Curious Theatre sells its Acoma Street home, plans season 29 at Cleo Parker Robinson Dance

The storied Denver company will produce four shows at the historic Shorter AME building before returning to a renovated 1080 Acoma in 2027.

Curious Theatre Company has sold its longtime home at 1080 Acoma St. to a real estate developer who plans a full renovation of the space — and the company will spend its 29th season producing shows across town at Cleo Parker Robinson Dance’s historic Shorter AME building before returning as anchor tenant.

The buyer is Acoma Theater LLC, a nonprofit project of Spira Giving Colorado whose president and director is real estate executive David Spira. His company, KEW Realty Corporation, will also purchase the adjacent parking lot. The vision, according to Spira, is a “dynamic, high-quality cultural and events destination” in the heart of the Golden Triangle, with Curious as its resident artistic company.

“1080 Acoma has the bones of something truly special, and we intend to honor that,” Spira said. “Having Curious Theatre Company as the resident artistic voice is central to that vision. They have had a 30-year history in this building, and this investment helps ensure they will have another 30 years here.”

Curious will return to 1080 Acoma for its 30th season, currently targeted for late 2027. In the meantime, the company will produce season 29 entirely out of the Shorter AME space, working in partnership with Cleo Parker Robinson Dance on scheduling and logistics.

“This deal secures Curious’ long-term future at 1080 Acoma while allowing us to thrive as an organization, support local artists and continue to produce the work that we are emboldened to continue,” Producing Artistic Director Jada Suzanne Dixon told OnStage Colorado. “Our goal is not simply to return to 1080, but to return with even greater artistic strength, stronger systems, and the readiness to lead in a reenergized cultural venue.”

A personal homecoming

For Dixon, the temporary home carries deep personal meaning. She grew up dancing at Cleo Parker Robinson Dance when the organization was still located at 20th and Lawrence downtown, and participated in its apprenticeship program for several years.

“Long before I had the language for directing, I understood storytelling through movement,” she said. “That early experience shaped my love of story, rhythm and human connection. To create this season in partnership with an organization that has meant so much to me personally — and that has given so much to this city — feels deeply aligned.”

The connection runs even deeper: Dixon’s father, a Denver city councilman, helped Cleo Parker Robinson Dance make its own move decades ago to the Shorter AME Church building where Curious will now produce. “It’s sort of full circle,” she said.

When Curious began looking for a temporary home, Dixon said the broader arts community stepped up. “There were quite a few entities within our larger arts ecosystem who I reached out to, who were all willing to be there for us,” she said. “I couldn’t have felt more buoyed at a time when it can be really challenging.”

Malik Robinson, president and CEO of Cleo Parker Robinson Dance, cited that legacy of mutual support in welcoming Curious. “When we were going through our own repairs and renovations, this community showed up for us,” he said. “This is a way for us to pay it forward.”

Season 29 lineup

Curious will present four productions in season 29, including three regional premieres and what the company describes as a “venerated modern classic.” Dixon said the through-line connecting all four plays is a single central question: “Who are we to each other?”

• Topdog/Underdog by Suzan-Lori Parks, a Pulitzer Prize-winning drama about two brothers navigating identity, rivalry and inherited struggle. “It’s a story of survival, but also a story of intimacy, of navigating identity and inherited struggle,” Dixon said.
• One of the Good Ones by Gloria Calderón Kellett, a family comedy Dixon describes as “vibrant, character-rich — it is about love, belonging and the messy complexity of family, which all of us can relate to in some way or another.”
• Marjorie Prime by Jordan Harrison, a drama that explores memory and grief through the lens of artificial intelligence — “a haunting, deeply human drama that is always timely,” Dixon said.
• Purpose by Branden Jacobs-Jenkins, a family drama in which generational conflict, political legacy and cultural identity collide. “This work is sharp and surprising,” Dixon said. “It looks at what happens when the stories we tell about who we are start to crack open.”

Dixon said the company is always asking itself the same questions when assembling a season. “What are the stories that feel urgent right now? What are the stories that stretch us? What are the stories that scare us? And what are the stories that align with who Curious is in this moment?”

The building’s history — and future

The 9,500-square-foot structure at 1080 Acoma has a history stretching back to 1895, when it was built for the Swedish Evangelical Free Church. It was expanded in 1904, converted to a United Pentecostal church in 1966 and eventually became a performing arts space before Curious began producing there in 1997. The company purchased the building in 2008 and undertook a significant renovation in 2015.

The building carries at least one notable piece of history: a reception area called Mamie’s, named after First Lady Mamie Eisenhower, who is said to have attended services at the Swedish Evangelical Free Church.

Renovations will include infrastructure upgrades, HVAC work, ADA compliance improvements and the addition of bar spaces on the lower level. Spira is also pursuing historic designation for the property. The redevelopment aligns with the city’s broader 5280 Trail project, which will run through the Golden Triangle neighborhood along the Acoma Street corridor between 11th and 12th.

For Dixon, the sale represents more than a facilities update — it’s a strategic repositioning. “This is more than a facilities update. This is all part of a strategic move that really supports the long-term sustainability of this organization — financially, operationally and artistically,” she said. “’No guts, no story’ will continue to guide us and be an integral piece of our DNA. It just means we’re reimagining how we show up in the larger Denver arts ecosystem.”

She added that while change can feel unsettling for longtime patrons, the core of the company isn’t going anywhere. “We’re not losing the core of who we are as an organization. We’re going to learn a lot along the way, and we’re going to slowly figure it out.”

The company’s current season closes with Furlough’s Paradise (May 2-31), the last full production on the Acoma stage before the move. The 24-Hour Plays Denver fundraiser set for July 9-10 will be the final event in the space before renovations begin.

Tickets and updates on season 29 are available at CuriousTheatre.org.