Cleo Parker Robinson annex demolition makes way for the new

Cleo Parker Robinson Dance had to “very carefully” go out with the old on Thursday to make way for the new.

Using boom lifts and hand tools, crews gingerly separated a 17-year-old tower annex from its landmark-protected primary dance theater in the historically essential, 98-year-old former Shorter AME Church – then let T-rex bulldozers claw it to the ground.

The demolition paves the way for the coming addition of a new, 25,000-square-foot, four-level wing that will connect to the historic building and ensure the company’s presence at 119 Park Avenue West in Denver’s Five Points for decades to come.

The new addition, targeted for a March 2025 opening, will be called “The Cleo Parker Robinson Center for the Healing Arts.” It is a $20 million endeavor, of which about 75 percent has been raised. Plans for the new glass-and-steel building call for a new garden-level, 240-seat performance venue, four new movement studios, dressing rooms, exercise facilities, a café and more.

The Shorter building was home to the oldest Black church in Denver before it moved to its current home at Colorado and Martin Luther King Boulevard. The Shorter has been the dance company’s home since 1988.

Councilman’s film goes international

"The Order," a major motion picture based on reporter-turned-Denver City Councilman Kevin Flynn's 1990 book "The Silent Brotherhood,” will not only be screened at both the Venice Film Festival (Aug. 28-Sept. 7) and the Toronto International Film Festival (Sept. 5-15), it is among 21 films up for The Golden Lion, the top prize at Venice. Other finalists include “Joker: Folie à deux” starring Lady Gaga and Joaquin Phoenix; “Babygirl,” with Nicole Kidman and Harris Dickison, and Tim Burton’s “Beetlejuice Beetlejuice.”

“The Order” is based on Flynn’s 1989 book with Gary Gerhardt “The Silent Brotherhood: Inside America's Racist Underground” covering the rise of a neo-Nazi domestic terrorist organization that sought the secession of five northwest states to create a separate, all-white country. They raised funds through armed bank robberies, and they assassinated outspoken Jewish radio talk-show host Alan Berg in front of his Denver home.

“The Order,” directed by Australian Justin Kurzel, stars Jude Law, Nicholas Hoult and Tye Sheridan. Law is featured in a second Golden Lion finalist: Ron Howard’s survival thriller “Eden.”

“We will have a theatrical run in U.S. cinemas nationwide later this fall,” Flynn said.

An Emmy for ‘The Holly’

Julian Rubinstein's 2022 documentary "The Holly," which investigates the city of Denver’s anti-gang efforts through the lens of a shocking 2013 shooting involving community activist and recent mayoral candidate Terrance Roberts, won a 2024 Heartland Emmy last week for best topical documentary. The Emmy is shared by Rubinstein as director and a producer, Dia Sokol Savage as a producer and the intentionally lower-cased Denver theater legend donnie l. betts as producer.

"The Holly," which revolves around a shooting at a public event attended by future Denver Mayor Mike Johnston, remains available for streaming on Amazon Prime and Apple Plus.

Theater founder dies

The theater community is mourning the death of Lennie Singer, an accomplished actor and writer who in 1994 co-founded the Black Coffee Theatre, which came to be known as the Lake Dillon Theatre and, now, as Theatre SilCo in Silverthorne. She is also the mother of longtime Denver actor Jordan Leigh. Friends will remember Singer, who died Monday in Denver, as strong-willed, loving, opinionated and endlessly giving.

“Lennie was one of those lovers of theater for all the right reasons that people get into theater, which is passion to produce work for the community,” said Theatre SilCo artistic director Christopher Alleman. “For her, it was always about getting more people involved backstage, on stage and in the audience.”

Perhaps my favorite memory of Singer both as a performer and interview subject was when she played Edna in a 2005 play called “The Oldest Profession” for Lake Dillon. "Although I've always wanted to play a bawdy sex symbol, I didn't know I’d have to wait until I was in my 60s to do it,” she told me then.

Special guest for Phamaly

Colorado Lt. Gov. Dianne Primavera met with the cast, crew and staff from Phamaly Theatre Company on Wednesday ahead of their Aug. 8 opening of “A Chorus Line” at the Denver Center’s Kilstrom Theatre.

Primavera began her career as a vocational rehabilitation counselor working to help people with disabilities secure jobs and lead independent lives. Under her direction, the Colorado Disability Funding Committee has awarded more than $1.4 million in grants to disability-focused nonprofits using revenue from the sales of specialty license plates. Phamaly received a $50,000 grant from the committee just last month.

Briefly …

As first reported by The Denver Post, the popular retro Baker neighborhood eatery Sputnik has been sold for the first time in its 21-year existence, from Matt LaBarge and Alison Housely to Joe Phillips and former Sputnik manager Spencer Madison, who promised to keep the bar’s character and culture.

Ali Schlichter, local chef and owner of Chin Dribblin' sauces, was the runner-up on the second season of Gordon Ramsay’s “Food Stars.” Ali says the show provided a significant boost to her business. "The exposure from the show has been incredible. Overnight, we saw a dramatic increase in our social media following and customer base," she said.

And finally …

The Denver Police Department will honor the profound legacy of Wheat Ridge’s Steinmark family with a special (free) screening of the 2015 film “My All American” at 10 a.m. Saturday (July 27) at the Greenwood Village Landmark cinema. The film follows Freddie Joe Steinmark as he faced a leg amputation from cancer while his Texas Longhorns were en route to winning the 1969 college football national championship. His father, Freddie Gene Steinmark, was a decorated Denver police officer. Family members will be on hand. You are asked to RSVP in advance to mhesse@denverpolicemuseum.org.