SUPPORTER
HIGHLIGHTING THE IMPACT OF YOUR SUPPORT
YEAR-END GIVING
For many of us, calendar-year-end is a time to reflect on the impact we’ve made in our community and plan for the future. Philanthropic giving is one of the ways we “show up” for the causes we care about.
Did you know that there are many ways to support DCPA with your generosity?
We have a growing number of donors who transfer appreciated shares of stock/mutual funds directly to DCPA. This method of support helps their giving “go further” since DCPA doesn’t pay capital gains tax on the shares received.
Other donors have their plan administrator send part or all of the retirement account Required Minimum Distribution (RMD) directly to DCPA, potentially reducing taxable income they don’t need.
Both methods of giving are potentially less disruptive to cash flow since many donors keep a large portion of their assets in appreciated stock or retirement accounts. Speak with your financial advisor or plan administrators to see if one of these “tax wise” ways of supporting causes you care about is right for you.
Last fiscal year, DCPA turned your support into nearly 909,000 creative experiences for patrons of ALL ages. You helped us reach nearly 144,000 students in 510 unique schools across Colorado—some with their very FIRST live theatrical experience.
However you choose to support DCPA this calendar year-end, know that we are incredibly grateful for your support. Read on for more ways to support and engage with the incredible creativity you help us create!
With Gratitude,
Jamie Clements Vice President of Development 303.446.4818 • jclements@dcpa.org
Colorado Gives Day
Every transformative launch, tour, and experience at the Denver Center starts with YOU, our loyal donors. Early giving for Colorado Gives Day is open now through December 10. Your gift TODAY is boosted by more than $1 million in Incentive Funds, meaning your gift makes an even greater impact. Visit ColoradoGives.org/DCPA today to make a donation and show your support for live theatre.
WAYS TO GIVE IT’S
FUN TO
SUPPORT
WOMEN’S VOICES FUND
As the Rocky Mountain region’s premier performing arts nonprofit, the DCPA is on a mission to engage and inspire one million people per year through the transformative power of live theatre. In 2023/24, we connected with nearly 909,000, thanks to the tremendous support of our community. Here are a few ways your region’s most important cultural hubs. Ask your HR department about matching gift programs or direct your business to sponsor shows, seasons, education initiatives and more. Sponsorships increase visibility and generate goodwill for your brand among the nearly 909,000 guests we engage each year.
CONTACT: Caitie Maxwell cmaxwell@dcpa.org 303.446.4840
Elevate the work of female playwrights and directors when you donate to the Women’s Voices Fund. This first-in-thenation fund enables the Denver Center Theatre Company to commission and produce plays by women including this season’s world premiere of The Suffragette’s Murder by Sandy Rustin.
CONTACT: Caitie Maxwell cmaxwell@dcpa.org 303.446.4840
ATTEND A FUNDRAISER
Join us for one or both of our signature fundraising events. Our Hattitude luncheon, held May 1 to benefit the Women’s Voices Fund, combines the sophistication of a garden party with the exuberant atmosphere of brunch with friends. Saturday Night Alive, held June 14, is Denver’s most extravagant gala of the year featuring world-class entertainment, fine dining, dancing and a silent auction.
CONTACT: Megan Stewart mstewart@dcpa.org 303.446.4821
GIVE TODAY
Donations are accepted online or by mail. Use the enclosed envelope or mail your contribution to:
DCPA, Attn: Development Department, 1101 13th St., Denver, CO 80204
Gifts of Appreciated Stock or Mutual Funds
If you’ve held shares for more than one year and they have increased in value, you can transfer them directly to the DCPA’s brokerage account, which means you don’t pay capital gains taxes and more of your dollars go straight to our mission.*
Give directly from your Retirement
Account
The Qualified Charitable Distribution (QCD) is sent directly to the non-profit of your choice as an alternative to you taking your Required Minimum Distribution (RMD). If you do not need your RMD in retirement, consider this tax-wise way of supporting non-profits with up to $100,000 in distributions annually.*
CONTACT: Jamie Clements jclements@dcpa.org 303.446.4818
*Speak with your tax and financial advisors about giving strategies appropriate for your financial circumstances.
