Applause -- Avaaz, October 4 - November 17, 2024 by The Publishing House

APPLAUSE

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SIGHTLINE

BY JANICE SINDEN

WWelcome to the launch of our 2024/25 season!

For those joining us for KIMBERLY AKIMBO, you are in for a treat… and an exclusive ﬁrst look at this national tour, which kicks o in Denver. We are delighted to have been selected to launch our fourteenth national tour thanks to the incredible enthusiasm of our local audience.

Across the galleria in the Helen Bonﬁls Theatre Complex is a three-show lineup that kicks o the Denver Center Theatre Company’s 45th season: Hamlet, directed by none other than our Artistic Director Chris Coleman; Avaaz, the hysterical story of an Iranian immigrant written and performed by her son, and I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter based on the acclaimed novel and soon-to-be movie.

Over in the Weeks Conservatory Theatre on October 18, we’re opening a charming production of Elephant & Piggie’s “We Are in a Play!” designed to introduce PreK through third graders to the joy of theatre.

Plus, if you’re out and about in the community, join us for two events. First, O -Center’s MONOPOLY LIFESIZED: Travel Edition makes its US premiere at Broadway Park® (Broadway & Alameda) and DCPA Education’s Shakespeare in the Parking Lot travels throughout the metro area with free abridged versions of Romeo and Juliet, Macbeth and A Midsummer Night’s Dream. Visit denvercenter.org/community for details.

Finally, starting this season, you will see a change in how we display ticket prices. Rather than adding fees as the ﬁnal step of your purchase, you will see the total price up front. This is not a price increase; rather, this change aligns with Colorado’s new ticketing transparency law. The price you see on our website is the price you’ll pay — including the base ticket cost, all fees, and the city seat tax.

Whether you’re a loyal season subscriber or a ﬁrst-time theatregoer, thanks for joining us for our 2024/25 season. We’re glad you’re here.

Vladimir Script

Warm regards,

Janice Sinden

Janice Sinden, President & CEO

HONORING OUR ELDERS

The Denver Center for the Performing Arts honors and acknowledges that it resides on the traditional and unceded territories of the Ute, Cheyenne, and Arapaho Peoples. We also recognize the 48 contemporary Indigenous Tribes and Nations who have historically called Colorado home.

LEARN MORE

APPLAUSE

VOLUME XXXV • NUMBER 2 • SEP - NOV 2024

EDITOR: Suzanne Yoe

DESIGN DIRECTOR: Kyle Malone

DESIGNER: Brenda Elliott

CONTRIBUTING DESIGNERS: Paul Koob, Lucas Kreitler

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS: Misha Berson, Linnea Covington, Emma Holst, Marlowe Moore, Joanne Ostrow

Applause is published eight times a year by Denver Center for the Performing Arts in conjunction with The Publishing House, Westminster, CO. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without written permission is prohibited. Call 303.893.4000 regarding editorial content.

Applause magazine is funded in part by IN THIS

I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter pg 10

Avaaz pg 14 Hamlet pg 18

KIMBERLY AKIMBO pg 22

FOR A COMPLETE LIST OF UPCOMING SHOWS:

Angie Flachman, Publisher For advertising 303.428.9529 or sales@pub-house.com coloradoartspubs.com

Denver Center for the Performing Arts is a non-profit organization that engages and inspires through the transformative power of live theatre.

BOARD OF TRUSTEES

Hassan Salem, Chair

Ruth Krebs, Vice Chair

David Jacques Farahi, Secretary/Treasurer

Nicole Ament

Dr. Patricia Baca

Brisa Carleton

Jerome Davis

Deb Kelly

Kevin Kilstrom

Lynn McDonald

Susan Fox Pinkowitz

Manny Rodriguez

Alan Salazar

Richard M. Sapkin

Martin Semple

William Dean Singleton

Robert Slosky

Tina Walls

Dr. Reginald L. Washington

Sylvia Young

HONORARY TRUSTEES

Navin Dimond

Margot Gilbert Frank

Jeannie Fuller

Robert C. Newman

Daniel L. Ritchie

Cleo Parker Robinson

HELEN G. BONFILS FOUNDATION BOARD OF TRUSTEES

Martin Semple, President

William Dean Singleton, Vice President

Dr. Reginald L. Washington, Secretar y/Treasurer

Nicole Ament

Marco D. Chayet

Kevin Kilstrom

Ruth Krebs

Susan Fox Pinkowitz

Hassan Salem

Robert Slosky

EXECUTIVE MANAGEMENT

Janice Sinden, President & CEO

Jamie Clements, Vice President, Development

Chris Coleman, Artistic Director, Theatre Company

John Ekeberg, Executive Director, Broadway & Cabaret

Lydia Garcia, Executive Director, Equity & Organization Culture

Angela Lakin, Vice President, Marketing & Sales

Glen Lucero, Vice President, Venue Operations

Laura Maresca, Chief People & Culture Officer

Charlie Miller, Executive Director & Curator, Off-Center

Lisa Roebuck, Vice President, Information Technology

Charles Varin, Managing Director, Theatre Company & Off-Center

Allison Watrous, Executive Director, Education & Community Engagement

Jane Williams, Chief Financial & Administrative Officer

LEGACY MONTH

HONORING OUR HISTORY AND THE LEGACIES THAT ENSURE OUR FUTURE

Every September, we celebrate Legacy Month at the DCPA. Our mission as a non-proﬁt — to engage and inspire through the transformative power of live theatre — is made possible each generation thanks to the generosity of donors and the legacies of those who came before.

If you believe in the transformative power of live theatre, we invite you to make your legacy a part of ensuring our future. Connect with us, share your story, and make a legacy pledge to include the DCPA in your will, IRA, or retirement giving Scan the QR code below to learn more!

To connect with us about your DCPA legacy or to learn more about Legacy Month and the various opportunities and beneﬁts of legacy giving, check out our website or reach out to Connor Carlin, Associate Director of Development, Major Gifts: ccarlin@dcpa.org | 303.446.4842 | denvercenter.org/legacy

Bobby G 2023, photo by McLeod9Creative

Leslie Alexander and Sophia Dotson in A Little Night Music

Photo by Amanda Tipton Photography

Adams Design + Photo

Photo by McLeod9Creative

UPCOMING ADDED ATTRACTIONS

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A CONVERSATION BETWEEN FRIENDS

The Making of I AM NOT YOUR PERFECT MEXICAN DAUGHTER with Playwright

Isaac Gómez and Director Laura Acalá Baker

BY MARLOWE MOORE

WWhat’s going to happen at the Denver Center Theatre Company starting in September has been years in the making. Longtime friends and collaborators Isaac Gómez, playwright, and director Laura Alcalá Baker reunite for the first time since the pandemic for I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter, an adaptation of Erika L. Sánchez’s award-winning novel. For the first time, the play will take place in-the-round, giving audiences unprecedented access to the rich, inner world of Júlia, the main character who is painfully aware of how much she is not the perfect Mexican daughter. Isaac picked up Sánchez’s novel shortly after its publication in 2017. From the first words, they knew they were reading something crackling with life, transmitting a razor-sharp, inescapable truth: YOU ARE SEEN. Júlia struggles. She laughs. She dances. She grieves, she says the wrong things, she hurts. Júlia loves. She fails. She causes the most awkward public scene at the worst possible time. Her rage is real, her despair is real, her flawless sarcastic timing never fails to make the exact point no one else dares to confront. Isaac read the opening line in the bookstore, then immediately shut the book. “I couldn’t read it in public. The book was going to make me feel a lot of things I knew would touch on parts of me that I hadn’t experienced in literature before.”

Isaac was sitting in the tech rehearsal of their play La Ruta for Chicago’s Steppenwolf Theatre Company when they ﬁnished the book. “I was so blown away by it, and I thought ‘this would make an excellent play,’” Isaac says. They pitched the idea to Hallie Gordon at Steppenwolf, and she immediately bought in after reading the novel.

“I’ve told Erika that, from the opening line, there’s something about the way that this story is written that makes me feel very naked and vulnerable.”

“I identify as non-binary,” says Isaac, “but I was raised in a household of all brothers. And as the outspoken, surly rebel of my family who was very alternative and the daughter that my mom never had but always wanted — I, too, wasn’t the perfect Mexican daughter. Because I couldn’t be. For me, there was so much about Júlia’s story and her voice…when I talked with Erika about this, she was like, ‘the person most like Júlia is you’.”

Isaac adapted the novel, preserving the crackling energy and unﬂinching vulnerability, as they are known for in their work. “Finding my way to this story and adapting it for the stage remains one of the greatest honors of my career,” says Isaac. “This story just feels very close.”

The story grabbed Laura, too. “This play feels so raw,” says Laura. “I had to put it down multiple times while reading it. The vulnerability thing is really real. It feels like it is cutting so close to the vein — really fast, too. She shows all of her ugly. It’s so brutal, it’s so hard. And with a story like this, the playwright has to embody the narrator to pull the story and the audience along.”

“I ﬁnd, inherent with all of Isaac’s work,” says Laura, “that we are speaking the same language. Isaac has this way of making people feel known. There’s something about an Isaac Gómez play

I ﬁnd, inherent with all of Isaac’s work, that we are speaking the same language. Isaac has this way of making people feel known. There’s something about an Isaac Gómez play where I go “oh! I know these people! I know how it breathes, I know the heartbeat,” and that makes my work exciting.

— LAURA ALCALÁ BAKER,

DIRECTOR

where I go ‘oh! I know these people! I know how it breathes, I know the heartbeat,’ and that makes my work exciting.

“So, Isaac called recently and was like this [Mexican Daughter] is happening in Denver, and I put your name forward. You’re the one I want for it. There’s nothing like having a friend and a person you admire say you’re the one for this. It makes you feel chosen and seen. At this point, I have an understanding of their writing. Even as I read the ﬁrst page, I was like ‘I know what this is, let’s go.’”

When we enter Júlia’s story at the start of I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter, a terrible thing has happened. From the moment the lights go up, we’re on this turbulent ride with Júlia, rolling up and down in her mind, her writing, her memories, as she tries to make sense out of a fatal accident that undoes her sense of reality. “The mental health piece of it is probably the most signiﬁcant part of Júlia’s journey,” says Isaac. “This is the story of a young woman who desperately wants to feel seen, to feel heard, and whose dreams are bigger than anyone else’s.”

When Isaac and Laura reunited for this play, they knew the challenge of staging it in the round. “When you’re in the round, you’re on display all the time. Every single thing has to be so intentional, everything is on purpose,” says Laura. Inspired by the energy of Isaac’s script, she decided to create a version of this play, as she says, “that no one has ever seen before.” The openness of the theater-in-the-round lets her take I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter deeper into Júlia’s “mind palace,” so that the space itself becomes Júlia’s rich, complex, funny, and complicated inner world, with the textures of Chicago, Mexico, and her home life woven into it.

“I’m most excited to see Laura’s vision,” Isaac says. “She’s one of the most brilliant directors I’ve ever worked with. This is going to be a notyour-typical production of I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter.”

“I’m so glad to be back in the room with Isaac,” Laura says. “It’s going to be an incredible adventure, and we’re not letting the audience go.”

