The Merchant of Mumbai

Marina and I  were both looking forward to the current production at one of our favorite theaters, The Merchant of Mumbai. It was a Bollywood version of Shakespeare’s The Merchant of Venice. When we arrived at the theater, we immediately saw a friend, who has appeared in several  shows at that theater. That was a nice surprise.

The show was a fun one. It used some of the Shakepearean dialog with Bollywood dance numbers. The humor was also played up. And the costumes were gorgeous.

After the performance was over, we got our traditional photo with the cast. It was a great night!

A Musical Space Odyssey

Marina and I are regular attendees of the symphony. However, we’ve been interested in seeing a concert by another group closer to home. Their family friendly Space Odyssey concert sounded like it was right up our alley. Marina decided to wear her Rey costume today.

When we arrived it was a crazy scene. The concert was very popular. We spotted some Star Wars cosplayers and took some photos with them before finding seats in the second row.

The concert was a fun one. Marina recognized much of the music and she loved it. She even expressed interest in attending their Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony when they perform it next month

A Gentleman's Guide

After performing the song from A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder in her Broadway Showcase class, Marina became a fan of the show. We saw it last year and we liked it so much that we were looking forward to seeing it again. We made plans to see it with one of our friends.

Marina wore a Hufflepuff dress again today. We met up with our friend early and headed to Conifer which is in the foothills. When we arrived, we located the theatre and looked for a place to have dinner. We found a nearby Mexican restaurant.

After we ate, we went to the theater. Marina was seated next to a young lady. The two of them started talking and found they had quite a lot in common. So they talked until the show started.

We all enjoyed the performance. Marina’s favorite is still “Why Are All the D’Ysquiths Dying?” that’s the song she performed for her class. As we were leaving, the actor who played Monty was behind us as we left. We got a quick photo with him before we drove home.

The Scottsboro Boys

Marina woke up feeling sick this morning. However, we had tickets to see The Scottsboro Boys. A friend directed the show and another friend was acting in it. Marina wanted to go, so we went to see it.

There was a delay due to technical issues, so we waited in the lobby for quite a while before we could sit in the theater. Marina was pretty quiet during that time. We were glad when the doors finally opened and we could sit down.

Despite being a long and serious show, it went by quickly. The story was about a group of black men who were wrongly convicted of a crime. It was a powerful story and Marina got caught up in it despite being sick.

After the show was talked with the director about the show. We also got a chance to speak with some of the actors, including our friend. Once we’d done all that, Marina was wiped out. We picked up dinner and went home.

Off to Neverland

Eight years ago, the ballet presented Peter Pan. Marina and I really loved the show. When it was announced as part of this season, we wanted to see it again. We invited some friends and family to join us.

Today was cold and snowy. Marina’s school was cancelled. So we were a bit worried about getting downtown to the show. Fortunately, not many people were on the roads and they were clear of snow. We decided to take the light rail to be safe.

When we arrived, we went to the box office. They had a great offer on seats today so I asked if we could upgrade ours. The man we were speaking to was very nice and he arranged for all of us to be on the main floor instead of the Loge level. However, we were all in different sections.

The show was as wonderful as we remembered. The "fairy fixers" that each child got were slightly different but still fun. And the moment Tinkerbell was brought back to life was spectacular!

Once it was over, Marina and I walked to the light rail station. We only had to wait about 10 minutes for the train to arrive, but the trip home seemed very long. We were both very tired and ready to go to bed.

The Pirates of Penzance

When Marina was in middle school, the theater department presented the operetta The Pirates of Penzance. It’s a show I really enjoy and Marina liked it. This weekend, the Gilbert and Sullivan Players were preforming the show with the symphony. Marina and I were both excited to see it.

Marina wanted to wear her tavern girl costume, but she couldn’t find it. So she created her won sea witch look. The performing arts complex was pretty full this evening. So it took a while, but we managed to find a spot on the top level.

When we arrived, we picked up drinks – Marina got a chai latte. We met up with some women who were in costume. Marina called them “Lolita’s.” She liked talking with them. Then we went to our seats which were in the front row.

The symphony was quite a bit smaller than usual for this performance. There was no set, but all of the actors wore colorful costumes. Since we were up close we could see everything well. The show was funny and well preformed. I had to explain the “paradox” of the show to Marina but she got it quickly.

After the show she said she really liked it.

Matilda's Return

Marina and I have seen Matilda a couple of times. I arranged a church group to see the current production today. Marina was excited to see it again, especially since one of her friends was in the group.

After lunch we went to the the theater to meet up with everyone. The show was fun. We liked the second act better than the first, especially the first song “All I Know I Learned From Telly.” And Marina always enjoyed watching child actors.

