COLORADO ONLY
Invictus Private Wealth is pleased to announce that its own Michael Caplan was selected as Barron’s top independent advisor in Colorado.
Michael S. Caplan
Michael S. Caplan
Barron’s Top 100 Independent Advisors 2024
Forbes/Shook Top RIA Firms 2024
Barron’s Top 100 Independent Advisors 2024
Forbes/Shook Top 10 Best-in-State Wealth Advisor 2024
Forbes/Shook Top RIA Firms 2024
Northwestern University - Honors in Mathematics
Adjunct Professor/International Economic Fellow Georgetown Law
Forbes/Shook Top 10 Best-in-State Wealth Advisor 2024 Northwestern University - Honors in Mathematics
Adjunct Professor/International Economic Fellow Georgetown Law
Furniture Row Companies® is a group of specialty home furnishings and mattress stores, carrying a variety of brand names, all available at one convenient location. We focus on providing a shopping experience that is tailored to your needs. Our specialized buying teams are constantly combing the globe in search of the hottest trends and best values available. In addition, incentives
sales staff, make Furniture Row one of the
SIGHTLINE
BY JANICE SINDEN
HHello and welcome to the theatre!
This issue of Applause celebrates the culmination of the Denver Center Theatre Company’s 46th season with everyone’s favorite bloodthirsty plant, Audrey II, in Little Shop of Horrors followed by the Pulitzer Prize-winning family dramedy, The Hot Wing King
The DCTC will return this fall with a lineup of classic plays, thought-provoking dramas, never-before-seen world premieres, and the perennial favorite, A Christmas Carol Once titles are confirmed, watch for a program insert announcing the lineup. You won’t want to miss a thing!
Over in the Buell Theatre, we will host the return engagements of the wildly outrageous musical comedy THE BOOK OF MORMON, and the creepy, kooky, mysterious, and spooky
The Addams Family These will be followed by the brand-new Broadway tour, & Juliet, which imagines what Juliet would have done if she didn’t end it all over Romeo. We round out the summer with the return of MAMMA MIA!, Moulin Rouge! The Musical, and an all-new version of Some Like It Hot Plus, we’ve just announced a variety of cabaret shows to keep you in stitches. Saturday Night Live’s Tim Meadows comes to town with his troupe, Bluebird Improv (May 16-18), followed by Forbidden Broadway: Merrily We Stole a Song (May 28-June 19).
In a double header, crowd favorite Dixie Longate, returns with Dixie’s Tupperware Party (July 16-Aug 17) and Dixie’s Never Wear a Tube Top... (Aug 20-Sep 7).
Finally, we are delighted to host Colorado’s own Tony Awardwinning Annaleigh Ashford who comes home to headline our annual gala on June 14. Join us at Saturday Night Alive to benefit theatre and education.
Vladimir Script
We hope to see you back here soon.
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.
IN THIS ISSUE
The Hot Wing King pg 10
Little Shop of Horrors pg 16
The Addams Family pg 18
THE BOOK OF MORMON ........ pg 22
FOR A COMPLETE LIST OF UPCOMING SHOWS:
APPLAUSE
VOLUME XXXV • NUMBER 7 • APR - MAY 2025
EDITOR: Suzanne Yoe
DESIGN DIRECTOR: Kyle Malone
DESIGNER: Brenda Elliott
CONTRIBUTING DESIGNERS: Paul Koob, Lucas Kreitler
CONTRIBUTING WRITERS: Amanda L. Andrei, Emma Holst, Joanne Ostrow
Applause is published eight times a year by Denver Center for the Performing Arts in conjunction with The Publishing House, Westminster, CO. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without written permission is prohibited. Call 303.893.4000 regarding editorial content.
Applause magazine is funded in part by
Angie Flachman, Publisher For advertising 303.428.9529 or sales@pub-house.com coloradoartspubs.com
Denver Center for the Performing Arts is a non-profit organization that engages and inspires through the transformative power of live theatre.
BOARD OF TRUSTEES
Hassan Salem, Chair
Ruth Krebs, Vice Chair
David Jacques Farahi, Secretary/Treasurer
Nicole Ament
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
HONORARY TRUSTEES
Navin Dimond
Margot Gilbert Frank
Jeannie Fuller
Robert C. Newman
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
LEARN MORE
MAKE SHOWTIME A NIGHT ON THE TOWN!
Consider joining one 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 at Kevin Taylor’s at the Opera House, and private intermission in the fabulous Wolf Room.
DIRECTORS SOCIETY
Want the premium subscription experience at all of our Denver Center Theatre Company season shows? 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.
Get the best of both worlds and enjoy a curated mix of our most popular Broadway and Theatre Company shows with our brand-new Premiere Access Membership! You’ll enjoy VIP seating and get access to a selection of Best of Broadway Society and Directors Society events throughout the season, dinner included.
Gareth Saxe, Linda Mugleston, Curtis Wiley, and Matthew Boston in The Su ragette’s Murder .
Photo by Jamie Kraus Photography.
EXHIBITION FREE WITH MUSEUM ADMISSION
Exhibición gratis con la entrada al Museo
Everett and TJ, Dwayne’s 16-year-old nephew and brother-in-law, show up at the house. Although skeptical of Cordell and Dwayne’s lifestyle, and dealing with his own pressures around fatherhood, TJ leaves his son with them to take care of business. During a basketball game, Everett and Cordell have a confrontation that draws Dwayne into the fray and reveals a deep social injustice and past family grief.
