Now Playing

 Every Secret Thing. Judy GeBauer's Every Secret Thing deals with the effect of McCarthyism on a group of high-school teachers, and it couldn't have premiered at a more fitting time. The play is based on GeBauer's memories of a civics teacher in her high school who was called before HUAC and thereafter disappeared; here, a teacher by the name of Richard Packard is contacted by an FBI agent and asked to spy on his colleagues. The script is thoughtful and represents an extended discussion of a very important subject, but the conflicts are predictable, and there are few genuinely theatrical moments. Still, you care about the characters and are absorbed by their concerns, and the evening does an excellent job of communicating the overwhelming dread and paranoia of the era. Presented by Modern Muse Theatre Company through June 30, Bug Theatre, 3654 Navajo Street, 303-780-7836, www.modernmusetheatre.com. Reviewed June 7.

A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum. This hoary old Broadway musical is a cartoon of a show set in ancient Rome, inspired by Plautus and with an overlay of Borscht Belt humor. In case that's not enough, the show's slaves, eunuchs, courtesans, dumb and/or lascivious old men, requisite battle-ax of a wife and dopey ingenue couple are depicted in the flattened, brightly colored strokes we associate with the early '60s. Pseudolus is a slave who longs for his freedom. When his master, Hero, falls in love with a beautiful young courtesan he's spied through the window of the neighboring brothel, he sees his chance. He will acquire the lovely Philia for Hero in exchange for freedom. But, naturally, many pitfalls appear. Though the plot seems episodic at first, it's tightly constructed, with every element clicking tightly into place by the end. The first-rate cast is obviously having a great time, and there's not a weak link in it. Particularly noteworthy is the return of Denver favorite Kathleen M. Brady, who plays Domina. In all, this is a mildly enjoyable evening, and would be especially enjoyable after a good dinner and a glass of wine. Presented by the Denver Center Theatre Company through July 8, Stage Theatre, Denver Performing Arts Complex, 303-893-4100, www.denvercenter.org. Reviewed May 31.

The Pavilion. The first production to be staged at the partially renovated Elitch's, The Pavilion is a piece that takes place at a high-school reunion and focuses on time and the choices we make in life. The protagonists, Kari and Peter, were in love at seventeen, twenty years before — but Peter abandoned Kari when she became pregnant. The other characters are all represented by a single actor, the play's Narrator. The script is wordy, windy and sentimental, and the protagonists' complaints seem self-absorbed and petty. There's very little plot, and the play's observations about human nature aren't cogent enough to hold your attention. When the onetime lovers finally talk to each other, that conversation is interminable. You want to scream at them to get over themselves and either reunite or part. The venue itself — the restored Carousel Pavilion — has sound problems and visual distractions that dissipate whatever slight, fluttering charm this play might possess. Presented by the Center for American Theatre at Historic Elitch Gardens through July 1, Carousel Pavilion, 38th Avenue and Tennyson Street, 720-985-7938, www.centerforamericantheatre.org. Reviewed June 21.

Sista's and Storytellers. This is not a play, and it's not exactly a cabaret act, either. It's sort of a cross between a slumber party and a church service, as a group of women who sang together as children in a choir called the Heavenly Voices come together for a reunion. They drink a little, nibble a little, discuss their romances and discover that friendship is a great healer. And also that any support friends can't provide will be supplied by Jesus Christ. The dialogue is vague and general, the tech minimal and the acting broad, but the evening is filled with music and song, and the voices of the six performers — though distorted and overmiked — provide every reason you'll ever need for a trek to the theater. Presented by the Black Box in the New Denver Civic Theatre, Thursdays through August 30, 721 Santa Fe Drive, 303-309-3773, www.sistasandstorytellers.com. Reviewed June 14.