Is Colorado Springs’ theater scene on the cusp of something big? – The Know
Aisha Ahmad-Post, executive director of the Newman Center for the Performing Arts, poses for a portrait at the University of Denver on Dec. 15, 2020. (Hyoung Chang, The Denver Post)
My first (job) interview was the week the pandemic shut down the world, said Aisha Ahmad-Post during a Zoom call, an I-know-I-know smile punctuating the seeming absurdity of that fact. She got the job, and her start date as executive director of Newman Center for the Performing Arts was Aug. 3.
Playwright and director Idris Goodwin, too, began his job as the pandemic surged and waned, surged and waned (sort of) and the streets were populated with citizens reiterating what should have been a no-brainer, that Black Lives Matter. He now directs the Fine Arts Center at Colorado College in Colorado Springs.
Hired in 2018, Caitlin Lowans had a little more time under her belt as the artistic director of Theatreworks before the pandemic changed everything. The notable Colorado Springs company was on the eve of staging An Iliad, its sixth show in her first full season of programming, when all hell broke loose.
This month marks the year anniversary of the moment when the gathering arts began to crumple under the weight of COVID-19. Throughout the pandemic, under the stewardship of Ahmad-Post, Goodwin and Lowans, the Newman Center, Theatreworks and the Fine Arts Center have stayed the course sharing performances, almost entirely in virtual fashion even as they have course-corrected. Each has been doing the work she/he embraced when they undertook their gigs: building community even in the midst of a community-bedeviling pandemic.
One of the highpoints of the Newman Centers 2010-21 season was supposed to be a visit by Wynton Marsalis and the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra. It still was a highlight, as the March 5 virtual performance of Marsalis Democracy! Suite, by the famed jazzman and a septet gamely proved. Was it live? Not quite, but it was memorable.
This fall I started having some conversations with the Jazz at Lincoln Center team about a virtual performance, Ahmad-Post wrote in an email. At the time, we were gearing up for the election season and the Democracy! Suite was particularly fitting. As Wynton will tell you, jazz is all about listening, responding, harmonizing, point and counterpoint. Maybe we could all use a reminder about how to be in dialogue, in conversation.
Ahmad-Post, a classically trained musician turned arts honcho, has known of the Newman Center since her time in New York City, when she was producing the New York Public Library systems Live! artists series.
It has all the things that are exciting to me when I think about the role of a performing arts center, when I think about the arts in a regional metropolitan center, she said. Ahmad-Posts goals go beyond maintaining the high-profile tug of the acoustically impressive Gates Auditorium that lure artists of Marsalis caliber, but also support homegrown but globally known creatives like choreographer Cleo Parker Robinson and her dance ensemble. It really has its own thing going on, so what should that look like and what should our conversation with the national and international community look like?
The pandemic has given her room unasked for, to be sure, but valuable just the same to start answering those questions.
Before grabbing the reins at Newman Center, Ahmad-Post had proven she could guide an arts organizations grandest designs while nurturing its deepest values, helming the opening of the Ent Center at the University of Colorado-Colorado Springs. The Ent is home to an art gallery, Theaterworks and an Artists Series.
The ambition of that project was enormous, says Ahmad-Post, who asked, How the Center could be part of the Colorado Springs resurgence and renaissance, especially in the arts.
That Ahmad-Post, Goodwin and Lowans share a relationship to the states second-largest city isnt lost on any of them. And the work theyve done has forced arts-loving Denverites to rethink any aversion to that drive south down Interstate 25. I think Colorado Springs is on the precipice of something really big with the arts and culture sector, Ahmad-Post said.
As for the Newman Center, beyond maintaining the high-profile tug of the acoustically impressive Gates Auditorium, Ahmad-Post intends on deepening the conversations between audience, venue and artists: giving local audiences more of a sense of their role in that equation.
I think theres a unique role for an arts center. How do you shape what a community is? How do you build empathy? How do you share stories that are highly specific and also universal?
Goodwin is no stranger to the Rocky Mountain West. He had been a professor at Colorado College for six years. During that time, his reach extended beyond the classroom: As a playwright and director, hed helmed productions at Curious Theatre Company and had his work performed at the Denver Center for the Performing Arts.
When the Black Actors Guild mounted a socially distanced but also virtual production of his hip-hop drama Hype Man last September, it was one of the few plays to be staged for an in-person audience during the 2020 fall season.
Being a professor was a great launch pad and foundation, he said of his time at CC. But I developed a real appetite for doing things in the civic space.
In 2018, he took a job as the producing artistic director of StageOne Family Theatre in Louisville, Ky. The organization introduces youngsters to the arts.
Goodwin and his family were living in Louisville when Breonna Taylor was killed by police. Being there this summer, during that (shooting) and also working in the cultural and civic space for two years its been a very surreal set of months, he said.
