Lyric offers physically distanced ‘Rumors’ audience
Gene Deason / Special to the Bulletin
Good seats remain available for the final four performances of Neil Simon’s “Rumors” at Brownwood’s Lyric Theatre downtown.
The comedic farce enjoyed a successful opening last weekend.
This weekend’s shows will feature a physically distanced audience for Friday’s matinee, so anyone not comfortable being seated next to others because of the pandemic should plan to attend that performance. Altering rows will be left vacant, and empty seats will automatically separate groups of ticket-buyers.
Performances are scheduled for 2:30 and 7:30 p.m. Friday, 7:30 p.m. Saturday, and 2:30 p.m. Sunday. Tickets are available at www.brownwoodlyrictheatre.com. The cost is $15 for adults, $12 for seniors, and $10 for students.
Civic Center Park on April 20, 2021, as 4:20 p.m. approached.
Hilal Bahcetepe
This was the second year in a row that Civic Center was quiet on 4/20. Last year, while stay-at-home orders were in effect because of the pandemic, the perimeter of the park was closed off by fences, police officers waited in the grass, and sirens and automated warnings blared at 4:20 p.m.
Pandemic notwithstanding, Denver attracts thousands of cannabis tourists, activists and consumers each year to celebrate the unofficial holiday for stoners. Civic Center has been the designated venue to host 4/20 rallies and protests for more than a decade, thanks largely to the late cannabis activist Ken Gorman. Two competing organizers say they plan to host something at Civic Center next year, so we’ll see how cloudy things get in 2022.
Cue the laughter as ‘Rumors’ returns to Lyric stage
Gene Deason / Special to the Bulletin
Laughter will ring out again this weekend as Brownwood’s Lyric Theatre presents Neil Simon’s “Rumors” in its second weekend of shows.
The cascading comedic situations and sight-gags have left audiences holding their sides during the first four performances last week, with one member of the audience offering perhaps the highest praise on social media. “My face hurt from laughter,” he wrote.
Since members of the audience are having a good time, they can only imagine how much fun it is for the cast and crew.
There are smoke sessions in Denver every 4/20, but the heart of the action has always been Civic Center Park. At first a loose-knit gathering, over the decades it grew to a boisterous bash that drew up to 50,000 people. But as the crowds came, so did more bells, whistles and rules. As the 420 Rally organizer from.
Dipping into the talent pool
New stars continue to emerge on Lyric Theatre’s stage
Gene Deason / Special to the Bulletin
Community theaters in cities the size of Brownwood frequently struggle to find the right people for the multiple roles needed for shows, but that’s apparently not the case for the Lyric Theatre.
The production company opened its second show of the 2021 season on Friday Neil Simon’s “Rumors” and of the 10 characters who appear on stage, six are either in their first or second plays at the Lyric.
The first-timers are Tommie Bailey, who plays Chris Gorman; and Domonique Stephens, who plays Officer Pudney. The second-timers are Lasha Dennis (Claire Ganz), Levi Packer (Lenny Ganz), Ryan McCormick (Ernie Cusack), and Jake Bowren (Officer Welch). Packer and McCormick also starred in the most recent Lyric production, “Clue,” in February.