Three-day festival sets the stage for local entertainment with theatrical flair
By Shane Delavan
The Colorado Community Theatre Coalition will raise the curtain for theatre companies, actors, and fans from across Colorado during the 26th annual Colorado Theatre Festival. From August 13 – 16, the festival will come alive with performances from 10 state-wide community theatres, 12 professional workshops, acting competitions, and nightlife networking, or “wetworking,” in downtown Denver with fellow theatre lovers and experts from around Colorado. Ranked as one of the best community theatre festivals in the country, the Colorado Theatre Festival takes the spotlight at the Newman Center for Theatre Education.
Highlights of this year’s festival include 10 captivating, 60-minute performances from coalition companies, including scenes from “Apartment 3A” from Evergreen Players; “A Song for Correta” from Vintage Theatre; and “Spirit and Sworded Treks” from newcomer Theatre Esprit Asia. Companies who present their performances at the festival have had a higher rate of success during their scheduled runs. In addition, participants can look forward to 12 stimulating workshops, some taught by faculty of the Denver Center Theatre Academy.
A sample of workshops include “Strengthening Your Callback Audition,” taught by Allison Watrous; “Recipe for Genius: Practical and Effective Tools for Creating a Thriving Theatre Experience,” taught by Peter Hughes; and “Ten Broadway Moves Every Actor Should Know,” taught by Regina Fernandez Steffan. The festival is one of the most unique opportunities for theatre practitioners across the spectrum — actors, producers, directors, production staff, etc. — to grow their skills and knowledge through educational workshops and direct critiques of their performances.
The Colorado Theatre Festival is open to the public. Often cited as the best theatre deal in town, tickets to the festival are $65 per person and include admission to all three days, 10 theatre company performances, 12 workshops, and all networking and social events. Day and single workshop/performance passes are available, as well as student and senior discounts.
Visit CCTCTheatreFestival.com to register.
