Boney James, Godspell and Steven Curtis Chapman!
This weekend you can enjoy artists in concert and entertaining plays, classes, lectures, films and even raucous stage performances — with various locations in Erie and nearby Boulder, Denver and Longmont.
TODAY/TONIGHT, Thursday, April 6
SHORT FILMS: INDIGENOUS FILMMAKERS
Come experience the diversity of Indigenous movies being made today in this evening of short films by contemporary Native filmmakers as selected by the Indigenous Film & Arts Festival. The screening will be followed by Q&A.
These films by Indigenous filmmakers complement the museum’s special exhibit, “Duality: Contemporary Works by Indigenous Artists.”
Longmont Museum & Cultural Center, 400 Quail Rd., Longmont
7:00 p.m.
General Admission: $5-$10
Info: 303-651-8374
ART & SIP: WATERCOLOR FLOWERS
Spring is here! Why not paint a bouquet of flowers together as participants learn and practice techniques such as mixing colors, hand lettering, and how to choose the right tools. Take home a hand-painted card you can send to a loved one or save for Mother’s Day!
Grab a drink and get creative with these Thursday Night classes for adults. Beer, wine, and snacks will be available for purchase in the Atrium Bar. These classes are designed to guide beginners as well as bring new skills to experienced artists and crafters.
Longmont Museum & Cultural Center, 400 Quail Rd., Longmont
6:30 p.m.
General Admission: $40
Info: 303-651-8374
FLY FISHING FILM TOUR
The annual Fly Fishing Film Tour is a traveling roadshow of the best fly fishing films in the world. Through a submission process, films are selected to bring some of the best content to the big screen in your hometown. The F3T is more than just the film, our shows aim to create community, inspire, encourage and support conservation efforts worldwide. Each evening is complete with a live emcee, raffle & door prizes from our premium sponsors, local fly shops and more. Come for the action, stay for the camaraderie, all while helping to raise money for the waters we love. So get ready to kick back, drink a beer or your beverage of choice, enjoy the cinematography that will get you stoked on the season ahead.
Boulder Theater, 2032 14th St., Boulder
7:30 p.m.
Tickets: $67-$69
Phone: 303-786-7030
Thursday-Friday, April 6-7
SOMETHING ROTTEN
Set in the 1590s, brothers Nick and Nigel Bottom are desperate to write a hit play but are stuck in the shadow of that Renaissance rock star known as “The Bard.” When a local soothsayer foretells that the future of theatre involves singing, dancing and acting at the same time, Nick and Nigel set out to write the world’s very first musical. But amidst the scandalous excitement of opening night, the Bottom Brothers realize that reaching the top means being true to thine own self, and all that jazz. Hailed by Time Out New York as “the funniest musical comedy in at least 400 years.”
Boulder Dinner Theatre, 5501 Arapahoe Ave., Boulder, CO
6:00 p.m.
Tickets: $70
Info: 303-449-6000, ext. 4
Thursday-Sunday, April 6-9
THE 25th PUTNAM COUNTY SPELLING BEE
THE HEAVYWEIGHTS Present –The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee! When will Audrey be a big girl? Why can’t The Phantom be 250lbs? THE HEAVYWEIGHTS premiere their madcap, BODY POSITIVE, rambunctious, Three Man production which is a celebration of storytelling, no matter what size or shape you are! These comedic and vocal powerhouses will show you that it doesn’t matter what you look like take the final bow!
Try not to blink…these three play every role and switch characters in almost EVERY scene! This is the Spelling Bee you know and love but turned on its head! Featuring “Magic Foot”, “The I Love You Song” and “My Unfortunate Erection”! Music and Lyrics by William Finn, from the book by Rachel Sheinken. This frivolous evening will determine this year’s SPELLING BEE champ! Come find out who wins in this never before seen version of THE HEAVYWEIGHTS’ The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee.
