APPLAUSE
COLORADO ONLY HAS ONE #1
COLORADO ONLY HAS ONE #1
Michael S. Caplan
Michael S. Caplan
Barron’s Top 100 Independent Advisors 2024
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Wealth Advisor 2024 Northwestern University - Honors in Mathematics
Northwestern University - Honors in Mathematics
Adjunct Professor/International Economic Fellow Georgetown Law
Adjunct Professor/International Economic Fellow Georgetown Law
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SIGHTLINE
BY JANICE SINDEN
HHello and happy holidays from all of us at the Denver Center!
In addition to three returning favorites — A Christmas Carol, Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer: The Musical, and Mannheim Steamroller Christmas by Chip Davis, we’re pleased to welcome you to an all-new production of the beloved classic Funny Girl in the Buell, the US premiere of MONOPOLY LIFESIZED: Travel Edition at Broadway Park®, and the laugh-out-loud comedy Gutenberg! The Musical! in the Garner Galleria Theatre.
As the year comes to an end, I’m delighted to share with you a progress report on our strategic plan. In our first year of a five-year plan, we offered 908,685 engagements to our goal of one million a year by 2029. Additionally, we greatly expanded our community engagement and audience development efforts through low-cost ticket programs, robust cultural partnerships, and new programs such as storytimes and dance classes. Finally, we also focused on building up and bringing in a robust workforce while reinforcing our financial position, improving accessibility and safety standards in our venues, and reducing our impact on the environment. Your active presence and participation are what enable us each and every day to strive to reach our goals. On behalf of the 300+ actors, artists and administrators, and our Board of Trustees, we thank you!
At this time of year, we ask you to consider what today’s experience means to you and your companions — a time to connect, reflect, and spend quality time together. These are the memories that last beyond gifts. These are the memories that last a lifetime. Ensure that these moments continue with a tax-deductible gift to the DCPA. Visit us at denvercenter.org/donate.
Vladimir Script
Thank you for making us part of your annual tradition.
Warm regards,
Janice Sinden
Janice Sinden, President & CEO
P.S. Please note that all ticketing will be unavailable the week of January 6. We look forward to sharing an all-new shopping experience in 2025!
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.
IN THIS ISSUE
A Christmas Carol
pg 10
Funny Girl pg 14
Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer: The Musical pg 22
Mannheim Steamroller Christmas by Chip Davis pg 24
Elephant & Piggie’s “We Are in a Play!” pg 30
APPLAUSE
VOLUME XXXV • NUMBER 4 • NOV - DEC 2024
EDITOR: Suzanne Yoe
DESIGN DIRECTOR: Kyle Malone
DESIGNER: Brenda Elliott
CONTRIBUTING DESIGNERS: Paul Koob, Lucas Kreitler
CONTRIBUTING WRITERS: Lisa Bornstein, Emma Holst, Kelundra Smith
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.
Angie Flachman, Publisher For advertising 303.428.9529 or sales@pub-house.com coloradoartspubs.com Applause magazine is funded in part by
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
Elizabeth Hioe
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
LEARN MORE
FOR A COMPLETE LIST OF UPCOMING SHOWS:
HONORARY TRUSTEES
Navin Dimond
Margot Gilbert Frank
Jeannie Fuller
Robert C. Newman
Daniel L. Ritchie
Cleo Parker Robinson
Judi Wolf
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
David Jacques Farahi
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
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
SUPPORT THE NON-PROFIT DENVER CENTER
As the Rocky Mountain region’s premier performing arts organization, the DCPA is on a mission to engage and inspire one million people per year through the transformative power of live theatre. Here are a few ways you can help us reach our goal:
SPONSOR A SHOW
Over 45 seasons, Denver Center Theatre Company has produced more than 400 plays and musicals, many of which got their start right here in the Mile High City. Underwrite a show and go “behind-the-scenes” to see how we create magic on stage.
CONTACT:
Caitie Maxwell cmaxwell@dcpa.org
303.446.4840
CORPORATE GIVING
Entertain clients and employees through Corporate Membership, or sponsor a production or education program to show our community that your company values creativity and inspiration.
CONTACT: Caroline Eppers ceppers@dcpa.org
303.446.4873
WOMEN’S VOICES FUND
This first-in-the-nation fund enables the Denver Center Theatre Company to commission and produce plays by women, including this season’s world premiere of The Su ragette’s Murder by Sandy Rustin.
CONTACT: Caitie Maxwell cmaxwell@dcpa.org
303.446.4840
ATTEND A FUNDRAISER
Support the DCPA in style at the Hattitude luncheon May 1st supporting women in theatre or at Saturday Night Alive June 14th, the city’s most glamourous gala of the year.
CONTACT: Megan Stewart mstewart@dcpa.org 303.446.4821
Sasha
Roiz, Tasso Feldman and Matthew Boston in The Lehman Trilogy
Photo by Jamie Kraus Photography.
STEP 1: RALLY YOUR TEAM!
STEP 2: PICK YOUR DATE!
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Step onto a larger-thanlife MONOPOLY board where solving challenges will unlock your chance to buy property, charge rent, and break out of jail!
Wild Things: The Art of Maurice Sendak has been co-organized by the Denver Art Museum and the Columbus Museum of Art in partnership with The Maurice Sendak Foundation. It is curated by Jonathan Weinberg, PhD, Curator and Director of Research at The Maurice Sendak Foundation, and Christoph Heinrich, Frederick and Jan Mayer Director of the Denver Art Museum. This exhibition is presented by the Clarence V. Laguardia Foundation with additional support provided by the Tom Taplin Jr. and Ted Taplin Endowment, Bank of America, Jana and Fred Bartlit, Bernstein Private Wealth Management, Kathie and Keith Finger, Lisë Gander and Andy Main, the Kristin and Charles Lohmiller Exhibitions Fund, Sally Cooper Murray, John Brooks Incorporated, Kent Thiry & Denise O’Leary, an anonymous donor, the donors to the Annual Fund Leadership Campaign, and the residents who support the Scientific and Cultural Facilities District (SCFD). Promotional support is provided by 5280 Magazine and CBS Colorado.
THIRTY YEARS OF TINY TIM
30
BY LISA BORNSTEIN
TTartans, pine needles and bows have filled three decades in the memories of families who make A Christmas Carol part of their annual holiday tradition. Prominent in those memories is the sight and sound of the young children who have stepped onstage as Tiny Tim in the Denver Center Theatre Company production. As the company celebrates the 30th anniversary of Dickens’ timeless classic, we thought we’d check in with some former Tiny Tims as well as this year’s 7-year-old performer, Benjamin Martinez, to hear how it feels to enter a large, primarily adult production as a child.
2024: BENJAMIN MARTINEZ
Tiny Tim will be 7-year-old Benjamin Martinez’s second role onstage. His debut came last year, as a first-grader in Stone Soup at Warder Elementary in Arvada. Memorizing those lines wasn’t difficult, he says: “My teacher was holding up the lines I was supposed to say.”
His father had seen the notice for Tiny Tim auditions. “His response when we told him that he was cast, it was probably the happiest I’ve ever seen him,” David Martinez says.
To prepare, the family watched The Muppet Christmas Carol “I just hope that he enjoys himself and tries something new,” David says. “It’s something that he’ll be able to say when he’s an old man that he was Tiny Tim.”
2009-2013: CHARLIE KORMAN
Charlie Korman holds the distinction of being the longest-running Tiny Tim in the show’s history. He was only age 5, and the youngest child auditioning at the time — a moment recorded for history by the Denver Center in a video still on YouTube: “Introducing Charlie Korman — The Next Tiny Tim.”
Fifteen years later, Korman has acted on the TV shows “Barry,” “Hacks,” and “The Conners.” Last month, he returned to Denver to introduce his feature film debut at the Mizel Arts and Culture Center, where he began his acting career at the Wolf Theatre Academy.
“My parents signed me and my siblings up for summer theater camps to get us out of the house, and I quickly fell in love,” says Korman, now a student at the University of Southern California. “The casting directors called my older brother and asked if he was interested in auditioning for Tiny Tim. While he wasn’t interested, I overheard the phone call and asked if I could audition instead. They were hesitant to let a 5-year-old audition, but I eventually won the role!”
Korman’s memories of being a child in a professional production include playing hide and seek with other child actors backstage. After his time as Tiny Tim, he went on to play Young Scrooge for three more years in A Christmas Carol and acted in 13 other Denver Center shows.
“My experience with A Christmas Carol impacts almost every aspect of my life today,” he says.
DONOVAN TRENT FOUNTAIN
Donovan Trent Fountain, who played Tiny Tim in 1999, was in kindergarten when his music teacher suggested that he and his sister audition for A Christmas Carol. He distinctly recalls the play aspect of life backstage.
“Brian Shea, who has done a lot of great work for the DCPA, used to toss me in the costume bin and roll me around the dressing rooms after shows,” he says. “I also remember some of the late members of the production like Laird Williamson and Harvey Blanks. Both of those guys made lifelong impressions on this community and on me as well.”
