Aspen News Briefs: Theatre Aspen names new GM

‘As You Are’ this Thursday in Aspen

“As You Are,” a body positive symposium, will be held from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Thursday at the Aspen High School Commons.

The event is sponsored by Aspen School District and Aspen Family Connections and is inspired and organized by high school senior Madelyne Leibinger.

The event is open to anyone 10 years old and above.

“Madelyne has a drive to bring the attention to the community to these issues and has been at the center of creating the event, in order to give something back to her community,” according to a statement for the event. “Children and young people in our society are bombarded with images and ideals of supposed physical ‘perfection,’ with huge and corrosive implications for self-esteem, health, social interactions and contentment. Here, in Aspen, where a mind-body-spirit ethos is prized, young people (and even adults) are not exempt from body image related issues and eating disorders.”

Public hike on Saturday

Wilderness Workshop and Bristlecone Mountain Sports will lead a free, public hike Saturday on the Arbaney Kittle Trail outside of Basalt.

Participants will convene in the parking lot at 1 p.m. After a two-hour hike, the group will head to Capitol Creek brewery for free appetizers and discounted beer. Learn more at http://www.wildernessworkshop.org.

Theatre Aspen names new GM

Theatre Aspen producing director Jed Bernstein announced Monday that Daniel Benavent will be the company’s new general manager.

Benavent will begin moving into his new role immediately.

For the past eight years, Benavent has been a producer and administrator in New York and Aspen. Most recently, he served as the managing director of Theatrical Productions at the Manhattan School of Music and spent his summers as program administrator with the Aspen Opera Center at the Aspen Music Festival and School. Benavent recently completed the New York Foundation for the Arts Emerging Leaders program and holds degrees from Indiana University (bachelor of arts), the Boston Conservatory (master of music) and New York University (professional certificate).

The 2018 Summer Season runs June 23 through Aug. 18 and includes “Ragtime,” “Godspell,” and “Our Town.”

For more details, visit

http://www.TheatreAspen.org or call 970-300-4474.

City department closures this week

The city of Aspen’s Community Development Department will be involved in staff training and testing this week, which will result in multiple closures.

The Building Department will be closed 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Tuesday and Wednesday, and for the entire Thursday.

The Planning and Zoning Department will be closed Friday.