NYT Critic Brantley Defends Sondheim at Free Colorado Springs Talk

Ben Brantley is coming to Colorado Springs. Not for a play, but for a talk about why we still care about Stephen Sondheim.

The longtime New York Times theater critic will appear Sunday at the Ent Center for Performing Arts, 5225 N. Nevada Ave., as part of the Center’s “Prologues” series. The event is free and starts at 2 p.m., preceding the 4 p.m. matinee of “Sweeney Todd.”

Brantley spent 27 years reviewing theater for the Times. According to the Colorado Sun, he found himself consistently returning to one composer: Sondheim. The critic’s perspective on the work has shifted over time. Early reviews of Sondheim called him cynical and too cool. Brantley disagrees with that assessment now. “All the feeling was there, he was a composer who felt too much of everything,” Brantley said.

That emotional intensity is what drives the current resurgence of Sondheim’s work among younger audiences, Brantley argues. He describes Sondheim as “a perfect voice for our age of ambivalence,” specifically when people are filled with conflicted feelings. Sondheim’s songs often tackled the darker aspects of contemporary society, including the disintegration of the nuclear family and the fraying of the American dream. He refused the cheery optimism typical of many musicals.

Theatreworks at the Ent Center for the Performing Arts opens its season with “Sweeney Todd,” the twisted tale of a homicidal barber. Sondheim wrote both the music and lyrics for the production, which runs through Oct. 4.

For folks who don’t live in Colorado Springs, the week offers other options across the state. The 46th annual Breckenridge Film Festival runs Thursday through Sunday with passes ranging from $65 to $300. The lineup includes almost 80 independent films, panels, and after parties at various venues in Breckenridge.

In Boulder, the KissFist Mural Fest is running Friday through Sunday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the NoBo Arts District, 4895 Broadway. It is the state’s only mural festival for deaf and hard of hearing artists, bringing together nine artists from across the country for three days of painting, workshops, and a weekend maker’s market. Admission is free.

Boulder Ballet opens its 2026-27 season Saturday at the renovated Chautauqua Theater, 100 Morning Glory Drive. The one-night-only show consists of three parts and features live music by the Boulder Philharmonic Orchestra. Tickets cost between $45 and $70, with doors opening for a 7:30 p.m. start.

The Brantley talk is the only event on this list that costs nothing to attend, provided you can get to Colorado Springs. For the rest, the price tag is modest compared to major metropolitan venues, but it’s a commitment of time and travel. If you’re in the Springs on Sunday, the 2 p.m. slot is a low-risk way to get a front-row perspective on why Sondheim’s dark, complex work still resonates. If you’re in Boulder or Breckenridge, the options are solid but require a financial outlay and specific scheduling.