Garner Galleria Theater, DCPA Complex, 14th and Curtis St., Denver
Thurs.-Sat., 7:30 p.m.; Sat./Sun., 2:00 p.m.
Tickets: $20-$42
THE COLOR PURPLE
A Pulitzer Prize. A National Book Award. Eleven Academy Award nominations. Four Golden Globe Nominations. And…Three Tony Awards. Few stories have had the cultural significance and lasting power of Alice Walker’s The Color Purple. Beloved by audiences worldwide, The Color Purple traces one woman’s fraught journey towards freedom and self-love. It begins with 14-year-old Celie Harris, pregnant with her second child and the victim of unspeakable cruelty at the hands of her male family members. As she comes of age, her babies are taken from her, she is married off to an abusive husband, and her sister runs away, leaving Celie gut-wrenchingly alone, spirit broken.
Step by tiny step — and with the help of two courageous Black women — our hero rises up, gains her independence, and rebuilds her life from scratch. The musical adaptation of The Color Purple features awe-inspiring soul, gospel, jazz, and blues vocals underpinned by raw dialogue and a masterful plot. It is a triumphant, uplifting piece of art that reaffirms some fundamental truths. This weekend’s preview performances will be slightly discounted!
Wolf Theater, DCPA Complex, 13th and Arapahoe St., Denver
Thurs., 7:30 p.m.; Fri./Sat., 7:00 p.m.; Sun., 1:30 p.m.
Tickets: $35-$76
Friday, April 7
LAURIE LEWIS LIVE
For nearly four decades, Laurie Lewis has gathered fans and honors for her powerful and emotive voice and her versatile, dynamic songwriting. She is a sought-after recording producer and an equally skilled teacher and mentor. And she is an inspiration and a ground-breaker – across genres, across geography and across gender barriers.
Laurie appeals to traditional bluegrass audiences, winning acclaim in the worlds of Americana and folk music. She has led bands of talented musicians and thrives in a constantly changing musical environment – without ever sacrificing her art.
Chautauqua Auditorium, 198 Morning Glory Dr., Boulder
8:00 p.m.
Tickets: $27.50
Info: 303-665-0599
RAUW ALEJANDRO: SATURNO WORLD TOUR
Since his fans can’t travel to Saturn, Rauw is bringing his extra-terrestrial world to earth. With one of the most eclectic albums in reggaeton-pop, filled with 1980s and 1990s freestyle, house, and Miami bass, Rauw Alejandro is delivery electrifying performances on his Saturno World Tour.
Reviews indicate Rauw is living up to the hype. The Puerto Rican hitmaker recently dropped his joint EP, RR, with fiancé Rosalia. Ticket holders will rock out to jams from his experimental reggaeton-pop album Saturno.
Ball Arena, 1000 Chopper Circle, Denver
8:00 p.m.
Tickets: $29-$209
Friday-Saturday, April 7-8
GODSPELL
A small group of people help Jesus Christ tell different parables by using a wide variety of games, storytelling techniques and hefty doses of comic timing. An eclectic blend of songs, ranging in style from pop to vaudeville, is employed as the story of Jesus’ life dances across the stage. Dissolving hauntingly into the Last Supper and the Crucifixion, Jesus’ messages of kindness, tolerance and love come vibrantly to life. Tickets range from show only to dinner-show combos.
JESTERS THEATRE, 224 Main St., Longmont
7:30 p.m.
Tickets: $19-$47
Saturday, April 8
BIG RICHARD & AJ LEE AND BLUE SUMMIT
What began as an all-female festival collab quickly morphed into a serious passion project driven by sisterhood, harmony and humor……along with the shared desire to “rage fiddle tunes and smash the patriarchy”. Big Richard is a neo-acoustic super group made up of four well established Colorado musicians: Bonnie Sims on mandolin (Bonnie & Taylor Sims/Everybody Loves An Outlaw/Bonnie & the Clydes), Joy Adams on cello (Nathaniel Rateliff/Darol Anger/Half Pelican), Emma Rose on bass + guitar (Sound of Honey/Daniel Rodriguez/Whippoorwill) and Eve Panning on fiddle (Lonesome Days).