I AM NOT YOUR PERFECT

MEXICAN DAUGHTER

SEP 27 – NOV 3 • KILSTROM THEATRE

ASL Interpreted and Audio Described performance: Oct 13 at 1:30pm

Stay for a post-show discussion on select dates following our 7pm performances: Oct 10, 17 & 22

READ THE FULL ARTICLE

• All people are equal • Moments are shared • Diﬀerences are valued

• Discussion is encouraged

We respect that everyone experiences our stories diﬀerently.

AVAAZ: SUCCEEDING AGAINST ENORMOUS ODDS

BY MISHA BERSON

IIn a workshop on playwriting some years ago, Michael Shayan was instructed by the leader to put a hand over his heart, to feel the heartbeat of a character — and to “just listen.”

The voice he heard was one Shayan had known all his life. It was that of his remarkable Jewish-Iranian mother, Roya.

Writing about one’s mom is not an easy exercise — though many playwrights (and other scribes) have been moved to do it. And immigrant parents often have fascinating stories to tell.

Roya is one such colorful and extraordinary person. And her relationship with her son is both close and complex, as many parent-child kinships are. So that assignment eventually blossomed into the critically acclaimed new play, Avaaz, which comes to Denver Center Theatre Company this fall and marks the beginning of a national tour.

“It’s an honor to take Avaaz across the country, particularly at a time of overwhelming anti-immigrant sentiment,” says Shayan. “Avaaz offers a different narrative and grapples with complex truths in a fabulous, decadent party on stage.”

“Avaaz,” in Farsi and several other languages including Hindu and Urdu, means (aptly) “voice” or “song,” more speciﬁcally “a song as it is being sung.” And to portray her in this solo theater piece, Shayan adopts his mother’s unique voice, her love of Iranian culture, her bitter and sweet memories in her homeland and adopted country.

Avaaz proved to be not just a great vehicle for Shayan the actor-playwright (he has also worked as an Emmynominated screenwriter and television producer) but also an opportunity to learn more about the woman who raised him.

Avaaz was also a chance to meld his mother’s extravagant humor and joy with a serious exploration of the hardships Roya faced as a political refugee, the diﬃculties and rewards of raising her son after departing an abusive marriage, and the challenges of accepting Michael’s open homosexuality.

What ﬁrst beguiled Denver Center Theatre Company Artistic Director Chris Coleman about Avaaz, however, was Shayan’s comic ﬂair.

“I saw Avaaz in its world premiere at South Coast Repertory Theatre, and I had no idea what to expect,” recalls Coleman. “At ﬁrst, I just thought it was hilarious. Michael has standup comedian skills, and was ridiculously funny.”

But as the show unspooled, continues Coleman, “I realized how political and poignant it is too. That was tucked so deftly inside the humor, you were happy to digest it.”

Coleman’s admiration for Avaaz and decision to share it with Denver theatergoers in DCTC’s 2024/25 season, spurred his own research into the history of ancient Persia and its modern equivalent, Iran. Though Denver has a relatively small Iranian community, he tapped into it via discussions with investor-philanthropist and Denver Center for the Performing Arts Board member David Jacques Farahi, whose Jewish family also hails from the country.

“Jews have been in Iran for several thousand years,” notes Coleman. “Actually, most of us in America know little about Iran, other than from current news headlines. We don’t know what it’s like to live there, how deep the intellectual and literary community is, how old the culture is, or the Jewish community’s place in the country’s history.”

Avaaz alludes to all of that, beginning with the spread of foods, ﬂowers and cultural objects arrayed on an eye-popping set created by Tony Award-winning Broadway designer Beowulf Boritt, and with Roya’s ﬂowing brocade robes, an Iranian-style garment designed by Emmy winner Joshua “Domino” Schwartz. The production is helmed and directed by the celebrated Tony Award-nominated director Moritz von Stuelpnagel (I Need That, Hand to God ).

A witty, elegant woman, Roya graciously invites the audience into this decorous environment to celebrate Nowruz with her. She explains that Nowruz is a traditional New Year’s holiday observed for centuries each spring (by Iranians, but also by people in Afghanistan, Kosovo, Kurdish Iraq and other nations). She’s prepared a larger-thanlife celebration that features music, dancing, storytelling, as well as symbolic foods laid out in a ritual arrangement called a haft-sin

As the play unfolds, Roya waits for her son to show up (they haven’t been on good terms recently, she confesses). She speaks of ﬂeeing to the United States as a young adult and ﬁnding refuge in an area of Los Angeles where many Iranian expats have settled. And she jokes about the culture adjustments and culture clashes she encountered in her new country.

With little money, Roya and Michael shared a small L.A. apartment in Westwood. In the only bedroom, they slept on twin beds “so close we could feel each other breathe” and studied together as they each pursued their educational goals.

But that bond was tested once Michael grew up and came out as a gay man. Roya’s pride in his attending Harvard University and becoming a professional actor-writer, was tempered by her diﬃculty in fully accepting his queerness.

Shayan doesn’t glide over the diﬃculties in their relationship. But it is clear that, despite the tensions and differences, their fondness for one another remains. Avaaz offers a fresh, new perspective on mother-son dynamics that is both speciﬁc and deeply universal; it’s one we rarely see on stage.

At the performance of Avaaz he attended, Coleman got a look at the real-life Roya — a glamorous woman, Sheri Rabeie, who has a successful career as an engineer.

The play, says Coleman, “is a success story. It’s about somebody who against enormous odds comes to this country, and builds a life. It’s enormous fun, and we can learn from it. But it’s not a lecture. It’s a discovery.”

Denver Center Theatre Company presents the Olney Theatre Center production of AVAAZ

OCT 4 - NOV 17 • SINGLETON THEATRE

ASL Interpreted and Audio Described performance: Oct 20 at 1:30pm

Stay for a post-show discussion on select dates following our 7pm performances: Nov 6 & 13

WOMEN’S VOICES FUND

Join the DCPA in creating dedicated opportunities for female artists and leaders in theatre.

Established in 2005, the Women’s Voices Fund is an initiative designed to foster and elevate the work of women in the theatre. The fund helps create, develop, and support the voices of women – past, present, and future – and advances their work in the American theatre repertoire.

Become a Women’s Voices Fund member today and help support women in theatre! Help us give equal voices to women in theatre.

For more information please contact: Caitie Maxwell cmaxwell@dcpa.org 303.446.4840

(above) Samantha Steinmetz and Amelia Pedlow in Emma

(left) Minita Gandhi. Cowboys and East Indians, Colorado New Play Summit 2024. Photos by Jamie Kraus Photography

Revisiting HAMLET Through New Eyes

BY JOANNE OSTROW

Cby Kyle Malone

Chris Coleman never aspired to direct Hamlet

The Artistic Director of the Denver Center Theatre Company never saw himself in that role. He had played the title character onstage twice — senior year in college at Baylor University and again at Actor’s Express, a theater company he founded in Atlanta — and “literally never wanted to direct it because I couldn’t get those (productions) out of my head.”

But now, as director of the Denver Center Theatre Company’s season opener, Coleman said, “it’s like visiting an old friend, seeing it through new eyes.”

His understanding of the play has evolved as he has aged. He now sees it as “a play about growing into your destiny. What’s at stake politically in that kingdom is giant. I don’t know that I felt that or got that in earlier times.”

The setting Coleman has created for his Hamlet is inspired by Norse legends, referring back to the peak of the Viking period. “I told the costume designer everybody should look like they could go into battle within half an hour. We’re not trying to be literal about it, but that gives us permission to have the story make sense.”

Coleman is a self-described history nut, political junkie and lover of Shakespeare. Those interests all come together in directing this play — he sees parallels and historic relevance everywhere.

In the course of discussing Hamlet, he references a number of historic and contemporary world ﬁgures and cultural moments that echo for him. Elizabeth I (someone who was groomed for the throne from childhood,

unlike Hamlet), Barack Obama (a professorial leader and nuanced thinker who, like Hamlet, could be slow to act), Alexander the Great, Elizabethan theater and preChristianized Viking Scandinavia.

The history and politics combined with the incredible language, he said, “just feels so rich and fun to play with.”

Two of his undergrad professors ﬁrst turned Coleman on to Shakespeare and he’s felt connected ever since.

“Every time I’ve worked on one (of his plays), I’ve learned a little bit more about how to decode the structure of the language.” Directing Hamlet has been “the most glorious pleasure in the world,” he said.

In Elizabethan times, Coleman said, the revenge story was the runaway hit of the day, akin to our actionadventure story. Audiences couldn’t get enough. What Shakespeare did that was revolutionary was allow the audience to see inside the mind of the hero in a way they hadn’t before.

“Shakespeare revealed consciousness before psychology was deﬁned as a science,” Coleman said.

“It’s almost like Hamlet’s psyche is transparent to us. We get to see every internal twist and turn that he is struggling with.”

Rather than depict Prince Hamlet as depressed or inactive, as some literary critics suggest, Coleman prefers to believe “he’s heartbroken at the beginning of the play.” He feels deceived by his mother, Gertrude, who has married his uncle, Claudius, shockingly soon after the death of his father. Hamlet takes a long time testing

Illustration

whether the ghost encouraging him to avenge his father’s death is a benevolent spirit or, as he says, “a demon come to lure me into hell.”

“What I never considered as a young man,” Coleman said, “is, if Hamlet were a more intuitive politician, like Alexander the Great, who charged into battle when his father was stabbed in the middle of the court…” things would have gone differently. Imagining an alternative ﬁctional history, Coleman wonders, for instance, what if Hamlet had met Fortinbras and his army at the border, where the Norwegian crown prince is waiting to regain territory his father lost?

“But that’s not who he is.” A different political mind could have pursued it, Coleman said, but not Hamlet.

Instead, “it takes Hamlet the whole play to become the man who is as ruthless as he needs to be to operate at this political level.”

In most productions, Hamlet is cast as a mature man. But Coleman believes the character is quite unformed. “I think he’s a kid, he’s in

Every time I’ve worked on one [of his plays], I’ve learned a little bit more about how to decode the structure of the language.… [Directing Hamlet has been] the most glorious pleasure in the world.

— CHRIS COLEMAN, DIRECTOR

college, completely unprepared to step onto the throne.”

Coleman cast actor Ty Fanning to play Hamlet, an accomplished actor who, Coleman is happy to say, can appear to be mid-20s. That suits the director’s idea of the prince as youthful, even immature.

The character is “very overwhelmed with his emotions at the top of the play. He’s got an amazing mind…he’d be a great professor. He can see every facet of a possible action. But that can be paralyzing. I think in some ways about Obama, such an inspiring speaker and person but if your thinking is that nuanced…it was tougher for him to get to a solution.”

Given his many insightful reﬂections on history and the relevance of Shakespeare’s play, does Coleman perhaps see parallels to a certain modern revenge-seeking politician in the play that is all about revenge?

“I would rather leave you room to see the correlations that you ﬁnd,” he said. “Certainly there’s a lot to be thought about.”

Ultimately, how does a director approach such an iconic play, often cited as the greatest of all time?

“It’s like, how do you eat an elephant? A bite at a time,” he said. “You take it a piece at a time and pay attention to the story, that’s the exciting part, decoding the language enough to get to hear the truth of the story.”