The
world is so immediate for me in terms of the characters, the specific joys, challenges, and underlying elements specifically in Black culture, and in being queer and Black that we don’t necessarily talk about because we vibe together in community.
— TIMOTHY DOUGLAS, DIRECTOR
It’s a moment that makes Dwayne and Cordell face each other’s secrets and desires — how Cordell is not ready to reveal their relationship to his former family, and how Dwayne grapples with his role as a brother, uncle, and father figure. It’s a choice of how to accept and love each other in full dignity — a choice that an ideal king would make, serving as a caretaker and loving guardian — and Cordell realizes that his craving for recognition may be at odds with his love for Dwayne. As Big Charles later says to him, “All lil’ black boys deserve love, even the ones trapped in the bodies of grown ass black men.”
Douglas also notes the resonance of kingliness and how this comedy brings back an earthy humor to the concepts of sovereignty and familial love. “In some circles of black men, we talk about being ancestrally descended from chiefs,” says Douglas, “and I remember looking at the character page and seeing ‘Cordell the Head Chef’ and I saw ‘Chief’ — and isn’t he the chief of the kitchen?” The play can serve as an opportunity “to think in terms of ancestral blood flow, how we see ourselves and intuit our bloodlines, how we imagine and identify our queerness, how it was absorbed or not, and how we create this for ourselves.”
And these men certainly create this loving kinship and queerness for themselves, whether singing to Luther Vandross in the kitchen, shooting hoops on the basketball court, or exchanging kisses outside the house (and promptly being affectionately ribbed for it). Because by the end of the weekend, as the festival comes to a close and the family reckons with their relationships — how they will choose to give and receive love from each other — one clear image emerges.
“It’s a king,” says Douglas. “It’s all these men representing a different angle of that crown.”
THE
HOT WING KING
APR 25 – MAY 25 • KILSTROM THEATRE
ASL Interpreted, Audio Described performance: May 11 at 1:30pm Stay for a post-show discussion on May 13, 20 & 22
6 CORE VALUES. 1 DENVER CENTER.
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.
Learn more about what drives the DCPA, and where we’re going, at denvercenter.org/plan
This is the place where women feel whole.
From adolescence to your first year of menopause, every new chapter in life brings its own set of joys, challenges and occasional plot twists. The women’s health care specialists at AdventHealth will be there through each stage, empowering you with world-class technology, unrivaled expertise and the whole-person care you need to stay healthy from the inside out.
Scan the QR code for more information and to find care close to you.
Avista Castle Rock Littleton Parker Porter
CHAMBER ORCHESTRA OF EUROPE
JUNE 19 - 22 DALLAS SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
JUNE 28 - JULY 4 THE PHILADELPHIA ORCHESTRA JULY 6 - 13 THE
JUNE 19 - JULY 31, 2025
PHILHARMONIC JULY 16 - 23
SPECIAL FREE CONCERT: SINFÓNICA DE MINERÍA IN AVON JUNE 26
MOVES YOU TO CHEERS THE MUSEUM THAT
VISIT TODAY
At the United States Olympic & Paralympic Museum, you don’t just visit history—you experience it. Test your speed. Feel the thrill of competition. Get inspired by the journeys of America’s greatest athletes.
It’s more than a museum—it brings history, innovation, and inspiration to life.
CONTRASTING DOO-WOP AND DEATH IN LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS
BY JOANNE OSTROW
LLittle Shop of Horrors, the ’80s musical about a lowly flower shop clerk who makes a Faustian bargain with his man-eating plant, was an unexpected success that has now won the adoration of generations.
The show has sci-fi roots in an early short story by H.G. Wells. “The Flowering of the Strange Orchid” about a carnivorous plant dates to 1894. A dark comedy version, “Green Thoughts” by John Collier, came along in 1932. And Arthur C. Clarke wrote his take with “The Reluctant Orchid” in 1956.
Those early works inspired the nasty little farcical horror B-movie by Roger Corman, The Passionate People Eater, famously shot on the cheap in two days on the set of another B-movie in 1960.
It was not until 1982 that Howard Ashman and Alan Menken adapted the Corman flick into the beloved musical Little Shop of Horrors, which began at the tiny WPA Theater Off-Off-Broadway and became a surprise smash hit. (In 1986 it was adapted back into a movie directed by Frank Oz and given a “happier” ending.)
Combining the bloody terror of early Sixties B-movies with the girl-group sound of the period (think the Ronettes, the Chiffons, the Shangri-Las), the tone contrasts dark and light, morbid and cheerful, doo-wop and death.
Throughout, the young musical geniuses — lyricist Ashman and composer Menken — aimed at a mashup of silly and horrifying. (A favorite example, note the lyrics rhyming “shang-a-lang ” with “sturm and drang ”.)
The result was less nasty, more hip and funny.
The bones of the show are classic musical theater, while the flesh is suitably creepy. According to the book Attack of the Monster Musical: A Cultural History of Little Shop of Horrors (2022) by Adam Abraham, Ashman wanted Little Shop to be “an old-fashioned musical” that “just happens to be about a man-eating plant from outer space.”
At the DCPA when he was planning the season, Theatre Company Artistic Director Chris Coleman thought, “we’ve done sweeping classical musicals, but we haven’t done something silly. Wouldn’t that be fun?”
After spending time with the show, Coleman said, “I realize how brilliantly built it is. I don’t know that I understood that watching it, in terms of story and how each song contributes to the story and moves it along.”
Coleman said, “I find it funny that these two young aspiring musical theatre geniuses, who were wanting a piece of American success, took this pretty cheesy, not very interesting film and made something very funny, very infectious out of it. What ’s delicious is to see a plant with an incredible soulful singing voice.
