Q&A with Quincy Jones

Heather L. Smith / Aurora Sentinel

Earlier this month, Quincy Jones visited Denver to attend the "Be Beautiful, Be Yourself" fashion show, a fundraiser for the Global Down Syndrome Foundation, benefiting the Linda Crnic Institute for Down Syndrome at the Anschutz Medical Campus. You can find the original story here. Sitting down with the legendary composer/musician/humanitarian was one of my most memorable run-ins as a reporter at the Sentinel, and I had to offer readers a fuller picture of the conversation. Click after the jump to check out Jones' feeback about activism, as well as his storied career in music.

Q&A with Tripp Fountain from touring production of "Hair"

Courtesy Photo

Taking on an ensemble role in the musical "Hair" offered Tripp Fountain the chance to take a trip through time. As a cast member in the psychedelic musical, Fountain found a newfound appreciation for the social upheaval and shifting morals that marked the 1960s. More importantly, however, starring in the show gave the Colorado native a chance to come home. A graduate of Lewis Palmer High School in Monument, Palmer says the production of "Hair," which will run at the Denver Center for the Performing Arts until Oct. 16, has given him a unique brand of homecoming.
The Sentinel caught up with Fountain to talk about his roots in Colorado, as well as the legacy of the social movements explored in "Hair," a piece that spawned pop music hits and documented the cultural legacy of a generation.

Time running out to submit to Gateway to the Rockies art contest

Photo courtesy of the City of Aurora

Local artists have less than a week to submit entries for the 17th annual Gateway to the Rockies exhibit, a show that will feature paintings, photographs and miniatures.
This year's Gateway to the Rockies exhibition will run from Nov. 17 to Dec. 17 at the Aurora History Museum, 15051 E. Alameda Parkway. The annual exhibition features paintings, photos, miniatures and two-dimensional works by local artists — the top entries from each medium will earn "Best of Show," "Aurora's First Lady" and "The Kate Tauer" awards when the show kicks off.
Artists must submit their entries in the form of paintings, photographs and miniatures within the next week. Entries must be sent via e-mail by Oct. 1. The digital files must be submitted as a jpg attachment to gateway.submittal@comcast.net. Images must be in a jpg file format, must be 150 dpi and cannot exceed 900 pixels or 6 inches in measurement on any side.
For more information or to receive a mailed prospectus, call 303-739-6520. To view the prospectus online, visit auroragov.org/visualarts.

Interview with Jeanine Serralles from the DCTC's production of "The Liar"

New York-based actress Jeanine Serralles has made Denver a second home.
As a guest performer in several Denver Center Theatre Company productions in the past several years, Serralles has carved a creative niche for herself outside the confines of the New York theater community. She's bringing her skills back to the Denver Center as Lucrece in the DCTC's current production of David Ives "The Liar," a reimagining of the 17th century comedy by Pierre Corneille. The Sentinel caught up with Serralles to talk about the current show, her fondness for the Mile High City and her upcoming projects.

Actors needed for CCA emergency exercise

Photo by Heather L. Smith / Aurora Sentinel

Once again, the Community College of Aurora is looking for up-and-coming actors to lend a degree of realism to their yearly emergency exercise. The training event scheduled for Friday, Sept. 23 is for emergency responders from across the state. Follow the jump for more details about the auditions from the Colorado Theatre Guild.

"Rashomon" reviewed

Heather L. Smith / Aurora Sentinel

The Aurora Fox’s production of “Rashomon” shows just how tricky it can be to get a story straight.

Without getting too philosophical, it’s fair to say that truth doesn’t exist without perception, and that when it comes to human beings, perception is always steered by biases, backgrounds and contexts. That’s the central truism behind Fay and Michael Kanin’s murder mystery, a thriller that distills a single crime through the lenses of four separate narrators.

While true nature of the play’s central event may be hard to pin down, there’s no enigma about the quality of the Aurora Fox’s production for its 27^th season debut. Director El Armstrong weaves different narrative strands together in a powerful and compelling way, and the medieval Japanese thriller comes to life on a lush set brilliantly mapped out by scenic designer Jen Orf. Combined with nuanced, revelatory performances by Fox veteran Jack Casperson and newcomers Seth Maisel and Enzo Sariñana, the show stands as one of the most creative and affecting season premieres at the Fox in recent memory.

Tickets for inaugural season at PACE Center on sale Friday

Photo courtesy of the PACE Center

Tickets for the inaugural season at a new arts complex in Parker are set to go on sale Friday.

According to officials from the Parker Arts, Culture and Events (PACE) Center, tickets for the facility’s first season will go on sale at 10 a.m. on Friday, Sept. 9. The center’s debut season will kick off with the “Luma” light show from Oct. 28 to 29, with performances from the Vienna Boys’ Choir and the Denver Municipal Band to follow in November.

Tickets for all shows will range from $5 to $42.50, according to the center.

The shows will be part of a much wider menu of more than 70 attractions for the PACE Center’s debut season, one that will include classical music concerts, dance exhibitions and theatrical collaborations with the Aurora Fox theater. In addition to its theater space, the PACE Center at 20120 E. Main Street in Parker will include a 250-seat amphitheater, an art gallery, an event room, a dance studio, culinary kitchen and classrooms.

Tickets will be available at www.pacecenteronline.org or by phone at 303-805-6800.