When Tang Met Laika was too much for the couple that sat next to me, they left at intermission.

A very well-educated and thoughtful friend who attended with me wondered afterwords if there was any real depth to the story; It surprised me that we had very little conversation about it as he gave me a ride home. This after another friend had told me the day before it was one of the best plays she had ever seen.

This morning I wake to look out at a beautiful moon setting behind the mountains to the west as they start to brighten at sunrise.

So I'll be thinking about the play, it's author http://www.goddard.edu/rogeliomartinez and it's message this morning.

Have you seen it? What did you think?

A Denver Center Commissioned World Premiere
When Tang Met Laika
by Rogelio Martinez
Directed by Terrence J. Nolen
January 22 – February 27, 2010 (Opening Thursday, January 28) The Space Theatre

Commissioned by the Denver Center Theatre Company and
Magic Theatre/Alfred P. Sloan Foundation New Science & Technology Plays Initiative.


Playwright Rogelio Martinez looked to his love of the space program for inspiration when he was commissioned by the Denver Center Theatre Company to write a new play. His resulting love story is set on planet Earth and the International Space Station and involves Laika – a Soviet dog sent into space with no hope of recovery, Tang – the astronaut’s breakfast drink loved by an entire generation of American children and the ghost of cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin. When Tang Met Laika, described by Director Terrence J. Nolen (Denver Center debut, Artistic Director of Philadelphia’s Arden Theatre) as “unique and audacious,” explores how a Soviet Cosmonaut and an American Astronaut thawed the Cold War.


Tickets and Subscriptions

Tickets start at $18 (some restrictions may apply) and are on sale now. The Denver Center Box Office located in the Helen Bonfils Theatre Complex is open from 10am to 6pm Monday through Saturday. To purchase tickets by phone call (303) 893-4100 – for those outside the Denver calling area, 1 (800) 641-1222, TTY (303) 893-9582. Buy and print tickets on-line by visiting www.denvercenter.org.

Student $10 rush ticket are available one hour prior to curtain with a valid student ID subject to availability.

Senior and military rush tickets are available one hour prior to curtain, subject to availability.

Groups of 10+ contact 303.446.4829 or groupsales@dcpa.org

No children under six will be admitted to any theatre.

Legally Blonde follows sorority star Elle Woods, an underestimated blonde who doesn't take "no" for an answer. When her boyfriend dumps her for someone more "serious," Elle puts down the credit card, hits the books, and sets out to go where no Delta Nu has gone before: Harvard Law. Along the way, Elle proves that being true to yourself never goes out of style. After turning Broadway and MTV hot pink, this “Feel-Good Song and Dance Juggernaut” (New York Magazine) is “The Best New Musical Around”(WOR).

Watch a video about Legally Blonde

Groups (15+) submit a Group Request or call 303.446.4829
Run time: 2 hours, 30 minutes including one 20 minute intermission

Valentine Package at the Westin Tabor Center - Fri,  Feb 12
Follow your evening at Legally Blonde with an overnight stay at the Westin Tabor Center. Located just four blocks away, you'll enjoy a spacious guestroom featuring the world-famous Westin Heavenly Bed, parking and breakfast for two.

For tickets and more info see http://www.DCPA.org

 Great article about coach Joe Scott and his American Dream team in the Denver Post yesterday, see: http://www.denverpost.com/search/ci_14169789

NEXT GAME

University of Denver (12-5, 5-1 SBC) vs. Louisiana-Lafayette (5-10, 2-2 SBC)

Thursday, January 14, 2010 • 6:05 p.m. MT

Cajundome (11,550) • Lafayette, Louisiana

           TV: None • Radio: AM 950 • Web: www.DenverPioneers.com (Video & Audio)

About Denver: The Pioneers enter Sunday’s game as the winners of the past six-out-of-eight games. DU beat two-time defending SBC champion Western Kentucky 72-67 on Jan. 10, the second-straight time the Pioneers beat the Hilltoppers. Denver returns nine players, including all five starters, and 98 percent of its scoring and rebounding from last year. DU was picked second in the Sun Belt West Division in the annual coaches’ preseason poll, and senior captain and guard Nate Rohnert was named to the Preseason All-SBC First Team.  

