A trip through time in Denver’s Curtis Park

Denver history buffs will get a kick out of Echoes of Curtis Park, a fun look back to a time that combines oral history, a series of snapshot skits and a wealth of old photos projected on fabric.

A collaboration between Theatre Artibus and the Sala Project, Echoes of Curtis Park is being staged at the Denver Savoy — a building with its own unique history. The area between RiNo and Five Points, Curtis Park started as a neighborhood for Black and Chicano families. In Echoes, the exploration begins with Alma (Stephanie Saltis) — a young woman on a tour of Denver who gets transported through the machinations of the mysterious DJ Echo (Magally Luna).

We’re soon joined by a variety of changing characters played by Lucinda Lazo, Debra Gallegos, Mitch Marquez and Phil Luna. Artibus founders Meghan Frank and Buba Basishvili also chip in as needed (Buba is a hoot as a strict nun.) As directed by the playwright Lisa Hori-Garcia, Echoes is a lighthearted romp that’s corny in places, a bit preachy in others and fast moving enough to keep what’s essentially a history lesson on the interesting side.

We learn things like how the Savoy itself used to rent for $8 a month to a choral society and that it’s served as a vanilla factory, a photo studio, a social hall and other things.

‘Echoes of Curtis Park’ combines music, storytelling and photo projections to illustrate the area’s history. | Photo: Martha Wirth Photography

With a mix of English and Spanish, the ensemble runs through a wealth of history related to the area for Alma’s edification. We hear of the local Creamery where residents would gather to buy tacos and burritos, the importance of the local Sacred Heart Church, Abuela’s Kitchen and more. Historic periods like the Chicano pride movement are explored, and memories of a simpler time are celebrated.

Saltis is a delight as Alma — a curious young woman who’s game to find out more about her neighborhood. Luna is saucy as DJ Echo, and we come to know the other “Voices” of Curis Park through the ensemble through the words collected by actual residents through the Sala Project.

As a theatre piece, Echoes is a stitched-together series of stories with the common theme of Curtis Park and its residents holding it together. I’m not sure I ever quite got how the DJ was manipulating time, and there’s a big stretch in the show where the gimmick itself seems forgotten. The audience certainly leaves with a better understanding of what Curtis Park is all about, and there’s no doubt the show will be of great interest to area residents — particularly those of Latin descent.

As always, the Savoy is a fun venue to see anything at since it sports a full bar. And for this show, there’s an opportunity to share chips and salsa afterwards with the cast and crew.