Today, Fountain is a kindergarten teacher at the Lotus School for Excellence in Aurora. He says A Christmas Carol was “incredibly formative for my choice of career.
Donovan Trent Fountain and Mark Rubald
2 ADAPTATIONS, 24 TINY TIMS & 30 PRODUCTIONS
“One of the reasons I wanted to become a teacher was boredom in the classroom. I used to miss school to go to rehearsals and fittings and such, so I was pretty disinterested when I was in school,” he says. “Over time, I just wanted to be the kind of teacher who excited kids about attending school and engaging in learning.”
Since opening on New Year’s Eve 1979, the Denver Center Theatre Company has mounted two adaptations of A Christmas Carol: the first by Laird Williamson and Dennis Powers (1990-2004) and the second by Richard Hellesen (2005-current).
Twenty-four young actors have appeared in 30 productions:
Jonathan Winstead (1990)
Alex Wyatt (1991)
Ben Kimball (1992)
Colin Smith (1993)
Brendan Horton (1994)
Luke Eberl (1995)
Cameron Teitelman (1996)
Bobby Frause (1997)
Winston Sanks (1998)
Donovan Trent Fountain (1999)
David Strouse (2001)
Ben Larned (2002-2003)
Harry Feder Pruett (2004)
Harrison Steele (2005)
Ian Farmer (2006)
Alec Farmer (2008)
Charlie Korman (2009-2013)
Elias Harger (2014)
Augie Reichert (2015-2016)
Peyton Goossen (2017)
Lucas Turner (2018)
Logan Turner (2021-2022)
Hope Clarkston (2023)
Benjamin Martinez (2024)
— CHARLIE KORMAN, ACTOR
Turn your special moments into memories that last a lifetime. Give the gift of Theatre!
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Charlie Korman, Jeff Cribbs and A Christmas
Prepare to laugh until you cry as we continue the 2024/25 season with a slate of brand-new comedies and one certified cult classic. See 3+ or more with a Choose Your Own subscription or mix and match your shows with a 6-, 8-, or 10-pack of Power Passes.
THE FUNNY THING ABOUT SHOW BUSINESS
BY KELUNDRA SMITH
FFunny Girl is the beloved, fictionalized story of Fanny Brice, a comedic actress who rose to fame performing with the Ziegfield’s Follies revue. Brice was married and divorced three times in her life, notably to Nick Arnstein, a convicted conman whose trial was front page news at the time. Her rise in the entertainment industry and tumultuous relationship with Nick is the inspiration for the musical.
Born Fania Borach on October 29, 1891, Brice grew up on New York’s Lower East Side to Jewish immigrants who ran a saloon. She took on the name Fanny Brice as a performer with the Follies in the 1920s, where she became known for disrupting the expectations for women performers by adding humor and wit to the salacious show.
At the core of the musical is also Brice’s journey of self-acceptance, something the actors portraying Fanny (Hannah Shankman) and Nick (Stephen Mark Lukas), can relate to from their own careers in show business. Plus, in this revival, there are new songs, in addition to favorites like “People” and “Don’t Rain on My Parade.” Here Shankman and Lukas talk about stepping into Barbra Streisand’s shoes, developing confidence in the face of rejection, and staying in love with Broadway.
DCPA: What was your introduction to Funny Girl?
Hannah Shankman: My parents always watched Turner Classic Movies, so I watched Funny Girl at a young age, like 7 and my sister was 4. I didn’t know the movie was a musical until I was older, like 17 or 18. I also was aware of the fact that people didn’t do it because Barbra was hard to live up to in the role as Fanny. I had an audition for a regional production in 2016 in Missouri. We only did 12 performances and that was my real introduction to the musical.
Stephen Mark Lukas: I didn’t hear about it until I got to NYU and my Jewish friends talked about it. My very first voice teacher in college said to me “you’re going to play Nicky Arnstein one day.” I didn’t know what that meant at the time. When I heard about the revival, I watched the movie all the way through and was cast as Nick’s understudy on Broadway. Now, I’m playing the role on the tour.
DCPA: I want to dig into the themes of Funny Girl, and one of them has to do with navigating a career in show business. Do you remember your first professional audition?
Shankman: I’m from New York, and I remember I snuck out of school to audition for the Vanessa Williams revival of Into the Woods. I obviously didn’t book the show. That was a good early introduction to how rejection works in our business. I also auditioned for 10 musical theater BFA programs for college and didn’t get into any of them. I developed a thick skin very young and, like Fanny, wouldn’t take no for an answer. I re-auditioned for programs and wound up going to the University of Michigan. “No” does not mean you’re not talented in this business; it just means you’re not the right fit right now.
Lukas: My very first professional audition was for a regional production of The King & I. I remember it very well because I was 11 years old. I booked the role because I was the only one who could do a British accent. I played Lewis who is Anna’s son. I remember when it was over being distraught for weeks, and it was because I had found my tribe of theater people.
Hannah Shankman and Stephen Mark Lukas in the National Tour of Funny Girl .
Photo by Matthew Murphy for MurphyMade.
DCPA: What has been the thing that has helped you remain resilient and withstand rejection? What would you say to young actors?
Shankman: You’re allowed to feel rejected in this business, but you’re also allowed to feel celebrated and resilient. A lot of that comes with having a supportive community outside of the business that will help you through the harder moments and celebrate you through the more glorious moments.
Lukas: The key for me is realizing it’s a business. I have been in so many auditions as a reader or behind the table and the conversations about casting often have nothing to do with how talented you are. Honing in on that which makes you special and capitalizing on that is the key to longevity in this business.
DCPA: In your research for the roles, what are some things you learned about the real Fanny Brice that surprised you?
UP NEXT FROM BROADWAY BACK TO THE FUTURE
Great Scott! The beloved cinematic classic is now a Broadway musical. Back to the Future: The Musical arrives at the Buell Theatre in January 2025.
When Marty McFly finds himself transported back to 1955 in a time machine built by the eccentric scientist Doc Brown, he accidentally changes the course of history. He is in a race against time to fix the present, escape the past, and send himself…back to the future.
Shankman: I read a book about Fanny before we started the show. When Nick was going to trial, he had a falling out with his lawyer, Bill Fallon. To appeal to Bill, because she was afraid that if he didn’t take the case Nick would lose, she named their child William. Bill still refused to take the case and he lost. She loved this man so much and she believed in his innocence.
Lukas: The thing that got to the heart of the relationship is that at one point Fanny said that Nick was the love her life, but she never knew if he was telling the truth or not. That’s something I took and built this character on. He’s a chameleon.
You’re allowed to feel rejected in this business, but you’re also allowed to feel celebrated and resilient.
— HANNAH SHANKMAN, ACTRESS
DCPA: What is your favorite part of the show and what’s the most challenging?
Shankman: My favorite part is doing “People” with Stephen. It’s the first time in Act One when everything gets quiet and you feel the intimacy between Fanny and Nick. The hardest part is that I’m onstage for the entire show. I have 22 costume changes; it’s a beast of a role, but very rewarding.
Lukas: Audiences know the song “People” and once Hannah starts singing, you feel the audience breathe this sigh of relief because it’s this moment in the show they’ve been waiting for. That’s one of my favorite things about doing revivals — surprising the audience with moments they’ve been expecting and coming at them in a different way.
FUNNY GIRL
DEC 10 – 22, 2024 • BUELL THEATRE
ASL Interpreted, Audio Described and Open Captioned performance: Dec 22 at 2pm. Audio Description is also offered on Dec 17 at 7:30pm.
Back to the Future: The Musical features hit songs from the movie alongside original music. Did you know the music was written by multi-Grammy® winners Alan Silvestri (Avengers: Endgame) and Glen Ballard (Michael Jackson’s “Man in the Mirror”)? Here are some other facts you might not know about this new musical.
1. The musical was adapted for the stage by the film’s creators, Bob Gale (Back to the Future trilogy) and Robert Zemeckis (Forrest Gump).
2. The famous time-traveling vehicle is a DeLorean sports car. At a 2004 DeLorean convention, Bob Gale joked that Back to the Future would make a good musical.
3. Workshops for the musical began in 2014 in London, with the intention of opening the show in the West End in 2015. After some delays, including the pandemic, the musical officially opened in the West End in 2021.
4. The production was nominated for seven Olivier Awards, including Best New Musical, which it won, as well as Original Score or New Orchestrations.
Don’t miss Back to the Future: The Musical when it hits 88mph in Denver from January 22 to February 9.
Back to the Future Tour/Don Stephenson, Caden Brauch and Company.
Photo by Matthew Murphy and Evan Zimmerman.
First National Touring Company of Funny Girl Photo By Matthew Murphy for MurphyMade.
YOUR HAPPILY EVER AFTER
WEDDINGS AT DCPA
Let the DCPA set the stage for your special day! We’re no strangers to big productions and will make sure your love story takes center stage. Whether intimate or grand, our team will give you personalized care to make all your dreams come true.