About Louisiana-Lafayette: The Ragin’ Cajuns beat North Texas in their last game on Jan. 7, snapping a five-game losing streak. ULL returned all five starters and nine seniors from last year’s squad that went 10-20 overall and 7-11 in the SBC. The Cajuns were picked to finish third in the SBC West Division in the preseason coaches’ poll. ULL is led by Tyren Johnson, who is seventh in the SBC with 15.7 points per game and second with 7.9 rebounds per game. Preseason All-SBC second team member Chris Gradnigo is averaging 13.6 points, and Randell Daigle has contributed 11.7 points per game. ULL is second in the SBC with a +1.9 turnover margin.

The Match-up: The Ragin’ Cajuns hold a 16-6 advantage in the all-time series, including an 8-1 mark in Lafayette. The two teams have split a pair of games in each of the past two years with the home team winning each contest. However, Denver took ULL to a pair of overtimes at the Cajundome on Jan. 3, 2009, before falling 63-62.

Nice Shootin’: The Pioneers hit 66.7 percent (30-of-45) from the field against Western Kentucky on Jan. 10, tying for the sixth-highest single game total in Denver history. Of those six games, three were this season and the other three were during DU’s NAIA days in the 1980s, meaning Denver’s top three Division I performances have all come this year. The Pioneers hit 70.5 percent (31-of-44) against Louisiana-Monroe on Dec. 19, 2009, and 67.3 percent (33-of-49) at South Dakota State on Nov. 28, 2009.

O Captain! My Captain!: Nate Rohnert continues to climb up the Denver record books. Rohnert moved into 19th place on DU’s all-time scorer list with 1,129 points, just three points shy of Alonzo Weatherly (1,132 points) for 18th place and 27 points from John Johnson (1,156 points) for 17th place. The senior captain is sixth on Denver’s all-time career list with 313 assists. After going 14-for-17 from the charity stripe in his last three games, Rohnert is sixth on DU’s all-time list with 324 career free throw made and 451 free throw attempts. The Parker, Colo., native has career totals of 1,129 points, 441 rebounds and 106 steals in 105 games.

Player of the Week: Rohnert was named Sun Belt Conference Player of the Week on Jan. 11 after combining for 50 points and 13 assists, while going 17-for-23 from the field, in Denver’s wins over New Orleans and Western Kentucky last week. Rohnert became just the second player this season to earn the honor twice (also WKU’s A.J. Slaughter). Rohnert was also named the national Mid-Majority Baller of the Week by midmajority.com.

National Rankings: The Pioneers shot over 60 percent from the field in both games last week, including 66.7 percent against WKU. Denver is second in the nation with a 52.7 field goal percentage, trailing only No. 5 Syracuse (53.6 percent). Denver is also 23rd in three-point percentage (40.1 percent).  Nate Rohnert also ranks fifth in the nation with 102 free throws made.

Percentage Game: After going 7-for-10 against WKU, junior forward Rob Lewis increased his Sun Belt lead in field goal percentage to 64.6 percent, despite missing the season’s first four games with an injury. Lewis has a career field goal percentage of 55.2 percent, which ranks seventh in DU history. Freshman guard Chase Hallam is second in the SBC at 58.9 percent, and Nate Rohnert is eighth (54.9 percent).

Tournament Teams: In the past two seasons, Denver has gone 5-1 against teams that were defending an NCAA Tournament berth. On Jan. 10, the Pioneers defeated SBC favorite Western Kentucky for the second-straight season, giving DU a 2-1 mark against 2009 Tournament teams.

Rocky Mountain Way: Eight of Denver’s 15 players hail from Colorado: Sabatino Chen (Louisville), Tom Chott (Littleton), Justin Coughlin (Yuma), Andrew Hooper (Lakewood), Kyle Lewis (Denver), Rob Lewis (Colorado Springs), Trevor Noonan (Broomfield) and Nate Rohnert (Parker).