Illustration by Kyle Malone.
“But what it’s really about is, how much would it take for you to sell your soul? They take a group of characters in the worst part of town who just ‘gotta get outta here.’ They’re all seeking an escape from skid row at any cost.”
It’s all good, gory fun. “If you’re going to talk about end of world, you might as well laugh as you’re doing it.” Yet in directing, Coleman said, the task was to avoid any notion of a send-up or satire. “The temptation is to wink-wink, nudge-nudge,” he said.
As he was auditioning actors in New York, he “encouraged people to trust the simplicity of the character,” telling them, “Your job is to need what the character needs.” He instructed actors, “The characters are from the island of misfit toys, slightly broken humans, oddballs but oddballs with enormous heart. You are trying to figure out how to trust that. That’s when it gets really beautiful. You have to know that it’s okay for sadness to be present and that the story will still hold up and the humor will emerge. The actor’s job is to let the story unfold.”
I
find it funny that these two young aspiring musical theatre geniuses, who were wanting a piece of American success, took this pretty cheesy, not very interesting film and made something very funny, very infectious out of it.
— CHRIS COLEMAN, DIRECTOR
Props and puppets are another key element, of course. “I don’t want to give anything away,” Coleman said, “but the goal is for the plant to have an incredible and surprising progression through the play. It’s like a science experiment, trying to get it to do all the things you want it to do, and also make it reasonably comfortable for the actors. We’re trying to finesse it in a way that feels fun for the audience and not horrifying for an actor to do eight times a week.”
The show catapulted Ashman and Menken into Disney careers that changed the course of modern musicals. After the 1986 Little Shop of Horrors film, they were tapped to contribute music to Oliver and Company, followed by The Little Mermaid — which sparked what is now considered the Disney Renaissance (including Beauty and the Beast and Aladdin among other animated musicals, with numerous Academy Award nominations and wins along the way).
The clever horror-comedy-rock musical that started it all continues to offer theatre audiences a needed escape, at least a temporary way to get outta here.
LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS
APR 11 – MAY 25 • WOLF THEATRE
ASL-interpreted, audio-described, and open-captioned performance: May 4 at 1:30pm
Stay for a post-show discussion on April 30 & May 14
COMING UP FROM BROADWAY SOME LIKE IT HOT
A brand-new tour is coming to town, and it’s the perfect way to beat the summer heat. Some Like It Hot, a musical based on the quintessential 1959 film, is set to grace the Buell Theatre stage from July 8 - 20.
Some Like It Hot arrived on Broadway in 2022 with high energy. The show features music and lyrics by Marc Shaiman and Scott Wittman (Hairspray), a book by Amber Ruffin and Matthew López (The Legend of Georgia McBride), and direction and choreography by Casey Nicholaw (The Book of Mormon).
Altogether, the musical earned 13 Tony Award nominations, winning for Best Choreography and Best Costumes, as well as the Grammy Award® for Best Musical Theater Album.
Set in Prohibition-era Chicago, the story follows two musicians who are forced to flee after witnessing a mob hit. To escape the clutches of the gangsters, they embark on a cross-country train ride that will change their lives forever.
Entertainment Weekly praised the show, calling it “a booze-soaked boisterous good time from start to finish,” filled with toe-tapping tunes, humor, and plenty of dancing that immerses audiences in the Jazz Age.
Deadline called Some Like It Hot “a tap-dancing, razzling-dazzling embrace of everything you love about musical theater.” With Tony Award-winning choreography and costuming, this roaring 30s spectacle is one you don’t want to miss.
Edward Juvier (Osgood), Tavis Kordell (Daphne) and the First National Touring Company of SOME LIKE IT HOT Photo by Matthew Murphy.
Chris Coleman, Artistic Director
Charles Varin, Managing Director
presents
LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS
BOOK AND LYRICS BY Howard Ashman
MUSIC BY Alan Menken
BASED ON THE FILM BY Roger Corman, SCREENPLAY BY Charles Griffith
With Will Branner, Elijah Dawson, Jaden Dominique, Jacob Dresch, Ben Fankhauser, Joe Gallina, Holly Jackson, Gizel Jiménez, Amirah Joy Lomax, Elexis Morton, Aaron Michael Ray, David Studwell
Stage Managers: Corin Davidson, Malia Stoner
SCENIC DESIGN BY Alan E. Muraoka
COSTUME DESIGN BY Samantha C. Jones
AUDREY II PUPPET DESIGN BY Michael Schweikardt
VOICE and DIALECT BY Jeffrey Parker
LIGHTING DESIGN BY Charles R. MacLeod
PSYCHODRAMATURGY BY Barbara Hort, PhD
CASTING BY Grady Soapes, CSA and Chad Eric Murnane, CSA Murnane Casting
SOUND DESIGN BY Elisabeth Weidner
FIGHT DIRECTION AND INTIMACY CHOREOGRPAHY BY Samantha Egle
PRODUCTION MANAGEMENT BY Matthew Campbell
MUSIC DIRECTION and CONDUCTING BY Angela Steiner
CHOREOGRAPHY BY Rickey Tripp
DIRECTED BY Chris Coleman
The video and/or audio recording of this performance by any means whatsoever is strictly prohibited.
