A look at what’s scary onstage for October, plus news and reviews

In this episode of the OnStage Colorado Podcast, hosts Alex Miller and Toni Tresca take a deep dive into Spooky Season. From multiple Rocky Horrors, Miseries and Draculas, we scanned the state to highlight some of what’s happening as we race toward a Friday Halloween this month.

We also hit some news and Toni recaps some recent reviews: Steel Magnolias at Candlelight and A Case for Black Girls Setting Central Park on Fire at Local Theater.

Chapter Summary

Shows Reviewed

Toni Tresca’s Reviews:

  • Steel Magnolias at Candlelight Dinner Theater – Strong performances but overly theatrical staging choices that didn’t match the naturalistic realism the script requires. Long transitions, clunky blocking, and lighting that broke the mood. The scenic design was expansive and lovely with a color-changing backdrop, but the direction seemed to compensate for the large space in ways that didn’t serve the material. Despite technical issues, the powerful script still resonated with audiences.
  • A Case for Black Girls Setting Central Park on Fire at Local Theater Company (Boulder Dairy Center) – A revelation compared to the 2023 reading Tresca attended. Director Betty Hart’s frenetic staging with treadmills built into the set keeps the show in constant motion, perfectly matching the story of a young Black girl called “12” running for her life. Poetic, surreal, and compared to “Waiting for Godot meets The Wizard of Oz.” The script has been substantially improved with new songs added since the reading.

Alex Miller:

  • Took a weekend trip to Aspen for leaf peeping over Independence Pass
  • Visited Pub Dog in Colorado Springs – a bar/grill with an off-leash dog park
  • No theater shows reviewed this episode

News

Earlier Start Times Trend: John Moore of the Denver Gazette reported on theaters embracing 7 p.m. start times instead of 8 p.m. Organizations mentioned include:

  • Denver Center for the Performing Arts
  • Boulder Ensemble Theatre Company (BETC)
  • Colorado Springs Theatreworks
  • Theater SilCo
  • Two-Cent Lion
  • Shifted Lens

David Siegel (ENT Center for the Arts executive director) noted audiences across all ages want to get home earlier. Since 2023, out-of-town households (beyond 50-mile radius) buying tickets increased nearly 40%. Sunday matinees also shifting to 4-4:30 p.m. starts.

Denver Film Festival (48th Edition):

  • Running October 31-November 9 at Sie Film Center, Ellie Caulkins Opera House, Holiday Theater, and Botanical Gardens
  • Opening night: Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery (third Rian Johnson Knives Out film) on Halloween – releases a month before theatrical/Netflix debut
  • Creede documentary featuring Creede Repertory Theatre playing local debut November 4-5
  • Colorado shorts showcase November 6
  • John Elway Netflix documentary closing the festival November 8

BREAKING: DCPA Ends Immersive Programming: Announced during recording that Denver Center will no longer develop and produce new immersive experiences. Key points:

  • Charlie Miller (Off Center co-founder, executive director, curator) departing after 17 years, leaving end of March 2026
  • Decision based on: budget challenges, economic uncertainty, unpredictable ticket buying, limited immersive content pipeline, lack of risk-sharing partners
  • Will continue presenting established immersive projects
  • Camp Christmas returning to Stanley Marketplace with Charlie’s help during transition
  • Hosts speculated this may be related to Sweet and Lucky Echo performance

Spooky Season Roundup

Plays & Musicals:

  • La Llorona – Arts in the Open, Boulder (through Oct 26) – Immersive 2-mile walk through Chautauqua Park
  • A Fine Monster You Are – Impossible Players, Pueblo (just opened)
  • The Thin Place – BETC at Boulder Dairy Center (through Oct 26)
  • The Pumpkin Kid – Ballyhoo Table and Stage, Denver (through Oct 25) – Family musical with live band and pumpkin carving
  • Frankenstein (Nick Dear adaptation) – Platte Valley Theater Arts, Brighton (Oct 10-19) – Directed by Kelly Van Oosbree, featuring Jeffrey Parker as the creature
  • Haunting of Breck Theater – Breckenridge (Oct 10-26) – Live storytellers, puzzles, quests; all-ages (3pm) and PG-13 (7pm) options
  • Cult of Cthulhu – Audacious Immersive at various Denver bars (Oct 10-Nov 1) – HP Lovecraft-inspired
  • A Dark and Stormy Night – Evergreen Players (Oct 17-26) – Two one-acts plus “Ever Scream” readings (King, Lovecraft, Poe)
  • Dancing in the Dark: Escape the Haunted Library – People’s Building, Aurora (Oct 24-26) – Interactive immersive dance experience
  • Lizzie – Aurora Fox (mentioned for upcoming review)