HAMLET

SEP 13 - OCT 6 • WOLF THEATRE

ASL Interpreted, Audio Described and Open Captioned performance: Sep 22 at 1:30pm

Stay for a post-show discussion on select dates following our 7pm performances: Sep 24 & Oct 1

4 New Play Readings

2 World Premieres

Special Events | Meals | Party

March 1 & 2, 2025

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A DYNAMIC DUO: KIMBERLY AKIMBO ’ S

JEANINE TESORI AND DAVID LINDSAY-ABAIRE

BY JOANNE OSTROW

KKimberly Akimbo is one of those magical musicals that makes you wonder, “how did they pull that off ?” An intimate, smart, deeply human musical that arrived on Broadway without a big star or a recognizable title, it nevertheless became the talk of the town by winning over audiences and critics alike and by making them rethink what a Broadway musical can be.

And while the story of Kimberly Akimbo may seem atypical for a Broadway musical, its combination of heart and humor has earned it ﬁve Tony Awards, including 2023’s award for Best Musical, with a score by Jeanine Tesori (Fun Home) and book and lyrics by David Lindsay-Abaire (Rabbit Hole).

The story concerns a New Jersey teenager who is about to turn 16 but who looks 70-something. Kimberly Levaco has a rare genetic condition that causes her to age rapidly.

The show is both laugh-out-loud funny and heart wrenchingly sad, a wise collision of humor and suffering with mortality at its core.

“That’s where David’s house is built,” Tesori said in a joint interview, “at the corner of Humor Street and Heartbreak Avenue.”

“It’s why Jeanine and I connect so much and collaborate,” Lindsay-Abaire said. “We have a similar sensibility. We both grew up in a very speciﬁc way, working-class, our family experienced a lot of pain and suffering. The way we mostly coped with that is through humor. And so it’s not something we try to do, it’s where we live.

“Our show is about living life to the fullest in whatever

time you have left.” he said. “It’s funny, it’s life-affirming, but it’s also about a teenage girl facing her own mortality and facing her first experience of first love and she has a deeply dysfunctional family, but everybody’s trying to be better. It says life is as funny as it is sad and at least for us, maybe most people, that’s the way they experience life. It’s complicated.”

Their shared worldview allows them to dig into the sad-funny themes with a punch. When asked how their personalities work together, Tesori just laughs. And laughs.

When she finally stops laughing, she says, “I think David is the most hilarious person I’ve ever met. He’s not about jokes, he’s about finding things very funny, and that life is heartbreaking and hilarious and his plays are a deep reflection of that…it’s like if Christopher Durang and Thornton Wilder had a baby…”

“I wish they did have a baby.”

“They did, and it’s you.”

They banter breezily. “Obviously, Jeanine and I share a sensibility and a very twisted sense of humor,” he said. “We are so similar in our tastes and also very different in the way we approach the craft of it sometimes. I am much more a control freak than Jeanine is, and I structure; Jeanine is very free-wheeling. She pokes at things and breaks things apart in a way that makes me uncomfortable.”

Only occasionally will she go too far, he said, and he’ll have to pull her back.

The play is about growing up and growing old, not necessarily in that order. But it’s more profound than that.

The Original Broadway Company of KIMBERLY AKIMBO photo by Joan Marcus.

“I really think it’s about the time of your life,” Tesori said, “I mean that both ways. People can have the time of their life even when your life is timed. I mean she knows—and don’t we all know—that life ends. I don’t think it’s fun to talk about and it can be seen as something that’s morbid, or it can be seen as an opportunity to look at the time that you have.”

It ’s about living in the moment.

Tesori references Thornton Wilder once again, paraphrasing a line from Our Town: “does anybody really know about life while they’re living it? “I think that’s why the play is so great,” Tesori said, “like, this play’s going to remind you to go outside and live differently.”

Our show is about living life to the fullest in whatever time you have left. It’s funny, it’s life-a rming, but it’s also about a teenage girl facing her own mortality and facing her ﬁrst experience of ﬁrst love…

— DAVID LINDSAY-ABAIRE, BOOK & LYRICS

Lindsay-Abaire recalls the time during previews when an older man was exiting the theater, looking angry. Lindsay-Abaire braced for negative feedback as he approached. “The man asked, ‘are you with the production?’ He said, ‘I just want you to know that tomorrow I’m going to live more fully because of this!’ He had tears in his eyes, he just walked out the door. I thought, ‘Good lord, that’s the nicest gift you could give to a writer.’ So, it worked for him that night. If people walk away with that, then we’ve done our job.”

Besides living at the intersection of tears and laughter, Kimberly Akimbo lives in the world of smart, small-scale tragicomedy while much of Broadway is given over to huge spectacles tied to superheroes or superstars. Is it a continual struggle?

“If you look at the history of Broadway,” Tesori said, “it came from operetta and vaudeville. It’s always going to be a dance between those things. One says ‘come here and leave life,’ one says ‘come here and look at life’.”

“There will always be those mega-hits based on movies audiences know the names of,” Lindsay-Abaire said, “and people will plunk down some money to see that and that’s fantastic. The good news is, there’s also room for Kimberly Akimbo to go into a little room and win the Tony Award. There are nine people in our show and we won Best Musical!”

So, what’s next for this team, the multi-Tony and Pulitzer Prizewinning playwright and lyricist, and the most proliﬁc and honored female theatrical composer in history?

That’s under wraps for now. The good news is, “we’re working on something.”

SEP 22 - OCT 5 • BUELL THEATRE

ASL Interpreted, Audio Described and Open Captioned performance: Sep 29 at 2pm

COMING UP FROM BROADWAY

HAMILTON

Hamilton is returning to the Buell Theatre this fall. This epic saga following the rise of Founding Father Alexander Hamilton is based on Ron Chernow’s acclaimed biography and set to a score that blends hip-hop, jazz, R&B, and Broadway. Hamilton features book, music, and lyrics by Lin-Manuel Miranda, direction by Thomas Kail, choreography by Andy Blankenbuehler, and musical supervision and orchestrations by Alex Lacamoire.

Hamilton took the world by storm in 2015. Did you know these ﬁve fun facts about the revolutionary musical?

Hamilton began as a project by Lin-Manuel Miranda called The Hamilton Mixtape

Hamilton premiered Off-Broadway in February 2015, where its severalmonth engagement was consistently sold out. It wasn’t until August 2015 that the musical oﬃcially opened on Broadway at the Richard Rodgers Theatre.

The original Broadway cast recording for Hamilton debuted at 12 on the Billboard 200, making it the earliest entrance for a cast recording since 1963.

The ﬁrst non-English version of Hamilton opened in Hamburg, with the production translated into German.

When the filmed stage production premiered, the film was one of the most-streamed films of 2020 and was named one of the best films of the year by the American Film Institute.

Don’t throw away your shot to see Hamilton in Denver from October 16 to November 24.

CompanyHAMILTON National Tour(c) Joan Marcus.

Chris Coleman, Artistic Director

Charles Varin, Managing Director

presents Olney Theatre Center’s Production of

AVAAZ

WRITTEN AND PERFORMED BY

Michael Shayan

Stage Managers: Allison Ann Bailey, Phillip Snider

SCENIC DESIGN BY Beowulf Boritt

LIGHTING DESIGN BY Amith Chandrashaker

TOUR MANAGING BY Jerid Fox

COSTUME DESIGN BY Joshua “Domino” Schwartz

SOUND DESIGN BY UptownWorks

PRODUCTION MANAGEMENT BY Jeff Gifford

DIRECTED BY

ASSOCIATE DIRECTING BY Aria Velz

EXECUTIVE PRODUCING BY Victoria Lang & Ryan Bogner for Broadway & Beyond Theatricals

Moritz von Stuelpnagel

The video and/or audio recording of this performance by any means whatsoever is strictly prohibited.

Recipient of the Sundance Institute’s Uprise Grant.

Avaaz was developed at the Ojai Playwrights Conference: Robert Egan, Artistic Director/Producer.

Avaaz is a grant recipient from the Solo Fights Project Advancement Fund and was developed in part at Theatre Aspen’s 2022 Solo Flights Festival. Jed Bernstein, Producing Director. Originally workshopped and developed in the 2022 Pacific Playwrights Festival as part of The Lab@South Coast Repertory and originally produced by South Coast Repertory.

THE SINGLETON THEATRE • OCT 4 – NOV 17, 2024

SPOTLIGHT SPONSOR

SINGLETON FAMILY FOUNDATION

SEASON SPONSORS

Roya

Stage Manager

CAST

SETTING

Michael Shayan

The first day of Nowruz, the Iranian New Year. Roya’s home in “Tehran-geles,” California, formerly known as Westwood.

AVAAZ will be performed without an intermission.

Allison Ann Bailey

Rehearsal Stage Manager Phillip Snider

Stage Management Associate Rain Young

Dance Consultant

Kosar Abbassi, Parastoo Ghodsi

Magic Consultant David Regal

Character Coach Lauren Lovett

Associate Scenic Designer Jessica Alexandra Cancino

Assistant Lighting Designer K. Rudolph

The Actors and Stage Managers employed in this production are members of Actors’ Equity Association, the Union of Professional Actors and Stage Managers of the United States.

WHO’S WHO

ACTING COMPANY/PLAYWRIGHT

MICHAEL SHAYAN

(Roya) is an Emmy Award-nominated, Iranian-American writer, performer and illusionist from “Tehran-geles,” CA. He was recently recognized on Out Magazine’s prestigious OUT100 list of the “most impactful and influential LGBTQ+ people.” Shayan makes his Denver Center debut with Avaaz, kicking off a national tour after a soldout, record-breaking run at Olney Theatre Center.

Shayan’s upcoming play CRUISING, directed by Tony Award nominee Robert O’Hara, will premiere on Audible in 2025. His other plays have been produced and developed by The Geffen Playhouse, South Coast Repertory, La MaMa, New York Stage & Film, Ojai Playwrights Conference, Rattlestick, and The Lark, among others. He has received fellowships from the Sundance Institute, Sun Valley Writers Conference, Theatre Aspen and Lambda Literary, and held residencies with The New Harmony Project, SPACE on Ryder Farm and Stillwright. He was a writer and Consulting Producer on the Emmywinning “The Book of Queer” (MAX).

He studied playwriting at Harvard University and received a Master’s in Playwriting from Brooklyn College. At thirteen, he was the youngest performer in the history of the Hollywood Magic Castle. @michaelshayan

DIRECTOR

MORITZ VON STUELPNAGEL.

Broadway: I Need That starring, Danny Devito; Bernhardt/Hamlet starring Janet McTeer; Present Laughter starring Kevin Kline (Tony nomination for Best Revival); Hand to God (Tony nominations for Best Play and Best Director). West End: Madhouse starring David Harbour and Bill Pulman; Hand to God. Off-Broadway: Roundabout, MC, Playwrights Horizons, Public, MTC, LCT3, Ma-Yi, Lesser America, EST, and Ars Nova. Regional: Williamstown, Huntington, Gefen, Pasadena Playhouse, Alliance, Wooly Mammoth, South Coast Rep, Hudson Valley Shakespeare Festival, Barington Stage, Chautauqua, and more. Moritz is the former artistic director of Studio 42, NYC’s producer of “unproducible” plays. Website: moritzvs.com.

