Crystal Valley Blog

Wherever you look near Crystal Valley this weekend, there’s an opportunity to enjoy classical and celebrated music! From an appearance by Grammy Award-winning singer-songwriter Christopher Cross, to the passion and excellence of local concert bands and orchestras, and the continuing Bernstein at 100 Festival, there is something for all musical tastes. If you’d rather enjoy a tropical cocktail-tasting afternoon or catch an award-winning play, it’s all happening near Castle Rock this weekend!

TODAY/TONIGHT Thursday, February 22

CITIZEN POLICE ACADEMY – APPLICATIONS DUE TODAY!
Have you ever wondered what it’s like to be a “man or woman in blue”? This is your opportunity to find out! Fill out an application for the Lone Tree Citizen’s Police Academy and you will get to know your community’s police officers, drive a patrol car, investigate a mock crime scene, watch a K-9 demonstration, try on SWAT gear, de-escalate a crisis situation, conduct a mock traffic stop, and much more! The 2018 Spring Citizens’ Academy will run from March 15 – May 17, 2018. The classes are held on Thursday evenings and some Saturdays. Deadline to apply is TODAY.

Lone Tree Police Department, 9220 Kimmer Dr., Lone Tree
Registration: FREE
Phone: 303-708-1818

Thursday-Saturday, February 22-24

DANA GOULD STILL HAS TIME FOR STAND-UP!
You would probably recognize Dana Gould from one of his many TV acting roles, including on Seinfeld, Parks and Recreation and most memorably, playing his live-action self on Family Guy. As a big cult-horror fan, he appeared in last year’s Southbound and is the creator of IFC’s horror-comedy Stan Against Evil starring John C. McGinley.

In the world of comedy, Gould has been writing for and performing comedy shows and specials from the original Ben Stiller Show to six stand-up comedy specials on Comedy Central, HBO and Showtime. He has also appeared on The Late Show with David Letterman, Jimmy Kimmel Live, and Conan. He worked on The Simpsons as a co-executive producer and performed several voices, but still, stand-up remains a focal point of Dana’s career. He continues to perform regularly and is now bringing his funny business to you!

Comedy Works-South, 5345 Landmark Place, Greenwood Village
Thurs., 7:30 p.m.; Fri./Sat., 7:15 and 9:45 p.m.
Tickets: $17-$25
Phone: 720-274-6800

Thursday-Sunday, February 22-25

FINAL WEEKEND! DON’T MISS INTIMATE APPAREL 
A poignant play with an unlikely heroine, Intimate Apparel speaks volumes about the distances between people—and how we all may be closer to one another than we think. Set in Manhattan at the beginning of the 20th century, Ester Mills is a 35-year-old African-American seamstress who supports herself by making beautiful “intimate apparel”. Her clients include socialites and prostitutes, and she also has more than a passing acquaintance with a fine-fabrics salesman. Ester’s character was inspired by playwright Lynn Nottage’s great-grandmother, and the resulting play is a poetic tribute to the joys and sorrows of her life. The recipient of two Pulitzer Prizes, the 2004 New York Drama Critics Circle Award, and the Outer Critics Circle Award, Nottage is an outstanding playwright you will want to get acquainted with!

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

Friday, February 23

A CHERISHED EVENING WITH BEETHOVEN AND HUMMEL
Don’t miss your chance to hear classical masterpieces by Beethoven and Hummel that are often overlooked. In this concert, the Boulder Chamber Orchestra performs the incidental music for Egmont, one of Goethe’s dramatic poems which Beethoven claimed had a “great power over him.” This work from Beethoven’s middle period contains a stately, austere orchestral opening so evident in his early works while also hinting at what’s yet to come in the thrilling, climatic ending. Hummel, a student of both Beethoven and Mozart, shows off the exuberant keyboard virtuosity for which he was famous in Piano Concerto No. 3. Any music-lover will appreciate its sweet brilliance.

Along with renowned guest pianist Andrew Staupe and soprano Christie Conover, the Boulder Chamber Orchestra beautifully revives these rarely performed treasures of the classical era. As one of the top ensembles in the front range, the orchestra specializes in creating performances of orchestral music in intimate chamber settings.

Lone Tree Arts Center, 10075 Commons St., Lone Tree
7:30 p.m.
Tickets: $8-$28 
Phone: 720-509-1000

TRIBUTE TO MUSICAL GENIUSES!
It’s never too late to be inspired by the brilliance of Mozart, Bizet, Gershwin and talented others. In tribute to these musical prodigies who left the world too soon, Parker Symphony Orchestra presents Gone Too Soon, a memorable evening dedicated to the iconic music gifted to the world by these geniuses.

Right in your own backyard, the all-volunteer Parker Symphony Orchestra performs orchestra music that educates, entertains and inspires the community of Parker and surrounding areas. The orchestra’s 75 members are dedicated to continual excellence, so you will be delighted by the talent and passion presented in every concert they give!

