Actors' unions, Colorado Theatre Guild get 'Tony' for Denver Actors Fund

Lauren Luce, second from left, won the contest for predicting the most Tony Award winners. She’s joined by local SAF-AFTRA President Sheila Traister, left, Actors Equity Association Liaison Clay Blackwell and second-place winner Gail Bransteitter. Third place went to frequent DCPA actor Jeffrey Roark (not pictured.) Photo by Michael Ensminger.

Organizers raise $818 for nonprofit that helps local actors in medical need

Once CBS’ Tony Awards host James Corden popped up live on a Radio City Music Hall toilet, it was a foregone conclusion that Denver’s Tony Awards Viewing Party would soon be heading for the men’s room at Cap City Tavern. Photo by John Moore.

Unions representing local actors on the stage and screen, along with the Colorado Theatre Guild, joined forces for a good cause on June 9. The Denver-area Actors’ Equity Association, SAG-AFTRA Colorado Local and Colorado’s leading advocacy group for live theatre hosted a fun and informal Tony Awards viewing party at Cap City Tavern as a benefit for The Denver Actors Fund.

The gathering was the brainchild of area actor Abner Genece, a member of the Arvada Center’s repertory acting company and soon to star as The Duke in Colorado Springs TheatreWorks’ Measure for Measure. Genece was nearly killed along with his son in a highway collision in 2017 and later received financial and practical assistance from The Denver Actors Fund during his recovery.

Donations were accepted, games were played, prizes were doled out and Cap City donated 10 percent of all food and drink sales to the cause.

The rotating hosts for the evening were local actors Steven J. Burge, Betty Hart, Shannan Steele and Jamie Grayson. Among those who helped to organize the event were T. David Rutherford, Clay Blackwell, Sheila Traister, Jason Henning, Kaye Moss and Cap City owner Dino McTaggart, husband of area actor Piper Arpan.

In its first six years, The Denver Actors Fund has made more than $365,000 in medical relief available to Colorado theatre artists on stage and off.

Genece said he intends for the Tony Awards party to become an annual event for the benefit of The Denver Actors Fund. This pilot party raised $818, he said.