Applause -- The Reservoir, January 17-March 9, 2025

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APPLAUSE

SIGHTLINE

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BY JANICE SINDEN

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VO LU M E X X XV • N U M B E R 5 • JA N - M A R 2 0 2 5

EDITOR: Suzanne Yoe DESIGN DIRECTOR: Kyle Malone DESIGNER: Brenda Elliott CONTRIBUTING DESIGNERS: Paul Koob, Lucas Kreitler CONTRIBUTING WRITERS: Misha Berson, Lisa Bornstein, Emma Holst, Joanne Ostrow

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Welcome! We are delighted that you are joining us for Back to the Future: The Musical, our 19th annual Colorado New Play Summit, and the debuts of the never-before-seen The Reservoir and The Suffragette’s Murder.

This time of year is especially exciting as we welcome representatives of the American theatre to our New Play Summit featuring two fully produced world premieres complemented by four readings of works in development.

Those in our industry know all too well that many of the bastions of new works have suffered in the wake of COVID, which is all the more reason to celebrate the continuation of our own Colorado New Play Summit.

Without widespread commitment to new works, audiences would have never seen Hamilton, The Book of Will or even a transfer from film-to-stage of an immensely popular title like Back to the Future (see pages 12-13).

Every new production takes a great idea, a committed playwright, a theatre willing to take a risk, and steadfast patrons who believe in creating stories for new generations.

We are grateful for those sponsors who make our new play development program possible: Summit sponsors the PettiboneGraham Family, SCFD, Semple Brown Architects, and Robert & Carole Slosky. Additionally, we applaud those who support our world premieres: Chevron, the Edgerton Foundation, Katie Fox, Philip & Marcie Munishor, Robert & Judi Newman, Susan Fox & Ted Pinkowitz, Martin & Jo Semple, and June Travis.

And, of course, we are immensely appreciative of your presence. You are the soul of our story and the lifeblood of our legacy. Enjoy the show!

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.

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IN THIS ISSUE The Suffragette’s Murder ..........pg 10 Back to the Future: The Musical....................................... pg 12 The Reservoir ..................................pg 14

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FOR A COMPLETE LIST OF UPCOMING SHOWS:

APPLAUSE • JAN – MAR 2025 • 303.893.4100 • DENVERCENTER.ORG

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MORE INFORMATION: denvercenter.org/special-events Megan Stewart • mstewart@dcpa.org • 303.446.4821

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DCPA EDUCATION

PREPPING STUDENTS FOR CAREERS IN THEATRE

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BY S U Z A N N E YO E

In Sunset Boulevard, former silent-film star Norma Desmond says: “I’m ready for my close-up.” But exactly what does it take to get ready for your close-up, your audition, or your first big role?

The Denver Center for the Performing Arts offers a variety of educational programs from classes on acting, voiceover, and movement to in-school programs including playwrighting and musical theatre. Here are some recent DCPA Education students who have stepped into the spotlight.

JAKE BRASCH In January, Jake Brasch will see his first play, The Reservoir, produced as a three-city co-production. Brasch got his start in DCPA Education’s acting classes both as a student and later as a teacher’s assistant, appeared in A Christmas Carol, graduated from Denver School for the Arts and Tisch School of the Arts (NY), and completed Julliard with his Master’s degree.

ANDY DUS Long-time DCPA Education acting student Andy Dus “graduated” to acting in local theatre productions with Cherry Creek Theatre, Curious New Voices and many others before heading to the big screen in All Men are Wicked. He’s just been cast in his yet-to-beannounced second film.

ABIGAIL BROOKS LEHRER Abigail Brooks Lehrer received the DCPA’s 2018 Bobby G High School Musical Theatre Award for Outstanding Actress. After high school, she attended The Institute for American Musical Theatre and made a name for herself as a performer on TikTok, which secured her spot on “American Idol Season 20.”

RYAN OMAR STACK Ryan Omar Stack moved to Denver in 2010 to pursue a career in business, but needed a creative outlet. He took the DCPA’s adult acting classes for two years before appearing with Benchmark Theatre, Arvada Center, Colorado Shakespeare Festival, Local Theater Company and Denver Center Theatre Company.

VARIOUS A full roster of DCPA Education acting students joined DCPA Head of Acting, Timothy McCracken, in the SAG film short Burning the Old Man (Danny Mann, Lisa Collins and Jenny Eaves) and the 2023 film Publish or Perish (Mia Park).

DCPA Education connects with nearly 140,000 students each year through on-site classes and in-school programs. Learn more at denvercenter.org/education.

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THE SUFFRAGETTE’S MURDER: A MYSTERY AND MORE Illustration by Kyle Malone

BY MISHA BERSON

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The year is 1857. The locale is a boardinghouse on the Lower East Side of Manhattan. It’s a homey dwelling, run by an upstanding middle-aged couple. But behind its unremarkable façade lies a den of activists engaged in the fight for women’s suffrage — in an America where only men of property have the right to vote.

This is the vivid setting of Sandy Rustin’s The Suffragette’s Murder, now having its world premiere at Denver Center Theatre Company. In 2023, the serio-comic play had a public reading in the Company’s Colorado New Play Summit, and then was picked for the mainstage — an opportunity Rustin relished.

“Denver Center is an amazing place, very much committed to producing new work,” says Rustin, a veteran of Broadway who turned her hand to playwriting while raising her two sons. That career move has been quite a success.

Clue, her crowd-pleasing adaptation of a film based on the perennial whodunit board game, has kept audiences pondering whether Mr. Mustard committed murder in the library with the wrench, or Mrs. Peacock did the deed in the study with a knife. The play has been widely produced among regional theatres and now has an ongoing national tour.

The Suffragette’s Murder also involves a mystery. But the play is a mélange of antic comedy, serious drama, and fascinating history too. And it delves into a topic that has been top of mind in recent times for women theater artists — most notably the creators of Suffs, a dark horse, 2024 Tony Award-winning Broadway musical about the long, hard fight to win the vote.

Rustin’s interest in crafting her own play on the subject was triggered by an intriguing assignment. “I

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was invited by Florida Studio Theatre in Sarasota to be a playwright in residence,” she says. For the Suffragist Project, a centennial celebration of the ratification of the 19th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, which grants women the right to vote, “the theater commissioned four playwrights to write plays on the theme of suffrage,” explains Rustin. “So first I took myself to the library and did a whole lot of research.”

She became interested in the turbulent, pre-Civil War period in the mid-19th Century, around the time a landmark conference was held in Seneca Falls, N.Y., with the intention “to discuss the social, civil, and religious condition and rights of women.” The 1848 conclave effectively launched the U.S. movement to obtain the vote for women, a goal not achieved for more than half a century.

One particular account of life in that era sparked Rustin’s imagination. “I found this wonderful book from 1858, The Physiology of New York Boarding-Houses by Thomas Butler Gunn. There was a chapter on vegetarian boardinghouses. And in my play vegetarianism became a euphemism for people requiring a safe haven.”

The boardinghouse she concocted is run by Alma and Albert Mayhew, and populated with a diverse set of characters ostensibly sympathetic to the cause — though some have secret agendas of their own.

Says Rustin, “I developed who would be living in the house first and how their stories would intertwine. Then I just got to it. Often, it’s in the actual writing that I discover the plot and find my way to the mystery.”

Folding a mystery into the play was a natural for Rustin.

As a child she was a fan of the Encyclopedia Brown mystery books, and while developing her script for Clue, she reveals, “I became a nut for Agatha Christie, her life,

APPLAUSE • JAN – MAR 2025 • 303.893.4100 • DENVERCENTER.ORG

and her mysteries.” (Along with her famous whodunit novels, Christie penned plays, like the long running The Mousetrap.)

“I think it’s fun as an audience member to have an activity while you watch a play run the gamut of emotions,” claims Rustin. “In a mystery you become an active participant, because you’re trying to figure out something for yourself. That’s unique to the genre. And it’s a wonderful challenge as a writer, because you have to keep the audience in mind at all times.”

Rustin is also drawn to farce. “I love physical comedy, so the text of this play is deeply tied to the physicality. I have another play, The Cottage, a feminst farce set in 1923 in the British countryside. I thought it would be fun to write one in a similar style in a different period and place, focusing on feminism in a different way.”

In a mystery you become an active participant, because you’re trying to figure out something for yourself.…

And it’s a wonderful challenge as a writer, because you have to keep the audience in mind at all times.

— SANDY RUSTIN, PLAYWRIGHT

While the Mayhews and their cohorts humorously attempt to pull off a pseudo-séance and a bold act of political protest while not blowing their covers, The Suffragette’s Murder also reflects on the lives of people on the fringes of mainstream society.

