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FROM THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Dear friends,
Welcome to the 2025–26 Newman Center Presents season. I am excited to share this lineup of vibrant performances from around the globe. We’re thrilled to have you at the Newman Center as we continue our mission to inspire and uplift our audiences through cultural experiences.
The Newman Center offers many ways for you to enrich your experience of the live show. We offer guided tours of the Newman Center, artist Q&As, a Cultural Diplomacy series, and so much more. To stay in the loop, sign up for our e-newsletter at newmancenterpresents.com and follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn.
While you know about the amazing acoustics and sightlines in the Gates Concert Hall, you might not know that the Newman Center has a strong K–12 educational component as well. Between our in-school artist visits, teacher professional development sessions, student matinees, masterclasses, summer music technology camp, and more, we reached nearly 7,000 students and educators throughout the 2024-25 season. This would not have been possible without our audience’s commitment to our mission.
We invite you to deepen your connection with the Newman Center by joining our Giving Circles, a community of dedicated arts supporters who value the artistry you can only find here. Members enjoy exclusive courtesies, including access to the Rose Club with complimentary appetizers and refreshments before select performances, invitations to soundchecks and rehearsals, special artist conversations, and more. Your financial contribution supports our nationally recognized programming, strengthens educational initiatives for thousands of students and teachers, and fosters lasting partnerships throughout the Denver community. Learn more at newmancenterpresents.com/give.
We look forward to sharing these compelling artistic experiences with you.
With appreciation, Aisha Ahmad-Post
CJRO
CO LO R ADO JA ZZ REPERTORY ORCHESTR A
Experience the Evolution of Jazz with the Colorado Jazz Repertory Orchestra!
Prepare to be blown away by the CJRO—a powerhouse jazz ensemble known for pushing the boundaries of traditional big and small band jazz. From classic to soul to Latin jazz, the CJRO brings a bold new sound to the stage at every performance. With over forty shows across the metro this season, we bring the music to you!
Check out the full season at ColoradoJazz.org or scan the QR code.
FROM THE CHANCELLOR
Welcome to the 23rd Newman Center Presents season at the Robert & Judi Newman Center for the Performing Arts! Since 2003, the Newman Center has been the University of Denver’s cherished home for the performing arts.
Genre-defying jazz and bluegrass. Virtuosic saxophone and expressive trumpet. Dance inspired by the aspiration to fly. Grammy-award winning music drawing from Mexican and South American influences alongside dance and pop. Mandy Patinkin. And a version of Alice in Wonderland that is equal parts movement and mind-bending illusion.
ABOUT THE NEWMAN CENTER
This is just a sampling of what this year’s season has to offer the Denver community. Each year, the Newman Center brings renowned artists and performances from across the globe to inspire, awe, challenge and invigorate audiences. Each year, it connects them to breadth and depth of human creativity and skill.
At the University of Denver, we know our students thrive when our approach to education is holistic. Here, education means deepening intellectual growth, developing well-being, discovering character and designing purpose-driven lives and careers. This is the DU 4D Experience, and The Newman Center plays a crucial role. For our on-campus community, and for Colorado, The Newman Center is a beacon of joy and expression, improving the public good and making Denver a cultural destination.
In addition to our Newman Center Presents series, you can enjoy Cultural Diplomacy talks with Newman Center Presents artists, in collaboration with the Korbel School of Global and Public Affairs, pre- and post-show talks with executive director Aisha Ahmad-Post and invited guests, and numerous engagement events in our own building and across the Denver Metro Area.
Along with performances by our talented students in the Lamont School of Music and DU Department of Theatre, there is something for everyone to explore and enjoy. Thank you for your continued support of this incredible center.
Sincerely,
Jeremy Haefner Chancellor
The Robert & Judi Newman Center for the Performing Arts at the University of Denver has become over the past 23 years a cultural community hub for the entire region. Acclaimed as one of the nation’s finest university performing arts centers, the Newman Center is unique for its size, acoustic quality, and programming.
At the core of the Newman Center’s programming is Newman Center Presents, a multidisciplinary professional arts series, showcasing renowned artists and new and underrepresented voices from around the world. The Newman Center is home to DU’s Lamont School of Music and Theatre Department, who collectively present hundreds of performances every year. The Newman Center is also home to many of our community’s premier arts organizations and events, such as Friends of Chamber Music, Denver Brass, and The Denver Post’s Pen and Podium Series.