Working with our theatrically trained, in-house Event Services team, 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
•
At the Colorado New Play Summit, it’s your time to shine as you meet some of theatre’s most promising writers while helping them fine-tune their work. Listen to new play readings, give your feedback on where you think the stories should go, and enjoy two fully produced Theatre Company productions: the world premieres of The Reservoir and The Su ragette’s Murder, both of which were featured readings at the 2023 Summit.
Chris Coleman, Artistic Director
Charles Varin, Managing Director
presents
A CHRISTMAS CAROL
BY Charles Dickens
ADAPTED BY Richard
Hellesen
MUSIC BY David De Berry
With
Mira Are, Cierra Banks, Brian Bohlender*, Landon Tate Boyle, Julia Cassandra*, Vi Dang*, Sydney D’Angelo, Elise Frances Daniells*, Jacob Dresch*, Jess D’Souza*, Topher Embrey*, Matthew Henerson*, Katie Jackson, Briggs Kelley, Geoffrey Kent*, Moses Lyman, Gustavo Márquez*, Benjamin Martinez, Stephanie Lynne Mason*, Rory McCune, Chloe McLeod, Alia Munsch*, Quinn Murphy, Miles Nagel, Constantine Pappas*, Christian Ray Robinson, Marco Alberto Robinson*, Richard Spitaletta*, David Studwell*, Justin Walvoord*, Jack Wardell
Stage Managers: Sage Hughes*, Nick Nyquist*, Malia Stoner*
SCENIC DESIGN BY Vicki Smith
COSTUME DESIGN BY Kevin Copenhaver
ORCHESTRATION BY Gregg Coffin
VOICE AND DIALECT BY Jeffrey Parker
LIGHTING DESIGN BY Wen-Ling Liao
MUSIC DIRECTION BY Dan Graeber
CASTING BY Grady Soapes, CSA
SOUND DESIGN BY Melanie Chen Cole
CHOREOGRAPHY BY Grady Soapes
PRODUCTION MANAGEMENT BY Matthew Campbell
DIRECTED BY ANTHONY POWELL
The video and/or audio recording of this performance by any means whatsoever is strictly prohibited.
SEASON SPONSORS SPOTLIGHT SPONSOR
CAST
(In order of appearance)
Street Singer Elise Frances Daniells*
Ebenezer Scrooge David Studwell*
Bob Cratchit Geoffrey Kent*
Fred / Scrooge’s Nephew Richard Spitaletta*
Subscription Gentlemen Matthew Henerson*, Constantine Pappas*
A Beggar Child ........................................................................................................................................................................... Quinn Murphy
Maid Julia Cassandra*, Chloe McLeod
Ghost of Jacob Marley Jacob Dresch*
Ghost of Christmas Past Alia Munsch*
Schoolmaster Topher Embrey*
School Boys
Cierra Banks, Briggs Kelley, Moses Lyman, Benjamin Martinez, Rory McCune, Quinn Murphy, Miles Nagel
Ebenezer the Child Briggs Kelley
Fan.............................................................................................................................................................................................. Sydney D’Angelo
Ebenezer the Young Man Marco Alberto Robinson*
Dick Wilkins Constantine Pappas*
Fezziwig Matthew Henerson*
Mrs. Fezziwig
Stephanie Lynne Mason*
The Fiddler Richard Spitaletta*
Fezziwig Daughters Julia Cassandra*, Vi Dang*, Elise Frances Daniells*
Their Suitors Brian Bohlender*, Gustavo Márquez*, Christian Ray Robinson
Belle ................................................................................................................................................................................................. Chloe McLeod
Belle’s Husband Brian Bohlender*
Ghost Of Christmas Present Topher Embrey*
Chestnut Seller Miles Nagel
Mrs. Cratchit Jess D’Souza*
Martha Cratchit Julia Cassandra*
Peter Cratchit Gustavo Márquez*
Belinda Cratchit Cierra Banks
Edward Cratchit Moses Lyman
Tiny Tim Benjamin Martinez
Fred’s Wife Vi Dang*
Topper Christian Ray Robinson
The Wife’s Sister Chloe McLeod
Fred’s Party Guests Elise Frances Daniells*, Jacob Dresch*
Ghost Of Christmas Yet To Come Marco Alberto Robinson*
Want Sydney D’Angelo
Ignorance Briggs Kelley
Old Joe Matthew Henerson*
The Undertaker’s Man Constantine Pappas*
The Laundress.........................................................................................................................................................................................Vi Dang*
The Charwoman Stephanie Lynne Mason*
Debtors Brian Bohlender*, Alia Munsch* Boy in the Street Rory McCune
ENSEMBLE
Laborer, Londoners, Carolers, Fezziwig Party Guests, Phantoms, and Parents
Cierra Banks, Brian Bohlender*, Julia Cassandra*, Vi Dang*, Sydney D’Angelo, Elise Frances Daniells*, Jacob Dresch*, Jess D’Souza*, Topher Embrey*, Matthew Henerson*, Moses Lyman, Gustavo Márquez*, Benjamin Martinez, Stephanie Lynne Mason*, Rory McCune, Chloe McLeod, Alia Munsch*, Quinn Murphy, Miles Nagel, Constantine Pappas*, Christian Ray Robinson, Marco Alberto Robinson*, Richard Spitaletta*
UNDERSTUDIES
Understudies never substitute for the listed players unless a specific announcement for the appearance is made at the time of the performance. Justin Walvoord* (Ebenezer Scrooge, Jacob Marley); Jacob Dresch*, Marco Alberto Robinson* (Bob Cratchit); Landon Tate Boyle, Gustavo Márquez* (Subscription Gentleman, Dick Wilkins, Undertaker’s Man); Topher Embrey*, Christian Ray Robinson (Subscription Gentleman, Fezziwig, Old Joe); Brian Bohlender*, Jack Wardell (Fred/Fiddler); Richard Spitaletta*, Matthew Henerson* (Ghost Of Christmas Present, Schoolmaster); Landon Tate Boyle, Jack Wardell (Ghost Of Christmas Yet To Come, Young Ebenezer, Peter Cratchit, Debtor); Christian Ray Robinson, Jack Wardell (Belle’s Husband, Suitor, Debtor); Chloe McLeod, Katie Jackson (Street Singer, Fezziwig Daughter); Vi Dang*, Alia Munsch* (Mrs. Cratchit); Elise Fances Daniells*, Katie Jackson (Ghost Of Christmas Past, Debtor); Mira Are, Katie Jackson (Martha Cratchit, Fezziwig Daughter); Mira Are, Julia Cassandra* (Belle, Maid, Wife’s Sister); Katie Jackson (Charwoman, Mrs. Fezziwig, Laundress, Fezziwig Daughter, Fred’s Wife); Mira Are, Quinn Murphy (Fan); Cierra Banks, Moses Lyman (Tiny Tim); Sydney D’Angelo, Quinn Murphy (Belinda Cratchit); Sydney D’Angelo, Briggs Kelley (Boy in the Street); Briggs Kelley, Miles Nagel (Beggar Child); Rory McCune, Miles Nagel (Edward Cratchit, Ebenezer the Child); Rory McCune (Chestnut Seller)
Stage Managers Sage Hughes*, Nick Nyquist*, Malia Stoner*
Stage Management Apprentices Sam Forrest, Megan Franco
Rehearsal Q Lab Operator .............................................................................................................................................. Miranda Vazquez
Youth Performer Supervisor Iliana Lucero Barron, Kailey Buttrick, Nadia White
Dance Captain Landon Tate Boyle
*Members of Actors’ Equity Association, the Union of Professional Actors and Stage Managers in the United States.
SETTING
London, 1840s
There will be one 15-minute intermission.
ACTING COMPANY
(In order of appearance)
ELISE FRANCES
DANIELLS (Street Singer/Fezziwig Daughter/Fred’s Party Guest) (She/ Her) is excited to be back at the DCPA again! She is a classically trained opera and musical theatre artist, loving both worlds equally. Elise has lived and performed internationally in London, Chicago, Pennsylvania, Indiana, and France. Before moving to NYC in 2022, she spent her time in Arizona while obtaining her master’s degree in music during the pandemic. Recent credits: Harmony: A New Musical (OffBroadway); Beautiful (Arvada Center); The Color Purple (DCPA); Southern Crossing (Gerald W. Lynch Theatre -NYC premiere); Dreamgirls (Arrow Rock Lyceum Theatre); and Carmen (AZ Opera). Follow her projects via Pantera/Murphy the Agency and @elisedaniellsmusic
DAVID STUDWELL (Ebenezer Scrooge) (He/Him). Representative roles: Off-Broadway: The Band’s Visit (North American Tour); Encores! APPLAUSE! Regional: MARY STUART (Chicago Shakespeare); 1776 (Engeman Theatre); Sweeney Todd (Theatreworks Silicon Valley); Man of La Mancha (PCPA Theatrefest - Santa Barbara Indy Awards); Fiddler On The Roof (Portland Center Stage - Drammy Award); Titanic (Westchester Broadway Theatre); Red (Hangar Theatre); Little Women (Syracuse Stage); The Fantasticks (Indiana Repertory); As You Like It (Goodman Theatre); Falsettos (Alliance Theatre); and Chess and South Pacific (Joseph Jefferson nominated) (Lincolnshire Theatre). BFA, SUNY Fredonia, MFA, Purdue University.