One boarder is a young Irishman, part of a wave of Irish and other immigrants thronging to America. Also on hand are a spunky young woman, pregnant and unmarried, and her protective mother. And suspicious of everyone in the household is a constable investigating the disappearance of one of the inhabitants.

To the still-resonant, overlapping themes of inequality, Rustin has added what she calls “a spoonful of sugar” — humorous repartee, knockabout shenanigans, and a plot with some genuinely surprising twists and turns.

For the world premiere production of The Suffragette’s Murder, Denver Center Theatre Company welcomed Rustin’s direct involvement.

“I’ve been happily engaged in selecting a director, talking with the dramaturg,” she reports. “And I’ll be in Denver through the rehearsal process right through to the opening.”

In fact, it’s no mystery that Rustin may be doing some more script tweaking as the play heads into its first run. She says with a laugh, “It’s a work in progress all the way up to opening night.”

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THE SUFFRAGETTE’S MURDER FEB 7 – MAR 9 • KILSTROM THEATRE

ASL Interpreted and Audio Described performance: Feb 16 at 1:30pm Stay for a Post-show Discussion: Feb 19 & Mar 5

READ THE FULL ARTICLE

GREAT SCOTT!

Back to the Future: The Musical Takes Flight Back to the Future.

Future Don Stephenson and Caden Brauch.

Photo by Matthew Murphy and Evan Zimmerman.

BY LISA BORNSTEIN

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This much they knew: the DeLorean would have to fly.

As screenwriters Bob Gale and Robert Zemeckis contemplated bringing their beloved 1985 film, Back to the Future, to the stage, they were aware that not everything would transfer. Audiences in 2024 wouldn’t have the same appetite for the terrorists pursuing Doc, for example, and the skateboard chase felt too dangerous onstage. But the DeLorean? A non-negotiable.

“One of the things that we started off thinking about is there are certain touchstones of the movie that people would not even bother with if we didn’t have the DeLorean,” Gale says. “We knew we had to make the car fly. That just had to happen.”

Back to the Future, now lauded as a sci-fi classic, catapulted Michael J. Fox to next-level stardom as the teenager Marty McFly, who is jolted back to the 1950s with the wild-haired scientist Doc Brown (Christopher Lloyd), where he must make sure his parents fall in love, thereby ensuring his birth.

The musical did not move quite as fast as Doc’s timetraveling sports car. In 2005, Zemeckis and his wife, Leslie, were in New York catching some theater when they saw The Producers, the record-breaking 2001 musical based on a more than 20-year-old film. “They came out very impressed, very giddy, and Leslie turns to Robert and says, you know what would make a good musical?”

“We really started working on it in earnest in February 2006,” Gale continues. “The first person we called was [composer] Alan Silvestri because if you want the musical to sound like Back to the Future, you hire the guy who made Back to the Future sound like Back to the Future.”

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Gale took on the task of writing the book for the musical, and to collaborate with Silvestri, they brought in Glen Ballard, the co-writer of Alanis Morisette’s Jagged Little Pill, and Silvestri’s collaborator on the Zemeckis film Polar Express. The four of them began meeting at Zemeckis’s office in Carpinteria, California. The quartet worked beautifully. So what took nearly 20 years to get the musical on stage?

Surprisingly, finding a theatrical producer. Even with a solid gold property like Back to the Future, it wasn’t an easy sell.

“The thing about doing a Broadway musical is that it’s kind of a tight, closed fraternity, and we would keep getting, ‘Well, why do you think you guys could do this?

You’ve never done a musical before.’ And we’d say ‘Well, yeah, we haven’t done a musical before, but we have done Back to the Future before.”

Another producer was daunted by the technical challenges, saying he didn’t want to work that hard. Others wanted to take control of the production, but Zemeckis and Gale, who owned the theatrical rights, weren’t about to let go of the title.

“Finally in about 2012, Glen Ballard got hired to work on a musical based on the movie Ghost with [the Eurythmics’] Dave Stewart, and the producer of that show, Colin Ingram, turns out he was a huge Back to the Future fan. Colin just went crazy for the idea. He had exactly the right energy, the right attitude.”

He also said, “Why wouldn’t I want you guys to be the creative force on this, because you guys know Back better than anyone,” Gale recalls.

APPLAUSE • JAN – MAR 2025 • 303.893.4100 • DENVERCENTER.ORG

Back to the Future. Caden Brauch and Company.

Photo by Matthew Murphy and Evan Zimmerman.

Gale grew up in St. Louis, the son of musical theater fans, and that Midwestern decency shines through after decades in Hollywood.

His mother and grandfather were professional violinists, and Gale remembers going to shows at the Muny, where his grandfather would be playing in the orchestra of the beloved outdoor theater. Gale grew up on the mid-century classics: Rodgers and Hammerstein, My Fair Lady, Guys and Dolls.

“Those were the musicals that gave me the understanding of the form, the Golden Age stuff,” he says. “That was what we wanted to do with Back to the Future, take the way that they used to do musicals and jazz it up with technology, but the core of it is going to be the human core that we grew up with.”

Gale took on writing the book for the musical, and is credited as co-creator and producer with Zemeckis. The two became friends as film students at the University of Southern California. Their script for Back to the Future the movie was not seen as a sure thing; it was rejected 44 times. Only after Zemeckis had a hit with Romancing the Stone did the script get picked up.

UP NEXT FROM BROADWAY

LIFE OF PI

That was what we wanted to do with Back to the Future, take the way that they used to do musicals and jazz it up with technology, but the core of it is going to be the human core that we grew up with.

In addition to Silvestri and Ballard’s original songs written for the theater, the musical includes Chuck Berry’s “Johnny B. Goode” and,

by Huey Lewis and the News, the signature songs “The Power of Love” and “Back in Time.” For Gale, writing a musical moved him from fan to creator.

“There was always a lot of give and take between myself, between Alan, Glen, and between [director] John Rando,” Gale says. “He said, ‘If there’s a really important piece of exposition, you have to have it in dialogue. You can’t put it in the song. The audience is not going to remember the lyrics of a song. John Rando, he’s a walking encyclopedia of musical theater and I got the best education just by working with him.”

Back to the Future: The Musical opened in London in 2021 and began its Broadway run at the Winter Garden in August of 2023. As of the Applause publication date, it was slated to close on Broadway January 5. In addition to the U.S. tour, the show is slated for Japan, Germany and Australia, as well as Royal Caribbean cruise lines.

“If you’re a parent, you can bring your kids,” Gale says with a chuckle.

“If you’re a kid, you can bring your parents.”

BACK TO THE FUTURE: THE MUSICAL JAN 22 – FEB 9 • BUELL THEATRE

ASL Interpreted, Audio Described, Open Captioned performance: Feb 2 at 2pm

LIFE OF PI - Hiran Abeysekera, Richard Parker (Fred Davis, Scarlet Wilderink, Andrew Wilson). Photo by Matthew Murphy & Evan Zimmerman for MurphyMade.

— BOB GALE, BOOK/CO-CREATOR/PRODUCER

Based on the best-selling novel, Life of Pi is an exquisite production that quickly became a worldwide phenomenon. Winner of three Tony Awards® and the Olivier Award for Best Play, the Broadway and West End sensation Life of Pi is “an exhilarating evening of theater” (The Wall Street Journal).

After a shipwreck in the Pacific Ocean, a 16-year-old boy named Pi survives on a lifeboat with four companions — a hyena, a zebra, an orangutan, and a Royal Bengal tiger.

Featuring breathtaking artistry, Life of Pi’s world-class puppets are representations of living, breathing animals on stage. The process begins with scores of research — observing their moves, sounds, emotional responses to different situations, and more.

Each puppet is formed from plastazote, a type of polyethylene foam.

Artisans carve the foam by hand into different shapes. Then, the animals are hand painted with lifelike colors, designs, and unique elements to make each puppet appear real.

Some of the larger animals are supported by structures such as metal spines to keep the animals intact while the limbs move. The puppets are worn by performers like backpacks or maneuvered by hand — the Royal Bengal tiger in particular uses both manipulations.

Experience these works of art in action when Life of Pi visits the Buell Theatre from March 18 – 30.

FINDING YOUR WAY THROUGH

THE RESER RESE RVOIR

Illustration by Kyle Malone.

BY JOANNE OSTROW

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The presentation of The Reservoir by the Denver Center Theatre Company marks a full-circle return for a Colorado playwright who grew up at this theater. Jake Brasch is coming home in multiple ways for the world premiere of The Reservoir, his deeply personal play about addiction, Alzheimer’s, and inter-generational connections, soon to be in production nationally.