Mission:
The Newman Center uplifts Denver audiences and artists by creating regional and global connections.
Vision:
To be a cultural anchor for a thriving, dynamic and diverse 21st century Denver.
One Night in Memphis
Saturday, September 27
The Lao Tizer Band featuring Elliott Yamin
Friday, October 10
Dmitry Shishkin
Thursday, October 23
Skye Consort with Emma Björling
Sunday, November 2
Trio Bohémo
Thursday, November 13
The Broadway Hollywood Holiday Songbook
Wednesday, December 3
Rocky Mountain Stocking Stuffers
Saturday and Sunday, December 6 & 7
Kings Return
Thursday, February 19
The Langston Hughes Project Featuring the Ron McCurdy Quartet
Saturday, February 28
Huu Bac Quintet
Saturday, March 7
A Chorus Line
Fridays – Sundays, March 13-29
San Jose Taiko
Friday, April 10
Luca Stricagnoli
Saturday, April 25
to
season 28 the ascent
Eureka Day | SEP 6 – OCT 5, 2025 by Jonathan Spector
Job | NOV 8 – DEC 7, 2025 by Max Wolf Friedlich
Bad Books | JAN 10 – FEB 1, 2026 by Sharyn Rothstein
Another Kind of Silence | MAR 7 – APR 5, 2026 by L M Feldman
Furlough’s Paradise | MAY 2 – 31, 2026 by a.k. payne
Subscriptions and single tickets now on sale!
303.623.0524 curioustheatre.org
PATRON INFORMATION
The Newman Center offers multiple accessibility services including: assisted listening devices, mobile assistance chairs, transfer theatre seats, wheelchair seating, booster seats, automatic door openers for restrooms and exterior doors, audio description, captioning, language translation, American Sign Language, and copper wire hearing loop system for enhanced assisted listening. Patrons seeking accommodations can call 303.871.7720.
Paid parking is available for all shows in the Newman Center garage, subject to availability. Patrons are advised not to park in the neighborhoods, as most of the side streets have one hour parking only. Arrive early to ensure a space in the garage.
Artists, programs, venues, and schedules are subject to change without notice. The Newman Center will make reasonable efforts to notify ticket holders of changes.
Patrons are encouraged to call the Newman Center at 303.871.7720 for information on the suitability of events for children.
The University of Denver is a smoke-free campus. Smoking and vaping is permitted only in designated areas.
M ALLAN FRANK
FAMILY BOX OFFICE
2344 E. Iliff Ave. Denver, CO 80208
newmancenterpresents.com 303.871.7720
newmanboxoffice@du.edu
Tickets can be purchased 24 hours a day online. The box office and phone lines are open:
10am-4pm Mon – Fri 12pm-4pm Sat (Sept – May) Closed Sundays
The box office opens one hour before each performance. Note that the Newman Center’s website, box office, and phone line are the only authorized ticket sources for events produced and presented at the Newman Center for the Performing Arts. You can purchase from us knowing that you’ve received the best price available, your seat is guaranteed, and your privacy is secure.
PROGRAM INFORMATION
This program is produced for the Robert and Judi Newman Center for the Performing Arts by The Publishing House Westminster, Colorado
Angie Flachman Johnson, Publisher Wilbur E. Flachman, President Emeritus
Advertising information: 303-428-9529 or sales@pub-house.com coloradoartspubs.com
All content copyright 2025-2026. All rights reserved.
