CU-Boulder is not a place that goes to rest during the summer. If you鈥檙e lucky enough to be here, Boulder鈥檚 backyard of open space, combined with campus performances and a multitude of music and arts festivals will offer limitless options to stay busy through the final days of summer.
One of the most significant campus events, taking place from听June 6听鈥� Aug. 10听is the . Since 1958, CU-Boulder has been a host for the celebration of Shakespeare鈥檚 work through performance, education and community engagement.听 It is the second oldest Shakespeare festival in the United States, and the Mary Rippon Theater offers a unique ambiance of CU鈥檚 campus against the backdrop of the Flatirons. The theater鈥檚 very first production, which predates the first year of the Colorado Shakespeare Festival, was "Romeo and Juliet" in 1944.
鈥淲hat we offer that other places can鈥檛 offer is this full-blown, sensual experience, and walking across the quad is part of it,鈥� said听Clay Evans, public relations director for .
Theater-goers are encouraged to enjoy a picnic on the quad and opening acts of entertainment, like minstrel singers or a Shakespeare rock band. One focus of the festival is to make the performances and activities enjoyable for anyone, of any age or background.
For example, "The Tempest," directed by Geoffrey Kent who also directed last year鈥檚 "Midsummer Night鈥檚 Dream," features a spectacle of trapeze artists, puppets, young lovers and magic. Other performances lined up for the summer are "The Merry Wives of Windsor," "I Hate Hamlet," "Henry IV Part 1" and "Henry IV Part 2,"听offering a collection of traditional Shakespearian theater and modern takes on plays written by or about Shakespeare.
But the performing arts in Boulder this summer are not limited to Shakespeare. ATLAS鈥檚 downstairs Black Box theater will host world premiere of selected scenes from opera, 鈥淭he Master,鈥� on June 13听at 7:30 p.m., June 15听at 2 p.m., and on June 14, audience members may attend a live recording session of the entire work. From July 31听- Aug. 16, 鈥渟quare product theatre,鈥� an alternative Boulder theater company, will perform the world premiere of "SLAB,"听an adaptation of Selah Saterstrom鈥檚 novel to be published in spring 2015. The story is about a Mississippi woman and the memories of her life, after losing everything to Hurricane Katrina.
鈥淥ne of our goals is to keep our ticket prices as low as possible so that everyone in the community has the opportunity to see theater,鈥� said Emily K. Harrison, founder and producing artistic director of 鈥渟quare product theatre.鈥� Harrison is also a CU-Boulder alumna and instructor at Naropa University and CU-Boulder. She encourages students to see the performance for its profound social messages, relatable narratives and the fusion of sound, video and performance. There will be two-for-one ticket prices on Thursdays.
Also on campus:
- The CU听Museum of Natural History hosts a series of for kids this summer (like 鈥淥ceans of Life鈥� and 鈥淚nsect Symmetry鈥�). Additionally, will remain the same for anyone who鈥檇 like to pass through. The museum is currently showcasing the "2014 Guild of Natural Science Illustrators Annual Members Exhibit," the work of artists who emphasize accuracy in their portrayal of natural images. Other exhibits include over 40 pairs of hand-made moccasins and a collection of Japanese Samurai swords in their 鈥淎nthropology Hall,鈥� located downstairs.
- Planetarium鈥檚 full dome and laser will be featured throughout the entire summer, including matinees Tues.-Thurs. and Sat.-Sun. Showings include "Black Holes: The Other Side of Infinity," "Colorado Skies, Stars and Lasers" and several more.
- The offers Friday night "open houses" throughout the summer. Visitors are invited to use the observatory's telescopes to view the night sky. Admission is free.
- The Connection, UMC鈥檚 bowling alley and billiards hall, will have game specials to accompany showings of the FIFA Worlds Cup games, like half-priced bowling or billiards. Without FIFA, specials already run at $1 per person per game and $1 per hour to play pool from 10 a.m. -听2 p.m., Mon.-Fri.听From 2 - 5 p.m. Mon. - Fri., games are half-priced.
- Macky Auditorium will host the 鈥淯nreasonable Launchpad鈥� on June 13听at 6 p.m., with 11 entrepreneurs听who will discuss some of the world鈥檚 greatest problems, solutions and plans to define progress. On June 23, Macky hosts the International Conference of the Learning Sciences (ICLS), which invites scholars from a range of disciplines in the learning sciences and will stress the theme 鈥淟earning and Becoming in Practice.鈥�
- Check all other CU happenings on the
For those looking for hiking opportunities, including local trails that summit Green Mountain, Bear Peak, South Boulder Peak, Flagstaff and Mt. Santitas, and Chautauqua Park, check Boulder鈥檚 page.
Throughout the summer, the Colorado Chautauqua Association hosts a series of summer concerts in its historic auditorium. Featured artists include Andrew Bird & The Hands of Glory, B.B. King, Bela Fleck & Brooklyn Rider and . Ticket prices range from $25-$60, and individuals are welcome to enjoy the second hand acoustics by lounging on the lawn outside. Chautauqua Auditorium will also host the Colorado Music Festival, which starts on June 29听and will feature world class conductors, orchestra professionals and Tuesday night 鈥渕ash-ups鈥� of popular music with orchestra.
Other Boulder events occurring throughout the summer include poetry readings and open mic. nights at the Laughing Goat on Pearl Street and Innisfree Poetry Bookstore & Caf茅 on the Hill. Every Wednesday night, the city of Boulder will feature live music for its 鈥淏ands on the Bricks鈥� series on the Pearl Street Mall with musicians like The Samples, Hazel Miller Band and Mountain Standard Time. There will also be live music every Saturday night on the 29th听Street Mall from 7 -10 p.m. The Boulder Farmer鈥檚 Market is every Saturday morning and Wednesday evening.
翱迟丑别谤听Boulder summer festivals:
- : June 20听鈥� 22, celebrating international dance, craft and tradition
- on 29th听Street: July 13-14
- Open Arts Fest: July 19-20, showing the work of local and national artists with over 100 booths on the Pearl Street Mall.
- Home Town Fair: Aug. 30听鈥� Sept. 1, a book-end to summer, with performances at the Band Shell, a Chili Inferno Cook-Off, Classic Car Show and听.
Photo credit: University of Colorado.
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