Formed in late 2021, the band gained immediate notoriety for their charismatic stage presence and their vocal/instrumental prowess.
Boulder Theater, 2032 14th St., Boulder
7:30 p.m.
Tickets: $39-$49
Phone: 303-786-7030
Next Week: Wednesday, April 12
LECTURE: MULTICULTURAL DEMOCRACIES
Democratic government has been an ideal for many nations – at least in theory. But the opening decades of the twentieth century have witnessed some of the fundamental principles of democratic values being tested as significant social change is met by strong opposition. In many increasingly polarized advanced democracies, debates about the responsibilities of government to its citizens, the limits of individual freedom and rights, and the role of history in national identity narratives abound. Nations that were regarded as successful examples of liberal democracies with strong social safety nets have become more factionalized as their populations become more diverse. Can multicultural democracies overcome these challenges to be just, viable and sustainable?
At a time when many Americans feel that our own democracy is less stable than we assumed, there may be lessons we can learn from the failures and successes of others. Through an examination of the state of democracy in other parts of the world, the panelists and audience for this program will discuss how we might fully realize our own “more perfect union” to face the challenges of the 21st century.
Chautauqua Auditorium, 198 Morning Glory Dr., Boulder
6:30 p.m.
FREE: Register to Secure Seat
Info: 303-665-0599
Thursday, April 13
ART & SIP: WATERCOLOR & INK CITYSCAPE Watercolor
Watch watercolor blossom on the page as we build our ideal sunrise and then layer in a cityscape of downtown Longmont and the Front Range mountains over the top using ink.
Grab a drink and get creative with these Thursday Night classes for adults. Beer, wine, and snacks will be available for purchase in the Atrium Bar. These classes are designed to guide beginners as well as bring new skills to experienced artists and crafters.
Longmont Museum & Cultural Center, 400 Quail Rd., Longmont
6:30 p.m.
General Admission: $40
Info: 303-651-8374
Friday, Thursday, April 14
FRIDAY AFTERNOON CONCERT
Each member of this lively quartet has spent a lifetime performing and recording jazz, funk, pop, classical, and world music, but what really unites them is their strong passion for the music of Brazil. Join us for an afternoon featuring an exciting collection of classic and modern jazz compositions in all the styles of the music of Brazil including Samba, Bossa Nova, Baio, Partito alto, Afoxe, and Ch0ro.
Longmont Museum and Cultural Center, 400 Quail Rd., Longmont
2:30-4:00 p.m.
General Admission: $8-$12
Info: 303-651-8374
Friday, April 14
BONEY JAMES: DETOUR
Nicknamed by bandmates while on tour in Oslo, Norway, after jokingly threatening to starve himself on a threadbare per diem, Boney or Bones or Boneman (though his wife calls him Jimmy) has put in his proverbial 10,000 hours as a musician, performer, writer and producer. At age 10, the New Rochelle, NY native picked up the sax after 2 years on the clarinet and never looked back, parlaying his love of R&B –Motown, Stevie Wonder, Earth Wind & Fire, Curtis Mayfield and Grover Washington, Jr. — into a musical aesthetic. He turned pro before his 20th birthday and became an in-demand touring sax and keyboard player for Morris Day, the Isley Brothers, Teena Marie, Bobby Caldwell, Randy Crawford and many others.
He started his solo career and during his 30-year career, Boney has earned four Grammy nominations (“I’m not gonna lie… I’d still love a statue,” he says), two NAACP Image Award nominations and a Soul Train Award, while a dozen of his albums have landed at #1 on Billboard’s Contemporary Jazz Album chart.