Denver Knocks Off Western  Kentucky, 72-67

Nate Rohnert scored 23 points and dished out six assists in DU’s victory

DENVER – The University of Denver men’s basketball team defeated two-time defending Sun Belt Conference champion Western Kentucky 72-67 on Saturday afternoon in Magness Arena.

Senior guard Nate Rohnert (Parker, Colo.) paced the Sun Belt-leading Pioneers (12-5, 5-1 SBC) with 23 points, shooting 9-for-13 from the field.  Rohnert also added six assists, three rebounds and a steal.

Junior forward Rob Lewis (Colorado Springs, Colo.) netted 15 points, while tallying four rebounds, three assists and one block.

“Our senior and our junior played terrific tonight,” head coach Joe Scott said. “Nate has been playing well all season, but he’s really stepped it up this time of year, and Rob Lewis played his best two games in a row. That’s what you need, because when your upperclassmen play well, your team plays well.”

The No. 2 shooting team in the nation entering today’s game, Denver shot 66.7 percent from the field today, which tied for the sixth highest field goal percentage in DU history.  Western Kentucky (9-5, 2-1 SBC) shot 57.1 percent (24-of-42) from the field and hit 14-of-15 from the free throw line.

The Pioneers never trailed in the game and led by as many as 13 points with 12:12 remaining in the game, but the Hilltoppers fought back and cut the DU lead to 66-65 with 2:22 remaining, following an 11-2 run.

Sophomore guard Travis Hallam (Mesquite, Texas) caught a pass from Lewis while going backdoor, sank a hook shot and buried a free throw with 42 seconds left to play.  Hallam finished the game with eight points.

Preseason SBC Player of the Year A.J. Slaughter led the Hilltoppers with 28 points, six assists and three steals.

The Pioneers hit the road this week to play at Louisiana-Lafayette on Thurs., Jan. 14 and Louisiana-Monroe on Sat., Jan. 16.

DU takes on conference champs Sunday.

University of Denver (11-5, 4-1 SBC) vs. Western Kentucky (9-4, 2-0 SBC)
Sunday, January 10, 2010 • 1 p.m. MT
Magness Arena (7,200) • Denver, Colorado
TV: FSN Rocky Mountain • Radio: AM 950 • Web: www.DenverPioneers.com (Audio)

Ticket Info: Men's basketball season tickets for the 2009-10 Denver Pioneers are currently on sale. DU continues its commitment to provide the community with the most affordable and exciting entertainment in the Denver metro area. Ticket packages start at $64.

Individual game tickets also are on sale with prices ranging from $9-$15 for adults. DU students get into the game free with their Pioneer Card.

For ticket information, please visit DenverPioneers.com or call the Pioneer Basketball Ticket Hotline at (303) 871-HOOP.

Family Fun Pack Ticket Special: University of Denver men's and women’s basketball fans can purchase a Family Fun Pack for just $44 for Jan. 10 games against Western Kentucky. The Family Fun Pack includes four tickets, four sodas and four hot dogs, and is available at Ticketmaster.com and the Ritchie Center ticket windows.

About Denver: The Pioneers enter Sunday’s game as the winners of the past five-out-of-seven games. DU beat New Orleans 75-66 on Thursday, the team’s 10th-straight win at home. Denver returns nine players, including all five starters, and 98 percent of its scoring and rebounding from last year. DU was picked second in the Sun Belt West Division in the annual coaches’ preseason poll, and senior captain and guard Nate Rohnert was named to the Preseason All-SBC First Team.

