From left: Allison Caw, Amanda Berg Wilson and Joe Von Bokern in The Catmounts’  ‘Beowulf: A Thousand Years of Baggage,’ which tied for the most Henry Award nominations by a musical with nine. Photo by Michael Ensminger. 

DCPA leads way as always wildly unpredictable nominations embrace companies from Carbondale to Colorado Springs

By John Moore
Senior Arts Journalist

Suffice it to say, a whole lot of people will be attending the Colorado Theatre Guild’s Henry Awards for the very first time.

While the DCPA Theatre Company led all Colorado companies for the fifth straight year with 21 nominations, followed by the Arvada Center with 16, a plethora of companies that have barely registered on the Henrys’ radar in the past have emphatically taken their place at the table this year – most from outside the Denver metro area.   

Thunder River, a small theatre company in Carbondale, didn’t just receive its first Henry Award nominations – it received its first 11. Most of that can be attributed to a mind-boggling individual accomplishment: Sean Jeffries (pictured right) becomes the first person to ever receive five nominations in a single year for his lighting, scenic and sound designs. New Thunder River Executive Artistic Director Corey Simpson also picked up nominations as both a director (Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde) and supporting actor (The Tempest).

Lone Tree Arts Center, which mostly presents touring shows and concerts, earned 13 nominations for staging three of its own shows. The city of Colorado Springs steamrolled its way into the party with 12 nominations for TheatreWorks, 11 for the Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center, and even three for the tiny Springs Ensemble Theatre. The love for TheatreWorks could not have come at a more poignant time, following the January death of founder Murray Ross, who is nominated of Outstanding Direction of Marivaux’s romantic comedy The Game of Love and Chance.

Up in Fort Collins, OpenStage & Company charted 12 nominations, followed by the Midtown Arts Center with seven. Other breakout years: Eight nominations each for the Backstage Breckenridge Theatre, the Rocky Mountain Repertory Theatre of Grand Lake, and PACE Center/Inspire Creative. Those nine emerging companies garnered just 17 cumulative nominations last year. This year, they totaled 90.

(Pictured right: Denise Burson Freestone and Sydney Parks Smith are both nominated as Outstanding Lead Actresses in OpenStage Theatre & Company’s ‘August: Osage County.’) 

The 12^th annual Henry Awards will be presented July 17 at the PACE Center in Parker. The seven companies under consideration for Outstanding Season are the Arvada Center, DCPA Theatre Company, Lone Tree Arts Center, Openstage Theatre & Company, Rocky Mountain Repertory Theatre, TheatreWorks and Thunder River.

The most honored play of the season is the DCPA Theatre Company’s world premiere of Lauren Gunderson’s The Book of Will, with 12 nominations, followed by OpenStage’s August: Osage County, with seven. The Book of Will tells how two obscure members of William Shakespeare’s acting company took it upon themselves to publish the first complete published collection of Shakespeare’s plays. It already has been picked up for subsequent productions all around the country.

(Pictured right: Rodney Lizcano is one of three of ‘Book of Will’ castmates nominated as Outstanding Supporting Actor.)

The leading musicals of 2016-17 in a topsy-turvy Outstanding Musical field were Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center’s Man of La Mancha and The Catamounts’ Beowulf: A Thousand Years of Baggage, with nine nominations. That was a blood-pumping, gypsy-punk musical based on the ninth-century epic poem with an original score by Dave Malloy, composer of Broadway’s Natasha, Pierre, And The Great Comet of 1812.

That was followed by the Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center’s Man of La Mancha (9), the Arvada Center’s Jesus Christ Superstar (7), PACE Center and Inspire Creative’s collaborative staging of Monty Python’s Spamalot (6) and two Lone Tree Arts Center stagings, of Evita (6) and the world premiere of Randal Myler’s Muscle Shoals (6), which chronicled the music that came out of the famous recording studio in Muscle Shoals, Ala., in the 1960s.

But all that emergence means a lot of traditional Henry Award favorites are taking a back seat this year. Last year, for example, Performance Now, Vintage, Buntport and Town Hall combined for 29 nominations. This year, the four scored a combined three. 

