Best New Fiction by a Colorado Author 2024 | Don't Fear the ReaperStephen Graham Jones | Best of Denver® | Best Restaurants, Bars, Clubs, Music and Stores in Denver | Westword
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Best New Fiction by a Colorado Author

Don't Fear the Reaper
Stephen Graham Jones

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.

Best New Nonfiction by a Colorado Author

Reading Colorado: A Literary Road Guide
Peter Anderson

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.

bowerhousebooks.com/shop/reading-colorado

Best Inclusive Burlesque Troupe

Broken Babes

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.

@the_broken_babes

Best Celebration of Drag

Colorado Drag, Initiatives and Variety Awards

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.

coloradodivaawards.com

Best LGBTQ+ Comedy Event and Podcast

Dyketopia

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!

dyketopia.com

Best Comedy Club for Local and National Talent

Comedy Works

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.

Best Comedy Club Owned by a Comic

Denver Comedy Lounge

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.

3559 Larimer Street (at Colorado Sake Co.)
720-449-6963
denvercomedylounge.com

Best Intimate Improv Club

Chaos Bloom Theater

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.

Best Historic Comedy Club

The Bug Theatre

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.

Best Affordable, High- Quality Comedy Club

Denver Comedy Underground

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.

Althea Center, 1400 Williams Street
303-578-9213
denvercomedyunderground.com

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