About Western Kentucky: The Hilltoppers have won four-straight and seven times in their last eight games, including a 67-64 overtime victory at South Alabama on Thursday. WKU was picked to win the SBC East Division in the preseason coaches’ poll, collecting 12 of 13 first place votes. The Hilltoppers are led by Preseason SBC Player of the Year A.J. Slaughter, who is averaging 15.8 points per game, which is fifth in the SBC, and Preseason All-SBC second team selection Steffphon Pettigrew’s 13.9 points and 6.9 rebounds per game. Sergio Kerusch, who also was voted to the second team and is averaging 13.4 points per game, is injured and expected to be out until early February. WKU is 10th in the Sun Belt in field goal percentage (43.1 percent) and 12th in both three-point percentage (30.0 percent) and assists (11.1 per game). However, the Hilltoppers are second in the conference with 12.8 offensive rebounds per game.

The Match-up: The Hilltoppers hold a 9-4 advantage in the all-time series, including a 5-2 mark in Denver. DU beat Western Kentucky 78-74 at Magness Arena on Jan. 24, 2009, which snapped a three-game losing streak to WKU.

Magness Magic: The Pioneers have won 10-straight at home, following a season opening loss to Missouri Valley favorite Northern Iowa. Since Joe Scott took over as head coach prior to the 2007-08 season, the Pioneers are 31-7 (.816) overall and 18-4 (.818) against SBC teams at Magness Arena.

TV Stars: Sunday’s game against Western Kentucky will be broadcast live on FSN Rocky Mountain with Tom Helmer (play-by-play) and Greg Lackey (color) calling the action, while Marc Stout reports from the sidelines. The Pioneers are 12-2 in games on FSN Rocky Mountain under head coach Joe Scott, including a 78-74 win over Western Kentucky on Jan. 24, 2009.

O Captain! My Captain!: Nate Rohnert continues to climb up the Denver record books. Rohnert moved into 21st place on DU’s all-time scorer list with 1,106 points, just four points shy of Dave Chavlovich (1,110 points) for 20th place and eight points from Dennis Hodge (1,113 points) for 19th place. The senior captain is sixth on Denver’s all-time career list with 307 assists. After going 9-for-10 from the charity stripe on Thursday, Rohnert is sixth on DU’s all-time list with 321 career free throw made and 447 free throw attempts. The Parker, Colo., native has career totals of 1,106 points, 438 rebounds and 105 steals in 104 games.

National Rankings: The Pioneers shot 60.5 percent (23-of-38) against New Orleans on Jan. 7, returning DU back to second place in the nation with a 51.9 field goal percentage, trailing only No. 5 Syracuse (53.8 percent) and just ahead of Murray State (51.8 percent) and No. 1 Kansas (51.3 percent). Denver is also 18th in three-point percentage (40.5 percent). Although no DU player qualifies for the minimum among NCAA statistics, Rob Lewis (63.8), Sabatino Chen (61.0), Chase Hallam (57.5), Tyler Thalken (54.5), Nate Rohnert (53.6) and Travis Hallam (50.0) all are shooting better than 50 percent from the floor. Rohnert also ranks third in the nation with 99 free throws made.

Percentage Game: Junior forward Rob Lewis has jumped into the Sun Belt lead in field goal percentage at 63.8 percent after missing the first four games of the season with an injury. Lewis has a career field goal percentage of 54.9 percent, which ranks seventh in DU history. Freshman guard Chase Hallam is fifth in the SBC at 57.5 percent, and Nate Rohnert is ninth (53.6 percent).

Chen Music: Since the beginning of December, sophomore guard Sabatino Chen has increased his scoring output from 0.8 points per game to 4.2, scoring at least 10 points four times - something Chen had never done before. Chen, who scored 11 points against UNO on Jan. 7, has also raised his field goal percentage to 61.0, and he has gone 14-for-18 (77.8 percent) from the free throw line this season.

CATS RETURNS TO DENVER JANUARY 13-17

DENVER – The show that revolutionized musical theatre is coming to Denver’s Buell Theatre for eight performances only January 13-17. Tickets are now on sale.

Produced by CATS-Eye, LLC, the national tour of CATS is the only production in North America sanctioned by Andrew Lloyd Webber. With original direction by Trevor Nunn and choreography by Gillian Lynne this is the CATS credited with the British invasion of Broadway. The national tour of CATS recently celebrated its 26th anniversary season, holding its place as the longest continuously touring Broadway musical in history.

