Dreams

Just shy of twenty years ago, a small group of artists banded together to fulfill a dream. This dream was to allow their passionate fire for performing musical theatre in spite of their disabilities burn and shine hotly for all to see.
This was the genesis of the most beloved and most original theatre company in all of Denver. This was the beginning of PHAMALy. Season after season, show after show, the Physically Handicapped Actors and Musical Artists League won the hearts and turned the minds of audiences who had previously seen only limitations when they looked at a person with a disability. PHAMALy was and is about possibility.
PHAMALy has received a bit of press beyond the city of Denver, but soon the whole world will be enlightened to the wonder that is PHAMALy. For the last few years, PHAMALy company member and film auteur Mark Dissette has been lovingly crafting a documentary that is both a history and tribute to this amazing theatre company, and, on August 13th, you all can be among the first to see it.
Here is a portion of the recent announcement from PHAMALy Executive Director Melanie Mayner:
“There’s Still Hope for Dreams… a PHAMALY Story” is an engaging new documentary produced by Terry Austin and Dissette/Wyss Productions. I have seen rough cut versions of the film and feel it is a wonderful representation of our theatre company.
Please join me at the Lab at Belmar on August 13 for a sneak peek of the film before it goes public. The film screening is free but the producers are requesting a minimum $10 donation to support PHAMALY founder Kathleen Traylor as she struggles with health issues. All proceeds from the night will go to Kathleen to help with medical and living expenses.

I could go on and on about what a wonderful person and talented performer Kathleen Traylor, and I just might, but, before I do that let me just add a few words from Mark Dissette:

“There’s Still Hope for Dreams…a PHAMALY Story” is a feature length documentary that follows PHAMALY from its creation through this June’s production of “Side Show.” It features interviews with many of the cast and crew, footage from past shows going back to the first production of “Guys and Dolls” – and many surprises. We have put two years of sweat and tears into this film to show the world what a wonderful company we have created here in Denver.

Kathleen has been having a rough time with her health, (as some of you know, she had to drop out of “Side Show” because of these issues), and this is also our chance to say “Thank You” for her love, support and hard work over the last twenty years of PHAMALY. Now it’s our turn. All of the donations from the event will go directly to Kathleen.
Please join us in celebrating PHAMALY and a woman who has given us so much. I am very proud of this film, but even more proud to call myself a member of PHAMALY.

Mark Dissette

I first met Kathleen Traylor (one of those original founders from 1989) backstage during PHAMALy's production of The Wiz.

I was shooting off my mouth probably trying to impress Regan Linton (at which I failed) by pointing out what I felt were flaws in the score of the original musical. I said that I felt that Aunt Em's song in the first act, while beautiful, was unnecessary and slowed the momentum of the story. Kathleen, who played Aunt Em, overheard me, sought me out, introduced herself, and then proceeded to let me know just exactly what she thought about my opinion of her song. (I'll leave her precise words to your imagination.)

Needless to say we have been friends ever since.

So, come out and preview the show and fill the coffers to help out my friend (and a lot of people's friend) Kathleen Traylor.

That's Wednesday, August 13th at the Lab at Belmar in Lakewood at 6:30 pm.

Oh, and that's not a request, piglets.

**Update: Never mind, folks, this event has been cancelled. See entry for August 9th.**

Update on Crossroads Fundraiser

Okay, here's a little more info on the fundraiser (mentioned in the previous post) set for this Monday, August 4th.
In addition to my return to acting in Jonson Kuhn's Telling The Moon Hannah Haxby Left Boulder (starring the lovely and dynamic Kaliea Schutz, the evening will also feature another of Jonson's plays, The Trouble With Pigtails, also starring Kaliea along with the very talented Jude Moran. In addition to the two plays there will be live music provided by Tijuana Pillbox.
Two plays and a band for just $12 cover, and it's all to benefit a theatre that, since opening its doors, has held them open wide to a variety of different artists and theatre companies.
And, for all of those of you who have been asking me for the last few years, "When are you going to get back on stage again, Brady?"
This is when. This.
So I'll see you there.

