The Boulder Ensemble Theatre Company is entering its 19th season. Showcasing five different productions with a special engagement by George Brant, each performance will touch on timeless themes while engaging audience members in theatrical delights.
Different facets of a small community shine a light on the greater picture and purpose of the collective as a whole. BETC, or “Besty,” is no different for Boulder. “Boulder doesn't have as many theatre companies as Denver does, and so our city's gaggle of theatre companies really matters in the city's cultural landscape,” remarks BETC’s Producing Artistic Director, Jessica Robblee. She continues by adding how “Boulder (and Colorado in general) is an inquisitive and adventurous community—always game, always up for new experiences, intellectual challenge, connection and delight. These passions align exactly with why theatre-makers do what they do. An excitement for exploration is absolutely required as one crafts a production, and I think audience members can feel this in the layers of craft that make up a show.”
Given America’s current cultural and political landscape, arguably we need art now more than ever. When you are sitting in a crowded, dark theatre, staring up at a lit stage full of props and extravagantly dressed people, you are not really thinking about who is in there with you. You are not questioning their politics or habits. You are not considering what they have done or will do. There is no prejudice in a theatre. Everyone is there for the same reason: to be entertained. Robblee stresses that “the arts have a way of swinging for the fences—they break rules, they make up new rules, they play and experiment. We’ve known this for a long time, and it’s still true. It’s still invaluable. In that spirit of play, people’s minds open, surprises happen, lenses shift. And what a sensation that is—what a gift, right?” A gift, indeed.
At the helm of Season 19 with Robblee is BETC’s Managing Director, Mark Ragan. In addition to producing and selecting the season, the two will co-direct "Enemy of the People." This play tells the story of a scientist who makes a startling discovery only to be questioned by the very community he is trying to help. Once again, humanity and proclivity are at the core of BETC’s artistry. In consecutive order, audiences can expect productions of Bernardo Cubría’s comedy "The Ballot of Paola Aguilar," Louisa May Alcott’s "Little Women," Michael Hollinger’s comedy "Hope and Gravity" and Sean Daniels’ "The White Chip." Additionally, in preparation for 2025, BETC will focus on organizing a celebration of Civil Rights leaders, featuring dancers from the Boulder Ballet and musicians from the Boulder Philharmonic.
There are a lot of exciting factors to look forward to in the new season of the Boulder Ensemble Theatre Company. Come together, challenge your biases, laugh, cry, immerse yourself in the story and forget about the rest for a while. Robblee notes how “when we experience theatre, we’re simultaneously receptive and contributing. This is the state of mind that the arts meet you in—with humor, and daring, and vulnerability—all the good stuff that has a disarming way of bringing us together.”