Tap Dogs will make a return to The Buell Theatre in September. Currently Colorado native, Donovan Helma, is performing with Tap Dogs in London. We caught up with Donovan for a quick interview.

Donovan began dancing at three under the direction of his mother’s dance studio, Miller’s Dance Studio, in Denver which was established by his grandfather Ernest L. Miller established in 1957.  He currently continues his education in New York City. Aside from TAP DOGS, Donovan recently did corporate performances for General Motors, Charles Schwab and a Monday Night Football halftime performance with Big Bad Voodoo Daddy. Donovan performed for Montreal’s Danse Encore International Festival in a production with the group Tap’d Out. In 2009 and 2010, he toured with the new Gregory Hines tribute show, Thank You Gregory, starring Jason Samuels Smith and Dormeshia Sumbry-Edwards. Since 2004, he has performed on numerous tours and industrials with the international cast of TAP DOGS, including North America, Europe and South Africa. When he isn’t performing he is teaching at studios and national conventions across the USA.

Denver Center: What would you say about training in Colorado and how you become a Tap Dog?

Donovan: The training I received at Miller’s is some the best in Colorado.  Some of the most successful working dancers have trained at Miller’s.  I studied more years of ballet then I have tap but that gave me the foundation to take any path I wanted in dance.  Luckily Miller’s has one of the strongest and most comprehensive tap programs in the state which certainly gave me the opportunity to be in Tap Dogs.   

DC: What makes Tap Dogs so exciting and why should audiences see it?

D: Tap Dogs is basically a rock and roll tap dance show that keeps you on the edge of your seat. People love this show for its pure entertaining aspect.  Tap Dogs has a continuously changing ingenious set and every scene if deferent from the last.  I first saw the show when I was 12 years old in Denver and it completely blew me away and inspired me to be where I am now.    

DC: What’s a typical day in the life of a Tap Dog?

D: A touring schedule is much different from a “sit down” schedule.  I’m currently a part of the West End cast in London and everyday brings new ups and downs.  It’s a hard life to get used to being that there isn’t a consistent schedule.  Some days we have press on TV at 5 am and then have to do two shows later that night. But the next day could be completely free until the call time for the show.

DC: What do London audiences think of Tap Dogs?

D: The West End show is a big hit!  I’m so grateful to be a part of the London revival of the show.  Not very many people knew about it before we came but word of mouth has had us sold out for quite some time.  London is a hard town to entertain but we are certainly doing that.

DC: When you close in London, what’s next?

D: London closes Sept 5th and then I’m headed to Denver to see the family.  I’ll be back and forth from Denver and New York teaching and enjoying time off.  After Christmas I’m headed to Sydney to perform with Tap Dogs for a 6 week sit down…can’t wait!  

Thanks Donovan!

The international sensation – Tap Dogs - is back and ready to leave dents on stages all across North America. Created by Olivier Award-winning choreographer Dein Perry, with a construction site set by designer/director Nigel Triffitt, and a driving score by composer Andrew Wilkie, Tap Dogs is a rough, tough, rocking theatrical entertainment. Winner of 11 International Awards, Tap Dogs premiered at the Sydney Theatre Festival, moved on to London and New York, and has been a howling success all across North America, Europe, Asia, America, and Australia.

Tap Dogs plays the Buell Theatre Sep 22-Sep 26. Tickets start at $20.

This video is from the West End production.  Donavan is in the white t-shirt second from the right.

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By Heidi Bosk, Promotions for The Denver Center

Back in June, in honor of Father’s Day, Colorado Parent magazine held an essay contest for one lucky family to attend opening night of Shrek The Musical coming to The Buell Theatre November 16 – 28.

Colorado Parent magazine asked the kids to write a short paragraph on the subject:  “My Dad can sometimes be an ogre, but I love him anyway because…”

There’s probably at least a little bit of Shrek’s ogre-ness in every dad, whether it’s his occasional grumbles or odorous rumbles. Or maybe it’s Shrek’s softer side with his big heart and strong hugs that make him so lovable. Colorado Parent received many heart-warming and humorous entries from Colorado kids. It was a tough decision and the winner is… The Henke family of Denver.