THE WOLF THEATRE • APR 11 – MAY 25, 2025
Originally produced by the WPA Theatre (Kyle Renick, Producing Director)
Originally produced at the Orpheum Theatre, New York City by the WPA Theatre, David Geffen, Cameron Mackintosh and The Shubert Organization
Little Shop of Horrors was originally directed by Howard Ashman with musical staging by Edie Cowan
Vocal Arrangements by Robert Billig and Orchestrations by Robert Merkin
Little Shop of Horrors is presented through special arrangement with Music Theatre International (MTI). All authorized performance materials are also supplied by MTI. www.mtishows.com
SEASON SPONSOR
SPOTLIGHT SPONSORS
PREMIERE SPONSORS
MUSICAL NUMBERS
“Prologue (Little Shop of Horrors)”
ACT ONE
Chiffon, Crystal, Ronnette
“Skid Row (Downtown)” Company
“Da-Doo” ............................................................................................................................Chiffon, Crystal, Ronnette, Seymour
“Grow for Me” Seymour
“Don’t It Go to Show Ya Never Know”
Mr. Mushnik, Seymour, Chiffon, Crystal, Ronnette
“Somewhere That’s Green” Audrey
“Closed for Renovation”
Seymour, Audrey, Mr. Mushnik
“Dentist!” Orin, Chiffon, Crystal, Ronnette
“Mushnik and Son” Mr. Mushnik, Seymour
“Feed Me (Git It)” ............................................................................
Seymour, Audrey II, Chiffon, Crystal, and Ronnette
“Now (It’s Just the Gas)” Seymour and Orin
ACT TWO
“Call Back in the Morning”
“Suddenly, Seymour”
Seymour, Audrey
Seymour, Audrey, Chiffon, Crystal, and Ronnette
“Suppertime” Audrey II, Chiffon, Crystal, and Ronnette
“The Meek Shall Inherit” ..................................................................................................................................................... Company
“Sominex/Suppertime” (Reprise) Audrey, Audrey II
“Somewhere That’s Green” (Reprise) Audrey “Finale” Company
WHO’S WHO
ACTING COMPANY
(In order of appearance)
JADEN DOMINIQUE (Chiffon/Audrey Understudy) (She/ Her) is excited to be part of Little Shop of Horrors with the DCPA! Jaden’s credits include Mary Magdalene in the 50th anniversary tour of Jesus Christ Superstar, Judy in 9 to 5 and Celie in The Color Purple (MSMT), Martha in The Secret Garden (The Fulton Theatre), and the Off-Broadway production of The Big Gay Jamboree A graduate of Texas Christian University. She is incredibly grateful to God, her family, Link, and the entire creative team for their support. Follow her journey on Instagram and Facebook @Jaden.Dominique.
ELEXIS MORTON (Crystal) (She/Her). At the DCPA: The Color Purple NYC credits include: Radio City Christmas Spectacular, Ragtime on Ellis Island, and
The Bad Years. Regional: Beautiful: The Carole King Musical (Pioneer Theatre Company), Jubilee (Alabama Shakespeare Festival), Little Shop of Horrors (Alabama Shakespeare Festival, Trinity Rep, Arts Center of Coastal Carolina), Side By Side By Sondheim (Northern Stage), A Year With Frog and Toad (Arden Theater Company), and various roles at sea (Disney/Celebrity Cruise Lines). TV/ Film: “Godfather of Harlem” (ABC/ EPIX 2023). @misslade_sings.
HOLLY JACKSON (Ronnette) (She/Her) is thrilled to make her DCPA debut! Holly’s credits include Little Shop of Horrors as Ronnette (South Coast Repertory Theatre); Teen Ensemble in Disney’s Aladdin, The Wizard of Oz, Hairspray, and Grease (Starlight Theatre); A Christmas Carol as Martha Cratchit (KC Repertory Theatre); 13 as Cassie (Spinning Tree Theatre); Little Shop of Horrors as Chiffon (Faust Theatre); The Tempest as Gonzala; Mamma Mia! as Tanya, and Into the Woods as Stepmother (Pepperdine University Theatre
Program). TV/Film: “Unintended; Unlocking a Nation’s Pregnancy Secrets” on Amazon Prime and the upcoming film Rise and Shine (Sarah). Holly holds a BA in Theater and Screen Arts from Pepperdine University.
DAVID STUDWELL (Mr. Mushnik) (He/ Him). At the DCPA: Scrooge in A Christmas Carol 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), Chess and South Pacific (Joseph Jefferson nominated) (Lincolnshire Theatre). BFA, SUNY Fredonia, MFA, Purdue University.
GIZEL JIMÉNEZ (Audrey) (She/Her). Broadway: Nessarose in Wicked. First national tour: Rosalia in West Side Story. Off-Broadway: Misty in Cornelia Street (Atlantic), Kate Monster/Lucy in Avenue Q (New World Stages), Olivia in Miss You Like Hell (Drama Desk, Lortel nominations), Party People (The Public), Big River (Encores!), Unseamly (Urban Stages). Regional: Dracula, A Comedy of Terrors (Old Globe), Waitress (Ogunquit), Frozen – Live (Hyperion), Bliss (5th Avenue), Oklahoma! (Goodspeed), In the Heights (Walnut St.), Evita (Asolo Rep). Film/TV: Sextet in Tick, Tick… BOOM! (Netflix), “Bad Monkey” (recurring, Apple TV+), “Dexter: New Blood” (recurring, Showtime), “Law & Order: SVU” (NBC), “Divorce” (HBO). @gizeljimenezofficial
BEN FANKHAUSER (Seymour) (He/Him) is delighted to return to Denver after previously appearing in the first National Tours of Beautiful: The Carole King Musical and Spring Awakening. NY Theatre: Davey in Newsies (Original Broadway Cast, also on Disney+); Mack & Mabel and Dear World (City Center Encores!); Saturday Night and Bar Mitzvah Boy (York Theatre); Regina Comet (co-author, DR2) and Ghost of John McCain (SoHo Playhouse). Regional Theatre: Mystic Pizza (Papermill), She Loves Me (Gulfshore Playhouse), Flamingo Kid (Hartford Stage), I Hate Hamlet (Bucks County Playhouse), The Secret Of My Success (Houston’s TUTS), A.D. 16 (Olney Theatre), An American In Paris (Music Theater Wichita), Next To Normal (NCT), Big River, Something Rotten, Fiddler on the Roof (Sacramento Music Circus). TV/Film: “FBI: Most Wanted,” “The Deuce,” “Indoor Boys.” Cleveland native. B.F.A: Ithaca College. @PlzNfankU.
