When a performer or organization is in the midst of a remarkable run, the most difficult thing can be maintaining it. With the start of its new season just a few weeks away, that doesn’t appear to be the case for the Lakewood Symphony Orchestra.

The 2019-2020 season for the LSO is entitled “Old Friends, New Faces” and aims to follow-up last year’s sold-out season with as much diversity and quality as audiences have come to expect from the group. As I wrap up my first year as a member of the symphony’s board, I’ve seen how much effort goes into making a season a success.

This year’s season kicks off with the aptly named “Season Opener,” which will be performed at 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 3 at the Lakewood Cultural Center, 470 S. Allison Parkway. The show will include Beethoven’s “Fidelio Overture,” Brahams’ “Hungarian Dances,” and Bruch’s “Symphony No. 3,” as well as the “Trombone Concerto” by Grondahl, featuring John Sipher, principal trombone with the Colorado Symphony.

The rest of the season includes the annual pops concert and benefit auction on Nov. 21, with a focus on music from comedies and funny music. There’s the annual free holiday concert, which is presented with the Colorado Mormon Chorale on Dec. 5 and 6, followed by the family concert on Feb. 8. A three-show runs finishes the season up: the mid-winter concert on March 12, spring concert on April 16 and the season-closer on June 4. That final concert also coincides with the second annual season Celebration Dinner, which is a specially catered event before the show.

“The Lakewood Symphony is a hidden gem for the City of Lakewood and is not as well-known as it should be,” said resident and frequent audience member Maddie Nichols. “We need to show it in a brighter fashion so that the whole metro area can support a professional classical entertainment opportunity.”

Of note for performers is this year’s Young Artists Concerto Competition, which welcomes all instrumentalists ages 12 through 18 who are residents of Colorado and can perform from memory a full concerto for their instrument. Applications will be accepted in early 2020, with the opportunity to win money and a chance to perform with the full orchestra.

It’s all shaping up to be a season you don’t want to miss, so make sure you don’t by getting information and tickets at 303-987-7845 or www.lakewoodsymphony.org.

Show your quality at The Bench

Grief will do strange things to a person, and that goes doubly when it’s a situation that shouldn’t happen, like parents burying a child.

Such is the case for the couple at the center of “The Quality of Life,” a play making its regional premiere courtesy of the Benchmark Theatre. The show runs through Oct. 6, with performances at 8 p.m. on Friday and Saturday and 6 p.m. on Sunday at The Bench at 40West, 1560 Teller St. in Lakewood.

Directed by Warren Sherrill, the show tells the story of conservative midwestern couple Dinah and Bill, who are grappling with the loss of their daughter. The situation prompts them to reach out to Dinah’s more liberal cousin, who lives in California with her husband. Together the four work to come to grips with their traumas and differences.

Tickets for the show can be purchased at www.benchmarktheatre.com.

Clarke’s Concert of the Week - The Who at Pepsi Center

There aren’t a lot of truly important rock and roll acts still around that are capable of putting on dynamic and thrilling performances. Denver already hosted The Rolling Stones earlier this summer and now The Who are coming to town.

It seems like Pete Townshend and Roger Daltrey have said several times that their touring days were over (including the last time they were here a couple years ago) but you never know when a band that’s been around this long will stop, so it’s your civic duty not to miss them.

The legendary band will be playing at the Pepsi Center, 1000 Chopper Circle, at 7:30 p.m. on Sunday, Sept. 24.

I’ve seen The Who multiple times and haven’t seen them put on a bad show once. Get tickets at www.altitudetickets.com.

Get profound with Pete Holmes

Looking at his recent resume, it certainly appears comedian Pete Holmes can do it all. His delightful HBO comedy, “Crashing” just ended with its third season, he published his autobiography/spiritual exploration book, “Comedy Sex God” and continues to release episodes of his podcast, You Made It Weird.

With all that on one plate, it’s hard to imagine he has time for anything, but he also tours on the regular, and will be making a stop at the Comedy Works South at The Landmark, 5345 Landmark Place in Greenwood Village at 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 3 and at the Comedy Works Downtown, 1226 15th St. in Denver, at 7:30 and 9:45 pm on Friday, Oct. 4 and Saturday, Oct. 5.

If you’ve ever seen Holmes on late night or listened to his podcast, you know he’s not only funny, but deeply insightful. These should be special shows, and tickets can be purchased at www.comedyworks.com/comedians/pete-holmes.

Clarke Reader’s column on culture appears on a weekly basis. He can be reached at Clarke.Reader@hotmail.com.