The last time the Aurora Fox Arts Center needed a new executive director, the process dragged on for 14 months. No telling how long it will take this time, but there will be veteran administrative leadership at the ready to keep the ship steady.

On Wednesday, the city of Aurora took the innovative step of naming highly regarded arts administrator Lisa Rigsby Peterson to the temporary position of “interim manager of theater operations.” She is stepping in after Rich Cowden abruptly resigned Feb. 2 for reasons that have not been publicly confirmed.

Rigsby Peterson’s appointment will run through Dec. 31. She’s not saying she’s a candidate for the permanent position – but she’s not saying she’s not. “I wouldn’t go that far because I don’t know what the permanent position would be,” she told the Denver Gazette.

The Fox operates as part of the city’s Library and Cultural Services umbrella under director Ginger White Brunetti. As a municipally-owned theater, the wheels turn slowly, so there was no chance that a permanent replacement for Cowden would be named after only six weeks. But the work stops for no job vacancy.

“Working for a city is different than working for a nonprofit,” said Rigsby Peterson, who is now doing that very thing for a third time in her career. “There are just certain protocols.”

“The word ‘interim’ doesn’t send any message about me or my commitment. If anything, it shows creativity on Ginger’s part, because this is her saying, ‘Hey, we have an immediate need,’ and this is probably why she was able to move so quickly. December 31st gives me nine months, so I’m fine with it. “

White Brunetti said Rigsby Peterson’s immediate priority will be “to ensure the successful continuation of Season 41.” “Fat Ham,” a Pulitzer Prize-winning adaptation of Shakespeare’s Hamlet set at a Black backyard barbecue in the American South, opens March 27 under the direction of the intentionally lower-cased donnie l. betts. Then comes “Violet” (June 5-28), “Feeding Beatrice” (Oct. 2-Nov. 1), and “Hank Williams: Lost Highway” (Dec. 4-Jan. 4, 2027). 

“This is about two things,” Rigsby-Peterson said. “First, Rich selected an amazing season. We’ve got great artistic teams in place. And ‘Fat Ham’ is going into tech right now. So, my job is to make sure all the shows that are part of this season are as strong as they can be.”

But White Brunetti has larger goals for Rigsby Peterson.

“At this important point for the Aurora Fox, Lisa will also lead a comprehensive assessment of the arts center’s operating model.” 

Rigsby Peterson is all in.

“Anytime there’s a leadership transition, it’s a chance to ask, ‘Hey, what are we doing moving forward? Are there things we want to do differently?’” she said. “‘How do we serve Aurora? How do we leverage these assets to make sure they’re all working the way we need them to?’ And so, that is my charge as well.”

Rigsby Peterson has 38 years of experience as a performing-arts administrator, mostly in the Denver area. She was director of administration at the Denver Center for the Performing Arts, managing director at Curious Theatre and the founding executive director of the Lone Tree Arts Center. Then came three years as executive director of the Wheeler Opera House in Aspen. So, she has direct experience navigating the choppy waters of running a municipally-owned and operated arts facility. And, not for nothing, she got her master’s degree at Yale.

“In my career, I have seen the transformative power of the arts again and again – in the face of national crises, a worldwide pandemic and, perhaps most importantly, in everyday life,” said Rigsby Peterson. “Helping to steer the Aurora Fox toward the next chapter is incredibly exciting. I can’t wait to get started.”

The Aurora Fox opened in 1946 as a film palace that burned down in 1981 and was reopened as a community theater in 1985. The mainstage theater now has a capacity of 215 (brand new) seats. The complex’s studio isn’t getting much use at the moment, save for jazz concerts.

The Fox is located in the heart of the burgeoning Aurora Cultural Arts District. Within just a few blocks are the People’s Building, the Vintage Theatre (with its three performance venues), a nearby studio theater and another new theater space under construction at Colfax Avenue and Florence Street.

Side note: It remains a mystery as to the status of longtime Fox Production Manager Jen Orf, who has been on leave since mid-January. The city won’t comment on personnel issues but, to many, Orf has been the cog keeping the place together for more than a decade.

Upgrades to Sie Film Center

Don’t tell Denver Film that the movie theater is dead. At its Sie FilmCenter, the experience is just getting better and better.

Denver Film has completed more than $500,000 worth of upgrades at its year-round, three-theater home at 2510 E. Colfax Ave. We’re talking new screens, Christie 4K laser projectors (which sure sound like the good ones), upgraded sound systems and new premium seating in the intimate Clasen Screening Room.