The Henry Awards are a notoriously unpredictable affair from year to year, often heaping unexpected love on a breakout company one year and then all but forgetting it the next. Theatre Aspen, which earned a whopping 25 nominations and swept the 2016 Henrys with eight awards, received only one nomination this year.

Among the ongoing Henry Awards mysteries is the continuing snub of the rock-solid Boulder Ensemble Theatre Company, which has now received only four nominations the past three years combined. Phamaly Theatre Company, which makes performance opportunities available to actors with disabilities, was shut out. For the second straight year, Cherry Creek Theatre received no nominations, and the Colorado Shakespeare Festival received just one – for Hunter Ringsmith’s riveting performance as supporting actor in Equivocation.

One of the most dramatic individual nominations of the year has to be Matt LaFontaine’ s recognition as an Outstanding Actor in a Musical. He assumed the role of Judas in Jesus Christ Superstar just days before the opening because of an illness in the cast.

Colorado Springs husband and wife Joye Cook-Levy and Scott RC Levy are both nominated as directors – Joye for TheatreWorks’ play Constellations and Scott for Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center’s musical Man of La Mancha. The married couple of Meridith C. Grundei and Gary Grundei are nominated as director and musical director, respectively, of The Catamounts’ Beowulf. And Joan Bruemmer-Holden is nominated as both a supporting actor and the choreographer of that show.

Other multiple nominees this year include costumer Clare Henkel, scenic designer Brian Mallgrave, and sound designers Jason Ducat and Allen Noftall.

A glaring omission from this year’s nominee slate is Curious Theatre Company, historically one of the Henrys’ favorite recipients – but also a prime example of the feast-or-famine nature of these awards. After winning a remarkable 20 Henry Awards over three years from 2012-14, Curious was shut out the past two seasons. Artistic Director Chip Walton later pulled his company out of consideration for this year’s awards, citing a profound lack of diversity among last year’s winners.

“Curious approached the Colorado Theatre Guild with concerns about the lack of diversity represented at the Henry Awards last year, as well as many judges’ limited knowledge of the theatre craft, especially with regard to technical design,” said Managing Director Katie Maltais. “As the Guild chose not to change its practices or provide additional learning opportunities for judges, Curious left the Henry Awards. We hope that one day the Henry Awards will showcase the full richness of our theatre community, and our strong stance on equity and inclusion and firm commitment to artistic excellence demands we wait until that day to participate in the awards.” 

Despite its 21 nominations, the DCPA slate also reflects the roller-coaster nature of the Henry Award nominations. While The Book of Will led all productions with 12 nominations, including three supporting actors, the critically acclaimed Disgraced, The Secret Garden and Frankenstein only managed five among them. The Glass Menagerie earned three.

The Colorado Theatre Guild is a statewide advocacy group, and last year it expanded its nominations to spread more bounty to more companies throughout the state by now designating seven nominations for each category. This year nominations went to 29 different companies and 56 of 190 eligible shows. The expanded pool of nominees means each has just a 14 percent chance of actually winning.

The Guild also splits the four design categories into two tiers determined by member companies’ annual overall operating budgets. Only six companies have annual budgets above the $1.2 million threshold and therefore are considered Tier I: The DCPA, Arvada Center, Creede Repertory Theatre, Theatre Aspen, Colorado Shakespeare Festival and Colorado Springs TheatreWorks. The rest all compete in Tier II.

Established in 2006, the Henry Awards serve as the Colorado Theatre Guild’s annual fundraising event. The awards are named for longtime local theatre producer Henry Lowenstein. Nominations are determined through a judging process conducted by more than 45 statewide theatre reporters, educators and assigned judges.