After the show, the cast were in the lobby for meet and greets. We talked a bit with a friend of ours who was in the cast. We also ran into the actor who played Miss Trunchbull. We’ve met him a few times, but this time he remembered us. I also introduce her to the actress, who played Miss Honey.

There was a line to meet the actress playing Matilda, but Marina was willing to wait in it. When it was her turn, Marina spent a while talking with her. She was especially interested in how she memorized all her lines.

After meeting most of the actors, we went home. Everyone from our group was already gone.

Disnenchated Again!

Last year, Marina and I saw the musical Disenchanted and we both enjoyed it. Some of our friends were interested in seeing it as well. So we made arrangements to see another production of it. We all went to the theater together.

We arrived early and we looked around at some shops nearby. The theater was a short walk after that. We bought drinks before going to our seats. The show was fun and a bit raunchy. The girls got a high five during the performance from Snow White. We all really enjoyed it.

Hansel and Gretel

Marina and I had tickets to the opera Hansel and Gretel this afternoon. We invited Ainsley to join us. It had been my plan to go to lunch first, but both girls had eaten late breakfasts and were not hungry. So we hang around the house for a while before we went to the arts center.

We arrived early for the show. There were no concession available, so there wasn’t much to do but wait. The girls talked and showed each other photos on their phones until the show started.

The opera was funny and easy to follow. Marina and Ainsley both enjoyed the performance, especially the tenor who played the witch. After the performance, we listened to the question and answer session where little kids asked questions.

After the show, both girls were hungry. So we stopped for a late lunch.

A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum

 We had tickets to see A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum this evening. Marina was amused by the name of the show. Since she likes the works of Stephen Sondheim and it’s a comical show, I thought she would like it.

We arrived at the theater early, so we ordered drinks. Marina got hot chocolate and a cookie. Then we took our seats. Marina liked the set which looked like Ancient Rome.

When the show started, Marina really enjoyed it. She thought it was weird and funny. She decided she wanted to meet one of the actors and ask him about a tattoo she saw on his arm. It wasn’t long before he came out. He was happy to talk to Marina about it. We also met up with the actor playing Pseudolus and an actress we’ve met a few times before.

After a bit of a chat, we went home.

The Hills Are Alive

Over three years ago I took Marina to see The Sound of Music. She really loved it. So I decided to take her to see the production currently running. We’ve been there several times and every show has been very good. We left for the show after church.
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We had a pretty good snow storm yesterday but fortunately for us the roads were clear. We got to the theater much faster than expected. Since we were so early, we decided to look around. We’d never seen the gallery inside the Center. So we went to look around. We saw quite a few works we liked but we both agreed that the Chihuly exhibit was our favorite.

After looking at the gallery, we picked up drinks and went to our seats. We had plenty of time to settle in before the show. We both enjoyed the performance. The cast was very talented and the sets were great. After it was over, we found the actors playing the Trapp family posing for photos in the lobby. So we got a photo with Marina before we went to the car.

We had a quick trip home as well. It didn’t feel like a long trip that we made today.

Another Nutcracker

This afternoon we had tickets to an annual tradition - The Nutcracker. a few family members were scheduled to join us, but unfortunately my niece was sick today. So they had to stay home.

Traffic near the performing arts complex was terrible and it took us quite a while to get into the garage. Once inside there were plenty of places to park. So we made it inside easily. I bought Marina a hot chocolate and we went to our seats.

As usual, we enjoyed The Nutcracker. After this run, the Colorado Ballet is retiring their sets and costumes, so it was good to see them one last time.

A Festive Colorado Christmas

The symphony concert A Colorado Christmas has become a holiday tradition for Marina and I. This year, we invited Ainsley to join us.The girls decided to wear festive outfits. Marina wore her elf dress. Ainsley had on a red dress which we helped accessorize with a black Santa belt and a cardigan with snowflakes on it.

We decide to check out the Mile High Tree. The tree is a new feature this year that has an interactive light show inside. Marina and Ainsley laid down on the ground to watch the show. They both loved it!

We went into the concert hall for the concert. We checked out the pre show activities. Santa was there, so we got a photo with him. The girls weren’t interested in the activities, so we picked up some warm drinks and sat down.

The concert was fun, as usual. We all enjoyed the music and especially the Sing Along. At intermission we took a photo with Santa and Mrs. Claus. After the concert we were able to exit the parking garage quickly, but we ran into traffic, so it took us quite a while to get home. Both girls fell asleep on the drive. So once we arrived at the house, they went right to bed.

