center. If that sounds much like what some of the best collegiate art programs also offer, you're right — but this experience is free, and may just provide the key that unlocks a brighter future for program participants and the art world overall.

Pirate Contemporary Art was born in 1980, when several recent grads from Metropolitan State College were commiserating about the lack of local galleries eager to showcase contemporary work. Luckily, Denver at the time was all about bootstrapping, so they started their own group, and the co-op has grown over the decades to become a nonprofit, member-owned gallery where the most audacious and compelling of local pieces have a temporary home, and where those who appreciate such work can find it. The model has been impressively successful in the last forty-plus years; Pirate's continued participation in and influence over the local arts scene is testament to that.

Like the story of Casa Bonita itself, Next Gallery's annual exhibit devoted to the pink palace has taken some weird twists and turns over the years. Next now shares the same shopping center home as the famed eatertainment complex, which was closed for more than three years after the COVID shutdown and then was taken over by the creators of South Park. This year's show, with the theme How Do You Like Me Now?, was as strong as the previous six, full of creative work that vied for a grand prize: a table for six at Casa Bonita itself. No small beans, that, since some people are still on the waiting list ten months after Casa Bonita (sort of) reopened.

The DIY scene is being reinvigorated by Squirm Gallery, which took over the same space that housed the legendary Rhinoceropolis. Most of the artists who started Squirm — Zak Ashburn, Zach Burke, Cyrena Rosati, Ruby Sumners, Alishya Swenning and Peina Vella — had been to that venue and its neighbor, Glob, and felt that while the city has a healthy DIY scene for music, it was lacking for the visual arts. And when Burke heard that the space was available, it seemed like destiny. Squirm opened with a visual-art show from Michael Stein, as well as concerts by KYC DJs, American Culture, Fragrant Blossom and Angel Band. And in the back, Squirm members have outfitted studio space with screen and risograph printers, a kiln, a darkroom, a metalsmithing setup, paints and more. DIY is far from dead.

Beginning as a renegade DIY collective in Santa Fe, New Mexico, Meow Wolf brought its wild spirit to Denver with Convergence Station in 2021 and has become a major attraction for tourists and locals alike. And when the community speaks, Meow Wolf answers. After receiving requests for adults-only events, Meow Wolf created the Adulti-Verse, which happens on the first and third Wednesday of the month for those ages 21 and up, so we can roam the multiple universes with a drink in hand while listening to DJs spin. Meow Wolf also hosts concerts in its Perplexiplex venue, whose walls and floor are covered in motion-activated lighting. Whether you're there for music or an Adulti-Verse event, one thing's for sure: It's a party!

Local artists have a major supporter in Spectra Art Space, which is always there to put on dedicated creatives' first shows and where you're always sure to find quality work. But the gallery has also cemented itself as a purveyor of the immersive arts, mounting annual installations that fill its backyard with the visions of the city's artists. In the late spring and summer, there's Novo Ita, a dreamy world lush with plants and flowers, and in the fall and winter, it's Spookadelia, a blend of creepy and kitsch that keeps the Halloween spirit alive.

After knocking it out of the park with Natura Obscura at the Museum of Outdoor Arts, Prismajic found a permanent home for Shiki Dreams at Colorado Mills mall. The five-room installation creates a welcome escape as soon as you enter, with forest-evoking scents and dim lighting that direct your attention to the illuminated scenes throughout. You'll be given a headset that plays an ambient soundtrack as you traverse fairy-tale rooms and perhaps spot Shiki, the yeti that the installation is named for. As Prismajic co-founder Jennifer Mosquera promised, "One of the things we're really interested in is tempering the crazy — from the outside world, traffic, everyday things — and bringing some wonder and creativity as well as some calm to people." And Prismajic nailed it with Shiki Dreams.

