Avenue Theater
Encyclopedia
| The Avenue Theater in May, 2005 |
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| Avenue Theater Black & White Logo |
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| Location: | 417 E 17th Avenue, Denver Denver, Colorado The City and County of Denver is the capital and the most populous city of the U.S. state of Colorado. Denver is a consolidated city-county, located in the South Platte River Valley on the western edge of the High Plains just east of the Front Range of the Rocky Mountains... , CO Colorado Colorado is a U.S. state that encompasses much of the Rocky Mountains as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the western edge of the Great Plains... , USA United States The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district... |
| Website: | www.avenuetheater.com |
The Avenue Theater, located at 417 E 17th Avenue in Downtown Denver, Colorado
Denver, Colorado
The City and County of Denver is the capital and the most populous city of the U.S. state of Colorado. Denver is a consolidated city-county, located in the South Platte River Valley on the western edge of the High Plains just east of the Front Range of the Rocky Mountains...
has been a local favorite, producing fine Comedies, Musicals & plays
Play (theatre)
A play is a form of literature written by a playwright, usually consisting of scripted dialogue between characters, intended for theatrical performance rather than just reading. There are rare dramatists, notably George Bernard Shaw, who have had little preference whether their plays were performed...
as well as Improvisational comedy for years.
It is home to the World Humor Organization (WHO) and Chicken Lips Entertainment
Chicken Lips
Chicken Lips and the World Humor Organization, Inc. are an improvisational comedy company which operate not only in the Denver, Colorado but nationwide across the United States of America...
Early years
Robert Wells originally founded the Avenue Theater in 1985. At that time the theater was located at East 17th & Vine, 17 blocks east of the current location. Bob ran the theater for its first seven years.Changing Hands
In 1992, John Ashton became the owner. He ran it for 9 years until, in 2001, the original Avenue Theater was closed. It later became the Playwright Theatre. After its closing John spent the next two years finding a location and rebuilding the Avenue Theater. In Spring of 2003 John re-opened the Avenue Theater – the NEW & IMPROVED Avenue Theater – with business partner Robert Roehl.In 2005, the pair sold the theater back to original owner Robert Wells and his business partner, Dave Johnson. They run the theater along with Director of Operations - Colin Elliott, and a number of other dedicated volunteers, interns, staff members and artistic contributors.
Radio Avenue
Every month Bob Wells & Dave Johnson write a comical radioRadio
Radio is the transmission of signals through free space by modulation of electromagnetic waves with frequencies below those of visible light. Electromagnetic radiation travels by means of oscillating electromagnetic fields that pass through the air and the vacuum of space...
show entitled Radio Avenue
Radio Avenue
Radio Avenue is an American radio comedy broadcast on Denvers KGNU. It is presented by Dave Johnson and Bob Wells, joint owners of the Avenue Theater and Chicken Lips comedy company, with current, crucial, comical comments provided by Jared Ewy....
. It is broadcast on KGNU
KGNU
KGNU AM/FM is an independent radio, non-commercial radio, Community radio station for Boulder and Denver, Colorado, USA. KGNU is owned by Boulder Community Broadcast Association, Inc.-Programming and operations :...
on the first Monday of each month at 8.00pm (Mountain Time) and is recorded the day before during a live performance at the Avenue. Because of its improv comedy nature, Radio Avenue is recorded live to a free audience, to help create a natural show.
2005
- Parallel Lives
- The Rocky Horror ShowThe Rocky Horror ShowThe Rocky Horror Show is a long-running British horror comedy stage musical, which opened in London on 19 June 1973. It was written by Richard O'Brien, produced and directed by Jim Sharman. It came eighth in a BBC Radio 2 listener poll of the "Nation's Number One Essential Musicals"...
- The Fourth WallFourth wallThe fourth wall is the imaginary "wall" at the front of the stage in a traditional three-walled box set in a proscenium theatre, through which the audience sees the action in the world of the play...
