Theater is hot in Aurora this week

Join Eric Weinstein as he takes you on a journey of songs and stories from his three decades in the Denver Theater community. The evening features "Ragtime" and "Stride" piano solos that were a mainstay of the venerable Heritage Square Music Hall, hits from Vintage favorites "Ring Of Fire" and "Ain't Misbehavin'," original music and a variety of musical styles.

A powerful exploration of African-American history and identity, "Crowns" follows six black women whose stories of love, loss and sisterhood are woven into the hats that crown their heads and the dynamic gospel songs that speak their truths. The story centers around Chicago-born Yolanda, who's sent down south after the death of her brother in Brooklyn. There, she finds strength in the tales of the wise women who surround her — and in the rituals connected to their dazzling headwear. Penned by award-winning playwright and actress Regina Taylor ("I'll Fly Away", "The Unit"), "Crowns" delivers a gospel-fueled good time and plenty of fierce "hattitude" at Vintage Theatre in Aurora.

It inspired the 1995 movie "Clueless", the 1996 Gwyneth Paltrow film "Emma" and countless other TV and stage adaptations — it's even been made into a Japanese manga. And more than 200 years after Jane Austen published her beloved rom-com, it comes to the Vintage Theatre stage in a new adaptation. Celebrate with a toast before the show at the house bar.