Denver lost a major player in the theater community when Robert “Bob” Garner died after a short illness Thursday in his home. He was 80.

Garner, whose name graces the Garner Galleria Theatre, the cabaret-style showroom inside the Denver Center for the Performing Arts, was a pioneer in bringing Broadway touring shows to town as the head of Denver Center Attractions.

He was a fixture on opening night nike lebron 11 performances for all the major productions that brought their shows here. In addition to theater, Garner was passionate about cruising, which he did frequently with his theater pals.

He was that guy that you wanted to hang out with during a pre-performance cocktail party, dinner or a post-party because he always had the best stories, and wasn’t allergic to a little harmless gossip.

I’ll miss his enthusiasm, energy and that twinkle in his eye when he had something juicy to share. Opening night performances will be missing a big fan.

My eyes adored it

Walk Like a Man (or Woman), and get yourself to the Broadway hit Jersey Boys, the Story of Frankie Valli & The Four Seasons, now playing through Aug. 11 at the Buell Theatre.

If you are of a certain age (like me), you will be able to sing along to all 35 songs the fab four perform during the musical about the group’s rise and fall from fame.

It’s the story of four Italian-American youths from New Jersey growing up in the 1960s who easily could have chosen prison over music. But instead, they pushed out hit after hit but not without personal sacrifice.

One of the show’s highlights is back to back presentations of Sherry, Big Girls Don’t Cry and Walk Like a Man. The crowd goes wild.

“At that moment the audience has forgotten they’re watching four actors, and they root for these four guys as though they really are the Four Seasons in their youth,” Rick Elice one of the show’s Tony-nominated book writers told Applause magazine.

Restaurants round-up for charity

Salt on the Rim, a food-and-margarita fundraiser to benefit The Kempe Foundation and Kempe Center for the Prevention and Treatment of Child Abuse and Neglect, starts at 5:30 p.m. Friday at the Denver Botanic Gardens.

Featured restaurants and caterers include Brio Tuscan Grille, Chinook Tavern, EDGE at the Four Seasons Denver, The Food Guy, Hard Rock Cafe, Japoix, Lifestyles Catering, Lime, Mezcal, The Palm, Piatti, Sam’s No. 3, 16 Mix Cocktail Lounge at The Sheraton Downtown, Twisted Pine Brewing Co. and Zink.

Tickets are $100 at: https://www.blacktie-colorado.com/online_sales/rsvp_ticket_purchase.cfm?rsvpid=6556 .

Pop goes the dinner

The Ritz-Carlton Denver is featuring dishes inspired by executive chef Justin Fields recent travels abroad with a Pop-Up Dinner and Film at 7 p.m. Saturday.

Guests will be served a multi-course French-inspired dinner paired with a showing of the classic film La Femme Nikita and served on the outdoor plaza.

The cost is $75 per person plus tax and tip, or $125 with wine pairings. Reservations and more information: 303-312-3826 or e-mail allyson.fredeen@ritzcarlton.com.

Sur la Table opens Friday

When the Seattle-based kitchen store opted to nike zoom hyperrev leave the Cherry Creek Shopping Center last April, the store announced it would move to new bigger digs across the street at 121 Clayton Lane.

A sign on the door says it’s opening Friday. This new location will have room to offer cooking classes in addition to kitchen gadgets and goodies.

Brandon’s bails

Brandon’s Pub, the hybrid Mexican food place and sports bar at 3027 E. Second Ave. in Cherry Creek North, has closed its doors.

The phone is disconnected, and there was a notice printed in Westword about an auction for the restaurant’s contents. Brandon’s opened in Cherry Creek in May 2010, after moving there from the Beauvallon on Ninth and Lincoln.

Barrels of Love

Becky McKernan, widow of Tim “BarrelMan” McKernan, the longtime fixture at Broncos games, is hosting a fundraiser from 5 to 8 p.m. Thursday at Wystones Tea, 7323 W. Alaska Drive, Lakewood.

The evening will include a silent auction plus player autographs from Ron Egloff, Dave Studddard, Billy Thompson and Larry Brunson. One-of-a-kind barrel art work from local artists will be available for purchase with 100 percent of proceeds going to the Barrels of Love foundation.

Eavesdropping on a woman: “If you don’t have a butt, you don’t have a butt. You shouldn’t try to make one. Not sure my trainer would agree with that.”

Did you hear that I have a new column, “Mile High Life,” in Colorado Community Media’s 17 weekly newspapers circling Denver? Be sure to like my Facebook page! Also, here’s where you go to get my column emailed to you Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. I’m now the social-media liaison for the Mile High Chapter of the Colorado Restaurant Association, so read my latest restaurant news there. My email: penny@blacktie-llc.com.

Club Mask, the event formerly known as The Mask Project, rocked the Cherry Creek Shopping Center Saturday night in the name of raising beaucoup bucks for Denver Hospice.

Various sponsors footed the bill for a variety of clubs sprinkled throughout the large venue which included a viewing area for masks in center court near the elevators.

Food tables, supplied by Occasions catering, were spread free run 6 v2 femmes throughout the shopping center, and bars offered speciality cocktails or wine with the most stocked bar being King Soopers Ice Bar garnished with strange looking mascots that looked like the grocery-chain’s produce section had swallowed their bodies.

Party peeps mingled throughout the tony evening that raised a lot of dough through ticket sales and bidding on ceramic masks crafted by artists for local and national celebrities.

Before bidding had closed on Sunday, the top 10 bids were going to: New Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning for $3,510; gal about town Terri L. Fisher at $1,070, Broncos QB who left us for the New York Jets Tim Tebow (his mask in Broncos colors no less) for $7,010, businesswoman Deborah Williams at $780, fused glass designer Ellen Beller at $415, County singer Faith Hill at $660, interior decorator Andrea Rector for $460 for her interpretation of Denver’s iconic Blue Bear, Denver Fire Department for $720, Hall of Famer and restaurateur John Elway for $560 and singer Paul Simon at $400.

But bidding on many masks didn’t close until 8 p.m. Sunday night. The event, that takes place every other year, also raises big bucks for Denver Hospice, an intensely worthy cause.

Attendees included dapper David Alexander with mom Sue Simos, co-chairs Jennifer Alvarado Geller and Jeff Geller, Jamie Anglich, Anthony Aragon and David Westman, Edie and Mort Marks, Norm and Sunny Brownstein with law-firm partner Steve Farber, Cherry Creek Shopping Center boss Nick LeMasters with family, Colorado Restaurant Association honchos Pete Meersman and Mary Mino, sports radio guru Les Shapiro and wife Paula, event co-chairs Gail and George Johnson, David Mandarich, Denver City Councilman Charlie Brown and wife Suzanne, Hospice heroes Lynn Bronikowski, Linda Goto, Keri Christiansen, Andy Levy and a cast of hundreds.

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Four Seasons changes

Four Seasons Resort Vail has added new team members to its tribe including Jim Guttau (pronounced as in Utah) as director of public relations. I have worked with Guttau on several restaurant and club openings since he ran his own Denver PR firm for seven years.

Jolinda Cohavi is joining Four Seasons Resort Vail after her stint at Four Seasons Resort and Club Dallas at Las Calinas where she served five years as director of marketing.

JoAnn Freberg joins Four Seasons Vail as the conference services manager by way of Maui, Hawaii, having worked for Four Seasons Resort Maul since 2002.

And Melissa Moll is the business development sales manager representing Four Seasons Resort Vail and also Four Seasons Hotel Denver from Olympic Valley, Calif.

WOJS

Denver oil and gas man and mega supporter of the Denver Center for the  Performing Arts Roger Hutson bought two major sponsorships for the Book of Mormon gala under WOJS – Wives of Joseph Smith LLC.

A friend of his has invited the Mayor of South Park, the location for the animated series started by Colorado natives, to the event where each of the six tables WOJS purchased are required to be named match supreme prem after an episode from the irreverent show. Sneak peek: One table is called the Casa Bonita Cliff Divers.

Mom’s Day

How was yours? Mine was stellar. Card from our two doggies McCaffrey (named after Broncos No. 87 Eddie McCaffrey) and Georgie (named after former Kansas City Royal George Brett):  “Mom, I love you – this much (giant ear/wing span indicative of McCaffrey the dog).

From my son, On the Town Junior in front of a mic: “Ahem…test…test…test…Roses are tough, violets don’t quit. When it comes to being a mom, you should really know your…love, thoughtfulness and kindness make your truly amazing!

And from Mr. On the Town: “To My wife – it’s your day to sit back, relax, and let me do everything…the wrong way.”

Eavesdropping on me: “Hope you all had a fab-0 Mother’s Day!”

My Facebook page has moved. Be sure to like it! Also, here’s where you go to get my column emailed to you Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. My email: penny@blacktie-llc.com.