The play is loosely based on his experience the year he moved home from New York to Denver during a time of need, and the support he got from surprising allies, notably his four distinctive grandparents.

After winning over audiences in a staged reading at the 2023 Colorado New Play Summit, The Reservoir was picked to be part of the Denver Center Theatre Company’s 2024/25 mainstage season.

In a remarkable first, the play will be launched in partnership with L.A.’s Geffen Playhouse and Atlanta’s Alliance Theatre, tremendously expanding its potential exposure in successive stagings.

“Everybody has been unbelievably supportive and programmed this play for the right reasons,” Brasch said. With three institutions involved, “there were a lot of logistical hurdles production-wise, but for me it’s just been amazing.

“It’s hugely cool and kind of unprecedented and I feel so grateful.”

The play’s overlay of humor makes the tough subject matter easier to absorb. It’s a painfully revealing semiautobiographical work that ends up being a love letter to family.

“Yes, it’s revealing, but about people finding joy in spite of hardship. That’s my family currency, humor is everything. If we’re laughing, we’re good.”

The tension between the difficult emotional moments and the laugh-out-loud humor keeps the tone crisp.

“As a play about difficult stuff, it fights really hard to remain a comedy,” he said. Ultimately, he figures, if people leave with questions, the play has done its job.

Denver audiences will appreciate the many local references in the show — from the Cherry Creek Reservoir to Colfax Ave. to the unnamed Tattered Cover bookstore. The landmarks pack extra meaning here, but that shouldn’t lessen the impact for viewers elsewhere. “The specific is universal,” Brasch said. “I can’t tell you how many people come up to me after hearing this play and say it reminds them of their family whose background is completely different.”

Brasch has been working on The Reservoir since 2020. The title refers both to the physical reservoir, where Josh, the protagonist, wakes up after a drunken blackout, and to the scientific idea of “cognitive reserve,” which Brasch calls “the umbrella over the play.” All the tricks seniors are told to do — crossword puzzles, exercise, taking a different route home — to build brain power to stave off senility, those things do work for a while, he said.

APPLAUSE • JAN – MAR 2025 • 303.893.4100 • DENVERCENTER.ORG

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1

I NT

Yes, The Reservoir is revealing, but about people finding joy in spite of hardship. That’s my family currency, humor is everything. If we’re laughing, we’re good.

CORE VALUES.

SUST AIN

“Oh, my grandma was so methodical about her calendar, curiosity, exercise…looking back, when she did slip, it was a shockingly quick slip.

Six to eight months.”

As always, the theater provides a place to grapple with big questions.

“Since I was an infant, my whole world was theater,” Brasch said.

He performed in the Denver Center’s A Christmas Carol at age 11, is a graduate of Denver School of the Arts, and a veteran of Curious Theatre’s acclaimed New Voices youth playwriting program.

In his online biography, Brasch identifies as “a queer, sober, Jewish clown from Colorado and a recent graduate from the playwriting program at The Juilliard School.” While he spent years working as a kids’ birthday party clown, he’s relieved to be retired from that avocation.

(He’s never letting go of the great picture that advertised his services.)

He plans to stay active in theater even as he teases the idea of venturing into TV or film.

“I think this [play] could be a great film; it would be very different.”

Unlike some playwrights who struggle with the shared creative energy required of a Hollywood writers’ room, Brasch claims he finds the idea of working collaboratively appealing. “Not to have to be the person with the answers,” he said.

Looking forward, this will be an exciting year as his play rolls out around the country. But Brasch has learned the hard way to embrace uncertainty as an essential element of living.

“Something recovery has taught me: whatever I think is going to happen, I’m usually wrong. That can be crushing. But ultimately what The Reservoir is about is that you should not be trying to figure everything out as you’re moving through it. You’re inevitably going to be wrong.”

It’s about going with the flow or stepping aside to understand what’s possible.

“When I was hitting the same wall over and over again, it was hard to imagine I’d ever break through it,” he said. “Turns out, I wasn’t supposed to break through; I was supposed to turn right.”

CREATIVITY

1. BELONGING

We build a respectful and empathetic culture through our active commitment to equity, diversity, inclusion and accessibility.

2. COLLABORATION

We produce our best possible work together by engaging people with diverse perspectives, lived experiences and talents around our shared goals.

3. COMMUNITY

We cultivate open, responsive, affirming relationships and partnerships for a greater collective impact.

4. CREATIVITY

We embrace innovation and imagination in our daily work to advance our mission.

5. INTEGRITY

We act responsibly, with honesty, accountability and transparency.

6. SUSTAINABILITY

We prioritize the wellbeing of our team, our finances and the environment to ensure our thriving future.

THE RESERVOIR

JAN 17 – MAR 9 • SINGLETON THEATRE ASL Interpreted and Audio Described performance: Feb 9 at 1:30pm Stay for a post-show discussion: Feb 12, 18 & 20

Learn more about what drives the DCPA, and where we’re going, at denvercenter.org/plan

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In Partnership with the Alliance Theatre and Geffen Playhouse presents

THE RESERVOIR BY

Jake Brasch

With Joyce Cohen, Diana Dresser, Mark Kincaid, Rodney Lizcano, Vanessa Lock, Liam McKenna, Leslie O’Carroll, Mark Rubald, Philip Schneider, Peter Van Wagner, Lori Wilner Stage Managers: Liz Campbell, Corin Davidson SCENIC DESIGN BY Takeshi Kata

COSTUME DESIGN BY Sara Ryung Clement

DRAMATURGY BY Olivia O’Connor

LIGHTING DESIGN BY Jeanette Oi-Suk Yew

CASTING BY Grady Soapes, CSA Jody Feldman Phyllis Schuringa, CSA Tara Rubin Casting Claire Burke, CSA

ORIGINAL MUSIC AND SOUND DESIGN BY Michael Costagliola

PRODUCTION MANAGEMENT BY Matthew Campbell

DIRECTED BY

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

THE SINGLETON THEATRE • JAN 17 – MAR 9, 2025 The Reservoir was originally produced and featured at the 2023 Colorado New Play Summit at the Denver Center Theatre Company, Chris Coleman, Artistic Director.

Originally commissioned and developed by The Ensemble Studio Theatre/Alfred P. Sloan Foundation Science & Technology Project.

Recipient of the Edgerton Foundation New Play Award.

Recipient of Social Impact Theatre Grant from The Sheri and Les Biller Family Foundation.

PREMIERE SPONSOR

SPOTLIGHT SPONSORS KATIE

SUSAN FOX

FOX

PINKOWITZ

KATIE

TED

FOX

&

PINKOWITZ SUSAN FOX

PINKOWITZ &

TED

PINKOWITZ

MARTIN & JO

SUSAN FOX PINKOWITZ SEMPLE & TED PINKOWITZ MARTIN & JO

SEMPLE

SUSAN FOX PINKOWITZ & TED PINKOWITZ

SEASON SPONSORS

THE RESERVOIR

Chris Coleman, Artistic Director Charles Varin, Managing Director

THE RESERVOIR

CAST

(In order of appearance)

Josh................................................................................................................................................................................. Philip Schneider Patricia/Others................................................................................................................................................................Vanessa Lock Hugo/Others............................................................................................................................................................... Rodney Lizcano Irene.......................................................................................................................................................................................Joyce Cohen Bev..............................................................................................................................................................................................Lori Wilner Shrimpy.....................................................................................................................................................................Peter Van Wagner Hank.......................................................................................................................................................................................Mark Kincaid Patricia Understudy......................................................................................................................................................Diana Dresser Josh/Hugo Understudy............................................................................................................................................ Liam McKenna Bev/Irene Understudy.............................................................................................................................................. Leslie O’Carroll Shrimpy/Hank Understudy..........................................................................................................................................Mark Rubald SETTING 2013-2015. Denver, CO. THE RESERVOIR will be performed with a 15-minute intermission.

Assistant Director................................................................................................................................................................ Zoe Lesser Associate Sound Designer............................................................................................................................................. Jake Eisner Torah Consultant................................................................................................................................................................Akiva Potok Stage Manager.................................................................................................................................................................Liz Campbell Assistant Stage Manager........................................................................................................................................Corin Davidson Stage Management Apprentice............................................................................................................................Anna Cordova 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 (In order of appearance) PHILLIP SCHNEIDER (Josh) is grateful to be telling a Jewish story in his equity theatre debut. He plays Bobby Gilmore in the upcoming Happy Gilmore sequel. This performance is dedicated to Grandma Bunny, Grandpa Jack, Grandma Ducks, and Grandpa Phil. @philipfineschneider VANESSA LOCK (Patricia/Others) (She/Her) is a Washington DC-based actress and director and is thrilled to be making her debut at the DCPA. Regional: Heroes of the Fourth Turning (Cherry Arts, Inc), God of Carnage (The Cape Playhouse/Signature Theatre), The Wolves (NextStop Theatre). TV/Film: Lock In, A Haunting in Connecticut,

“The Pretender,” “Two of a Kind,” “Caroline in the City,” “Mad About You.” Theatre Arts Director at Oakton High School in Virgina for 15 years, and the recipient of the 2023 Inspirational Teacher Award presented by the Broadway Jimmy Awards.