WILL BRANNER
(Orin) (He/Him) wants you to know he’s actually very kind and not mean or scary. Most recently seen as Biff in Back To The Future (Broadway)
and as part of Team Starkid’s viral hit Nerdy Prudes Must Die as Max Jaeagerman (YouTube). Other credits: Broadway/Tour: Back To The Future (3D, Original Broadway Company), Mean Girls (First national tour), Bat Out Of Hell (New York City Center, Original Broadway Company, Toronto). Regional: American Idiot (Deaf West/CTG), October Sky (The Old Globe), West Side Story (5th Avenue Theatre). Film/TV: Nerdy Prudes Must Die (Starkid/Youtube), “Dave” (FX/Hulu). B.F.A. University of Michigan. IG: @lordbranner
AARON MICHAEL RAY (Audrey II) (He/ Him). DCPA debut! National Tours: Come From Away (First National) and A Wonderful World (pre-Broadway). OffBroadway: Ghost of John McCain (SoHo Playhouse), The Low Road (The Public Theater), and Spamilton. Favorite Regional: The regional premiere of A Strange Loop (Speakeasy Stage Company/Front Porch Arts Collective), The 25th Annual...Spelling Bee (George Street Playhouse). TV: “Daredevil: Born Again.” Bachelor of Music from Berklee College of Music and an MFA in Musical Theatre from The Boston Conservatory. Aaron has been playing trumpet for 20+ years. Shout out to HCKR and infinite love to his family. @aaronmichaelray.
JOE GALLINA (Audrey II Puppeteer). OffBroadway credits include Ogre Puppeteer in El Gato con Botas (directed by Moisés Kaufman) and Laws of Motion (PS-122). Joe has performed at the Geva Theatre, South Coast Rep, Utah Shakespeare Festival, Artists Repertory Theatre, Hope Repertory Theatre, Pacific Conservatory Theatre, Connecticut Repertory Theatre, and spent some time in Haiti with Clowns Without Boarders. Joe has also worked as a Movement Director, Fight Choreographer, and Puppet Designer. This will be Joe’s third production of Little Shop, and he couldn’t be happier to be back on Skid Row! Training: MFA UConn ‘08, PCPA ‘03.
AMIRAH JOY
LOMAX (Chiffon, Crystal, Ronnette Understudy) (She/ Her) is pleased to make her DCPA debut. Regional: Little Shop of Horrors (Urchin Swing, Ogunquit Playhouse), Escape to Margaritaville (Marley, Cortland Rep), Urinetown (Little Becky TwoShoes, Penn State Centre Stage), Dreamgirls (Michelle, Short North Stage), Bring It On (Danielle, Short North Stage).
BFA, Penn State. HCKR Agency. @amirahjoylomax, amirahjoylomax.com
JACOB DRESCH (Seymour/Orin/ Mr. Mushnik Understudy). 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 Co.), 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
ELIJAH DAWSON (Audrey II/Audrey II Puppeteer Understudy) (He/ Him) is thrilled to be making his DCPA debut! Previous Regional credits include: Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Pipe Dream (Berkshire Theatre Group), Little Shop of Horrors (New London Barn Playhouse and Great Lakes Theatre), Memphis (Cain Park). Commercials credits include: Dove, PayPal, and TD Bank (Canada). Training: BM, Baldwin Wallace University. Special thanks to Murnane Casting, and his wonderful family and friends for their support!
PLAYWRIGHT
HOWARD ASHMAN (Book and Lyrics) is best known as a pivotal creative mind behind the renaissance of
Disney animation and his work on The Little Mermaid, Aladdin and Beauty and The Beast (which is dedicated to, “Our friend, Howard Ashman, who gave a Mermaid her voice and a Beast his soul...”) Ashman’s first love was theater. Ashman was a founder of off-off-Broadway’s renowned WPA Theater, where he conceived, wrote and directed God Bless You, Mr. Rosewater, as well as the classic musical, Little Shop of Horrors (both music by Alan Menken). In 1986, he wrote and directed the Broadway musical Smile (music by Marvin Hamlisch). Lamented as a lost treasure of the 1980’s theater scene, Smile remains popular on high school and college campuses throughout the country. Howard Ashman died in 1991 from complications of AIDS. For more information, please visit howardashman.com.