Key donors to the project included Liane and Robert Clasen, the Anna & John J. Sie Foundation, Mike Fries and the state’s official film office.

About those Christie 4K laser projectors: Yeah, they’re good – ultra-high resolution, brightness and color accuracy. If you know what such words mean, I will add that new projection systems “offer high frame rates of up to 120 frames per second, eliminating motion blur and ensuring stunning clarity for both 2D and 3D presentations.” Did you get that?

“These best-in-class technology enhancements allow us to present films exactly as filmmakers intended,” Denver Film CEO Kevin Smith said.

Vote for your 150 fave Colorado films

Speaking of Denver Film, it’s teaming with Switchboard Strategies to present “The Colorado150 (CO150),” a film series highlighting the most notable films with Colorado ties that were set, shot or featured top-line Centennial State talent since 1876. (Colorado’s 150th birthday is coming up on Aug. 1.)

Beginning in June, more than 30 independent, community-based venues throughout Colorado will each screen a selection from the top 25. These screenings will also showcase short films, music videos and presentations from filmmakers, artists, critics and other Colorado creative workers before each screening.

Film industry professionals got the first chance to vote for their favorite Colorado films. That’s local film programmers, theater managers and such. Those results were used to plan the upcoming screenings, which will be announced in April and May. 

But Colorado film fans can have their say as well at colorado150film.com. Public voting will be used to narrow the list down to the top 150. 

“The CO150 is a fun, accessible way to combine our love of movies and our state to celebrate 150 years of Colorado history,” said Switchboard CEO Rob DuRay.

Chip Walton hired in Grand Junction

This news is now seven months old, but is surely new to most in Denver: Chip Walton, co-founder of the trailblazing Curious Theatre, is now the executive director of the Grand Valley Creative Alliance. That is a nonprofit dedicated to connecting the Western Slope creative community.

Walton is responsible for leading both the nonprofit’s strategic direction and its development of “The ARTery.” That’s a 5,900-square-foot, community-driven creative hub at 539 Colorado Ave. in downtown Grand Junction’s Creative District. And what is that?

In Colorado, a “Creative District” is a state-certified, geographically defined area that has proven to boost local economies through the arts and creative entrepreneurship. We have more than 30 in Colorado.

Walton was Curious Theatre’s producing artistic director through the company’s 24th season, establishing himself as among the two or three most significant members of the Colorado theater community so far this century. He ultimately passed leadership to Jada Suzanne Dixon and completed what must have turned out to be a temporary move to Mexico.

That’s our Mandy

If you saw the Oscars, you once again saw the work of Colorado’s golden pop-culture choreographer, Mandy Moore of Summit High School. Moore returned to the 98th Academy Awards to shape the musical performances. Hard to top the Ryan Gosling “Barbie” Oscars spectacle, but she came close with her oversight of both the “K-Pop Demon Hunters” musical number and backup assistance for the “Sinners” performance.

Speaking of the Oscars, the ABC-slash-Hulu telecast drew 17.9 million viewers, a 9% drop from 2025. That marks a four-year viewership low. Still, that’s enough viewers to qualify as the No. 1 prime-time entertainment telecast of the 2025-26 season to date.

Speaking even more about the Oscars: According to something called JustWatch and its 20 million U.S. members, these are the films that saw the biggest uptick in streaming popularity in the 24 hours following the telecast:

• The documentaries “All the Empty Rooms” (up 661%)  and “Mr. Nobody Against Putin” (up 524%) recorded the strongest percentage viewership growth following their wins.
• Best Picture winner “One Battle After Another” had a 231% rise in streaming interest, with “Sinners” following at 136%.

Colorado Ballet salutes Boggs

April 16 will be a big day for Colorado Ballet as it celebrates Artistic Director Gil Boggs’ 20th anniversary with the company at a big old gala.

“Over the past two decades, Gil has guided Colorado Ballet through remarkable artistic expansion and institutional development,” said Executive Director Sameed Afghani. “Celebrating Gil’s 20th anniversary is celebrating two decades of extraordinary growth for Colorado Ballet. His leadership has expanded our company, added a thriving studio company, and helped make the Armstrong Center for Dance – with its dedicated rehearsal, academy and office spaces – a reality.

“He has broadened our repertoire, commissioned new works and grown our annual audience to more than 100,000 people. This milestone honors his remarkable leadership and the impact it continues to have on our company and community.”

For more information, visit coloradoballet.org/gala. 

John Moore is the Denver Gazette’s Senior Arts Journalist. Email him at [email protected].