“Best Bets: Kid stuff, an ode to robots, saxy sounds” plus 1 more

Best Bets: Kid stuff, an ode to robots, saxy sounds

Posted: 04 Mar 2011 12:12 AM PST

Family fun

Not really so bad

Saturday. Think again. First impressions aren't always correct in "Madeline and the Bad Hat," playing at the Lakewood Cultural Center. Presented by ArtsPower, the original play is based on Ludwig Bemelmans' book of the same name. Madeline, the little Parisian schoolgirl, is dismayed when her new neighbor, Pepito, turns out to be a terror. But when Pepito gets himself in trouble, it's up to Madeline to help him, and she discovers he's not as bad as he seems. 1 p.m. Lakewood Cultural Center, 470 S. Allison Parkway, Lakewood; 303- 987-7845. Tickets are $12 for adults, $10.50 for students and seniors, $8 for kids ages 3 to 12. For more information, visit artspower.org. Kathleen St. John

Kid stuff

Saturday-Sunday. All about 'em. The Colorado Convention Center becomes a kids paradise during the All About Kids Expo. While parents wander through the exhibitor booths, youngsters can join in all sorts of activities: bowling, train rides, mini golf, a climbing wall, jump castles and more. Radio Disney sponsors the entertainment stage, featuring the "Radio Disney Rockin' Road Show," the Never Land Pirate Band, dance performances and magic. 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday. Colorado Convention Center, 700 14th St.; 303-228-8000. General-admission tickets are $10; buy in advance at ticketswest.com or call 866-464-2626. Learn more at all-about-kids.org. Kathleen St. John

Garden of youth

Saturday. Dig it. After a quiet winter, the Mordecai Children's Garden at the Denver Botanic Gardens reopens on Saturday. First opened last August, the Children's Garden is a 3-acre mini-park where little ones can run around, explore and learn about Colorado's plant ecosystems. Stroll along Springmelt Stream, play biologist at Pipsqueak Pond, and drop in to guided programs. Perhaps the coolest part: a digging pit where little earthmovers can get to work. 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily. Denver Botanic Gardens, 1007 York St.; 720-865-3500. $12.50 for adults, $9.50 for seniors and military, $9 for students and youth ages 4 to 15. Visit botanicgardens.org to learn more. Kathleen St. John

Tales of growing up

Saturday. Kids concert. Kids get a concert of their own when Bill Harley brings his silly, family-friendly show to Golden. Grammy Award winner Harley and his guitar tell tales of growing up, from "Monsters in the Bathroom" to "50 Ways to Fool Your Mother." Grown-ups can expect some chuckles too: Harley also works as a storyteller and National Public Radio contributor. (He's putting on a show for adults at 7 p.m. Saturday.) Family show: 10 a.m. Saturday. Jefferson Unitarian Church, 14350 W. 32nd Ave., Golden; 303-279-5282. Tickets are $5 for kids, $10 for a family. For more information, visit billharley.com or jefferson unitarian.org. Kathleen St. John

Women's Day 5K

Sunday. Run/walk. The 100th annual International Women's Day is officially Tuesday, but the weekend isn't too early to start celebrating: Pound the pavement in a 5K run/walk at Washington Park to benefit needy women. Proceeds from race registration will go to support a microloan program that helps women start their own small businesses and escape poverty. Bring along some used sneakers to donate too. The Women's Day celebration continues on Tuesday with speakers, music and an expo at the Denver Performing Arts Complex. 5K registration begins at 7:30 a.m.; the run starts at 9 a.m. Washington Park, South Downing Street and East Louisiana Avenue. Registration is $25 in advance, $30 the day of the race. Register and learn more at internationalwomensdaydenver.org. Kathleen St. John

Theater

An original ode to robots

Through March 26. Modern marvels. Theatre Company of Lafayette is a tiny community theater that has made a niche for itself by presenting

(Madge Montgomery, Theatre Company of Lafayette)

annual, topical short-play festivals. This year the troupe marks the 90th anniversary of the first use of the word "robot." This year's festival, "Machines Like Us," is actually made up of two productions running on alternating nights — the world premiere of "Getting Betta," a full-length comedy by Don Fried, and "Robots Like Us," six short comic commissioned playlets, all written by local writers. With this year's offerings, the company has now debuted 35 original scripts in just the past 36 months. 7:30 p.m Fridays and Saturdays, 2 p.m. and 6 p.m. Sundays at the Mary Miller Theater, 300 E. Simpson St., 720-209-2154 or tclstage.org. John Moore

