Crystal Valley Blog

A close-up look at butterflies and several children’s theatre productions will put smiles on kids’ faces, and adults can choose from a couple of high-voltage comedy acts or even an international wine tour! It’s the closing weekend of some award-winning drama, and musical offerings range from Mozart to Colorado history through song! Check out all there is to do this weekend near Crystal Valley!

TODAY/TONIGHT, April 19

LEWIS BLACK: THE JOKE’S ON US TOUR
You won’t want to miss this outrageously funny comedian who regularly sells out such renowned theaters as Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center, Brooks Atkinson Theatre, the Main Stage at the Mirage in Las Vegas and most recently, a sold-out Broadway run at the Richard Rodgers Theatre in New York City. 

When Lewis Black performs live, he brings a passion to his rants about the absurdities of the world that are as funny as they are true. His rants are less mean-spirited curmudgeon than ticked-off optimist, and his stand-up act provides a much-needed cathartic release for his audiences.

Pikes Peak Center, 190 S. Cascade Ave., Colorado Springs              
8:00 p.m.
Tickets: $35-$65
Phone: 719-520-SHOW

Thursday-Saturday, April 19-21

AUGUST WILSON’S FENCES – FINAL WEEKEND!
An American theatrical masterpiece, Fences is a deeply personal family drama by the award-winning playwright August Wilson. This poetic, haunting story about the African-American experience in 1950s Pittsburgh revolves around Troy Maxson, a garbage collector who passes on his bitterness and disillusionment to his wife and son. 

Fences was the winner of the Pulitzer Prize for drama and is widely regarded as a must-see classic of American theatre. The authentic and complicated characters are full of forsaken dreams as well as the heartbreaking promises of people who refuse to give up. Don’t miss your last chance to see this moving and memorable drama right here in Lone Tree!

Lone Tree Arts Center, 10075 Commons St., Lone Tree
Thurs., 7:30 p.m.; Fri., 8:00 p.m.; Sat., 1:30 and 8:00 p.m.
Tickets: $35-$60
Phone: 720-509-1000

DENVER COMEDIAN BEN ROY
Transplanted Denver comedian Ben Roy likes to rant and rave. Taking his comedy audiences by storm, Roy brings an unparalleled energy and unique voice to stage that keeps fans coming back for more. Roy has a style that is definitively his own.

From his earliest days at Denver’s Comedy Works, Roy has gone on to perform at the Montreal Just for Laughs Comedy Festival, LA Riot Comedy Festival, Boston Comedy Festival, Austin’s South by Southwest, and many more. Roy has been featured on HBO’s Funny as Hell series, as well as on the Comedy Central shows Adam DeVine’s House Party and This Is Not Happening. Roy has also released three stand-up comedy albums. Now he’s back in Denver to keep his adopted hometown laughing!

Comedy Works-South, 5345 Landmark Place, Greenwood Village
Thurs., 7:30; Fri./Sat., 7:15 and 9:45 p.m.
Tickets: $16-$24
Phone: 720-274-6800

Thursday-Sunday, April 19-22

INTERACTIVE EXHIBIT – BECOMING BUTTERFLIES!
Spring is here in full bloom, so the butterflies won’t be far behind! Get ready for nature’s flying masterpieces by visiting the spectacular exhibit Becoming Butterflies, a fascinating interactive wonderland produced by the CU Museum of Natural History. Follow some of the world’s most captivating insects throughout their entire life cycle, on their courageous journey to transform from a tiny egg to a creeping caterpillar to a delicate winged flyer. 

Learn how butterflies impact our lives and the role we play in their survival. See brilliant images of Colorado butterflies and specimens from the collection. Immerse yourself in the role of butterfly biologist studying four species through hands-on activities. By the time you leave, you will have a new appreciation of these magnificent, magical insects!

CU South Denver, 10035 S. Peoria St., Lone Tree
9:30 a.m.- 5:00 p.m.
Tickets: $8-$12 
Phone: 303-315-9444

SINGIN’ IN THE RAIN JR. WILL MAKE YOU SMILE!
There is nothing more adorable than tots in tap shoes, singing and dancing their hearts out in the sunniest musical comedy of all time—Singin’ in the Rain! Don’t miss this lovable and faithful adaptation of the classic Debbie Reynolds/Gene Kelly movie you love, live on stage! Hilarious situations, snappy dialogue and a hit-parade score of Hollywood standards make Singin’ in the Rain Jr. a guaranteed good time for the whole family. 

Giving kids an opportunity to develop confidence and poise on stage—and having a great time in the process—is what the award-winning youth theatre program American Academy Performing Arts is all about! In addition to supporting developing artists and education in Douglas County, this is a show you will not want to miss! 

PACE Center, 20000 Pikes Peak Ave., Parker
Thurs., 7:00 p.m.; Fri., 10:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m.; Sat., 11:00 a.m., 3:00 and 7:00 p.m.; Sun., 2:00 and 6:00 p.m.
Tickets: $12.50
Phone: 303-805-6800

FINAL WEEKEND FOR FUN HOME 
This is your last chance to see the musical with “the finest score in a decade” (Huffington Post) and a funny, sensitive story about growing up feeling different. Alison grew up with a father who was unconventional to say the least, and Fun Home depicts her fiercely funny struggles to understand him. 

Based on the best-selling graphic memoir, Fun Home is the winner of multiple 2015 Tony Awards including Best Musical, Best Score, and Best Book of a Musical. The innovative score punctuates the heartrending journey of Alison in a production that is “a rare beauty, extraordinary and heart-gripping” (New York Times). This show is recommended for ages 14 and older.

