Actors Andrew Pastides, Kate Finch and Tad Cooley are all nominated for Colorado Theatre Guild Henry Awards for the DCPA Theatre Company’s ‘Tribes.’ Photo by Addams Visual Communications. 

The guest list for the Colorado Theatre Guild’s annual Henry Awards party just got a lot bigger. How much bigger? The list of nominations released this morning includes 175 honorees, up from 116 last year. That’s an increase of 51 percent.
 
This year there are seven nominees in every category. So while your chances of landing a Henry Award nomination just went way up … your chances of winning just dropped to about 14 percent.

For the third straight year, the DCPA Theatre Company leads all companies with 27 Henry Award nominations, including best season. Theatre Aspen follows with 25 – by far its greatest Henry Awards acknowledgement after years of presenting Broadway-quality productions in relative anonymity. The Arvada Center is next with 15, followed by the rising Edge Theatre with 10 and Vintage Theatre with nine. 

The most-nominated musical of the year is Theatre Aspen’s Cabaret, with 11, followed by the DCPA’s DeVotchKa-infused take on Sweeney Todd with 10, and Performance Now’s Ragtime with seven. Among plays, Theatre Aspen again led the way with eight nominations for Other Desert Cities, followed by Vintage Theatre’s Rabbit Hole with seven and the DCPA’s Tribes with six.

Emma Messenger, winner of Outstanding Actress in a play two years running, will go for the Triple Crown after being nominated a third straight year for her True West Award-winning work in The Edge Theatre’s world premiere of Exit Strategies.

Maggy Stacy in the Edge Theatre’s ‘Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?’ Rachel D. Graham Photography.
 

Maggy Stacy pulled off the rare feat of being nominated twice in the same acting category, for her daring supporting work in both the Edge Theatre’s Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? and Vintage Theatre’s Rabbit Hole.

The DCPA’s acting nominations were spread out among several shows, with nods going to Andrew Pastides, Kate Finch and hard-of-hearing actor Tad Cooley for Tribes; Robert Petkoff and Linda Mugleston for Sweeney Todd, Carolyn Holding for As You Like It; and C. David Johnson for All The Way. Directing nods went to Kent Thompson (Sweeney Todd) and Anthony Powell (All the Way), as well as Gregg Coffin for Musical Direction (Sweeney Todd).

The Colorado Theatre Guild is a statewide advocacy group, and the expansion of nominations is its announced intention to spread more bounty to more companies throughout the state. The strategy appears to have worked. The number of Colorado companies that received at least one nomination grew from 25 to 31, with honored companies ranging from Colorado Springs to Dillon to Aspen to Creede.

But because the Guild already splits the four design categories into two tiers determined by companies’ annual overall operating budgets, the expansion of nominees tends to benefit the state’s largest theatre companies most. That’s because only seven companies have annual budgets above the $1.2 million threshhold and therefore are considered Tier I: The DCPA, Arvada Center, Creede Repertory Theatre, Curious Theatre, Theatre Aspen, Colorado Shakespeare Festival and Colorado Springs TheatreWorks. The expansion of the tiered pools from four to seven nominees in each category means only those seven companies were eligible for the 28 available nominations in the Tier I technical categories.

This year’s triple nominees are Theatre Aspen’s multitalented Paul Black, who was cited for lighting Cabaret and Peter and the Starcatcher, as well as his Starcatcher scenic design. Lighting designer Shannon McKinney pulled off a rare feat, earning lighting nominations for three different companies: The Arvada Center’s Death Takes a Holiday, the DCPA’s Tribes and Local Theater Company’s Faith.

Double nominees from the DCPA include Scenic Designer Lisa Orzolek (Tribes and The Nest); Costume Designer Kevin Copenhaver (DCPA’s Sweeney Todd and Lone Tree’s The Explorer’s Club); and Sound Designer Craig Breitenbach (DCPA’s Tribes and Phamaly Theatre Company’s Cabaret). 

