Holiday Magic is in the Air!
Christmas is coming and in nearby Longmont, and downtown Denver – 30 minutes from Erie – you can enjoy lots of the magical holiday classics as you anticipate the gift-giving season. There are also plays, films, creative workshops, concerts and comedy — with various locations in Erie and nearby Boulder, Louisville, Lafayette and Longmont.
Thursday-Saturday, November 17-19
NEW PLAY: THE ROYALE
In playwright Marco Ramirez’s visceral, rhythmic world, it’s never just about boxing. It’s 1905, the era of Jim Crow, and African-American boxer Jay “The Sport” Jackson is one fight from making history against the reigning white heavyweight champion of the world. But before The Sport can step into the limelight and duke it out for the title he’s dreamed of, he’ll have to face the personal costs of this battle.
Inspired by the life of Jack Johnson, the first African-American heavyweight world champion, “The Royale” is “a stylized, blazingly theatrical triumph that keeps audience members on the edge of their seats” (Miami Herald). Formerly produced at Center Theatre Group and Lincoln Center Theater.
Dairy Arts Center, Carsen Theater, 2590 Walnut St., Boulder
Thurs.-Sat., 7:30 p.m.; Sat., 2:00 p.m.
Admission: $15-$35
Info: 303-440-7826
Thursday-Sunday, November 17-20
INDIE MOVIES EVERY DAY & NIGHT
The Dairy Arts Center in Boulder showcases independent movies almost daily – both matinees and evening showings in the Boedecker Theater. Choose from a variety of documentaries, classic films, movies based on true stories, comedies and dramas.
Dairy Arts Center, Boedecker Theater, 2590 Walnut St., Boulder
7:00 p.m.
Admission: $12-$15
Info: 303-440-7826
CU SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA – FIRST FALL CONCERT
Presented by the CU Boulder College of Music, this even will be livestreamed by CU Boulder.
7:30 p.m.
Free
LiveStream Link
Friday, November 18
FALL CRAFT FAIR
Visit the Senior Center’s Second Annual Craft Fair and discover artistically crafted items Senior Center craft groups and community members have created.
A delicious Thanksgiving Feast accompanied by music will also be held on this date from noon-2pm in conjunction with the craft fair. Register to enjoy a Thanksgiving meal and music.
Senior Services Center, 103 S. Iowa Ave., Lafayette
10:00 a.m.-2:00 p.m.
FREE
THE LAST WALTZ-REVISITED
Back in 2005, Denver’s “number one jam band,” Polytoxic, wanted to put on a show that could showcase all the great local musicians they had been playing with for the past few years. They decided to re-enact The Band’s “The Last Waltz,” a concert film by Martin Scorsese of The Band’s last performance with Eric Clapton, Dr. John, Neil Young, and Joni Mitchell, among others. It sold out in minutes, surprising the band and fans alike, and became the biggest show they had ever thrown. Polytoxic’s “The Last Waltz – Revisited” immediately went from a “fun little” idea at a small venue to one of the biggest events of the year. It has become an annual tradition, playing to sold-out capacity crowds.
This year marks the 46th Anniversary of the Last Waltz and the 18th anniversary of Polytoxic’s “Last Waltz – Revisited”, and it boasts over 70 guest musicians from across Colorado, a full horn section, and over 30 songs from The Band’s extensive catalog. To celebrate the last 18 years, we have added a number of special guests and additional songs from years past. This year if our fans bring Canned Food Items for our affiliated charity, The Denver Rescue Mission, they receive a FREE Limited Edition Poster commemorating this year’s Last Waltz – Revisited.
The Boulder Theater, 2032 14th St., Boulder
8:00 p.m.
Tickets: $17.50 – $25
Friday-Saturday, November 18-19
BOULDER MAGIC SHOW
Zach Alexander is the East Coast’s most in-demand family entertainer. Each year, over 10,000 kids and grownups get the once-in-a-lifetime chance to experience the joy of laughter and the amazement of magic that is Zach’s action-packed show! Things will appear, vanish, and fly across the stage in Zach’s modern take on classic magic!
As always, the Boulder Magic Show at the Dairy is hosted and curated by Braden Carlisle who works with the largest magic company in the U.S. to create the magic used by the world’s top magicians.