2016-17 HENRY AWARD NOMINATIONS

Outstanding Season for a Theatre Company

• Arvada Center
• Colorado Springs TheatreWorks
• DCPA Theatre Company
• Lone Tree Arts Center
• OpenStage Theatre and Company
• Rocky Mountain Repertory Theatre
• Thunder River Theatre Company

Outstanding Production of a Play

• “August: Osage County,” OpenStage Theatre & Company, Dulcie Willis, Director
• “The Book of Will,” DCPA Theatre Company, Davis McCallum, Director
• “Constellations,” TheatreWorks, Joye Cook-Levy, Director
• “Don’t Dress for Dinner,” OpenStage Theatre & Company, Wendy S. Moore, Director
• “Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde,” Thunder River Theatre Company, Corey Simpson, Director
• “The Game of Love and Chance,” TheatreWorks, Murray Ross, Director
• “Tartuffe,” Arvada Center, Lynne Collins, Director

Outstanding Production of a Musical

• “Beowulf: A Thousand Years of Baggage,” The Catamounts, Meridith C. Grundei, Director; Gary Grundei, Musical Direction                                
• “Evita,” Lone Tree Arts Center, Gina Rattan, Director; Max Mamon, Musical Direction                                
• “Man of La Mancha,” Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center Theatre Company, Scott RC Levy, Director; Sharon Skidgel, Musical Direction
• “Monty Python’s Spamalot,” PACE Center & Inspire Creative, Kelly McAllister, Director; Tanner Kelly, Musical Direction                                
• “Motones vs. Jerseys,” Midtown Arts Center, Kenny Moten, Director; Jalyn Courtenay Webb, Musical Direction
• “Muscle Shoals: I’ll Take You There,” Lone Tree Arts Center, Randal Myler, Director; Dan Wheetman, Musical Direction
• “Porgy and Bess,” Aurora Fox Arts Center, donnie l. betts, Director; Jodel Charles, Musical Direction

Outstanding Direction of a Play

• Lynne Collins, “The Drowning Girls,” Arvada Center
• Joye Cook-Levy, “Constellations,” TheatreWorks
• Davis McCallum, “The Book of Will,” DCPA Theatre Company
• Matt Radcliffe, “The Elephant Man,” Springs Ensemble Theatre Company
• Murray Ross, “The Game of Love and Chance,” TheatreWorks
• Corey Simpson, “Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde,” Thunder River Theatre Company
• Dulcie Willis, “August: Osage County,” OpenStage Theatre & Company

Outstanding Direction of a Musical

• donnie l. betts, “Porgy and Bess,” Aurora Fox Arts Center
• Meridith C. Grundei, “Beowulf: A Thousand Years of Baggage,” The Catamounts
• Kelly McAllister, “Monty Python’s Spamalot,” PACE Center & Inspire Creative
• Scott RC Levy, “Man of La Mancha,” Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center Theatre Company
• Randal Myler, “Muscle Shoals: I’ll Take You There,” Lone Tree Arts Center
• Gina Rattan, “Evita,” Lone Tree Arts Center
• Nick Sugar, “First Date,” Lake Dillon Theatre Company

Outstanding Musical Direction

• Neal Dunfee, “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat,” BDT Stage
• Gary Grundei, “Beowulf: A Thousand Years of Baggage,” The Catamounts
• Max Mamon, “Evita,” Lone Tree Arts Center
• Sharon Skidgel, “Man of La Mancha,” Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center Theatre Company
• Jason Tyler Vaughn, “Murder Ballad,” The Edge Theater Company
• Jalyn Courtenay Webb, “Motones vs. Jerseys,” Midtown Arts Center
• Dan Wheetman, “Muscle Shoals: I’ll Take You There,” Lone Tree Arts Center

Outstanding Actor in a Play

• William Hahn, “Burn This,” The Edge Theater Company 
• Kevin Hart, “Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike,” Breckenridge Backstage Theatre   
• Sammie Joe Kinnett, “The Game of Love and Chance,” TheatreWorks
• Steven P. Sickles, “Le Bete,” OpenStage Theatre & Company     
• Micah Speirs, “The Elephant Man,” Springs Ensemble Theatre Company               
• Dan Tschirhart, “The Flick,” OpenStage Theatre & Company        
• Adam Verner, “Don’t Dress for Dinner,” OpenStage Theatre & Company                                                                                                         