ALAN MENKEN (Composer). Theater: God Bless You Mr. Rosewater, Little Shop of Horrors, Real Life Funnies, Atina: Evil Queen Of The Galaxy, Kicks, The Apprenticeship Of Duddy Kravitz, Beauty and The Beast, A Christmas Carol, Weird Romance, King David, Der Glöckner Von Notre Dame, The Little Mermaid, Sister Act, Leap Of Faith, Aladdin and Newsies Film: Little Shop of Horrors, The Little Mermaid, Beauty Aad The Beast, Newsies, Aladdin, Pocahontas, The Hunchback of Notre Dame, Hercules, Life with Mikey, Lincoln, Home on the Range, Noel, Enchanted, Shaggy Dog, Tangled and Mirror Mirror. Songs: Rocky V, Home Alone 2 and Captain America. Awards: 8 Oscars (19 nominations), 11 Grammys (including Song of the Year), 7 Golden Globes, Tony® (plus 4 nominations), Drama Desk, Outer Critics Circle, New York Drama Critics, Olivier and London’s Evening Standard Award, Drama League. Honors: Songwriters Hall of Fame, Doctorates from New York University and University of North Carolina School of the Arts.
DIRECTOR
CHRIS COLEMAN 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.
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, and The Chinese Lady.
SAMANTHA EGLE (Fight Director and Intimacy Choreographer). Her work has been seen on the stages of the DCPA, Asolo Repertory, Opera Colorado, Phamaly Theatre, Curious Theatre, Theatreworks, Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center, Arvada Center, Aurora Fox, Denver Children’s Theatre, Lone Tree Arts Center, Athena Project Festival, and Lagoon Theme Park among others and numerous educational institutions. She was an apprentice with Intimacy Directors International and
Resident Artist at Arena Stage. She is Board Chairperson of the IOSP, Paddy Crean Workshop Producer, Owner of Humble Warrior Movement Arts, a Certified Teacher with the Society of American Fight Directors, and Certified Intimacy Director with Intimacy Directors & Coordinators.
BARBARA HORT, PhD (Psychodramaturg) has maintained a private practice in Portland, Oregon for over three decades, based on the work of the psychoanalyst Carl Jung. Dr. Hort has served as psychodramaturg on numerous productions at the Denver Center for the Performing Arts and Portland Center Stage, providing material on the play’s psychological dynamics that is used by the artists creating the production. She is the author of Hollow Crown of Fire: A Discovery of Meaning in the Coronavirus Pandemic and Its Predecessors (2023) and Unholy Hunger: Encountering the Psychic Vampire in Ourselves and Others (1996).
SAMANTHA C. JONES (Costume Designer). At the DCPA: Clyde’s Recent credits include: King James (Manhattan Theatre Club); Every Brilliant Thing, The Lonely Few, Power of Sail (Geffen Playhouse); STEW (Pasadena Playhouse); Twilight: Los Angeles, 1992 (Center Theatre Group); Joe Turner’s Come and Gone (Huntington Theatre Company); Once On This Island (Oregon Shakespeare Festival); School Girls, Lottery Day (Goodman Theatre); Dreamgirls (Paramount Theatre); King James and The Roommate (Steppenwolf Theatre); The Color Purple (Drury Lane Theatre); What-A-Christmas, Skeleton Key (Alley Theatre), and productions at Chicago Children’s Theatre, TimeLine Theatre, Porchlight Music Theatre, Jackalope Theatre, Cleveland Play House, Kansas City Repertory Theatre. Current Productions: The Nacirema Society (Goodman Theatre). Upcoming productions: Dreamgirls (Goodspeed Musicals). samanthacjones.com.
CHARLES R. MACLEOD (Lighting Designer). At the DCPA (300+ productions/40 seasons): Recent designs include: Rubicon, Clyde’s, In the Upper Room, As You Like It, Sweat, Native Gardens, One Night in Miami, Appoggiatura, The Diary of Anne Frank, Lydia, The Merry Wives of Windsor, 1001, The 39 Steps, Gem of the Ocean, All My Sons, Death of a Salesman, Lord of the Flies
THEATRE COMPANY
LEADERSHIP TEAM
CHRIS COLEMAN (Artistic Director) See Director.
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 & 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.
LICENSING
MUSIC THEATRE INTERNATIONAL (MTI) is one of the world’s leading theatrical licensing agencies, granting theatres from around the world the rights to perform the greatest selection of musicals from Broadway and beyond. Founded in 1952 by composer Frank Loesser and orchestrator Don Walker, MTI is a driving force in advancing musical theatre as a vibrant and engaging art form. MTI works directly with the composers, lyricists and book writers of these musicals to provide official scripts, musical materials and dynamic theatrical resources to over 100,000 professional, community and school theatres in the US and in over 150 countries worldwide. MTI is particularly dedicated to educational theatre and has created special collections to meet the needs of various types of performers and audiences. MTI’s Broadway Junior® shows are 30- and 60-minute musicals for performance by elementary and middle school-aged performers, while MTI’s School Editions are musicals annotated for performance by high school students. MTI maintains its global headquarters in New York City with additional offices in London (MTI Europe) and Melbourne (MTI Australasia).
In addition to DCPA staff, the
TAKING PHOTOS AT THE THEATRE
SPECIAL THANKS
Denver Botanic Gardens for its support in developing the lobby curation for Little Shop of Horrors.
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.