Grace Gamm Theatre, 2590 Walnut St., Boulder
Fri./Sat., 7:00 p.m.; Sat., 2:00 p.m.
Tickets: $15-$20
Info: 303-444-7328
Friday-Sunday, November 18-20
ADAPTATION: A NEW LOVE STORY
This theatrical evening of live dance and music is a satirical exploration of our obsession with convenience and its role in our planet’s climate crisis. This performance features new choreography by Katie Elliott with the company of 3rd Law dancers and original compositions by composer Paul Fowler. 3rd Law approaches this provocative topic with passionate intention, cutting-edge theatrical staging, and a droll sense of humor, bringing to light the human behaviors that affect climate change.
Dairy Arts Center, 2590 Walnut St., Boulder
Fri./Sat., 7:30 p.m.; Sun., 3:00 p.m.
Admission: $16-$33
Info: 303-440-7826
A CHRISTMAS CAROL
The story, suddenly conceived and written in a few weeks, is one of the outstanding Christmas stories of modern literature. Essential to the holiday season in Denver, A Christmas Carol is a joyous and opulent musical adaptation for the whole family that traces money-hoarding curmudgeon Ebenezer Scrooge’s triumphant overnight journey complete with various ghosts and spectral visions to redemption. God bless us one and all. Based on Charles Dickens’ classic novel, the DCPA Theatre Company’s “blessedly exhilarating!” (Westword) production illuminates the meaning of the holiday season in a way that has resonated for generations. Hurry! Tickets are limited.
DCPA, Wolf Theater, 1101 13th St, Denver
Fri./Sat., 7:30 p.m.; Sun. 2:00 p.m.
Tickets: $10-77
Saturday, November 19
CHEROPHOBIA: CREATIVE WRITING WORKSHOP
Cherophobia is classified as a form of anxiety disorder related to participation in activities that could make a person happy as well as the actual experience of joy. Through a series of writing prompts, participants will explore joy as a cycle of anticipation, event, and aftermath. Participants do not need to identify with the condition of cherophobia or even be familiar with the term; the only prerequisites needed are being human and curiosity.
This class is open to and useful to artists of all kinds (particularly suited to procrastinators and perfectionists), but the primary medium will be creative writing. The workshop is less about craft than it is about learning how to exist as an artist in a culture that doesn’t honor the arts. You are encouraged to bring your notebook and a writing utensil such as a pen or pencil, but such supplies will also be provided. Unless you have a disability or injury that requires the use of a computer or other such technology, the facilitator will encourage you to write by hand because of the intimacy and trust it establishes between the person and the page.
Dairy Arts Center, 2590 Walnut St., Boulder
5:00 p.m.
Admission: $10
Info: 303-440-7826
COMEDY IN THE BOE: DERRICK STROUP
Host, Zoe Rogers, has once again put together a very funny lineup. Headlining this show is Alabama native Derrick Stroup, not your average slow-talking Southerner. With the cadence of an angry auctioneer, he locks people in with his detailed stories and over-the-top energy. Derrick moved to Denver in 2015 and has never looked back.
Since then he has become a regular at several clubs across the country. He goes on the road with John Crist and Josh Blue. Derrick recently shot his Dry Bar Comedy Stand-Up special which was released last summer. Don’t miss your chance to see one of America’s rising stars in stand-up comedy. Filling out the bill are Damon Howard, Catherine Shea, Linus Leas, and making her first Boe appearance, Haley Raven from Ft. Collins.
Dairy Arts Center, Carsen Theater, 2590 Walnut St., Boulder
8:30 p.m.
Admission: $15
Info: 303-440-7826
TRANS-SIBERIAN ORCHESTRA
When Paul O’Neill first conceived Trans-Siberian Orchestra, his goal was as straightforward as it was incredibly ambitious. “The whole idea,” he explains, “was to create a progressive rock band that would push the boundaries (of the genre) further than any group before… Way, way further.”
With more than 10 million albums sold, TSO has inspired generations of fans to rediscover the multi-dimensional art form of the rock opera. Meanwhile, on the road, they have become one of the world’s top acts, with Billboard magazine naming TSO as one of the top touring artists of the past decade — a $20 million-plus production that has played to over 100 million people in 80+ cities, selling more than $280 million worth of tickets and presenting $11 million to charity.
BALL ARENA, 1000 Chopper Circle, Denver
3:00 p.m. & 8:00 p.m.
