Since the start of summer, more than 100 performances have taken place in Durango. Concerts, plays, musicals, dance, stand-up comedy and rodeos have happened in theaters and concert venues, outside in fields, under tents, in bars and restaurants, in rodeo arenas, on the street, in parks, backyards, assisted living centers, churches and homes. Why, in this digital age, do artists continue to perform in person, and why do audiences keep attending?
It is believed that singing preceded language and that performance has existed since the dawn of humanity. Experiencing living, breathing people creating something for groups to watch and interact with in person is part of our wiring. Even with all the choices we can access through our screens, somehow, deep down, we need to be in the same location while something is created in front of our eyes and ears.
As the summer wanes, the Community Concert Hall at Fort Lewis College adds more in-person experiences through our 2024-25 Concert Hall Presents performing arts season.
Beginning with songwriters from Nashville, Tennessee, who wrote hit songs for many of country music’s biggest stars, “Nashville Songs and Stories Writers in the Round” features Jeffrey Steele, Wendell Mobley, Danny Myrick and Megan Linville, who combine music and storytelling on August 28.
More musicians with their stories take the stage during our Backstage Pass Concert Series, where the audience is seated onstage with the musicians; we get an up-close personal experience and a deep dive into the creative process. Thom Chacon, with special guest Bobby Marquez, kicks off the series on Oct. 9, and Steven Espaniola brings Hawaiian music to Durango on March 26, 2025. When songwriters and musicians share how they arrived at the music they created, we get a peek into the practice of creating that stands the test of time.
“The Second City,” the premier sketch comedy company that launched the careers of stars such as Tina Fey, Steve Carell and Bill Murray, returns to Durango after a five-year hiatus. Internet sensation Trae Crowder will deliver stand-up comedy, and in April 2025, humorist, comedian and author David Sedaris will cap off our spoken word events. All three performances are recommended for a mature audience.
You’ll want to bring the kids to shows such as “Cirque Mechanics – Pedal Power” and “Magic Rocks!” with illusionist Leon Etienne. “Pedal Power” continues the modern circus tradition with mechanical wonders, acrobatics and steampunk inspiration. “Magic Rocks!” features illusions by a magician who fooled Penn and Teller on their “Fool Us!” television show. The “State Street Ballet’s Nutcracker” and the “Bar-D Wranglers Christmas Jubilee” will return for more family fun this December.
Will these and other performances at the Community Concert Hall fulfill our human desire to be in the same room with artists performing their creations? We hope so! Come experience the “real thing” and a menu of live performances with us this season. Visit durangoconcerts.com or call us between 1 and 5 p.m. Monday to Friday to learn more.
Charles Leslie is director of the Community Concert Hall at Fort Lewis College.
