Denver Film has announced an eclectic list of guests who are coming to town for the 45th Denver Film Festival opening Nov. 2, including screenwriter Samuel D. Hunter (“The Whale”); actor Raúl Castillo (“The Inspection”); filmmaker James Benning (“RR”) and the Rev. Al Sharpton, subject of a featured documentary called “Loudmouth.”

Hunter, whose acclaimed new film began as a developing play at the DCPA Theatre Company’s 2011 Colorado New Play Summit, will receive the festival’s Excellence in Writing Award on Nov. 12, at the Denver Botanic Gardens.

Castillo will receive the Excellence in Acting Award on Nov. 9, at Denver Botanic Gardens before a special screening of “The Inspection.” Benning will receive the Stan Brakhage Vision Award on Nov. 6, at the Sie FilmCenter. The Maria and Tommaso Maglione Italian Filmmaker Award will be presented to writer, director Mario Martone for his film “The King of Laughter” on Nov. 4, at the Sie FilmCenter. Martone’s latest film, “Nostalgia,” is Italy’s official submission for Best International Film for the 2023 Academy Awards.

Sharpton will be interviewed before a screening of “Loudmouth” on Nov. 10, at the Ellie Caulkins Opera House.

The festival also announced a first: After the first week of sales for the upcoming festival, all 230 films had sold at least one ticket, an indicator of both the public’s thirst to get back out, as well as the broad spectrum of programming. More info at denverfilm.org.

Angela Lansbury in Denver

The late local promoter Robert Garner, who brought Broadway shows to Denver for 34 years, included Angela Lansbury’s 1974 visit to the Auditorium Theatre as the star of “Gypsy” among his list of six favorite all-time six touring stops during his run from 1961-95.

Lansbury, who died on Tuesday, came to the Auditorium Theatre (now half of the Ellie Caulkins Opera House) with Stephen Sondheim’s “Gypsy” at a time when an orchestra seat cost about $10. A balcony seat was more like three bills. (A souvenir program from that Denver run just sold online this week for $25.)

Back in Garner’s day, touring productions were as much about the stars as the shows themselves. Hollywood legends not only did lots of theater back then, they traveled the country with their shows. But Garner had an “in.” He partnered with the Ahmanson Theatre in Los Angeles to host test runs of its plays in front of Denver’s friendlier audiences before opening in California. That four-year arrangement brought Maggie Smith, Jack Lemmon, Charlton Heston, Carol Channing, Bette Davis, Marlene Dietrich and dozens more to Denver. Katharine Hepburn played here in “West Side Waltz.” Ingrid Bergman starred in “The Constant Wife.”

“That was a real boon to us because we got shows nobody else in the country ever saw,” Garner said in a 1992 interview.

By the way, Garner’s all-time favorite tour was “Les Miserables.” Also making the list: “A Chorus Line,” “Fiddler on the Roof,” “Torch Song Trilogy,” “Hello Dolly!” (starring Channing) and “Private Lives” (with Maggie Smith).

Political playwright teams with politician 

Local playwright Jon Marcantoni’s “Puerto Rican Nocturne,” which had its world premiere in Denver this summer, is coming back for another run Thursday through Sunday (Oct. 13-16) at Factory Five Five — and with a mission to support Rep. Leslie Herod’s Denver mayoral campaign. Herod has been a consistently pro-arts leader in the state’s House of Representatives since 2016. A percentage of ticket sales will go toward Herod’s campaign, Marcantoni said. The play chronicles the 1978 Cerro Maravilla murders, when undercover police officers killed two independence activists who had planned to bomb hillside radio towers in Ponce, Puerto Rico, in protest of the ongoing U.S. occupation of Puerto Rico. Factory Five Five is located at 10255 E. 25th Ave. in Aurora. 

Briefly …

We told you a few weeks ago about local author Gogo Germaine’s “Glory Guitars, Memoir of a ’90s Teenage Punk Rock Grrrl.” The book, penned by Erin Barnes and set in Fort Collins, officially launched Tuesday with a reading at the main Tattered Cover Book Store, with the author accompanied by her two precocious children. She’s also now secured an audiobook deal. Info at tatteredcover.com …

Speaking of, we also told you about local singer Amanda Hawkins officially taking over as the Colorado Avalanche’s new primary national anthem singer. She made her official debut at Wednesday’s home opener, and you can read all about her here …

We all know the venerable BDT Stage dinner theater has been sold and will close sometime after May 10 and before the end of next year, but when exactly depends entirely on the new owners’ construction schedule. But we’ve been promised a definitive announcement is finally coming on Monday (Oct. 17) …

And finally: Veteran radio personality Paul Donovan, a three-time recipient of the Colorado Broadcasters Award, has joined the jazz station KUVO 98.3 FM. “Paul’s in-depth knowledge and connection with Colorado communities, combined with his diverse background in music, greatly enhances the personality and culture of our KUVO JAZZ team,” said Program Director Max Ramirez.