Parker: Actress Ringwald conjures up a dandy smoke screen

By Penny Parker, Rocky Mountain News (Contact)

Published December 7, 2006 at midnight

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To avoid blowing the state's smoking ban, actress Molly Ringwald had to puff a faux cigarette on Tuesday during opening night of Sweet Charity in the Buell Theatre.

"She's actually blowing (what looks like smoke) out of the fake cigarette," said Jen Schiavone, Denver Center Attractions spokeswoman. "She doesn't really light it, just mimics lighting it."

Local theater companies recently sought exemptions to the state smoking ban, but were denied by Denver District Court at the end of October. But prior to that final "no," DCA management met to determine what upcoming shows might have smoking themes. At the time, Sweet Charity was overlooked as a smoking gun.

"When I came back from seeing Sweet Charity in September in Seattle and saw that it had some smoking scenes, our general manager John Ekeberg got on the phone (with the show's producers), and the show came up with the modification," Schiavone said.

Sweet Charity is the first major musical production to navigate the new no-smoking waters, Schiavone said. "(The producers) sent us an outline of how it was going to work to make sure we were covered and not breaking any laws."

You probably wouldn't notice the smoking issue in the play if not for a hilarious scene in which Ringwald's character has a lit cigarette when she jumps into a closet to hide. She unzips a garment bag to exhale so her hiding place won't be discovered.

Sweet Charity plays through Dec. 17. Tickets: 303-893-4100 or denvercenter.org.

NEW EATS: The old Olinger mortuary building is getting new life with the Dec. 14 opening of Vita, owned by Mark Schuwerk and Jay Beckerman, the boys who brought us Breckenridge's Blue River Bistro.

The Italian-American eatery opens at 1575 Boulder St., next to LoLa, which relocated there earlier this year.

Chef Max MacKissock (honey-hon to Rioja and Bistro Vendome owner Jennifer Jasinski) will create bistro-style dishes, including diver scallops saltimbocca, chicken cacciatore and lobster meatballs. Lunch and dinner daily. Reservations: 303-477-4600 or vitadenver.com.

Longtime restaurateur Ed Novak (The Broker, Cork House) is the newest Egg & I franchisee, opening his breakfast-and-lunch eatery at 560 S. Holly St. (at Leetsdale) on Monday. Open daily from 6 a.m. to 2 p.m.

LAST CALL: Central City denizen and Denver ad man Lew Cady got the first beer on the last day of Duffy's reign downtown, as well as the last one just before 2 a.m. on Dec. 1.

"I bought the last beer they sold at 1:51 a.m.," Cady said.

Cady also reported seeing longtime bartender Johnny Naffah, who served the last beer, carried out the front door at 2 a.m. on the shoulders of loyal customers chanting "Johnny! Johnny!"

DEAREST DAWN: Times are getting ever tougher for former Rocky society scribe Dawn Denzer, who continues to battle Parkinson's disease. Denzer was the sweet, outgoing society writer who wrote for the News from 1993 to 1998. Dawn, 73, now is a resident of the Shalom Park assisted living center.

Guardian Angel Jamie Angelich, who befriended Dawn during her society-writing days and has continued to watch over her, has launched a Gift of Love campaign for Dawn. If you'd like to learn more, contact Lari Martin at 2713 South Paris Place, Aurora, 80014, or call 303-755-2045 for a Dawn update. THE SEEN: Former Blink-182 drummer Travis Barker and pals (now with +44) partying Tuesday night at La Boheme strip club downtown. "I gotta tell you, they were nice, down-to-earth kids," said club owner Rusty Bullard.

EAVESDROPPING on two women at the Buell Theatre: "I love my gays. Without them, I'd have no friends."

"Without them, I'd have no dates."

Penny Parker's column appears Tuesday through Saturday. Listen to her on the Caplis and Silverman radio show between 4 and 5 p.m. Fridays on KHOW-AM (630). Call her at 303-954-5224 or e-mail parkerp@RockyMountainNews.com.

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