By Molly McGrath
As a child growing up in Denver, I spent hours upon hours gazing out the backseat window of the family car. Certain iconic buildings are still burned into my memory; the spires of the sports castle, the golden dome of the Greek Orthodox church, the cash register building (which always reminded me more of a whistle), the Holy Ghost church sitting inside a skyscraper like a hotdog in a bun, classic Denver square houses in the East, painted ladies sprinkled along the skirt of Curtis Park, the Purina fortress. Based on what I saw of the Mayan’s interior, I pictured equally whimsical interiors for every one of these fantastic exteriors. I still wonder about the interiors of some of Denver’s iconic facades, and it seems like Andy Bercaw does as well. Andy is part of the team (including Scott Happel and Peter Ore) that just announced their purchase of the Federal Theater, another one of Denver’s iconic exteriors. The same group already runs Denver’s largest indie venue, the Oriental Theater, as well as HQ.
My whole life, this vintage theater has remained one of the great mysteries and landmarks of Denver’s historic Northside neighborhood.
“I have been watching it for the last 15 years -since I took on the Oriental. It’s so close to the O, and it’s another awesome theater, and it looked so under-utilized,” said Bercaw.
Previous tenants seemed not to have the same restorative vision of the space. Since its closure as a movie palace in the 1970s, the theater had a short run as a venue/dollar movie house, and was most famously a carpet showroom, and later a church. To function as a venue again, Andy and his team have lots of work to do, including constructing an entirely new stage.
The landscape of Denver’s Northside has changed so much in my lifetime, and there is a unique comfort in knowing that this building is now being stewarded by a team that has largely championed restoration and preservation in the neighborhood. The marquis, which Bercaw believes has been completely dark for the past 20-30 years, is being restored with the help of local business Morry’s Neon (who also created the sign for Wax Trax Broadway Bazaar). They are restoring it to the “oldest version we could possibly find.”
Funding for the neon has come in part from supportive community members through a “Founder’s Club” program called Club Fed. The program offers different tiers of membership and perks for those willing to financially support the project.
“It’s gone through the roof and we were really amazed at how many people have supported this founders club concept,” said Bercaw.
What are the differences between the Oriental and its soon to open sister theater? Bercaw says the Federal space is slightly smaller, which will provide opportunities to host a slew of more intimate events.
“My vision is bringing in some more chill events, seated events, comedy shows, and we’re going to do some films as well,” he said.
Despite this nod to the space as a former movie palace, Bercaw ensures us that the venue will still host the iconic punk, metal and industrial shows that its sister venue has become well known for.
Unlike many of Denver’s historic buildings, the Federal Theater seems to have largely escaped the annals of our city’s history. This team has the unique opportunity of breathing living history into a century-old space. A few October shows are already on the books for Denver’s newest indie venue, and I am very excited to finally see beyond that facade as well as all the musical magic that’ll take place inside.
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