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 o ered 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 e ects used in connection with this production were constructed and coordinated by the Theatre Company’s Production Sta
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
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
Book and Lyrics: Howard Ashman
Music: Alan Menken
Director: Chris Coleman
Choreography: Rickey Tripp @rickeytripp
Music Direction/Conductor: Angela Steiner @ivory_tickler89
Scenic Designer: Alan E. Muraoka
Costume Designer: Samantha C. Jones
Audrey II Puppet Designer: Michael Schweikardt
Lighting Designer: Charles R. MacLeod
Sound Designer: Elisabeth Weidner @_therealelisabeth_
Psychodramaturg: Barbara Hort, PhD
Fight Director and Intimacy Choreographer: Samantha Egle
Voice and Dialect Coach: Jeffrey Parker
Casting: Grady Soapes, CSA @grayzvander and Murnane Casting, Chad Eric Murnane, CSA
Photos and the video and/or audio recording during any part of the performance by any means whatsoever are strictly prohibited
following crew worked on this production: Becca Bandy, Jaclyn Bjornson, Andy Bruening, Jason Bushey, Mimi Finn, Christina HadelyDike, Kai Kramer, Loren Martin, Nikki Mayer, Lelah Radostis, Jack Yoder.
LEGACY GIVING
Leave a legacy. Make a pledge that safeguards the future of theatre. By doing so, you’ll become a member of the Encore Society, a dedicated group of patrons who have made long-term commitments to the DCPA in their estate plans.
HERE’S HOW TO GET INVOLVED
Take advantage of tax-wise giving: Speak with your tax advisor about transferring appreciated stock directly to the DCPA, or direct part or all of the RMD from your IRA directly to us. We pay no capital gains, so your direct transfer contributions often go further than personally taking your distribution and making donations out of the proceeds.
Make a gift in your will or revocable trust:
Give a tax-free gift for any DCPA designation that can be updated at any time.
Designate the DCPA as a beneficiary:
Name the DCPA as a beneficiary of a retirement plan, IRA, insurance policy, or other account.
As a member of our Encore Society, you’ll receive invitations to special events, access to discounted show tickets, and more member-only perks!
Leslie Alexander and Sophia Dotson in A Little Night Music
Photo by Amanda Tipton Photography
Explore uncharted territory, right in your backyard
Flight simulators
Ascend Spa & Wellness
Rooftop bar
Hotel Polaris is Colorado Springs’ newest frontier for world-class dining and recreation, now welcoming overnight stays and day getaways.
Set your flight path to awe-inspriring getaways and gatherings
All-day brunch
Unforgettable dinners
50s-style soda shop
LIZ MILLER
A MOUTH-WATERING SEASON FINALE
The 2024/25 Theatre Company season wraps with a pair of award-winning comedies that are guaranteed to leave you hungry for more.
FEAST ON A BELOVED SCI-FI MUSICAL THAT HAS ROCKED THE GLOBE FOR GENERATIONS!
NOW – MAY 25
Little Shop of Horrors Book and Lyrics by Howard Ashman Music by Alan Menken
Based on the film by Roger Corman, Screenplay by Charles Griffith
Directed by Chris Coleman
A FIERCE COMEDY ABOUT THE RISKS AND REWARDS OF CELEBRATING WHO YOU ARE
BYEXTENDED DEMANDPOPULAR
The Hot Wing King By Katori Hall
APR 25 – MAY 25
Directed by Timothy Douglas
SEASON SPONSOR:
Grow Plants that Perform
BRING SOME SHOW TO YOUR BUSINESS
CORPORATE EVENTS
AT DCPA
Whether you’re planning a Board meeting, corporate retreat, or employee appreciation event, look to the Denver Center for the Performing Arts for your corporate needs. From planning and logistics to lighting design and catering, we’re able to pull off showstopping affairs for the ultimate show of appreciation for your clients and guests!
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
SHAPING THE FUTURE OF THE AMERICAN THEATRE
Called the “Super Bowl of Theatre” by OnStage Colorado, the Colorado New Play Summit rests at the pinnacle of new play development in America. This year’s 19th annual event on March 1 & 2 was no exception.
More than 1,500 tickets were distributed to readings of new works from some of the industry’s brightest playwrights:
• bogfriends by jose sebastian alberdi is an exploration of love, power dynamics, and the preservation of the past that connects six characters from different times and places as they navigate their relationships around an ancient Irish bog.
• In How to Conquer America: A Mostly True History of Yogurt by David Myers, Arlene Hoffman’s ad campaign transforms yogurt into a lucrative phenomenon. But when her late father interferes, she must confront family, culture, and appropriation in a heartfelt take on the American Dream.
• In Renaissance Rome, artists battle for a coveted commission, but poet Beatrice seeks to shape the content, as If God Were Blue by Carey Perloff explores art, power, faith, and the creative struggle.
• Held hostage in her office, psychologist Dr. Devra Mendoza must outmaneuver danger, confronting buried truths about the world, her work, and herself in Rust on Bone by Bianca Sams, a gripping psychological thriller.
Playwrights featured at the Colorado New Play Summit include (l-r) Jake Brasch, Carey Perloff, Sandy Rustin, Bianca Sams, jose sebastian alberdi, and David Myers.
Attendees also enjoyed the world premieres of Jake Brasch’s The Reservoir and Sandy Rustin’s The Su ragette’s Murder, both of which were read in 2023. Since its founding, the Summit has introduced 70 new plays, over half of which have received full Theatre Company productions before going on to more than 250 subsequent engagements across the country.
Photo by Harper Anne Finch.
Dazzle Denver
Complimentary dessert
The Regular
&
IN DOWNTOWN DENVER
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
Complete the perfect outing with special o ers from our DCPA Restaurant Partners.
Just show your theatre tickets and enjoy!
range
Complimentary valet parking and dessert with purchase of entrée
STK Steakhouse
Complimentary valet parking and 20% off bill
PROUD 2024/25 SEASON SPONSOR OF DCPA BROADWAY
MUSIC THERAPY CAN CHANGE THE BRAIN AND MAKE PEOPLE FEEL BETTER
BY LINNEA COVINGTON
HHave you ever listened to your favorite song and instantly felt better? This response, said Angela Wibben, Board-Certified Music Therapist at UCHealth, can be used to care for patients.
