Podcast: Un-holiday shows, giving season and more

Plus an interview with Jo McIver Lee and Em Perez from Unleashed Theater about their Hallmark-movie-meets-slasher-flick play opening this weekend.

In this episode of the OnStage Colorado Podcast, hosts Alex Miller and Toni Tresca follow up on last week’s show featuring holiday shows around the state to call out some of the non-holiday offerings available. From the military courtroom drama A Few Good Men at Boulder’s Upstart Crow Theatre to Theatreworks’ production of The Importance of Being Earnest in Colorado Springs, there are more than a few un-tinseled shows to see this month.

Along with a bit of theatre news touching on Colorado Gives Day and Giving Tuesday, we also get into John Moore’s annual True West Awards — which he says are the last ever this year. Later in the episode, Alex interviews Em Perez and Jo McIver Lee from Unleashed Theatre about their upcoming show Christmas Movie, The Play, The Beginning – described as “Hallmark Christmas meets 80s slasher.”

Episode Chapter Summary

Chapter 1: Welcome & Recent Shows (00:00-05:20)

Alex and Toni introduce the episode, discussing the Thanksgiving break and recent theater attendance. Alex reviews Let Nothing You Dismay at Firehouse Theater, describing it as very funny with some cringeworthy middle-school humor. He highlights Veronica Straight’s physical comedy performance and notes the production had a community theater feel with strong performances despite modest production values.

Chapter 2: Theater News – Tom Stoppard’s Passing (05:20-09:20)

Alex announces the death of playwright Tom Stoppard at 88, noting his extraordinary career including an Academy Award, Golden Globe, three Laurence Olivier Awards, and five Tonys. They discuss his major works including Arcadia, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead, and the film Shakespeare in Love. Alex recalls seeing Arcadia at the Denver Center in 1996, praising its technical brilliance.

Chapter 3: True West Awards Announcements (09:20-13:15)

Discussion of John Moore’s final year of True West Awards for the Denver Gazette. Three awards announced so far:

Matt Zambrano for his prolific 2025 including performances, directing work, and international mime workshops
Dave and Jane Shirley of Rattlebrain Productions for 24 seasons of Santa’s Big Red Sack
Family Theater Company alumni for Broadway and film achievements

Chapter 4: Giving Tuesday & Colorado Gives Day (13:15-19:30)

Toni explains the difference between Giving Tuesday (first Tuesday of December) and Colorado Gives Day (December 9th), both organized by the Colorado Gives Foundation. They discuss how these fundraising days benefit larger organizations more than smaller ones due to marketing capacity. Alex mentions OnStage Colorado’s support of Denver Actors Fund through in-kind advertising donations.

Chapter 5: Non-Holiday Show Recommendations (19:30-31:50)

Alex and Toni compile a list of non-Christmas shows currently running:

Good Night Moon at DCPA (children’s show)
Mary Poppins at Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center
The Importance of Being Earnest at Ent Center
Dracula: A Comedy of Terrors at DCPA Garner Galleria
A Few Good Men at Dairy Arts Center (Upstart Crow)
Every Brilliant Thing at BETC
Annie at Littleton Town Hall
The Mystery of Edwin Drood at Vintage Theater
Dinner with Friends at Bas Bleu Theater, Fort Collins
Echoing Spring: A Story of Matthew Shepard at Firehouse Theater
Job at Curious Theater (final weekend)

Chapter 6: Interview with Unleashed Theatre (31:50-47:35)

Alex interviews Em Perez and Jo McIver Lee from Unleashed Theatre about their upcoming show Christmas Movie, The Play, The Beginning – described as “Hallmark Christmas meets 80s slasher.”

Key points discussed:

Unleashed Theatre’s background in comedy production
Their mission to bring theater to non-traditional venues (bars, taprooms)
The philosophy of making theater accessible and non-intimidating
Plot summary: Big city executive returns to hometown, opens mysterious chest, carnage ensues
Show features all the Hallmark tropes (hunky love interest, hometown best friend, holiday fundraiser) combined with horror elements
Touring to multiple bar locations December 6-21
Plans for making it an annual tradition with new scripts each year

They discuss how theater can intimidate people unfamiliar with it, comparing accessibility efforts to Audacious Theatre and Drunken Shakespeare programs.

Chapter 7: Closing & Upcoming Coverage (47:35-52:54)

Alex and Toni preview OnStage Colorado’s extensive December coverage including nearly 20 reviews of holiday and non-holiday shows. They mention this is likely their most comprehensive holiday season coverage ever. Shows being reviewed include productions from Miners Alley, Elemental Theater, Breckenridge Backstage, Cleo Parker Robinson Dance, Colorado Ballet’s Nutcracker, and many others. They encourage listeners to subscribe to the weekly Theater Blast newsletter and remind everyone about their prolific review output compared to other Colorado media outlets.