A Little Self-Promotion If You Don't Mind (or Even If You Do)

Sometimes when I get heavily involved in a project, I forget to blog. That means that, usually, I forget to blog about the things that I'm working on around town. Well, I've got a lot of stuff coming up over the next few months, so I thought I'd try to get a few things up here in time for you to see them.
First up, I will be performing (after a five-year hiatus from acting) in a short play by Jonson Y. Kuhn called Telling The Moon Hannah Haxby Left Boulder as part of a fund-raiser for the Crossroads Theater on August 4th as shown above in that nifty graphic. (It gets bigger if you click on it. Come on, you know you want to click it.)
It's a full evening of music and theater for just $12, and it benefits a nice little theatre that is currently providing performance space for three shows, including Paragon's This is How it Goes. Too many theatre spaces have gone by the wayside in the last year or so around town, folks. Sure, theatre can be performed in a cardboard box if needed, but isn't it nice when it doesn't have to be?
In fact, the fundraiser is being held at Blackberries next door because Paragon will be using the theatre that night as part of its Trench readings series. Can't get much more magnanimous than that, can you? (Well, except for Buntport's recent announcement, maybe. Major kudos to those guys.)
So come on down, enjoy some music, some really terrific plays (good enough, at least, to draw me back to the stage, anyway, and that takes some doing) and support a local theatre that supports a lot of other local theatre, because, like I always say, "We're all in this together."

Buen Alimento Y El Gran Bailar

I haven't written about any restaurants in a while, and I wanted to bring your attention to a little place over in Lakewood that was recommended by my good friend, playwright Marcus France.
Las Cazuelas is a little family-owned and operated Mexican food restaurant almost hidden away at 6757 West Mississippi. They recently got some attention with a rave review of their green chile in the Denver Post, and I could not agree more.
And I was raised on Mexican food.
The next time my dad is in town, I'm taking him straight to Las Cazuelas, and I could not pay this restaurant a higher compliment than that.
If you like Mexican food then you have to check out this place, and if you don't like Mexican food then this is the place that can cure you of that terrible affliction.
Las Cazuelas
6757 W. Mississippi
Lakewood, CO 80226
303-935-2043

And, for those of you Spanish readers out there, "El Gran Bailar" refers not to a dance floor at Las Cazuelas (although their sopapillas made me want to do the electric slide), but rather is a "shout out" of congratulations to Mandy Moore, older sister of fabulous Denver actress (and my friend from way back) Missy Moore.
Mandy was recently nominated for an emmy for her choreography on "So You Think You Can Dance" for this number from last season:

Open Letter to the "Christian" Audience

It has come to my attention recently that there are a few people out there, who, wrapped tightly in their self-righteous cloaks of Christian superiority, have seen fit to impugn the Christian values of some of the cast members who were involved in Performance Now's recent production of Jekyll & Hyde: The Musical.
Well, I have some news for these self-appointed condemners:

We've been through this before.

