Denver's Top 25: Ten To Watch

Rocky Mountain News

Published October 3, 2008 at 3 p.m.
Updated October 3, 2008 at 6:13 p.m.

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A look at more people worth watching in the year to come (in alphabetical order):

* Kevin Duncan, chairman, Colorado Symphony Association, and Cliff Gardner, vice president, director of special projects, Colorado Symphony: Duncan heads the committee seeking a successor to CSO President Doug Adams as well as helping juggle Boettcher Hall renovation and fundraising with the search for a music director to succeed Jeff Kahane. Gardner has guided the renovation and search for a temporary home during construction; he's also thrown his hat into the orchestra's presidential ring.

* Paul and Jill Epstein, owners, Twist & Shout: the best-seller list at this store doesn't remotely resemble the Billboard charts. That's because its owners brought an old-school mentality into the 21st Century, making the store a must for hard-core music fans who flock to its in-store performances (released through their own label).

* Brice Hancock, musician and owner of Toad Tavern: Hancock's band, Rubber Planet, celebrates its 10th anniversary on Oct. 10 at the bar he owns, The Toad Tavern. The venue's become arguably the most popular live music venue in the south metro area, offering fine local acts (The Hollyfelds, U.S. Pipe) and 45 national acts this year, including Chris Duarte and Coco Montoya. Hancock's also behind the music scene's favorite online clearinghouse of gripes: The Denver Messageboard. And while hackers recently rendered it temporarily MIA, he's working to get it up and running.

* Christoph Heinrich, Mark and Polly Addison Curator of Modern & Contemporary Art, Denver Art Museum: The new curator reinstalled the modern and contemporary galleries along a theme of the figure while importing a show of work by an artist he showed in Hamburg and planning an exhibition of installations to address the Hamilton's striking architecture. He has reached out to the community, collectors and donors, opening his home in the process and perhaps learning about area work that belongs in the DAM. He even attended MCA/Denver's inaugural gala in fall 2007. Can you say "ice breaker?"

* Martin Killorin, Jeff Campbell, Jim Norris, owners, 3 Kings Tavern: You might think a clean punk- rock dive would be a contradiction in terms, but you'd be wrong. The owners keep this anchor of South Broadway's underground culture the kind of place that allows you to feel glad about finally being a grown-up. (Of course, they'll still sell you a 40 oz. bottle of Mickey's and provide the requisite paper bag.) With burlesque, events like a "punk rock flea market" and a schedule featuring some of the hardest music bubbling up from America's underbelly, these three kings have staked their royal claim.

* La Wanna Larson, director, Black American West Museum: When someone hands you 19 parcels of land in a long- abandoned black settlement, you can throw up your hands or move ahead to make the town of Dearfield in Weld County come alive again. Larson, who took the latter path, says she feels an "overwhelming sense of hope" when she stands among the remaining structures, and you believe her.

* Laura Merage, artist and philanthropist: Merage has recruited artists and board members for the new RedLine art center. Merage's dream is not just about helping artists find an affordable place to work; they also must interact with the community, adding the ring of part co-op gallery and part outreach.

* Jose Mercado, actor, drama professor: He rejuvenated North High School's theater program, and now Mercado is inspiring young people at the University of Colorado-Denver and through his Labyrinth Arts Academy. This summer, his Labyrinth students created Throwaway/Runaway, which had its first staged reading with Mayor John Hickenlooper as emcee and was reprised in City Park during the Democratic National Convention.

* Steve Seifert, executive director, Newman Center for the Performing Arts: Seifert has done a great job programming at the center's three venues since it opened in 2003, bringing in a wide range of music, dance, theater and spoken word. Now, he's promising to create a much-needed dance series.

* Burleigh "Bo" Smith, executive director, Denver Film Society: When he starts his new job Oct. 14, Smith will have to ramp up fast since the Starz Denver Film Festival ,opens less than a month later. Smith's 21 years heading the film, video and concert program at Boston's Museum of Fine Arts will be invaluable as he works to, among other things, raise funds for a building that the DFS eventually can call its own.

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