Photos: My day with Theatre Esprit Asia’s “Spirit & Sworded Treks” and “Dust Storm”

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By John Moore
June 20, 2013

Opening Nos. 83-84: Theatre Esprit Asia’s “Dust Storm” and “Spirit & Sworded Treks”: Denver’s first Asian-American theater company is presenting two solo plays performing in repertory through this coming weekend at the Vintage Theatre’s studio theater. “Sworded Treks” is written by company co-founder Maria Cheng. It weaves tai-ji forms, storytelling, stir-fry cooking and stand-up comedy through the spiritual struggles of a Chinese-American woman who tells us what Johnny Unitas, ecstatic sex, a beheaded Barbie doll and martial arts all have to do with the tao of spirituality. Michelle Hurtubise, who splits “Sworded Treks” performances with Cheng, has remaining appearances at 1:30 p.m. Saturday, June 22; and at 8 p.m. Sunday, June 23. Cheng performs at 8 p.m. Friday, June 21; and at 4:30 p.m. Sunday, June 23 “Sworded Treks” plays in repertory with a one-man show about World War II internment camps titled “Dust Storm,” with three actors sharing those performances. Remaining showtimes: 4:30 p.m. (Dale Li) and 8 p.m. (Peter Trinh) on Saturday, June 22. All shows in Vintage Theatre Productions‘ studio theater, 1468 Dayton St., Aurora. Call 303-856-7830. On the day we visited, Vintage was actually responsible for five performances in a single day: Three performances by TEA; its own mainstage offering of the Agatha Christie spoof “And Then There Was Nun” (since closed); and a reprise of its recent hit “RFK: A Portrait of Robert Kennedy” at the next-door Aurora Fox (through June 23; call 303-739-1970). Thanks: Charles Cobb, Kat Reynolds, Gloria Shanstrom.

 

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How you can donate to the Denver Actors Fund

The new Denver Actors Fund is a modest source of immediate, situational relief when members of the local theater community find themselves in sudden medical need. Photo by John Moore. To donate to the Denver Actors Fund, please go here (with our humble thanks):

By John Moore

Award-winning arts journalist John Moore was named one of the 12 most influential theater critics in the United States by American Theatre Magazine during has 12 years at The Denver Post. Hen then created a groundbreaking new media outlet covering Colorado arts an culture as an in-house, multimedia journalist for the Denver Center for the Performing Arts. He also founded The Denver Actors Fund, a nonprofit that has raised more than $600,000 for theatre artists in medical need. He is now a journalist for hire as the founder of Moore Media Colorado. You can find samples of his work at MooreJohn.Com. Contact him at culturewestjohn@gmail.com