The historic Federal Theatre is preparing to welcome a new era as a music venue, revitalizing its century-old existence. Located at 38th Avenue and Federal Boulevard, the space has been mostly silent since the 1970s, when it originally closed after serving as a movie theater. Before its recent closure in 2023, the building was utilized as a church.
Thanks to a revitalization initiative spearheaded by Scott Happel, Andy Bercaw, and Peter Ore, the Federal Theatre is poised to host musical acts starting in September. This trio has a proven track record, previously credited with the revival of the Oriental Theater in 2012, and they aim to infuse a similar independent spirit into the Federal.
Happel noted that their independent ownership allows them greater flexibility in programming, free from corporate constraints regarding which shows to host. “We don’t have the same sort of corporate overlords telling us, ‘You can’t do this kind of show anymore. It doesn’t make enough money,’ or whatever. We’re trying to do as wide a variety of stuff as possible,” he explained.
The team received the keys to the Federal Theatre in January 2024 and is collaborating with the same landlord who owns the Oriental. Although running these venues is not a path to financial luxury, Happel emphasized that their passion and commitment to the music scene drive them. “Owning these venues isn’t giving us a life of luxury by any means. But you do it for love, and yes, you do it for some money,” he remarked. He added, “But it’s a lot of fun and it’s really important.”
The Federal Theatre is approximately 25 percent smaller than the Oriental, which will contribute to differences in the types of shows that can be hosted. However, Happel stated that there will be no major distinctions in programming. “One of the things we’re most proud of at the Oriental is how eclectic our calendar is,” he shared.
This size variation between the two venues could create a tiered system for artists, allowing them to choose the appropriate venue based on their anticipated crowd. The mission for the Federal, as outlined on its website, is to offer a diverse array of events, including national touring and local live music, comedy, wrestling, burlesque, podcasts, and more.
In addition to the Federal, Happel and Ore were instrumental in transforming 3 Kings Tavern, a former local rock music venue, into the new venue HQ in 2020. “Independent venues are super important and have a super big impact on the local economy, the travel economy, everything. And it just feels really nice and good and heartwarming to have a job that’s doing that,” Happel emphasized when discussing the significance of independent music venues.
To celebrate their efforts and raise funds for the Federal project, the entrepreneurs are offering memberships to a VIP Founders Club. Membership includes enticing perks such as a print of a painting of the theater created by Denver portraiture artist Andre Lippard. “It’s really just a way that people who are excited and want to be a small part of it can hop in, get some cool merch, and help us out as we’re going through these final stages of getting the place open,” Happel elaborated.
The Federal Theatre has already secured necessary approvals from the city, although they are still awaiting a liquor license. To ensure there would be no unexpected expenses, the group delayed announcing the project until after passing all inspections. “Independent music operation, it’s never easy and it’s never a ‘get rich quick’ scheme. It’s not a Powerball ticket,” Happel concluded. He remains optimistic about their mission: “But we feel good about fighting the good fight for independent (music) venues.”
image source from：denverite
