AURORA | Enjoy the winter melt away from home this weekend. Unique theater, music and other entertaining events await days and even nights above freezing. Here are few options in the region.
“Gee’s Bend” at the Aurora Fox
Building on a lauded Fox show from last season, “Gee’s Bend” runs through Feb. 23 at the venue’s main stage.
Written by Elyzabeth Gregory Wilder and directed by local theater and documentary icon donnie l. betts, the show focuses on issues surrounding the Southern Freedom Movement.
Set in the isolated town of Gee’s Bend, Ala., the play spans the years 1939, 1965, and 2002, following Sadie and her family as they navigate segregation, family struggles, and the Southern Freedom Movement. At the heart of the story are the family’s extraordinary quilts, which serve as symbols of comfort, creativity, and resilience. Ultimately, the recognition of these quilts as art empowers the women and honors their legacy.
“Gee’s Bend” builds on the Fox Theater’s exploration Black American history, continuing the conversation begun with August Wilson’s “Gem of the Ocean” in 2024.
Recommended for all ages, “Gee’s Bend” offers stories of perseverance, artistry, and the enduring power of family.
IF YOU GO
Event: Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays Through Feb. 23 with Sunday matinees at 2 p.m. and Friday and Saturday curtains at 7:30 p.m.
Venue: Aurora Fox Arts Center,
Tickets: $17-$52 with details at AuroraFoxArtsCenter.org or call 303-739-1970
She Kills Monsters, in Aurora
Action-packed board-game theater production? Critics say yes to “She Kills Monsters” opening this weekend at the Vintage Theatre in Aurora. Based on a episode of Dungeon’s and Dragons, “Qui Nguyen’s clever drama-comedy weaves together spectacular adventure with genuine emotional depth, using the framework of tabletop gaming to explore love, loss, and the parts of ourselves we hide from those closest to us,” Vintage officials said. “Through a blend of comedy, action, and heart, “She Kills Monsters” reminds us that sometimes the greatest quests are the ones that lead us home.”
“It will slash and shapeshift its way into your heart,” a New York Times critic said.
IF YOU GO
She Kills Monsters runs
weekends through Feb. 23
Tickets: $20-$36
At the Vintage Theatre,
1468 Dayton St, inside at the
Bond-Trimble Theatre
Details and sales:
www.vintagetheatre.org
The Life and Art of Tokio Ueyama
The Life and Art of Tokio Ueyama features more than 40 paintings loaned to the museum by the Japanese American National Museum and Ueyama’s family, whose combined efforts to preserve his work have allowed the story of this accomplished and cosmopolitan artist to be told at the Denver Art Museum for the first time.
Born in Japan, Tokio Ueyama moved to the United States in 1908 at age 18, where he made a home until his death in 1954. This exhibition tells the story of Ueyama’s life, including his early days as an art student in San Francisco, Southern California, and Philadelphia; his travels abroad in Europe and Mexico; his role as artist and community member in Little Tokyo, Los Angeles; and his unconstitutional incarceration during World War II at the Granada Relocation Center, now the Amache National Historic Site, in southeast Colorado.
IF YOU GO
Through June 1
Where: Denver Art Museum, 100 W 14th Ave Pkwy Tickets: Included in general admission, which is free for members and for all visitors 18 and under.
Details:
www.denverartmuseum.org
Cursive Live in Englewood
Indie rock pioneer Cursive takes the stage at the Gothic in Englewood to showcase their latest album, Devourer, along with favorites from their iconic career. Known for blurring the lines between indie rock and post-hardcore, Cursive’s thought-provoking lyrics and bold experimentation have made them a touchstone in modern music. Expect a night of dynamic performances, from the raw introspection of Domestica to the thematic depth of their newest work, Devourer, which explores themes of consumption, anxiety, and the human condition. Featuring Tim Kasher, Matt Maginn, Ted Stevens, and an expanded lineup.
IF YOU GO
When: 9 PM Jan. 31
Where: Gothic Theatre, 3263 S. Broadway
Details and tickets: $42.48 at gothictheatre.com
Breaking Boundaries: New Art Exhibition Explores Creativity in Aurora
Downtown Aurora Visual Arts (DAVA) invites art enthusiasts to experience “Breaking Boundaries: The Future of Creativity,” a group exhibition curated by Alyssa Williams. The show shines a spotlight on the collaboration between emerging artists and their mentors, offering a glimpse into the future of creative expression.