Education: BFA Theatre, Ithaca College. SAG-AFTRA, AEA. vanessalock.com.

RODNEY LIZCANO (Hugo/Others) (He/They/El). At the DCPA: (22 seasons) The Book of Will (world premiere), American Mariachi (world premiere), Twelfth Night, Much Ado About Nothing, The Constant Wife, Frankenstein, Hamlet, American Night, Merchant of Venice, Spinning Into Butter, Inna Beginning, The Tempest, Gross Indecency, The Rivals, The Winter’s Tale, and A Christmas Carol. Other theaters: Utah Shakespeare Festival, Colorado Shakespeare Festival, Orlando Shakespeare Theater, The Old Globe, BETC, and Arvada Center. TV/Film:

Silver City directed by independent film maker John Sayles and “Stage Struck” on Bravo. Training: Southern Methodist University (BFA), National Theatre Conservatory (MFA).

JOYCE COHEN (Irene). At the DCPA: Benediction (Henry Award nominee).

Broadway: Once A Catholic. OffBroadway: Keen Theatre Company, Life Jacket, The HERE Theatre, The Mint Theater Company, Playwrights Horizons, The Westside Arts. Five decades of productions at regional theatres across the country. TV/Film: Independence Day, High School Musical, SLC Punk, Read It and Weep, A Picture Perfect Holiday, Christmas Under Wraps, Broadcasting Christmas, Unabomber: The True Story, The President’s Child, “Everwood,” “Touched by an Angel,” “Archie Bunker’s Place.” Sundance Institute Playwright’s and Film Labs. Festival of New Theatre (Geva Theatre Center), Colorado New Play Summit (DCPA),

LORI WILNER (Bev).

Broadway: Prayer for the French Republic, Pictures from Home, Fiddler on the Roof (2005 and 2015), The Assembled Parties, A Catered Affair, On a Clear Day…, The Diary of Anne Frank, Domesticated, Beautiful, Awake and Sing!, People in the Picture, Those Were the Days, and Everett Beekin.

Off-Broadway/Regional: Hannah Senesh (Drama Desk nomination), Milk and Honey, Cabaret, Giant, Broadway Bound, Relativity, Indecent, Other Desert Cities, Lost in Yonkers, Sisters Rosensweig, The Foreigner, The Immigrant, and more. TV/Film: “Succession,” “New Amsterdam,” “Grave Matters,” “Poker Face,” Second Guessing Grandma, Gebürtig, Wagners Jews, Do Nothings, The Eighth Day, Your Lips Never Left Mine.

PETER VAN WAGNER (Shrimpy).

At the DCPA: Choir Boy, Eliot Ness…in Cleveland. Broadway: Grand Horizons, A Thousand Clowns.

Off-Broadway: This Beautiful Future (Cherry Lane); Othello (Delacorte); So Help Me God (Lucille Lortel); and Letters from Cuba (Signature).

Regional: Prayer For the French Republic (Huntington); Grand Horizons (Asolo); Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom (Two River); The Cherry Orchard (Yale Rep); My Fair Lady, Mrs. Warren’s Profession (Alliance); Fiddler on the Roof (The Muny); On the Twentieth Century (Goodspeed). TV/ Film: “Exhibiting Forgiveness,” “The Post,” “Tower Heist,” “Annie,” “Arthur,” “Law & Order,” “Boardwalk Empire,” “The Good Wife,” “Rescue Me.” SAG Award for “Boardwalk Empire.”

MARK KINCAID (Hank) has been a professional actor for over 40 years.

For the last 28 years, he has made Atlanta home. There, his work has been seen on the stages of The Alliance Theatre, Georgia Shakespeare Festival, Theatrical Outfit, Actor’s Express, Theater Emory, Georgia Ensemble Theatre.

Nationally, he has worked at The Old Globe Theatre, The McCarter Theatre, Merrimac Repertory Theatre, among others. For seven years he was a company member with The North Carolina Shakespeare Festival and twice toured the country with John Houseman’s The Acting Company.

TV: “Your Worst Nightmare,” “Class of ‘09,” and “The Righteous Gemstones.”

DIANA DRESSER (Patricia Understudy) (She/ Her). At the DCPA: Elephant & Piggie’s “We Are in a Play!”

(Choreographer), Emma, A Little Night Music (Assistant Director), Anna Karenina, Sweet & Lucky, The Wild Party, All the Way, Jackie and Me, The Giver, and Girls Only. Other credits include: Ten Myths... (Buntport Theater); The Book Club Play, Our Town (Arvada Center); The Sound Inside, Frozen (Curious Theatre); Tiny Beautiful Things (BETC); The Underpants, It’s a Wonderful Life (Theatre Aspen); Hunchback of Notre Dame, Honeymoon China (Theatre de la Jeune Lune); and close to 50 productions at Creede Repertory Theatre. Film: Remembering Us, Searching for Fortune, What We’ve Become and Juncture.

LIAM MCKENNA (Josh/Hugo Understudy) (He/ Him) is a graduate of The Juilliard School, Group 49. Regional: Testament (Saratoga Shakespeare Company). TV/Film: Ultraviolence, “FBI: Most Wanted” (CBS). 1022m/Clear Talent Group @liamwmckenna LESLIE O’CARROLL (Bev/Irene Understudy). At the DCPA: 24 seasons.

Favorites include: A Doll’s House, A Doll’s House Part 2, The Whistleblower, A Christmas Carol, Benediction, When We Are Married, Eventide, Plainsong. Other theatres: Noises Off, Beautiful, Into the Woods, Tartuffe (Arvada); One Man Two Guvnors, Midsummer, As You Like It, You Can’t Take It With You (Colorado Shakespeare Festival); POTUS, The Secretary, Good People (Curious);

Pride & Prejudice, Silent Sky (BETC); The Half-Life of Marie Curie, Much Ado About Nothing, Grapes of Wrath (Theatreworks). TV/ Film: “Breaking Bad,” “Longmire,” Footloose.

Awards/Training: Best of Westword, The Denver Post Ovation Award; MFA, NTC. MARK RUBALD (Shrimpy/Hank Understudy).

At the DCPA: Hamlet, Arcadia, Man of the Moment, A Christmas Carol, Lonesome West, John Brown’s Body, Comedy of Errors, Servant of Two Masters, Taming of the Shrew, The Imaginary Invalid, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Room Service, Sideman, and others. He has also worked at the Arvada Center, Theatreworks, Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center, SilCo Theatre, Colorado Shakespeare Festival, Lone Tree Arts Center, Aurora Fox, Boulder Ensemble Theatre Company, Central City Opera, Snowmass Repertory Theatre, Santa Fe Shakespeare, Lizard Head Theatre, NYSAF Theatre Company in Poughkeepsie, New York, and The Old Globe in San Diego. Training: BA, UNC. PLAYWRIGHT JAKE BRASCH (He/They) is a proud Denver native and a recent graduate of The Juilliard School. The Reservoir marks his professional playwriting debut. Jake is the inaugural recipient of the Terrence McNally Recovery Commission and the winner of The Vineyard Theatre’s Paula Vogel Award. He graduated from the Page 73 Writers Group and Youngblood at The Ensemble Studio Theatre. Jake is developing work with Alliance Theatre, Geffen Playhouse, Manhattan Theatre Club, The Acting Company, Farm Theater, and EST/Sloan Project.

Jake has three brothers, 14 pairs of glasses, and lives in Brooklyn with his brilliant husband Tyler. BFA: NYU Tisch. Jakebrasch.com.

DIRECTOR SHELLEY BUTLER has worked extensively with writers on new plays and musicals at theaters across the country and has over 40 Broadway, Off-Broadway, and regional credits to date. Notable productions include: the world premiere of Lucas Hnath’s A Doll’s House Part 2 at South Coast Repertory, the world premiere of Kate

THE RESERVOIR

Cleveland Playhouse: New Ground Theatre Festival.

THE RESERVOIR

Hamill’s The Scarlet Letter for Two River Theater, and The Constant Wife

by William Somerset Maugham for the Denver Center Theatre Company.