Dracula Productions:

  • Colorado Ballet (through Oct 12) – Includes Vampire Ball on closing night
  • The Vampire of Cripple Creek – Butte Theater, Cripple Creek (through Nov 2) – Melodrama adaptation
  • Dracula – Main Street Live, Trinidad (Oct 24-Nov 2) – Traditional adaptation

Misery Productions:

  • Westcliffe Center for the Performing Arts (through Oct 12)
  • Open Stage Theater and Company, Fort Collins Lincoln Center (Oct 31-Nov 29)

Rocky Horror Picture Show (50th Anniversary):

  • Rocktober 2025 at Gnarly’s Theater, Golden (Oct 11) – Colorado’s Elusive Ingredient shadowcast
  • Iron Springs Chateau, Manitou Springs (Oct 17-31) – Live shadowcast
  • Durango Arts Center (Oct 24-Nov 1) – Musical version
  • Sie Film Center (Oct 18) – Monthly shadowcast
  • PACE Center (Oct 25)
  • Boulder Theatre (Oct 30) – Two showings: 6:30pm and 9:30pm
  • Ballyhoo Table and Stage (Oct 30-31) – Night of a Thousand Frankenfurters with House of Ishan’s cast

Other Halloween Events:

  • Halloween Bar Crawl – Ballpark/LoDo/Larimer Square, Denver (Oct 31) – 11th annual
  • Denver Fright – Buck Theater (Oct 21-22) – Colorado lore storytelling
  • Haunted History Tour – Central City (Oct 11) – Includes Teller House cocktails and tarot readings
  • Denver After Dark Walking Tour – Denver Walking Tours (through Nov 8)
  • The Talking Dead Haunted Bar Crawl – Elevate Immersive, Golden (through Oct 30)
  • Vampire Ball – Dairy Arts Center, Boulder (Oct 31) – Benefits art cinema programs
  • Cosmic Hal – Meow Wolf Denver (Oct 31) – Live performances, DJ, costume contest

Upcoming Reviews

  • Shucked (opening night Oct 7)
  • Cat on a Hot Tin Roof – DCPA (opening weekend)
  • Dance Nation – Family Theater at People’s Building, Aurora
  • Brigadoon – First Company Theater, Colorado Springs (Judith covering)
  • Cult of Cthulhu – Audacious Immersive
  • Nice Work If You Can Get It – Lone Tree – Directed by Kate Gleason, featuring Marco Alberto Robinson, Adrienne Lee Robinson, Carter Edward Smith, Shabazz Green

Next Episode Preview

Discussion on alcohol service in theaters – balancing revenue with potential patron issues, based on OnStage blog story about this industry-wide concern

Editor & Publisher at  |  + posts

Alex Miller is editor and publisher of OnStage Colorado. He has a long background in journalism, including stints as the top editor at the Vail Daily, Summit Daily News, Summit County Journal, Vail Trail and others. He’s also been an actor, director, playwright, artistic director and theatre board member and has been covering theatre in Colorado since 1995.

+ posts

A Colorado-based arts reporter originally from Mineola, Texas, who writes about the changing world of theater and culture, with a focus on the financial realities of art production, emerging forms and arts leadership. He’s the Managing Editor of Bucket List Community Cafe, a contributor to Denver Westword and Estes Valley Voice, resident storyteller for the Bonfils-Stanton Foundation and co-host of the OnStage Colorado Podcast. He holds an MBA and an MA in Theatre & Performance Studies from CU Boulder, and his reporting and reviews combine business and artistic expertise.