Fine Arts Center at Colorado College, 30 W. Dale St., Colorado Springs
Thurs./Fri., 7:30 p.m.; Sat., 5:00 p.m.; Sun., 2:00 p.m.
Tickets: $20-$45
Phone: 719-634-5581

Saturday, April 21

9HEALTH FAIR – BACK AT THE RANCH! 

The 9Health Family Fair returns to Highlands Ranch at Eastridge Recreation Center! Low-cost and free screenings will be provided by certified health professionals, who volunteer their skills and their time to the community. These screeners do not diagnose but will let you know at the time of the screening if you need to see your doctor for further evaluation. 

Low-cost blood screenings range in price from $20 to $50 per panel for blood chemistry, blood cell count, Vitamin D screening, hemoglobin A1C screening, and more. Free screenings are available for blood pressure, height/weight and vision.The Wellness Zone will provide opportunities for participants to learn more about nutrition, illness prevention, fitness, and safety. Sign up in advance or just drop in!

Eastridge Rec Center, 9568 University Blvd., Highlands Ranch
7:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
Cost: FREE to $50
Phone: 303-888-0423

INTERNATIONAL WINE TOUR
Take a trip all around the globe without leaving Highlands Ranch! This special event celebrates wines from around the world, and through a tasty expedition, you will learn how to distinguish grapes and vineyards from the sunny climes of Argentina to the cold, wet regions of France and Germany!

The evening includes appetizers and unlimited tastings of wines from across the globe, as well as a commemorative wine glass to take home. You definitely won’t want to miss this exciting adventure partaking in the global community of wine! Stamp your passport as you make your way around the globe trying outstanding wines! You must be 21 or older to attend.

Southridge Recreation Center, 4800 McArthur Ranch Rd., Highlands Ranch
4:00 – 7:00 p.m.
Tickets: $50-$55
Phone: 303-888-0423

Saturday-Sunday, April 21-22

KID’S THEATRE – WICKED IS AS WICKED DOES!
What’s worse than the Wicked Witch of anything? Turns out…Prince Intolerable! Even a wicked witch can have a change of heart and become not so bad anymore, but intolerance has a way of never giving in! 

Prince Intolerable is set to marry Snow White so that he can outlaw magic. He has already sentenced the four Wickeds — Snow White’s Wicked Queen, Cinderella’s Wicked Stepmother, Sleeping Beauty’s Wicked Fairy and the Frog Prince’s Wicked Witch — to nine million hours of community service.  But even that’s not enough for Prince Intolerable. He vows that as soon as he marries Snow White, he’ll send the Wickeds to Grimstad, where they’ll never be heard from again. In a zany play about the importance of second chances, your kids will hear the message: there’s a little good in everyone!  

Schoolhouse Theater, 19650 E. Main St., Parker
Sat., 1:00 and 6:30 p.m.; Sun., 2:00 and 5:30 p.m.
Tickets: $7.50
Phone: 303-805-6800

THE SECRETS OF MOZART’S FINAL CONCERTO!
Mozart’s final piano concerto is more than the charming and lyrical masterpiece it appears to be on the surface. There are deeper shadows lurking in the work, shadows of the composer’s life itself, and this fascinating program will explore the mystery through a concert that includes photography, video, narration, and acting.

When Mozart first moved to Vienna in 1781, the world was his for the taking. He was in demand both as a composer and virtuoso performer. Commissions flooded in, and his economic position was quite comfortable. But many factors led to a disastrous decline in Mozart’s life and artistry, including little-known cultural and historic side effects. Who would have guessed, for example, that Mozart’s most popular work, The Marriage of Figaro, angered the Emperor, and therefore soured the opinions of the entire court? The Austro-Hungarian Empire was drying up, and with it, the money from the rich benefactors who once supported Mozart’s masterpieces. By the end of the decade, he was reduced to writing dance music for local balls. Everything Mozart believed in and cherished was being reduced to nothing, and he sank into a deep depression. All this is revealed in the hidden meanings and tragic notions of Mozart’s Piano Concerto No. 27.

Ent Center for the Arts at UCCS, Shockley-Zalabak Theater, 5225 N Nevada Ave., Colorado Springs
Sat., 7:30 p.m.; Sun., 2:30 p.m.
Tickets: $15-$72
Phone: 719-255-3232

Sunday, April 22

COLORADO’S HISTORY THROUGH SONG!
Who are the people of Colorado? In an exciting musical exploration of the state, you’ll discover the history of those who settled here over the centuries—from Native Americans to mountain men, explorers, farmers, ranchers and miners, all the way to contemporary citizens!

Swallow Hill Music will perform diverse music traditions of the many cultures of our state, sharing songs beloved by groups and individuals over the years. They will finish the performance with recognizable and modern Colorado songs. As part of the Passport to Culture series, families and children get to experience art and culture outside the classroom and inside a world of imagination!

Lone Tree Arts Center, Event Hall, 10075 Commons St., Lone Tree
4:00 p.m.
Tickets: $5
Phone: 720-509-1000

Music, Theatre and More Near Crystal Valley!

You don’t need to venture far from the Crystal Valley area to find fun-filled events for the entire family! With a wide variety restaurants and boutiques, plus free educational events and entertainment, there’s always something to do in and around Castle Rock. Take a drive through the neighborhoods and tour the models by D.R. Horton, Kauffman Homes, and Richmond American Homes. New Crystal Valley homes are available in ranch and two-story models and priced from the high $300s.