The opening night production of the musical “Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson” has been canceled due to an injury sustained by Ben Dicke, the show’s director and lead cast member.
According to Aurora Fox Executive Producer Charles Packard, Dicke fell into a trapdoor in the Fox’s backstage area less than two hours before the show’s scheduled debut.
“Ben fell in a trapdoor that’s not related to his show at all. He was carrying his playbills backstage,” Packard said, adding that Dicke suffered injuries to his ribs and the back of his head. “I was with him within about 3 seconds of him hitting the ground. He did not ever fully lose consciousness. He was having some shortness of breath and was really bummed out.”
Paramedics responded quickly, Packard said, and said the injuries were not life threatening. Dicke is currently recovering at the nearby University of Colorado Hospital.
Tonight’s performance was the scheduled opening of the musical, with another matinee performance to follow on Sunday. A Saturday performance was not scheduled because of the theater’s gala celebration.
“It will take us some time to know whether we are performing Sunday,” Packard said. “I suspect not.”