Fall is the time to return to theaters and concert halls across the state

By the Thirst Team

This is one of two event previews for this week. Click here for a preview of festivals and other events across the state.

Summer festival season is wrapping up. It’s time to get back in theaters and concert halls to enjoy Colorado’s vibrant performing arts scene.

Here are some groups debuting their 2025-2026 seasons in the next few weeks, in chronological order by performance.

Arvada Center

The Arvada Center opened its new season last weekend, but the first show continues through Oct. 12. Tickets are available for remaining performances of Agatha Christie’s famous detective story “The Mousetrap.” The whodunit revolves around seven strangers snowed in at a remote house with a dead body, a killer on the loose and no way to reach the outside world.

A collage art exhibit also opens tomorrow at the Arvada Center. Other upcoming events include a one-woman show celebrating jazz legend Billie Holiday, and stage renditions of the Broadway musical “Frozen” and Shakespeare’s “Romeo and Juliet.”

Lone Tree Arts Center

The Lone Tree Arts Center also launched its new season last weekend with a show by the legendary Mavis Staples. A busy schedule continues Saturday with Lisa Fischer and Grand Baton. Fischer toured with the Rolling Stones for many years, and has backed Sting, Tina Turner, Luther Vandross and more. Now she blends Afro-Caribbean music with progressive rock and jazz fusion with her Grand Baton trio.

Other performances include the Gershwin classic “Nice Work If You Can Get It,” an astronaut lecture, Dorrance Dance tap dancing and Broadway star Megan Hilty. And that’s just through November.

Colorado Symphony

The Colorado Symphony doesn’t break for summer, accompanying a diverse array of artists at Red Rocks and other outdoor venues.

But the new season at Boettcher Concert Hall officially opens this weekend with a collaboration with piano virtuoso and pop singer Ben Folds.

Other upcoming performances include Respighi’s “Pines of Rome,” a Latin dance and music celebration, Tchaikovsky’s 4th symphony and a David Bowie tribute.

Town Hall Arts Center

The intimate Town Hall Arts Center in Littleton starts its professional theater season with a jukebox musical full of classic rock mainstays. “Buddy: The Buddy Holly Story” opens Friday and runs through Oct. 19.

The season of beloved favorites continues with “Annie” starting in November, “Alice in Wonderland” in December, “Spamalot” in January, and “The Wiz” and “Avenue Q” in the spring.

The Takács Quartet performs at CU Boulder on Sunday. | Photo by AmandaTipton

CU Presents

The University of Colorado presents student and faculty performances in Boulder alongside acclaimed local and international talent. The new CU Presents season opens Sunday with a Mozart showcase by the Grammy-winning Takács Quartet.

The season continues with Cliburn Competition gold medalist Aristo Sham on Sept. 26, international dance shows in October and November, jazz trumpeter and singer Bria Skonberg in December, Michael Feinstein in April and more.

Boulder Phil

The Boulder Philharmonic Orchestra also opens its new season on the CU campus on Sunday. Pianist Jonathan Biss will perform Hindemith and Brahms compositions with the group at Macky Auditorium.

In November soprano Heidi Melton accompanies the orchestra for Strauss and Shostakovich pieces. December brings “The Nutcracker” with the Boulder Ballet. Performances in 2026 include cellist Rainer Eudeikis, violinist Jennifer Koh and pianist Stewart Goodyear.

Boulder Ballet

Also in Boulder, Chautauqua Auditorium hosts Boulder Ballet’s season opener on Friday, Sept. 19. Ascending is a showcase of four works, including two world premieres. Boulder Ballet also presents the Dancers’ Choice show in October and the aforementioned “Nutcracker” performances in December, plus several shows next spring.

Denver Center for the Performing Arts

Veteran actor Kenneth Tigar opens the new theater season in downtown Denver with his depiction of Eddie Jaku, a survivor and escapee from three Nazi concentration camps, in “The Happiest Man on Earth,” based on Jaku’s bestselling memoir. The show opens next Friday, Sept. 19.