The exhibition features a lineup of creators working across a wide range of mediums. Ceramic artistry by Prisila Vazquez-Nava, Joey Kerlin, Jessica Gerome, and Bambi Hernandez brings a tactile exploration of form and texture. Alternative material experimentation by Erica Rawson, Kayli Cottonwood, and Jasmine Maldonado Dillavou challenges traditional art-making methods. Meanwhile, drawing, painting, and two-dimensional works by Sunny Zheng-Herb, Raymond Gabriel, Faith Williams Dyrsten, Mike Hanson, and Tim Ulrich deliver vivid reflections of personal and societal narratives.
The show also includes innovative approaches to jewelry and metalwork by Xtina Nelson, Madeleine Adair, and Dianna Miguez, alongside Macey Boren’s integration of technology and art, which blurs the boundaries between physical and digital mediums.
“Breaking Boundaries celebrates the transformative role of collaboration between educators and emerging artists,” said Williams, a curatorial intern at DAVA and a student at Metropolitan State University of Denver. “It’s about innovation, pushing the limits of materials, and rethinking traditional approaches to art.”
DAVA, a cornerstone of Aurora’s art scene, is dedicated to engaging diverse youth in arts education that fosters creativity, opportunity, and community strength. The exhibition exemplifies this mission by encouraging dialogue and exploration among artists, educators, and audiences.
IF YOU GO
When: Gallery is open
10 a.m. – 5 p.m. weekdays. The show is on exhibit through Feb. 24
Where: DAVA 1405 Florence St.
Tickets: The show and gallery are free
Details: www.davarts.org and 303-367-5886
Icons for a New West at Gallery 1261
“Icons for the New West” looks at the Western art trope by exploring icons. Artists invited to show work were selected for their current and contemporary view of the Western United States.
Western art is a more expansive genre than most art patrons believe it to be. The gallery invited artists delving into contemporary themes and unusual media in this show. In some cases, the work for the show is experimental; these pieces signal a new direction for these artists with their work and vision. This work is always exciting because it signals that the artist is pushing boundaries in their work and for their audience. Making art that takes risks is vital to the artist’s growth.
Other artists’ work pushes boundaries in subjects, and so these artists present the West through a different lens. These works are wonderfully fun for patrons because they challenge them to see through the artist’s eyes and experience the world in a fresh, new way. In this respect, artists are looking at Western “icons” and reimagining them or simply shedding the nostalgia so many genre paintings embrace.
Artists in this exhibition include Don Stinson, Maeve Eichelberger, Daniel Sprick, Tim Cherry, Corey Pickett, Terry Gardner, Dan Young, Tony Hochstetler, William Matthews, David Carmack Lewis, Susie Hyer, Ulrich Gleiter, Stephanie Hartshorn, Linda Prokop, Billyo O’Donnell, Jen Starling, Reen Axtell, Kate Breakey, Andy Evansen, Michael Vacchiano and Johanna Mueller.
IF YOU GO
Show: Icons for a New West
When: Through Jan. 28
Where: Rose Fredrick Project Space at Gallery 1261, 1261 Delaware St., Suite 1, Denver
Rough and roses
This Valentine’s season, the Symphony of the Rockies, formerly the Arapahoe Philharmonic, invites you to embark on a musical journey at “Epic Love: From Shakespeare to Superheroes.” The concert seeks to capture the essence of love in its most dramatic and heroic forms.
Under the direction of conductor Devin Patrick Hughes, the orchestra will bring to life a program that spans centuries and genres. Tchaikovsky’s lush and emotional Romeo & Juliet Suite anchors the evening with its depiction of Shakespeare’s classic tale. From there, the music leaps into the 20th and 21st centuries with John Williams’ iconic Superman Love Theme and Michael Giacchino’s exhilarating Thor: Love & Thunder – Mama’s Got a Brand New Hammer, showcasing how love continues to inspire even the most modern of stories.
Opera lovers are treated, too, in highlights from Verdi’s La Traviata and Donizetti’s L’elisir d’amore, as well as the musical theater classic “Oklahoma” by Rodgers & Hammerstein. Operatic voices soprano Dawna Rae Warren and tenor Miguel Ángel Ortega Bañales are on tap for the performance.
The Arapahoe Philharmonic, now Symphony of the Rockies, has been a cornerstone of the metro arts scene for more than seven decades.
