Molly Gets a Makeover

Bobby Crew

The classic tale of Colorado’s own heroine, “The Unsinkable Molly Brown,” is revitalized with new — and perhaps more accurate — storytelling, and is easily one of the best musical performances I’ve seen in a long time. This new vision of Molly Brown was performed for the first time, and in the very state where it all takes place.

“I have such an enormous depth of love for this state and ‘The Unsinkable Molly Brown’ is truly a love letter to Colorado,” says Beth Malone, who plays Molly Brown. “I honestly believe this new adaptation is a great piece of theater.” Beth Malone’s performance is filled with country sass and is so totally adorable, you can’t help but fall in love.

“I’ve been at the theater game for over thirty years. Dick Scanlan’s revised ‘Unsinkable Molly Brown’ is the best rewrite I’ve ever read. Period,” says Burke Moses, the actor who plays J.J. Brown. “For the actor, nothing compares to being in a show’s first production.”

The show, put on by the Denver Center Theater Company, features several brand new songs, yet keeps the favorites from the old story, like “Belly Up to the Bar, Boys,” and “I’ll Never Say No.” Dick’s rewrite looks at Margaret Tobin Brown’s entire history and becomes more than just a girl who goes from dirt poor to filthy rich sort of story. More time is spent in Leadville, and there is a greater focus on Molly Brown’s charity work in Denver.

“Early in the process of adapting ‘The Unsinkable Molly Brown’ for a new generation of musical comedy lovers and unearthing treasures in Meredith Willson’s previously unopened trunk of songs, I knew that the Denver Center Theater Company was the perfect place for our maiden voyage,” Dick says.

I’m always amazed at how fast actors can get out of their clothes and into new ones to play several different characters in the same show. The entire cast had such a collection of strong voices. This was the perfect group to take on the premier performance of “The Unsinkable Molly Brown.”

Runs through October 26. Find showtimes & tickets at denver-theater.com