Shrek the Musical - Henke Family

Here’s the winning essay:

Our dad can sometimes be an ogre, but we love him anyway because he is so nice. Like an ogre, we think our dad has a loud voice when he tells us to turn off the television or to clean our rooms. My Mommy says he snores really loud at night too. Our dad also has a big body like Shrek, but he isn’t green. He has big ears like Shrek, and sometimes big green things come out of his nose. Our Daddy’s hands are large, especially compared to ours, but we still love to hold them! Our Daddy’s appetite is large like Shrek’s appetite and one of his favorite things to eat is Shrek-colored guacamole! Our Dad is especially like an ogre because he doesn’t like to spend money unless he has a coupon or discount tickets.

Shrek The Musical, based on the Oscar®-winning Dreamworks film that started it all, brings the hilarious story of everyone’s favorite ogre to life on the Broadway stage. In a faraway kingdom turned upside down, things get ugly when an unseemly ogre—not a handsome prince—shows up to rescue a feisty princess. Throw in a donkey who won’t shut up, a bad guy with a SHORT temper, a cookie with an attitude and more than a dozen other fairy tale misfits, and you’ve got the kind of mess that calls for a real hero. Luckily, there’s one on hand…and his name is Shrek. Featuring a terrific score of 19 all-new songs, big laughs, great dancing and breathtaking scenery, USA Today proclaims Shrek The Musical, “Altogether Irresistible. A Big Fat Hit!” Shrek The Musical is part romance, part twisted fairy tale and all irreverent fun for everyone!

For more information about Shrek The Musical or to purchase tickets.

Congratulations to the Henke family! We are looking forward to seeing you and your dad on November 16.

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Here is a blog post from one of our dear volunteers, Kat Colvin, about her experience at South Pacific.  Enjoy!

 
Remember how I volunteer my booty off for The Denver Center, then go see a show on its opening night… This is one of those blogs.. =]

<- back-in-the-day style…

..who I must say, in person, does qualify for some Silver Foxy swoon!

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Janet Ferguson The Pillow Man…it gets under the skin, inside the head, and still takes up space there…will never forget it…

anastatiar @DenverCenter College prod Into the Woods, 1st show I’d ever seen. forgot I knew folks on stg & was lost in story. 2 sem later i chgd major

Beverley-Lynn Miller Ewers A play called The Ghetto that I saw in London approx. 20 yrs ago. It was about a ghetto in Warsaw, Poland during World War II. Disturbing but amazingly powerful.

ChrisBerghoff @DenverCenter DOUBT. truly amazing show

Paula Hillman My mom took me to see the Fantasticks at the Elitch Gardens theater when I was a kid- I see it is being produced again and is showing at the Jerry Orbach theater in New York–this shows my age, but how many remember Elitch’s theater?

Rebecca Mason Salomonsson The Denver Center’s productions of Black Elk Speaks and Joe Turner’s Come and Gone.  Both of them were incredibly powerful and highly memorable.

Chris Arneson No piece of theatre has changed my life more than Spring Awakening…and I could never say it better than I put it here.

barbdignan @DenverCenter Are you serious? There is no way to select only one. Theatre has been a telescope through which I see the world.

Sheril Beech Slater The first time I went to the Buell Theater in college and saw Rent for the first time…. I have always been in love with the music and the story but seeing a big production of it really touched me.

Michelle Sarsfield I was living in NYC at the time and went to see Spring Awakening. Amazing stuff.

Leslie Shannon Perkins Les Miserables…it was the first professional play that I ever attended and Michael Ball played the part of Marius. I was mesmerized by the music and the emotion. I still feel the same way, after seeing it several more times and whenever I listen to the Complete Symphonic Les Mis on cd.

Jane Madison Movin’ Out – it changed my life.

Kyle Mangels Les Miserables, Sweeney Todd, Fiddler on the Roof, Phantom of the Opera, Avenue Q, Evita, Jesus Christ Superstar, Spring Awakening, West Side Story, Urinetown, and Rent!!!

Kim Haller I have two. First, Cats at the Auditorium Theatre in Rochester, NY. It was the first Broadway show I ever saw and I have been a fan since. Second, Wicked. There is just something about the story that touches me every time I see it.

RachelHH2169 @DenverCenter Our Town and Death of a Saleman.

Tedd Langowski It started with seeing Angela Lansbury in Sweeney Todd to my all-time favorite Les Miserables, I try to see every musical play possible.

Debra Rudy The Phantom of the Opera it was my First Love and still my favorite.

Lisa Hamm-Greenawalt In the Heights. A play about your own life can be fascinating. The ordinary can be extraordinary. What a concept! Thanks, Lin-Manuel.

Frank Molina I have seen many, many, many, broadway shows over the years. I lived in NYC for 14 years and frequented Broadway a lot. There are two shows that have completely floored me and left me crying in my seat (doesn’t happen very often), the revival of Sunday in the Park with George (Awestriking) and Next to Normal (which is coming to Denver in January). Two amazing productions that tie as my best theatrical experiences.

Jack Passanante Jr. In 1972 I saw the film, The Fiddler on the Roof. I was in Navy basic training in San Diego. I sat through it twice and the experience convinced me to get a theatre degree when I completed my military service. I received my B.A. in Theatre in 1979.

Hunter Gause I would have to say Annie and The Lion King because they were the first shows I ever saw and they opened my eyes to the theater and then I was hooked.

Victoria Edington A play called The Passage that my theatre group performed this last February– based on Moby Dick and using all different medias including film, music, shadow puppets, chants, and even interactive lightning to heighten the experience. And because it was only the fourth time the play had ever been performed, it was invigorating to be able to start…

Karen Gullickson Stop the World, I Want to Get Off by Anthony Newley.

Mark Mulligan A Man for All Seasons by Robert Bolt. There isn’t enough space to explain its profound impact. I still quote passages to this day in a variety of settings.

Thea DiBuono Hamlet by Shakespeare.

Sylvia Romo On an elementary school field trip, saw Yul Brynner (in what turned out to be his final tour) as The King in The King and I. I was dazzled and hooked forever.

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Today we continue to explore our love of theatre with more stories from Denver Center employees about plays that changed their lives. Feel free to add comments with your stories about life changing plays as well!

DCPA Employees - May 2010

Name:

Chris Wiger

Position @ The Denver Center: Public Relations Manager, Denver Center Theatre Company

Life Changing Play: The Laramie Project by Moisés Kaufman

Why: No question. The play that changed my life was the Denver Center world premiere of The Laramie Project. Working so closely with Moisés Kaufman and the interviewer/actors who told the story of Matthew Shepard’s beating in Wyoming was something I will never forget.

Name: Wid Horner

Position @ The Denver Center: Phone Campaign Manager

Life Changing Play: The Post Opera

Why: My first memory and probably my fondest one is my family going to The Post Opera in Cheesman Park in the summers with a picnic on the lawn. This was a wonderful family time together and I was fascinated by all the sets, costumes, and lights. Also, going to Central City to see the operas in the summer was a huge inspiration. I even became a bell ringing usher for The Central City Opera one summer. All of this inspired me to eventually get a Master’s of Fine Arts in Technical Theatre and Design and go into theatre, now, for more than 30 years.

Name: Bob Orzolek

Position @ The Denver Center: Scene Shop Foreman, Denver Center Theatre Company

Life changing play: Time of Your Life by William Saroyan

Why: When I was a freshman in high school I saw my neighbor playing the role of the drunkard in William Saroyan’s Time of Your Life. Nick the bartender was about to throw the drunkard out of the bar for the third time when the drunkard stopped him by putting out his hand and revealing the money that he intended to use to pay for his drink. Nick went back behind the bar and the drunkard slammed the money down on the bar. One of the coins popped out of his hand and rolled onto the floor where it circle around a few time and came to a stop. The drunkard’s eyes never left the escaped coin; his head slowly wobbled back and forth and came to an abrupt stop just as the coin came to rest.

I was so impressed with this 15-year-old kid’s focus and ability stay in the moment. I thought that if my neighbor could do that I could do it too. I auditioned for the next high school play and was cast as William Roper in A Man for All Seasons along with Lucy Roucis, of PHAMALy, who played Alice. 35 years later I am still very excited to be working in theatre.

Name: Dawn Williams

Anthony Rapp and Adam Pascal in RENT.