GEOFFREY KENT (Bob Cratchit) (He/ They). At the DCPA: Rubicon, A Christmas Carol, Much Ado About Nothing, Hamlet, Richard III, Romeo and Juliet, and As You Like It
WHO’S WHO
Arvada Center (8 seasons): Dracula, Beautiful, Our Town, All My Sons, A Midsummer Night’s Dream and Small Mouth Sounds. Colorado Shakespeare Festival (14 seasons): Macbeth, Three Musketeers, Othello and Comedy of Errors. American Shakespeare Center: Antony and Cleopatra and Julius Caesar. Utah Shakespeare Festival: Winter’s Tale, Merry Wives of Windsor, Henry VI Part I and Treasure Island Orlando Shakespeare Theatre: Romeo and Juliet, Cymbeline, and Titus Andronicus.
RICHARD SPITALETTA (Fred/ The Fiddler) is thrilled to be making his DCPA debut! National tours: Something Rotten! and The Lightning Thief. Off-Broadway: Me the People (Triad Theatre); Board of Ed (the wild project); Circus Trick (The Brick Theatre). Regional: Newsies (Stages St. Louis); Footloose (Arrow Rock); A Funny Thing Happened... (Lancaster Opera House); Sweeney Todd (Woodstock Playhouse); Into the Woods (Playhouse Theatre); Spelling Bee (Pennsylvania Centre Stage). As a writer, his comedic play Board of Ed just premiered in NYC this Spring at the wild project, and his debut short film Dropped wrapped in May. MFA: Brooklyn College.
MATTHEW
HENERSON (Fezziwig/ Subscription Gentleman/Old Joe). Regional credits include: Ahmanson, Mark Taper Forum, South Coast Repertory, La Jolla Playhouse, Deaf West, American Conservatory Theatre, Northern Stage, Bay Street Theater, American Shakespeare Center, West Virginia Public Theatre, Musical Theatre West, Laguna Playhouse, San Diego Repertory, and Shakespeare festivals in Arizona, Colorado, Marin, San Francisco, Santa Cruz, and Utah. First national tour of Flashdance: The Musical. Film/Television: “The Bernie Mac Show,” “Hung,” “The Fosters,” “One Day at a Time,” “NCIS: Origins,” A Christmas Carol, Mars Needs Moms and Jungle Book. Training: MFA, UCSD.
CONSTANTINE
PAPPAS (Dick Wilkins/Subscription Gentleman/The Undertaker’s Man) (He/Him). Broadway: Harmony: A New Musical. National Tour: The Phantom of the Opera. Off-Broadway: Penelope (York Theatre). Regional: The Secret Garden (ACT of Connecticut); I Hate Hamlet (Music Theatre of Connecticut); Kismet (Granada Theatre); A Christmas Carol (DCPA, WPPAC); First Date (Seven Angels); Into the Woods (GVT); Les Misérables (Fox Theatre). Opera: Il barbiere di Siviglia (Mercedes Edwards Theatre); La bohème (Fresno State Concert Hall); The Secret of Luca (Greensboro, NC). Voiceover: “Tales from the Creepery” (Spotify). Spokesman for EDGE Sound Research. Represented by Avalon Artists Group. constandpappas.com FB, IG, TikTok@constandpappas
QUINN MURPHY (A Beggar Child/ School Boy) (She/ Her). At the DCPA: A Christmas Carol Other credits include: Newsies Jr. (Arvada Center); Finding Nemo Jr. (The Curtain Playhouse); The Wizard of Oz (The Curtain Playhouse); Alice in Wonderland (Centennial School). Quinn studies theatre in middle school and has taken courses at the Denver Center for the Performing Arts and the Arvada Center for the Arts and Humanities. She is passionate about theater, music, aerial silks, and visual arts.
JULIA CASSANDRA (Martha Cratchit/ Maid/Fezziwig Daughter) (She/Her) was recently seen on Broadway in Almost Famous as “Estrella,” a role she originated at The Old Globe in San Diego and also developed at the Eugene O’Neill Theater Center. Before Almost Famous, Julia traveled the country in the National Tour of Mamma Mia!. Other recent work includes workshopping the role of Exotic Deadly in Exotic Deadly: Or the MSG Play at San Francisco Playhouse.
CHLOE MCLEOD
(Belle/Maid/The Wife’s Sister) (She/ Her). At DCPA: A Christmas Carol, Anna Karenina, and This is Modern Art. Other Theatres: The Taming of the Shrew, The Winter’s Tale, Henry VIII (Utah Shakespeare Festival); The Two Gentlemen of Verona, The Book of Will, The Alchemist, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, The Odyssey, and You Can’t Take It With You (Colorado Shakespeare Festival); Macbeth, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, and Romeo and Juliet (DCPA Shakespeare in the Parking Lot); Fun Home (Miners Alley). AMDA, NYC.
JACOB DRESCH
(Ghost of Jacob Marley/Fred’s Party Guest) is very excited to return for his third Christmas with the Denver Center. OffBroadway credits include: The School for Scandal (Red Bull Theater). Some local favorites include: Hamlet (DCPA); A Midsummer Night’s Dream, The Two Gentlemen of Verona, The Odyssey, One Man, Two Guvnors, Macbeth, and The Merry Wives of Windsor (Colorado Shakespeare Festival); 237 Virginia Avenue (Local Theater Company); and It’s A Wonderful Life (2022 Henry Award Winner, Breckenridge Backstage). A classical clown who revels in repertory, he received his B.A. from DeSales University, and his M.F.A. from University of California, Irvine. Full credits at jacobdresch.com
ALIA MUNSCH
(Ghost of Christmas Past/Debtor) (She/ Her) is thrilled to be returning to DCPA! Credits include: Motown the Musical (National Tour); Into the Woods and POTUS (Arden Theatre Company); Pippin (Weston Theatre Company); Gentleman’s Guide (Hippodrome Theatre); In the Heights (Gateway Playhouse); Carousel (Riverside Theatre); Oklahoma! (DCPA); West Side Story (IHI Stagearound Tokyo); Smokey Joe’s Café (Engeman Theatre). Education: Barnard College, BA Dance. NYU Steinhardt, Master’s Music. aliamunsch.com @aliamunsch
TOPHER EMBREY (Ghost of Christmas Present/ Schoolmaster) (He/Him). At the DCPA: A Christmas Carol Recent credits: Henry VIII and A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Utah Shakespeare Festival2 seasons). Off-Broadway: Romeo and Juliet, Capulets and Montagues and A King and No King (Red Bull Theater). Various productions (5 seasons) at American Shakespeare Center; Coriolanus and All’s Well That Ends Well (Colorado Shakespeare Festival); Twelfth Night (Nashville Shakespeare Festival); The Liar and Animal Farm (Arvada Center); additional productions at Orlando Shakespeare Theater including Peter and the Starcatcher and various productions at Virginia Shakespeare Festival. BFA, CNU. IG: @awktopher
BRIGGS KELLEY (Ebenezer the Child/ Ignorance/School Boy) is in the third grade and was born for theatre and participated in his first show, Lion King the Musical, when he was in kindergarten. He loves youth theatre, and his favorite credits include Disney’s Moana Junior, Madagascar and Greatest Showman. He has performed with Noteable Kids Art Center Youth Theatre, Kent Denver School and Breckenridge Backstage Theatre. Briggs also enjoys the swim team, singing in choir, ski team in Breckenridge and hanging with his friends. He has three older siblings, and a dog named Berri.
SYDNEY D’ANGELO (Fan/Want) (She/ Her) is in eighth grade and thrilled to be back at the DCPA for a third season!
At the DCPA: Henry Award winning production of A Little Night Music (2023) and A Christmas Carol. Training: Juilliard Summer Performing Arts Program (2024). Other regional credits include: Onward and Upward (The Aurora Fox). Representation: CESD Young Talent NY. Instagram: @sydney_dangelo26 Website: sydneydangelo.com.
MARCO ALBERTO ROBINSON (Ebenezer the Young Man/Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come). At the DCPA: Emma, A Little Night Music, The 39 Steps, Rattlesnake Kate, Wild Fire, Xanadu, A Christmas Carol, Goodnight Moon, This is Modern Art. Other credits: Waitress and I Do! I Do! (Arvada Center); Romeo & Juliet, Twelfth Night, Cyrano de Bergerac, Love’s Labour’s Lost, King John, Edward III (Colorado Shakespeare Festival); Fun Home (Miners Alley Performing Arts Center); The Museum of Broken Relationships (Theatre Aspen); Sweeney Todd, Assassins, Hairspray (Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center). Lucas Colmenero in the Deck of Nine Games “Life is Strange: Double Exposure.”
