Babette wants Denver to fall in LOVE with… Opera!
Join internationally acclaimed Soprano Judeth Shay Comstock as she joins the high art of Opera to the low art of world-class clowns Jim Jackson and Birgitta De Pree with Mark Arnest on the baby grand: beautiful singing, hilarious characters and 17 deaths in 70 minutes … more or less.
Only playing three times in Denver!
Friday & Saturday Feb 21 & 22 @ 7:30
Sunday Feb 23 @ 2pm
Get Tickets for the Savoy Denver here
This article was written mid February for our shows in Colorado Springs. The show is up in Denver now!
“Power trio from Millibo Art Theatre roasts well-known works in a hilarious romp
So, you don’t get opera? Well, you’ll get laughs aplenty from this campy spoof, She Dies, playing at the Millibo Art Theatre in Colorado Springs through Feb. 16. A MAT original, this hilarious 70-minute one-act farce turns opera on its lofty head with snippets of 17 famous opera arias — each culminating in 17 over-the-top deaths.”
Article by April Tooke from Feb 13, 2025 on ON STAGE COLORADO
Read the full article here
“Sublime and Ridiculous!”
“Beautiful and Preposterous!”
“Classical, Professional and oh so Irreverent!”
“I LOVED THIS SHOW! It’s always a treat to hear Judy Comstock and it’s always fun to see what Jim and Birgitta are up to… but put them all together? That kind of fun is probably illegal in 27 states.”
“Love, love, love this production! Judeth’s exquisite vocals and Mark’s playful piano accompaniment create the perfect vehicle for Jim Jackson and Birgitta De Pree’s hilarious journey through the world of opera. Need a good laugh? Of course, you do! Get your tickets today.”
“Culture and humor rolled up together, add delicious cake and you have a treat that can’t be beat.”
Get Tickets for the Savoy Denver here
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THE PERFORMERS:
MARK ARNEST (Piano) Mark Arnest has been involved in the Colorado Springs the-ater scene since the Theatreworks’ 1988 Monkey Business production as a composer, pianist, and music director. He also appeared at the Millibo in 2020 as pianist for The Notorious Nugget, a musical he wrote with his wife Lauren. He was last seen at the Millibo in November as the musician for Balloonacy. Mark loves accompanying silent films (most recently The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari) and is grateful for his years accompanying melodramas at the Iron Springs Chateau.
JUDETH SHAY COMSTOCK (Creator) has performed in opera and musical theatre throughout the region and is so happy to be back at The Millibo. Some recent highlights include Signora Naccarelli in The Light in the Piazza and Mrs. Mullin in Carousel, with Central City Opera, and a retrospective of the works of Craig Bohmler with the Aspen Theatre Festival. She was nominated for a Henry Award for her work as Muriel in Dirty Rotten Scoundrels at the Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center and received two Pikes Peak Arts Council Awards and the Richard F. Gold Career Grant from the Shoshanna Foundation. She has also performed with Opera Theatre of the Rockies, Opera Colorado, the Santa Fe Symphony and others.
BIRGITTA DE PREE (Creator) is the co-founder of the Millibo Art Theatre and has served as Artistic Director for over twenty years. She received her MFA from the National Theater Conservatory and has spent the last three decades working as a theatre performer, director, and educator. She is currently an assistant professor of Theatre at UCCS. Thank you, Jim, and Lisbet for all the adventures!
JIM JACKSON (Creator) is an internationally acclaimed clown with over 50 years of laughs in the circus and theatre. From 1976 through 2001, he toured his solo clown and circus shows throughout the U.S., Canada, and the U.K. Together with Birgitta, Jim co-founded the Millibo Art Theatre in 2002 where he has produced and directed many theatre, circus, and cabaret performances. He credits his three daughters Julia, Caitlin, and Lisbet for his best jokes.
FREDERICO BASTIANI is a leading heavyweight and definite contender in the Wide World of Opera. Captivating audiences and critics around the globe, he has been hailed as “an international star” (Better Homes and Gardens), “one of the world’s leading men who sing” (Sports Illustrated), and “one of the most in-demand opera singers in the Universe today” (Science Fiction Times). Highlights of Frederico’s recent seasons include his return as Roger the Hot Tamale in Don Pasquale at Teatro alla Scala Milan and as Tony the Filcher in La Fille du Régiment at Lyric Opera Chicago, as well as his role debuts as Bambino in Die Zauberflöte at The Metropolitan Opera, MARIA VON STASSEN STASSEN ESTERHAZE is renowned for her soaring, sparkling, effervescent, and gurgling voice, captivating audiences with her expressive interpretations of both classical and contemporary repertoire. Particularly known for her sprite-like agility in coloratura passages and rocky landscapes she has the ability to deliver powerful high notes while teasing
us with an unexpected basso profundo. She is praised for her “radiant, seemingly effortless breathing and superior singing” (The Epoch Times) with “a sense of pure passion and post adolescent excitement” (Hot Wired), and is celebrated not only for her exquisite choice of footware and her nun like devotion to her craft, but also her heartfelt, emotionally honest connection with most of the lesser humans backstage.
SEATING:
The MAT seats 109 patrons in a proscenium theatre with stadium style seating. Every seat at the MAT has excellent sight lines and acoustics.
All seating is assigned. If you have any special seating needs, or would like to request a specific seat, please call the MAT Box Office at 719-465-6321. We will do our best to accommodate your requests.
Wheelchair seats are A1 & A15