Other double nominees include double-dutying Directors and Choreographers Kelly Van Oosbree (Performance Now’s Ragtime, The Musical) and Mark Martino (Theatre Aspen’s Cabaret). Also: Director Gavin Mayer for the Arvada Center’s musical Irving Berlin’s White Christmas and play The Mountaintop; funnyman Dave Shirley’s Voddville comedy landed him nominations for New Play and Sound Design; also Colorado Shakespeare Festival Costumer Hugh Hanson (Much Ado About Nothing and Wittenberg); perennial Costume Design honoree Linda Morken (Town Hall Arts Center’s Violet and BDT Stage’s Peter and the Starcatcher); Scenic Designer Amy Campion (BDT Stage’s The Addams Family and Peter and the Starcatcher); and Theatre Aspen Sound Designer David Thomas (Peter and the Starcatcher and Cabaret).

A fun little nomination battle bubbled up between two productions of Irving Berlin’s White Christmas: The Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center ultimately edged out the Arvada Center, five nods to four.

Every year comes with its share of surprises and disappointments, and this year the expansion of nominations clearly did no favors to the Curious Theatre Company, which received only two nominations, both for Sex With Strangers. Denver’s premier off-Broadway theatre company fully adopted the radical concept of ongoing serial storytelling last year (meaning trilogies), but only three Curious Theatre offerings have now landed Henry Award nominations over the past three seasons. Another apparent snub was to the rock-solid Boulder Ensemble Theatre Company, which has now only received two nominations in the past two years. This past season included the True West Award-winning Outside Mullingar and a critically praised Cyrano, but only Ideation was recognized this year, for Outstanding Play and Direction.

More Colorado theatre coverage on the DCPA NewsCenter

Established in 2006, the Henry Awards honor outstanding achievement in Colorado theatre, and also serve as the Guild’s annual fundraising event. The awards are named for longtime local theatre producer Henry Lowenstein.

To be eligible for Henry Awards consideration, a presenting company must be a dues-paying member of the Colorado Theatre Guild. Shows are adjudicated throughout the year by a team of about 45 statewide theatre reporters, educators and assigned judges who score each show in all categories using a 50-point scale. A show must have been seen by six adjudicators in order to be eligible. (Next year, that number will go down to five.) The total number of shows eligible for 2015-16 Henry Award consideration totaled 196, up from 172 two years ago.

The 2016 Henry Awards, which will take place on Monday, July 18, are moving this year to the PACE Center, located in Parker, Colorado. Tickets are now onsale.

Theatre Apen is the most-nominated Colorado production of 2015-16 with 11 Henry Award nods. Photo by Jeremy Swanson.

 2015-16 COLORADO THEATRE GUILD HENRY AWARD NOMINATIONS:

Outstanding Season for a Theatre Company
Arvada Center for the Arts and Humanities
Aurora Fox Arts Center
Buntport Theater
DCPA Theatre Company
The Edge Theater Company
Theatre Aspen
Vintage Theatre Productions

 Outstanding Production of a Play
“All the Way,” DCPA Theatre Company, Anthony Powell, Director
“Equus,” The Avenue Theater, Warren Sherrill, Director
“Ideation,” Boulder Ensemble Theatre Company, Stephen Weitz, Director
“Other Desert Cities,” Theatre Aspen, Sara Lapine, Director
“Rabbit Hole,” Vintage Theatre Productions,  Bernie Cardell, Director
“The Rembrandt Room,” Buntport Theater, Buntport Theater, Director
“Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?,” The Edge Theater Company, Rick Yaconis, Director

Outstanding Production of a Musical
“The Big Bang,” Spotlight Theatre Company, Katie Mangett, Director; Blake Nawa’a, Musical Direction
“Cabaret,” Theatre Aspen, Mark Martino, Director; Eric Alsford, Musical Direction
“Death Takes a Holiday,” Arvada Center for the Arts and Humanities, Rod Lansberry, Director; David Nehls, Musical Direction
“Guys and Dolls,” Creede Repertory Theatre, Jessica Jackson, Director; Joe Montelione, Musical Direction
“Jekyll and Hyde,” Aurora Fox Arts Center, El Armstrong, Director; Martha Yordy, Musical Direction
“Ragtime, The Musical,” Performance Now Theatre Company & Lakewood Cultural Center, Kelly Van Oosbree, Director; Eric Weinstein, Musical Direction
“Sweeney Todd,” DCPA Theatre Company, Kent Thompson, Director; Gregg Coffin, Musical Direction