STEPHANIE LYNNE MASON (Mrs. Fezziwig/ Charwoman) (She/ Her). Broadway: Fiddler on the Roof Off-Broadway: Fiddler on the Roof in Yiddish directed by Joel Grey and featured as “Hodl” on the cast recording. National Tour: Million Dollar Quartet. Favorite regional credits include: Beautiful (The Engeman Theater); Gypsy (Virginia Musical Theater); Camelot (The Barnstormers); and Into the Breeches (The Barnstormers).
@stephanielynnemason
VI DANG (Fred’s Wife/Fezziwig Daughter/Laundress) (They/She) is a performer, musician, and creative based in New York City. Originally from Denver, they graduated from the University of Northern Colorado with a B.A. in Musical Theatre. She is also a part of the editorial team at Playbill and her graphic work, photography, and writing has been published in Playbill magazine, Time Out, at the Tony Awards, and internationally in the Scotsman. As a queer first generation American, Vi is proud of her Vietnamese heritage and strives to spread Asian/BIPOC representation in the theatre/entertainment industry, as well as create art that elevates trans and non-binary voices.
BRIAN BOHLENDER
(Debtor/Suitor/Belle’s Husband) is merry to be back with DCPA for A Christmas Carol. Brian hails from California and has performed in dozens of shows spanning the west coast before claiming Colorado as his new home. Credits include: The Other Josh Cohen and A Christmas Carol (DCPA); Winter’s Tale and One Man Two Guvnors (Colorado Shakespeare Festival); Million Dollar Quartet (Lone Tree Arts Center); Hair (Miners Alley Playhouse); The Three Musketeers (Davis Shakespeare Festival); The Donner Party (Sacramento Theatre Company); and Trevor (Big Idea Theatre). Training: BFA-Utah State, PCPA Conservatory, AA Music.
JESS D’SOUZA (Mrs. Cratchit) (She/Her) is delighted to spend the holiday season at DCPA playing “Mrs. Cratchit” in A Christmas Carol. She is a multi-hyphenate creative from Sydney, Australia and has performed on TV for artists including Jessie J, Mel B, LMFAO and Rick Astley. She has toured with shows including Flipside, Songs of the Northern Rivers and Orlando and choreographed for Beauty and the Beast and On the Town. She has been featured in campaigns for Tourism Australia, Nissan and ANZ. Most recently, Jess led short films Masterpiece and Ding!. Jess’s real passion is for creating and sharing lesser told stories.
GUSTAVO MÁRQUEZ (Peter Cratchit/ Suitor). At the DCPA: Sweat, A Christmas Carol and Native Gardens. Other Credits: The Three Musketeers, Light it Up! and Antigone (Cleveland Play House). TV: “Blue Bloods,” “Chicago PD,” “And Just Like That.” Training: Case Western Reserve University/Cleveland Play House. MFA in Acting program. Gustavo-Marquez.com
CIERRA BANKS
(Belinda Cratchit/ School Boy) (She/ Her) is humbled and thrilled to be making her DCPA debut. Stage credits include productions of Annie Jr (Belmar School of Integrated Arts/Addenbrooke Classical Academy); The Music Man Jr (BelArts); Castles and Dragons (Lakewood Culture Center). She returned as stage crew for the BelArts production of Mary Poppins Jr. in 2024 and has participated in several piano and voice recitals around Denver at KariJoy Studios. Cierra is in seventh grade honors choir and is an Honor Roll student. Cierra loves all things Christmas, singing, acting, writing, dancing, cooking, wilderness, skiing and adventuring with her family. She is small, but MIGHTY!
MOSES LYMAN
(Edward Cratchit/ School Boy) (They/ Them) is honored to be making their DCPA debut in A Christmas Carol. Other Credits include: Johnny Appleseed and Princess and the Pea (Missoula Children’s Theatre); Midnight Mischief (Palmer Elementary). They have trained in summer camps with DCPA over the years including: Musical Madness, Improvaganza, and An Actor’s Life for Me. When not on stage, Mo enjoys playing the violin, soccer, and baseball.
BENJAMIN
MARTINEZ (Tiny Tim/School Boy) (He/Him) is making his acting debut in A Christmas Carol! Benjamin began ice skating at threeyears-old and is entering his third season with his hockey club. He is an avid soccer player, enjoys playing baseball, and has developed a love for flag football. This past summer, he began training in Jiu Jitsu and has developed a passion for martial arts. Benjamin is also good at building Legos, creative drawing and loves to sing and dance. His old soul connects with retro movies like Back to the Future and The Sandlot, and some of his favorite songs are “Splish Splash” by Bobby Darin and “Ain’t Got No Home” by Clarence “Frogman” Henry. His high energy and outgoing
personality allow him to be open and willing to try any new adventure!
CHRISTIAN RAY ROBINSON (Topper/ Suitor) (He/Him). Ocean in a Teacup (Off-Broadway/ Theatre Row); Native Gardens (Eagle Theater.) Select Colorado credits include: Rent, The Legend of Georgia McBride and Dogfight (Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center); Sherlock Holmes (Miners Alley); Charmante (Theatreworks); Houdini (Midtown Arts Center); Telemachus, Lysander, Tony, among various others (Colorado Shakespeare Festival). TV/Film/VO:
“Marvelous Mrs. Maisel,” “The Plot Against America,” “Yu-Gi-Oh Duel Links” and others. Happy to join the team for the fourth time!
MILES NAGEL (Chestnut Seller/ School Boy). Credits include: Shrek the Musical, Wizard of Oz, A Village of Tales, You’re a Good Man Charlie Brown, and Mean Girls. He has been acting in local Denver theater for three years at The Rocky Mountain Theatre for Kids.
RORY MCCUNE (Boy in the Street/School Boy) is excited to be making his DCPA debut in A Christmas Carol! He just recently discovered his love of theatre and has had a variety of roles in community and youth productions including Mean Girls and Big Fish. He is in eighth grade and interests include singing, dancing, playwriting and all types of creative endeavors.
JUSTIN WALVOORD (Ebenezer Scrooge/ Jacob Marley Understudy) (He/Him). New York credits: The Apartment (Queens Theatre in the Park); 5 O’clock (Algonquin Theatre). Regional credits: True West (Vermont Stage Company); Expedition 6 (Magic Theatre); A Question of Mercy (Artist Repertory Theatre); Madwoman, A Flea in Her Ear, Jackie and Me, Measure for Measure, A
Christmas Carol (Denver Center Theatre Company); Sweet and Lucky, Travelers of the Lost Dimension, Between Us (DCPA Off Center); 39 Steps (Theatreworks); The Intelligent Homosexuals Guide…(Curious Theatre Company); Every Christmas Story Ever Told, Bloomsday (BETC) Metamorphoses (Aurora Fox). TV/Film: “Hoax”, “Looking for Sunday”, “Law & Order: CI”. Training: BA, CSUF, MFA, National Theatre Conservatory.
MIRA ARE (Understudy) (She/ Her). Previous regional credits include: Ghost Variations (CNPS reading); The Producers (NTPA Repertory Theatre); Tarzan (Lyric Stage); and Futurity (Aurora Fox). She is grateful to be back for her second year with A Christmas Carol. Training: BA, University of Northern Colorado.
LANDON TATE
BOYLE (Understudy/ Dance Captain). At the DCPA: A Christmas Carol and Shakespeare in the Parking Lot. Other credits include: Kinky Boots (Arvada Center); Two Gentlemen of Verona, Book of Will, A Winter’s Tale, One Man Two Guvnors (Colorado Shakespeare Festival); King Henry VI: Parts 1-3, Macbeth, Merry Wives of Windsor, Big River, Ragtime, Pirates of Penzance (Utah Shakespeare Festival); Wizard of Oz (Syracuse Stage); A Midsummer Night’s Dream, A Christmas Carol (The Rep. St. Louis); Romeo and Juliet (Redhouse Arts Center); Tempest (The Secret Theatre). TV: “The Tick,” “Search Party.” Training: BFA, Webster Conservatory.
KATIE JACKSON (Understudy) (She/ Her) is thrilled to be back at the DCPA for a second year of swinging for A Christmas Carol! At the DCPA: A Christmas Carol Other credits include: Ella Enchanted, A Year with Frog and Toad, and Junie B. Jones (Arvada Center); School of Rock, Once and Hair (Miners Alley Playhouse); Wonderland and Little Women (The Aurora Fox); Evita (Lone Tree Arts Center); Tarzan, Jekyll &
Hyde, and Beauty and the Beast (Candlelight Dinner Playhouse); The Fantasticks (Town Hall Arts Center). Katie received her M.M. in Vocal Performance from The University of Mississippi.
JACK WARDELL (Understudy) (He/ Him). At the DCPA: A Christmas Carol Recent credits include: Natasha, Pierre, and the Great Comet of 1812 and Into the Woods (Arvada Center); Twelfth Night (Shakespeare in the Wild), The Little Mermaid (Candlelight); and In the Next Room (Theater Company of Lafayette); White Christmas (Candlelight).
