Raised as a Missionary Baptist in a Texas trailer park, Michael Mayes knew his share of roughnecks and racists; they were his friends. When he first saw Dead Man Walking, the opera based on Sister Helen Prejean’s book about her experiences accompanying two men toward state execution, Mayes realized he…
“Paper is a medium of contradictions: It appears to be very fragile, yet it can be very strong and tenacious,” says Cecily Cullen, creative director at the Center for Visual Art, where the new exhibition Paper Work will open tonight. Often viewed as a basic and mundane material, paper becomes…
Christopher Titus is a singular voice in standup comedy with a unique style and profound personal connection to his fanbase. Titus stood out early on in his career with appearances on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, Premium Blend, and managed to turn his one man show Norman Rockwell is Bleeding into the eponymous sitcom Titus which ran from 2000-2002 on Fox until it was cancelled following a dispute with executives. Titus has remained prolific in the aftermath, releasing standup specials The Fifth Annual End of the World Tour, Love is Evol, Neverlution, and The Voice in my Head in the space of a few years. He also co-hosts the Titus Podcast and is currently working to fund a movie called Special Unit, co-starring Denver’s own Josh Blue. In town this weekend to headline at Comedy Works South as he gears up for his next special The Angry Pursuit of Happines, Westword recently caught up with Titus to discuss honesty in comedy, dismantling pro-gun hysteria with humor, and his new History Channel game show, Pawnography.
The thirty-plot community garden lies in the shadow of Liggins Towers, a brick high-rise full of Section 8 apartments in northeast Park Hill. The property is owned by Zion Baptist Church, the oldest African-American congregation west of the Mississippi, but the garden is relatively new; the Eastside Growers Collective came…
As Fulcrum Publishing approaches its thirtieth anniversary, the Golden-based publishing house is intensifying its new focus on educational graphic novels, which teachers around the country are using with more regularity to get students interested in reading. The topics of these publications range from endangered ocean species to an unconventional history…
Video games have come a long way since Space Invaders and Pong. These days, games are both a multi-billion-dollar-a-year industry and a genuine cultural force, enjoyed by people of all ages across platforms ranging from dedicated gaming consoles to Facebook. “The average age of a gamer is like 31 now…
Romance is always in the air, but Colorado is especially enchanting in the summer, when you can have a lovely time outside — or inside, escaping the heat. With so much to do during the warmer months, we’ve narrowed down the options to this list of ten of the best…
From a special storytelling spectacular with The Narrators at Buntport to a summer new-play festival at Edge Theatre, this week’s performing arts calendar has the proverbial something for everyone. Here are three more ways to stay busy with hot-weather diversions. See also: On the Hot Seat: Who Will Sing For…
Summer is traditionally a time for group shows, but most galleries tend to feature work by their various artists, with no clear interconnecting theme. Not so at William Havu Gallery, where owner Bill Havu and gallery administrator Nick Ryan have brought together four artists, all of whom do contemporary work…
Performers from Colorado and beyond strutted their stuff during last weekend’s Colorado Burlesque Festival, held at Lannie’s Clocktower Cabaret and the Paramount Theatre. Photographer Ken Hamblin was there to catch all the antics; keep reading for a look. See also: Photos: Fetish Ball at The Church…
Whips, chains and kinks of all kinds were on display at The Church Sunday night as people with came together — and how! — at the Fetish Ball. Our photographer was there to capture the action. See the photos below for a safe sample, and check out the complete NSFW…
Despite all the hoopla about Hillary Hall issuing same-sex marriage licenses in Boulder, marriage equality is not a new concept in that town. As Westword has reported, Boulder County Clerk and Recorder Clela Rorex issued the first same-sex marriage licenses in the country in the mid-1970s. Although the effort was…
So, you’ve got a kid, huh? Whether it’s your own rambunctious preschooler or the bratty nephew you’ve been charged with keeping alive for the next five hours, the most important thing is leaving your house where valuables are liable to be destroyed and seeking refuge on somebody else’s property. In…
Crowds turned out at Tracks this weekend for the fifth annual Apocalyptic Ball, a fundraiser for the Colorado AIDS Project that combines drag queens — including RuPaul’s Drag Race contestant Delta Work — and mini-fashion shows for a good cause. Photographer Eric Gruneisen brought back these images and more of…
For some of us, half the battle of being in a band is having the wherewithal to start one in the first place. Even if you’re not a musician, you probably have at least one musician friend who has a ton of fancy gear in his or her basement but…
#68: Gretchen Marie Schaefer Artist Gretchen Marie Schaefer, another TANK Studio member with roots as a RedLine resident, explores issues of mortality, decay and rebirth in two and three dimensions, building installations that take off from where her drawings leave off, using and reusing materials from one work to the…
More than just a spot to enjoy an inexpensive evening of roller-coaster rides and soft-serve ice cream, Lakeside Amusement Park is a place packed with living history. Built in 1908, the beautiful park has stood the test of time — and in some areas within its gates, time has actually…
You can find art all over town — not just on gallery walls. In this series, we’ll be looking at some of the local artists who serve up their work in coffeehouses and other non-gallery businesses around town. “The thing is, I don’t usually hang my work in coffee shops,”…
Spit-shined Mustangs, T-Birds, Corvettes and other automotive classics were the focal point Saturday at the Denver Automotive and Diesel Center’s car show. Along with the stylin’ rides, the event featured a rockabilly costume contest and other diversions. Feast your eyes on these examples of automotive style, taken by photographer Jake…
There’s still plenty of time left for summer reading, and for inspiration this week you can hear authors of popular mystery and pop-culture series. Or you can bone up on your wedding-photography skills just in time to hop on what could be a burgeoning local market for same-sex ceremonies. Here…
Yee-haw! Although summer activities can quickly empty out your saddlebags, we’ve rounded up a trio of fun events this week that are abolutely free. Share information about other free activities in the comments section below, and check the Westword calendar for our complete guide to all events in metro Denver…
Heavier bike traffic can lead to fewer traffic collisions, according to a recent study by the University of Colorado at Denver. The study, though administered by UC Denver research students, focuses on Boulder, given that city’s large cycling presence. See also: Reader: Bicycles should only be allowed on trails and…