- The Syringa TreeThe Syringa TreeThe Syringa Tree is a deeply personal memory play of a childhood under apartheid. Written and often performed by Pamela Gien it has received excellent reviews in New York and across the USA as well as in London...
- Tribal Tales Of Africa
- Murder Most Fowl
2006
- The Smell of the KillThe Smell of the KillThe Smell of the Kill is a play by Michele Lowe that had a run on Broadway in 2002 starring Lisa Emery, Claudia Shear & Jessica Stone.It was directed by Christopher Ashley and played at the Helen Hayes Theatre on 44th Street....
- Destination Dinosaurs
- Beyond TherapyBeyond TherapyBeyond Therapy is a play by Christopher Durang.The farcical comedy focuses on Prudence and Bruce, two Manhattanites who are seeking stable romantic relationships with the help of their psychiatrists, each of whom suggests the patient place a personal ad. Bruce is a highly emotional bisexual who...
- Tales Of An Englishman (Produced by A.C.E. Comedy)
- The A.C.E. Show (Co-produced by A.C.E. Comedy & Avenue Theater)
- Miscast (Produced by Next Stage Theatre Company)
- Some Unfortunate Hour (Produced by The Other Theatre Company)
- Denver Improv Festival (Produced by The GroupMind Foundation)
- BFE, The Town That Christmas Forgot (Co-produced by Rattlebrain Theater & Avenue Theater)
- Murder Most Fowl
2007
- Murder Most Fowl
- Destination Dinosaurs
- The Man Himself/Conviction (Co-produced by Ami Dayan & Avenue Theater)
- Right On America! (Produced by Elgin Kelley)
- Girls Only (Co-produced by A.C.E. Comedy & Avenue Theater)
- Ben Franklin (Produced by Venture West)
- Dog Sees GodDog Sees God: Confessions of a Teenage BlockheadDog Sees God: Confessions of a Teenage Blockhead is a play written by Bert V. Royal.An "unauthorized parody," the play imagines characters from the popular comic strip Peanuts as teenagers...
- I Love You, You're Perfect, Now ChangeI Love You, You're Perfect, Now ChangeI Love You, You're Perfect, Now Change is a musical comedy with book and lyrics by Joe DiPietro and music by Jimmy Roberts. It is the second-longest running Off Broadway musical...
- When Animals Improv
- The Bible: The Complete Word Of God (Abridged)Reduced Shakespeare CompanyThe Reduced Shakespeare Company is an American acting troupe that writes and performs unsubtle, fast-paced, seemingly improvisational condensations of huge topics.- Overview :...
- Denver Improv Festival (Produced by The GroupMind Foundation)
2008
- Girls Only (Co-produced by A.C.E. Comedy & Avenue Theater)
- OleannaOleanna (play)Oleanna is a two-character play by David Mamet, about the power struggle between a university professor and one of his female students, who accuses him of sexual exploitation and, by doing so, spoils his chances of being accorded tenure...
- Almost Denver: The Songs and Failures of Jim Aurora
- Free Gas: Chicken Lips Gives It To America
2009
- That Woman Show
- Vagina Monologues
- 60 Minutes: The Musical
- Die! Mommy Die!
- Santa's Big Red Sack
- What the Dickens?!
2010
- Secrets of a Soccer Mom
- The Booty Guard
- Hedwig and the Angry Inch
- The Love List
- VOX Phamalia: Triage
- Santa's Big Red Sack
2011
- The Goode Body
- The B-Team
- Hedwig and the Angry Inch
- Breach
- Completely Hollywood (Abridged)
- VOX Phamalia: Quadrapalooza
- Rattlebrain (Special Event, Original One-Man Sketch Comedy Show)
- Santa's Big Red Sack
2006 Denver Post Ovation Awards (6 Nominations, 2 Wins)
- Best Actor in a Children's Play: Chris Boeckx (Destination Dinosaurs) - WINNER
- Best Children's Play: Destination Dinosaurs
- Best Sound Design: Dave Johnson (Beyond TherapyBeyond TherapyBeyond Therapy is a play by Christopher Durang.The farcical comedy focuses on Prudence and Bruce, two Manhattanites who are seeking stable romantic relationships with the help of their psychiatrists, each of whom suggests the patient place a personal ad. Bruce is a highly emotional bisexual who...