Shelley spent two seasons as artistic associate in charge of new play development for Hartford Stage, three seasons as artistic associate for Great Lakes Theater Festival and currently serves as Artistic Director for the newly created South Carolina New Play Festival. Learn more at shelleybutler.com CREATIVE TEAM CLAIRE BURKE, CSA and TARA RUBIN CASTING (Casting). Selected Broadway/Tours: BOOP! The Musical (upcoming), Stephen Sondheim’s Old Friends (upcoming), Buena Vista Social Club (upcoming), Death Becomes Her, Left on Tenth, The Wiz, The Heart of Rock & Roll, The Who’s Tommy, The Outsiders, Water for Elephants, Back To The Future, Here Lies Love, Bad Cinderella, Bob Fosse’s Dancin’, KPOP, Mr. Saturday Night, SIX, Ain’t Too Proud, The Band’s Visit, Miss Saigon, Dear Evan Hansen, Cats, School of Rock, Aladdin, Billy Elliot, The Producers, Mamma Mia!, Jersey Boys, Les Misérables, The Phantom of the Opera. Selected Off-Broadway: Dead Outlaw, Buena Vista Social Club, Gardens of Anuncia, Sing Street.

Regional: Paper Mill Playhouse, Yale Repertory Theatre, The Huntington, Alliance Theatre, Asolo Rep, La Jolla Playhouse, The Old Globe. Film: Here Today.

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. Matthew was 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. He 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.

SARA RYUNG CLEMENT (Costume Designer) (She/Her). Off-Broadway: Golden Shield (MTC); Somebody’s

Daughter (Second Stage Uptown); Fruiting Bodies (Ma-Yi). Regional: A Doll’s House Part 2 and Cambodian Rock Band (World Premiere, South Coast Repertory - Costumes); Fake It Until You Make It (Mark Taper/ Arena Stage - Scenic). Other regional credits include: Boston Lyric Opera, Guthrie Theater, Portland Center Stage, Alley Theatre, Denver Center, Geffen Playhouse, Asolo Repertory, Folger Theatre, Pasadena Playhouse, Dallas Theatre Center, Seattle Repertory, Actors Theatre of Louisville, and others. Education: MFA, Yale School of Drama; AB Princeton University. Set design faculty at University of Minnesota, Twin Cities. sararyungclement.com MICHAEL COSTAGLIOLA (Sound Designer and Composer) is a New York-based sound designer and composer. His work has been heard in NY in productions by The Public, New York Theatre Workshop, Playwrights Horizons, La MaMa, The Shed, Rattlestick, Little Island, Ars Nova, and Page 73, among others, as well as regionally at the Guthrie, Shakespeare Theatre Company, Two River Theater, Yale Rep, St. Louis Rep, Alabama Shakespeare Festival, and at various other theaters across the U.S. and abroad. AB in Music from Brown University, MFA in Sound Design from Yale School of Drama.

JODY FELDMAN (Casting) started her career at the Alliance Theatre as casting director in 1991 and added producer to her title and responsibilities in 2001. She has cast and produced more than 250 productions at the Alliance, encompassing a range of world premieres that include The Last Night of Ballyhoo by Alfred Uhry, Blues for An Alabama Sky by Pearl Cleage, The Geller Girls by Janece Shaffer, In the Red and Brown Water by Tarell Alvin McCraney, more than 20 years of Kendeda National Graduate Playwriting Competition-winning plays, such world and regional premiere musicals as Aida; The Color Purple; Sister Act: The Musical; Bring It On: The Musical; Tuck Everlasting; Ghost Brothers of Darkland County; Harmony, A New Musical; The Prom; Trading Places; and exciting new plays developed specifically for children and families, which is integral to the expansion of audience and mission for the Alliance. Jody is most proud of the thriving Alliance community engagement and partnerships that recognize theatrical work as a catalyst

for civic conversation and connection.

TAKESHI KATA (Scenic Designer).

At the DCPA: The Constant Wife (Directed by Shelley Butler).

Broadway: Water for Elephants (Tony nominated); Prayer for the French Republic, Clyde’s (Drama Desk); Derren Brown’s Secret.

Off-Broadway: Atlantic, NYTW, Playwrights, Public, Rattlestick, Second Stage, Signature, Vineyard, among others. Other Projects: La Bohème (Opera Theatre of St. Louis), Until the Flood (Shaubühne, Berlin), and Bug (Steppenwolf). Recipient of Michael Merrit, Drama Desk, Obie, Jeff, and Suzi Bass Awards. Associate Professor, University of Southern California, School of Dramatic Arts.

OLIVIA O’CONNOR (Dramaturg) (She/Her) is currently the Literary Manager and Dramaturg at Geffen Playhouse. Her previous creative development experience includes staff positions at Pittsburgh CLO (Manager of New Work Development) and Roundabout Theatre Company (Artistic Associate), as well as dramaturgy and selection committee work with the Ojai Playwrights Conference, City Theatre Company, Pittsburgh Public Theater, Bricolage Production Company, The Flea Theater, the National Alliance for Musical Theatre, and the 5th Avenue Theatre. Oliviaannoconnor.com.

PHYLLIS SCHURINGA, CSA (Casting) (She/Her) is an Artistic Associate and the Casting Director for Geffen Playhouse. Recent productions include: The Inheritance: Part 1 & Part 2 (Artios Award), Every Brilliant Thing, The Power of Sail, Witch, and Barbecue. Before joining the Geffen, she cast for Steppenwolf Theater Company in Chicago where her favorites include Frank Galati’s adaptation of The Grapes of Wrath (also La Jolla Playhouse, National Theatre in London, and Broadway, where it received the Tony Award for Best Play) and the original production of Steve Martin’s Picasso at the Lapin Agile. Broadway transfers include One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest (Tony Award for Best Revival), The Song of Jacob Zulu, and The Rise and Fall of Little Voice.

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 50 DCPA productions including Rattlesnake Kate, Theater of the Mind, The

JEANETTE OI-SUK YEW (Lighting Designer) is an award-winning designer for theatre, dance, opera, musicals, music performances and immersive installation. New York Times described her designs as “clever” and “inventive.” Broadway: Kimberly Akimbo, The Thanksgiving Play. Off-Broadway: The Blood Quilt (LCT); The Connector (MCC); Manahatta and cullud wattah (The Public); Golden Shield (MTC); The Nosebleed (LCT3); american (tele) visions (NYTW); Snow in Midsummer (CSC). DCPA: Theater of the Mind, Choir Boy, Vietgone, Smart People.

Regional: King Lear (Shakespeare Theatre Company), Macbeth in Stride (Yale Rep), WILD: A Musical Becoming (A.R.T.), Walden (Theaterworks).

Other: Oratorio for Living Things (Ars Nova); Life & Trust (Emursive). jeanetteyew.com ALLIANCE THEATRE. Founded in 1968, Alliance Theatre is the leading producing theater in the Southeast, reaching more than 165,000 patrons annually. The Alliance is led by Jennings Hertz Artistic Directors Tinashe Kajese-Bolden and Christopher Moses and Managing Director Mike Schleifer. The Alliance is a recipient of the Regional Theatre Tony Award® for sustained excellence in programming, education, and community engagement. In January 2019, the Alliance opened its new, state-of-the-art performance space, The Coca-Cola Stage at Alliance Theatre. Known for its high artistic standards and national role in creating significant theatrical works, the Alliance has premiered more than 135 productions including ten that have transferred to Broadway.

The Alliance education department reaches more than 90,000 students annually through performances, classes, camps, and in-school initiatives designed to support teachers and enhance student

learning. The Alliance Theatre values community, curiosity, collaboration, and excellence, and is dedicated to representing Atlanta’s diverse community with the stories we tell, the artists, staff, and leadership we employ, and audiences we serve. alliancetheatre.org GEFFEN PLAYHOUSE has been a hub of the Los Angeles theater scene since opening its doors in 1995. Noted for its intimacy and celebrated for its world-renowned mix of classic and contemporary plays, provocative new works and second productions, the not-for-profit organization continues to present a body of work that has garnered national recognition.

