Denver Theater

Denver Center for the Performing Arts

Denver's main theater grouping is the DCPA (Denver Center for the Performing Arts). It's a center for just about every performing art you can think of – a bustling, exciting place to be with something interesting going on just about any night of the year.

The DCPA is actually a 4-square block complex that include seven theaters, the Boetcher Concert Hall and the Ellie Calkins Opera House. It's a showcase for live theater, a nurturing ground for new plays, and a preferred stop on the Broadway touring circuit. The DCPA also has an award-winning multi-media production facility, a national training school for actors, and the site of a voice clinic and research facility. 

Sponsor Links

The Center has two theatrical divisions. The first, Denver Center Attractions, is in the Buell Theater where most touring shows perform. For example as of this writing, the musical version of Doctor Doolittle starring Tommy Tune was playing in the Buell. The second theatrical division is the Denver Center Theater which is housed in the Helen Bonfils Theater.

The Stage Theater features more adventuresome plays – as performed by the Denver Center Company. This includes the currently playing world premier of “Jesus Hates Me.” and August Wilson's “Gem of the Ocean.”

The Stage, the Space, the Ricketson and the Jones Theaters are the DCPA's other four theaters. The fifth is one of my favorites -- the Garner Galleria, because this is where you find small, ensemble casts performing musical and comedy gems. I have attended several program in the Galleria, including “Forever in Plaid,” which played here for umpteen months. Running through May 21 is “The Second City: Red Scare,” which promises to be one of the freshest and edgiest revues in recent years. As I'm sure you know, Second City was where many of the cast of Saturday Night Live got their starts.

The Boetcher Concert Hall is primarily the home of the Colorado Symphony Orchestra (CSO) whose season is until June 3. You can get information on CSO performances at http://www.coloradosymphony.org.

Opera Colorado holds forth in the brand new Ellie Caulkins Opera House. Its season last until May 7. More information on Opera Colorado productions can be found at http://www.operacolorado.org/operas/index.aspx.

Finally, the DCPA also has an 1,800 space parking garage adjacent to the theaters and concert hall, making it easy to find parking when attending one of the DCPA's many events.

To find out what's playing at the DCPA during your Denver visit, wait until a few weeks before your trip and go tohttp://www.denvercenter.org/home.cfm.

Denver Center for the Performing Arts
1101 13th St.
(303) 893-4100 

The Historic Paramount Theater
A performing-arts center since 1929, the Paramount Theater is a restored 2,000-seat downtown theater and is a wonderful place to enjoy jazz, pop, and folk performances, as well as comedy, lectures, and theater. The Paramount was originally designed as a movie house and is decorated with silk tapestries, marble and terra cotta. It truly represents a step back into a time when going to the movies was a memorable and elegant adventure.

While the Paramount still hosts the occasional film, it is primarily a great concert venue. Groups scheduled to perform as of this writing were The Fray, B.B. King, and Judy Collins. Other scheduled events included The Vagina Monologues, Sinbad, and Bill Maher. 

Naturally, you will want to check shortly before your Denver visit to see what will be playing at the Paramount during your stay. The Paramount does not have its own web site, but you can get ticket and schedule information at the web address listed below..

Paramount Theater
1631 Glenarm Place
303-623-0106

Country Dinner Playhouse
If you'd like a fun-filled evening with entertainment for the whole family, try the The Country Dinner Playhouse CDP). It is a dinner theater specializing in Broadway musicals, murder mysteries, and regional premiers. For example, its current production is a musical version of <i>Beauty and the Beast,</i> starring Gary Lindemann and Elizabeth Welch.

The CDP has a before-show buffet with salads and fruits, garden vegetables, North Atlantic Turbot, oven-roasted chicken and choice Baron of Beef. 

The CDO Barnstormers, who double as hosts and hostesses, begin each performance with an entertaining pre-show made up of songs and dances from famous musicals . The theater part of the evening's entertainment features professional actors, and musicians, and the Theater's productions have been critically acclaimed and recognized for their excellence.

Curtain time for the main performance is approximately 7:45 p.m. for evening shows or at 1:45 p.m. for matinees. There will be two intermissions to allow guests to stretch, use the restrooms and/or order additional service from the Barnstormers. 

If you are staying in or near downtown Denver, and you would like to spend and evening at the Country Dinner Playhouse, you will need to either drive to the Theater, rent a car or take a taxi. It is located about 12 miles southeast of downtown Denver on S. Clinton. To get to the CDP from the downtown or near-downtown area, take I-25 S to Arapahoe Road. Go East on Arapahoe Road to S. Clinton. Turn right on S. Clinton and drive until you see the theater. 

Country Dinner Playhouse
6875 S Clinton St, Englewood 
<li>(303) 799-1410 

Colorado Center IMAX Theater
Denver is actually the home of two IMAX theaters. One is located at the Denver Nature and Science Museum (link) and the other, the Colorado Center IMAX, is about 15 minutes from the downtown area.

The Colorado Center IMAX, like the one at the Museum, plays a variety of films throughout the year. As of this writing, it was showing two films, “Mars Rover” and “Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire: The IMAX Experience.” You should be able to check this theater's schedule shortly before your Denver visit by clicking on the link below.

Colorado Center IMAX Theater
I-25 and Colorado Blvd. 
(303) 322-7009 


Starz Film Center
The last theater, or in this case, theaters, I would mention is the Starz Film Center. 

This Center is home theaters and the cinematic education center of Denver Film Society and University of Colorado at Denver's College of Arts & Media with support from Starz Encore Group. 

The Starz film center is basically Denver's only true cinematheque, that is a group of six theaters that present the best in film art – especially movies not normally available in conventional multiplexes..

The Center's works to present lively, challenging, informing and entertaining films. This includes art-house cinema, local and international film festival films, exclusive first-run theatrical engagements, and revivals and retrospectives, as well as meet-the-filmmaker events. 

Additionally, it is the home of the Denver Film Festival which is held each year in November.

Be sure to check on films playing at the Starz Film Center a few days before your Denver visit, by clicking on the link below.

Starz Film Center
1725 Blake Street
303-820-3456


Downtown Movie Theaters
There is a multiplex in the Denver Pavilions on the 16th Mall at Tremont Place called the Denver Pavilions Stadium 15. These theaters play all the popular, first-run movies.

To find out what's playing during your Denver visit, call 1-800-FANDANGO, and use code #530.

Click here to learn more about a great Denver vacation