Visual art

Through blind eyes

Through the weekend. Photography. There is more than one way to see. That is the idea behind "Sight Unseen: International Photography by Blind Artists." The traveling exhibition opened Thursday at Metropolitan State College of Denver's Center for Visual Art, 965 Santa Fe Drive, and runs through April 9. Free. 303- 294-5207 or metrostatecva.org. Kyle MacMillan

Classical music

Saxy sounds

Saturday. No strings attached. The string quartet might be the king of classical foursomes, but it doesn't hold a monopoly. Another family of intruments — the saxophone — also works well in that combination. As evidence, look no further than the internationally touring Amstel Quartet, composed of four Dutch saxophonists who met in 1997. The group will appear at 7:30 p.m. Saturday at the Lakewood Cultural Center, 470 S. Allison Parkway, performing works by composers ranging from Richard Wagner to Michael Torke. $26. 303-987-7845 or lakewood.org/culturalcenter. Kyle MacMillan

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Lime Kiln Middle student's play earns recognition

Posted: 10 Feb 2011 11:42 AM PST

Lime Kiln Middle School seventh-grader Michelle Wong cannot talk with the animals, but she can imagine what they might say, and she figures few would have kind words about last year's oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico.

She recently wrote a short play about a few sea creatures affected by the spill that was submitted in the Arena Stage 12th Annual Student 10-Minute Play Competition. With more than 800 entries submitted from area middle and high schools, Michelle didn't figure she had much of a chance at winning.

But those at the Washington-based production center were impressed with what Michelle had to say. They named her play "Responsibility — Fatal or Not?" among the competition's eight winning entries.

"When I first heard about the oil spill, I looked it up, and people posted some really sad videos and pictures of birds and turtles," said Michelle, the only seventh-grade student among the eight winners. "I realize they couldn't speak or anything, so I just wondered if I could be their voice."

She and the other winners will attend classes and work with Arena Stage officials to develop their plays, which will be performed by professional actors at Arena Stage's Keeger Theater next month.

Michelle is one of two students at the Fulton school whose entries were honored. Seventh-grader Amanda Bachman received Middle School Honorable Mention for her play "The Principal's Office." The honorable mention plays were read at Arena Stage two weeks ago.

Stacey Stewart, director of education, school and professional development at Arena Stage, said that Michelle's play "really stands out" among the more than 800 entries submitted.

"It's got a really strong point of view," said Stewart. "You see in reading it that this is a writer with a real passion for the subject, and it's done in a really inventive and creative way."

The play involves two main characters, a seagull named Seymour and a turtle named Tara. The play begins as Seymour notices a dark substance in the nearby water, and he implores Tara to go in to investigate.

Moments later, Tara reaches the water and notes that it's never been so dark; Seymour likens the material to very thick ink and bemoans that the sea life population will be gone soon.

"It's oil!" Seymour says. "This will kill a lot of our wildlife. Human engineering. So irresponsible! I bet they're spending all the time blaming each other for this spill instead of rescuing some of us!"

Michelle said she wrote her first play in fourth grade, which prepared her for her recent work. "I took a while to think about the voice of the two [main] characters, how much they would know, how they would feel," she said.

Haley Miller, seventh-grade English teacher at Lime Kiln Middle, volunteered in the education department at Arena Stage and worked in the center's media relations department. She saw scripts develop from written form to stage performances, and is helping prepare Michelle for the transformation she might see from her original work.

"That's definitely one of the biggest concerns," Miller said. "They assign the kids dramaturges and directors that say, 'Have you thought about this?' or 'What if this could happen?' It's making students aware of the fact that in order for the play to be the best it can be, there have to be revisions and edits and ways to improve it.

"Michelle and I had a conversation separately to prepare her for that, and not to take offense at it but to realize that this is an excellent opportunity," Miller added.

But Michelle, who is busy revising the play for production, said she relishes the opportunity to learn more about the stage, noting that her script work is much different from the videos that kids her age place on networking sites such as YouTube.

"On YouTube videos, you get to edit all the films and put background that's not really there," she said. "In theater, you have to use the drama, what the actors can do, so they can portray the characters and setting and the main point that's getting across."

joseph.burris@baltsun.com

Playscripts For Kids

Friday, March 4, 2011