Archbishop's web site Denver Catholic Register Parishes Catholic Pastoral Center
Jun 5, 2002
Prayerful 'Joan of Arc' returns to the Oriental Theater
Contemplative musical features local actress Lynette Lepire
Prompted by a need for increased revenues and hoping for a repeat of the successful run it had with "Joan of Arc" earlier this year, Destiny Productions is again featuring the religious musical at the historic Oriental Theater in north Denver.
Composed by David White and directed by Brian L. Upton, the play is about St. Joan, an uneducated shepherdess who, guided by angelic voices, led the French army of Charles VII in a campaign to chase the English out of France. She was later betrayed and martyred.
Actress Lynette Lepire again performs the title role, which was created with her in mind.
"The Christian faith, and more specifically Catholic traditions and beliefs, are of great interest to me and my (theater) company," said Lepire, who also teaches art and technology at Holy Family Grade and Middle School, located a half-block west of the Oriental.
The theater owes a large utility bill that it must pay or close, she explained.
"We must rely on earned income in the form of ticket sales to try to pay this debt before they shut off our lights," she said.
In the Feb. 27 Register, theater critic Patrick Dorn described the play as a "prayerful, contemplative" look at St. Joan.
Though all the crucial events from St. Joan's story are presented onstage, White's version of "Joan of Arc" is not a traditional musical. Rather than being driven by a plot or by the characters, or alternating ballads with production numbers, White focuses on a subject's classical themes. His nearly continuous music envelops the audience in a blanket of melodic sound, elevating listeners into a contemplative state as the characters sing about their deepest thoughts and feelings in a prayerful style.
"Joan of Arc" plays at 7:30 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays and at 3 p.m. on Sundays. The Oriental Theatre is located near the corner of West 44th Avenue and Tennyson Street. Tickets are $10-$12. Call 303-433-3786 for reservations.
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