As the season’s weather changes, so do the seasons of performances in the arts. Theaters, symphonies, ballet companies and art galleries all have their own seasons and make changes to their programming as the they progress, just like the weather keeps changing.
And so it is with our local live theater, Miners Alley Playhouse. Miners Alley has a new production scheduled to open on April 15, and it falls under their general approach of presenting things that are current and well reviewed. They are kind of amazing in that regard. These are people who know their theater, keep up with the current trends and always seem to find something fresh and relevant to perform.
That’s a good way to describe their latest offering. It’s a play called “Blue Ridge” and is written by playwright and actress Abby Rosebrock. It premiered at the Atlantic Theater in New York to great reviews in 2018, so it’s a fairly new play. Did I say great reviews? I should have said rave reviews as this one has them in spades. Pretty much every New York theater column gushed about it when it opened, so you know it’s a damn good play. Those critics are brutal back east. OK, there was one guy from the Hollywood Reporter, (Hollywood?) that didn’t care for it, but he seems to be in the minority. Yes, I do my homework before writing about something myself.
The play centers around a high school teacher with a few anger issues. I guess taking an ax to her former boyfriend’s car qualifies as an anger issue, huh? As result of that little incident, she is sentenced by the court to a six month stay at a halfway house/rehab facility in the Appalachian region of North Carolina. Once there she encounters four other troubled individuals sent there to learn to cope with their own issues and problems. Although this sounds kind of dark, it’s actually a dramatic comedy that takes a look at how real people would deal with and try to work out some of the things that have negatively effected their lives. Apparently the main character finds herself able to help everyone else deal with all the problems but neglects to come to terms with her own.
“Blue Ridge” will be running from April 15 through June 5 with performances at 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights as well as 2 p.m. on Sundays. Ticket prices vary by date and seat location but generally run between $15 and $37. You can order them, as well as find out more information by going to their website at minersalley.com or by calling the box office at (303) 935- 3044.
Now, this play is really one for adults, but there is another production about to open with the Children’s Theater Company, which will present the classic “The Princess and the Pea” by Hans Christian Andersen on Saturdays at 1 p.m. from April 23 through June 25 with additional 11 a.m. shows on June 11, 18 and 25. This is a fresh adaptation of the story by Rory Pierce, so it’s not just the same old, same old kind of thing. By that I mean it’s not actually about me and my wife and our experiences on the last camping trip. Note to self, remember to check for rocks on the ground before pitching the stupid tent. Midnight after a few beers is not a good time to discover this little problem. Tickets for “The Princess and the Pea” run $12 and can also be ordered on the website.
Miners Alley Playhouse is located at 1224 Washington Ave. here in Golden, but remember that the entrance is at the rear of the building on Miners Alley, hence the name of the playhouse. There is parking available right there as well.
As long as you are heading into downtown Golden, you might want to combine going to the theater with some dining or shopping. There are some great links to a lot of those options on the Miners Alley website as well. Under the “Experience” tab just click on “Dining & Shopping” buttons. Those will take you to the right place to explore other things to do in Golden. Yes, we’re a small town but we do have a lot of great places here with plenty of things to do. Go check it out.
John Akal is a well-known jazz artist/drummer and leader of the 20-piece Ultraphonic Jazz Orchestra. He also is president of John Akal Imaging, professional commercial photography and multi-media production. He can be reached at jaimaging@aol.com.