The Westcliffe Center for the Performing Arts just kicked off its summer season with “A Midsummer Night’s Dream,” soon to be followed by a new production called “Yo-Ho-Hum.” Denver’s nomadic Black Cube Art Museum celebrates its 10-year anniversary with a skate park party and immersive art installation and a nurse takes the stage with a one-woman dance performance.
Read on for your weekly arts and culture recap, plus find things to do and places to be.
A theater program in Westcliffe brings classics and contemporary works to the stage
Nestled on the eastern foothills of the Sangre de Cristo mountains is a community theater company that brings life to Westcliffe.
“In the late 80s, my mom came here to buy some property and fell in love with Westcliffe,” said Chris Relph. “She saw this old theater falling apart and the real estate agent said, ‘Oh, there's a contract on it, it's going to be a laundromat.’ And she thought that was very sad.”
So, theater and movie star Anne Kimbell Relph “made a lowball offer” and saved the Jones Theater.
Now, “Shakespeare in the Sangres” is one of its signature events. This season, the company is putting on “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” and a new play called “Yo-Ho-Hum: A Pirate's Midlife Crisis.”
“Yo-Ho-Hum” debuted at the Minneapolis Fringe Festival in the summer of 2024.
“Even though it's a new play, it's very much in the spirit of ‘Midsummer,’” said Elliot Jackson, a director and actor with the Westcliffe Center for the Performing Arts.
These two plays comprise the annual “Shakespeare in the Sangres” series. Each summer, the WCPA forms a cast of interns and locals to produce the shows.
“We get people from all over,” Relph said of the intern program. “They come for nine weeks, they jump right in, rehearse. They're in both the shows, then they run the kids camp that we have.”
This year, interns were recruited from colleges and universities across the country, as well as Colorado schools and the Westcliffe community.
“We often will take a local young person who's really shown a lot of hard work and deserves the spot,” Relph said. This community aspect is central to the WCPA’s mission. Shakespeare in the Sangres nurtures young talent, but theater productions throughout the year build and support community.
“We've had a lot of retired people who think that the theater's really saved them from a lot of depression and feeling alone,” Relph said. “That, for me, is one of the most rewarding parts of the whole thing — when the children and the adults find something wonderful by being creative.”
Jackson said she comes from a professional theater background in Chicago, and when she moved to rural Colorado, she thought her theater career may be over.
“I was kind of a snob. I was like, ‘Oh, community theater. Oh, they do Shakespeare here. Isn't that cute,’” but when she got involved with the company, she was immediately hooked.
“What I'm proudest of and most excited by is the willingness of the people to jump in and really, really dig into Shakespeare,” Jackson said. “To see people grapple with the language and get it, and really be interested in communicating 400-year-old words and concepts to a modern audience — and do it well — I mean, really do it about as well as any production I've seen anywhere, I am just terrifically proud of that.”
“A Midsummer Night’s Dream” runs through June 22, and “Yo Ho Hum” runs June 27 through 29. The Westcliffe Center for the Performing Arts will also stage Stephen King’s “Misery” from Oct. 3 through 12.
Black Cube Nomadic Art Museum celebrates 10 years with a skate park party and immersive installation
The Black Cube Nomadic Art Museum has created site-specific contemporary installations for the past 10 years.
During that time, the Denver-based nonprofit collaborated with over 240 artists in more than 170 locations around the world, including Denver, New York City, San Antonio, Chicago, Mexico City, Prague and Venice.
“For 10 years, Black Cube Nomadic Art Museum has defied the walls of traditional museums, bringing contemporary art into public space where it breathes, provokes, and belongs,” said founder Laura Merage.
“We’ve stood beside artists at their most unfiltered and ambitious — helping turn bare beginnings into monumental visions. This anniversary isn’t just a celebration of what we’ve built, but of the public’s role in shaping art that lives beyond boundaries.”
In honor of the museum’s 10-year anniversary, curator Cortney Lane Stell is bringing the museum home to Denver for “flood,” a one-day pool party-themed exhibition that explores the intersections of contemporary art, leisure, and ecology.
The exhibition, on June 21, features an interactive sculpture, skate park, and participatory flood mitigation project called "Community Forms.” Special guest and Denver North Side skate legend Trevor Uriona will be on site to skate the installation with attendees. The event will also feature free music from local DJs Bimbonita and Hotcakez. Food and beverage options will be available for purchase.
The exhibition takes place from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. on June 21 at the TAXI Campus in Denver’s Globeville neighborhood, including free and ticketed components — RSVPs encouraged.
Black Cube’s 10-year anniversary celebration continues with two more exhibitions: “SWEAT” on Sept. 18 and “What We Hold On To,” Sept. 5 through Dec. 12.
A nurse’s near-death experience inspires an improvisational dance show
Artist and nurse Tara Rynders has worked on the front lines of health care for two decades. But one night as a patient changed her perspective — and inspired a solo dance show.
The performance, “A Nurse is Calling,” combines personal narrative, improvisational dance, and live music by pianist Ryan Marvel.
“When I nearly died from an ectopic pregnancy, I remember a nurse grabbing my hand and telling me I was going to be OK,” Rynders said in a statement. “It was such a simple gesture, but it cracked something open in me. As nurses, we’re trained to give, to stay strong, to never ask for help. But that moment reminded me that I am worthy of care, too.”