There is a long-standing tradition of the Christian church condemning theatre as evil and actors as sinners, simply by virtue of their profession.
This stems, in part, from the fact that the Roman theatre was often used as a venue for persecuting Christians, but we're not talking about the plays of Plautus here. We're talking gladiators, lions, and the Emperor Nero giving the "thumbs down."
Naturally, when the Christians came to power, events theatrical were spurned. This was also partly because the Romans (and the Greeks before them) had so closely associated theatre with their gods, and plays were often performed as part of pagan festivals.
The Christians condemned the pagans and the theatre right along with them. Christian myopia got its start very early on.
Now, it is also theorized that part of Christianity's distaste for all things theatrical results from the "deceptive" nature of drama. Actors pretend to be someone or something that they are not. To act, one must lie. Lying is a sin. Therefore actors are sinners.
Well, I really can't argue with that. If your view of sin is really that black-and-white, then, yep, actors are liars. I defer to your superior existence where you never call in sick when you're not, never fudge your taxes, and only read non-fiction to your kids at bedtime.
If, on the other hand, you can recognize that there is a bit of a difference between being dishonest and playing a part on stage, then let us continue.
Now, I think that the issue for the finger-pointers here was not so much that the actors were playing a part, but rather the kinds of parts they were playing.
Okay, but let's put J&H aside here for a moment. Let's look at something a little less "controversial." How about Godspell, a fun little musical based upon the Book of Matthew. (Well as much "fun" as a musical can be that ends with death by crucifixion, anyway.) In that show, actors play, at different points, Judas, demons, robbers and a number of other unsavory characters. this play has been produced thousands of times over the years by what must now amount to hundreds of thousands of actors. How unfortunate! All those doomed tap-dancing souls . . .
Reductio ad absurdum.
Were there some scantily clad men and women on stage in Jekyll & Hyde? Yup. There sure were. Have you seen an Easter-service passion play recently? The actor playing Jesus wears roughly the equivalent of a loin-cloth.
Were there scenes onstage that were sexually suggestive? Yes, indeed.
Could the scenes have been played down? Well, sure, they could have.
Would they have been as compelling? No.
Would they have told the story as effectively? No.
Theatre tells stories. You might even call them "parables."
The good ones have morals, and the thing about telling a story with a moral is that sometimes (most times) you have to show the immorality to get to the morality.
Good storytellers do not shy away from that.
We are the storytellers. We wear the masks that tell the story. We are not the masks.
So, some boys and girls got up onstage and played some unsavory characters and they did it well enough that you can't separate who they are from who they played?
Um, that means they did their jobs well, you self-righteous, unimaginative dullards!
I feel a little sorry for you that you don't understand that, but only a little.
Here's the thing: some of those boys and girls are friends of mine, and are far, far above your or anyone else's reproach. They are good people, with good hearts and untarnished souls.
They have probably already forgiven your ignorant and hateful words.
They are better people than you.
They are also better people than me, which is why you should consider yourselves very lucky that I don't know who you are.

Yet.

Durango Diamonds

As I mentioned that I would be in my last blog entry, I'm in beautiful La Plata County, Colorado, about to catch a flight back to the Mile High City, and I wanted to take a moment to share with you a few of the "gems" I re-discovered in and around historic Durango, Colorado.
With gas prices continuing to climb, that summer vacation road trip you've been planning may need to be scaled back a bit and Durango is just under 350 miles and about six hours away, with lots to do and see for young and old alike.
Obviously, you want to take advantage of one of Durango's main attractions and take a ride on the Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad, established in 1881. The D&SNGRR has been in continuous operation for 126 years and has been featured in several movies, including two of my favorites: Support Your Local Gunfighter and Butch Cassidy and The Sundance Kid. It's a unique experience and a great way to see some beautiful Colorado countryside.
Before jumping on the train, may I suggest my favorite "greasy spoon" restaurant for breakfast? Oscar's has been around as long as I can remember and is a favorite among the locals. Get there early or you may have to wait a little while for a table. It's that good.
When you pull back into the station that evening, you are just about a block-and-a-half away from one of my favorite Mexican food restaurants, Gazpacho's. I recommend the stuffed sopapilla.
Then I suggest you walk a couple of blocks over to what I consider to be the crown jewel of Durango's family entertainment, the legendary Diamond Circle Melodrama. Now in its 47th season (that's right, folks, I said 47th), the Diamond Circle produces rousing live family entertainment in the much-beloved style of Victorian melodrama. (Well, more or less -- those Vics were a bit on the stuffy side, after all.)
The show that I saw was a musical adaptation of Rex Beach's The Spoilers featuring musical and spectacle far beyond what one might expect to find in a sleepy little mountain town.
There is a surprisingly athletic fist fight between hero and villain, the Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge "crashes" on stage, and we are treated to both rip-roaring dance numbers and heartfelt ballads from the dance hall girls in the Clipper Saloon -- and that's just the first act.
Director and choreographer Richard T. Hanson is a Theatre Professor at the University of Arizona and many U of A students are included in the cast. If their talent is any indication, the Musical Theatre B.F.A. in Tucson is a program with which to be reckoned.
Customarily I will mention a couple of the more noteworthy performers in a given production, but, in this case, I am loathe to even attempt to single out any performer in this ensemble over another, so I won't.
Here are the names of all of the talent that graced the Diamond Circle stage in Durango this summer:
Kytt McLaughlin
Erik Andersson (or Anderson. Sorry, Erik, it's spelled differently in the program than on the website, so I'm not sure)
David Andino
Laura Weiner
Jason Lee Blank
Ben Mattson
Blaire Baker
Jesse Turtz
Amy Shuttleworth
Nehemiah Powers tickling the ivories
Claire Buchignani, and, okay, I said I wasn't going to single anyone out, but I feel compelled to say that I noticed that this young lady boasts Tamora in Titus Andronicus among her credits, and, based upon what I saw on stage Sunday night, I would wrestle a bear to have been able to have seen that. (Well, a small bear. Maybe a koala.)
Anyway, if you should find yourself in Durango this summer -- and you really should -- do not leave without stopping in at the Diamond Circle Melodrama. (Also check out my previous entry for a short video on this remarkable company.)
There are, in fact, two shows running in rep all summer, featuring the same hugely talented cast. The second is a musical revue entitled Whoop-Ti-Ay, and I only wish I could stay a few more days myself to catch that show as well.
I may just have to make another trip.
If you do decide to head down to Durango this summer, drop me a line at the e-mail address to your right (No, on the computer screen. You keep doing that.), and I'll be happy to fill you in on a few other places in the area worth checking out, like the beautiful Vallecito Lake area or my hometown (and the place where I earned my canine moniker), Ignacio, Colorado.
(By the way, MySpacers, I posted a whole bunch of pics of my visit in the album "Home Again 2008".)