Sasha Roiz, Tasso Feldman and Matthew Boston
The Lehman Trilogy
Photo by Jamie Kraus Photography.
MAKE SHOWTIME A NIGHT ON THE TOWN!
Uplevel your pre- and post-show experience with a DCPA premium membership.
BEST OF BROADWAY SOCIETY
Indulge in unforgettable evenings all Broadway season long! Enjoy pre-show cocktails and dinner at Kevin Taylor’s at the Opera House, front-and-center orchestra seats, and intermission amenities in the Wolf Room at the fabulous Buell Theatre.
Contact: Marc Ravenhill mravenhill@dcpa.org • 303.572.4594
DIRECTORS SOCIETY
Get unprecedented access to Denver Center Theatre Company shows! Enjoy pre-show dinners and behind-the-scenes discussions with creatives, premium seating, and opening night festivities with the cast and crew.
Contact: Marc Ravenhill mravenhill@dcpa.org • 303.572.4594
CORPORATE MEMBERSHIP
Build your brand recognition and entertain your clients as a Corporate Member. You’ll receive tickets to eight DCPA shows, private pre-show cocktails and dining, and professional networking opportunities.
Contact: Caitie Maxwell • cmaxwell@dcpa.org • 303.446.4840
WHY DIRECTORS SOCIETY?
“When we moved to Denver from New York City mid-pandemic, the DCPA was closed and we had no idea about it. Once it reopened, we were amazed at the quality and quantity of the offerings. We love Broadway shows and enjoy attending them, but the produced plays really captured our hearts. They are a labor of love from the DCPA team; the plays that are selected and the stories within are provocative and moving. They make us think, and they feel important for all of us to be exposed to.
“When we learned that there was a community of theatergoers in the Directors Society, we were intrigued to join. We have especially enjoyed the talks beforehand with the Director, which often include other members of the production team and sometimes the cast. Each talk is illuminating, enriching our subsequent viewing experience with a particular insight or detail about the production to focus in on. The community of Directors Society members has been very welcoming to us. It is a multi-generational crowd bringing diverse perspectives, but everyone is made to feel included through a shared love of theater and a mutual commitment to support DCPA’s impact on the city through this art form.”
Elizabeth & Nelson Hioe
Hannah Shankman as Fanny Brice in the National Tour of Funny Girl
Photo by Matthew Murphy for MurphyMade
Photo by Jamie Kraus Photography
More than 20,000 tickets already sold for Elephant & Piggie!
ELEPHANT & PIGGIE BOOKS COME TO LIFE ON STAGE THIS FALL
by Linnea Covington
When a book has few words, no background pictures, and two simply drawn characters, how does it translate on stage? For director Allison Watrous, the addition of music by Deborah Wicks La Puma and fun costumes gives the two-dimensional stars life.
“Mo Willems was very purposeful in creating the books, and they are left simple in a sophisticated way so people can interact with them,” said Watrous. “He talks about the books being played and describes the readers as an orchestra.”
In writing the book and lyrics for Elephant & Piggie: We Are in a Play! (now-Dec 22), Willems combined different storylines from the 25-book series to create the stage musical. Young audiences ages PreK through third grade will recognize We Are In a Book, as well as bits from Should I Share My Ice Cream? and I Am Invited To a Party!, among others.
“It’s a full blown musical and choreographed to the nines,” said Watrous. “We start out with a vaudevillian soft shoe [shuffle], then a 1965 big band, and end in the music that makes you want to do the Mashed Potato.”
The premise of the Theatre for Young Audiences production revolves around a party thrown by three feisty squirrels, the only other characters in the show aside from Piggie and Gerald the elephant. The setting is designed to feel like a 1965 variety show, and the squirrels take on the roles of harmonious backup singers and a fuzzy Greek chorus.
Though the characters of Gerald and Piggie appear simple on paper, costumes actually play a big role in setting the stage. Created by costume designer Kevin Copenhaver, the designs are rooted in 1965 styles. He designed two puppets for the show as well, a penguin and a dog.