CREATIVE TEAM

RYAN BOGNER (Executive Producer) is a Tony nominated producer and has been at the intersection of intellectual

property and theater for the majority of his career. In his role as President of Content at Broadway & Beyond Theatricals he is responsible for producing the company’s productions, acting as a consultant and executive producer for BBT’s clients and developing new growth opportunities for BBT within the content and booking divisions. He has worked as Lead Producer of BBT’s productions The Kite Runner (Broadway and National Tour); The Cottage (Broadway); Judgment Day (Chicago); and Cambodian Rock Band (National Tour); Executive Producer of Avaaz (National Tour) and Where We Belong (National Tour) and Co-Producer on Paradise Square (Tony Nomination). Upcoming BBT Productions: Safety Not Guaranteed, Trading Places, Beaches, 5 & Dime, Judgement Day. Notable past productions include: The Woodsman, Here Lies Love, The Orion Experience, Yeast Nation, Doctor Zhivago, The Cher Show, Top Hat, Big Fish, and Cheers: Live On Stage. Ryan holds a B.F.A. in Musical Theater and Directing from The Boston Conservatory, and an M.F.A. in Theater Management and Producing from Columbia University.

BEOWULF BORITT (Scenic Designer). Designed Avaaz at South Coast Repertory. 31 Broadway

designs include the Tony Awardwinning sets for New York, New York and Act One, Tony nominated sets for The Scottsboro Boys, Therese Raquin, Potus, and Flying Over Sunset. Also on Broadway: Harmony, The Piano Lesson, Ohio State Murders, The Old Man and the Pool, Come From Away, Freestyle Love Supreme, Be More Chill, The New One, Bernhardt/ Hamlet, Meteor Shower, A Bronx Tale, Prince Of Broadway, Hand to God, Sondheim On Sondheim, ...Spelling Bee, LoveMusik, Rock Of Ages, Chaplin, On The Town (‘14), Sundays in the Park with George (‘17), Bronx Bombers, Grace, and The Two And Only. 10 Off-Broadway shows including Shakespeare in the Park (Hamlet, Much Ado, Merry Wives, Coriolanus); The Last Five Years; Fiddler on the Roof (in Yiddish); Sleepwalk with Me, and Miss Julie He has designed for the Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey Circus, and designed around the world in England, Russia, China, Australia, and Japan. He received a 2007 OBIE Award for sustained excellence. Author: “Transforming Space Over Time” about Broadway set design. Founder of The 1/52 Project which provides grants to early career designers from historically excluded groups.

AMITH CHANDRASHAKER (Lighting Designer). Broadway: Merrily We Roll Along and Prayer for the French Republic. NYCC Encores!: Bring me to Light with Sutton Foster, Dear World, and Once Upon a Mattress. Regional: Steppenwolf, Chicago Shakespeare, The Geffen, The Huntington. Opera: The Glimmerglass Festival, Houston Grand Opera, Royal New Zealand Ballet, Washington National Opera. Dance: Staatstheater Nuremberg, The Lyon Opera Ballet, The Royal Ballet of New Zealand, and The National Dance Company of Wales. He is the recipient of The Drama Desk and Henry Hewes awards. Union Trustee for United Scenic Artists, Local USA 829, IATSE; MFA, NYU Tisch School of the Arts and faculty at The University of Maryland’s School for Theatre Dance and Performance Studies.

JERID FOX (Tour Manager) is excited to be the Director of Production at The Olney Theatre Center and the opportunity to bring Avaaz to the Denver Center for the Performing Arts! After attending Loyola Marymount University, where he

studied Film Production with an emphasis in Art Direction, he put his knack for imitation and improvisation to use at Disneyland’s Entertainment Department. After moving to Florida, he worked as American Stage Theatre’s Director of Production and as a Scenic Designer, Media Designer, and Properties Master for many professional Tampa Bay theatres and universities. Recent design credits include: American Fast (Capital Stage); The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nighttime, and The Little Mermaid Jr. (Sacramento Theatre Company); Vietgone, MAMMA MIA and Between Riverside and Crazy (American Stage Theatre). Love to my Benjamin.

JEFF GIFFORD (Director of Production) is entering his twelfth season at the DCPA and oversees everything you see on the stage except the actors. Working with this amazing team of artists and artisans is the highlight of his career. Guiding world premieres to their first opening night is especially gratifying and Jeff has worked on more than 50 of them. Among his favorites are The Book of Will, Dinner with Friends, The Violet Hour, The Beard of Avon, and the new musical Rattlesnake Kate. Jeff holds an MFA from California Institute of the Arts.

VICTORIA LANG (Executive Producer) has enjoyed an award-winning producing career in theatre, television and film. Highlights include: Broadway: Merrily We Roll Along (Tony), The Kite Runner, The Cottage, Funny Girl, Paradise Square (Tony nomination), Tootsie (Tony nomination), The Cher Show, The Lightning Thief. West End: A Face in the Crowd, Funny Girl, SHOUT!, Bat Boy. Off-Broadway: Found, Silence! (OBA Award), Matt & Ben (Time Top 5), Johnny Guitar (Outer Critics Award), SHOUT! The Mod Musical Television: “Live! Regis & Kathie Lee” (3 Emmy nominations). Specials for PBS & A&E. Film: Macbeth in Manhattan (Winner: S.Beach & LI Film Festivals), Perfect Lies, Dark Tides. Founder: Lang Entertainment Group, Plus Media, Broadway & Beyond Theatricals. LangEntertainmentGroup.com

JOSHUA “DOMINO” SCHWARTZ (Costume Designer). Recent projects include “We’re Here” (HBO) for which he won two Emmy Awards, “The Tamron Hal Show” (ABC), and looks for Madonna’s Celebration Tour. Other career highlights include designing for Beyoncé, Lady Gaga,

Tinashe, Anita, and RuPaul. Domino is a graduate of NYU Tisch School of the Arts Drama department (Tech Track). He currently owns his own custom fashion and costume design business in NYC.

UPTOWNWORKS (Sound Design) is a collaborative design team specializing in theatre, film, podcasts, installations and other media. CD AREA: Lady Day at Emerson’s Bar and Grill (Baltimore Center Stage); Fires in the Mirror (Baltimore Center Stage/Long Wharf Theatre); Which Way to the Stage (Signature), already there (The REACH, Kennedy Center). Select Regional: Tiny Father (Barrington Stage/Chautauqua); Chicken & Biscuits (Asolo Rep); Espejos:Clean (Hartford Stage/ Syracuse Stage); the ripple, the wave. (Berkeley Rep/Goodman); Complicity Island (Audible); Queen (Long Wharf Theater/A.R.T.NY); Today is my Birthday (Yale Rep). Design lead by Noel Nichols (noelnicholsdesign. com) with Daniela Hart (uptownworksnyc.com) and Bailey Trierweiler (btsounddesign. com). MFAs in Sound Design, Yale School of Drama.

ARIA VELZ (Associate Director) Avaaz and The Brothers Paranormal (Olney Theatre). Regional: Repertory Theatre of St Louis and SheNYC. DC AREA: Signature Theatre, Prologue Theatre, NextStop Theatre Company, Constellation Theatre Company, Imagination Stage, Keegan Theatre Company, Theater Aliance. TikTok & Instagram: @ariavelz.

BROADWAY & BEYOND

THEATRICALS is a theatrical producer and booking agency led by Ryan Bogner and Tracey McFarland. Broadway: The Kite Runner, Paradise Square, The Cottage. Tours as agent: The Kite Runner, Paradise Square, The Cher Show, Legally Blonde, The Addams Family, An American in Paris, and more. bbtheatricals.com

OLNEY THEATRE CENTER is located ten miles north of Washington, DC, in arts-rich Montgomery County, Maryland, Olney Theatre Center is one of the DMV’s most acclaimed theater companies. Founded in 1938 as a summer stock company on the Straw Hat circuit, Olney Theatre is now a $10M/year-round professional regional theater and performing arts center operating four venues, including an outdoor stage, on its 14-acre campus. Most recently, Olney Theatre Center was recognized with five Helen Hayes

Awards from TheatreWashington, including its second consecutive award for Outstanding Production of a Musical.

STAGE MANAGEMENT

ALLISON ANN BAILEY (Stage Manager). Olney Theatre Center credits include: Avaaz and Vanguard Arts Fund Workshops, The Joint & Okuni (PSM) and Kinky Boots (ASM). Regional: Dial M for Murder, A Midsummer Night’s Dream (SM Swing) (The Old Globe); Without Walls Festival (Location Manager) La Jolla Playhouse. DC Area: Svadba (PSM) (Peabody Institute Opera); Glory Denied (ASM) and Die Zauberflöte (ASM) (Annapolis Opera Company); On the Edge Showcase (SM), Slam! A Festival of Ballets (SM) (Chamber Dance Project); Don Giovanni (PSM) (Maryland Opera Studio).

PHILLIP SNIDER (Rehearsal Stage Manager) is a D.C. area stage manager making his debut at the DCPA. Past credits include: ASM for Avaaz, Beauty and the Beast, and the regional debut of Fela!; Olney Theatre Center. National Tour: SM for A Midsummer Night’s Dream and Raisin in the Sun; National Players Tour 72. Regional Tour: SM for Romeo and Juliet; Pennsylvania Shakespeare Festival, and ASM on Tuesdays with Morrie; Theatre J/ Waterworks Theatre Co. Phillip earned a BA in Theatre from Indiana University.

THEATRE COMPANY

LEADERSHIP TEAM

CHRIS COLEMAN (Artistic Director) is passionate about the connection between stories and community. He joined the DCPA Theatre Company as Artistic Director in November of 2017 and has directed Hamlet, A Little Night Music, Hotter Than Egypt, Much Ado About Nothing, Rattlesnake Kate, Twelfth Night, A Doll’s House, Anna Karenina, and Oklahoma!. Previously, Chris served as Artistic Director for Portland Center Stage in Oregon for 18 years. Under his leadership, PCS renovated the city’s historic Armory into a new home, saw annual attendance nearly double, workshopped 52 new plays that went on to productions at over 100 theaters around the US and UK, and became a national leader in how theaters engage with their community.

In 1988, Chris founded Actor’s Express in Atlanta (in the basement of an old church), a company that continues to be a cultural force in the Southeast today. He has directed at major theaters across the country, including Oregon Shakespeare Festival, the Alliance Theater, Dallas Theater Center, Baltimore Center Stage, Actors Theatre of Louisville, ACT/Seattle, the Asolo, Pittsburgh Public, 59E59, and New York Theater Workshop. He and his husband, actor/writer Rodney Hicks, live in Reunion with their 18 lb. terrier mix. Since moving to Colorado, he has hiked Dominguez Canyon, wandered the Cliff Dwellings of Mesa Verde, explored a working mine in Creede, and rafted down the Arkansas River.

CHARLES

VARIN (Managing Director) and his team are responsible for the administrative, financial, and business operations for Theatre Company and OffCenter productions and other artistic initiatives. Since joining the Theatre Company in 2006, he has played a major role in executing the artistic vision of the organization and facilitating the production of shows such as Theater of the Mind, Sweet & Lucky, The Unsinkable Molly Brown, Sense & Sensibility the Musical, The 12, Sweeney Todd with DeVotchKa and many more. Charles is passionate about artistic innovation and firmly believes in DCPA’s long-standing commitment to new plays and new voices.

In addition to DCPA staff, the following crew worked on this production: Phi Le

The Director and Fight Director are members of the STAGE DIRECTORS AND CHOREOGRAPHERS SOCIETY, a national theatrical labor union.

The actors and stage managers employed in this production are members of Actors’ Equity Association, the union of professional actors and stage managers in the United States.

Backstage and Ticket Services Employees are represented by the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees, Moving Picture Technicians, Artists and Allied Crafts of the United States and Canada. (or I.A.T.S.E.)

The scenic, costume, lighting and sound designers in LORT Theatres are represented by United Scenic Artists, Local USA-829 of the IATSE.