Outstanding Direction of a Play
Bernie Cardell, “Rabbit Hole,” Vintage Theatre Productions
Buntport Theater, “The Rembrandt Room,” Buntport Theater
Sarna Lapine, “Other Desert Cities,” Theatre Aspen
Gavin Mayer, “The Mountaintop,” Arvada Center for the Arts and Humanities
Anthony Powell, “All the Way,” DCPA Theatre Company
Stephen Weitz, “Ideation,” Boulder Ensemble Theatre Company
Rick Yaconis, “Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?” The Edge Theater Company

Outstanding Direction of a Musical
Bryce Alexander, “Cabaret,” Phamaly Theatre Company
Nathan Halvorson, “Irving Berlin’s White Christmas,” Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center
Rod A. Lansberry, “Death Takes a Holiday,” Arvada Center for the Arts and Humanities
Mark Martino, “Cabaret,” Theatre Aspen
Gavin Mayer, “Irving Berlin’s White Christmas,” Arvada Center for the Arts and Humanities
Kent Thompson, “Sweeney Todd,” DCPA Theatre Company
Kelly Van Oosbree, “Ragtime, The Musical,” Performance Now Theatre Company and Lakewood Cultural Center                                    

Outstanding Musical Direction
Eric Alsford, “Cabaret,” Theatre Aspen
Gregg Coffin, “Sweeney Todd,” DCPA Theatre Company
Donna Kolpan Debreceni, “Violet,” Town Hall Arts Center
Jay Hahn, “Irving Berlin’s White Christmas,” Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center
Joe Montelione, “Guys and Dolls,” Creede Repertory Theatre
David Nehls, “Death Takes a Holiday,” Arvada Center for the Arts and Humanities
Eric Weinstein, “Ragtime, The Musical,” Performance Now and Lakewood Cultural Center                           

Outstanding Choreography
Piper Lindsay Arpan, “Catch Me If You Can,” Aurora Fox Arts Center
Mary Ripper Baker and Nathan Halvorson, “Irving Berlin’s White Christmas,” Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center
Reace Daniel, “The Wild Party,” Ignite Theatre
Kitty Skillman Hilsabeck, “Irving Berlin’s White Christmas,” Arvada Center for the Arts and Humanities
Mark Martino, “Cabaret,” Theatre Aspen
Nick Sugar, “West Side Story,” Town Hall Arts Center
Kelly Van Oosbree, “Ragtime, The Musical,” Performance Now and Lakewood Cultural Center                  

Outstanding Actor in a Play
Benjamin Bonenfant, “Henry V,” Colorado Shakespeare Festival
Tad Cooley, “Tribes,” DCPA Theatre Company
Jonathan Farwell, “The Outgoing Tide,” Bas Bleu Theatre Company
C. David Johnson, “All The Way,” DCPA Theatre Company
Andrew Pastides, “Tribes,” DCPA Theatre Company     
Ben Schrager, “Dancing Lessons,” Lake Dillon Theatre Company
John Douglas Thompson, “Satchmo at the Waldorf,” TheatreWorks

Outstanding Actress in a Play
Betty Hart, “The Mountaintop,” Arvada Center for the Arts and Humanities
Carolyn Holding, “As You Like It,” DCPA Theatre Company
Erin Rollman, “The Rembrandt Room,” Buntport Theater
Billie McBride, “The Velocity of Autumn,” Lake Dillon Theatre Company
Emma Messenger, “Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?” The Edge Theater Company
Missy Moore, “Getting Out,” The Edge Theater Company
Lori Wilner, “Other Desert Cities,” Theatre Aspen