NEWMAN CENTER ADMINISTRATION
Executive and Programming
Jennifer Karas, Senior Vice Provost for Academic Affairs
Aisha Ahmad-Post, Executive Director
Andryn Arithson, Director of Business & Operations
Iden Sheng, Artistic Operations Manager
Julia Johnson, Administrative Assistant
Tim Healy, Business Operations Assistant
Advancement
Adriel Long, Assistant Director of Development and Individual Giving
Ticketing Services
Richard Moraskie, Assistant Director
Max Manoles, Box Office Manager
Ticket Agents
Emma Calvert*
Ian Emmer*
Gabby Gillespie*
LJ Hansen*
Morgana Keller*
Education Initiatives
Delaney Kottenstette*
Reagan Luchte*
Ethan McGraw*
Melissa Monjaras*
Luke Wachter, Associate Director of Educational Initiatives
Marketing and Communications
Allison Eaby, Assistant Director
Christian Jaeger, Marketing Coordinator
Jin Wook Lee, Graphic Design Specialist
Patron & Event Services
Taylor Beia, Assistant Director
Zachary Westerman, Manager
Jennifer Reed, Manager on Duty
Connie Washington, Manager on Duty
Rachel Hargroder, Assistant Director
Angela Edgington, House Manager
Debbie Hindin-King, House Manager
Jennifer Reed, House Manager
Connie Washington, House Manager
Matin Kakhsaz, Event Support Specialist*
Drew Tilbrooke, Event Support Specialist & Patron Services Assistant*
Production
Garret Glass, Associate Director
Zach Jovanovich, Coordinator
Jason Pickering, Coordinator
Concierge Medicine
Our new Wellness and Prevention Clinics are home to an innovative Concierge Medicine program that brings our unique model of care into a membership-based primary care setting for adults.
Focused on keeping you healthy, the program is rooted in evidence-based medicine. Our goal is to provide personalized, precision medicine in a relationship characterized by trust, in a manner that exceeds expectations.
Services are covered by an annual fee.
2025-2026 NEWMAN CENTER PRESENTS SEASON EXPERIENCE
All performances will be at 7:30 p.m. unless otherwise noted.
THE SEASON
Scan the QR codes for a video/auditory experience of the 2025-26 Newman Center Presents Season
newman center presents, 2025-2026 season DARCY JAMES ARGUE’S SECRET SOCIETY
Saturday, October 4, 2025 at 7:30 p.m. June Swaner Gates Concert Hall Newman Center for the Performing Arts University of Denver Newmancenterpresents.com
about darcy james argue’s secret society
Darcy James Argue, “one of the top big band composers of our time”(Stereophile), is best known for Secret Society, an 18-piece group “renowned in the jazz world” (New York Times). Argue brings an outwardly anachronistic ensemble into the 21st century through his “ability to combine his love of jazz’s past with more contemporary sonics” and is celebrated as “a syncretic creator who avoids obvious imitation” (Pitchfork). Acclaimed as an “innovative composer, arranger, and big band leader” by The New Yorker, Argue’s accolades include multiple GRAMMY nominations and a Latin GRAMMY Award, a Guggenheim Fellowship, a Doris Duke Artist Award, and countless commissions and fellowships.
Dynamic Maximum Tension, Argue’s latest album with Secret Society and his label debut on Nonesuch Records, is named after the three words that inventor and futurist R. Buckminster Fuller combined to form his personal brand: “Dymaxion” — a term reflecting Bucky’s desire to get the most out of his materials, the utopian vision of his designs, and his quest to improve the pattern of daily life. The album has been called “his best to date: a work of stunning eclecticism and complexity, but thoroughly accessible, elastic with swing” by Fred Kaplan of Slate, and “simply some of the most exciting music being made right now” by Stereogum’s Phil Freeman. Dynamic Maximum Tension was named one of the best albums of 2023 by DownBeat, NPR, and numerous other outlets, and earned Argue his fourth consecutive GRAMMY nomination for Best Large Jazz Ensemble Album.
Argue’s affinity for blurring genres and deftly weaving sociopolitical ideas into ambitious, culturally resonant work is exemplified in the “stunningly original” (Wall Street Journal) song cycle Ogresse, a collaboration with GRAMMY-winning vocalist Cécile McLorin Salvant, and in the multimedia performance Real Enemies, a “breathtaking” (JazzNu) production co-created with writer-director Isaac Butler and filmmaker Peter Nigrini that premiered in 2015 at the BAM Next Wave Festival. Celebrating their 20th anniversary this year, Secret Society maintains a busy touring schedule, with European, Canadian, and South American tours, global
Photo Credit: Ben Knabe
festival performances, and five appearances at the legendary Newport Jazz Festival. In 2024, Argue was named Composerin-Residence for the Frankfurt Radio Big Band. He has toured with the Metropole Orkest, the Danish Radio Big Band, the NDR Big Band, the Jazzgroove Mothership Orchestra, and many others. His music was featured by the Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra in their Contemporary Jazz Masterpieces concert.
Argue has topped the Composer of the Year, Arranger of the Year, and Big Band of the Year categories in the DownBeat International Critics Poll. He has been commissioned by the MAP Fund, the Fromm Music Foundation, 92NY, the Newport Festival Foundation, the Jerome Foundation, BAM, and the Jazz Gallery, as well as ensembles including the NDR Big Band, the Danish Radio Big Band, the Canadian National Jazz Orchestra, NYO Jazz, the Hard Rubber Orchestra, the West Point Jazz Knights, and the Orquestra Jazz de Matosinhos. He is the recipient of grants and fellowships from the New York Foundation for the Arts, New Music USA, Composers Now, the Mid Atlantic Arts Foundation, the Aaron Copland Fund for Music, the Canada Council for the Arts, and MacDowell.
musicians
COMPOSER-CONDUCTOR
Darcy James Argue WINDS
Dave Pietro
Rob Wilkerson
Charles Pillow
Quinsin Nachoff
Carl Maraghi
TRUMPETS
Seneca Black
Ravi Best
Michael Dudley
Nadje Noordhuis
David Smith
TROMBONES
Mike Fahie
Ryan Keberle
Evan Amoroso
Jennifer Wharton RHYTHM
Sebastian Noelle, guitar
Adam Birnbaum, piano
Jorge Roeder, bass
Jon Wikan, drums
SOUND ENGINEER
Vernil Rogers
Photo Credit: Lindsay Beyerstein
connect
facebook.com/secretsocietymusic x.com/darcyjamesargue
@darcyjamesargue
youtube.com/darcyjamesargue darcyjamesargue.com COMING TO THE NEWMAN CENTER THIS FALL
Ballet Hispánico October 11, 2025
Branford Marsalis: Belonging Tour October 17, 2025
Sunny Jain’s Wild Wild East November 8, 2025
Hung Dance: Birdy November 19, 2025
Bria Skonberg: Jingle Bell Swing December 10, 2025
Photo Credit: Luis Godinho
thank you for your support
Thank you to our donors, patrons, and advocates for supporting the Newman Center through donations. In recognition of your generosity, this listing recognizes annual giving fund donors who gave between January 1, 2024 to July 31, 2025. If you have any questions about this listing, contact Development at ncpa.development@du.edu or 303.871.6426.
Annual Giving Circles
Director ($25,000+)
Bonfils-Stanton Foundation
Genesee Mountain Foundation
The Grynberg Family
Andrew Lane
Judi & Bob Newman
Raphael Levy Memorial Foundation
Gold ($10,000+)
Beverlee Henry Fullerton
U.S. Bank Foundation
Encore ($5,000+)
Robert Montgomery
Jaclyn Yelich & Gregory Thielen
Benefactor ($2,500+)
Carolyn A. Agosta +++
Diane Butler
Creative West
Giving While Living Fund+
Robert Hodges
Dr. Jennifer Karas
National Endowment for the Arts
Anonymous
Ovation ($1,000+)
Aisha Ahmad-Post
Teri & Gordon Appell
Erin Bird
Pamela Brody
Diane Butler
Anne Culver+
Rus & Dale DeWitt
Joyce Dulin
Margot Gilbert Frank+
Jan Gieskieng+*
Donna Bryson and Fredrick Glick Family Charitable Fund
Burt & Lee Golub
Anonymous
Mark & Nancy Magliery
Dee & Gene Milstein
Anonymous
Anonymous
Daniel Paulien
Kathy Spuhler+
Carolyn Strand
Texas Instruments Foundation
James Wilkins
Judy Wolfe
Patron ($500+)
Hannah Christian
Richard Dehncke & Kim Morss
Anonymous
Joseph Hall & Marilyn Katzman
Debra Hindin-King & Raymond King
KJ Community Fund at the Denver Foundation
Marcia Lazar
Matt Lepore
Sarah Lincoln
Hensley & James Peterson
Roger & Lynn Ritvo
Kathy & Donald Rosenkrans Jr.++
Amy & Jay Sage
Christopher & Lin Williams
Friend ($250+)
Lisa & Matthew Alcorn
Dan Allen Andree
Libby Bortz+
Benjamin & Ann Cooper
Brian & Patricia Gast
Ray Gottesfeld
Andrew Hornbrook
Robert & Theresa Keatinge
Julio Martinez Coronado
Jean & Ronald Meyer
Anonymous
Richard & Wendy Henry-Moraskie
Diane Moy
Jonathan Phillips
Cason & Rachel Pierce
Sandy & Robert Righter
Cynthia Saer
Kenneth Stuart
Advocate ($100+)
American Online Giving Foundation
Inc
Kwon Atlas
Robert & Angela Bricmont
Teresa Brown
Terry Bush
Hilary Carlson
Charities Aid Foundation of America
Glenda Chipps
Christina Clayton
Robert & Lourdes Clever
Jeffrey & Nancy Davis
Anonymous+
Barbara Ellman
Timothy Gill & Scott Miller
Louis Gobis
Bettina Grandey
Georgia Grey
Kathryn Heet
Terri & Peter Hoopes
Anonymous+
Vicki Johnson
Wendy Lamson Collier
Leona Lazar
Diana Lee+
Key:
Sybil Barnes
Peter Bemski
Libby Bortz+
Brewster & Helen Boyd
Marc Linit & Sue Hollingsworth
Richard & Donna Manczak
Richard McAllister
Scott McDonald
Jean Milofsky
Anonymous
Robert Nouhan & Jean Lu
Zachary Palmquist
Helen Pendill
Stephanie Rance
Susan Rifkin
Anonymous
Cristina Sloan
Judith & Roger Strand
James Twark & Monique Coustry
Melody Vielbig
John Wachter
Leland Wagner
Tina Walls
Salina Whitaker
Stephen Winber
John Young
“+” Pioneer Legacy Society member.
“*” deceased
“++” All or a portion of this gift was made in honor of Robert and Judi Newman.
“+++” This gift was made in memory of William Rauschert.
Scan the QR code to support the Newman Center today!
2025-26 Educational Impact
Connecting students to creativity, community, and a world of
cultures.
Student Matinee Series and Residencies
The Newman Center’s vibrant educational programming serves thousands of students and teachers each season with unique experiences that both mirror student’s lives and open windows to new cultures and ideas. Thanks to the generosity of donors, schools have free access to student matinee performances in Gates Concert Hall as well as unique in-school artists workshops and residencies with some of the world’s best performing artists. This season includes matinee performances by ArtistiCO, The Okee Dokee Brothers, and Cirque Kalabanté, and residencies with Ballet Hispánico, Arturo O’Farrill, Ephrat Asherie, Sunny Jain, La Santa Cecilia and more.
Music Creators
Musical Explorers
Musical Explorers, presented in partnership with Carnegie Hall’s Weill Music Institute, invites 2nd-grade students to explore three vibrant musical cultures through free lesson plans, audio recordings, and video resources. The semester-long program builds musical skills through listening, singing, and movement, and culminates in interactive live concerts in Gates Concert Hall. This season features Cumbia with Gregorio Uribe, Balinese traditions performed by Gamelan Tunas Mekar, and Freedom Songs with DU’s own Tatiana Mayfield Brown.
Music Creators Summer Camp will be back in June 2026, providing teens the opportunity to find their own unique musical voice. Students have hands-on experience with the latest music technology, learning techniques for musical composition, recording, and production led by professional artists and educators from the Newman Center, the Lamont School of Music, and The Community College of Denver’s Recording Arts Technology program.
To learn more about the Newman Center’s educational programs, visit us at newmancenterpresents.com/education or contact luke.wachter@du.edu
One can jump. Two can soar.
The Power of We
Where Montessori philosophy and the Reggio Emilia approach come together in a unique community-focused school for young children. Children’s Garden Montessori School serves children Toddler to Kindergarten.
TRUSTED PLUMBING, JUST AROUND
PHOTO: CATO BERRY BY RACHEL NEVILLE
EVERYBODY EVERRYBODY EVERYBODY
A Holiday Evening with Ingrid Michaelson NOV 30 Mozart & Now with Peter Oundjian JAN 23-25
Lang Lang with the Colorado Symphony MAR 14
Symphony No. 2 “Resurrection” with Peter Oundjian MAY 29-31 VIEW ALL EVENTS
Mahler