TAKING PHOTOS AT THE THEATRE

We welcome you to take photos in the theatre before and after the performance. If you post on social media, please credit, and tag the DCPA and the design team:

@denvercenter #DCPATheatreCompany #Avaaz

Playwright: Michael Shayan

Director: Moritz von Stuelpnagel

Scenic Designer: Beowulf Borrit

Costume Designer: Joshua “Domino” Schwartz

Lighting Designer: Amith Chandrashaker

Sound Designer: UptownWorks

Technology Liaison: Jerid Fox

Associate Director: Aria Velz

Photos and the video and/or audio recording during any part of the performance by any means whatsoever are strictly prohibited

PLEASE BE ADVISED

• LATECOMERS and those exiting the theatre are seated at predetermined breaks in designated areas.

• CHILDREN 4+ are welcome in our theatres and must be ticketed.

• ASSISTIVE LISTENING DEVICES, LARGE PRINT PROGRAMS & BOOSTER SEATS are available in most theatres. Ask an usher to direct you.

• BRAILLE PROGRAMS are available with 2 weeks’ notice to accessibility@dcpa.org

The Denver Center for the Performing Arts (DCPA) is one of the largest non-proﬁt theatre organizations in the nation, presenting Broadway tours and producing theatre, cabaret, musicals, and immersive productions. In its 2022/23 season, the DCPA engaged with nearly 865,000 visitors, generating a $205.6 million economic impact.

The Theatre Company is grateful for the funds provided by the Scientific and Cultural Facilities District. Special thanks also to grants from the Helen G. Bonfils Foundation; and contributions from corporations, foundations and individuals. The Theatre Company is a division of the Denver Center for the Performing Arts, a non-profit organization serving the public through the performing arts.

The Theatre Company operates under an agreement between the League of Resident Theatres (LORT) and Actors’ Equity Association, the Union of Professional Actors and Stage Managers in the United States; and the Stage Directors and Choreographers Society. The Theatre Company also operates under an agreement with Denver Theatrical Stage Employees Union, Local No. 7 of the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees, Moving Picture Technicians, Artists and Allied Crafts of the United States and Canada.

The Theatre Company is constituent of Theatre Communications Group (TCG), the national organization for not-for-proﬁt resident theatre companies.

The costumes, wigs, lighting, props, furniture,scenic construction, scenic painting, sound and special eﬀects used in connection with this production were constructed and coordinated by the Theatre Company’s Production Staﬀ.

OCT 18 – DEC 22 A fun-ﬁlled musical based on Mo Willems’ beloved children’s books

Get ready for a fun-ﬁlled musical experience, leaping from the pages of Mo Willems’ award-winning, best-selling children’s books, that will leave you doing the “Flippy Floppy Floory” dance all night long! Gerald and Piggie take to the stage in a rollicking adventure brought to you by DCPA’s Theatre for Young Audiences program, which is tailored to Pre-K through 3rd grade audiences but welcomes all ages.

$20 CHILDREN* | $25 ADULTS*

Weekday Student Matinees available! Contact Group Sales at 303.446.4829 for more information.

Elephant & Piggie’s “We Are in a Play!”

Book and Lyrics by Mo Willems

Music by Deborah Wicks La Puma

Based on the Elephant & Piggie books by Mo Willems

Directed by Allison Watrous

THE MAKING OF SHAKESPEARE IN THE PARKING LOT

TBY LINNEA COVINGTON

The idea for Shakespeare in the Parking Lot came from teachers who wanted to bring to life the Bard’s beautiful plays to help students truly understand why the works have been so important for centuries.

“It is meant as a dramatic text and meant to be performed rather than reading it like a novel,” said Allison Watrous, Executive Director of DCPA Education & Community Engagement.

In 2015 Watrous had a wild idea to start having performances in public spaces, namely, parking lots. After all, she said, creativity isn’t bound to brick-and-mortar locations.

“Now it happens everywhere, and we bring it to schools directly so more students can enjoy it this way,” she said, adding each performance is an abridged rendition of either Romeo and Juliet, A Midsummer Night’s Dream or Macbeth.

“I just wanted to say thank you again for this wonderful opportunity, the kids loved it and were talking about it all day,” a Denver Public School middle school teacher wrote to the DCPA.

“This was once again the experience of a lifetime for many of our kids and you have inspired a new kind of love for Shakespeare in your viewers.”

Directed by Watrous, the show travels to other venues too, from libraries to recreation centers to parks and more. Through the generosity of donors, the plays are provided free to the community. Plus, the funds provided the means to buy a prop truck, which gets pulled by a bigger truck to each location. The actors crawl all over it, popping inside, balancing on the roof, and using it as a dramatic backdrop.

The troupe is made up of eight players who do all the roles, often gender-bending the way the original actors in William Shakespeare’s day did. Between in-school and community performances, they often perform six days a week each fall and spring. But already the actors, some who have been a part of the event since the beginning, are ready for next season.

Shakespeare in the Parking Lot returns this fall with free performances every Saturday September 7 through October 12. For locations, visit denvercenter.org/community-events

IN THE COMMUNITY

Join us for FREE public performances of SHAKESPEARE IN THE PARKING LOT

Abridged versions of some of the Bard’s most beloved plays performed in and around a pick up truck “set”

Performances take place throughout the community on Saturdays from Sep 7 – Oct 12.

LEARN MORE

Photo by McLeod9Creative

Photo by McLeod9 Creative

MAKE YOUR SEASON BRIGHTER HOLIDAY PARTIES AT DCPA

Throw a party to remember at the Denver Center for the Performing Arts, complete with hassle-free event planning plus optional theatre entertainment! Pair your room rental with group tickets to any of the DCPA’s holiday productions for the ultimate show of appreciation for your clients or employees!

Working with our in-house Event Services team with its decades of theatrical experience, you can select from the spectacular Seawell Ballroom or intimate Directors Room plus your choice of:

• Eight caterers

• Customized bar package from Sodexo Live!

• Dramatic lighting design and Broadway-caliber sound

Ask about our holiday package when you book today denvercenter.org/venue-rentals/holiday

Shakespeare in the Parking Lot is a unique way to bring the arts into the community and allow more people to experience the health beneﬁts that the arts can provide.

— MANNY RODRIGUEZ, UCHEALTH’S CHIEF MARKETING AND CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE OFFICER

PROUD SPONSOR OF DCPA BROADWAY

A SPOONFUL OF SHAKESPEARE TO CURE ALL AILS

BY LINNEA COVINGTON

J

Just as the great Bard had patrons to help produce what would become iconic plays at the Globe Theatre, so does the DCPA’s annual Shakespeare in the Parking Lot. One of the major supporters is UCHealth, which understands the importance of theater, art, and music for the human condition.

“UCHealth is pleased to partner with the DCPA,” said Manny Rodriguez, UCHealth’s Chief Marketing and Customer Experience Oﬃcer. “Shakespeare in the Parking Lot is a unique way to bring the arts into the community and allow more people to experience the health beneﬁts that the arts can provide.”

The community is exactly who the program beneﬁts. After all, the gist of Shakespeare in the Parking Lot is to bring theatre to schools and community centers. It does this thanks to donors who not only support the event, but helped pay for the prop truck that acts as a home, wall, destination, secluded alcove and more during the live performances.

Shakespeare in the Parking Lot typically runs for six weeks in early fall (this year it’s running September 7-October 12) and late spring (April through mid-May). It features eight actors playing all the roles. Each performance showcases an abridged version of either Romeo and Juliet, A Midsummer Night’s Dream or Macbeth. The actors gender bend and work so hard that, by the end of the six-week run, they have done more than 30 shows.

It’s a lot of effort to put on the shows, and production costs are steep. This is where UCHealth comes in. Its contribution largely helps cover the costs, making community performances entirely free and school engagements affordable. The later part allows students not only to enjoy the magic of Shakespeare through live performance, but also provides in-class workshops that take a dive deep into how the plays’ themes still resonate today.

“UCHealth is committed to sharing the health beneﬁts of the arts with our youngest community members,” said Rodriguez. “By creating a fund to cover the cost of tickets, classes or workshops, we hope to inspire the next generation of artists and fans.”

Shakespeare in the Parking Lot began in 2015. Allison Watrous, Executive Director of DCPA Education & Community Engagement, not only directs the event, but also built the program too. The idea, she said, was to open up theatre to unconventional places and allow creativity to thrive outside the traditional stage. That, and she wanted to help teachers bring to life the vibrancy of the Bard’s great works, something that’s much better understood live than by reading quietly at home.

The best part is seeing these plays come alive for people in their very own neighborhood, which couldn’t happen without the generous support of loyal patrons of the arts.

PROUD SPONSOR OF DCPA EDUCATION’S BOOK STARS

communities where we live and work, and, with funding from PNC

PPNC aims to strengthen and enrich the lives of our neighbors in the Foundation, we are pleased to once again support the Denver Center for the Performing Arts (DCPA) in this season’s Book Stars program. Since 2004, PNC Grow Up Great, our $500 million, bilingual early childhood education initiative, has helped prepare children from birth to age 5 for success in school and life by supporting programs, resources and experiences that plant the seeds for a lifetime of opportunities. DCPA Book Stars likewise supports early childhood educators to enhance early literacy in pre-K by working with Title I schools throughout metro Denver.

This innovative program encourages children to become characters and solve problems through creative play and theater-based learning, with teaching artists building relationships with students and teachers over time. By offering Book Stars to schools at no cost, in English and Spanish, we can increase accessibility and help eliminate achievement

schools throughout metro Denver. gaps before they start.

By focusing our support on high-quality early childhood education, we aim to positively impact school readiness, setting children on a path for success. We’re proud to help DCPA continue to grow this program and build more relationships with teachers, students, and

Thank you for your continued support for the arts, and enjoy the

“

families in our region. show!

PNC is ﬁrmly committed to early education in Colorado. Investing and advocating for high-quality early education is a logical extension of our commitment as a national main street bank to supporting our communities, and Book Stars is a unique and creative way to develop critical literacy skills in our youngest learners.

— RYAN BEISER, REGIONAL PRESIDENT FOR PNC BANK IN COLORADO “

The Aegon Transamerica Foundation is proud to support the DCPA and the brilliant programs and events it brings to life. From Broadway tours to immersive experiences to educational programs for kids, DCPA is an integral part of Denver’s thriving artistic community — and it’s a big part of what makes our city so special.

— MELISSA SMITH, CHAIR OF THE AEGON TRANSAMERICA FOUNDATION’S DENVER ADVISORY COMMITTEE

PROUD SPONSOR OF DCPA EDUCATION’S HIGH SCHOOL/MIDDLE SCHOOL PLAYWRITING COMPETITION

TTransamerica employees are dedicated to helping people live their best lives, whether it’s saving and investing for the future or protecting themselves and their loved ones. They bring expertise, creativity and heart to everything they do — and to the communities where they live and work.

Transamerica’s private, nonproﬁt foundation is proud to do its part in helping to create a brighter and more secure future for people in our community by supporting programs that enhance their opportunities and capabilities while broadening social networks, interactions and aspirations. Through our charitable giving and employee volunteer efforts, we contribute to a wide range of worthy causes in Denver, including the Denver Center for the Performing Arts (DCPA).

We believe our longtime support of the DCPA — one of the nation’s largest nonproﬁt theatre organizations — helps to enliven our community and bring new perspectives that can enable Denverites see the world through another’s eyes.

