Denver Theater Examiner

Mountain Mouse/City Mouse

the amazing gams of Murphy Funkhouser

Here Murphy writes on twhat she's learned in bringing her show down from the mountains to Denver.

In the mountains from whence I came (Breckenridge, Colorado), all entertainment was well-attended entertainment.

Granted, in the land of ice and snow, you are competing with the elements themselves. A matinee? On a powder day? Well, you'd better be performing a naked trapeze act under the lift, itself.

But, in the depths of winter (8 months of the year), when darkness falls early, there are only 2 options: more apres ski or a theatre show (at one of only two theatres...).

Ticket sales are as strong as a double whiskey hot-toddy.

Not to mention, the reception from the audience is warm. Like woolen gloves they embrace the jokes, and fly right over any technical snags like effortless moguls.

Word of mouth spreads like a game of tin-can telephone. The next weekend, your seats are bulging at the seams with happy bodies wrapped in wool.

In Denver, not only are you competing with 90 degree evenings of grilling and chilling, you are asking audiences to choose you over nationally-touring productions.

Oh, wait...that's me.

Um...I meant nationally touring productions with 100 times the budget and wow-capabilities as your own.  Plus there are a ton of Denver-based companies of reputation.

And then, of course, there are things like Elitch Gardens.

Sob. I may be a "roller coaster ride of emotion" but I sure ain't no REAL roller coaster.

The differences between doing theatre in the mountains and in Denver are not just reflected by the attendance numbers.

In a city where good, solid entertainment is a way of life, the deepest pang comes from the effort to make a connection.

In urbanity, even the body language is different.

In the mountains, the crowd sits forth ready to be fed entertainment like warm porridge.

The city? Arms are crossed. One eyebrow raised. You feel a bit like you have walked up to a stranger at Starbucks, tapped on his paper and asked to tell him a joke.

"This better be good"...

This is not to say that Denver audiences are not receptive. They are.

The show still really seems to touch people. I still get the hugs, the tears and the thank yous after each performance.

I just feel like I have worked a little harder. Okay. A lot harder. Apparently, I've worked so hard, I make, "Sally Field seem ungrateful" (Denver Post).

And. Phew. It's true. I'm tired. Yo, Saint Marks, more iced-mocha, stat!

Thanks Denver for helping me earn some  chops

Crazy Bag runs July 11-13 and July 18-20 at Vintage Theatre (2119 E 17th Street). 303-839-1361

from guest writer Murphy Funkhouser

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