Tennessee Williams’ “Cat on a Hot Tin Roof” is coming to the Kilstrom Theatre in October, when the corn-y Tony-winning musical comedy “Shucked” also opens at the Buell Theatre.

The Buell season continues with “The Lion King,” “The Notebook,” “Six,” “Water for Elephants,” “The Phantom of the Opera” and more.

Bas Bleu Theatre

Fort Collins’ Bas Bleu Theatre opens its 33rd season with “Mr. Burns,” a post-apocalyptic show that is a mashup of “The Simpsons” and an operatic musical.

“There will be singing and dancing and fire and poison and jazz hands and Sideshow Bob and crocodiles and piranhas and passion and pageantry and Gilbert and Sullivan and darkness and devastation,” the website promises.

The play runs Sept. 19 to Oct. 12. Prices for “Mr. Burns” and the rest of the season have been lowered. Standard tickets now cost $20, with a $10 discount for students.

Mezcla opens the Newman Center season next Saturday. | Photo provided by Mezcla

Newman Center Presents

The Newman Center at the University of Denver opens its new season on Saturday, Sept. 19, with La Mezcla. The troupe combines live jazz, tap dance and Afro-Caribbean beats with traditional Mexican music and dance.

The next show is Latin Grammy winner Darcy James Argue’s Secret Society on Oct. 3, followed by Ballet Hispanico on Oct. 11 and the legendary Branford Marsalis Quartet on Oct. 17. Chris Thile, Don Was, Meshell Ndegeocello, Mandy Patinkin and a diverse range of other performers are also coming to the Newman Center.

Lakewood Cultural Center

Another season of diverse performances in Lakewood opens Saturday, Sept. 26, with “One Night in Memphis,” recreating the legendary Sun Studios jam session by Elvis Presley, Carl Perkins, Jerry Lee Lewis and Johnny Cash.

The jazzy Lao Tizer Band and classical pianist Dmitry Shishkin both perform in October. November brings Skye Consort’s global folk songs and the award-winning Czech Trio Bohémo.

Other upcoming events include holiday concerts, a capella revivalists Kings Return, a Langston Hughes tribute, the global fusion of the Huu Bac Quintet, Taiko drums, “A Chorus Line” and more.

Stories on Stage

Local author R.L. Maizes’ story “A Cat Named Grievous” comes to life this month. An adaptation called "Enslaved by Ducks” opens the 25th season of Stories on Stage at 2 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 28. The show is at Su Teatro in Denver. Tickets cost $26.

The next show on Oct. 19 celebrates acclaimed author Sandra Dallas. Monthly performances continue through May 3, when the season closes with a greatest hits showcase.

Colorado Ballet

The 65th anniversary season at the Colorado Ballet opens Oct. 3 with cult favorite “Dracula,” in time for Halloween.

“The Nutcracker” returns from Thanksgiving through Christmas. On Jan. 30, “The Great Gatsby” makes its Colorado Ballet debut. “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” and the annual Masterworks showcase round out the season.

Zikr Dance Ensemble

The renowned Zikr Dance Ensemble takes its international cast of dancers and their eclectic shows to theaters across Colorado and even to Taos, N.M., this fall.

“Ritual” opens Oct. 3 at the Dairy Arts Center in Boulder, and includes the Colorado premiere of “In Memoriam" by Belgian choreographer Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui.

Performances continue through late October in Longmont, Rifle, Montrose, Lakewood, Denver and Loveland.

Wonderbound Dance

Wonderbound is an acclaimed contemporary dance company in Denver. Their new season opens Oct. 16 with “Rock Ballets,” a trio of original dance creations showcasing classic rock tracks from Queen, David Bowie and the Rolling Stones.

The season also includes a new dark comedy about the December holidays, a decadent dive into the roaring 20s with the Colorado Jazz Repertory Orchestra, and the return of “The Sandman,” with original music by The Gasoline Lollipops.