Named in honor of entertainment mogul and philanthropist David Geffen, who made the initial donation to the theater, the company was founded by Gilbert Cates and is currently helmed by Executive Director/CEO Gil Cates, Jr., Artistic Director Tarell Alvin McCraney and Board Chair Adi Greenberg. Proudly associated with UCLA, the Geffen welcomes an audience of more than 130,000 each year, and maintains extensive education and community engagement programs, designed to involve underserved young people and the community at large in the arts. geffenplayhouse.org STAGE MANAGEMENT LIZ CAMPBELL (Stage Manager) (She/Her) is excited to be working at the DCPA for the first time! She currently resides in Atlanta GA, where she has been Stage Managing for 20 years. Favorite credits include: A Christmas Carol, The Incredible Book Eating Boy, Naked Mole Rat Gets Dressed, The Wizard of Oz (Alliance Theatre); RENT, The Shining (The Atlanta Opera); The Drowsy Chaperone, Camelot, The World Goes ‘Round, Million Dollar Quartet, Spamalot, and Ragtime (Atlanta Lyric Theatre); In the Continuum (Synchronicity Theatre); The Book of Will and It’s a Wonderful Life (Theatrical Outfit). She holds a BFA in Theatre from Niagara University.

Member of AEA. CORIN DAVIDSON (Assistant Stage Manager) (She/Her). Over 15 productions at the DCPA including: I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter, Where Did We Sit on the Bus?, Rubicon, The Color Purple, Theater of the Mind, Choir Boy, Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?, Wildfire, twenty50, Indecent, Corduroy, The

Who’s Tommy, The Secret Garden, Sweeney Todd, Lookingglass Alice. At DCPA Cabaret: An Act of God. Other Theatres: Colorado Shakespeare Festival, Seven Devils Playwrights Conference, Milwaukee Chamber Theatre, Skylight Music Theatre, Renaissance Theatre Works, Milwaukee Repertory Theatre.

Training: BFA Stage Management, University of Wisconsin at Milwaukee.

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 Theater of the Mind, Sweet

THE RESERVOIR

Chinese Lady, The Who’s Tommy, and The Wild Party. Choreography credits include A Christmas Carol (3 seasons), Twelfth Night, Goodnight Moon, Anna Karenina, As You Like It, Drag Machine, Lord of the Butterflies, DragON (Denver Center); Natasha, Pierre and…, 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.

THE RESERVOIR

& 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: Andy Bruening, Lisa Ehrle, Sharon Millikan Hale, Kai Kramer, Loren Martin.

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

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 #TheReservoir Playwright: Jake Brasch @jakebrasch Director: Shelley Butler Scenic Designer: Takeshi Kata Costume Designer: Sara Ryung Clement @sararyung Lighting Designer: Jeanette Oi-Suk Yew @jeanetteyew Sound Designer and Composer: Michael Costagliola @stagss Dramaturg: Olivia O’Connor Casting: Grady Soapes, CSA @grayzvander, Jody Feldman, Phyllis Schuringa, CSA, and Claire Burke, CSA Photos and the video and/or audio recording during any part of the performance by any means whatsoever are strictly prohibited.

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 2023/24 season, the DCPA offered 908,685 engagements, generating a $193.4 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.

GO BEHIND THE SCENES Find out how costume designers, set builders, propmakers, and technical specialists create our shows from scratch.

BOOK NOW

Behind-the-Scenes Tours take place Mondays and Saturdays at 10am During these walking tours, you will experience recent updates to our storied performance spaces and discover the people and processes that bring theatre to life.

$12 • 90-minute guided tour

MAKE SHOWTIME A NIGHT ON THE TOWN! DRINK, DINE AND DELIGHT IN THE CULTURAL HUB OF DENVER. Consider joining one of the DCPA’s premium membership societies for an exclusive experience before and after the curtain rises.

BEST OF BROADWAY SOCIETY

For unforgettable evenings all Broadway season long, treat yourself to first-class dining and seats. Enjoy the best seats in the house, pre-show cocktails, dinner in Kevin Taylor’s at the Opera House and private intermission in the fabulous Wolf Room.

Contact: Marc Ravenhill • mravenhill@dcpa.org • 303.572.4594

DIRECTORS SOCIETY

Want the premium subscription experience at all of Denver Center Theatre Company’s subscription shows for you or your clients? Enjoy our most exclusive seating, fine dining pre-show in the Seawell Ballroom, post-show parties with artists and creatives, behind-the-scenes discussions, and more.

CORPORATE MEMBERSHIP DCPA Corporate Member nights help you enhance client relationships, make new connections, motivate employees, and improve your bottom line. In addition to insider ticketing and pre-show cocktails and dining for eight of our most popular shows each season, your company will receive brand recognition and exclusive perks for your employees.

Contact: Caitie Maxwell • cmaxwell@dcpa.org • 303.446.4840

Soara-Joye Ross in A Little Night Music. Photo by Amanda Tipton Photography

Contact: Marc Ravenhill • mravenhill@dcpa.org • 303.572.4594

We Fund Culture.

SCFD.org

EVERY PLAY HAS A STORY Visit the DCPA NewsCenter for in-depth coverage of the Colorado arts scene, bonus content from your favorite shows, and local tips for your next adventure downtown — all from nationally recognized writers.

LEARN MORE

denvercenter.org/news-center

“We didn’t know we were making memories, we were just having fun.” — A.A. Milne

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BROADWAY’S BRIGHTEST Join us in the spring and summer as we host Broadway’s finest shows. From beloved films to bestselling novels, these are the stories you love — live and in person.

2024/25 SEASON SHOWS

Now – May 4 Garner Galleria Theatre

Jun 4 – 15 Buell Theatre

Apr 8 – 26 Buell Theatre

Mar 18 – 30 Buell Theatre

Jul 8 – 20 Buell Theatre

& UPCOMING ADDED ATTRACTIONS Ready for more musicals? Mark your calendars for these larger-than-life productions, coming soon to the DCPA!

Feb 25 – Mar 2 Buell Theatre

April 1 The Ellie

May 2 – 4 Buell Theatre

May 6 – 18 Buell Theatre

Jun 25 – 29 Buell Theatre

Aug 5 – 10 Buell Theatre

GET TICKETS OFFICIAL TICKETS AT

denvercenter.org 303.893.4100

2024/25 BROADWAY SEASON SPONSORS

THEATRE ON YOUR TERMS 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 three or more with a Choose Your Own subscription or mix and match your shows with a 6-, 8-, or 10-pack of Power Passes.

BIGHEARTEDNESS, UP CLOSE

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JAN 17 – MAR 9 • WORLD PREMIERE

FEB 7 – MAR 9 • WORLD PREMIERE

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APR 11 – MAY 25

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OFFICIAL TICKETS AT

denvercenter.org/theatrecompany 303.893.4100 SEASON SPONSOR:

ADDITIONAL SUPPORT:

JOIN THE DISCUSSION Full Weekend Packages and A La Carte Tickets Available

NEW VOICES. NEW PERSPECTIVES.

MAR 1 & 2 Helen Bonfils Theatre Complex

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DENVERCENTER.ORG/MONOPOLY DCPA Off-Center at Broadway Park® | 407 S Broadway OFF-CENTER SPONSOR:

ADDITIONAL SUPPORT:

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PROUD MEDIA SPONSOR OF THE DCPA

We are so grateful to our partners and to the thousands of donors and event participants over the years that have helped to improve and enrich the lives of those in our community.

— THE DENVER POST COMMUNITY FOUNDATION

T

The Denver Post is proud to support the Denver Center for the Performing Arts, both through sponsorship of its acclaimed theatre productions as well as with grant funding through The Denver Post Community Foundation. Our longstanding partnership with DCPA has given countless individuals of all ages, the opportunity to experience and develop a lifelong appreciation for the arts.

The Denver Post Community believes in giving back to the communities in which it serves and proudly supports hundreds of nonprofits’ programs and events. Support is given in many ways: through The Denver Post Community Foundation, employee volunteering, and in-kind advertising.

The Denver Post Community Foundation, a recognized 501 (c)(3) nonprofit agency, raises funds through individual and corporate donations, through its unique Signature Events and Programs and through the annual holiday Season To Share campaign. The overall mission is to improve and enrich the lives of those in our community through support of programs that benefit arts and culture; children and youth; education and literacy; and the provision of basic human services. To date, $11,595,250 has been raised and distributed.

• Signature Events and Programs These well-established events and programs have become staples in the community. They offer partners, participants and volunteers something unique each year. They include: Pen & Podium Literary Lecture Series, Passport To The Arts, and the Colorado State Spelling Bee. • The Denver Post Season To Share The Denver Post Season To Share holiday fundraising campaign is an annual effort culminating each December 31. Donations up to $1,000,000 will be matched at $.50 per dollar, by our matching partner The Denver Children’s Foundation, making an even greater impact for our neighbors in need. These funds will support more than 50 local nonprofit agencies who prepare children and youth for success in the classroom and in life, protect children and families in need with medical care, nourish those experiencing hunger, and house those in need of a permanent home. Visit seasontoshare.com for more information.