“Music and the arts are inherently therapeutic,” said Wibben who is also a classically trained percussionist. “There is no music center of the brain. When we use music interventions for rehabilitation, music activates a cross-covering of neural networks.”
While the use of music in therapy dates back centuries, UCHealth began to utilize it in 2016 as part of person-centered, collaborative care. Now UCHealth has tripled its efforts. “Until the Spring of 2024,” Wibben continued, “The University of Colorado Hospital had one staff music therapist for the entire hospital. With the support of our comprehensive data, our healthcare community, and generous philanthropy from donors, we have been able to expand the team to three board-certified music therapists on staff.”
What began in the World War II era to treat individuals in the midst of trauma has developed into a rigorous curriculum. “Now we have our own national board certification, and in order to be a music therapist you need to earn at least an undergraduate degree in music therapy,” said Wibben, who has worked in the field for 12 years, eight of those at UCHealth.
“Music therapy has been shown to improve the quality of life of our patients as well as…to help them heal and support their physical, cognitive, emotional, spiritual, and social goals,” said Wibben. “During a music therapy session our patients may talk about lyrics to explore their meaning in their lives, write songs to express emotions, improvise on instruments to decrease anxiety, use the qualities of rhythm and pitch to help them relearn how to speak after a neurologic injury, or listen to live music to help relax or decrease pain.”
However, when Wibben comes into a room with a cart of instruments, not everyone understands what’s going on.
“I usually start with a broad approach. I ask what is the most challenging part about being in the hospital. For some it’s the pain, the anxiety, and for others it’s being away from social supports and communities, pets or loved ones,” she explained. But music “can help empower people in their healing process.”
It doesn’t matter if you are a musician or have a favorite genre. The real key, she said, is to ask people what music they love and let the comfort and joy of the song course through them. That’s where the healing comes in.
PROUD PARTNER OF THE DENVER CENTER FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS
CCBS Colorado’s Dillon Thomas is known as Your Reporter in Northern Colorado, but around here, he’s better known as Colorado’s connection to the Denver Center for the Performing Arts. CBS Colorado’s team of Your Reporters covers Colorado’s vibrant arts scene like no one else and Dillon’s coverage of the DCPA is unique and far-reaching. His commitment has put him on the road with America’s top traveling productions, including MJ the musical, TINA — The Tina Turner Musical and SIX. “Telling the stories of these extraordinary performers and showing our viewers the long hours behind the scenes and the intense effort these shows require is one of my great honors,” Thomas says. “I’m very proud to represent CBS Colorado and showcase all the incredible talent that the DCPA brings to our theatres throughout the year.”
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.
— NICOLE AMENT, SHAREHOLDER AT BROWNSTEIN HYATT FARBER SCHRECK AND DCPA TRUSTEE
PROUD CORPORATE MEMBER OF THE DCPA
FFounded 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.
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
Rachel Rodriguez Manager, Treasury & Reconciliations
Jennifer Siemers Director, 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, Auctions & Partnerships
Kara Erickson-Stiemke Coordinator
Emily Kettlewell Associate Director, Annual Giving
Caitie Maxwell Senior Director, Major Gifts
Marc Ravenhill 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
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 Program Manager
Jeff Hovorka Director, Sales & Marketing, Broadway & Cabaret
Emma Holst Associate, Communications & Content
Emily Kent Director, Insights & Strategy
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
Sergio von Kretschmann Manager, Website
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*, Zeah Edmonds*, Lauren Estes*, Jen Gray*, Noa Halpern*, Noah Jungferman*, Max McCord, Noelle Norris*, Alexander Roy*,
Holly Stigen*, Lily Valdez, Bronwen
VanOrdstrand*,
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*, Luke Fish*, Edmund Gurule*, Lane Randall*, Hayley Solano*, Sam Stump*, Andrew Sullivan, Alfonso Vazquez* 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
Tucker 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
Alison Orthel, 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
Katarina Kosmopoulos First Hand
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 Supervisor
Stage Management
Anne Jude Supervisor
Corin Davidson, Harper Hadley, Brandon T. Holmes, Kristen O’Connor, Malia Stoner Stage Managers
Anna Cordova, Sam Forrest, Megan Franco Apprentices
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
Kristi Horvath Director of Venue Operations
Facilities
Craig Smith Director
Dwight Barela, Mark Dill, Bryan Faciane, John Howard, Iver Johnson Engineers
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, Wendy Quintana, Valerie Schaefer Assistant Managers
Kelly Breuer, Nora Caley, Amy Howard, Robin Lander, Barbara Pooler, Ayden Smith House Managers
Safety & Security
Quentin Crump Director
Jacquelyne Schmidt Manager, Health & Safety
Timothy Allen, Jodi Benavides Lead Security Officers
Mayte Armendariz, David Bright, Ariana Cuevas, Ethan Kemberlin, Jack Leatherwood, Ian Nelson, Jason Porquis, Isabella Samaniego, Zach Stemley, Pamela Winston, Tori Witherspoon, Angel Zanudio Security Specialists
Judy Briggs Front Desk
Rateliff sings Rateliff with the Colorado Symphony APR 11-12
Beethoven & Brahms with Christopher Dragon MAY 16-18
The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring MAY 23-25
Tchaikovsky Violin Concerto with Augustin Hadelich MAY 30-JUN 1