IF YOU GO
One show only: Feb 8 with curtain at 7:30pm
Tickets: $10-$50
Venue: Lone Tree Arts Center, 10075 Commons St. in Lone Tree
Details: lonetreeartscenter.org and 720-509-1000
Art Inspired by Frida Kahlo: Visions of the Self
The artworks featured in this show draw inspiration from Kahlo’s distinctive style and subject matter, reinterpreted through a diverse range of mediums and artistic approaches. From surreal self-portraits to colorful celebrations of Mexican culture, the pieces pay homage to Kahlo’s enduring legacy while offering fresh, contemporary perspectives. In their exploration of the self, the body and the intersection of the personal and political, the artists in this exhibition capture the raw emotional power and unapologetic authenticity that defined Kahlo’s artistic voice. Their works invite viewers to peer into the artist’s inner world, confront their own experiences and find connection in the universal truths that Kahlo’s art poignantly reveals.
This Chicano Humanities and Arts Council exhibition is a testament to Frida Kahlo’s continued influence and the enduring relevance of her artistic vision. Through its diverse interpretations, viewers are reminded of art’s transformative potential to illuminate the human condition and celebrate the beauty in shared struggles.
IF YOU GO
Show: Art Inspired by
Frida Kahlo: Visions of the Self
When: 5 p.m. – 9 p.m., through Feb. 14
Where: Chicano Humanities and Arts Council at
40 West, 7060 W. 16th Ave.
Tickets: Free and open to the public
www.chacgallery.org
“Where The Wild Things Are” Package
In collaboration with Denver Art Museum’s brand-new “Where The Wild Things Are” exhibit, honoring the cherished children’s book, The ART Hotel Denver, has launched a Wild Things package. The package will include a hardcover edition of “Where the Wild Things Are”
book. Two tickets to the “Wild Things” exhibit at the Denver Art Museum, truffles and a personalized note from the book’s main character, Max.
IF YOU GO
Through Feb. 17
The ART Hotel Denver
1201 Broadway, Denver
Free
www.thearthotel.com/special-offers/wild-things
The Pond Ice Rink
Southlands’ popular ice rink, The Pond, reopens on Nov. 8, kicking off the holiday and winter season. Advance tickets for skating sessions will be available soon. Group rates are also offered; contact (303) 928-7536 for details and reservations or email southlands@icerinkevents.com.
IF YOU GO
The Pond is open
Southlands, 6155 S. Main St.
$14
Family-friendly
shopsouthlands.com/
Candlelight: A Tribute to Adele
Candlelight concerts and The Range Ensemble String Quartet bring the magic of a live, multi-sensory musical experience. It’s a novel way to discover the music of Adele at Kirk of Highland under the glow of candlelight.
IF YOU GO
Event and venue: 6:30 p.m. and 8:45 p.m. Jan. 30 at the Kirk of Highland, 3011 Vallejo St.
Tickets: $29-$52
Details: denver-theater.com
Linda Wang and Friends: A String Centennial Celebration through the Centuries
Linda Wang has been praised by critics for her “world-class artistry,” “masterful technique” and “singing jubilant tone.” Since her debut with Zubin Mehta and the New York Philharmonic at the age of 9, she has performed concerts with over seventy-five orchestras and maintains a worldwide presence as a performer and educator.
In honor of Lamont’s centennial, she’ll be joined by the full Lamont string faculty for Mendelssohn’s Octet (1825) and Vivaldi’s Four Seasons (1725).
IF YOU GO
Event: 7:30pm Jan. 31
Location: Newman Center for the Performing Arts, Gates Concert Hall 2344 E. Iliff Ave
Tickets: Free for students, $15 for the public
Details:
htnewmancenterpresents.com
Mike Dawes at Swallow Hill
Mike Dawes is an English guitarist known for composing, arranging and performing multiple parts simultaneously on a single guitar. He is regarded as one of the world’s most creative modern fingerstyle guitarists with a repertoire spanning original viral videos and popular arrangements, alongside mainstream chart success performing with Justin Hayward of The Moody Blues.
Dawes was named ‘Best Acoustic Guitarist in the World’ two years in a row (2017 & 2018) by Total Guitar Magazine & MusicRadar reader polls. With numerous 2nd place rankings in the proceeding years. YouTube personality Rick Beato named Mike ‘One of the finest acoustic guitar players in the world’.
Recently he contributed electric guitars to Mentrix and Gareth Croker’s stunning soundtrack to Ubisoft’s Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown, with other session work featured on TV shows such as AMC’s Better Call Saul.
IF YOU GO
Event: 8 p.m. Jan. 30
Venue: Swallow Hill,
71 E. Yale Ave.
Tickets: $28 at
swallowhillmusic.org