Burn the Shoes and Boil the Rice

I wasn't planning to write anything about Company. I knew it would be good. I knew you all (in the area) would know that, too.
How could it not be? With Joel Sutliffe as Robert, and a "supporting cast" that includes Megan Van De Hey, Janelle Christie, Keegan Flaugh, Reece Livingstone, Daniel Langhoff and a host of others who represent some of the Denver area's best talent, this had the potential to be one of the best musicals produced in Denver this season.
But, again, I figured you'd already know that. Plus, I'll admit that I was just a little concerned that Bob Wells, a great comic director, might approach the comedy scenes with a slightly heavier hand than necessary, and I wanted to see it before I gave it my heart-felt recommendation. I've made a practice of occasionally recommending shows sight unseen, but lately, I've been about fifty-fifty on those predictions. (For the record, I think the comedy was handle quite well, for the most part, and, since the audience was laughing their heads off throughout, what the hell do I know?)
Due to my work on some other projects, which, come to think of it . . . I probably should have mentioned here, shouldn't I? Oh well. Next time I will remember to promote myself, too.
Anyway, due to my work on other projects, I knew that I probably wouldn't even see Company until its closing weekend, and, at that point, you'd have already seen all of the favorable write-ups in the papers or been exposed to the attractively-designed posters that Town Hall had posted up around town.
I figured what more could one more sardonic voice in cyberspace add to the promotion of the show?
Well, we're going to find out.
Here's the deal: if you do not get yourself to see Amanda Earls as Amy performing "I'm Not Getting Married Today" you will have missed perhaps the single greatest musical comedy performance of the year.
Megan Van De Hey, Joel Sutliffe, Janelle Christie and the rest of the talented cast bring everything you would expect them to bring to the table and more. And as a side note, this is my favorite performance that I have seen from Brian Murray, probably one of the hardest-working men in Denver theatre.
So, that's my two cents' worth in there now. Go see Company at Town Hall Arts Center.
And while you're at it, why not round out the weekend by seeing 4 Days in Bed over at the Crossroads and PHAMALy's Side Show downtown at the DCPA. All three of these shows close this weekend, and you will regret not seeing them.
I'd go with you to see them again, but I'm headed back to the place where I grew up for a few days. I still might find some time to take in a little theatre, though: