Mary Louise Lee in rehearsals for "The Wiz."

The Afterthought Theatre Company is gearing up for the upcoming production of "The Wiz" in August directed by Bernie Cardell and starring Denver's first lady Mary Louise Lee as Glinda the Good Witch. The Aurora Sentinel stopped by the Dayton Street Theatre this week to chat with the cast and crew. Look for a feature in next week's paper, and in the meantime, here's a clip of Lee gearing up for the show.

Live from the Henry Awards

The first awards are rolling in here at the Denver Center for the Performing Arts. Here are the winners so far:

Photo from Mysto the Magician's Aurora Fox show - 7/16

Mysto the Magician makes a bird disappear during his magic show at the Aurora Fox theater on July 16. (Heather L. Smith / Aurora Sentinel).

Shadow's CRUNK youth program persists despite company's challenges

Kamettisara LuQman practices her dance routine for last year's incarnation of the Shadow Youth Ensemble's Creative Resources Uniting Neighborhood Kids, aka CRUNK, show last July. The Shadow will offer its fifth year of the youth program, despite the company's eviction from its Dayton Street theater earlier this year. The show will run at the Aurora Fox theater in August. (Gabriel Christus/ The Aurora Sentinel)

The Shadow Theatre Company's annual youth theater program will continue this year, despite the troupe's loss of a permanent home.
The Creative Resources Uniting Neighborhood Kids, aka CRUNK, program has been a part of the Shadow's season since 2006. The theater camp offers local youths the chance to take a lead role in writing, producing and directing a full show. This year's theme, "Remember Where You Came From," will steer the tone and content of the production.
The program will enjoy its fifth consecutive season despite the Shadow Theatre troupe's eviction from its Dayton Street theater at the beginning of the year. While the Shadow has run most of its recent productions out of the Su Teatro facility in Denver, the CRUNK program will return to Aurora for a run at the Aurora Fox theater, 9900 E. Colfax Ave., from Aug. 4 to Aug. 7.
Information and tickets: www.shadowtheatre.com/crunk.html.