This American moment and his role in influencing the direction of a well-regarded multidisciplinary arts organization challenge him in ways he feels hes been moving toward his whole and varied career.
To be in the arts is really advantageous because were in the humanity business, were in the empathy business, the storytelling business, said Goodwin.
I came into my (job) interview basically saying, Are we just a building with some objects in it? Or are we more than that? Are we a conversation? Are we a lifestyle? Are we a cultural engine? Thats what I came in with. So then when we had to shut things down, it was a great opportunity to dig into that conversation.
An Iliad had been scheduled as the sixth show of Lowans first full season of programming, and was to open on March 12.
I was excited about it, said Lowans. Especially for the Springs, because of telling a story of war in a community, many of it comes from the military and veteran community.Lowans has become even more keen on expanding the communities that Theatreworks speaks and listens to.
In the intervening months, Lowans and Theatreworks juked and tweaked. In October, they presented monologist Anna Deavere Smiths House Arrest: A Search for Character In and Around the White House, past and present, having paired eight directors with eight performers for Zoom rehearsals.
For the last two weekends of February, Theatreworks experienced the fruits of all that pivoting. The Mitten: a Midwinter Puppetry Fable, created by JParker Arts and Katy Williams Designs, brought together a lovely, diverse group of puppeteers (across the race, gender, theatre discipline, level of experience spectrums), Lowans wrote in an email. And the warm response from the audience made me hopeful for the interdisciplinary adventurousness of audiences to come. The show sold out.
An Iliad is back on the companys slate for a late spring/early summer production in 2021. Whether it will unfold indoors, outdoors or virtually has yet to be confirmed. Before that, Theatreworks is providing two more pieces in its Sunday series of free virtual readings: Kate Hamills adaptation of Little Women, (April 11) and Aubergine by Julia Cho (May 16).
Lisa Kennedy (lkennedywriter@gmail.com) is a former film and theater critic for The Denver Post.
Subscribe to our weekly newsletter, In The Know, to get entertainment news sent straight to your inbox.
See original here:
Is Colorado Springs' theater scene on the cusp of something big? - The Know
- Black Lives Matter marks 12 years with global expansion and renewed calls for accountability - Insight News - July 22nd, 2025 [July 22nd, 2025]
- Police Seeking Thief Who Stole Pride, Black Lives Matter Flags From Danville Inn - Caledonian Record - July 20th, 2025 [July 20th, 2025]
- Renowned photographer Misan Harriman on Black Lives Matter, Gaza and finding hope in protest - Big Issue - July 14th, 2025 [July 14th, 2025]
- This Day in History Hundreds of Black Lives Matter protestors occupied I-40 bridge - Action News 5 - July 12th, 2025 [July 12th, 2025]
- Pepper-balls vs. tear gas: How 2020's Black Lives Matter protest in Spokane compares to the immigration demonstration of 2025 - The Spokesman-Review - June 18th, 2025 [June 18th, 2025]
- Now and then: How Trump's response to LA riots has changed from 2020 Black Lives Matter and Antifa - Fox News - June 12th, 2025 [June 12th, 2025]
- Community comes together to repaint Black Lives Matter mural - The Pajaronian - June 12th, 2025 [June 12th, 2025]
- When the looting starts, the shooting starts: Trump echoes notorious Black Lives Matter quote over LA anti-ICE demos - The Independent - June 12th, 2025 [June 12th, 2025]
- Understanding the History of Torture in America - Black Lives Matter - June 12th, 2025 [June 12th, 2025]
- Organizers look back to 2020 when 1,000 people marched in Black Lives Matter protest in Green Bay - Green Bay Press-Gazette - June 7th, 2025 [June 7th, 2025]
- Black Lives Matter Plaza 5 Years Later - The Washington Informer - June 7th, 2025 [June 7th, 2025]
- Black Lives Matter was an outbreak of global hysteria - Spiked - June 7th, 2025 [June 7th, 2025]
- What I learned from the aftermath of the Black Lives Matter uprising - The Guardian - May 28th, 2025 [May 28th, 2025]
- Five Years of Black Lives Matter: Top conspiracy theories about the death of George Floyd - Times of India - May 28th, 2025 [May 28th, 2025]
- Black Lives Matter wasnt interested in truth - Spiked - May 28th, 2025 [May 28th, 2025]