Outstanding Actor in a Musical
Daniel Langhoff, “Ragtime, The Musical,” Performance Now and Lakewood Cultural Center
Jon Peterson, “Cabaret,” Theatre Aspen
Robert Petkoff, “Sweeney Todd,” DCPA Theatre Company
Sean Thompson, “Guys and Dolls,” Creede Repertory Theatre
Danny Vaccaro, “La Cage Aux Folles,” Lake Dillon Theatre Company
Joe Von Bokern, “The Big Bang,” Spotlight Theatre Company
Markus Warren, “South Pacific,” Candlelight Dinner Playhouse

Outstanding Actress in a Musical
Mehry Eslaminia, “Guys and Dolls,” Creede Repertory Theatre
Lindsey Falduto, “Ragtime, The Musical,” Performance Now and Lakewood Cultural Center
Ellen Kaye, “Violet,” Town Hall Arts Center
Linda Mugleston, “Sweeney Todd,” DCPA Theatre Company
Marcia Ragonetti, “Sunset Boulevard,” Vintage Theatre Productions
Lauren Shealy, “Jekyll and Hyde,” Aurora Fox Arts Center
Kirsten Wyatt, “Cabaret,” Theatre Aspen

Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Play
Spencer Althoff, “Equus,” The Avenue Theater
Emory John Collinson, “Lonesome Hollow,” Springs Ensemble Theatre
Curran Connor, “Other Desert Cities,” Theatre Aspen
Steve Emily, “Lonesome Hollow,” Springs Ensemble Theatre
Rodney Lizcano, “Much Ado About Nothing,” Colorado Shakespeare Festival
Marc Stith, “Rabbit Hole,” Vintage Theatre Productions
Jack Wetherall, “Other Desert Cities,” Theatre Aspen

Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Play
Hannah Duggan, “Greetings from Camp Katabasis,” Buntport Theater
Kate Finch, “Tribes,” DCPA Theatre Company
Emma Messenger, “Exit Strategies,” The Edge Theater Company
Deborah Persoff, “Rabbit Hole,” Vintage Theatre Productions
Peggy J. Scott, “Other Desert Cities,” Theatre Aspen
Maggy Stacy, “Rabbit Hole,” Vintage Theatre Productions
Maggy Stacy, “Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?” The Edge Theater Company

Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Musical
Scott McLean, “Violet,” Town Hall Arts Center
Paul Page, “Irving Berlin’s White Christmas,” Arvada Center for the Arts and Humanities
Mark Rubald, “Irving Berlin’s White Christmas,” Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center
Steven Sitzman, “The Addams Family,” Rocky Mountain Repertory Theatre
Colin Summers, “Ring of Fire,” Midtown Arts Center
Richard Vida, “Cabaret,” Theatre Aspen
Graham Ward, “Guys and Dolls,” Creede Repertory Theatre

Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Musical
Brittany Brook, “Ring of Fire,” Midtown Arts Center
Suzanne A. Champion, “The Addams Family,” Rocky Mountain Repertory Theatre
Michelle Coben, “Peter and the Starcatcher,” Theatre Aspen
Annie Dwyer, “South Pacific,” Candlelight Dinner Playhouse
Sarah Philabaum, “The Addams Family,” Rocky Mountain Repertory Theatre
Sharon Kay White, “Irving Berlin’s White Christmas,” Arvada Center for the Arts and Humanities
Lori Wilner, “Cabaret,” Theatre Aspen

Outstanding Ensemble Performance
“Cabaret,” Theatre Aspen, Mark Martino, Director; Eric Alsford, Musical Direction                               
“Other Desert Cities,” Theatre Aspen, Sarna Lapine, Director
“Pump Boys and Dinettes,” Miners Alley Playhouse, Brenda Worley Billings, Director; Mitch Samu, Musical Direction                                     
“Rabbit Hole,” Vintage Theatre Productions,  Bernie Cardell, Director
“Sex with Strangers,” Curious Theatre Company, Christy Montour-Larson, Director
“Sweeney Todd,” DCPA Theatre Company, Kent Thompson, Director; Gregg Coffin, Musical Direction
“Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?,” The Edge Theater Company, Rick Yaconis, Director