Outstanding Actress in a Play

• LuAnn Buckstein, “Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike,” Breckenridge Backstage Theatre      
• Carley Cornelius, “Constellations,” TheatreWorks
• Denise Burson Freestone, “August: Osage County,” OpenStage Theatre & Company      
• Kathleen McCall, “The Glass Menagerie,” DCPA Theatre Company          
• Emma Messenger, “Misery,” The Edge Theater Company
• Sydney Parks Smith, “August: Osage County,” OpenStage Theatre & Company 
• Caitlin Wise, “The Game of Love and Chance,” TheatreWorks

Outstanding Actor in a Musical

• Leonard E. Barrett Jr. , “Porgy and Bess,” Aurora Fox Arts Center
• Joshua Blanchard, “Cabaret,” Lake Dillon Theatre Company
• Stephen Day, “Man of La Mancha,” Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center Theatre Company                                                                
• Miles Jacoby, “Evita,” Lone Tree Arts Center
• August Stoten, “Monty Python’s Spamalot,” PACE Center and Inspire Creative
• Colin Summers, “Million Dollar Quartet,” Rocky Mountain Repertory Theatre
• Joe Von Bokern, “Beowulf: A Thousand Years of Baggage,” The Catamounts

Outstanding Actress in a Musical

• Jacquie Jo Billings, “Little Shop of Horrors,” Miners Alley Playhouse
• Colby Dunn, “The Toxic Avenger,” Breckenridge Backstage Theatre        
• Sarah Groeke, “Cabaret,” Lake Dillon Theatre Company
• Cecilia Iole, “The Little Mermaid,” Rocky Mountain Repertory Theatre
• Marissa Rudd, “Sister Act,” Midtown Arts Center
• Tracy Warren, “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat,” BDT Stage
• Danielle Hermon Wood, “Monty Python’s Spamalot,” PACE Center and Inspire Creative

Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Play

• Nathan Cox, “The Tempest,” Thunder River Theatre Company
• Rodney Lizcano, “The Book of Will,” DCPA Theatre Company
• Wesley Mann, “The Book of Will,” DCPA Theatre Company
• Owen O’Farrell, “The Tempest,” Thunder River Theatre Company
• Hunter Ringsmith, “Equivocaton,” Colorado Shakespeare Festival            
• Triney Sandoval, “The Book of Will,” DCPA Theatre Company
• Corey Simpson, “The Tempest,” Thunder River Theatre Company

Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Play

• Miriam A. Laube, “The Book of Will,” DCPA Theatre Company
• Carolyn Lohr, “Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike,” Breckenridge Backstage Theatre              
• Leslie O’Carroll, “Silent Sky,” Boulder Ensemble Theatre Company
• Amelia Pedlow, “The Glass Menagerie,” DCPA Theatre Company
• Christina Sajous, “Disgraced,” DCPA Theatre Company
• Linda Suttle, “A Time to Kill,” Vintage Theatre Productions
• Edith Weiss, “Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike,” Breckenridge Backstage Theatre

Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Musical

• Brandon Bill, “Monty Python’s Spamalot,” PACE Center and Inspire Creative
• Ben Hilzer, “Beowulf: A Thousand Years of Baggage,” The Catamounts
• John Jankow, “A Christmas Story,” Midtown Arts Center
• Matt LaFontaine, “Jesus Christ Superstar,” Arvada Center
• Bob Moore, “Cabaret,” Lake Dillon Theatre Company
• Nicholas Park, “First Date,” Lake Dillon Theatre Company
• Kyle Ashe Wilkinson, “Titanic,” Rocky Mountain Repertory Theatre

Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Musical

• Jenna Bainbridge, “Jesus Christ Superstar,” Arvada Center
• Joan Bruemmer-Holden, “Beowulf: A Thousand Years of Baggage,” The Catamounts
• Charlotte Campbell, “A Christmas Story,” Midtown Arts Center
• Anna High, “Porgy and Bess,” Aurora Fox Arts Center
• Rebecca Hoodwin, “Cabaret,” Lake Dillon Theatre Company
• Carol Rose, “The Little Mermaid,” Rocky Mountain Repertory Theatre
• Megan Van De Hey, “The Toxic Avenger,” Breckenridge Backstage Theatre   