After Paul Laurie found success with his Silver Spork Social underground supper club in 2014, he created Invisible City, a members-only club, in 2017. Invisible City now has a very visible permanent home in its Clubhouse at 941 Santa Fe Drive, which opened last September; it's an immersive-art social lounge that hosts concerts, workshops and more for its members, as well as ticketed shows when the public is able to come check out the space. A gathering place for the adventurous and imaginative, Invisible City transcends the conventional, making for a realm where the extraordinary becomes the standard.

Whether you're in RiNo for First Friday, a concert at one of the area's many venues or just brewery-hopping, the street art is impossible to miss. It's almost everywhere you look, from murals dating back to the years of Crush Walls to new works that are seemingly going up all the time. That's because the nonprofit art district throws a lot of support to the local artists who make our city so colorful, providing opportunities for them by way of mural festivals, a BIPOC artist fund, and programming that includes workshops, markets and more.

The Mile High City was filled with pride when the Nuggets brought home the NBA championship trophy in 2023, and so was Thomas Evans, the local artist who goes by Detour. His murals are instantly recognizable for their bright splashes of color rendering portraits of people who inspire him, and as an avid fan of Denver sports, the artist immediately took to his canvas — i.e., the 7-Eleven wall he's been painting up since 2020. The mural was even covered by the New York Times. But of course, that isn't all the prolific artists has in the works: Detour has a major installation project at Denver International Airport, and just adorned Empower Field.

After local artist Ally Grimm, aka A.L. Grime, painted at the D.C. iteration of international mural festival World Wide Walls, she convinced organizers that the Mile High City would be the perfect fit for the fest. While she originally planned for the Denver version to happen in 2022, that effort fell through because of a lack of funds. But Grimm found an enthusiastic partner in the RiNo Art District, and after much planning, Denver Walls had its inaugural festival last September, bringing local, national and international artists together in RiNo to paint seventeen new murals around the neighborhood. The largest spot? That went to Detour, who painted the entire floor on top of a parking lot.

The Mile High City is known for its colorful street art, and some styles are becoming instantly recognizable. Who hasn't seen one of Chris Haven's goofy, smiling triangular dudes spray-painted on a building or alleyway? Whether they're throwing up peace signs or holding a mic as if about to bust out a cypher, they add a lot of joy to the streets of Denver. Haven also creates photo-realistic portrait murals. That breadth of talent really underscores the boundless energy of the Denver arts scene.

Voltaire Collective brings visual and performance art to the city in its own creepy and original way, with "theatrical draglesque productions." The producers of the events and shows are all artists themselves. From an event described as a "kink extravaganza" showcasing burlesque and pole performances to the Inkwell, an original production that follows a wizard and his apprentice, you never know what the collective will come up with next. Voltaire events can be found all around the city, and its Instagram (@voltairecollective) shows off some of the fun things in the works.

Artists Sushe and Tracy Felix have been making stunning oil and acrylic paintings for decades, capturing landscapes through their own unique lenses. Both inspired by the West, they illustrate enigmatic mountainous scenery in flat, stylized strokes that give weight to saturated colors. You'll often find the talented pair showing their work together, and their styles both complement and supplement each other. They don't just share walls in the galleries; they share a life together, too, in a heartwarming creative collaboration.

The cows that local artist Max Coleman paints are all blue, with phrases behind them such as, "How can we expect to build a peaceful world by using violence?" His murals and other work can be seen on walls around metro Denver, and they almost always reference animal advocacy in some way. If you're pro-cow, his series titled The Burden of Cattle, now on display at the Banshee House, is a sight to behold. If you can't make it there, your next best bet for cow art is the Westword office.

Comic book artists used to be siloed on the coasts, but one of the gifts of our digital age is that this is no longer true: Jorge Corona, 0x200Bwho was born in Venezuela, chose to make his home — and his art — right here in the Mile High. He found success with various Bat-titles for DC Comics, but struck out on his own with his Eisner Award-nominated and critically acclaimed take on Oz in Middlewest as well as a project with co-creator Skottie Young, The Me You Love in the Dark. Corona's work is wide-ranging, with the ability to be both inspiring and threatening, traditional and experimental. He's an artistic force, and he makes a point of showing up to local stores to give back to his fans.