Snowy Superstar

This evening we had tickets to see Jesus Christ Superstar with friends. We were concerned about the road conditions after a big storm today, so we took the light rail downtown. Once we arrived in the theatre district we walked to our favorite downtown restaurant. Marina and Sabrina ordered hot chocolate to drink and we all decided to have hot sandwiches for dinner.

After we ate we walked to the theater. We settled in just a few minutes before the show started. It was presented without an intermission. Marina and I had seen Jesus Christ Superstar before. She and I agreed that we didn’t care for this production. But our friends
enjoyed it.

After the show we ended up with a long wait before the train home finally showed up. We were so glad when it finally showed up. It had been a cold wait! Fortunately it was a quick ride home and we were glad the trip had been a safe one despite all the snow.

The Phantom Returns

This evening we had tickets for the evening performance of The Phantom of the Opera. We saw it two years ago and Marina really enjoyed it. So she was excited to see it again. At intermission Marina talked with the girls who were seated near us. They were seeing it for the first time and Marina suggested some things to look for.

The show was as good as we had remembered. But we were very tired when it was over. Fortunately we had a good parking spot and we were able to get home quickly. After a very full day we were ready to rest.

Christmas Eve and Other Stories

For a few years now Marina and I have wanted to see the Trans Siberian Orchestra when they perform each November. When the date was announced we already had plans for the evening, so I bought tickets for the afternoon show. We knew it would be a full day.

We left for the concert after lunch. It was a good thing too. When we arrived at the arena we were 45 minutes early, but there was already a huge line to get in. We stood in that line for over half an hour.

Once inside we picked up drinks. Marina said she was hungry, so I got her a hot dog and fries. The concert did not start on time, so she was able to finish it. The man sitting next to us is a huge fan of Trans Siberian Orchestra, so he told us a bit about what to expect.

Once the show started it was incredible. It featured great music with amazing special effects. We both really enjoyed it.

Spooktacular Music

Marina and I have always enjoyed going to the Colorado Symphony’s Halloween Spooktacular in the past. We haven’t always been able to fit it into our schedule however. So this year when they decided to schedule it after Halloween we were able to make it work.

Marina decided to wear her Mulan costume for the show. I wore my new Elsa dress. We left the house early but ran into Bronco traffic downtown. Fortunately, we still arrived on time.

We took a look around the pre show activities. It was jam packed with people so we didn’t stay long. We decided to order chai lattes to drink during the show. The barista decorated the top with Jack O’Lantern faces.

The show was fun. It featured music from Star Wars, Jurassic Park and the Harry Potter movies. There were also a few classical pieces mixed in. Of course, Marina and I enjoyed looking at all the costumes just as much as the music.

The Barber of Seville

We invited Ainsley to join us this evening at the opera The Barber of Seville. Ainsley was excited and she even had a new dress for the occasion. She helped Marina to get ready as well.

We ate dinner downtown, then we walked over to the opera house. It was opening night and they had rolled out the red carpet. We had time to pick up drinks before heading to our seats.

The Barber of Seville is a romantic comedy and it was very funny. Both girls enjoyed the silly shenanigans of the characters. They said they had a good time watching it. It was late when the show ended and the girls fell asleep in the car on the way home. Fortunately, the clocks went back an hour, so we were able to get more sleep.

The Nightmare Before Christmas

Marina has been a fan of the movie The Nightmare Before Christmas for many years. I’ve never seen it however. Over the past few years, the symphony has presented it in concert right around Halloween. We’ve wanted to go but hadn’t been able to make it happen in the past. So I decided to buy tickets this year.

Marina wore her Sally dress and drew stitch marks on her face. She decided not to have her hair colored red like Sally’s however.

We left the house early to deal with rush hour traffic. Once we were inside the concert hall, we decided to check out the activities they had set up. Marina decided to try one of them out.
Once her craft was done, we bought drinks and went tour seats. The symphony has a new screen set up that made it much easier for us to see.

Marina loved seeing the movie again. After it was over she said it “took me back to my childhood.”

Carrie

Marina has been interested in the Stephen King story Carrie for a few months now. I tried to get her to read the book this summer and while she was interested in it, she never did. So when I heard a local theater company was presenting the show I thought Marina would enjoy it.

The theater is a long drive from home. It was rush hourwhen we left, so the drive took longer than planned. We were able to find parking near the theater. As it turned out, much of the cast of Pippin, which we saw a week ago, were also attending the performance. Marina wanted popcorn munch on during the show. She ate a lot of it.

We both enjoyed the show. The cast was talented and followed the original story fairly well. The fire effects at the end were pretty cool as well. As we were leaving we saw many of the cast members in the lobby. We spoke with several of them and took photos before starting out journey home.