Outstanding Ensemble Performance

• “August: Osage County,” OpenStage Theatre & Company
• “The Book of Will,” DCPA Theatre Company
• “The Drowning Girls,” Arvada Center, Lynne Collins, Director
• “The Game of Love and Chance,” TheatreWorks
• “Motones vs. Jerseys,” Midtown Arts Center
• “Muscle Shoals: I’ll Take You There,” Lone Tree Arts Center
• “Porgy and Bess,” Aurora Fox Arts Center

Outstanding New Play or Musical

• “The Book of Will,” by Lauren Gunderson

  Directed by Davis McCallum; Produced by DCPA Theatre Company

• “The Firestorm,” by Meridith Friedman

  Directed by Pesha Rudnick; Produced by LOCAL Theater Company

• “Full Code,” by David Valdes Greenwood

  Directed by Stephen Weitz; Produced by Boulder Ensemble Theatre Company

• “The History Room,” by Charlie Thurston

  Directed by Pesha Rudnick; Produced by Creede Repertory Theatre             

• “I’ll Be Home for Christmas,” Music and Lyrics by David Nehls, Book by Kenn McLaughlin

  Directed by Gavin Mayer; Produced by Arvada Center

• “Lost Creatures,” by Melissa Lucero McCarl

  Directed by Patrick Elkins-Zeglarski; Produced by And Toto too Theatre Company

• “Muscle Shoals: I’ll Take You There,” by Randal Myler

  Directed by Randal Myler; Produced by Lone Tree Arts Center

Outstanding Choreography

• Mary Ripper Baker, “Man of La Mancha,” Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center Theatre Company
• Joan Bruemmer-Holden & Amanda Berg Wilson, “Beowulf: A Thousand Years of Baggage,” The Catamounts
• Jeff Duke and Stephanie Hansen, “The Little Mermaid,” Rocky Mountain Repertory Theatre
• Kelly Kates, “The Robber Bridegroom,” Town Hall Arts Center
• Michael Lasris, “A Christmas Story,” Midtown Arts Center
• Matthew D. Peters, “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat,” BDT Stage
• Kate Vallee, “42nd Street,” Candlelight Dinner Playhouse      

Outstanding Costume Design Tier 1

• Camille Assaf, “The Book of Will,” DCPA Theatre Company
• Stephanie Bradley, “Game of Love and Chance,” TheatreWorks
• Janson J. Fangio, “Enchanted April,” Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center Theatre Company
• Sydney Gallas, “Man of La Mancha,” Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center Theatre Company
• Clare Henkel, “Jesus Christ Superstar,” Arvada Center
• Clare Henkel, “Tartuffe,” Arvada Center
• Lex Liang, “Shrek,” Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center Theatre Company

Outstanding Costume Design Tier 2

• Kari Armstrong, “The Snow Queen,” Bas Bleu Theatre Company
• Buntport Theater, “The Crud,” Buntport Theater
• Pamela Clifton, “Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike,” Breckenridge Backstage Theatre         
• Judith Ernst, “The Wizard of Oz,” Candlelight Dinner Playhouse
• Tricia Music, “Monty Python’s Spamalot,” PACE Center & Inspire Creative
• Jesus Perez, “The Little Mermaid,” Rocky Mountain Repertory Theatre
• Annabel Reader, “Beowulf: A Thousand Years of Baggage,” The Catamounts

Outstanding Lighting Design Tier 1

• Charles R. MacLeod, “The Glass Menagerie,” DCPA Theatre Company  
• Shannon McKinney, “Jesus Christ Superstar,” Arvada Center
• Jon Olson, “The Drowning Girls,” Arvada Center
• Holly Anne Rawls, “Man of La Mancha,” Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center Theatre Company
• Paul Toben, “The Book of Will,” DCPA Theatre Company
• Brian Tovar, “Frankenstein,” DCPA Theatre Company   
• Mike Wood, “Constellations,” TheatreWorks