The Aegon Transamerica Foundation looks forward to supporting another great year of DCPA programming. We are proud to play a role helping DCPA make theatre accessible to all.

Transamerica employees help serve meals at Denver Children’s Home.

Transamerica employees help prepare “Bags of Fun” for children ﬁghting long-term or life-threatening conditions.

Transamerica employees help build homes for families in need with Habitat for Humanity.

THANK YOU

The Denver Center for the Performing Arts gratefully acknowledges the generous support of the following donors of $250+ between July 1, 2023 and June 30, 2024.

+ Includes in-kind support

* Deceased

EXTRAORDINARY GIVING

Scientiﬁc and Cultural

Facilities District

CHAIRMAN’S CIRCLE PLATINUM

($100,000+)

Chevron Corp.

Genesee Mountain Foundation

Jeanne Hind*

The Morgridge Family Foundation

Robert & Judi Newman

The Shubert Foundation

UCHealth

U.S. Bank

CHAIRMAN’S CIRCLE GOLD

($50,000-$99,999)

Bolin Family

Denver Arts & Venues

Madie Gustafson

Pioneer Fund/Lewis E. Myers, Jr. Scholarship Fund

Janice Sinden

CHAIRMAN’S CIRCLE SILVER

($25,000-$49,999)

Ameristar Casino Resort Spa

The Anschutz Foundation

Tom & Mary Bagley

Anonymous

Brisa & Mark Carleton

CIBC Private Wealth

Management

Keith & Kathie Finger

Betsy Kiley & Steve Knox

Dorota & Kevin Kilstrom

Ruth Krebs & Peter Mannetti

MDC/Richmond American

Homes Foundation

Everett Schneider & Robert Phifer

Eva Schoonmaker

Jo & Martin Semple

Mark Sexton and the Sexton

Family Foundation

Bob & Carole Slosky

June Travis

Ken & Debra Tuchman

Tim White Families

Walter Wilson

Xcel Energy Foundation

David Young, MD & Sylvia Young

CHAIRMAN’S CIRCLE BRONZE

($15,000-$24,999)

Antero Resources

Jim & Kristin Bender

The Buell Foundation

Daniels Family Charitable Trust

DaVita Inc.

Grace Eberl

Edgemark, LLC

Michael Gosline & Don Werner

Patrick Hamill

Bill & Lori Kurtz

Scott & Kim Lewis

Steve & Gayle Mooney

Ralph & Trish Nagel

PNC Bank

The Ponzio Family

Dean Singleton

Wendy Spencer

Thomas and Beatrice Taplin

Fund

Jerry & Debi Tepper

Transamerica

TTEC

Union Paciﬁc

Virginia W. Hill Foundation

SPOTLIGHT VISIONARY

($10,000-$14,999)

Anonymous

Alpine Bank

Brownstein Hyatt Farber

Schreck, LLP

John Carlen & Jean Gleason

Clifton, Larson, Allen

Colorado Rockies

Tom & Lisa Corley/The Corley

Legacy Foundation

CU Denver

Jerome & Jackie Davis

Navin Dimond

Stanton Dodge

John Estes & Norma Horner

John Strohm & Mary Pat Link

Ken & Caryl Field

FirstBank Holding Company of Colorado

Adrienne Ruston Fitzgibbons

HealthONE

IMA Financial

Darryl & April Jones

Deborah Kelly

Kenneth King Foundation

Diana & Mike Kinsey

Rick & Molly Klau

Ron Litvak & Amy Gaines

Mabel Y. Hughes Charitable Trust

Alan & Carol Meny

Metropolitan State University

Denver

Morgan Stanley Private Wealth Management

The Phyllis M. Coors Foundation

Susan Fox Pinkowitz & Ted Pinkowitz

Polsinelli

Riverfront Park Community Foundation

Rollie R. Kelley Family Foundation

Peter & Nicole Rueth

Cheryl Saipe

Enid and Mike Seiden

Semple Brown Design, P.C.

Katy Simpson

Strompolos Family Foundation

TCI Wealth Advisors

Wolf Energy Company, LLC

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Tierney Aldridge

Susan & Andrew Anderson

Apex Caring Services

Sherwin Beck

Leslie Beltrami

Delaney Bensler

The Paula and William Bernstein Family Foundation

Barbara Bridges

The Chotin Foundation

Robert & Kathleen Clark

Cliff Foundation

Julie & Peter Cushman

Carrie Damon

Greg & Allison D’Argonne

Jackie Devine

Judy Dunn

John & Kathryn Dunn

Heidi Elliott

Matthew & Jennifer Van Praag

Bill Fortune

Jeannie & John Fuller

In Memory of Sally Gass

Caleb & Sidney Gates

Margot Gilbert Frank

Taru Hays

Elizabeth & Nelson Hioe

Dr. Barbara Hort

Hyman J. and Florence Hammerman Family Foundation

Lindsey Jones

Kaiser Permanente

Dan & Lisa Kelly

Nicholas & Jennifer Kemp

Key Bank

Land Title Guarantee

Company

Jessica Levhofer

Scott Lynn

Stephen & Kathie McConahey

Rayanne Mori

Lynnette Morrison

Erica Motes

Sherri Nitta

Performing Arts Readiness

Toby Pippin

James & Stacy Rechtin

Linda Rieger

David Roitman

Cheri & Alan Rubin

Steven Schenbeck

James & Alison Shetter

Steven & Kerri Siegel

Randy Fitch & Terry Siek

STK Denver

Stonebridge Companies

Steve Talley

Turner Morris, Inc.

Steven & Tricia Vath

Ron Villarreal

Judi Wolf

ARTISTIC DREAMER

($2,500-$4,999)

801 Fish

Anonymous

Liz & Bill Armstrong

Julie Bank

Katie Behnke

Claude Pumilia & Rasmani Bhattacharya

The Blanche and Irving Laurie Foundation

BOK Financial

Brad Bolon

Brent & Christine Case

Jennifer Caskey

Colorado Gives Foundation

Michael & Pam Copp

Jennifer Dechtman

Denver Language School

Margaret DesCombes

Richard & Lori Ehrman

Lisa & Matthew Emerson

Epicurean Catering

Rick Fantini

David & Theresa Flake

Fortissimo Dueling Pianos

Donald Cameron &

Marie Harrison

Tom & Suzanne Hefty

Kathy Huwaldt

Jeanne Land Foundation

C. Howard & Dorsey* Johnson

Wendy & Bob Kaufman

Barbara Kelley

John & Joanne Kirby

William LaBahn

John Lee

LeRoux Bistro

Diane MacRossie

Gerald & Carole Makela

Brian & Debra McCallin

Paul & Jodell Mizoue

Cara Nakata

Nancy & Paul Oberman

Pay Pal Giving Fund

Pam & Don Piro

Patricia Robinson

Hassan & Sheila Salem

The Sam and Beth Coyle

Family Charitable Fund

Frieda Sands

Betsy Schutte

Todd & Tamara Seelman

Dorothea Simmons

Cheryl L. Solich & John W.

Kure

Mary Spillane

Alan & Gayle Talesnick

Douglas & Sandra Tashiro

Rick Thomas

Ted Tow & Cathy Traugott

Turner Construction Company

DonnaDale & Mark Turner

Thomas Ullrich

University of Colorado-Denver

Cynthia Williams

Haleigh Wilson

Ken & Dana Zinn

SCENE MAKER

($1,200-$2,499)

Dr. Dina Brudenell

Charles & Nancy Anderson

Holly Bachmeyer

Jeff Bleyle

Peggy & Cole Brannick

Bright Funds, Inc

Katy Brown

Laura & Jarrel Burrow

Ann Callahan

Bob & Liana Clark

Sally A. David

Chris Davis

Denver Athletic Club

Donna DuHadway

John Ekeberg & Jen Schwem

Patricia & Christopher Elliott

Tim Farris

Greg Feasel

Barbara Ferris

Dennis Fischer

Carey Gagnon

Jeffery Garcia

Richard & Juli Gordon

Carolanne Hamer

Peggy & Jeff Harrison

Jack & Beverly Hartman

Michael Henry

Jon Seay & Robin Heppler

Cathey Herren

Jocelyn Hittle

Michael & Patty Imhoff

Jackson H. Fenner Foundation

Mike & Linda King

Bob & Nancy Koontz

Kathleen Kurtz

Celeste Johnson

Laura Maresca

Patrick Meyers

Amanda Miller

Charlie Miller

Arlene Mohler Johnson

Larry Moskow

Philip & Marcie Munishor

Lisa Nassardeen-Buckley

NCBC Foundation

J & L Parsons

Alex Petit

Pettibone-Graham Family

Marisa Porter

Bonnie & Hansen Rada

Scott Ray

Dr. Asela Russell

Lisa Scaling

Sammy Scoma

Jocelyn & Karl Seller

Fern Seltzer

Carla G Shankle

Shell Oil Matching Gifts

Program

Christine & James Shore

Heather Smith

John Sneed

Steven Fager & Nancy Stern

Christopher Stewart

James Turpen

Karl Vejvoda

Rosalind Ward

Dr. Reginald & Faye

Washington

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Heidi Wilbur

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William Yinger

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Lynna D. Adell

ADP Matching Gifts

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Claudia Alexander

Danny Anderson

Doug & Lindsay Andrews

Anonymous

Emily Ansley

Dr. Steven Antonoff

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Assist2Hear, Inc.

Charles Atkinson

B Fresh Gear

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Bank of America Charitable Gift Fund