Together We Can Make A Difference denverpostcommunity.com

The Denver Post Pen & Podium Series

Beloved Novelist and Essayist Amy Tan

22

APPLAUSE • JAN – MAR 2025 • 303.893.4100 • DENVERCENTER.ORG

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OFFICIAL CORPORATE WINE SPONSOR OF THE DCPA

C One of our core values at Carboy is growing a community and creating a cultural experience for wine in Colorado.

Carboy Winery is excited to announce its partnership with the Denver Center for the Performing Arts (DCPA), bringing together Colorado’s flourishing wine scene and the city’s dynamic arts community. This collaboration reflects Carboy’s ongoing commitment to enriching the local landscape and fostering meaningful connections through wine.

Known for its innovative and bold approach to winemaking, Carboy has played a pivotal role in the Colorado wine renaissance. “One of our core values at Carboy is growing a community and creating a cultural experience for wine in Colorado,” says Kevin Webber, CEO and cofounder. “Partnering with the Denver Center for the Performing Arts allows us to further that mission by supporting one of the state’s most influential creative institutions.”

Carboy Winery remains steadfast in its mission to increase awareness of Colorado wine and embed it into the state’s ethos through a variety of imaginative initiatives. This partnership with the Denver Center for the Performing Arts exemplifies Carboy’s dedication to that vision. By blending the art of winemaking with the energy of live theater, Carboy seeks to make Colorado wine an essential part of the community experience. The collaboration provides an opportunity to highlight the unique character of Carboy’s wines while engaging audiences in a way that celebrates the innovation and vibrancy of the region. Through this alliance, Carboy is redefining how people experience both wine and the arts, inspiring a deeper connection to Colorado’s adventurous spirit.

— KEVIN WEBBER, CEO AND CO-FOUNDER, CARBOY WINERY

24

APPLAUSE • JAN – MAR 2025 • 303.893.4100 • DENVERCENTER.ORG

Celebrating Artistic Perspectives We’re proud longtime supporters of the Denver Center for the Performing Arts.

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DCPA TEAM DCPA TEAM DCPA

Tara Miller............................................Event Sales & Maddie Young .........................................Associate, Prop Shop Operations Director Education & Group Sales Meghan Markiewicz ............................Supervisor Janice Sinden............................President & CEO Sara Pugh ..........................Associate Supervisor Donna Hendricks.............Executive Assistant, Brook Nichols ......... Event Technical Director OFF-CENTER Bennet Goldberg, Georgina Kayes, President & CEO Kate Olsen..................Event Sales Coordinator Charlie Miller .....Executive Director & Curator Ashley Lawler ..............................................Artisans Benjamin Peitzer ............Event Technical Lead Julie Schumaker.......................................Manager, Cat Huck .......Assistant Operations Manager Andrew McGlothen.................Prop Carpenter Michael Harris, Board Relations Alex Taylor .............................Lighting Designers Courtney Ozaki.....................Creative Producer Mike Pingel.........................Operations Manager Scene Shop ACCOUNTING & FINANCE Eric Moore................................Technical Director INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY Jane Williams....................................................CFAO OPERATIONS Albert “Stub” Allison, Robert L. Orzolek, Sara Brandenburg.....................................Director, Lisa Roebuck..................................Vice President Sarah Arzberger...........................Administrator Josh Prues ......Associate Technical Directors Accounting Services For security purposes, the IT team has been omitted.

Vincent Bridgers .....................................Manager Jeremy Banthoff, Tyler D. Clark, Jennifer Jeffrey...........................................Director, MARKETING & SALES Adam Busch.................................................Analyst Amy Wynn Pastor, Financial Planning & Analysis Kyle Scoggins .....................Scenic Technicians Kristina Monge ............ Associate Accountant Angela Lakin.....................................Vice President Aaron Chavez ....................................................Lead Louis Fernandez III...... Lead Scenic Technician Whitney Testa....................Executive Assistant, Ruben Cruz, Jordan Latouche.... Engineers Jennifer Siemers ............Director, Accounting Marketing & Broadway Simone Gordon .................Associate Director Brian “Marco” Markiewicz .....Lead Carpenter Audrey Smith......................Associate Manager, Kyle Greufe....................................Senior Analyst Scenic Design Accounting Marketing Heidi Bosk ............Associate Director, Press & Maria Herwagen......................... Junior Analyst Lisa Orzolek .................................................. Director BROADWAY & CABARET Promotions, Broadway & Cabaret Brandon LeMarr ......................................Manager Kevin Nelson, John Ekeberg..........................Executive Director Erin Bunyard..............Senior Digital Strategist Tara Perticone..............................................Analyst Nicholas Renaud....................................Assistants Sofia Contreras, Joseph Reecher ......................Senior Engineer Sound Design & Technology Administration Lucas Kreitler ........................Graphic Designers Cordelia Taylor ..................................Coordinator Alex Billman ............................................Supervisor Ashley Brown.........................Business Manager Brenda Elliott, Meagan Holdeman+, Timothy Schoeberl+, Alicia Bruce ...............................General Manager Paul Koob................Senior Graphic Designers PEOPLE & CULTURE Dimitri Soto+ .........................................Technicians Lisa Prater ..........................Operations Manager Harper Anne Finch .................................Manager, Laura Maresca ..................................................CPCO Elena Martin .......................Associate Supervisor Social Marketing Garner Galleria Theatre TJ Forlenza .............................................Copywriter Equity & Organization Culture Stage Management Abel Becerra .............................Technical Director Claire Graves.................................................Director, Seán Kroll ..............................................Coordinator Anne Jude................................................Supervisor Jason Begin+, Produced Programs Wayne Breyer, Liz Campbell, Anna Hookana+ ....................Core Stagehands Brittany Gutierrez..............Associate Director, Human Resources Corin Davidson, Harper Hadley, Brian Carter ................Senior Business Partner Communications DEVELOPMENT Brandon T. Holmes, Linda Horan............................ Program Manager Andrew Guilder ......HR & Recruiting Specialist Sage Hughes, Nick Nyquist, Jamie Clements ...............................Vice President Jeff Hovorka ......Director, Sales & Marketing, Michaela Johnson .................Interim Mailroom Malia Stoner ................................Stage Managers Connor Carlin.......................Associate Director, Assistant Anna Cordova, Sam Forrest, Broadway & Cabaret Major & Planned Gifts Emma Holst ..............................................Associate, Paul Johnson..............................................Manager, Megan Franco ....................................Apprentices Sarah Darlene ....Manager, Grants & Reports Payroll & Compliance Communications & Content Caroline Eppers ........................................Manager, Jocelyn Martinez.....................Business Partner Wardrobe Corporate Partnerships Emily Kent......... Director, Insights & Strategy Kinsey Scholl ................... Manager, Operations Heidi Echtenkamp ..............................Supervisor Kara Erickson-Stiemke..................Coordinator Michael Ryan Leuthner ..........................Director, Robin Appleton^, Amber Krimbel^, Digital Marketing Emily Kettlewell ..................Associate Director, Lauren LaCasse^, Lisa Parsons Wagner^, THEATRE COMPANY Annual Giving Emily Lozow .........................Associate Director, Nicole Watts^, Kami Williams^.........Dressers Sales & Marketing, Broadway & Cabaret Administration Caitie Maxwell......Senior Director, Major Gifts Kyle Malone..................................Director, Design Charles Varin ........................Managing Director Wigs Marc Ravenhill .....................Associate Director, Diana Ben-Kiki.......................................Supervisor Donor Relations Dan McNulty...................................................Analyst Emily Diaz .................................Business Admin./ Asst. Company Manager Abby Schmidt^, Megan Stewart....................Associate Director, Todd Metcalf ...................................Media Producer Marisa Sorce^ ................................Wig Assistants Special Events Hannah Selwyn ......Manager, Email Marketing Alex Koszewski ..................Company Manager Sergio von Kretschmann....................Manager, Ann Marshall.............................General Manager VENUE OPERATIONS EDUCATION & Website Artistic COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT Glen Lucero.....................................Vice President Julie Whelan ...............................................Manager, Chris Coleman ............................Artistic Director Merry Davis ...........................Financial Manager Allison Watrous ...................Executive Director Produced Programs Jessica Eckenrod..................Artistic Associate Jane Deegan ................................... Administrator Stuart Barr ...............................Technical Director Mikayla Woods...................................Coordinator, Produced Programs Grady Soapes ......................Artistic Producer & Facilities Leslie Channell ............................................Director, Casting Director Business Operations Suzanne Yoe........................Director, Content & Craig Smith....................................................Director Lyndsay Corbett ....................Teaching Artist & Communications Leean Kim Torske......................................Director, Dwight Barela, Mark Dill, Bryan Faciane, Literary Programs Manager, Bobby G Ticketing & Audience Services Madison Cook-Hines ..........Literary Assistant John Howard, Iver Johnson............Engineers María Corral...................................................Director, Steven Bilbao, Abraham Cervantes, Community Engagement Jennifer Lopez ............................................ Director Costume Crafts Lindsey Cervantes, Carmen Molina, Kevin Copenhaver..................................... Director Judith Primero Molina, Heather Curran .......................Teaching Artist & Jessica Alverson*, Tamika Cox*, Manager, Playwriting Zeah Edmonds*, Lauren Estes*, Chris Campbell..........................................Assistant Juan Loya Molina, Luke Fish*, Jen Gray*, Noa Halpern*, Elliot Davis ...........................Evening Registrar & Phi Johnson-Grimes*, Noah Jungferman*, Blanca Primero.....................................Custodians Costume Shop Office Coordinator Noelle Norris, Alexander Roy, Janet MacLeod ...Director/Design Associate Michael Kimbrough.....Manager, Engineering Rachel Ducat..................Executive Assistant & Holly Stigen*, Bronwen VanOrdstrand*, Meghan Anderson Doyle ......Design Associate Brian McClain ...................... Manager, Custodial Business Manager Alfonso Vazquez*, Rya Dyes ...................................................Registrar & Rob Warner*....................................Ticket Agents Katarina Kosmopoulos .....................First Hand Patron Experience Ingrid Ludeke, Evan Gendreau ....................Associate Director On-Site Class Manager Kirsten Anderson*, Scott Lix*, Carolyn Plemitscher .................................Drapers Kaylyn Kriaski, Leilani Lynch, Gavin Juckette ....Teaching Artist & Manager, Liz Sieroslawski*, Aaron McMullen, Stacy Norwood, TYA Engagement & Music Greg Swan* ......................Subscription Agents House Crew Timothy McCracken.................Head of Acting Jon Collins......................Manager, Subscription Douglas Taylor+....................................Supervisor Valerie Schaefer................Assistant Managers Kelly Breuer, Nora Caley, Rick Mireles ....................................................Manager, Katie Davis ......................Manager, VIP Ticketing James Berman+, Forest Fowler+, Amy Howard, Robin Lander, Community Engagement D.J. Dennis*, Edmund Gurule*, Dave Mazzeno+, Kyle Moore+, Piper Stormes+, Matt Wagner+...Stagehands Barbara Pooler, Wendy Quintana, David Saphier.......Teaching Artist & Manager, Alison Orthel*, Lane Randall*, Ayden Smith............................. House Managers In-School Programming Hayley Solano*, Sam Stump*, Joseph Price+, Kelley Reznik+.......Assistants Safety & Security Charlotte Talbert .......................................Librarian Andrew Sullivan*.......... Counter/Show Leads Lighting Design Quentin Crump........................................... Director Rachel Taylor ......Teaching Artist & Manager, Billy Dutton............................Associate Director, Charles MacLeod....................................... Director Operations Literary Engagement & Resiliency Jacquelyne Schmidt..............................Manager, Connor Baker+............Production Electrician Health & Safety Justin WalvoordTeaching Artist & Manager, Danielle Freeman ...................................Manager, Timothy Allen, Lily Bradford ...............................................Assistant Customer Service Shakespeare in the Parking Lot Jodi Benavides ............Lead Security Officers Samuel Wood.................Director, Education & Claire Hayes, Ella Mann, Paint Shop Curriculum Development Robert McCowan ....... Managers, Box Office Kristin Hamer MacFarlane .....................Charge Mayte Armendariz, Samara Attridge, David Bright, Judy Clanton, Chris Leech...........Coordinator, VIP Ticketing Scenic Artist Ariana Cuevas, Erika Gajarszki, EVENT SERVICES Katie Spanos ........................Associate Director, Melanie Rentschler, Subscriber Services Sasha Seaman.................................Scenic Artists Ethan Kemberlin, Isabella Samaniego, Samantha Egle, Cody Gocio .....Senior Sales Marcus Sanders, Tori Witherspoon, & Event Managers Group Sales Angel Zanudio ...................Security Specialists Production Stori Heleen-O’Foley.................Event Technical Jessica Bergin.......................Associate Director Jeff Gifford .................................................... Director Judy Briggs.............................................Front Desk Manager BK Kamin......................................................Manager, Julie Brou.................Administrative Assistant/ Shane Hotle..................................Audio Engineer Audience Development Office Manager David Mandlowitz .....................Video Engineer Elias Lopez............................................Coordinator * Member, I.A.T.S.E. Local B-7 Matthew Campbell.......Production Manager + Member, I.A.T.S.E. Local 7 Natalia Marroquin, Peggy Carey...................Associate Production ^ Member, I.A.T.S.E. Local 719 Phil Rohrbach ..........Sales & Event Managers Manager Staff list current through December 16, 2024

