Time to get joyful – and jazzy – in Five Points | Arts news
This is not a misprint: Documentary about reopening Casa Bonita will premiere at prestigious Tribeca Film Festival in New York
The Five Points Jazz Festival returns for its 21st year at noon Saturday with legends Cleo Parker Robinson (dance) and Carlos Lando (KUVO radio) serving as grand marshals for the kickoff parade launching at 29th and Welton streets.
The annual (free) party celebrates the music, culture and roots of Denver’s historic Five Points neighborhood. More than 30 performances will take place on several stages between 25th and 29th streets on Welton.
At 4:15 p.m., homage will be paid to Rosalind “Bee” Harris (publisher of the Denver Urban Spectrum newspaper) and Ken Walker (jazz musician) at 25th and Welton streets. At 6:10 p.m., Keith Oxman (music teacher) will be feted at 29th and Welton.
The music plays through 11 p.m. with headlining concerts by Jakarta, Beasts of No Nation and the Laurie D. Jazz Trio. More info at artsandvenues.com/fivepointsjazz.
Casa Bonita … the documentary?
I haven’t been able to summon the slightest possible interest in revisiting Casa Bonita since it reopened, so I have a super-tough time processing word that a documentary about what it took to reopen the Mexican restaurant/theme park in Lakewood is actually the subject of a documentary that premieres tonight (Friday) at theTribeca Film Festival in New York. The one founded by Robert De Niro. Seriously.
It’s called “¡Casa Bonita Mi Amor!” (Oh, what the world must think of us.) If you’re not in New York, well hold onto those 30,000 arcade tickets that might one day buy you a fuzzy ball, because you and the rest of the world will be able to stream the film on Paramount+ later this year.
So, about ‘Hamilton’
In case you haven’t heard, “Hamilton” is coming back to Denver for a third time, which means that the part of our community that only goes out to see theater when “Hamilton” is in town is already gearing up for the fight of their ticketing lives. This time, ducats go on sale to the public at 10 a.m. July 9 at denvercenter.org or at 303-893-4100.
Once again, the real hope is that you will buy a subscription to the Denver Center’s entire Broadway season to give yourself a better shot (pun intended) at scoring “Hamilton” tickets.
The first two Denver go-rounds in 2018 and 2022 attracted tens of thousands more buyers than there were tickets for. But the “Hamilton” hysteria once reserved only for “The Book of Mormon” is slowing down – slowly. And the uncommonly long coming run of Oct. 16 to Nov. 24 means there will be a lot more available tickets than back in 2018, which was a display of carnivorous human consumer behavior straight out of “Lord of the Flies.”
Podcast of the week
Jake Lacy, who played Pete on “The Office” and is currently starring in the Annette Bening Peacock series “Apples Never Fall,” is the featured guest on this week’s “Office Ladies” podcast episode. Lacy told a story about Denver East grad T.J. Miller, a comedian and actor perhaps best known for his 38 episodes of the series “Silicon Valley.” Lacy was down on his luck after getting aced out by Miller for the role of Jimmy Goodwin in the short-lived 2013 Fox TV series “The Goodwin Games.” Shortly after, Lacy was cast for a major role on the final season of “The Office.”
Briefly …
The Denver Museum of Nature & Science recently announced the discovery of a teenage T. Rex fossil — affectionately named “Teen Rex,” which is being turned into a new exhibition. A family hike in North Dakota turned into a remarkable moment for science when children came across the extremely rare remains of a juvenile T. Rex skeleton. “Discovering Teen Rex” opens June 21. …
It’s been a busy week for Gov. Jared Polis, what with his assuring new incentives for the local film industry and signing what supporters are calling the most pro-consumer ticketing law in the country. But he also made new appointments to the highly influential Scientific and Cultural Facilities District (SCFD) Board of Directors, who oversee the annual distribution of about $60 million in tax revenue to more than 280 local nonprofit arts and science organizations. Tamra Ward and Patricia Salazar of Denver were appointed for terms expiring May 15, 2027, while Jacki Cooper Melmed, also of Denver, was reappointed. …
The 11th annual High Plains Comedy Festival does not return until Sept. 19, but tickets to the headlining event – Bob The Drag Queen Sept. 21 at the Paramount Theatre – go on sale at 10 a.m. today (June 7) at paramountdenver.com. Festival passes go on sale at the same time at highplainscomedyfestival.com …
Dolly Parton announced that her biographical musical, “Hello, I’m Dolly,” which has been in the works for 10 years, will arrive on Broadway in 2026.
And finally …
Officials last week announced the cancellation of Jennifer Lopez’s “This is Me … Live” tour, including a scheduled July 22 stop at Ball Arena in Denver. The reason given was that JLo wanted more time with her children, family and close friends. “The Cut” posited that the real reason was low advance ticket sales around the country. That was threatening a $90 million Vegas residency contract she has in the works for 2025 at MGM. “She couldn’t very well perform to quarter-full arenas” for the Vegas deal to come through, the outlet said.
That’s not the only big tour to flame out. The Black Keys’ Sept. 24 Denver date has been canceled. There was some concern about Billie Eilish’s Nov. 19-20 dates, which are still on but still have plenty of seats available at Ball Arena.
