World Theatre Festival features 2 shows, workshops, conversations

The Colorado Festival of World Theatre kicks off its fifth season Wednesday with some star power and flourish but also more down-to-earth ambitions than ever before.

At its height, in 2005, this festival crammed 14 international productions into 16 days at several venues in the region.

This year's festival is built around only two productions: a Rodgers and Hammerstein musical revue starring Shirley Jones at the Pikes Peak Center, and a one-man Shakespeare tribute starring Michael Pennington at Colorado College and Woodland Park High School.

The scaled-down festival is part of a new strategy: go big every other year and more modest on the off years. The organization's president, Suzy Bassani, says this is the only way to keep the festival in the black. She also hopes that this smaller festival will draw more people to the workshops, conversations with celebrities and the street theater.

FESTIVAL OF WORLD THEATRE SCHEDULE

11 a.m.-1 p.m. Wednesday - Master class with Tony- and Drama Desk Award-winning musical director, conductor and composer Paul Gemignani; Packard Hall at Colorado College, 5 W. Cache La Poudre St.; $10 at the door.

Noon-1 p.m. Sept. 6 - A conversation with Michael Pennington, actor with the Royal Shakespeare Company; Studio A in CC's Edith Kinney Gaylord's Cornerstone Arts Center, 825 N. Cascade Ave.; $10 at the door, free to students with ID.

8 p.m. Sept. 6, 4 p.m. Sept. 7 - "My Favorite Things, a Tribute to Rodgers and Hammerstein," featuring Shirley Jones, Patrick Cassidy, Marin Mazzie, Jason Danieley, 100 voices from local youth groups including The Colorado Springs Children's Chorale and The Colorado Springs Conservatory and Halee Towne and Jessica Gisin, winners of this summer's "Singing with the Stars" competition; the Pikes Peak Center, 190 S. Cascade Ave.; $20-$67 at the Pikes Peak Center, ticketswest.com or 576-2626.

10 a.m. Sept. 7, 2008 - Brunch and conversation with the cast of "My Favorite Things"; The Broadmoor's Grand Ballroom, 1 Lake Ave.; $50 (conversation only, starting at 11:30 a.m., is $20); tickets at the Pikes Peak Center, ticketswest.com or 576-2626.

7:30 p.m. Sept. 8 and 9 - "Sweet William," starring Michael Pennington; in CC's Armstrong Hall, 14 E. Cache La Poudre St.; $15-$25; at the Pikes Peak Center, ticketswest.com or 576-2626. Program repeated 7 p.m. Sept. 10 at the Woodland Park High School, 151 N. Baldwin St. Admission is $10 at the door.