Tundra is dance performance on July 28th and 29th at the Truss House in RiNo Denver. The purpose of this work is to reframe the misconception that these are cold, frozen, lifeless places disconnected from human existence are actually teeming with life, in constant motion and never-ending transition–from moving rocks and shifting glaciers to curious pikas burrowing deep in the snow. Our goal is to have the audience walk away with a deeper connection to the tundra, a newfound appreciation of how climate change in the mountains will affect us down here in the front range, and a better understanding of why we should protect this ecosystem. The performance is family friendly and intended to build an emotional connection to this particular environment and its related issues, while our environmental partner will help address scientific questions and channel the audience’s emotions into actions.
Location: Denver
Introduction to Liberation Arts and Community Engagement
CALLING ALL EDUCATORS, LEADERS, PROJECT MANAGERS, AND ANYONE ELSE INTERESTED! Join Local Theater Company on July 23, 3:30-5:30 pm MT for a public workshop, Introduction to Liberation Arts and Community Engagement, with acclaimed educator Dr. Brent Blair.This two-hour introductory workshop will provide newcomers and those familiar with this type of work with the basic foundations of Theatre of the Oppressed (TO), a form of community-devised theater making that endows citizen participants with agency to craft and perform stories, and some post-colonial tenets of Liberation Arts and Community Engagement (LACE). The workshop includes basic theoretical foundations of TO/LACE, essential game playing and social preparation for collective arts projects for social change, and the fundamental tools of devising and performing an interactive Forum Theatre scene around a specific issue relevant to the participants.
Okareka: Mana Wahine
Okareka Dance is one of the leading contemporary Maori (indigenous) dance companies in New Zealand. Their iconic work Mana Wahine [Powerful Women] reflects cultural beliefs, colonial history, and the role of women over time, using contemporary as well as Maori dance vocabularies and motifs in a vibrant and moving multi-media stage production.
Joshua Redman Quintet
The Joshua Redman Quintet is an all-star band featuring some of Redman’s lifelong friends and partners in music. The Redman Quintet is Redman in his element, surrounded by some of jazz’s finest. The rapport, talent, and musicianship that exists between these artists is truly something to be witnessed – a testament to the great heights of a life dedicated to the craft.
Acrobuffos: Air Play
Part comedy, part sculpture, part circus, part theater, Air Play is sure to amaze and delight audiences of all ages. Created by circus performers Seth Bloom and Christina Gelsone in collaboration with kinetic sculptor Daniel Wurtzel, Air Play was devised through years of experimentation with simple materials, movement, and technology. Umbrellas fly, fabrics soar over the audience, balloons swallow people, and snow swirls, filling the stage. Described by the New York Times as “making magic out of thin air” and by The Argus as “A brilliant demonstration of the human imagination”, Air Play is an unforgettable experience for the whole family.
Small Island Big Song
Drawing on a roster of respected first nation artists, Small Island Big Song combines music, spoken word and live cinema to share the stories and experiences of indigenous peoples with seafaring heritages. This cinematic experience explores the cultural connections between the descendants of the seafarers of the Pacific and Indian Oceans through the Austronesian migration. The music of Small Island Big Song blends roots-reggae, RnB and folk influences, resulting in irresistible oceanic grooves and soulful island ballads.
Emmet Cohen Trio
The Emmet Cohen Trio is Emmet Cohen’s all-star trio featuring bassist Russell Hall (bassist for Late Show with Stephen Colbert) and drummer Kyle Poole. The trio is known for its range and uplifting dynamism, showcasing Cohen’s “kaleidoscopic sense of musical narrative”, as noted in Downbeat Magazine. This trio plays in a unique and modern way, melding stride, blues, church, swing, bebop, free, and contemporary styles. Audience members looking for the future of jazz should look no further – the Emmet Cohen Trio establishes a new baseline for modern jazz while infusing enthusiasm back into the genre.
Dog Man the Musical
Based on the worldwide bestselling hit series by Dav Pilkey, Dog Man: The Musical is a hilarious and heartwarming new production following the chronicles of Dog Man, who with the head of a dog and the body of a policeman, loves to fight crime and chew on the furniture. This epic musical adventure features the hilarity and heart of beloved characters from Dav Pilkey (creator of Captain Underpants and Cat Kid Comic Club) and is guaranteed to bring the fun for the whole family.
Okaidja Afroso: Jaku Mumor
Okaidja Afroso journeys to the U.S. from his home in Ghana, West Africa to bring a powerful experience that draws inspiration from nature-based rituals and ancestral knowledge while creating a soundscape that is modern and unique. Afroso’s outreach project, Jaku Mumor – Ancestral Spirit, brings rich opportunities for fostering communication and sparking conversation about the challenges faced by indigenous communities around the globe; challenges that will impact us all, though we do not feel them as directly as those working with and fighting against these challenges on a daily basis.
Arooj Aftab, Vijay Iyer & Shahzad Ismaily: Love in Exile
Love in Exile features an improvisatory supergroup composed of brilliant minds Vijay Iver, Arooj Aftab and Shahzad Izmaily. These modern musicians, each impressive in their own right, come together to create one of the greatest musical projects of recent history. With Iyer as composer/pianist, Aftab as vocalist, and Ismaily as bassist, Love in Exile creates lush, haunting collaborative soundscapes of meditation and yearning. It is a chronicle of shared cultural experiences and deep human connection.