Watrous added the squirrel costumes look magical in sequins, Piggie is decked out in pink, and rich shades of gray and different fabrics create Gerald’s look. Each character has an essence of animals with ears and feet.
“We approach the audience at the highest intelligence. It’s something Mo Willems talks about, that kids aren’t in any way of lower intelligence. They are new, they have never been to the party before so we have to talk about what’s happening,” said the director. “We want to honor young people and their creative intelligence.”
And if a little music and talking animals help showcase world views to the younger set, that’s okay too.
WHY WE GIVE
Lynn & Kevin McDonald, Genesee Mountain Foundation
“Live theater is so great for kids – they can discover their path in the arts. It builds self-esteem, confidence and is a great place to meet new people and make friends. It opens kids’ eyes to a whole new world. It’s not just acting; it’s also exposure to music, piques their curiosity and inspires them to be creative in their own world. Kids will never forget their first theater experience. The DCPA Education department does a remarkable job in targeting children of all ages.
“Sitting in the audience at a Theatre for Young Audiences performance is priceless. The kids are SO excited, and it is some of these kids’ first time ever at a theater production. Their ‘Ohh’s and Ahh’s’ cannot be described. You have to be there to witness it. Their eyes light up and they can hardly sit still waiting for the show to begin. That’s what it is all about.”
DONATE TODAY
The company of KIMBERLY AKIMBO, photo by Joan Marcus
The cast of Elephant & Piggie’s “We Are in a Play!”
Photo by Jamie Kraus Photography
THE RESERVOIR SPANS GENERATIONS
by Suzanne Yoe
Plum roles for older actors in movies may be slim to none, but not so in the theatre. In fact according to Concord Theatricals, there are “a slew of juicy roles for senior actors.”
This season’s world premiere of The Reservoir (Jan 17-Mar 9) by Denver native Jake Brasch is no exception, featuring not one but four older adults in starring roles. While casting is yet to be finalized, Brasch’s play exemplifies the relationship he had with his own grandparents.
“I was close to my grandparents, especially my Grandma Beryl who passed away [in 2021],” Brasch said. “Anyone who knew me as a child knows that from the day I was born, I had the interests of a 75-year-old Jewish woman. Grandma Beryl was all over this. Together we were the toast of the Denver cultural scene. We hit every museum, opera, concert, and lecture in town. She took me to my first play. She taught me to be curious.”
Curious, culturally aware, yet still vulnerable.
Described as a play “about a young, queer man who moves home to Denver to get sober,” Brasch explained that The Reservoir is semi-autobiographical. “I realized early in my writing process that I had to give myself some distance from Josh (the play’s protagonist) in order to tell a clear story and protect my heart.…There’s a lot of me in the play. There’s also a lot of fiction.”
When Josh returns home from college to get sober, he realizes he has missed the fact that one of his grandparents is suffering from dementia. So Josh “strikes up a relationship with his four zany, unpredictable grandparents and finds a connection with them — while Josh addresses his own cognitive issues resulting from addiction, he commits to helping his grandparents with their own cognitive issues brought about by aging.
“And what he does is he sort of sets out on this mission to reclaim himself at the same time that he tries to preserve his grandparents’ memories and, as you can predict, it doesn’t go very well.”
While Brasch uses humor in The Reservoir to offer relief from painful topics, his connection to his grandparents is palpable. “I hope audiences leave and go out and hug their loved ones. That’s my ultimate goal — especially their grandparents and aging parents — and just feel how small and fragile and beautiful their lives are.”
A LEGACY with the DCPA
Leave your mark on Denver’s non-profit home for live theatre by joining the DCPA’s Encore Society! Learn more about our many options for Planned Giving today.
Contact: Connor Carlin, Associate Director of Development ccarlin@dcpa.org | 303.446.4842
LEARN MORE
Jake Brasch
A DAY IN THE LIFE OF A COMPANY MANAGER FOR BROADWAY
Back to the Future: The Musical (Jan 22-Feb 9) is a homecoming for Aurora’s own Jack Stephens. This theatre-kidturned-Broadway-Company-Manager describes a typical day on the road that’s anything but typical.