If you're a voracious reader, you've probably mused on how your favorite authors might have experienced our state. If so, Reading Colorado: A Literary Road Guide is the book for you. It invites you to shake hands with Kent Haruf's rural dwellers of the Eastern Plains; fords the South Platte with Mark Twain; poetically protests with Anne Waldman and Allen Ginsberg; thumbs a ride with Jack Kerouac; crests peaks with Isabella Bird and Enos Mills, and plumbs the cliff dwellings of Mesa Verde with Willa Cather. It's the literary history of "Colorful Colorado" from authors you know, all collected in one perfect road trip of a book. And the foreword from Tom "Dr. Colorado" Noel is the cherry on top.

Comprising performers with disabilities who want to make burlesque accessible to all, Broken Babes is the city's most inclusive burlesque troupe. It's also a joy to watch. Founded by Allie Soreass, who was a "kitten" for the long-running Ooh La La Presents burlesque troupe, and Bella Brujita in 2021, Broken Babes memorializes the nickname the founders would call each other after performances that often left them sore and covered in ice packs. But that didn't deter their love of the art form, and they've since welcomed other burlesque-curious and seasoned performers into the fold.

After the 2022 shooting at the Colorado Springs LGBTQ+ bar Club Q, celebrating the art of drag is more important than ever. Inspired by nightlife award shows, such as the Chicago Drag and Nightlife Awards (Gaggys) and New York's annual Glam Awards, Mile High drag entertainer, producer and philanthropist Jessica L'Whor created the Colorado Drag, Initiatives and Variety Awards (DIVAs) in 2018, and it's become an annual tradition that underscores the importance of uplifting artists who put their all into their work.

Lee Robinson and Kate McLachlan are proof that true creative comedians can make people laugh without punching down or hurting feelings. The duo's queer variety show, Dyketopia, has grown from its backyard beginnings to selling out the Oriental Theater, receiving a grant from Eventbrite and even hosting a festival on a farm that included friend speed dating and a petting zoo; it also expanded into a weekly podcast of the same name. Dyketopia involves game-show-esque features, improv, standup and more, and has been a huge success: Robinson and McLachlan have plans to take it to L.A. and New York later this year. We're fine with that, as long as they come back to the Mile High!

Comedy Works has been a testament to Denver's love of the comedy scene since it opened downtown in 1981, and there was just more to love when it added the Comedy Works South location in 2008. Comedy Works was named one of the top five comedy clubs in the country by USA Today and is a favorite of such comedy legends as Dave Chapelle, Jerry Seinfeld and Chelsea Handler, but the venue also serves as a beacon for emerging talent, hosting events such as New Talent Night, New Faces Contest and Funny Final Four throughout the year. Under Wende Curtis's leadership, Comedy Works is the ultimate destination for comedy fans looking for the perfect balance of legendary performers and local talent.

The Denver Comedy Lounge is RiNo's premier destination for high-quality comedy entertainment, thanks to the vision of its founder, standup comedian Ben Kronberg. With an impressive career highlighted by a standout performance at the 2007 HBO Aspen Comedy Festival and appearances on national platforms including Jimmy Kimmel Live and Comedy Central, Kronberg brings a wealth of experience, a keen eye for talent and a commitment to diversity to his club. Comedians, musicians and artists take the stage every weekend at 8 p.m.

Since it opened in the Baker neighborhood in July 2020, Chaos Bloom has quickly become the city's top venue for small-scale improv comedy. Beyond providing nightly laughs with a diverse lineup of both local and national talent, Chaos Bloom has established itself as a breeding ground for comedic excellence through its comprehensive training center. Under director Amey Goerlich, a veteran of the NYC and L.A. comedy scenes, Chaos thrives on unpredictability; each improv show promises a unique experience, especially the eclectic Friday night performances that range from modern clowning to sketch comedy. And you can't beat the price of $5 for most shows.