PLAYWRIGHT
RICHARD HELLESEN (Playwright/ Adaptor) is the author of numerous plays and musicals for adult and young audiences. In addition to the DCPA, his work has been seen at South Coast Repertory, Geva, Florida Stage, Gretna Theatre, Los Angeles Repertory Company, Sacramento Theatre Company, Sundance Children’s Theatre, Imagination Stage, City Theatre in Miami, and Ford’s Theatre in Washington DC, where he is an Associate Artist. He is the recipient of writing awards from PEN USA-West, the Philadelphia Festival Theatre for New Plays, and the National Theatre Conference for his play Kingdom, which premiered at the DCPA. His most recent project, the solo play Eisenhower: This Piece of Ground starring Tony-winner John Rubinstein, recently premiered at Theatre West in Los Angeles.
DIRECTOR
ANTHONY POWELL proudly began his professional career on a bus, touring the US as a performer with John Houseman’s The Acting Company. As an Associate Artist at the DCPA Theatre Company for 18 seasons, Anthony directed more than 25 productions, including The Pillowman, Wit, The Dresser, Racing Demon, The Leenane Trilogy, Hamlet, Blue/Orange, Misalliance, Macbeth, Death of a Salesman, and Lord of the Flies. He directed The Moors at The Arvada Center, and more recently, Coriolanus for the Colorado Shakespeare Festival. Anthony has served as Artistic Director of Denver’s Stories on Stage since 2010.
CREATIVE TEAM
MATTHEW CAMPBELL (Production Manager) is grateful and honored to support, collaborate, and work with our brilliant and outstanding production team, shops, crews, artisans and guest artists to create extraordinary theatre. Previously a stage manager at a few stops in the mid-west as well as numerous Colorado theatres and Assistant Professor of Theatre at Brooklyn College in New York. Joined the DCPA stage management team in 2010 and after several years moved over to the production management team. Every show along the way is a favorite, but some DCPA and Off-Center highlights have been Sweet & Lucky, The 12, Lord of the Flies, Animal Crackers, Frankenstein, Book of Will, Rattlesnake Kate, The Chinese Lady and Wild Fire
MELANIE CHEN COLE (Sound Designer) (She/Her) At the DCPA: Cebollas, A Christmas Carol (2023, 2022). Alabama Shakespeare Festival, Alley Theatre, Alliance Theatre, Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park, Cleveland Playhouse, Dallas Theater Center, Geffen Playhouse, Goodman Theatre, Huntington Theatre Company, Indiana Rep, La Jolla Playhouse, Milwaukee Rep, Northern Stage, The Old Globe, PlayMakers Rep, South Coast Rep, Studio Theatre, and the Utah Shakespeare Festival. Education: MFA in Theatre and Dance from UC San Diego. melaniesound. com, @melaniechencole.
GREGG COFFIN (Orchestrations). Off-Broadway: Composer/Lyricist: Five Course Love (Minetta Lane Theatre). Regional: Alley Theatre, American Players Theatre, Arizona Theatre Company, Arena Stage, Asolo Rep, Berkeley Rep, Dallas Theatre Center, Denver Center Theatre Company, Geva Theatre Center, Guthrie Theater, Human Race Theatre, Indiana Rep, Oregon Cabaret Theatre, PCPA TheatreFest, Pioneer Theatre Company, South Coast Rep, Unicorn Theatre, and the Alabama, Georgia, Oregon, Santa Cruz, Santa Fe, St. Louis and Utah Shakespeare Festivals. International: (Canada) Stratford Festival, Tarragon Theatre, National Arts Centre, Manitoba Theatre Center, CanStage, (Seoul) ChungMu Art Hall. Affiliations: Dramatists Guild, Society of Composers and Lyricists, American Federation of Musicians.
KEVIN COPENHAVER (Costume Designer). At the DCPA (32 seasons): Elephant & Piggie’s “We Are in a Play!”,
A Little Night Music, Much Ado About Nothing, Wild Fire, Twelfth Night, Goodnight Moon, Sweat, Corduroy, The Who’s Tommy, The Snowy Day, Sweeney Todd, Frankenstein, The Christians, Lord of the Flies, Animal Crackers, Just Like Us, Ring of Fire: The Music of Johnny Cash, The Whale, Dracula, Mama Hated Diesels, A Christmas Carol, Tantalus and many others. Other Theatres: Hair (Geva Theatre Center); Sylvia, The Explorer’s Club, Passing Strange, Hairspray, Young Frankenstein, Smokey Joe’s Cafe, Hedwig and the Angry Inch, The Divine Sister, Tommy, Dream a Little Dream, 12th Night, Titus Andronicus, regional premiere of Peter and the Starcatcher and Love, Janis (USF). Training: BA in Theatre Design, University of Cincinnati College Conservatory of Music, Centro Maschere e Strutture Gestuali, Padua, Italy.
DAVID DE BERRY (Composer/Lyricist).
A Cappella, Sisters: A Legend, original scores for Twelfth Night, The Good Person of Setzuan, All My Sons, The Tempest, The Taming of the Shrew, ’Night Mother, The Time of Your Life (Sacramento Theatre Company). Composer: The Merry Wives of Windsor, The Comedy of Errors, The Glass Menagerie, King Lear, Betrayal, Our Country’s Good, The Recruiting Officer, Terra Nova, The Miser (Oregon Shakespeare Festival); Romeo and Juliet (San Francisco Shakespeare Festival); M. Butterfly (Arizona Theatre Company). Actor: Oregon Shakespeare Festival, Arizona Theatre Company, PCPA, Pennsylvania State Theatre, Charles Playhouse, Sacramento Theatre Company.
DAN GRAEBER (Music Director) (He/ Him). Active Denver-based pianist, music director and arranger, passionate about crafting live music that connects people through the powers of song and story. At the DCPA: A Little Night Music, The Color Purple, Rattlesnake Kate, Oklahoma!, The Who’s Tommy, and The Secret Garden. Arranger, orchestrator and music director for Colorado-grown That Parenting Musical, which opened Off-Broadway in September. Active throughout the region’s vibrant theater scene: Arvada Center, Littleton Town Hall, Theatre SilCo, BDT Stage, Centerstage Theatre. Over 15 years’ experience as a church music director and organist. DanMakesMusic.com
WEN-LING LIAO (Lighting Designer) (She/Her). At the DCPA: A Christmas Carol. Off-Broadway: The Boy Who Danced on Air. Select regional credit:
AW, Wilderness! (Hartford Stage); Quixote Nuevo, House of Joy and A Winter’s Tale (California Shakespeare Company); Are You There? Nicole Clark is Having a Baby and Flex (Actors Theater of Louisville - 44th Humana Festival); Gloria and Vietgone (A.C.T.); The Catastrophist and The Wickhams Christmas at Pemberley (Marin Theater Company); White Pearl (Studio Theater). Education: She earned her MFA from University of California, San Diego.
JEFFREY PARKER (Voice and Dialect Coach) (He/Him). At the DCPA: The Lehman Trilogy, A Little Night Music, The 39 Steps and A Christmas Carol. Jeffrey is a Professor of Theatre at MSU Denver, a Certified Teacher of both Fitzmaurice Voicework and Knight-Thompson Speechwork, and the Director of Voice and Text for the Colorado Shakespeare Festival. Jeffrey is also a Henry Award-winning actor. Training: MFA, UC Irvine. BA, UCLA. Jeffrey is the co-author of Experiencing Speech, a book that helps develop speech and accent skills for any reader at any level. God Bless Us — Everyone.
VICKI SMITH (Scenic Designer). At the DCPA: The Christians, Animal Crackers, When We Are Married, Fences, and 54 others. Other Theatres: South Coast Repertory Theatre, Children’s Theatre Company, Arizona Theatre Company, Penumbra Theatre Company, Geva Theatre Center, IRT, and many others. Awards: Bay Area Critics’ Awards – Kite Runner, Execution of Justice; Dramalogue Award – Cyrano; Colorado Theatre Guild Henry Award – Mariela in the Desert, Plainsong, Doubt; Denver Post Ovation Awards – Mariela in the Desert, Pierre, I’m Not Rapaport; Prague Design Exposition 2007 –Pierre. Museum Exhibitions: “Penumbra Theatre at 40”, Minnesota History Center; “Scale Models in Theatre Set Design”, Museum of Miniatures, Tucson.
GRADY SOAPES, CSA (Casting) (He/Him) is the Director of Casting and Artistic Producer with the Denver Center for the Performing Arts. Grady has cast over 40 DCPA productions including Rattlesnake Kate, Theater of the Mind, The Chinese Lady, The Who’s Tommy, and The Wild Party. Choreography credits include A Christmas Carol, Twelfth Night, Goodnight Moon, Anna Karenina, As You Like It, Drag Machine, Lord of the Butterflies, DragON (Denver Center); Into the Woods, The Liar (Arvada Center); Comedy of Errors (Colorado Shakespeare Festival). Grady also works as a Casting Director for Sylvia
Gregory Casting where he has cast multiple commercials, TV, film and video game projects.