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Barry J. Goldstein

Philanthropic Fund of the Jewish Community Foundation

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Ron & Martha Berge

Fran Berry

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John Blair

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Buck Blessing

Michael Bloom

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Tom & Doris Blyth

Adriana Bombard

Libby M. & Janet M. Bortz

Bridget Bradley

Paul & Lisle Bradley

Sapna Brahmanandam

Break-Away Tours

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Colleen Brewer

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Leslie Brunelli

Emily Burkart

Linda Bushman

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Diane Canepa

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Chris Carlson

Richard Carney

Robert Carrejo

Erasmo Casiano

THANK YOU TO OUR DONORS

LeeAnn Cast

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Comcast NBCUniversal

Matching Gifts

Craig Connelly

Ellen Connor

Hannah Conrad

Robert Contiguglia

Lauren Cook

Charlotte Cowley

Joy Cox

Thomas & Cheryl Cox

Nancy Crost

Jennifer Crossett

Mary Beth Curry

Stacey D’Angelo

Toni Davis

Paul & J’ne Day-Lucore

Morre Dean

Barbara H DeJong

Allison Dempsey

Robert Donaldson

Dr. P. Lynn Donaldson

Thomas Dority & Susan Gapter-Dority

Peter & Marian Downs

Caryn Doyle

Anne Draper

Jamie Dreyer

Marina Dubrova

Kari Duff y

Kari Dukai

Renee Duncan

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Helene Eckstein

James & Marilyn Eddins

Barbara Edwards

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Charles & Candy Ergen

Nicolas Farrell

Valerie Finberg

Peggy Finkowski

Christina Firouztash

Karen & William Fisher

Elaine Fitzgerald & Gerald

Spann

Brent Flambures

Linda Flinkman

Jennifer Florez

Stacey Frattinger

John Freaney

Julie Frye

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Virginia Fuller

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Baryn Futa

Katie Deenihan

Diane & John Gallagher

Jim Garofalo

David Gartland

The Gilman Family Foundation

Rosemary Glista

Kimberly Gonzalez

Joel Gordon

Ronald & Vivian Gordon

Judy Gorham

Gertrude Grant

Shannon Green

Suzanne Green

Lauren Balsley

Patricia Gunckel

Antoinette Macaluso & Donald

Hagengruber

Laney Hall

Diane Hanson

David & Florence Harlor

Donna Harrison

Lo Harrison

Stephanie Harrison

Sandra Harvath

Mary Harvey

C Hathaway

Jennifer Havercroft-Miller &

Greg Miller

Janet Hehn

Gregory Heimbuck

Carmella Hendrix

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Katrina Hightower

Victoria Hill

David Hillyard

Robert & Diane Hochstadt

Paul Holden

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Chris Hostetter

Hudak on Hollywood

Rita Huey Cook

Ramsay Huntley & Kelly Bowes

Lydia Ibarra

Paul & Sandy Jeffery

Paul Jerez

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Ramiro Jimenez

Jay E. Johnson

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Kay Jones

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Lindsay Kiernan

Roland Kjeso

Jim & Stacy Kleckner

Amy Klein

David Klenke

Jennifer Knies

Gail Koehn

Jeff Kolb

Richard Kornfeld

Kramer Family Charitable

Fund

Patrick Kraus

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Ashley Kupfner

Bettina Kurowski

Jean Kutner

Sarah & Christopher Lane

Aaron LaPedis

Todd Larabee

Cathy Larson

Joyce Larson

Sarah Cooley

Jennifer Leitsch

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Robin Levy

Clara Li

William Lightfoot

Charles & Gretchen Lobitz

Merry Logan

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Martha Lynch-Biasi

Jennifer Mackie

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Michael Magee

Diane Mandile

Margulf Foundation

The Maris Group

Tara Marsh

Marianne & Ed Marvez

Brian Matise

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Philip & Barbara Mautino

Sarah McCarthy

Scott G McEwen

Mary Kate McGinty

Dara Mckinley

Danielle McNiel

John Mehaff y

Meridian Wealth Management

Christina Middlebrook

Philip F. & Pamela Miele

David Miller & Katherine Dines

William E. Miller

Casey Minnick

Sharon Moddelmog & Harold

Jensen

Joe Moenich & Gary Chappel

Kendra Molinary

Lara A Kendrick

Ann & Phil Montera

Jen Moore

Esteban Morin

Julie & John Mork

Ann Morrissey

Natalie Morrow

Murray Moulding

Karen Murphy

Mieko Nakamura

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Paul Orrison

Chuck & Helina Palmer

Lisa Parrett

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Patt

Judy Patterson

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Carrie Pendley

Jacalyn Peter

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Carol Petitmaire

Cason & Rachel Pierce

Steve Pirner & Kevin

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Frank & Linda Plaut

Joseph Powell

David Price

Koger & Marcie Propst

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Julia Ramsey

Tim Randolph

Gayle Ray

Becky Rector

Barbara & Gary Reece

Damara & Mike Rice

Fred & Ayliffe Ris

Bret Roberts

Teresa Roche

Rosemary Rochford

Susan Rodger

Dave Roggeman

Rolling Smoke BBQ

Janenne Rosen

Molly Ross

Rayme Rossello

Brandy Rothman

Peggy Rottner

Terry Roybal

Carol L. Rust

Jan Rutty

Robert Sammeli

Michelle Sandel

Andrea & Timothy Sayles

Jane Schneider

Sharon Schonhaut

Cindy Schulz

Anne Sechler

Lisbeth & Earl Sethre

Mark Shaker

Stephanie Shearer

John & Renee Shellhorse

Michael Sherwood

Dr. Brent Sigler & Dr. Karla

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Jamee Simons

Martha Sloven

Libby Smith

Scot Smith

Alexandra Smits

Edie Sonn

Charles & Diane Spickert

Kevin Spight

Janis Starkey

Elizabeth Starrs

Judith Steinberg

Stellar Solutions Foundation

Emily Stevens

Terry Stevinson

Susan Stiff

Mark Stotik

Ryan Sullivan

Geri & Chris Swahn

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Richard & Sonnie Talley

Herbert Teitelbaum

Robert Terkhorn

Judy Terry

Patti Theil

Valerie Thisted

George Thomas

Robert Trousdale

Pamela & John Tumler

Zane Tuta & Ms. Elizabeth

Sharrer

Terri Tymkovich

Erin Ulric

Paul & Susan Valas

Heather Van Dusen

Rozalia Van Wingerden

Eugene Wade

Tina Walls

Nicole Walsh

Beverly Walter & James Geis

April Walters

Jeffrey Ward

Kaye Ward

Lynne Wasinger

Pam Watanabe

Donald J. Weakland

Leslie Weibel

Mindy Weinberger

Charles Weinstein

Lee & Jilda Weinstein

Lori Werhane

Michael & Etta West

Kathleen Wheeler

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Mai & Bryan Wisdom

Robert Wolf

Karen Wolfe

Dan & Judith Wulf

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Maddie Young

Anne Zadrazil

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Anna Zimmermann

ENSEMBLE

($250-$499)

Peter Abuisi

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Lauren Adams

Maureen Adams

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Lance Adkins

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Ashley Ahlman

Jay Ahrenholtz

Matthew Ahrenholtz

Jennifer Aichele

Florence Alexander

Emily Alexis

Cynthia Allen

Donna Allen

Maggie Allen

Laura Allensworth

Rebecca Allsup

Cindy Altberger

Nancy Alterman

American Psychedelic

Practitioners Association

David Anderson

Lauren Anderson

Jeni Andrew

Anonymous

Donna Antonoff

Shanon Aragon

Janette Armitage

Gary & Gail Armstrong

Elizabeth & Timothy Arnold

Carol & Russell Atha

Michael Babbs

Cathy Baca

John Baker

Steven Ballantine

Nick Banelli

Dr. Oksana Bantley

Guy Barberra

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Richard Barnett

Sarah H. Barton-Higgins

Kristine Baugh

Tracy Baumann

Chris Beatty

Louis Beck

Laurel Beck

David Bee

Heather Beiser

Christine Benero & Brad Busse

Anne Benigsen

Monica Benway

Renee Bernhard

Leslie Berry

Roberta Bertrand

Eileen Bickford

Kristianna Bilan

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Carol Bisdorf

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John Brandstetter

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Paul Brown

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Cheryl Buhler

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Sullivan

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Theresa Schock

Kerri Schoen

Bill Schoonmaker

John Schroder

Scot Schultz

Sherilee Selby

Karmen Serbinski

Tiffany Shane

Amy Shane

Dr. Barbara Shannon-Banister & Guardie Banister, St.

Rita Sharma

Rebecca Shay

Christopher Shea

Laura Sheldon

Aaron Sheppard

Timothy Sheppard

Todd Sheridan

Yumiko Shinoda

John Showers

Kathleen Siddall

Risa Silverman

Artis Silverman & Stephen

Carmel

Sean Ross

Adam Sinnard

Ben Slabach

Pamela Sletten

Lynn Slouka

Dan Smith

Marilyn Smith

Marlis Smith

Michael Smith

Tammy Koehler Smith

Timothy Smith

Gwenivere Snyder

Ann & Tim Sorrells

Cheryl Sparks

Kellie Sponberg

Kathryn Spuhler

Shawntel Staab

Michele Stark-Hailpern

Maria Stein

Susan Stein

Lisa Stephens

Sarah Sterkel

Dr. Robert & Renate Sterrett

Amanda Stevens

Jeffrey Stevens

Camille Stewart

Tanya Stork

Mark Stotik

Arthur & Stephanie

Strasburger

Judith Strasen

Elizabeth Stroomer

Peter Stroup

Anne Stuller

Maria Suehnholz

Sadie Sullivan

Jeanne Surbrugg

Kathleen Swanson

Bret Taber

Pam Taddonio

Emily M. Tarleton

Linda D. Tarpeh-Doe

Dr. Susan Taylor

Eric Theil

Carla Thomas

Nathaniel Thomas

Laiken Thompson

Shelley Thompson

Wayne Thorsted

Catherine Tidd

Lou Toth

Danny Trujillo

Laura Murphy

Klasina VanderWerf & Tom

Thomas

Visa, Inc.

Kimberly Wachtel

Carolyn Wagers

Patricia Wagner

Clint Waldron

Dona Wallace

Robert Warden

Carolyn Keith

Mary Watson

Rebecca Weber

Chris Weible

Bev Weiler

Mark Weindling

Steven Weisberg

Nancy Welch

Wells Fargo Matching Gifts

Division

Jessica Welser

Erik Werner

Mary Werth

Kenneth West

Paula Whaley

Kristen Wheeler

Alan White

Doda White

Shawna-Gay White

Tammy White

Marj Wiedeman

Jared Wiedmeyer

Timothy Wieland

Cathy Williams

Kevin Wilson

Jacqueline Winn

Eileen Wood

Mary Ellen Wood

Susan Wood

Joshua Wooden

Phyllis Woodman

Meredith Woodrow

Janice Woodward

Elizabeth Worstell

Meredith Yamnitz

Christel Yehle

David Young

Dr. Adel Younoszai

Jennifer Zinn

Terry Zinsli

Ralph Zupancic

GIFTS IN KIND

801 Fish

Bonneville Denver

CBS Colorado

Colorado Public Radio

The Corner Oﬃce/The Curtis Hotel

Delta Airlines

Denver Post Community

Denver Zoological Foundation

Denver7/KMGH (ABC)

El Semanario - The Weekly Issue

Event Rents

David Jacques Farahi

The Four Seasons and EDGE Restaurant and Bar

The Inﬁnite Monkey Theorem, Inc.

Jay’s Valet

Kareen & James Kimsey

KUSA/Channel 9 News

Mariel

Sarah Millett

Monarch Casino & Resort, Inc.

The Publishing House

Carlos Ramirez

range Restaurant / Renaissance Denver

Downtown

Jason Shader Smith

The Slate

Total Wine & More

Trinchero Family Estates

UCHealth

Urban Spectrum

Welch Equipment

SPECIAL THANKS

DENVER LANGUAGE SCHOOL

PROUD SPONSOR OF DCPA EDUCATION

DDenver Language School (DLS) is the only K-8 public school in Denver offering Spanish and Mandarin immersion. This distinctive characteristic not only sets the school apart, but also shows DLS’s commitment to providing students with a diverse and globallyoriented education.

Being the sole K-8 immersion public school in Spanish and Mandarin in Denver allows Denver Language School to offer students a truly immersive language experience from an early age. Research has consistently shown the cognitive and academic beneﬁts of bilingualism, such as enhanced problem-solving skills, improved cognitive ﬂexibility, and a deeper understanding of different cultures. Denver Language School’s emphasis on language immersion not only enriches the educational journey of its students, but also equips them with practical skills that are highly relevant in today’s modern society.

Beyond the academic beneﬁts, the school’s focus on language immersion serves a larger societal purpose. In a world where understanding and appreciating different cultures is crucial, bilingual education fosters cultural empathy and open-mindedness. Students at Denver Language School not only become proﬁcient in two languages, but also gain insights into the traditions, histories, and perspectives of the teaching staff who hail from a wide-array of Spanish and Mandarin speaking backgrounds.

