Metropolitan State University of Denver’s Department of Theatre and Dance is producing two performances this semester, with “Xanadu” running Feb. 23-25 and March 2-5 and “The Last Days of Judas Iscariot” running April 13-15 and 20-23.
Carrie Colton, faculty member in Performance, has been selected as faculty director for “The Last Days of Judas Iscariot,” marking her fourth time directing for MSU Denver.
Asked why she enjoys directing for the University, Colton said she loves “the growth the students achieve, their honesty in their process, the perspectives they bring, their work ethic and hunger to learn.”
“Xanadu”
By Douglas Carter Beane, Jeff Lynne and John Farrar
Directed by Robert Michael Sanders
Performances:
MSU Denver Studio Theatre
Feb. 23-25 and March 2-4 at 7:30 p.m.
March 5 at 2:30 p.m.
“Xanadu” follows the journey of a magical and beautiful Greek muse, Kira, who descends from the heavens of Mount Olympus to Venice Beach, California, in 1980 on a quest to inspire a struggling artist, Sonny, to achieve the greatest artistic creation of all time: the first roller disco! (Hey, it’s 1980!) But when Kira falls into forbidden love with the mortal Sonny, her jealous sisters take advantage of the situation and chaos abounds.
“The Last Days of Judas Iscariot”
By Stephen Adley Guirgis
Directed by Carrie Colton
Performances:
MSU Denver Studio Theatre
April 13-15 and 20-22 at 7:30 p.m.
April 23 at 2:30 p.m.
Set in a time-bending, darkly comic world between heaven and hell, “The Last Days of Judas Iscariot”
reexamines the plight and fate of the New Testament’s most infamous and unexplained sinner.
How it happens
When picking a show to put on, production manager Megan Euler says there are several things to consider. The Theatre Department looks at cast size, social-justice components and style that best suits the students’ needs. The department then seeks input from familiar faculty and staff members to have four productions picked by December of each year.
Once the shows are selected, the harder work begins. Putting a show together can take thousands of combined person-hours per show among the director, designers, students and production manager.
How to attend
MSU Denver faculty and staff members can purchase tickets for $11 with a valid ID; other adults are $21; seniors and non-MSU Denver students are $11; and MSU Denver students can attend for free.