STAGE MANAGEMENT
SAGE HUGHES (She/Her). Previously at the DCPA: Hamlet, Where Did We Sit on the Bus?, Emma, Cebollas, A Little Night Music, Theater of the Mind, Colorado New Play Summit, Choir Boy, Rattlesnake Kate, and A Christmas Carol. Other regional credits include UNDONE: The Lady M Project and Local Lab 12 (Local Theater Company); Kinky Boots, The Revolutionists, and The Phantom Tollbooth (Hangar Theatre Company), and Shoes for the Santo Niño (Santa Fe Opera) Production management credits: Sweeney Todd, Queens Girl in the World, Lost Girl, and The Sun Serpent (Hangar) Sage holds a BA in Theatre and English from the University of New Mexico.
NICK NYQUIST (Assistant Stage Manager). At the DCPA: The Lehman Trilogy, The Color Purple, Colorado New Play Summit, A Christmas Carol, Indecent. Regional: The Winter’s Tale, One Man Two Guvnors, Richard III, Edward III, You Can’t Take it With You (Colorado Shakespeare Festival); Don Giovanni, Falstaff, VocalARTS Showcases, Opera Encounters, Meadows Assistant Production Manager (Aspen Music Festival); You Enjoy Myself (Local Theater Company). National: My Fair Lady (Lincoln Center - 1st National Tour); Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? (Pulse Theater); Machinal, Albert Herring, Limitless series, First Voices (Boston Conservatory Theater); Peter Pan (Music Theater Works); A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Theatre-Hikes); and many others. Nick holds a BFA in Stage Management from DePaul University and spends his free time in the mountains.
MALIA STONER (Stage Manager) (She/Her). At the DCPA: The Lehman Trilogy, Rubicon, The Color Purple, The Chinese Lady, Rattlesnake Kate, A Christmas Carol, A Doll’s House, The Santaland Diaries, New Play Summit ‘22. Other Theatres: Waitress, I Do! I Do!, Million Dollar Quartet (Arvada Center); One Man, Two Guvnors, The Winter’s Tale (Colorado Shakespeare Festival); Aubergine, Small Mouth Sounds, Around the World in 80 Days (TheatreWorks); Beehive the 60’s Musical (Lone Tree Arts Center); Lab 11: You Enjoy Myself (Local Theatre Company); Newsies, Man of La Mancha, Beauty and the Beast, Music Man,
Slipper, and the Rose, 42nd Street, Forever Plaid, A Wonderful Life, Evita and Kiss Me, Kate (Candlelight Dinner Playhouse); Gypsy, Addams Family, Aida, Godspell (Little Theatre of the Rockies); Coppelia (Colorado Ballet Academy); Nutcracker (Colorado Dance Theatre).
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, Rubicon, 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 Off-Center 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 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 longstanding commitment to new plays and new voices.
In addition to DCPA staff, the following crew worked on this production: Arbor Arzola, Andy Bruening, Brian Cheek, Megan Clarke, Anthony DeCosmo, Shephen Delgado, Lisa Ehrle, Katarina Kosmopoulos, Kai Kramer, Alexandra Kullmer, Phi Le, J Luce, Loren Martin, Nikki Mayer, Andrew Piro, Brent Rolfson, Anna Sanchez, Jackie Scott, Heather Sparling, Jack Yoder
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.
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.
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 #AChristmasCarol
Director: Anthony Powell
Scenic Designer: Vicki Smith
Costume Designer: Kevin Copenhaver @kevinovino
Lighting Designer: Wen-Ling Liao
Sound Designer: Melanie Chen Cole
Music Director: Dan Graeber
Orchestrations: Gregg Coffin
Casting/Choreographer: Grady Soapes @gradyzvander
Photos and the video and/or audio recording during any part of the performance by any means whatsoever are strictly prohibited
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.
MARCH 7 – 16, 2025
ALEXANDRA WILSON BY RACHEL NEVILLE
Ellie Caulkins Opera House with live music performed by the Colorado Ballet Orchestra
IIn 1939, retailer Montgomery Ward asked Robert L. May to develop a Christmas story for publication. Titled Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, the story was adapted into a song by May’s brother-in-law and radio producer, Johnny Marks. Ten years later, the song was first sung commercially by Harry Brannon a month before Gene Autry’s No. 1 recording was released. Then, in 1964, Burl Ives re-recorded the song as the soundtrack to accompany the television episode that has become the longest-running Christmas TV special in history.
Now, the stage adaptation Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer: The Musical is delighting audiences across the nation. Test your memory by answering “Who Said It?” in this musical-inspired crossword puzzle.
ACROSS
2. Never knew a Bumble yet who’d turn down a pork dinner for deer meat…do your stuff.
3. I’m the official Sentry of the Island of the Misfit Toys!
4. What? You don’t like to make toys?
6. I just don’t like to make toys.
7. I think it’s a handsome nose. Much better than that silly false one you were wearing.
8. Well, this is it. The storm won’t subside by tonight. We’ll have to cancel Christmas.
9. Come here…open your mouth – oh dear. I’d better set up an appointment, week from Tuesday. Four-thirty – sharp.
11. How can you overlook that? His beak blinks like a blinkin’ beacon!
13. A toy is never truly happy until it is loved by a child
15. It sure is! It’s SANTA!! And look, Rudolph is leading the way!
DOWN
1. Who ever heard of a skinny Santa? Eat!
5. Well, they are all very sad at the loss of their friend — but they realize that the best thing to do is to get back to Christmastown.
10. Gadzooks! The Bumble strikes again! Whoopeeee!
WHO SAID IT? IN RUDOLPH THE RED-NOSED
REINDEER: THE MUSICAL
12. Looks like we’re forgotten again.
14. I’m cude. I’m cude!
ANSWERS
RUDOLPH THE RED-NOSED REINDEER: THE MUSICAL
NOV 29 – DEC 1, 2024 • BUELL THEATRE
ASL Interpreted, Audio Described & Open Captioned performance: Nov 30 at 3pm
Rudolph Family and Santa
MEET CHIP DAVIS: CREATOR, MANNHEIM STEAMROLLER
TThis year marks the 39th year of Mannheim Steamroller Christmas by Chip Davis. The annual holiday sensation sells out in 80 cities nationwide. Get to know the man behind this holiday sensation.
Do you come from a family of musicians?
Yes. For as long as I can remember I’ve always been around music. I have third generation musicians on both sides of my family. My dad was a saxophone player in a big band during the World War II era. My mother played trombone for the NBC Symphony while she was still in high school. She was even a poster girl for the famed music center, Interlochen Art Academy. Both of my grandmothers were piano teachers, as well.
How did your big break come through a series of radio commercials?
I worked as a jingle writer early in my career. One of the ad executives was the late Bill Fries and we wrote a series of commercials about a fictional truck driver named C.W. McCall and his waitress girlfriend, Mavis, at the “Old Home Filler Up and Keep on Truckin’ Café.” We produced one in 1975 that became the song, “Convoy,” which sold 10 million copies. “Convoy” went on to become a movie starring Kris Kristofferson and Ali McGraw. And would you believe I won SESAC’s Country Music Writer of the Year Award for my work!
Where did the name Mannheim Steamroller come from?
From Mannheim, Germany. That’s where Mozart and composer/music theorist Joseph Stamitz both lived. Stamitz came up with the idea of the crescendo: music building and getting louder in order to excite the audience. The 18th Century musical phrase “Mannheim Valse” literally meant, “roller,” and people used to joke that the loud music would roll over the crowd and flatten them. When it was time to start selling my band, I had to come up with a name to market. At the time the big rock groups had interesting names like Jefferson Airplane or Iron Butterfly. So I came up with the name Mannheim Steamroller.
Was the music industry receptive to your idea of a Christmas album?
Everyone in the music industry back in 1984 told me, “A Christmas album? You can’t do that. Only artists who have run out of ideas ever do a Christmas album.” But you know me. When someone says, “It’ll never work,” I take it as a personal challenge!
What does it mean to know that your music is part of people’s annual holiday traditions?
It is one of the biggest honors that you can possibly have: to be invited into people’s homes through my music and have them integrate me into their Christmas traditions. I absolutely love it and love being part of their families!
MANNHEIM STEAMROLLER
CHRISTMAS BY CHIP DAVIS
DEC 6 – 8, 2024 • BUELL THEATRE
CHIP DAVIS
BROADWAY
Still searching for the perfect holiday gift? Dazzle them with a season subscription or individual tickets to an unbeatable mix of Broadway shows.
2024 /25 SEASON SHOWS
Jun 4 – 15
Jul 8 – 20
Nov 2 – May 4
Buell Theatre
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.
NOW – DEC 22
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
PAGE TO THE STAG E : Elephant & Piggie
BBeloved children’s author Mo Willems has a list of accolades to his credit: six-time Emmy Award winner for “Sesame Street,” New York Times bestselling author, three-time Caldecott winner, two-time Theodor Geisel medalist, five-time Geisel honoree and inaugural Kennedy Center Education Artist-in-Residence for which he has written three musicals.
