April 24, 2025
Arbor Day, Dusty Slay and Ballet!
This weekend is the start of everything springy and spry – from the Arbor Day Celebration in Discovery Park on Mainstreet to registration for Summer Day Camps at the Denver Museum of Nature and Science. Whether 10 minutes away in core Parker or 30 minutes from Looking Glass in downtown Denver, there’s a bunch of fun and entertaining things to do this weekend and next for you and your family.
TODAY/TONIGHT, Thursday, April 24
MARIA BAMFORD
Geared for adults, Maria Bamford is revered for her deeply personal and experimental comedy about mental illness. She starred in the surreal, semi-autobiographical Netflix comedy series Lady Dynamite, about a comedian who suffers a nervous breakdown, and is the star of three unconventional hour-long stand-up specials: Weakness is the Brand, Old Baby and Maria Bamford, the special, special, special! Maria was the first female comic to have two half-hour Comedy Central Presents specials and starred alongside Patton Oswalt, Zach Galifianakis and Brian Posehn in the Comedy Central series The Comedians of Comedy and Netflix’s Comedians of Comedy: The Movie. She also created and starred in the cult hit web series The Maria Bamford Show, in which she plays all the characters.
Maria’s late-night appearances include CONAN, The Tonight Show, The Late Show with Stephen Colbert and Late Night with Seth Meyers.
SCIENCE SUMMER CAMPS: K-6th GRADE
Summer Day Camps get brains and bodies moving! Learn and play as we experiment, create, build, ask questions, and develop a knowledge of and passion for science. Our camps are led by experienced educators offering the best opportunity for fun and learning. From Fossil Finders and Future Astronauts to Dynamic Dissectors, there’s a lot to learn and discover for the littles in your family. For full day camps, children must be at least 5 years of age on or before their first day of camp. Register online for four and five-day camps.
Denver Museum of Nature & Science, 2001 Colorado Blvd., Denver
9:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m.
Tuition: $375-$410
Info: 303-370-6000
Friday, April 25
NAPOLEON DYNAMITE LIVE!
The beloved indie classic Napoleon Dynamite was released 20 years ago. Since then, much has changed but the characters, as enduring as they are endearing, stay in our hearts. Appealing to the inner teenager in each of us, the story, and more importantly the dialogue, makes Napoleon Dynamite one of the most quoted movies of our time.
Napoleon Dynamite Live! includes a full screening of Napoleon Dynamite followed by a lively, freewheeling, discussion with fan-favorite cast members; Jon Heder (Napoleon Dynamite), Jon Gries (Uncle Rico) and Efren Ramirez (Pedro). The live show is a wild and hysterical blend of Q&A, comedy improv, game show, and party, with plenty of audience participation.
Come join the fun and help celebrate this wonderful movie classic.
LEE ASHER LIVE
Known for an impassioned and engaging speaking style, Lee is taking his message on the road. Through compelling stories of overcoming adversity, heartfelt anecdotes about embracing the growth that comes out of tragedy, and a wealth of knowledge about the world of animal rescue, Lee captivates audiences and encourages them to join the movement to be their best self.
Lee’s tour is not just an opportunity to spend time with one of social media’s biggest stars but a chance to be inspired, motivated, and educated on the power of compassion and the difference each person can make in the world.
Friday-Saturday, April 25-26
HARLAND WILLIAMS
Comedian and Actor Harland Williams is known the world over for his hilarious movie roles and outlandish stand up and sketch comedy routines. From his unforgettable roles in films such as Dumb and Dumber, Something About Mary, Half Baked, Rocketman, Sorority Boys, Down Periscope and so many more.
Harland has been described as a scene-stealing actor whose unique portrayals of his characters keep them etched in the minds of filmgoers everywhere. Add to this his incredible stand up comedy routines, which have been seen on Letterman, The Tonight Show, Conan O’Brian, HBO, Comedy Central and everywhere else.
Sharp, witty, unpredictable and original; Harland is the true master of joke telling and crowd interaction. Fresh, funny and always full of the unexpected, his improvisational skills led to an award for best improviser on NBC’s prime time series, Thank God You Are Here (available on YouTube).
Comedy Works South, 5345 Landmark Pl., Greenwood Village
Fri., 7:15 & 9:45 p.m.; Sat., 9:45 p.m.
Tickets: $30-$40
Phone: 720-274-6800
FANCY FOOTWORK: COLORADO BALLET
Join Artists of Colorado Ballet for Fancy Footwork, a dancer-produced and choreographed performance. This year’s production of Fancy Footwork features new works from three Colorado Ballet dancers.
