Amongst the chaos of the academic year, from moving into residence halls to keeping up with classes, it’s important to remember to take time to relax and enjoy some well-deserved free time. Luckily for you, Denver offers an awesome variety of entertainment venues to keep your life outside of college interesting.
Movie theaters
If you have a penchant for film, Denver has a number of great movie theaters ranging from standard multiplexes to indie art houses, so you’ll never be lacking options for the silver screen around DU. Are you looking to see the biggest blockbusters of the year? Two great chain theaters are easily accessible by light rail. Only one stop away at the Colorado station, UA Colorado Center & IMAX offers standard movie showings as well as an IMAX theatre, one of the only ones in Colorado. It certainly doesn’t hurt that the theater is attached to a Dave & Buster’s if you’re looking for some food and/or arcade gaming before or after your movie. Down a few stops at the Southmoor station, Regal Cinemas Continental 10 & RPX has a luxury theater as well as a usually expanded selection compared to the UA Colorado location.
Interested in moviegoing a little more on the eclectic side? The Landmark Mayan Theatre and the Esquire Theatre are only a short drive or Uber away and offer great indie and foreign films as well re-showings of classics. Beyond these venues, the Alamo Drafthouse Littleton is the best of both worlds, holding showings of mainstream and indie films with full food and drink service as well as many special events including giveaways and classic film showings preceded by live music or conversation panels.
Music venues
Luckily, Denver is a city with a bustling music scene. All throughout the city are incredible and charming music venues that host shows from a diverse number of artists. Downtown, the most storied and prolific artists play at venues such as the massive Pepsi Center, the dazzling former ballroom The Fillmore Auditorium and the classic Ogden Theater. If your music taste is more on the indie side, small venues such as The Bluebird Theater and The Gothic Theater offer some of the most intimate and memorable shows in Denver. Of course, none of these can top the breathtaking experience of seeing a show at the world-renowned Red Rocks Amphitheatre, often considered the greatest musical venue in the world and only a short drive away to Morrison, Colorado.
Theatre
Finally, if your passion is for the stage, Denver has one of the most acclaimed and award-winning Off-Broadway theater centers in the country at the Denver Center for the Performing Arts (DCPA). At the DCPA, you can see almost any sort of show you can imagine in the very best theatres. The Buell Theater features extravagant and unforgettable Broadway shows year round, ranging from “The Phantom of the Opera” to “Hamilton”. On the smaller scale, The Stage Theater offers exciting and imaginative plays and musicals, such as reimaginings of “Sweeney Todd” and “Frankenstein”. These are only two of the DCPA’s many fantastic theatres, as many more shows are offered throughout the year at each of their stages.
Hopefully this guide will serve you well as you venture out into Denver to seek out the next great artistic triumph. Always remember to check out the Entertainment section of the Clarion for all the best entertainment happenings in Denver.
