Your guide to Colorado’s summer theater festivals in 2026
From Shakespeare under the stars to new-play incubators and mountain musicals, here are the Colorado theater festivals worth checking out.
Theater
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Buntport’s new comedy ‘This Is The Day ’91’ centers a very weird world record
Buntport Theater’s original play follows three friends desperate to reclaim their record for most soft toys caught blindfolded in one minute.
Party Like It’s 1891: Pirates of Penzance Sails Back to Historic Elitch Theatre After 135 Years
On May 16, Opera Colorado presents a lively, accessible adaptation of The Pirates of Penzance at the Historic Elitch Theater.
I.C.E. Baby: Inside Colfax East Centers “Real Stories, Real People Happening in Real Time”
A new docu-theater work at Void Studios uses stories from Aurora’s immigrant communities to explore themes of identity and collective action.
Black Gold Brings Five Points Stories to the Stage at the Bug Theatre on May 9
“We don’t know what people are walking in with, but when they see this, they are not going to leave the same way that they came in.”
Curious Theatre Staying in Acoma Home After Landmark Building Sale
After years of financial uncertainty, a $1.9 million deal ensures that Curious Theatre will remain in its historic venue.
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Remembering Ed Baierlein: Actor, Director and Germinal Stage Founder
Germinal spoke and breathed Ed, and soon became a courageous backbone of the theater scene.
Dog Day Afternoon: Colorado Shakespeare Festival Holds Auditions for Canine Star
On March 28, the Colorado Shakespeare Festival auditioned dozens of dogs for a scene-stealing role in Shakespeare in Love at CU Boulder.
New Immersive Show Cryptic Blends Technology and Theater in RiNo
“We’re really trying to push against doing what is proven or what is known and try to find ways to innovate within the live performing arts.”
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Happy 2B Nappy Brings Black Hair History to the Stage in Aurora
“It’s so important for people to see reflections of themselves so they feel loved and we can have more people loving themselves in the world.”
New Play Fierce Satire and Mediocre Sex Stitches Sharp Shorts Into One Biting Therapy Session
This February, And Toto too Theatre Company premieres Denver-based playwright Edith Weiss’s new comedy at Buntport Theater.
Colorado New Play Summit Turns Twenty with Four Readings and Two World Premieres
The DCPA’s 20th Colorado New Play Summit takes place February 14-15, with four readings of new work and two world premiere productions.
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“What Happened to Free Speech and Artistic Expression?”
The cast of Shrek the Musicalwas asked to remove Pride flags from the Parker production.
Colorado Theatre Guild Creates Commercials to Promote Scene
The Colorado Theatre Guild’s new commercials spotlight live theater statewide, and its leaders preview a collaborative vision for 2026.
Over the Rainbow: Pride Flags Too Freaky for Parker?
The Shrek cast decided to “protest this request” mid-show by performing with the flags anyway, sparking a larger debate about art and censorship.
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Bad Books, A New Comedy About Book Banning, Is Coming to Denver and Boulder
Curious Theatre and Local Theater Company co-produced a timely new comedy that’s “not about censorship; it’s about parental rights.”
Aurora Opens 1400 Dallas Arts, a Rehearsal Home for Performers
A former police station finds new life as a city-run creative hub in the Aurora Cultural Arts District.
A First Look at Midnight’s Dream, Denver Immersive Repertory Theater’s Debut Production
Denver Immersive Repertory Theater is set to open in LoDo in spring 2026 with Midnight’s Dream, a multi-level, experiential “sex comedy.”
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Motus Theater Debuts What Love Requires, Sharing Stories from Parents of Trans Adults
Motus Theater’s sold-out debut of “What Love Requires” begins a broader effort to share parents’ stories of supporting trans and nonbinary adults.
Top Holiday Theater and Dance Events Around Denver
Your guide to the season’s most festive holiday theater and dance events happening around the Denver metro area.
Gen Z Creators Dig Into How Art Survives in How to Starve an Artist
“Artists will keep creating no matter what, because it’s part of human nature. Whether or not that art is supported, nourished or funded is a different conversation.”
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The Catamounts Premiere A Town Called Harris, a Ghostly Comic Romp in a Historic Schoolhouse
“A Town Called Harris is like Noises Off or The Play That Goes Wrong, but immersive,” says the show’s playwright, Jessica Austgen.