By Gene Davis, DENVER DAILY NEWS
Head over to the Colorado Shakespeare Festival this week and get a jumpstart on this year’s “One Book, One Denver” selection, “To Kill a Mockingbird.”
Mayor John Hickenlooper has chosen the beloved Harper Lee novel for his 2009 citywide book club that’s kicking off this fall. Meanwhile, the Colorado Shakespeare Festival (CSF) is putting on the play version of “To Kill a Mockingbird,” giving Denverites the chance to see the words come to life under the stars.
“To Kill a Mockingbird” tells the tale of a courageous lawyer who defends a black man in court against a false charge. The novel/play also focuses on the lawyer’s children and how they come of age in a small southern town in the ’30s.
“The story is anchored in the love of a family in the midst of a small community divided by fear and racism and tells of wonderful childhood friendships and adventures,” said Jane Page, the CSF director of “To Kill a Mockingbird,” in her director’s notes. “The story is told from the open-hearted perspective of children who are often the truth-tellers in life. These children almost magically map the cultural context of their community, influencing lives and events without once recognizing that they could be in any sort of danger.”
In CSF’s “To Kill a Mockingbird,” an adult Jean Louise “Scout” Finch narrates the story. As a result, memory plays a key part in the plot.
The contrasting realities of memory — some parts are crystal clear while other memories are forgotten altogether — are reflected in the design elements for “To Kill a Mockingbird,” according to dramaturg Emily K. Harrison. The characters’ costumes are detailed and crisp while the set offers no concrete details.
“In this way, we hope to reflect both the inherent beauty and the unavoidable sorrow of memory,” Harrison said in the production notes.
It’s interesting to look at “To Kill a Mockingbird” through a 21st century lens. As Page pointed out in her notes, the United States has seemingly gone from falsely accusing a black man like Tom Robinson to electing the nation’s first black president. However, the story’s central theme of true courage remains just as relevant today, wrote Page.
“’To Kill a Mockingbird’ not only provides Scout a profound lesson in life, it also extends that lesson to each of us, inviting us to measure how far we have come, and emphasizing how we must continue to be diligent on the road to justice and freedom,” she said.

“To Kill a Mockingbird”
Where: Mary Rippon Outdoor Theatre
When: Through Aug. 5
Cost: Adult tickets start at $14
Information: ColoradoShakes.org

Distributed by Colorado Capitol Reporters

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By Peter Marcus, DENVER DAILY NEWS
Boulderite Kevin Watson trampled through throngs of people, stomping turf with his leather sandals.
“Yea, Mile High,” shouts a shirtless Watson, his face and chest red from the pounding sun all day, as he continues to slap and pound the hands of fellow festival attendees.
The second annual Mile High Music Festival, held once again this Saturday and Sunday at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park in Commerce City, was another success.

Improvements
Correcting issues faced last year during the inaugural festival, AEG Live chief of the Rocky Mountains, Chuck Morris, was sure to add more water stations and teamed up with Boulder-based Green Event Company to offer discounted GreenPasses for green-friendly shuttle service between Denver, Boulder and the festival.
Planners also condensed the distance between stages, resulting in less walking, but more standing on concrete. The majority of the stages, however, were set completely on soccer turf.
Fans were dazzled with a polite mixture of entertainment, each set complementing all the others in their own way. But the diverse array of music brought with it a diverse section of the population.
In the end, it looked like harder Tool fans brought more T-shirts with them, but softer Widespread Panic brought the crowds expected during their only Colorado performances of 2009.
This festival was dominated by their presence, with two full sets each night dedicated to Panic. That’s the difference between Panic playing for three hours and 15 minutes and Tool playing for only one hour and 45 minutes.
Incubus and Tool fan Luke from Pittsburgh, who declined to give his last name, said that while he would have liked to have seen Tool play longer, he was still finding the overall Mile High experience an “awesome” one.
“This is awesome, man, this is my dream,” he said, adding that it was well worth the trip in from Pittsburgh. “I think I’m gonna cry.”

Whacky elements
The festival incorporated some whacky elements as well, like a lounge on one of the main streets with a bartender handing out hundreds of pairs of goofy, orange, plastic sunglasses. Mr. Morris, who is known for his dozens of pairs of trademark sunglasses, must have approved of this venture.
Some fans walked around with Super Soakers, drenching smoking fans throughout the day. Others walked over to the WaterWorks station to cool off.
Fans were also able to interact with art through a partnership with the Art Institute of Colorado. Industrial design students created green-friendly art, including VIP seating created out of recycled materials; a Mayan-inspired village with a solar-powered rotating sun and towering misting sunflowers; giant movable hands made with recycled tent and backpack poles; and an Earth-inspired dome tent built out of plastic bags and garbage.
For Sarah Denim, the experience was all about Widespread Panic.
“That’s why I’m here, man,” she said. “That’s what all this is about.”

Distributed by Colorado Capitol Reporters

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