Today's Features

Rick Bernstein has made a name for himself in Denver’s theater world as the founder and executive director of Miners Alley Playhouse in Golden. On Sept. 18, Bernstein brings his directing talent a little closer to home in his directorial debut with the Evergreen Chorale’s production of “Carousel.”

“I’ll tell you, working at Center/Stage sure has saved on gas money,” laughs Bernstein. Bernstein and his wife, Paige Larson, also active in theater at Miners Alley and throughout Colorado, are Evergreen residents.

Word on the street is that people aren’t buying as much art. With the downturn in the economy, art — often considered a luxury item — can be one of the first purchases to go.

Victoria Thomas, artist and owner of Kaleidoscope Gallery, hasn’t felt the pinch, though. In the last year, Thomas has seen a steady stream of sales of her unique found-mineral artwork, has opened her own gallery in Evergreen, and continues to expand her business in new directions.

A great success is the best way to describe the first-ever Art in the Park at the Mountain Resource Center last week.

The event, which provided free art activities for children and their parents, was expected to garner a couple dozen wannabe artists, but by the halfway point, at least 50 children had attended. And they all had messy, artistic fun.

The kids painted birdhouses and made kites, hats, beaded necklaces and stamped booklets, and even painted canvas shoes.

Colorado is a long way from the Upper Peninsula of Michigan — the “U.P.,” for short. But when it comes to humor, Coloradans aren’t all that far away from Yoopers. Let’s face it — four crusty hunters, some Native American moonshine and a load of flatulence can make even the most prim of the populace giggle. And giggle is what you’ll do when the Evergreen Players open “Escanaba in da Moonlight” on July 10.