With a rich history dating back to its founding in 1912 as the Ideal Theater, the Bug Theatre has transformed through the decades into a premier mid-sized comedy venue. Purchased by artist landlords forty years ago and renamed for its affectionate nickname of "the Bug House," the Bug now thrives as a home for the arts, thanks to its commitment to accessibility, community engagement and affordable rental rates and ticket prices.

Denver Comedy Underground's welcome deal of pizza, a drink, easy parking and fantastic comedy for just $20 provides the perfect mix for a hilarious night out. Launched by Ben Bryant in 2019 and moved to Capitol Hill in September 2021, today the venue offers performances from Thursday through Saturday with an impressive lineup of emerging voices as well as nationally recognized comedians from such platforms as Netflix and Comedy Central. Bryant's commitment to delivering high-quality entertainment at an accessible price point, paired with Denver's rich comedic talent and enthusiastic audiences, makes Denver Comedy Underground the epitome of affordable, high-quality comedy.

Dangerous Theatre has been a go-to for daring and innovative comedy since 2007, when Winnie Wenglewick moved here from Orlando to start the club. It's become known for its dedication to showcasing new, audacious works that challenge societal norms, as well as its Limit Breaker open-mic variety show on the first Sunday of each month, an uncensored platform that celebrates the unique voices of people living on the outskirts of society. Adding to its inclusive ethos, the Improv Shenanigans workshops on Tuesdays invite performers and improvisers of all skill levels to hone their craft in an environment that values creativity and diversity.

As the local embodiment of the esteemed national comedy chain, the Denver Improv stands out not just for its lineup of big-time talent, but for its approach to fostering local laughs. Opting for collaboration over competition in a city bustling with comedic ventures, the Denver Improv has introduced Roast Battles as a platform for top regional comedians to showcase their skills, enhancing the local scene rather than overshadowing it.

Since its founding in 2011, RISE Comedy (formerly Voodoo Comedy Playhouse) has quickly become a go-to for a wide variety of comedy. Under the leadership of Stephen Wilder, Nick Armstrong and Josh Nicols, RISE caters to a broad spectrum of creative tastes, offering everything from improv and standup to sketch comedy, variety shows, drag comedy, clown performances and comedy festivals. This eclectic mix ensures that every visit is a unique experience, and beyond the laughs, guests can enjoy a full-service bar with local beer, wine and cocktails.

The High Plains Comedy Festival celebrated its tenth anniversary in September 2023, when more than 100 comedians from around the globe gathered to mark a decade of laughter and community. Founded by Adam Cayton-Holland, a local comedian with an impressive national profile, the festival's evolution reflects his vision of showcasing Denver's comedic talent on an international stage, achieved through a carefully curated mix of local and national acts.

Friends Rach Angard and Jared McBain are the hilarious hosts of Flea Market, a daring variety show at Forest Room 5 that breaks the mold of conventional comedy. This inventive event merges standup, theater and performance art, creating a unique space for unconventional, daring and downright weird acts. With backgrounds in improvisation and performance, Angard and McBain have cultivated an environment where artists are encouraged to explore new comedic methods, and the combination of creativity, community and unapologetic authenticity makes them the ideal hosts for a local comedy show.

Bowls With the Bard was founded by Micaela Mannix in 2017 after she'd attended similar Shakespeare-with-booze events and decided she'd rather go the Stoned Shakespeare route. The result is an experience that transforms the way audiences engage with classic literature as actors navigate the complexities of Shakespearean language while under the influence of cannabis. In both its shows — the Denver-based troupe currently performs at the Coffee Joint — and a related podcast, Bowls With the Bard works to smash stereotypes of Shakespeare being inaccessible and stoners being dumb. As Mannix points out, it's an excellent way to get lit.

Benchmark Theatre's production of Stonewall was staged during Pride Month. The original docudrama, directed by Neil Truglio and Samwell Rose, masterfully chronicled the seminal 1969 uprising, delving into the emotional and societal undercurrents leading up to and following the event that catalyzed the LGBTQ+ rights movement. The play honors the legacy of those who fought at the Stonewall Inn while also serving as a powerful exploration of community resilience and solidarity. Through a blend of meticulous research and creative dramatization, Benchmark Theatre crafted an unforgettable experience that celebrates queer joy.

What makes a great ensemble is extremely subjective, but casting eleven of the area's best actors is a good way to start, as evidenced by Curious Theatre Company's production of The Minutes, by Tracy Letts. This political satire follows the absurdities of a city council meeting in the fictional town of Big Cherry, offering a comedic yet critical perspective on American democracy. It was an ambitious start to Curious's 26th season, but under the fresh leadership of Jada Suzanne Dixon, Curious upheld its legacy of tackling thought-provoking, socially relevant plays. The production, directed by Christy Montour-Larson, benefited from its cohesive and talented cast, whose sharp performances mirrored the complexities of governance and community dynamics.

As Su Teatro celebrated its fiftieth anniversary and the triumphant burning of its mortgage, it firmly cemented its status as the best long-running theater troupe in town. With its roots deeply embedded in the Chicano Movement of the 1960s and '70s, Su Teatro has continually offered a powerful voice through original, homegrown productions that narrate the Chicano experience. This year's vibrant season, from El Espíritu Natural and The Miracle at Tepeyac to the recent Cuarenta y Ocho (48), showcases its commitment to bringing accessible, high-caliber theater to diverse audiences. Su Teatro also produces the Chicano Music Festival, the XicanIndie Film Fest, WordFest and the impactful teachings of the Cultural Arts Education Institute, making it a dynamic hub of cultural and artistic exploration.

Who says you need a permanent theater space to make great art? The nomadic Phamaly Theatre Company had a trailblazing season last year. With productions ranging from Spring Awakening at Northglenn Arts to A Midsummer Night's Dream at the Denver Center for the Performing Arts and culminating with Indescribable at the Aurora Fox Arts Center, Phamaly not only showcased its versatility across various stages, but also its unyielding commitment to disability-affirmative theater. The company's 2023 season underscored its mission to celebrate diversity within the human condition, transforming traditional narratives and audience perceptions alike.

The Agenda Theatre has quickly become the city's premier LGBTQ+ theater troupe, offering groundbreaking productions that examine the queer experience. Founded by Danté J. Finley and Chloe Ryan, and sparked by the talent showcased in Benchmark Theatre's production of Stonewall, the company is dedicated to shaking up the theater scene with innovative storytelling and dynamic performances. Its mission to celebrate and explore the diverse narratives within the LGBTQ+ community through theater has already resulted in the successful staging of such unique shows as Mean Ghouls. With Rebecca Gorman O'Neill at the helm of new play development, Agenda is committed to introducing exciting new works that challenge societal norms and foster inclusivity.

Produced by Control Group Productions, Strange Natures was a 75-minute dance party held in the historical DeLaney Homestead Historic District that married queer ecology with a candid narrative about our plastic-laden world. Directed by Caroline Sharkey and created by George Delaney and Elle Hong, the production delved into the present realities of climate change with both gravity and gaiety. Its unique format, comprising chaotic vignettes set in a transformed, bright, plastic ecosystem, pushed boundaries and invited audience interaction, making each performance a dynamic, shared experience.

While Ridley Scott's recent film adaptation took nearly three hours to capture Napoleon Bonaparte's epic saga, Buntport Theater managed to distill the emperor's life and downfall into a more captivating spectacle in substantially less time. The Death of Napoleon: A Play in Less Than Three Acts not only humorously explored the twilight years of one of history's most iconic figures on the small island of Saint Helena, but also looked at the broader implications of power, isolation and the human penchant for rewriting history. The ensemble's collaborative approach to storytelling and ingenious use of a compact stage space to bring Napoleon's complex persona to life made the play the year's best adaptation of his storied existence.

The Theatre Artibus production of The Pâstisserie at the Savoy was a Willy Wonka journey for the theatrically adventurous and the cocoa-curious. This dark (chocolate) comedy — masterminded by the creative genius of Buba Basishvili, Meghan Frank, Tiffany Ogburn and Nicole Dietze — took audiences into the mind of a lone soldier navigating a bizarre factory where the taste of nostalgia is harvested from the memories of its workers. The play combined the sweetness of nostalgia with the bitterness of lost memories, and original music by David Rynhart and lighting by Sean Mallary amplified the haunting atmosphere, making The Pâstisserie an unforgettable dive into physical theater and the profound influences of nostalgia. With this bold production, Theatre Artibus left audiences hungry for more.

Forget your traditional holiday spectacles: Audacious Theatre Company's Drunk Christmas provides unmatched holiday revelry, giving A Christmas Carol a hilariously inebriated twist. This annual fundraiser goes beyond mere performance, immersing audiences in a retelling where the actors — and audience — are as spirited as the ghosts visiting Scrooge. Staged in the cozy confines of local bars, the production cleverly incorporates a drinking game, ensuring that every "Humbug" and carol sung is a cue for communal merriment, making it a holiday must-see.

Town Hall Arts Center enhances the theater-going experience with its unparalleled theater bar, ensuring that patrons enjoy a fully dimensional experience that extends beyond the stage. Under the vision of Savannah Reeves, THAC's director of patron and community engagement, the venue has transformed its bar with upgrades including digital menus, QR code pre-ordering and curated playlists. The diverse drink menu caters to all tastes, from budget-friendly wines and local beers to organic options and production-themed cocktails.

Under the artistic direction of Lynne Collins, the Arvada Center offered an impressive lineup last season, including thought-provoking productions of Our Town and The Laramie Project alongside crowd-pleasers such as Damn Yankees, Cinderella and the enchanting Beautiful: The Carole King Musical. These selections not only highlighted the state's top talent, but also underscored the center's commitment to a wide variety of programming. Building on the success of its 2023 season, the Arvada Center is poised to captivate audiences once again in 2024.

Miners Alley Performing Arts Center's $4.95 million transformation of the former Meyer Hardware into a state-of-the-art theater space is a testament to vision and community spirit, and signifies a monumental step toward making Golden a year-round cultural destination. The renovation project debuted with a 157-seat black box theater, a warm and welcoming lobby, an inviting bar and a versatile backstage area, setting a new standard for theater spaces.

The Savoy Denver could be the crown jewel of adaptable, intimate theaters. Located in the historic Curtis Park neighborhood, this Victorian gem, built in 1889, has been thoughtfully renovated to honor its rich history while serving the modern needs of the community. Its second floor, once a bustling social hall, has been transformed into a versatile space that hosts an array of theater companies while also serving as the permanent home of Theatre Artibus.

Vintage Theatre's Sophisticated Ladies did justice to Duke Ellington's legacy. Director and choreographer Christopher Page-Sanders, in conjunction with musical director Jodel Charles, crafted a spectacle that celebrated Black joy through the power of Ellington's music, set against the backdrop of the Harlem Renaissance. The choreography not only highlighted the ensemble's talent, but also conveyed themes of love, sexuality and life's pleasures.

Wonderbound has firmly established itself as a premier contemporary ballet company, as evidenced by its ambitious four-show 2023 season: Reckoning at the Red Herring Tavern, The Sandman, Wicked Bayou and Icy Haught. Under the artistic leadership of Garrett Ammon and Dawn Fay, this powerhouse, now celebrating its tenth season, creates collaborative artistic experiences that transcend the medium's boundaries and engage audiences in the exploration of the human experience. With a new permanent home at 3824 Dahlia Street, Wonderbound has both secured its future in the city and elevated its ability to produce captivating performances.