The name of Cripple Creek has always caused confusion. When we began in 2006, in those uncertain months after the storm, people would ask if we were Colorado expatriates, or if the name referred to the crooked and churning Mississippi River. Despite our lofty aspirations, we took our name from a Top Forty hit by The Band. This music, idiosyncratic and egalitarian, in some humble way gave us a blueprint of how we wanted to be. Like our inspiration, Cripple Creek sought to create a new kind of theatrical space, one where our mission informed the way we chose, organized, and produced our art. For twelve years we traveled the narrow road of thoughts and action married together. At times this road was imperfect, at other times impenetrable, but we never strayed from it, staying firm in our belief in our ability to make our unique kind of theatre, together. Now, like our Canadian/ American inspiration, the Cripple Creek Theatre Co. announces our "Last Waltz."
We will cease our operations at the end of our 2018 season. With hearts full of hippie love and communist pride, our song together is over. Twelve years and over fifty productions later, this company has been shaped by many voices. Each member of our sprawling family has impacted Cripple Creek with their passion, their pride, and their wisdom. And we grew accordingly, trying to live our mission and respect the ideas of the intentional community we sought to create. These ideas have buoyed and challenged us, divided us down the middle and mended us whole, enveloped us in darkness and shown us the light. Now we stand on the stage and again consider our namesake: perhaps theatre companies are like songs played live; notes are created and drift away through the audience, into the night.
It is time for our collected assembly to separate, and find the next step as individuals. We prepare to disband with love for you who have made a fever dream into a wonderful reality.
Looking forward, we are filled with pride; we are fellow travelers in a world that deserves inspiration. We are proud of our work, of the twelve years that have brought people of all types together. We are proud of New Orleans: its resiliency, its artists, and its ability to change and improve. We are proud of our legacy: one that has helped make the notion of art married to action not only possible, but popular. And we are proud of our quality.
We close this letter with a single request, join us for this Last Waltz in 2018. If you have accompanied us on this journey, help us finish it. If you have never seen a Cripple Creek production you have one last year to ride with us. We have our fundraising event The Dreamatorium at the Tigermen Den on May 11th, featuring music by Aurora Nealand, Rahim Glaspy and a Cripple Creek original theatrical offering. The funds raised at this event will go directly toward our touring production of Sueño, which is traveling to Bridge House, Grace House, Hagar’s House, DCI Prison and others, before opening at Unitarian Universalist Church on May 25th. Our final production will be The Visit at our original home, The Allways Lounge, in July. There is much to do in 2018. Celebrate our ending with us just as you galvanized our beginning. There will always be Cripple Creek as long as people like you strive for a braver, more equitable world. Our theatre is anywhere we are, our theatre is the whole world. So we close with a final question for 2018, “May we have this dance?”
In Gratitude,
The Cripple Creek Theatre Company
We will cease our operations at the end of our 2018 season. With hearts full of hippie love and communist pride, our song together is over. Twelve years and over fifty productions later, this company has been shaped by many voices. Each member of our sprawling family has impacted Cripple Creek with their passion, their pride, and their wisdom. And we grew accordingly, trying to live our mission and respect the ideas of the intentional community we sought to create. These ideas have buoyed and challenged us, divided us down the middle and mended us whole, enveloped us in darkness and shown us the light. Now we stand on the stage and again consider our namesake: perhaps theatre companies are like songs played live; notes are created and drift away through the audience, into the night.
It is time for our collected assembly to separate, and find the next step as individuals. We prepare to disband with love for you who have made a fever dream into a wonderful reality.
Looking forward, we are filled with pride; we are fellow travelers in a world that deserves inspiration. We are proud of our work, of the twelve years that have brought people of all types together. We are proud of New Orleans: its resiliency, its artists, and its ability to change and improve. We are proud of our legacy: one that has helped make the notion of art married to action not only possible, but popular. And we are proud of our quality.
We close this letter with a single request, join us for this Last Waltz in 2018. If you have accompanied us on this journey, help us finish it. If you have never seen a Cripple Creek production you have one last year to ride with us. We have our fundraising event The Dreamatorium at the Tigermen Den on May 11th, featuring music by Aurora Nealand, Rahim Glaspy and a Cripple Creek original theatrical offering. The funds raised at this event will go directly toward our touring production of Sueño, which is traveling to Bridge House, Grace House, Hagar’s House, DCI Prison and others, before opening at Unitarian Universalist Church on May 25th. Our final production will be The Visit at our original home, The Allways Lounge, in July. There is much to do in 2018. Celebrate our ending with us just as you galvanized our beginning. There will always be Cripple Creek as long as people like you strive for a braver, more equitable world. Our theatre is anywhere we are, our theatre is the whole world. So we close with a final question for 2018, “May we have this dance?”
In Gratitude,
The Cripple Creek Theatre Company