- I walked across the south of America in a Black Lives Matter shirt this is what happened - London Evening Standard - May 28th, 2025 [May 28th, 2025]
- Storyville: White Man Walking review the man who marched 1,500 miles with a Black Lives Matter sign - The Guardian - May 28th, 2025 [May 28th, 2025]
- Five years on from Black Lives Matter, has the UK made progress on ethnic equalities? - The Guardian - May 28th, 2025 [May 28th, 2025]
- 'Coming from a place of accountability' - How the Black Lives Matter movement inspired analyst and ex-USMNT star Taylor Twellman to earn a degree 20... - May 28th, 2025 [May 28th, 2025]
- Five years of virtue signalling: the failure of Black Lives Matter - The Telegraph - May 28th, 2025 [May 28th, 2025]
- Was the Black Lives Matter rebellion all for nothing? It may feel like that, but I have seen reasons for hope - The Guardian - May 28th, 2025 [May 28th, 2025]
- Highland Park to restore Black Lives Matter mural - Central New Jersey News - May 28th, 2025 [May 28th, 2025]
- Black Lives Matter street murals stand as an enduring reminder of protests against racism - Lynchburg News and Advance - May 28th, 2025 [May 28th, 2025]
- 'Black lives matter': Demonstrators march in Southeast Portland, paying tribute to George Floyd, 5 years after his murder - KGW - May 28th, 2025 [May 28th, 2025]
- History Today: How George Floyds killing in US gave rise to Black Lives Matter movement - Firstpost - May 28th, 2025 [May 28th, 2025]
- Free Palestine Replaces Black Lives Matter as the Cause of the Activist Class - The New York Sun - May 28th, 2025 [May 28th, 2025]
- The far-right's resurgence was only a matter of time after Black Lives Matter - Big Issue - May 28th, 2025 [May 28th, 2025]
- Inside the Big Issue: The rise and fall of Black Lives Matter - Big Issue - May 19th, 2025 [May 19th, 2025]
- Five Years After the Murder of George Floyd, New Survey Measures Views on Race, Policing and Black Lives Matter - Good Faith Media - May 19th, 2025 [May 19th, 2025]
- Backlash: The Murder of George Floyd TV review tracing the transatlantic spread of Black Lives Matter - Financial Times - May 19th, 2025 [May 19th, 2025]
- Minneapolis still broken, divided and suffering 5 years after George Floyd death: Black Lives Matter was never here - New York Post - May 19th, 2025 [May 19th, 2025]
- Black Lives Matter: Will Donald Trump pardon Derek Chauvin, convicted of killing George Floyd? What we kn - Times of India - May 19th, 2025 [May 19th, 2025]
- BC teacher who referred to Black Lives Matter protesters as 'animals' gets reprimanded - Infotel.ca - May 19th, 2025 [May 19th, 2025]
- Teachers Are Building the Future. Trump Is Tearing It Down. - Black Lives Matter - May 11th, 2025 [May 11th, 2025]
- Megyn Kelly criticizes Met Gala's Tailoring Black Style theme: "It was basically Black Lives Matter at the Met" - Media Matters - May 11th, 2025 [May 11th, 2025]
- Black Lives Matter Plaza's end like its beginning is a barometer of the times - Roanoke Times - April 10th, 2025 [April 10th, 2025]
- Seattle Parks working on plan for new memorial in Cal Anderson marking CHOP and the 2020 Black Lives Matter protests UPDATE - CHS Capitol Hill... - April 3rd, 2025 [April 3rd, 2025]
- Black Lives Matter Plaza's end like its beginning is a barometer of the times - Ottumwa Courier - April 3rd, 2025 [April 3rd, 2025]
- Black Lives Matter Plaza's end like its beginning is a barometer of the times - southernminn.com - April 3rd, 2025 [April 3rd, 2025]
- Black Lives Matter Plaza's end like its beginning is a barometer of the times - thederrick.com - April 3rd, 2025 [April 3rd, 2025]
- D.C.'s Black Lives Matter mural will be erased. Look back at the iconic street painting - NPR - March 9th, 2025 [March 9th, 2025]
- D.C. Mayor Orders Removal of Black Lives Matter Mural She Commissioned After House GOP Threatens to Do It for Her - PEOPLE - March 9th, 2025 [March 9th, 2025]
- Reconstruction of D.C.s Black Lives Matter Plaza to begin next week - Washington Times - March 9th, 2025 [March 9th, 2025]
- Washington, DC, to remove 'Black Lives Matter' painting from street near White House, mayor says - The Associated Press - March 9th, 2025 [March 9th, 2025]
- Bigger fish to fry: Why DC is making changes to Black Lives Matter Plaza painting - WTOP - March 9th, 2025 [March 9th, 2025]
- Washington mayor says Black Lives Matter Plaza near White House to be redesigned - Reuters - March 9th, 2025 [March 9th, 2025]