The partnership between Denver Language School and the Denver Center for the Performing Arts (DCPA) adds another layer of enrichment to the educational experience. The performing arts play a vital role in fostering creativity, self-expression, and cultural awareness. By supporting DCPA, the school provides students with opportunities to engage in high-quality cultural experiences, including theatrical performances and artistic expressions that complement their language education.

Denver Language School’s status as the only K-8 public immersion school in Spanish and Mandarin in Denver holds signiﬁcance in promoting bilingualism, cultural understanding, and global awareness. Like language, theatre opens your eyes to the world. Supporting the Denver Center for the Performing Arts further enriches the educational journey by exposing students to the world of performing arts and opening their eyes to new perspectives through the arts, aligning with the school’s holistic approach to preparing students for a diverse and interconnected world.

DCPA

Janice Sinden President & CEO

Donna Hendricks Executive Assistant, President & CEO

Julie Schumaker Manager, Board Relations

ACCOUNTING & FINANCE

Jane Williams CFAO

Sara Brandenburg Director, Accounting Services

Jennifer Je rey Director, Financial Planning & Analysis

Kristina Monge Associate Accountant

Annie Self Accountant III

Jennifer Siemers Director, Accounting

Audrey Smith Associate Manager, Accounting

BROADWAY & CABARET

John Ekeberg Executive Director

Administration

Ashley Brown Business Manager

Alicia Bruce General Manager

Lisa Prater Operations Manager

Garner Galleria Theatre

Abel Becerra Technical Director

Jason Begin+,

Anna Hookana+ Core Stagehands

DEVELOPMENT

Jamie Clements Vice President

Connor Carlin Associate Director, Major & Planned Gifts

Sarah Darlene Grants & Reports Manager

Caroline Eppers Manager, Corporate Partnerships

Kara Erickson-Stiemke Coordinator

Emily Kettlewell Associate Director, Annual Giving

Caitie Maxwell Senior Director, Major Gifts

Marc Ravenhill Associate Director, Donor Relations

Megan Stewart Associate Director, Special Events

EDUCATION & COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT

Allison Watrous Executive Director

Stuart Barr Technical Director

Leslie Channell Director, Business Operations

Lyndsay Corbett Teaching Artist & Manager, Bobby G

Maria Corral Director, Community Engagement

Heather Curran Teaching Artist & Manager, Playwriting

Elliot Davis Evening Registrar & O ce Coordinator

Rachel Ducat Executive Assistant & Business Manager

Rya Dyes Registrar & On-Site Class Manager

Gavin Juckette Teaching Artist & Manager, TYA Engagement & Music

Timothy McCracken Head of Acting

Rick Mireles Manager, Community Engagement

David Saphier Teaching Artist & Manager, In-School Programming

Charlotte Talbert Librarian

Rachel Taylor Teaching Artist & Manager, Literary Engagement & Resiliency

Justin WalvoordTeaching Artist & Manager, Shakespeare in the Parking Lot

Samuel Wood Director, Education & Curriculum Development

EVENT SERVICES

Samantha Egle, Cody Gocio Senior Sales & Event Managers

Stori Heleen-O’Foley Event Technical Manager

Shane Hotle Audio Engineer

David Mandlowitz Video Engineer

DCPA TEAM

Natalia Marroquin, Phil Rohrbach Sales & Event Managers

Tara Miller Event Sales & Operations Director

Brook Nichols Event Technical Director

Kate Olsen Event Sales Coordinator

Benjamin Peitzer Event Technical Lead

Michael Harris, Alex Taylor Lighting Designers

Brooke Wyatt Event Logistics Manager

INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

Lisa Roebuck Vice President For security purposes, the IT team has been omitted.

MARKETING & SALES

Angela Lakin Vice President

Whitney Testa Executive Assistant, Marketing & Broadway

Marketing

Heidi Bosk Associate Director, Press & Promotions, Broadway & Cabaret

Erin Bunyard Senior Digital Strategist

Soﬁa Contreras, Lucas Kreitler Graphic Designers

Brenda Elliott, Paul Koob Senior Graphic Designers

Harper Anne Finch Manager, Social Marketing

TJ Forlenza Copywriter

Michael Garcia Manager, Web Content

Claire Graves Director, Produced Programs

Brittany Gutierrez Associate Director, Communications

Linda Horan Project Manager

Je Hovorka Director, Sales & Marketing, Broadway & Cabaret

Emma Holst Communications & Content Associate

Emily Kent Director, Insights & Strategy

Kelsie Korinek Coordinator, Broadway & Cabaret

Michael Ryan Leuthner Director, Digital Marketing

Emily Lozow Associate Director, Sales & Marketing, Broadway & Cabaret

Kyle Malone Director, Design

Dan McNulty Marketing Analyst

Todd Metcalf Media Producer

Hannah Selwyn Manager, Email Marketing

Julie Whelan Manager, Produced Programs

Mikayla Woods Coordinator, Produced Programs

Suzanne Yoe Director, Content & Communications

Ticketing & Audience Services

Jennifer Lopez Director

Jessica Alverson, Siri Barrier*, Tamika Cox*, Mekenzie Dalton*, Zeah Edmonds*,

Lauren Estes*, Luke Fish*, Jen Gray*,

Noa Halpern*, Phi Johnson-Grimes*, Noah Jungferman*, Holly Stigen*, Andrew Sullivan*, Alfonso Vazquez*, Robert Warner* Ticket Agents

Kirsten Anderson*, Scott Lix*, Liz Sieroslawski*,

Greg Swan* Subscription Agents

Jon Collins Manager, Subscription

Katie Davis Manager, VIP Ticketing

D.J. Dennis*, Edmund Gurule*, Alison Orthel*, Lane Randall*,

Hayley Solano*,

Sam Stump* Counter/Show Leads

Billy Dutton Associate Director, Operations

Danielle Freeman Manager, Customer Service

Claire Hayes, Ella Mann, Robert McCowan Managers, Box O ce

Chris Leech Coordinator, VIP Ticketing

Katie Spanos Associate Director, Subscriber Services

Group Sales

Jessica Bergin Associate Director

BK Kamin Manager, Audience Development

Elias Lopez Coordinator

Maddie Young Associate, Education & Group Sales

OFF-CENTER

Charlie Miller Executive Director & Curator

Courtney Ozaki Creative Producer

Mike Pingel Operations Manager

OPERATIONS

Sarah Arzberger Administrator

Vincent Bridgers Manager

Adam Busch Analyst

Aaron Chavez Lead

Ruben Cruz, Jordan Latouche Engineers

Simone Gordon Associate Director

Kyle Greufe Senior Analyst

Maria Herwagen Junior Analyst

Brandon LeMarr Manager

Sam Nolte, Tara Perticone Analysts

Joseph Reecher Senior Engineer

Cordelia Taylor Coordinator

PEOPLE & CULTURE

Laura Maresca CPCO

Equity & Organization Culture

Seán Kroll Coordinator

Human Resources

Brian Carter Senior Business Partner

Andrew Guilder HR & Recruiting Specialist

Michaela Johnson Interim Mailroom Assistant

Paul Johnson Payroll & Compliance Manager

Jocelyn Martinez Business Partner

Kinsey Scholl Operations Manager

THEATRE COMPANY

Administration

Charles Varin Managing Director

Emily Diaz Business Admin./ Asst. Company Manager

Alex Koszewski Company Manager

Ann Marshall General Manager

Artistic

Chris Coleman Artistic Director

Jessica Eckenrod Artistic Associate

Grady Soapes Artistic Producer & Casting Director

Leean Kim Torske Director, Literary Programs

Costume Crafts

Kevin Copenhaver Director

Chris Campbell Assistant

Costume Shop

Janet Macleod Director/Design Associate

Meghan Anderson Doyle Design Associate

Stephanie Cooper, Amoreena Knabb, Ingrid Ludeke, Carolyn Plemitscher Draper

House Crew

Douglas Taylor+ Supervisor

Connor Baker+ Production Electrician

James Berman+, Forest Fowler+,

Dave Mazzeno+,

Kyle Moore+, Matt Wagner+ Stagehands

Joseph Price+ Kelley Reznik+ Assistants

Piper Stormes+ Lead Electrician

Lighting Design

Charles MacLeod Director

Lily Bradford Assistant

Paint Shop

Kristin Hamer MacFarlane Charge Scenic Artist

Melanie Rentschler, Sasha Seaman Scenic Artists

Production

Je Gi ord Director

Julie Brou

Prop Shop

Meghan Markiewicz Supervisor

Sara Pugh Associate Supervisor

Bennet Goldberg, Georgina Kayes, Ashley Lawler Artisans

Andrew McGlothen Prop Carpenter

Scene Shop

Eric Moore Technical Director

Albert “Stub” Allison, Robert L. Orzolek, Josh Prues Associate Technical Directors

Jeremy Altho , Tyler D. Clark, Amy Wynn Pastor, Kyle Scoggins Scenic Technicians

Louis Fernandez III Lead Scenic Technician

Brian “Marco” Markiewicz Lead Carpenter

Scenic Design

Lisa Orzolek Director

Kevin Nelson, Nicholas Renaud Assistants

Sound Design & Technology

Alex Billman Supervisor

Meagan Holdeman+, Timothy Schoeberl+,

Dimitri Soto+ Technicians

Elena Martin Associate

Stage Management

Liz Campbell, Corin Davidson, Harper Hadley, Rebecca Hamlin, Sage Hughes, Anne Jude, Kristen Mun, Nick Nyquist,

Malia Stoner Stage Managers

Anna Cordova, Sam Forrest, Megan Franco, Miranda Vasquez, Ayana Yokie Apprentices

Rain Young Associate

Wardrobe

Heidi Echtenkamp Supervisor

Robin Appleton^, Amber Krimbel^, Lauren LaCasse^, Lisa Parsons Wagner^, Nicole Watts^, Kami Williams^ Dressers

Wigs

Diana Ben-Kiki Supervisor

Abby Schmidt^, Marisa Sorce^ Wig Assistants

VENUE OPERATIONS

Glen Lucero Vice President

Merry Davis Financial Manager

Jane Deegan Administrator

Facilities

Craig Smith Director

Dwight Barela, Mark Dill, Bryan Faciane, John Howard Engineers

Steven Bilbao, Abraham Cervantes, Lindsey Cervantes, Carmen Molina, Judith Primero Molina, Juan Loya Molina Custodians

Michael Kimbrough Manager, Engineering

Brian McClain Manager, Custodial

Patron Experience

Evan Gendreau Associate Director

Elliot Shields Manager

Kaylyn Kriaski, Leilani Lynch, Aaron McMullen, Stacy Norwood, Valerie Schaefer Assistant Managers

Nora Caley, Amy Howard, Robin Lander, Myrisa Martin, Selin Ozcelik, Barbara Pooler, Wendy Quintana House Managers

Safety & Security

Quentin Crump Director

Timothy Allen, Jodi Benavides Lead Security O cers

Calum Abeywickrema, Mayte Armendariz, Samara Attridge, David Bright, Jaron Van Horne, Manuel Amaya-Loera, Isabella Samaniego, Marcus Sanders, Tori Witherspoon Security Specialists

Judy Briggs Front Desk

Administrative Assistant/ O ce Manager

Matthew Campbell Production Manager

Peggy Carey Associate Production Manager

Chris Thile with the Colorado Symphony

Disney in Concert: Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas

Rachmaninoff Piano Concerto No. 2 with Simon Trpceski

Béla Fleck Plays Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue