Afterthought looking to raise funds online for "The Wiz"

Trent Hines, music director for "The Wiz," and Mary Louise Lee rehearse July 27 at Dayton Street Theatre in Aurora. Lee will play Glinda the Good Witch in "The Wiz." (Heather L. Smith/Aurora Sentinel)

The Afterthought Theatre Company is hoping for a little help from its friends for the production of its first musical.
The resident company at the Dayton Street Theatre in Aurora has launched a fundraising page on kickstarter.com to drum up a minimum of $6,500 for its upcoming mounting of the musical "The Wiz." The company must raise the minimum by Sept. 11 receive any donations from the site.

According to the theater company, the donations will help cover “royalties and production costs such as materials, costumes, marketing and promotion” associated with the Afterthought’s first musical.

The Afterthought Theatre Company’s production of “The Wiz” will run Aug. 26 to Sept. 24 at the Dayton Street Theatre, 1468 Dayton St.

My visit with Dixie

This week's Sentinle features a Q&A with Dixie Longate, the larger-than-life diva behind the touring production of "Dixie's Tupperware Party" that's back at the Denver Center for the Performing Arts. For those of you looking for more plasticware tips, Heather Smith caught some video during our recent chat with the Alabama Tupperware queen. Enjoy.

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.

July Artwalk to focus on "found art"

Jean Hreno and Phil Bender look through found objects Jan. 25 at The Collection in Aurora. (Photo by Heather L. Smith / Aurora Sentinel). 

Who says trash can't be turned into treasure?
This month's Second Friday artwalk on East Colfax Avenue will feature works from "The Collection," an artistic effort organized in part by Denver artist Phil Bender. Co-headed by the Original Aurora Renewal department, "The Collection" consists of found art pieces assembled by community teams, everyday artists who have morphed discarded objects into artistic statements.
Proceeds from Friday's sales will go toward future projects by the Original Aurora Renewal department, and organizers are encouraging participants to dress in 'recycled' outfits.
The artwalk will take place along the Aurora Arts District on East Colfax Avenue from 5 to 8 p.m. on Friday, July 8. The free event is set to feature open galleries, live music by the Andalus Jazz Express, street artists and other events. For more information, log on to auroraartsdistrict.com.