PACE Center, 20000 Pikes Peak Ave., Parker
7:30 p.m.
Tickets: $24-$29
Phone: 303-805-6800

Saturday, February 24

TIKI COCKTAIL-TASTING ESCAPE!
If you’ve been dreaming of a tropical escape, look no further than this mid-winter break from the cold! It will be an adventurous journey through the world of Tiki Cocktails and Rum, complete with the exotic sounds of Martin Denny, Les Baxter, and the Tikiyaki Orchestra. Davidsons Spirits’ specialist, Chris Motley, will give a short presentation on the history of America’s longest-running cocktail craze before moving on to the Tiki palaces of old for classic cocktails, with stops at various rum-producing islands to sample their spirits. Drink samples and small bites are included in the ticket price!

Southridge Rec Center, 4800 McArthur Ranch Rd., Highlands Ranch
2:00–4:00 p.m.
Tickets: $30-$35
Phone: 303-791-2500

Saturday-Sunday, February 24-25

BERNSTEIN, SIBELIUS, AND COPLAND WITH THE COLORADO SPRINGS CHORALE
The Bernstein at 100 Festival continues with an engaging look at the many ways Bernstein influenced music around the world in his lifetime. Leonard Bernstein was a huge fan of Finnish composer Jean Sibelius and was instrumental in bringing him the recognition Bernstein felt he deserved. Introducing Sibelius to American audiences, Bernstein said Sibelius “was a great and strange kind of genius.” Through the Colorado Springs Philharmonic’s program Bernstein and Sibelius, you can hear for yourself why Bernstein was so passionate about the music of this Finnish composer and how his art helped to shape the identity of his country. The Philharmonic also performs Bernstein’s Chichester Psalms, a composition in Hebrew for a boy soprano, chorus, and orchestra, made up of three complete Psalms and verses from three others.

Also on the program is the iconic Aaron Copland ballet Rodeo—a cowboy version of The Taming of the Shrew—which Copland composed for the dancer Agnes De Mille in 1942. At this time in his career, Copland began to simplify his style to make it more accessible without sacrificing artistic value. The result was Rodeo, a smashing success and a turn toward a new direction for Copland.

Pikes Peak Center, 190 S. Cascade Ave., Colorado Springs              
Sat., 7:30 p.m.; Sun., 2:30 p.m.
Tickets: $24-$73
Phone: 719-520-SHOW

Sunday, February 25

UP AND AWAY WITH DENVER CONCERT BAND
Be swept up, up and away by the all-volunteer Denver Concert Band, renowned for their rich sound and delightful variety of music! With their Up and Away concert, they will collaborate with guest artist Tim Hudson to present an exciting evening of uplifting music. Hudson is a Yamaha performing artist, Summit recording artist, and player with the Rodney Marsalis Philadelphia Big Brass, as well as an accomplished college professor and on the board of directors for the International Trumpet Guild.

Whether you are an established fan or just getting acquainted with this premier concert band, known throughout Colorado for its 56 years of entertaining audiences, you won’t want to miss this performance!

Lone Tree Arts Center, 10075 Commons St., Lone Tree
2:00 p.m.
Tickets: $8-$17 
Phone: 720-509-1000

CHRISTOPHER CROSS – LIVE IN PARKER!
If you are among the millions of fans who have fallen in love with the soulful music of Christopher Cross, now you have the opportunity to see him perform live in Parker! The Grammy award-winning singer will perform his classic hits Sailing, Arthur’s Theme, and Ride Like the Wind, along with contemporary songs from his more recent albums. With a career spanning three decades, Cross and his band are seasoned and talented, with every show performed to perfection.

Christopher Cross was the first artist to ever win all four of the most prestigious Grammy Awards in one year: Record of the Year (for the single Sailing), Album of the Year, Song of the Year (also for Sailing), and Best New Artist, when he released his self-titled debut album in 1980. Now more than 30 years later, Cross continues his recording and performing career with a new album, Secret Ladder, that evokes the artistry of such great singer-songwriters as Joni Mitchell and Randy Newman while addressing contemporary concerns head-on—a combination which is sure to please his loyal fan base.

PACE Center, 20000 Pikes Peak Ave., Parker
7:30 p.m.
Tickets: $64-$69
Phone: 303-805-6800

FOR THE LOVE OF PAPER
Those crafty folks at the Highlands Ranch library are ready to teach you all about paper art by teaching you card-making, print-making and hand lettering skills. If you like to work with paper and your hands, no matter your age, stop by and learn about paper art!

Highlands Ranch/James LaRue Library, 9292 S. Ridgeline Blvd., Highlands Ranch
1:00-3:00 p.m.

Entertainment Options near Crystal Valley!
You will always have a wide range of entertainment options in the Crystal Valley area! Homeowners will find plenty of things to do near the master-planned community in Castle Rock, including shopping, delicious eats, recreation and more. Visit the beautiful new models offered by D.R. Horton,  Kauffman Homes and Richmond American Homes to see the latest designs  in brand-new ranch and two-story homes, priced from the high $300s.