But, originally, he thought he’d be in comedy. “You know, my dream was to be a sketch comedian,” he told Jeff Labrecque in Entertainment Weekly. “I started a sketch comedy group in college and…the break-off splinter group became The State. And God, I hated them for that.”
Seems like it turned out all right.
His widely acclaimed Elephant and Piggie series began in 2007 and were “the first characters that I created that I intended for multiple books,” he continued. “I knew that they were going to have to carry a lot of weight.”
Pun intended? Likely.
Elephant & Piggie’s “We Are in a Play!” was an original work inspired by the collection. “First thing that you do when you’re writing anything, particularly a play, is that you have to take your time. You start thinking about who are these characters and why are these characters hanging out together,” Willems said in a Page to Stage interview with The Kennedy Center.
“These characters are incredibly dramatic. They care. Their emotions are very, very, very strong. What you want to do is you want to take your audience…to see who they are and why they are who they are and how their little crises change them until finally they have to face something that they’re not ready for.”
Working with the creative team, Willems developed a plot and score that takes Gerald the Elephant and Piggie on a journey using music as a tool to overcome the challenges they must face.
“If you think about a scene as two characters who are having a problem and they’re angry at each other, and they can’t say I’m angry at you because you hurt my feelings. But if they sing a song, they can explain exactly what they’re going through.”
Life lessons for the child and child-at-heart.
ELEPHANT & PIGGIE’S “WE ARE IN A PLAY!”
NOW – DEC 22, 2024 • WEEKS CONSERVATORY THEATRE
ASL Interpreted and Audio Described Performance: Nov 17 at 1:30pm
Daytime, Evening, and Weekend Classes
SEE YOURSELF ON STAGE
Photo by McLeod9 Creative
Sean Scrutchins and Michaela Murray.
Photo by Jamie Kraus Photography.
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 Jeffrey Director, Financial Planning & Analysis
Kristina Monge Associate Accountant
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 Manager, Grants & Reports
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
María Corral Director, Community Engagement
Heather Curran Teaching Artist & Manager, Playwriting
Elliot Davis Evening Registrar & Office 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
Natalia Marroquin, Phil Rohrbach Sales & Event Managers
DCPA TEAM
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
Claire Graves Director, Produced Programs
Brittany Gutierrez Associate Director, Communications
Linda Horan Project Manager
Jeff Hovorka Director, Sales & Marketing, Broadway & Cabaret
Emma Holst Associate, Communications & Content
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 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*, Tamika Cox*, Mekenzie Dalton*, Zeah Edmonds*, Lauren Estes*, Luke Fish*, Jen Gray*, Noa Halpern*, Phi Johnson-Grimes*, Noah Jungferman*, Noelle Norris, Holly Stigen*, Bronwen VanOrdstrand, Alfonso Vazquez*, Rob 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*,
Andrew Sullivan* Counter/Show Leads
Billy Dutton Associate Director, Operations
Danielle Freeman Manager, Customer Service
Claire Hayes, Ella Mann, Robert McCowan Managers, Box Office
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
Cat Huck Assistant Operations Manager
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 Manager, Payroll & Compliance
Jocelyn Martinez Business Partner
Kinsey Scholl Manager, Operations
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
Madison Cook-Hines Literary Assistant
Costume Crafts
Kevin Copenhaver Director
Chris Campbell Assistant
Costume Shop
Janet Macleod Director/Design Associate
Meghan Anderson Doyle Design Associate
Ingrid Ludeke, Carolyn Plemitscher Drapers
House Crew
Douglas Taylor+ Supervisor
James Berman+, Forest Fowler+, Dave Mazzeno+, Kyle Moore+, Piper Stormes+, Matt Wagner+ Stagehands
Joseph Price+, Kelley Reznik+ Assistants
Lighting Design
Charles MacLeod Director
Connor Baker+ Production Electrician
Lily Bradford Assistant
Paint Shop
Kristin Hamer MacFarlane Charge Scenic Artist
Melanie Rentschler, Sasha Seaman Scenic Artists
Production
Jeff Gifford Director
Julie Brou Administrative Assistant/ Office Manager
Matthew Campbell Production Manager
Peggy Carey Associate Production Manager
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 Banthoff, 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
Anne Jude Supervisor
Wayne Breyer, Liz Campbell, Corin Davidson, Harper Hadley, Rebecca Hamlin, Brandon T. Holmes, Sage Hughes, Nick Nyquist, Malia Stoner Stage Managers
Anna Cordova, Sam Forrest, Megan Franco, Miranda Vasquez 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, Iver Johnson Engineers
Steven Bilbao, Abraham Cervantes, Lindsey Cervantes, Carmen Molina, Judith Primero Molina, Juan Loya Molina, Blanca Primero Custodians
Michael Kimbrough Manager, Engineering
Brian McClain Manager, Custodial
Patron Experience
Evan Gendreau Associate Director
Kaylyn Kriaski, Leilani Lynch, Aaron McMullen, Stacy Norwood, Valerie Schaefer Assistant Managers
Kelly Breuer, Nora Caley, Amy Howard, Robin Lander, Barbara Pooler, Wendy Quintana, Ayden Smith House Managers
Safety & Security
Quentin Crump Director
Jacquelyne Schmidt Manager, Health & Safety
Timothy Allen, Jodi Benavides Lead Security Officers
Calum Abeywickrema, Mayte Armendariz, Samara Attridge, David Bright, Judy Clanton, Jaron Van Horne, Ethan Kemberlin, Isabella Samaniego, Marcus Sanders, Tori Witherspoon Security Specialists
Judy Briggs Front Desk
&
IN DOWNTOWN DENVER
Complete the perfect outing with special o ers from our DCPA Restaurant Partners. Just show your theatre tickets and enjoy!
Dazzle Denver
Complimentary dessert
The Regular
Three-course Pre-Theatre Menu. Choose between the Meat, Pescatarian, or Vegetarian option! $50-$70
Panzano
Three-course Pre-Theatre Menu for $60 per person with an optional wine pairing for $30
Rioja
Free glass of our proprietary Barcino C3 Cava
range Complimentary valet parking and dessert with purchase of entrée
STK Steakhouse
Complimentary valet parking and 20% off bill
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.
Donʼt miss the MAGIC at the Denver Pavilions this holiday season.
Winter Aglow at Denver Pavilions features live music, ice skaters, holiday magic, visits from Santa and music from KOSI.
The Parade of Lights Floats will make their magical return to Glenarm Plaza December 8-30
Visit denverpavilions.com/holiday for the live entertainment schedule and Santa visiting hours of operation.
In life, like art, the details matter most. Celebrate the details of your unique life by planning your life celebration in advance. It’s one of the greatest gifts you can give your family.
FirstBank is focused on elevating those around us — businesses, communities, and employees. If we do an outstanding job of taking care of these key stakeholders, our future growth and success will take care of itself.
— KEVIN CLASSEN, CEO OF FIRSTBANK
PROUD SPONSOR OF DCPA’S WOMEN’S VOICES FUND
FFirstBank began providing banking services in 1963, and is committed to doing what’s right for its customers, communities, and employees — or what it refer to as “banking for good.” As a result, the company has been consistently recognized as one of the nation’s best performing banks, the state’s top workplaces, a top corporate philanthropist, and the highestranked bank for customer satisfaction in the southwest region.
“FirstBank is focused on elevating those around us – businesses, communities, and employees. If we do an outstanding job of taking care of these key stakeholders, our future growth and success will take care of itself,” said Kevin Classen, CEO of FirstBank.
Through its partnership with Colorado Gives Day, the bank helped raise more than $54 million for thousands of local charities in 2023 alone, and it directly contributed another $6.1 million to area nonprofits as part of its annual giving.
Beyond strengthening the communities it serves, the company’s longterm plan also puts a large emphasis on “Include All,” or ensuring diversity, equity and inclusion are prioritized within and outside of the organization. That’s one of the many reasons FirstBank is proud to partner with the Denver Center for the Performing Arts (DCPA), one of the nation’s largest nonprofit theater organizations, for its vision of creating a more connected and inclusive community in Colorado through the arts and theatrical storytelling.
For instance, DCPA’s Women’s Voices Fund, which elevates opportunities for female artists and leaders in theater, aligns perfectly with FirstBank’s mission to drive equity and inclusion for underrepresented groups. The bank’s Women in Leadership and Women in Technology initiatives, for example, are dedicated to developing future women leaders and encouraging interest and advancement in technology careers. Thanks in part to these e orts, more than 50% of FirstBank’s management positions (from supervisor to C-Suite) are held by women.
In addition, the company contributes countless volunteer hours and millions in financial support each year to many organizations aimed at closing racial and gender gaps. The bank also deploys multiple business grants to entrepreneurs representing underserved communities, including women-owned, veteran-owned and businesses of color.
FirstBank’s collaboration with the DCPA represents its dedication to fostering a vibrant, creative, and inclusive community. By supporting the arts, FirstBank strengthens the collective identity of Denver, making it a more dynamic place to live and work. Learn more about FirstBank at efirstbank.com. Member FDIC.