Position at The Denver Center:

Manager of Venue Sales and Marketing

Life Changing Play: Little Shop of Horrors and Rent

Why:

Little Shop of Horrors – off-Broadway in 1987 with my art class from Wheat Ridge High School — the fabric vines dropped from the ceiling and it was unbelievably cool! The performance was top notch and I knew I would be hooked on theatre from then on.

Rent — On Broadway with the original cast with my best girl friend in NYC — 1996 — what a powerful and alive performance. Molly Ringwald sat behind us and we left singing “525,600 Minutes” for the rest of the night and trip to New York.

Name: Amie Cavarra

Position @ The Denver Center: Marketing Department Volunteer

Life changing play: Living Out by Lisa Loomer

Why: Living Out still haunts me. I have two young children and probably too often make the mistake of putting work or self-centered obligations before them. While it is healthy to have some personal time, sometimes I get in too deep and I’m often haunted by this play. It reminds me that nothing should be more important than our kids and families. We need to make sacrifices both for work and against work, but always remember that our parenting role is the most important.

Name: Genevieve Miller

Position @ The Denver Center: Public Relations Manager, Denver Center Attractions

Life changing play: A Midsummer Night’s Dream by William Shakespeare

Why: After my sophomore year in college, I had a grant to do an internship at an urban non-profit of my choosing. I was deciding between working for the Environmental Protection Agency or Cincinnati Shakespeare Company. When I went to meet the folks at CSC, it dawned on me for the first time that there was a whole world of theatre professionals out there who weren’t performers, stage managers or design artists. There were people who were dedicated to the business side of theatre, on selling the tickets and keeping the organization running. After my interview, they gave me tickets to see their production of Midsummer that night and another light bulb went off. I was watching the most accessible, invigorating Shakespeare I’d ever seen. I had no idea it could be done like this – simple costumes, tiny stage, but a whole world developed from the language of Shakespeare. I did not choose to work at the EPA that summer. And I’ve been an arts administrator ever since.

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South Pacific opens in The Buell Theatre one week from today!  A stunning reinvention produced by Lincoln Center Theater, South Pacific swept the 2008 Tony Awards, winning seven honors including Best Musical Revival and Best Director.  Catch a glimpse of the show:

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In celebration of Denver Center Attractions’ 2011 season announcement yesterday, we asked John Ekeberg (Director of Programming and Operations for Denver Center Attractions) how a show makes its way from New York to Denver.  Here is his response:

John Ekeberg, Director of Programming and Operations for Denver Center Attractions

When a producer launches a tour of a Broadway show, usually there is a year and a half to two years after the show has opened in New York before the tour is launched.  The touring show is not the same company as the Broadway engagement.  The producer mounts an additional physical production specifically designed to tour in trucks and puts together a separate company of actors, musicians and technicians.  Many times the Broadway engagement continues to run in New York while the touring production is out on the road.  In the instances when the Broadway engagement has closed prior to the tour going out, they will sometimes use parts of the Broadway sets or costumes on the tour.

The first step in booking a tour is to contact the specific booking agent that is representing the show you are interested in.  Each touring show is represented by a booking agent who is responsible for negotiating the dates and financial terms of the tour between the producer and the theatre presenter.  One of the challenges in getting a tour to Denver is to find dates when the tour can get here at the same time the theatre is available.  Because the shows travel the country in trucks, the scheduling can get complicated.  In order for a tour to close in one city on a Sunday and get to the next in time to open on a Tuesday, the distance between cities has to be manageable.  For instance, if a show is travelling around the northeast in the summer, we won’t be able to get it to Denver in those months.  It may be coming out west in the fall, but if we have booked other shows over those months, then the theatre may not be available and it becomes a challenge to get the show to Denver.  Ideally we can make both schedules work so that we can bring the show to our audiences.

And there you have it – the first step in bringing a Broadway show to Denver!

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Young Frankenstein opens in The Buell Theatre a week from today!  Here’s a preview of the show:

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It’s alive!  Young Frankenstein opens at The Buell Theatre in just three weeks, and our hair is standing on end in anticipation.  Here, Mel Brooks personally invites you to the show:

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Fiddler on the Roof opens tonight in the Ellie Caulkins Opera House, and we fully intend to have you humming “If I were a rich man” for the next six months!  For today’s YouTube Tuesday, we bring you some scenes from the production, which features Broadway’s Harvey Fierstein:

Tradition!

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