DCPA, The Lion King, Kevin Taylor and Other Roars About Denver’s Downtown and LoDo

The Lion King

With Halloween behind us, we can focus more on the real holiday season, the nearly two-month period that begins right about now. (You all must know that it has been moved up!) For me, one of the nicest things to do during this festive period is to go out on the town for dinner and a show, a not-too-easy feat from Telluride but certainly closer than New York.

The Denver Center for the Performing Arts (DCPA) makes such a night out worth the effort since they consistently offer a tremendous lineup of shows and performances, all concentrated within a twelve-acre, four-block complex in the heart of downtown Denver. Did you know that DCPA is the second largest arts complex in the country? Their ten performance spaces beautifully accommodate Broadway touring productions, a major symphony and opera, dance and ballet, chorales and a variety of theater groups. They can seat 10,000 people within their theaters, splendid showplaces of varying sizes connected by an eighty-foot-tall glass roof.

And tonight “The Lion King” opens at The Buell Theatre for a five-week run! This dazzling production enjoyed sell-out shows during their 2002 and 2006 engagements in Denver. Tickets are still available for this stint but as expected, they’re going fast. I hope I can take it in since I love great stories, spectacular shows and cats of all kinds.

The Bar at Kevin Taylor’s at The Opera House

Wondering where to have dinner near the DCPA? Let me suggest Kevin Taylor’s at The Opera House, just steps away from any of the performances. The sophisticated, dramatic decor here makes you feel as though you’re sitting upon a stage, one in which la mise en place and mise en scène of everything—from the costumes on the wall to the food on your plates—are clearly of the utmost importance. Yes, here you can easily applaud all the visual and gustatory effects that open your evening like a red velvet curtain parting before you. Probably the best news of this performance, however, is that they serve fine food and drink in near-record time. Accustomed to catering to people in a rush, the waitstaff at Kevin Taylor’s at The Opera House always makes sure you’re served in plenty of time for your show.

Colorado native Kevin Taylor stands out as one of Denver’s top restaurateurs, boasting five dining establishments in Denver and one in Central City, Colorado. Also at the DCPA, Kevin’s Limelight Supper Club & Lounge headlines fresh and casual cuisine for the pre and post theatre crowds.

If you’re able to carve out more time, Prima Ristorante, one of KT’s other establishments, is just a short walk away in Denver’s Lower Downtown, or LoDo, one of my favorite neighborhoods of the mile-high city. Situated within the lovely Hotel Teatro, Prima features light Italian fare in an open and airy, Euro-inspired setting.  They serve breakfast, brunch, lunch and dinner, so maybe you can make a meal here work with your matinée or evening performance schedule. Restaurant Kevin Taylor, also located within Hotel Teatro, commands that you spend more time à table. Haute cuisine cannot be rushed, n’est-ce pas?

Succulent Beef: The Main Act at Kevin Taylor’s

The Dining Room at Kevin Taylor’s at The Opera House

When at the Teatro, be sure to look around to admire their many glorious costumes on display from past theater productions at the Denver Center for the Performing Arts. This boutique hotel reminds me of an Italian villa, a real gem. Even better, book a room here.

Leo, My Lion King, Roaring or Perhaps Yawning

You can also stay at The Curtis, another one of my favorites, located right across the street from DCPA. Light-hearted types—or perhaps those most in need of a good chuckle—will love it!

Aren’t the holidays supposed to be about fun and merry-making? We have enough Greek tragedies in our lives these days in any event.

Check out Hysterical in Denver, Viva Italia, Viva Italian Americans, Viva la Dolce Vita in Denver and Holiday Time in Denver for more stories on DCPA.  Read Fun this Summer and Year-Round at The Curtis for another mention of DCPA in my write up on one of Denver’s hippest hotels.

Read More LoDo Love, Viva Italia, Viva Italian Americans, Viva la Dolce Vita in Denver and Night Out in Denver for more on Hotel Teatro, Prima Ristorante and LoDo.

Thank you to DCPA, Joan Marcus @ Disney and Kevin Taylor for the images in this post.