Outstanding Lighting Design Tier 2

Outstanding Scenic Design Tier 1

• Lisa Orzolek, “Disgraced,” DCPA Theatre Company
• Brian Mallgrave, “The Drowning Girls,” Arvada Center
• Brian Mallgrave, “Jesus Christ Superstar,” Arvada Center
• Christopher L. Sheley, “Man of La Mancha,” Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center Theatre Company
• Sandra Goldmark, “The Book of Will,” DCPA Theatre Company
• Paul Black, “Mamma Mia,” Theatre Aspen
• Jason Sherwood, “Frankenstein,” DCPA Theatre Company

Outstanding Scenic Design Tier 2

• Shaun Albrechtson, “Steel Magnolias,” PACE Center & Inspire Creative
• James Brookman, “August: Osage County,” OpenStage Theatre & Company
• M. Curtis Grittner, “Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike,” Breckenridge Backstage Theatre
• Sean Jeffries, “Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde,” Thunder River Theatre Company
• Sean Jeffries, “The Last Romance,” Thunder River Theatre Company
• Lori Rosedahl, “The Flick,” OpenStage Theatre & Company
• Kyle Scoggins, “Little Shop of Horrors,” Miners Alley Playhouse

Outstanding Sound Design Tier 1

• Jason Ducat, “Constellations,” TheatreWorks
• Jason Ducat, “The Drowning Girls,” Arvada Center
• Benjamin Heston, “Man of La Mancha,” Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center Theatre Company
• Morgan McCauley, “Tartuffe,” Arvada Center
• Stowe Nelson, “The Book of Will,” DCPA Theatre Company
• David Thomas, “Jesus Christ Superstar,” Arvada Center
• Zach Williamson, “The Secret Garden, “ DCPA Theatre Company

Outstanding Sound Design Tier 2

• Travis Duncan and Jeremiah Walter, “The Elephant Man,” Springs Ensemble Theatre Company
• Carlos Flores, “Misery,” The Edge Theater Company
• Sean Jeffries, “The Tempest,” Thunder River Theatre Company
• Allen Noftall, “Evita,” Lone Tree Arts Center
• Allen Noftall, “Muscle Shoals: I’ll Take You Theatre,” Lone Tree Arts Center
• Jon Northridge, “Million Dollar Quartet,” Rocky Mountain Repertory Theatre
• Tom Quinn and Kenny Storms, “Murder Ballad,” The Edge Theater Company
  Additional Special Awards will be announced in July.

2017 Henry Awards: Ticket information

• Monday, July 17
• 6 p.m. drinks; 7 p.m. awards
• PACE Center, 20000 Pikes Peak Avenue, Parker, MAP IT
• Tickets: $23 for CTG members, $30 non-members or $50 VIP. Tickets are available at parkerarts.org, or by calling 303-805-6800. Any remaining tickets will be sold at the door for $35.
• Ticket onsale date: June 30

Nominations by Company:
DCPA Theatre Company – 21
Arvada Center – 16
Lone Tree Arts Center – 13
OpenStage & Company – 12
Colorado Springs TheatreWorks – 12
Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center – 11
Thunder River Theatre Company – 11
The Catamounts – 9
Breckenridge Backstage Theatre – 8
PACE Center/Inspire Creative – 8
Rocky Mountain Repertory Theatre – 7
Midtown Arts Center – 7
Lake Dillon Theatre Company – 6
Aurora Fox – 5
The Edge Theatre – 5
BDT Stage – 3
Springs Ensemble Theatre – 3
Boulder Ensemble Theatre Company – 2
Candlelight Dinner Playhouse – 2
Miners Alley Playhouse – 2
And Toto too Theatre Company – 1
Bas Bleu Theatre – 1
Buntport Theater– 1
Creede Repertory Theatre – 1
Colorado Shakespeare Festival – 1
Local Theatre Company – 1
Theatre Aspen – 1
Town Hall Arts Center – 1
Vintage Theatre – 1