One of the more eye-popping announcements of every summer is the list of  big names coming out to play at Theatre Aspen. In short order, that would be Phylicia Rashad and Joanna Gleason, as well as two big-time celebrities who already live in Colorado: Felicity Huffman and William H. Macy.

Huffman and Macy, the married, Emmy Award-winning actors from “Desperate Housewives” and “Shameless,” respectively, will star in Anne Nelson’s wrenching play “The Guys” on Sept. 10-11, meaningfully timed to observe the 22nd anniversary of the 9/11 attacks.

Huffman spent much of her youth in Snowmass, and the couple built a custom Colonial home on the same plot of land where she grew up in Little Woody Creek.

“I came to Aspen, in the usual way, following a girl,” said Macy. “I fell in love with this valley, that girl and later married her in Woody Creek. I’m honored to be a part of Aspen’s community, and it’s a thrill to be performing at Theatre Aspen, where I have been an audience member for years.”

To be back onstage acting with her husband, Hoffman added, is both an honor and a thrill. “We have been acting together for decades now and he always raises the level of my game – and my heart rate,” she said.

Theatre Aspen, currently celebrating its 40th anniversary season, has long been known for drawing major stars to the Colorado mountains for Broadway-caliber summer productions. Huffman previously appeared in Theatre Aspen’s second season back in 1984.

“The Guys” is part of the company’s signature late-summer offering called “Solo Flights,” a weekend program of (mostly!) one-person shows. It tells the true story of a journalist tasked with helping a New York fire captain in the impossible position of having to produce and deliver eight instant and distinct eulogies for the men he lost on Sept. 11, 2001.

The Sept. 10 performance will benefit the Aspen Fire Department. The Sept. 11 performance will mark the 22nd anniversary of the tragedy that caused the deaths of nearly 5,000 people, including those later attributed to 9/11-related illnesses. Nine-time Tony Award nominee Scott Ellis (“Take Me Out”) will direct.

Tickets ($100-$300) are available at 970-925-9313, theatreaspen.org or at the Hurst Theatre Tent, 470 Rio Grande Place in Aspen.

But first, Rashad will be in Aspen this coming Sunday and Monday (July 9-10) to star as opera diva Maria Callas in Terrence McNally’s celebrated play “Master Class” at the Wheeler Opera House. Rashad has been a household name since playing Claire Huxtable on “The Cosby Show” but has since gone on to a Theater Hall of Fame career as an actor and director. Gleason, a fellow two-time Tony Award winner (“Into the Woods”), will direct.

McNally’s play was inspired by a legendary series of classes given by Callas at Juilliard toward the end of her career. Three local rising-star opera fellows will play the roles of her students. Tickets range from $65-$125 at aspenmusicfestival.com.

Meanwhile, Theatre Aspen’s 40th anniversary mainstage season continues through Sept. 14 with productions of “Beautiful: The Carole King Musical,” “Rent” and “Doubt” (starring Karen Ziemba). The “Doubt” director is Jenn Thompson, whose Denver Center credits include “The Secret Garden” and “Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike.” Tickets at theatreaspen.org.

Surprising rain report

I don’t want to jinx anything, but I was surprised to hear from the Colorado Shakespeare Festival that, to date, our torrential and dangerous storm pattern has not yet caused even a delay – much less a rainout – so far this 65th season. That’s a small sample – just six performances of “Much Ado About Nothing” are in the books so far – but with “King Lear” opening Sunday and running through Aug. 12, the game to avoid the rain will soon be more fully afoot.

I asked Ellen McLaughlin, who will portray the addled King, how she’d feel about performing the play’s famous storm scene in a real rainstorm. “I am hoping I’ll be doing the evoking of the storm with very little help from the elements,” she said with a laugh. “In this play, you don’t ever want the audience to be as miserable as the king is.” You can read the whole interview here.

Fun film screenings about town

Couple of cool offerings, including Ovation West offering a free screening of the classic 1942 film “Casablanca” at CenterStage (a former airplane hangar-turned-theater) at 6:30 p.m. tonight (Thursday) at 27608 Fireweed Drive in Evergreen. It’s part of a summer-long “First Thursday” program, including occasional silent films with live piano accompaniment. Donations accepted …

Also: Denver Film presents a special screening of a new restoration: “Ziggy Stardust and the  Spiders from Mars: The Motion Picture 50th Anniversary” at 4 and 7 p.m. Friday and 7 p.m. Saturday at the Sie Film Center. David Bowie’s retirement of his Ziggy Stardust alter ego in front of 5,000 fans at London’s Hammersmith Odeon was captured on film by award-winning director D.A. Pennebaker on July 3, 1973. It’s considered one of the most iconic performances in the history of modern music. This uncut version of the film has been restored in 4K and will feature never-before-seen performances with legendary guitar player Jeff Beck.

Black Arts Festival honors founder

This weekend is the 37th annual Colorado Black Arts Festival, a unique celebration of African American arts and culture in Denver’s City Park West. Activities run from 1-8 p.m. Friday through Sunday (ending at 7 p.m. on Sunday). The lineup includes a special tribute to festival founder M. Perry Ayers, who died on March 23. Ayers was a metal-art and jewelry artist, a Cleo Parker Robinson Dance company member in the 1970s and, above all else, friends say: A true visionary. The main event at 7 p.m. Saturday will be a concert by Klymaxx, the all-female pop and R&B band from Los Angeles. All events are free for everyone.