Tickets: $99-$513+
Saturday-Sunday, November 19-20
RUDOLPH THE RED-NOSED REINDEER
Filled with holiday hits like “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer” and “A Holly Jolly Christmas,” Rudolph the Red-Nosed ReindeerTM JR. features all of your favorite characters including Santa and Mrs. Claus, Hermey the Elf, Bumble the Abominable Snow Monster, Clarice, Yukon Cornelius and, of course, Rudolph. It’s an adventure that teaches us that what makes you different can be what makes you special. Don’t miss this wonderful holiday musical tradition that speaks to the misfit in all of us. All people including children must have a purchased ticket and be able to sit in a seat. Please consider bringing a pillow as a booster seat for your little one.
Longmont Theater Company, 513 Main St., Longmont
2:00 p.m.
Tickets: $15
Info: 303-772-5200
THE LIGHTNING THIEF
As the half-blood son of a Greek god, Percy Jackson has newly-discovered powers he can’t control, a destiny he doesn’t want, and a mythology textbook’s worth of monsters on his trail. When Zeus’s master lightning bolt is stolen and Percy becomes the prime suspect, he has to find and return the bolt to prove his innocence and prevent a war between the gods. But to succeed on his quest, Percy will have to do more than catch the thief. He must travel to the Underworld and back; solve the riddle of the Oracle, which warns him of betrayal by a friend; and come to terms with the father who abandoned him. Adapted from the best-selling book The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan and featuring a thrilling original rock score
Broomfield Auditorium, 3 Community Park Rd., Broomfield
Sat./Sun., 2:00 p.m.; Sat., 7:00 p.m.
Tickets: $15-$20
Info: 720-887-2371
Sunday, November 20
NIWOT ANTIQUE AUCTION
The auction begins at 11:00 a.m. but you might want to arrive early to peruse all the vintage furniture and collectibles, from church pews and bookcases, to tables, chairs, trunks, chests, porcelain, crocks, stoneware and jewelry. This great line-up of antiques and collectibles have been curated from several local estates. The preview begins at 9:00 a.m.
Boulder County Fairgrounds, 9595 Nelson Rd., Longmont
9:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m.
Free
PENTATONIX: CHRISTMAS SPECTACULAR
As one of the most innovative, inventive, and inimitable vocal groups of all time, Pentatonix reimagine, reinvigorate, and redefine a cappella. Since emerging in 2011, the three-time GRAMMY® Award-winning and Daytime EMMY® Award-nominated vocal quintet—Scott Hoying, Mitch Grassi, Kirstin Maldonado, Kevin Olusola, and Matt Sallee—have reached unprecedented heights, toppling charts, selling 10 million albums worldwide, generating billions of streams, and performing everywhere from The White House and Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade to The Hollywood Bowl.
Their catalog boasts back-to-back #1 albums on the Billboard 200, namely the gold-certified Pentatonix [2015] and platinum-certified A Pentatonix Christmas [2016]. Internationally, these albums performed equally as well with five albums being certified gold, platinum, or double platinum in Canada and ranking in the top 40 albums six times in New Zealand. In 2022, it was announced that the group will be receiving a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. They are back to close out the year with more original music their highly anticipated tour: A Christmas Spectacular.
BALL ARENA, 1000 Chopper Circle, Denver
7:30 p.m.
Tickets: $43-$159+
Next Week: Wednesday, November 23
WELLNESS WEDNESDAY: OPERA!
Wellness Wednesday for SPARK! Is a program for people with early to mid-stage memory loss and their care partners. This month they welcome Boulder Opera’s soprano and educator Alice del Simone for a performance of Romantic and bel canto arias.
SPARK! is a cultural program for people with early to mid-stage memory loss and their care partners. Programs are designed to keep participants actively engaged in their communities by providing experiences that stimulate conversations, provide peer support and inspire creativity through creative engagement, workshops, and programs.
Lafayette Public Library, 775 W. Baseline Rd., Lafayette
11:00 a.m-12:00 p.m.
FREE
Thursday, November 24
TURKEY DAY 5K
Put on your long-johns and your personal best and come out on Thanksgiving to this family-friendly, stroller-friendly event! Burn some calories before you consume the biggest and best meal of the year!
