Podcast: What’s up onstage this October

Just a bit of news and reviews from around the theatre community

In this episode of the OnStage Colorado podcast, hosts Toni Tresca and Alex Miller talk about recent productions they’ve seen, including Wonderbound’s Rock Ballets, Audacious Immersive’s Cult of Cthulhu, Diva Royale at Miners Alley and Lizzie at Aurora Fox. They also discuss Colorado arts news including leadership changes at the Bonfils-Stanton Foundation, the upcoming 48th Denver Film Festival and ongoing sound quality issues at the Buell Theater.

Chapter summary

Podcast: What’s up onstage this October

Just a bit of news and reviews from around the theatre community

In this episode of the OnStage Colorado podcast, hosts Toni Tresca and Alex Miller talk about recent productions they’ve seen, including Wonderbound’s Rock Ballets, Audacious Immersive’s Cult of Cthulhu, Diva Royale at Miners Alley and Lizzie at Aurora Fox. They also discuss Colorado arts news including leadership changes at the Bonfils-Stanton Foundation, the upcoming 48th Denver Film Festival and ongoing sound quality issues at the Buell Theater.

INTRODUCTION (0:00-1:30)

• Welcome and host introductions (Alex Miller & Toni Tresca)
• No main interview or deep-dive topic
• Overview: Recent show reviews + theater news

RECENT SHOW REVIEWS (1:30-22:00)

Wonderbound’s Rock Ballets (1:30-5:00)

• Both hosts attended
• Contemporary ballet using music from Bowie, Queen, Rolling Stones
• Three distinct acts with different aesthetics
• Discussion of show structure and performances
• Audience engagement with classic rock music
• Status: Mostly sold out

Audacious Immersive’s Cult of Cthulhu (5:00-9:30)

• Both hosts attended
• Location: Ratio Beer Works (Overland)
• Technical issues: sound bleeding, lighting problems
• Story confusion and unclear HP Lovecraft references
• Interactive elements discussed
• Comparison to previous Audacious work
• Mention of upcoming Drunk Christmas show

Rebuilding (Documentary) (9:30-11:30)

• Toni attended
• Sundance Film Festival community outreach event
• Colorado filmmaker, fire devastation theme
• Boulder Dairy Arts Center venue
• Technical notes about caption issues
• Sundance preparation for 2027 festival

Nosferatu with Orchestra Orchestra (11:30-13:40)

• Toni attended
• 1922 silent film with live improvised score
• The Mayan theater venue
• Sold-out, enthusiastic crowd in costume
• October 30th encore performance announced

Diva Royale at Miners Alley (13:40-15:30)

• Alex attended
• Farce by Jeff Daniels about Celine Dion fans
• Cast: Emily Paton Davis, Lisa DeCaro, Amy Arpan, Matthew Combs
• Extremely funny, comparable to Shucked
• Running through November 9th

Lizzie at Aurora Fox (15:30-19:15)

• Toni attended
• Musical about Lizzie Borden murders
• Studio theater space (black box)
• Four-person cast with live band
• Impressive technical elements (projections, set design)
• Standouts: Helen Dresden, Meghan Schrader
• Discussion of Aurora Fox studio space renovations

Non-Theater Events (19:15-22:00)

• Broncos dramatic comeback win
• No Kings protest rallies (7 million participants nationwide)
• Personal attendance stories from Colorado Springs and Denver

III. THEATRE & ARTS NEWS (22:00-40:00)

Bonfils-Stanton Foundation Leadership Change (22:00-25:30)

• Gary Steuerconcluding 12-year tenure in early 2026
• National search underway for successor
• Foundation’s impact on Denver arts funding
• Achievements: DEI initiatives (2% to 40% BIPOC/LGBTQ+ grants)
• Multi-year operational grants
• Toni’s disclosure: Resident storyteller for the foundation

Toni’s Arts Journalism Work (25:30-28:30)

• Long-form reporting for Bonfils-Stanton
• Topics: leadership profiles, space issues, SCFD deep dive
• Upcoming: Theater Artibus/Savoy financial struggles piece
• Where to find: bonfils-stantonfoundation.org/stories

48th Denver Film Festival Preview (28:30-33:00)

• Interview with Artistic Director Matt Campbell
• October 31-November 9
• 40-50,000 expected attendees
• 145 films selected from 1,800 submissions
• Campbell watches 5,000+ films annually
• Highlights: George Clooney’s “J Kelly,” new Knives Out film
• Colorado premiere: “Creede USA” documentary about theater town
• Coverage plans for OnStage Colorado

DCPA Cabaret: Dracula, A Comedy of Terrors (33:00-35:20)

• Garnet Galleria space
• November 8, 2025 – May 10, 2026 (six-month run)
• Cast includes: Leslie O’Carroll, Adrian Leigh Robinson, Marco Alberto Robinson, Sean Scrutchens
• 90-minute “gender-bending, quick-changing” comedy
• Discussion of Robinson couple frequently cast together

Reader Feedback: Buell Theater Sound Issues (35:20-38:00)

• Email from a DCPA season ticket holder re. ongoing sound quality problems
• Issues not resolving even in second week of runs
• Call for other patrons to share experiences
• Questions about touring show vs. house sound engineering

UPCOMING COVERAGE & ANNOUNCEMENTS (38:00-42:00)

Website Content Preview

• Upcoming reviews: Rock Ballets, Lizzie, Lion King
• The Motherfucker with the Hat at Three Leaches Theatre

Denver Film Festival Coverage (39:00-40:30)

• Toni covering 7 of 10 days
• Focus on major films and local content
• Reviews to be posted on OnStage Colorado website

Website Features

• New discount/deals page for theater tickets
• Call for theaters to submit promotional offers
• Example: Miners Alley Denver Actors Fund fundraiser