As a long-time John Denver fan, I have well appreciated witnessing tributes to his music over the last few years. I have attended performances by individual tribute artists. (Some of them resembled John, and others did not. Some of them did decent jobs, and others ... did their best.) Ten years ago, I saw John Denver: A Rocky Mountain High Concert. Here members of his own band combined their on-stage efforts with old concert footage of John, in order to produce a new show "with" him. The result was stunning. Later, I saw the musical play, The Road: My Life with John Denver. It was the real-life story of Dan Wheetman, a musician whose life intersected with John's. Talented actors talked and sang about what was happening in those days, in both of the men's lives and in their music. This show provided a welcome return to those familiar songs and memories, too.

Almost Heaven is another musical play that shares some similarities with The Road. It was created in part by Harold (Hal) Thau, who was one of John's producers and friends. Through a combination of narration, music and projected archival photos, six actor-musicians provided a streamlined biography and a genuine revisit to John Denver's music. Various members of the ensemble -- consisting of four men and two women -- stepped into the spotlight for specific scenes and songs. The men took turns "being" John, speaking in first person. One young actor, Patrick Dinnsen, even changed his hairstyle enough and donned wire-rimmed glasses so that he could more resemble John. What a nice nod to the man!

The script moved through John's life chronologically. It could cover only selected pieces of his biography, of course. In some instances, the characters recited (presumably) real letters that people wrote to John, back in the day. Most of the letters, but not all, were from devoted fans. They served to make the presentation more personal. (How many of us wrote such letters?)

Most of the chosen songs were ones that you would expect to be pulled from John Denver's catalogue. The first act included "All of My Memories," "For Bobbi," "Rhymes & Reasons," "Take Me Home, Country Roads," "Fly Away," "I Guess He'd Rather Be in Colorado," "Rocky Mountain High" and "Calypso." The second act started robustly with "Thank God I'm a Country Boy" and "Grandma's Feather Bed." They were followed by "Annie's Song," "Goodbye Again," "Leaving on a Jet Plane," "Looking for Space," "I'm Sorry," "Sunshine on my Shoulders," "This Old Guitar" and "Poems, Prayers, & Promises." When Patrick Dinnsen and Gabriela Gomez serenaded each other with "For You," it meant even more than just words and harmonies. If you had read the program bios, you knew that the two were engaged. And their background screen switched from John Denver photos to ones of Patrick and Gaby together. Fun!

Three songs were surprises. Early on, we heard "Draft Dodger Rag," one of the political satires performed by The Mitchell Trio in the late 1960s, when John was one of its three members. The most powerful offering of the evening came just before the end of the first act. "Matthew," a joyful song about family farm life on the American plains, was juxtaposed with "Let Us Begin (What are We Making Weapons For?)," John's most strident anti-war plea. Ardent fans will remember that John first recorded this song with Russian singer Alexander Gradsky in Moscow in 1986, with the Red Army chorus singing in the background. Knowing this fact makes it even more meaningful for us today. It should have reminded everyone of the war in Ukraine. John once said that the song was "the best piece of work I've done in my career." How fitting, then, that it should be included in this tribute.

The show concluded with another unexpected and powerful song, via video. It showed John singing and strumming parts of "Yellowstone," said to be the last song he ever recorded. How could anyone not be moved by this presentation?

Each actor showed impressive musicianship. In addition to Patrick and Gabriela, the show starred Andrew Crowe, Amanda Ryan Paige, Barry Tarallo and Chris "Red" Blisset, who also served as director. They did amazing jobs, both in their solo features and in combinations with their colleagues. When they came back from intermission, they even chatted with the audience for a few minutes. When they asked if anyone had seen John Denver in concert, they seemed unprepared for the number of hands that went up. Yes, we were all of a certain age. And some of the folks on the stage may not have even been alive when John's music appeared regularly on the radio.

From the beginning of this show, I was kind of startled and even thrown a bit off-center. These were songs that I have played and sung, by myself or with friends in living rooms and around campfires, for four and a half decades now. I know most of the words and chords by heart. Now suddenly, I was hearing and seeing them performed with gusto by professional actor-musicians on a formal stage. What? It was as if something personal had turned blatantly public. This realization took some getting used to, even though it was surely a good thing.

Almost Heaven is a thoughtful and moving consideration of John Denver's music and life. It speaks to his importance and to his longevity that he and his music continue to pop up in regional theaters. John Denver and his music MATTER, and people CARE. This was my conclusion on this night.