Broomfield County Commons, 13200 Sheridan Blvd., Broomfield
7:30 a.m.
Price: $13-$65
Friday, November 25
HAZEL MILLER HOLIDAY CONCERT
Hazel Miller and her tight and versatile band return to the Dairy for this annual tradition. The program will feature a wide range of seasonal favorites, performed with flavors of jazz, blues, and R&B in the way that only Hazel and crew can. Guaranteed to raise your soul and spirit and move you into the holiday swing!
Dairy Arts Center, Gordon Gamm Theater, 2590 Walnut St., Boulder
7:00 p.m.
Admission: $25
Info: 303-440-7826
Friday-Sunday, November 25-27
HOME ALONE WITH THE SYMPHONY
Celebrate the modern holiday classic, Home Alone, with your Colorado Symphony! The event features renowned composer John Williams’ charming and delightful score performed live as the film is screened for your enjoyment! Macaulay Culkin stars as Kevin McCallister, an eight-year-old boy who’s accidentally left behind when his family leaves for Christmas vacation, and who must defend his home against two bungling thieves (Joe Pesci and Daniel Stern).
Hilarious and heartwarming, Home Alone is holiday fun for the entire family, and with live music – what could be better?!
Boettcher Concert Hall, 1000 14th Street, Denver
Fri./Sat., 7:30 p.m.; Sun., 1:00 p.m.
Tickets: $15-$98 plus fees & taxes
Phone: 303-623-7876
HARVEY – A TIMELESS CLASSIC
Viva Theater presents HARVEY, the Pulitzer Prize winning comedy starring Harvey, a giant invisible rabbit, and his mind-mannered best friend, Elwood P. Dowd. This timeless classic, full of good-natured humor and screwball moments, touches on the importance of kindness, friendship, and the acceptance of differences. Written by Mary Chase, a life-long Denverite, this play was first produced on Broadway in November of 1944 where it ran for almost five years. Chase later adapted the play for the 1950 film starring Jimmy Stewart.
HARVEY will be produced as a “VIVA Radio Theater” show, a popular format, with live actors performing as if in a 1944 broadcast studio. Live sound effects, period commercials, and other delightful surprises await audiences who come see this beloved play.
Dairy Arts Center, Carsen Theater, 2590 Walnut St., Boulder
Fri., 7:30; Sat./Sun., 2:00 p.m.
Admission: $21-$25
Info: 303-440-7826
BURY THE DEAD BY IRWIN SHAW
Bury the Dead (1936) is an expressionist and anti-war drama by the American playwright Irwin Shaw. It chronicles an uprising of the war dead who refuse to lie down and be buried. Each rise from a mass nameless grave to express his anguish, the futility of war, and his anguish, the futility of war, and his refusal to become part of the “glorious past”. First the Captain and the Generals tell them it is their duty to be buried, but they refuse. Even a Priest and a Rabbi try to convince them to no avail.
Newspapers refuse to print the story in fear it will hurt the war effort. Finally, they bring in the women who have survived them, wives, sisters, and even mothers. Each makes a case for continuing to walk the earth; the sheer beauty of life, unfulfilled dreams, and unfinished work.
Dairy Arts Center, Carsen Theater, 2590 Walnut St., Boulder
Fri./Sat., 7:30; Sun., 2:00 p.m.
Admission: $20-$25
Info: 303-440-7826
Saturday-Sunday, November 26-27
THE NUTCRACKER BALLET
You know it’s Christmas when The Nutcracker ballerinas put on their toe shoes. The holiday spirit leaps to life in this treasured family tradition. Featuring breathtaking new sets and costumes for the second year, Colorado Ballet invites you to follow Clara and her Nutcracker prince on the sweet, snow-dusted adventure only Tchaikovsky could score. See where the story you know by heart takes yours this year.
Ellie Caulkins Opera House,1385 Curtis St., Denver
1:00 p.m. & 6:30 p.m.
Tickets: $40-$145
Heralding the Holiday in Erie, Colorado
There’s lots to do near the master-planned community of Colliers Hill, whether it’s right in Erie, or 20 minutes away in Boulder. If you don’t live here yet, check out the stunning model homes from KB Home, Richmond American Homes – and now open, Boulder Creek. Priced from the $600s, this fast-growing new home community in Northern Colorado has lots of exciting amenities to offer new home buyers, too!