And it includes original costumes, set & lighting design, and an original composition with live music.
Black Box Theatre, Armstrong Center for Dance, 1075 Santa Fe. Dr., Denver
Fri./Sat., 7:00 p.m.; Sun., 2:00 p.m.
Tickets: $45
Friday-Sunday, April 25-27
GRAND HORIZONS
FINAL WEEKEND! Set in the Grand Horizons Senior Living Community, this Tony-nominated new play features Deb Persoff. By turns funny, shocking, and painfully honest, Grand Horizons explores a family turned upside down and takes an intimate look at the wild, unpredictable, and enduring nature of love.
Vintage Theatre, 1468 Dayton St., Aurora
Fri./Sat., 7:30 p.m.; Sat./Sun., 2:30 p.m.
Tickets: $20-$36 + Taxes & Fees*
Phone: 303-856-7830
RUSSIAN CLASSICS
Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky — so highly regarded for his symphonic compositions — placed himself among the greats of the keyboard with the completion of his First Piano Concerto; filled with gorgeous lyrical melodies and unmistakable Romantic spirit. For many, it has become the standard against which all virtuosos must measure themselves, featuring iconic opening flourishes and a pyrotechnic-filled finale. Venezuelan pianist Gabriela Montero lends her dazzling technique and improvisatory nature to this cornerstone of the classical canon.
Shostakovich’s Symphony No. 11, “The Year 1905”, references the First Russian Revolution, in which civilians revolted against Tsar Nicholas II, culminating in the uprising known as Bloody Sunday. Growing up in a country where democracy was a distant dream and any act of criticism of the leading party relentlessly punished, Shostakovich became a master of hidden truths, using his music as a sort of covert confessional. In his way, the 11th Symphony stands as a requiem for all innocent victims of war and violence, injustice and arbitrariness — capping a poignant performance led by Music Director Designate Peter Oundjian.
Boettcher Concert Hall, 1000 14th Street, #15, Denver
Sat., 7:30 p.m.; Sun., 2:30 p.m.
Tickets: Start at $60 plus fees/taxes
Phone: 303-623-7876
Saturday, April 26
ARBOR DAY CELEBRATION
Join the Town of Parker and the Parks and Recreation Department in celebration of Arbor Day this Saturday!
Seedling trees and various perennial flowers will be given away. This year’s trees are Colorado Blue Spruce and Southwestern White Pine. (Giveaway items are first-come, first-served, while supplies last. ) The Town’s Parks and Forestry team will be on hand to answer questions about tree planting, pruning and tree selection. Learn how to take care of your trees and make them last. Additional vendors will be on-hand to offer environmental information, kids will enjoy a fun craft courtesy of Parker Recreation and Douglas County Libraries, and food trucks will be onsite for purchase!
The Arbor Day Celebration is a fun, educational event for the whole family and is an important piece to keeping Parker named as a “Tree City USA.” The town of Parker enhances public awareness of trees within the community through events like this one and spends $2 per resident on tree care. The celebration will be held rain, snow or shine!
Discovery Park, 20115 E. Mainstreet, Parker
9:00-11:30 a.m.
Cost: Free (Food Trucks onsite for purchases)
CHRIS D’ELIA – STRAIGHT OUTTA THE MULTIVERSE
Chris D’Elia is quickly becoming one of the most sought-after comedians and actors in the comedy world, with Variety naming him one of their “Top 10 Comics to Watch.”
He’s also a writer and podcast host and best known for playing Alex Miller on the NBC sitcom Whitney, Danny Burton on the NBC sitcom Undateable, and Kenny on the ABC television series The Good Doctor. Chris also has a role as Henderson in the Netflix thriller series You.
Sunday, April 27
A JOURNEY FROM OPERA TO BROADWAY
The Parker Chorale is warming up for this special performance: Take the Stage – A Journey from Opera to Broadway. Stage favorites…there are so many of them! And everyone has one. Join Parker music lovers and journey through some of the all-time favorite songs of the stage with everything from current Broadway hits to songs you maybe didn’t even know were considered Opera! Included in this special show will be the 2025 presentation of the Ralph Whitlock Memorial Grant. Who will receive it this year? Stay tuned!
NEXT WEEK: Thursday, May 1
NATIONAL DAY OF PRAYER EVENT
Parker Prays, is made up of Christian community members, leaders, and churches in Parker from different traditions but with a unity in Christ and a shared passion to pray for community. They will be hosting an event in the park to gather and pray on the National Day of Prayer.