DCPA: What show made you want to go into this business?
JACK STEPHENS (JS): The first show I saw at the Buell was The Phantom of the Opera back in the early 1990s. It was most definitely the show that ignited my interest in going into the business. It is especially fun to come to the Buell on tour with a show that I saw in the very same place when I was younger.
DCPA: What does a Company Manager do?
JS: Being a Company Manager is interesting because you have some involvement with every aspect of the show. You interact with the stage managers, the crew, the actors, the producers, the press agents, and the presenters in each venue on the tour.
DCPA: Take a time machine to opening night in Denver. What will your day look like?
JS: We will have made the long trip from San Diego, CA to Denver. The crew will spend two days loading-in the show from our 12 trucks, working almost right up until the time the curtain goes up. The cast will come in and do a sound check a couple of hours before showtime. For my part, I will come in and get familiar with the theater and reintroduce myself to the Buell staff, and much of the work I will be doing will actually pertain to upcoming cities in our future.
DCPA: Same concept at the end of the run…
JS: We’re used to two-show days now. Between shows, everyone will enjoy their final bits of daylight in Denver, have dinner at nearby restaurants, and then — after the show — the crew begins a 12-13 hour load-out, onto the trucks to head right back to California.
DCPA: Why should people and businesses support places like the DCPA.
JS: I was fortunate to see many shows at the Buell, which paired well with theatre classes at Eaglecrest High School. Now that I have seen nearly every performing arts center in the US and Canada, the DCPA stands out among them as a world-class facility. Because John [Ekeberg, Executive Director of DCPA Broadway] and the whole team are really great at bringing in world-class productions, because Denver has this excellent place for theatre, and because my educational experience was rich, I found myself where I am today. Without those chances, who knows if I would have gotten involved in theatre at all? READ THE FULL ARTICLE
JACK STEPHENS in 1985
Back to the Future: The Musical Tour Caden Brauch and Company •
Photo by
Matthew Murphy and Evan Zimmerman
DON’T PASS GO. GO DIRECTLY TO MONOPOLY LIFESIZED: TRAVEL EDITION
By Lisa Bornstein
This board is too big to flip!
MONOPOLY LIFESIZED: Travel Edition (Now-Jan 5) is a traveling 70-minute, interactive experience making its debut stop in Denver in the 27,000 foot space that formerly housed an Ace Hardware and Dollar Tree at Broadway and Alameda. The family friendly event, which includes personified MONOPOLY “game tokens” and escape room style challenges, launches its U.S. tour in Denver, while the permanent flagship location continues in London.
Nearly six years ago, PATH Entertainment CEO David Hutchinson pitched the idea to Hasbro as an all-new creation in the world of interactive games and entertainment. The company faced three primary challenges as it crafted the experience, PATH Creative Producer Tom Beynon says:
• A fixed length gameplay time
• Making sure everyone stays involved and engaged; and
• An app that counts money and monitors the game
Pioneers in Immersive Theatre
Four teams at a time navigate the giant MONOPOLY board, guided by two hosts, each representing a classic MONOPOLY token. More than a quarter of a million guests have experienced MONOPOLY LIFESIZED in London so far, with another edition in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. PATH Entertainment has since collaborated on other interactive Hasbro experiences, including “DUNGEONS & DRAGONS The Twenty Sided Tavern,” currently playing in New York and opening in Sydney, Australia in December, and an in-development adaptation of the classic mystery game, CLUE.
“Hasbro has been a phenomenal partner since the very first moment we began discussing the concept with them nearly six years ago,” Beynon says. “We are all very excited about our first venture on U.S. soil with the Travel Edition of MONOPOLY LIFESIZED with the amazing team at DCPA.”
Denver is the national hub for immersive art. Whether original works handcrafted by DCPA artisans or US premieres of international experiences, sustain the creativity and keep Off-Center in the spotlight.
Sponsorship starts at $10,000. GET INVOLVED