Boulder Theater, 2032 14th St., Boulder
7:30 p.m. (doors open)
Tickets: $39-$45
Phone: 303-786-7030
Friday-Sunday, April 14-16
ANASTASIA
From the Tony Award®-winning creators of the Broadway classic Ragtime, this dazzling show transports us from the twilight of the Russian Empire to the euphoria of Paris in the 1920s, as a brave young woman sets out to discover the mystery of her past. Pursued by a ruthless Soviet officer determined to silence her, Anya enlists the aid of a dashing conman and a lovable ex-aristocrat. Together, they embark on an epic adventure to help her find home, love, and family.
Anastasia features a book by celebrated playwright Terrence McNally, a lush new score by Stephen Flaherty (music) and Lynn Ahrens (lyrics) based on original direction by Tony Award® winner Darko Tresnjak with choreography by Peggy Hickey and tour direction by Sarah Hartmann.
Buell Theatre, 1350 Curtis St., Denver
Fri.-Sun., 7:30 p.m.; Sat./Sun., 2:00 p.m.
Tickets: $35-$110
INFO: 720-865-4220
39 STEPS
“This is no ordinary stage adaptation! A silly yet delightfully faithful spoof of Alfred Hitchcock’s 1935 spy thriller.” – The Denver Post
Combine a film masterpiece by Alfred Hitchcock with a juicy spy novel and add a large splash of Monty Python humor. The result? A fast-paced whodunit with four versatile actors portraying more than 50 roles! London, 1935. The rather dull Richard Hannay encounters a woman who claims to be a spy. When she is suddenly murdered, Richard finds himself the focus of a nationwide manhunt led by a mysterious organization called “The 39 Steps.” This film noir gem is a hilarious comedy full of dazzling, inventive stagecraft and virtuoso performances that will have you rolling in the aisles until the death-defying, climatic finale.
A fresh take on the classic adventure-comedy, The 39 Steps is theatre at its best… an absurd, delightful journey that can only be brought to life on stage.
The Singleton Theatre, DCPA Complex,
Fri./Sat., 7:00 p.m., Sun., 1:30 p.m.
Tickets: $35-$46
Saturday, April 15
TCHAIKOVSKY’S 6TH SYMPHONY
In advance of Mental Health Awareness and Pride months, we take a look at the musical expressions of mental health and identity struggles from two similar voices, separated by a century. Intensely beautiful and moving, Peter Tchaikovsky’s Symphony #6 “The Pathetique” written just 9 days before his untimely death clearly shows this great composer wrestling with darkness and light. American composer Tyler Harrison’s World Premiere Symphony #3 “The Garden of Tears” is his thematically paired answer to “The Pathetique”. Harrison’s symphony ends with hope, as he says “The garden of life thrives on the tears that water it, but it is laughter that ultimately defines its beauty.” Powerful and transformative, this concert program will stay with you.
Vance Brand Civic Auditorium, 600 E. Mountain View Ave., Longmont
4:00 p.m.
Tickets: $6-$29
Sunday April 16
STEVEN CURTIS CHAPMAN
In a career that has spanned more than three decades, Steven Curtis Chapman is the most awarded artist in Christian music history. With 59 Gospel Music Association (GMA) Dove Awards, five Grammy Awards, an American Music Award and an historic 50 No. 1 singles, he has sold more than 11 million albums with 10 RIAA-Certified Gold or Platinum albums. He is also the recent recipient of the BMI Icon Award. Given to him in June 2022, Chapman is the first Christian music songwriter to receive the honor – joining an elite list that includes Barry Manilow, Carole King, Dolly Parton, Kris Kristofferson, Merle Haggard and Sting.
Boulder Theater, 2032 14th St., Boulder
7:30 p.m. (doors open)
Tickets: Starting at $70
Phone: 303-786-7030
Life in Erie, Colorado
Not far from the master-planned community of Colliers Hill, whether five minutes away in Erie, or 20 minutes away in Boulder, there’s lots to do every week and weekend. 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!