On May 11, 1981, CATS opened at the New London Theatre in the West End. Eight years later it celebrated its first important milestone: after 3,358 performances CATS became the longest running musical in the history of British theatre. CATS played its final performance on its 21st birthday, May 11, 2002.

CATS opened on Broadway October 7, 1982 at the Winter Garden Theatre in New York City and continued to live up to its motto "Now and Forever." On June 19, 1997, CATS became the longest running musical on Broadway. It ended its 18 year run on September 10, 2000.

Based on T.S. Eliot’s Old Possum’s Book of Practical Cats, and with music by Andrew Lloyd Webber, CATS won seven 1983 Tony Awards including Best Musical, Best Book of a Musical, Best Lighting and Best Costumes.

In October of 1991 CATS became the longest continuously touring show in American theatre history. Five continents, 26 countries, over eight and a half million audience members and 26 years later, CATS is still America’s most loved family musical. Celebrating not only 26 years but the birth of the musical spectacular, CATS is still revolutionary and awe inspiring.

Now that it has been seen by millions of audience members worldwide, it is time to celebrate with the whole family the magic, the mystery, the wonder of CATS.

Single tickets for CATS start at just $15. To charge by phone, call Denver Center Ticket Services at 303.893.4100. TTY (for Deaf and hard-of-hearing patrons): 303.893.9582. Groups of 15 or more, please call 303.446.4829. Tickets may also be purchased at the Denver Center Ticket Office, located at the Helen Bonfils Theatre Complex Lobby, or at TicketsWest outlets, located in all King Soopers stores. Buy and print online at www.denvercenter.org.

CATS is an added attraction in the Denver Center Attractions 2010 season, which is generously supported by United Airlines. Media sponsorship for DCA is provided by The Denver Post, CBS4 and Denver Magazine. The Denver Center for the Performing Arts is supported in part by the Scientific and Cultural Facilities District. Please visit our website at www.denvercenter.org.

Pioneers Prevail Over Privateers, 75-66

Nate Rohnert scored 27 points and dished out seven assists in DU’s victory

DENVER – University of Denver men’s basketball senior guard Nate Rohnert (Parker, Colo.) scored 27 points and dished out seven assists to lead the Pioneers to a 75-66 victory over the University of New Orleans Privateers on Thursday night at Magness Arena.

Rohnert was 8-of-10 from the field and 2-for-2 from three-point range, and added three steals. Sophomore guard Brian Stafford (Walnut Creek, Calif.) scored 15 points, while junior forward Rob Lewis (Colorado Springs, Colo.) and sophomore guard Sabatino Chen (Louisville, Colo.) added 11 points each.

“Nate Rohnert played really well tonight. He played like a senior, and Rob Lewis for the first time looked like he was back to playing the way we need him to with some energy,” head coach Joe Scott said. “We stopped them when we needed to. I thought our defense was good.”

Denver (11-5, 4-1 SBC) shot 60.5 percent off 23-for-38 from the field, while holding New Orleans (6-10, 1-4 SBC) to 47.7 percent (21-of-44).

DU trailed by three with 8:23 remaining in the first half, when the Pioneers went on an 11-0 run and took a 29-21 lead into halftime.

The Privateers clawed back within four points with 14:01 left in the game before Rohnert scored a layup and sophomore guard Travis Hallam (Mesquite, Texas) hit a three-pointer, and Denver maintained the lead to the buzzer. 

UNO was led by Carl Blair and Charles Carmouche, who both scored 16 points.

The Pioneers host two-time defending SBC champion Western Kentucky Sunday, Jan. 10 at 1 p.m.

Game #15: Denver (10-4, 3-0 SBC) vs. Troy (7-6, 2-0 SBC)

Saturday, January 2, 2010 • 6:30 p.m. MT

Trojan Arena (4,000) • Troy, Alabama

           TV: None • Radio: AM 950 • Web: www.DenverPioneers.com (Audio)