What does it mean to be a true ally? Like many people, Denver playwright Jeffrey Neuman found himself pondering this question following the 2020 murder of George Floyd and the ensuing Black Lives Matter movement.
“I always thought of myself as a really strong ally, but I began to wonder what does true allyship mean and look like,” Neuman said. “I started thinking about how I could tell a story about this and kept feeling the pull of Greek mythology. When you’re thinking about white saviors, what white saviors are more problematic than the Greek gods?”
That’s how Neuman came to write “The Road to Lethe,” which makes its world premiere on Friday, April 26 at the Benchmark Theatre, 1560 Teller St. in Lakewood. The show runs through Saturday, May 18, with performances at 8 p.m. on Thursday through Saturday and 2 p.m. on Sunday.
Directed by Betty Hart and featuring Arthur McFarlane III, eden origin, Jennifer Condreay, Christine Kahane and Barbara Porreca, the show is based on “The Judgement of Paris,” also known as “The Golden Apple,” a famous story in Greek mythology, but given a contemporary twist. It follows what happens when a mysterious Amazon package arrives at the home of three white women and they hire a black man to assemble what’s inside.
Audiences don’t need to be familiar with the myth to connect to the story, which explores issues of systemic racism and white saviorism in a thoughtful and challenging way. And while it may sound very heady and heavy, there is also humor and a tender heart beating beneath it all.
“What theater does so powerfully is allows audiences to go on a journey and move their perspective from seeing someone as ‘the other’ to putting them in the actor’s shoes,” Hart said. “Theater is an amazing tool for sparking increased empathy, which audiences are able to feel viscerally, instead of just intellectually.”
Watching a play he’s written come to life for the first time is a profound experience for Neuman and he enjoys being part of the collaborative process, while at the same time giving the director, actors and designers plenty of room to create as they see fit.
“Every single production of your play is going to look and feel different,” he said. “There’s something alchemical about the theatrical collaboration process. I’m creating a blueprint for a structure that may not look how I thought it would in the end.”
One of Hart’s favorite things about theater is its ability to create and foster conversations, and she believes “The Road to Lethe” will leave audiences with plenty to discuss.
“I want people to have conversations about how ordinary interactions can be much more than what they seem on the surface. I also hope they think about language and how we treat each other,” she said. “I think this show really wants us to get together by showing how far apart we currently are.”
For information and tickets, visit www.benchmarktheatre.com/.
JCC Denver hosts Queer Seder
The holiday of Passover is one of the most important events on the Jewish calendar, one that brings people together to celebrate the Jewish people’s escape from Egypt. The Staenberg-Loup Jewish Community Center, 350 S. Dahlia St. in Denver, is using the holiday as an opportunity to bring in even more of the community with a Queer Seder from 3 to 6 p.m. on Sunday, April 28.
According to the provided information, the seder will be led by local Rabbis and LGBTQIA+ leadership, and will feature “a mix of Passover traditions and relevant readings, songs and prayers to celebrate our LGBTQIA+ community.”
Get tickets at https://www.jccdenver.org/portfolio-items/queer_seder/.
Comedy fans ‘Can’t’ miss Daniel Sloss in Denver
In my estimation, real comedy legends do more than just chase punchline after punchline. Scotland’s Daniel Sloss is one of the best out there right now because not only can he have you in hysterics, but he’s also interested in humanity and connection. His specials — like “Dark” and “SOCiO” — are true examples of how great modern comedy can be.
Sloss is bringing his latest show, “Can’t,” to the Paramount Theatre, 1621 Glenarm Place in Denver, at 7:30 p.m. on Wednesday, May 1. Buy tickets at www.ticketmaster.com.
Clarke’s Concert of the Week — Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit at Mission Ballroom
Not many musicians can deliver searing wordsmithing and true classic rock musical chops album after album, but Alabama’s Jason Isbell has an uncanny ability to do this with almost every release. Last year he and his band, the 400 Unit, released “Weathervanes,” one of 2023’s best albums, full of storytelling that both moves and invigorates.
In support of the album, Isbell and the 400 Unit will be stopping by the Mission Ballroom, 4242 Wynkoop St. in Denver, at 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, May 2. A venue of this size is a great place to see someone like Isbell, so purchase tickets at www.axs.com.
Clarke Reader’s column on culture appears on a weekly basis. He can be reached at Clarke.Reader@hotmail.com.