- Black Lives Matter Plaza to be redesigned as part of new DC mural project - FOX 5 DC - March 9th, 2025 [March 9th, 2025]
- U.S. Rep. Andrew Clyde of Georgia leads attack on Black Lives Matter Plaza. What we know - Online Athens - March 9th, 2025 [March 9th, 2025]
- D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser Suggests Black Lives Matter Plaza Will Be Painted Over - The New York Times - March 9th, 2025 [March 9th, 2025]
- DC mayor to remove Black Lives Matter Plaza amid pressure from White House - NBC Washington - March 9th, 2025 [March 9th, 2025]
- Once declared 'permanent,' Washington, D.C.'s Black Lives Matter Plaza will soon be painted over - Fast Company - March 9th, 2025 [March 9th, 2025]
- Opinion | D.C. can respect Black Lives Matter without street art - The Washington Post - March 9th, 2025 [March 9th, 2025]
- DC Mayor suggests city will paint over Black Lives Matter Plaza near White House - The Hill - March 9th, 2025 [March 9th, 2025]
- D.C. mayor to ditch Black Lives Matter mural, street name to avoid scrum with GOP on Capitol Hill - Washington Times - March 9th, 2025 [March 9th, 2025]
- Black Lives Matter Mural near White House will be replaced with a new mural as part of DCs America 250 mural project - PoPville - March 9th, 2025 [March 9th, 2025]
- DC crews to begin 'reconstruction' of Black Lives Matter Plaza - KCBY.com 11 - March 9th, 2025 [March 9th, 2025]
- DC crews to begin 'reconstruction' of Black Lives Matter Plaza - WGME - March 9th, 2025 [March 9th, 2025]
- DC crews to begin 'reconstruction' of Black Lives Matter Plaza - NTV - March 9th, 2025 [March 9th, 2025]
- DC crews to begin 'reconstruction' of Black Lives Matter Plaza - KRCR - March 9th, 2025 [March 9th, 2025]
- DC crews to begin 'reconstruction' of Black Lives Matter Plaza - WRGB - March 9th, 2025 [March 9th, 2025]
- DC crews to begin 'reconstruction' of Black Lives Matter Plaza - WPEC - March 9th, 2025 [March 9th, 2025]
- DC crews to begin 'reconstruction' of Black Lives Matter Plaza - WEAR - March 9th, 2025 [March 9th, 2025]
- DC crews to begin 'reconstruction' of Black Lives Matter Plaza - FoxReno.com - March 9th, 2025 [March 9th, 2025]
- DC crews to begin 'reconstruction' of Black Lives Matter Plaza - krcgtv.com - March 9th, 2025 [March 9th, 2025]
- DC crews to begin 'reconstruction' of Black Lives Matter Plaza - Dayton 24/7 Now - March 9th, 2025 [March 9th, 2025]
- DC crews to begin 'reconstruction' of Black Lives Matter Plaza - ktvo.com - March 9th, 2025 [March 9th, 2025]
- Federal judge inclined to side with USPS over seized Black Lives Matter merch - Courthouse News Service - February 27th, 2025 [February 27th, 2025]
- Analysis: Whatever happened to Black Lives Matter? - Church Times - February 14th, 2025 [February 14th, 2025]
- How old was Trayvon Martin when he died? A look back at the teen's death that sparked Black Lives Matter Movement - Soap Central - February 11th, 2025 [February 11th, 2025]
- On Trayvon Martins 30th Birthday, Black Lives Still Matter - Word In Black - February 5th, 2025 [February 5th, 2025]
- Black Lives Matter at School Week of Action in Olympia School District from Feb. 3-7 - The Jolt News - February 3rd, 2025 [February 3rd, 2025]
- Trump could undo everything the UK learnt from Black Lives Matter - inews - February 3rd, 2025 [February 3rd, 2025]
- Posters with Black Lives Matter term to be voted on by Lakeville school board - CBS News - February 1st, 2025 [February 1st, 2025]
- Lakeville school board to vote Tuesday on use of "Black Lives Matter" posters - CBS News - February 1st, 2025 [February 1st, 2025]
- Art by African Americans: From the Protest of the 60's to the Age of Black Lives Matter - TAPinto.net - January 22nd, 2025 [January 22nd, 2025]
- Community continues to demand answers concerning Rayvon Shahid during Black Lives Matter protests - Flint Courier News - November 28th, 2024 [November 28th, 2024]
- Black Lives Matter protests police shooting of 17-year-old in Flint - WJRT - November 24th, 2024 [November 24th, 2024]
- Black Lives Matter Flint hosts three-day protest for death of 17-year-old Rayvon Shahid - WEYI - November 21st, 2024 [November 21st, 2024]
- Davis, Black Lives Matter say police discipline bill is being rushed - WVPE Public Media - November 21st, 2024 [November 21st, 2024]
- Revealed: Starmer called for an export ban on police gear to Trump during the Black Lives Matter protests in 2 - Daily Mail - November 14th, 2024 [November 14th, 2024]