She said the show is about that shift.
“It’s a love letter to the people who give everything,” Rynders said. “And a reminder that they deserve everything in return.”
“A Nurse is Calling” draws from Rynders’ lived experience in the ER, as well as her personal trauma of nearly dying from an ectopic pregnancy six months after giving birth, the devastating loss of her brother and the tender process of helping her sister emerge from a coma.
“What unfolds is not just a window into the brokenness of our health care system but a visceral call to remember our shared humanity,” Rynders said in a statement. “The piece also challenges a culture that fails to care for its caregivers, leaving nurses and medical professionals without the tools, support, or space to process the emotional weight of their work.”
The performance is part of Rynders’ portfolio of work addressing health care through art.
“A Nurse is Calling” is at The Newman Center on the University of Denver campus for three nights only: June 19 through 21. All performances are at 7 p.m. Tickets range from $34 to $39.
Things to do in Colorado this weekend
Thursday, June 19
- Juneteenth Celebration in Northglenn — The festivities feature Miss Black Colorado, live jazz, soul and gospel music and the Adams County’s poet laureate. Celebrations begin at 5 p.m. on the city’s Festival Lawn.
- SCFD Free Day— Free admission to the Denver Museum of Nature & Science, plus live performances, music and family-friendly activities that honor Black culture, history and achievement in science and beyond. 9 a.m.- 5 p.m.
Friday, June 20
- “Soul Purpose” in Denver — A bold abstract expressionist painting exhibition by Vicki Christensen, Pamela Hake and Karen Valliant. Opening reception at Bitfactory Gallery in the Santa Fe Arts District from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. On view June 20 through July 12.
Saturday, June 21
- “A Western Woman” in Greeley — An immersive concert telling the tale of frontierswoman “Rattlesnake Kate,” featuring Neyla Pekarek, a former member of The Lumineers, and a 22-piece orchestra. The show takes place at the Centennial Village Museum at 6 p.m. Admission is free, but space is limited.
- Dairy Block After Dark: Evening Bazaar in Denver — A curated collection of local vendors and artists, including a vinyl pop-up shop, art, clothing and an alley bar. 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. at Dairy Block. Free and open to the public.
- Flatiron Sounds Music Festival in Boulder — A free, family-friendly festival with live music, beer, food and an artisan market. At Chautauqua Park from 1 p.m. to 8 p.m.
- Tank Summer Solstice Festival in Rangely — Featuring Raven Chacon, a Diné composer, and experimental music by Death Convention Singers. At The Tank from 8 p.m. to 10 p.m. Tickets start at $12.51.
Sunday, June 22
- Jazz in the Park with Colorado Mambo Orchestra in Denver — A free, high-energy salsa and mambo concert from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. in City Park.
All weekend
- Telluride Bluegrass Festival — The annual festival returns to Telluride June 19 through 22, featuring headliners Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit, Greensky Bluegrass, Lake Street Dive, Punch Brothers, Toy Factory Project, Yonder Mountain String Band, Alison Krauss & Union Station and dozens of other shows and activities throughout the weekend. 4-day passes are $405, daily passes are $130.
- Niwot Jazz Festival — A day of free entertainment featuring jazz, swing and a salsa dance party. Located in Cottonwood Square from 3 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.
- Frederick Hot Air Balloon Festival — Three days of celebration featuring hot air balloon lifts each morning around 6 a.m., a party on Saturday night and family-friendly fun. Other activities include live music, food trucks, a beer garden and kids’ activities. June 20 through 22 at Centennial Park. Free and open to the public.
- Artsweek Festival in Golden — Explore art around town with pop-up events, live music and activities in Parfet Park. Free and open to the public, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
- Cherry Blossom Festival in Denver — The annual festival celebrates Japanese heritage and culture with live entertainment, food and drink, a marketplace and more. Free and open to the public in Sakura Square from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturday, June 21 and 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Sunday, June 22.
Ongoing in June
- “Clue: A Walking Mystery” in Aspen — An immersive experience where teams track down antique furniture and solve puzzles in local businesses while exploring downtown Aspen to piece together the classic “Clue” mystery of who killed Mr. Boddy, where and with what. Games start at the Wheeler Opera House. Open from June 19 through July 12.
- “The Book Handlers” in Denver — A Buntport Theater comedy about a fictitious company that makes your books look like you read them so you can impress others without having to do any of the reading. The show runs June 13-29. Tickets are available via a name-your-price model.
- “Little Miss Sunshine” in Aurora — A musical comedy based on the Academy Award-winning film at the Aurora Fox Arts Center. Performances take place Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30 p.m. and Sundays at 2 p.m. through June 29. Tickets range from $17 to $42.
- “Young Frankenstein” in Breckenridge — The comedy genius, Mel Brooks, has adapted his beloved comedy film for the stage. At the Breckenridge Backstage Theatre from June 25 through Aug. 10. Tickets range from $35 to $50.
Some groups mentioned in the Colorado Arts Spotlight may be financial supporters of CPR News. Financial supporters have no editorial influence.
How we pick our events: The Colorado Arts Spotlight highlights events around the state to give readers a sense of the breadth of Colorado’s arts and cultural happenings, it is not — and can not possibly be — a comprehensive list of all weekly events. Entries are not endorsements or reviews. Each week’s list is published on Thursday and is not updated.