) - Best Actress in a Comic Role: Megan Van DeHay (The Smell of the KillThe Smell of the KillThe Smell of the Kill is a play by Michele Lowe that had a run on Broadway in 2002 starring Lisa Emery, Claudia Shear & Jessica Stone.It was directed by Christopher Ashley and played at the Helen Hayes Theatre on 44th Street....
) - Best Actor in a Comic Role: Kevin Hart (Beyond TherapyBeyond TherapyBeyond Therapy is a play by Christopher Durang.The farcical comedy focuses on Prudence and Bruce, two Manhattanites who are seeking stable romantic relationships with the help of their psychiatrists, each of whom suggests the patient place a personal ad. Bruce is a highly emotional bisexual who...
) - Special Achievement Video Design: Brian Freeland (Destination Dinosaurs) - WINNER
2006 Marlowe Awards (10 Wins)
- Best Production of a Play, Comedy: Beyond TherapyBeyond TherapyBeyond Therapy is a play by Christopher Durang.The farcical comedy focuses on Prudence and Bruce, two Manhattanites who are seeking stable romantic relationships with the help of their psychiatrists, each of whom suggests the patient place a personal ad. Bruce is a highly emotional bisexual who...
- WINNER - Best Director, Comedy: Bob Wells (Beyond TherapyBeyond TherapyBeyond Therapy is a play by Christopher Durang.The farcical comedy focuses on Prudence and Bruce, two Manhattanites who are seeking stable romantic relationships with the help of their psychiatrists, each of whom suggests the patient place a personal ad. Bruce is a highly emotional bisexual who...
) - WINNER - Best Actor, Comedy: Kevin Hart (Beyond TherapyBeyond TherapyBeyond Therapy is a play by Christopher Durang.The farcical comedy focuses on Prudence and Bruce, two Manhattanites who are seeking stable romantic relationships with the help of their psychiatrists, each of whom suggests the patient place a personal ad. Bruce is a highly emotional bisexual who...
) - WINNER - Best Actress, Comedy: Megan Van DeHay (The Smell of the KillThe Smell of the KillThe Smell of the Kill is a play by Michele Lowe that had a run on Broadway in 2002 starring Lisa Emery, Claudia Shear & Jessica Stone.It was directed by Christopher Ashley and played at the Helen Hayes Theatre on 44th Street....
) - WINNER - Best Supporting Actor, Comedy: Josh Hartwell (Beyond TherapyBeyond TherapyBeyond Therapy is a play by Christopher Durang.The farcical comedy focuses on Prudence and Bruce, two Manhattanites who are seeking stable romantic relationships with the help of their psychiatrists, each of whom suggests the patient place a personal ad. Bruce is a highly emotional bisexual who...
) - WINNER - Best Supporting Actress, Comedy: LuAnn Buckstein (Beyond TherapyBeyond TherapyBeyond Therapy is a play by Christopher Durang.The farcical comedy focuses on Prudence and Bruce, two Manhattanites who are seeking stable romantic relationships with the help of their psychiatrists, each of whom suggests the patient place a personal ad. Bruce is a highly emotional bisexual who...
) - WINNER - Best Actor, Children’s Show: Chris Boeckx (Destination Dinosaurs) - WINNER
- Best Children’s Show: Destination Dinosaurs - WINNER
- Best Videography: Brian Freeland (Destination Dinosaurs) - WINNER
- Best New Musical: BFE: The Town Christmas Forgot - WINNER
External links
- Official Avenue Theater Website - become a friend of the Avenue Theater & stay up-to-date with new shows at the Avenue.