Discovery Park, 20115 E. Mainstreet, Parker
5:30 p.m.
FREE
ICHIKO AOBA WORLD TOUR
Since her 2010 debut, Ichiko Aoba has released seven albums, and has travelled across the globe with nothing more than her voice and nylon-string guitar. Since releasing Windswept Adan (2020), described as a “soundtrack for a fictional film”, she has also begun to incorporate strings in her live shows.
Aoba’s work as a radio presenter, narrator, film composer, and performer across a wide variety of fields has consistently won her acclaim, including the prestigious best soundtrack award at the 77th Mainichi Film Awards for her work on Amiko (2022). She was the recipient of the ANCHOR Award at the 2023 Reeperbahn Festival.
Friday, May 2
THE EMPEROR’S GROOVY NEW THREADS
Recommended for ages 3 to 8, this crazy quilt of mixed-up psychedelic fashion trends is the setting for this tongue-in-cheek retelling of the Hans Christian Andersen fairytale, set to a fun and sprightly score.
The country is ruled by a foppish fashionista of an Emperor who has bankrupted the treasury with his clothing expenditures. Frustrated by the Emperor’s slave-to-fashion mentality, 10-year-old Kid’s romantic dreams of being a hero make her determined to change everyone’s materialistic views. She travels to the palace to reveal the superficiality of the emperor, only to end up revealing much more of him than she predicted.
DUSTY SLAY: NIGHT SHIFT TOUR
Long hair, tobacco, over-sized glasses and a trucker hat, Dusty Slay is the self-effacing bourbon-voiced Southern comedian next door with a knack for observational, blue-collar humor and the nerve to say what everyone else is thinking. He grew up the son of a single mom in an Alabama trailer park and evokes laughs about everything from Cracker Barrel to his aversion to soap. The 40-year-old Nashville native is a mainstay on the country music scene, making his Grand Ole Opry debut in 2019 – the youngest at the time, and adding dozens of appearances in the historic Circle ever since.
He has also appeared on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon and Jimmy Kimmel Live, has a Comedy Central special to his credit and released his first hour-long Netflix special “Workin’ Man” last year. Dusty’s brand of relatable working-class comedy is entertaining audiences coast-to-coast during his 35-show tour.
Friday-Sunday, May 2-4
OUR TOWN – STELLAR STUDENT PERFORMANCES
Our Town is a poignant and timeless drama by Thornton Wilder that explores the everyday lives of the residents of the small town of Grover’s Corners. Through its three acts, the play delves into themes of love, loss, and the beauty of ordinary moments, offering a profound reflection on the human experience. This student production is both affecting and inspiring.
Saturday-Sunday, May 3-4
DENVER BALLET THEATRE: PAQUITA
Paquita is a breathtaking, romantic ballet featuring gypsies, a murderous plot, forbidden love, a heroic rescue, and a grandiose wedding set in the south of Spain. This dramatic ballet will delight and intrigue the whole family.
RIDE THE CYCLONE
A Regional Premiere! In this hilarious and outlandish musical, the lives of six teenagers from a Canadian chamber choir are cut short in a freak accident aboard a roller coaster. When they awake in limbo, a mechanical fortune teller invites each to tell a story to win a prize like no other — the chance to return to life.
Vintage Theatre, 1468 Dayton St., Aurora
Fri./Sat., 7:30 p.m.; Sun., 2:30 p.m.
Tickets: $42.46 (includes taxes and fees)
Box Office: 303-856-7830
Sunday, May 4
VINTAGE THEATRE SEASON PREVIEW
Join the staff, crew and talent of the Vintage Theatre as they announce the titles in the 25th season! The evening will start with cocktails at 6:30 p.m. and season announcement (with performances from some of the shows at 7:00 p.m.) After the announcement, get your sing on with Broadway karaoke. Light snacks provided with no set ticket price, just pay what you can!
Vintage Theatre, 1468 Dayton St., Aurora
6:30 p.m.
Tickets: Pay What You Can
Box Office: 303-856-7830
Location, Location, Location: Discover Looking Glass!
There’s no shortage of things to do near the master-planned community of Looking Glass. Living in these close-knit Parker neighborhoods gives you access to paths and multiple parks, community connections and nearby recreation, entertainment and shopping. Stop by the beautiful model homes from D.R. Horton, Taylor Morrison, Dream Finders and later this year, Richmond American Homes, from the $600s.