Mare Trevathan's ten ways to do Denver Theater for less than $10

​Mare Trevathan exists in the local theater scene on many levels: She's an actress, publicist and booster all rolled up into one dynamic ball of energy, who's played roles for numerous companies, including Curious Theatre, where she also manages community affairs. Mare has been all over the world and has a long backstory in experimental theater, but has chosen to remain in Denver since 2001, which is a pretty good indicator for how things are here, theater-wise.

Mare notes that, after arriving in Denver, she saw her first Buntport Theater production, and "I thought, 'Oh, I could live here.'" And she has, ever since. Buntport, Mare adds, is able to keep the right balance between the "humorless and austere" avant garde and accessibility, without sacrificing an ounce of creativity or originality. "Buntport should be in the starter kit for culture in Denver," she notes. "You can go to one of their shows and appreciate it as if it's an art installation." Buntport is also vastly affordable, and in her role as theater booster, she likes that the metro area does offer plenty of affordable stage experiences. Following are ten from Mare:

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Third Tuesday at Buntport: When I discovered the existence of Buntport, I relaxed a bit into living in Denver. On the third Tuesday of every month, Buntport always offers some sort of quirky, cheap programming. In January, it's The Great Debate: Kafkaesque Moments or Freudian Slips, in which "teams of non-experts go head to head in lively debates of the inconsequential." Tuesday, January 18, at 8 p.m. $5-7, by luck of the draw.

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Backstage Pass at Curious Theatre: My uber-fun gig at Curious includes dreaming up free pre-show events to host backstage. Next up: an all-ages acting class on Sunday, January 30, at 12:30 p.m. and a performance by the Colorado Chamber Players on Sunday, February 13, at 1 p.m., with funny love poetry read by Curious actors. Free!

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Freak Train at the Bug Theatre: The last Monday of every month, my buddy GerRee Hinshaw hosts a silly and strange open stage. Come at 7 p.m. if you want to sign up for one of the twelve performance slots. The show starts at 8 p.m. $5 includes free beer.

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Denver Center Theatre Company: I lived in Denver two years before attending a show at this big fish organization, finding the ticket costs out of reach. Now, in partnership with the SCFD, each Tuesday at 10 a.m., ten seats for every Denver Center Theatre Company performance in the coming week are put on sale for $10. Use code SCFD at the website.