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

START PLANNING denvercenter.org/venue-rentals

PROUD CORPORATE MEMBER OF THE DCPA

F As one of the largest nonprofit theater organizations in the country, the DCPA provides a great avenue for connecting with our community and our clients through the arts.

Founded in 1968 by three University of Colorado graduates, Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck provides its clients a value that no other western law firm can match— an integrated approach that combines sensible business solutions with a federal, state and local government perspective. The firm’s 300 lawyers and policy professionals provide multidisciplinary legal counsel that drives results and connects business leaders to the information they need to make decisions.

For more than 55 years, Brownstein has called downtown Denver home. Long before the term “corporate social responsibility” arrived on the scene, our founders, Norm Brownstein, Jack Hyatt and Steve Farber, created a culture of giving back to the local community from the first day the firm opened its doors.

Today, Brownstein continues to foster this value— investing in its communities through board service, volunteerism, sponsorships, donations and pro bono legal services. Its commitment to philanthropy goes beyond words and dollars, empowering employees to volunteer their time and talents in a way that is meaningful to them.

From hosting hands-on volunteer opportunities to helping employees identify nonprofit and civic board positions that fit their passions, Brownstein’s employees give back to make the communities where they live and work stronger.

“As a member of the Denver Center for the Performing Arts’ Board of Trustees, I get to see firsthand the impact that the DCPA has on our community,” said Nicole Ament, Shareholder, Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck. “As one of the largest nonprofit theater organizations in the country, the work of so many people on and off the stage helps celebrate artistic achievements, create educational experiences and foster conversations. It also provides a great avenue for connecting with our community and our clients through the arts.”

Brownstein is proud to support the Denver Center for the Performing Arts and the success of Colorado’s creative economy.

— NICOLE AMENT, SHAREHOLDER AT BROWNSTEIN HYATT FARBER SCHRECK AND DCPA TRUSTEE

28

APPLAUSE • JAN – MAR 2025 • 303.893.4100 • DENVERCENTER.ORG

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PROUD CORPORATE MEMBER OF THE DCPA

A We believe that the arts have the power to connect and inspire our neighbors, and we are proud to support the DCPA.

Ameristar Casino Resort Spa in Black Hawk is proud to continue its partnership with the Denver Center for the Performing Arts. This collaboration highlights a dedication to supporting the arts and enriching the local community.

Together, Ameristar and the DCPA aim to bring the magic of live theatre to the entire Denver community by offering the opportunity to experience world-class performances right in their backyard.

Steve Peate, Vice President and General Manager of Ameristar Casino Resort Spa, shared his excitement about the partnership: “Partnering with the Denver Center for the Performing Arts is another fantastic opportunity to positively impact the community. At Ameristar, whether through charitable or civic organizations, supporting our community is part of our culture. We believe that the arts have the power to connect and inspire our neighbors, and we are proud to support the DCPA.” It’s about having a passion not only to entertain, but to also change lives. It’s about wanting to foster a vibrant community of giving and contribute to causes which seek to create a better tomorrow. When the curtain falls, Ameristar will be standing with the DCPA.

— STEVE PEATE, VICE PRESIDENT AND GENERAL MANAGER OF AMERISTAR CASINO RESORT SPA

30

APPLAUSE • JAN – MAR 2025 • 303.893.4100 • DENVERCENTER.ORG

A Symphonic Tribute to Mel Brooks

Beethoven’s Sixth Symphony “Pastorale”

How to Train your Dragon in Concert

The Four Seasons with Avi Avital

FEB 1

FEB 21-23

FEB 28-MAR 1

MAR 15-16

VIEW ALL EVENTS

COLORADOSYMPHONY.ORG | 303.623.7876

C LAS SI C S Car ré e L ad i e s

B E CAU SE CLAS SI C S D O E S N OT M E A N B AS I C

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