Outstanding New Play or Musical
“Fade” by Tanya Saracho, Directed by Jerry Ruiz, DCPA Theatre Company
“Exit Strategies” by Jeff Neuman, Directed by Kate Marie Folkins, The Edge Theater Company
“The Nest” by Theresa Rebeck, Directed by Adrienne Campbell-Holt, DCPA Theatre Company
“The Rembrandt Room,” by Buntport Theater, Directed by Buntport Theater
“Reunion ’85” by Susan Draus, David Larsen, and Cody Jamison Strand; Directed by David Larsen, Musical Direction by Chris Sargent; Lone Tree Arts Center
“Uncle Jed’s Barbershop” by Kenneth Grimes and David Wohl; Directed by Susan Einhorn, Musical Direction by Michael Williams; DreaMaker Productions           “Voddville” by Robert Dubac and Dave Shirley; Directed by Dave Shirley; The Avenue Theater                                                                                              

(The Colorado Theatre Guild creates two categories for its technical awards, based upon production budgets.)

Outstanding Costume Design Tier 1
Denitsa Bliznakova, “As You Like It,” DCPA Theatre Company
Kevin Copenhaver, “Sweeney Todd,” DCPA Theatre Company
Hugh Hanson, “Much Ado About Nothing,” Colorado Shakespeare Festival
Hugh Hanson, “Wittenberg,” Colorado Shakespeare Festival
Clare Henkel, “Death Takes a Holiday,” Arvada Center for the Arts and Humanities
Lex Liang, “Irving Berlin’s White Christmas,” Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center
Annabel Reader, “Peter and the Starcatcher,” Theatre Aspen

Outstanding Costume Design Tier 2
Cindy Franke, “Ragtime, The Musical,” Performance Now and Lakewood Cultural Center
Kevin Copenhaver, “The Explorers Club,” Lone Tree Arts Center
Nikki Harrison, “Catch Me If You Can,” Aurora Fox Arts Center
Laura High, “Little Women,” Aurora Fox Arts Center
Laurie Klapperich, “Into the Woods,” Candlelight Dinner Playhouse
Linda Morken, “Violet,” Town Hall Arts Center
Linda Morken, “Peter and the Starcatcher,” BDT Stage

Outstanding Lighting Design Tier 1
Seth Alison, “The Mountaintop,” Arvada Center for the Arts and Humanities
Paul Black, “Cabaret,” Theatre Aspen
Paul Black, “Peter and the Starcatcher,” Theatre Aspen
Charles MacLeod, “All The Way,” DCPA Theatre Company
Shannon McKinney, “Death Takes a Holiday,” Arvada Center for the Arts and Humanities
Shannon McKinney, “Tribes,” DCPA Theatre Company
Kenton Yeager, “Sweeney Todd,” DCPA Theatre Company          

Outstanding Lighting Design Tier 2

Chad Bonaker, “Rock of Ages,” Midtown Arts Center
Shannon Johnson, “South Pacific,” Candlelight Dinner Playhouse
Andrew Killion, “The Outgoing Tide,” Bas Bleu Theatre Company
Vance McKenzie, “The Big Bang,” Spotlight Theater Company
Shannon McKinney, “Faith,” Local Theater Company
Stephen D. Mazzeno, “Cabaret,” Phamaly Theatre Company
Brian Miller, “Outside Mullingar,” OpenStage Theatre & Company

Outstanding Scenic Design Tier 1
Paul Black, “Peter and the Starcatcher,” Theatre Aspen
Jim Kronzer, “Sweeney Todd,” DCPA Theatre Company
Mikiko Suzuki MacAdams, “Other Desert Cities,” Theatre Aspen
Brian Mallgrave, “Death Takes a Holiday,” Arvada Center for the Arts and Humanities
Robert Mark Morgan, “All The Way,” DCPA Theatre Company
Lisa Orzolek, “Tribes,” DCPA Theatre Company
Lisa Orzolek, “The Nest,” DCPA Theatre Company

Outstanding Scenic Design Tier 2
Amy Campion, “The Addams Family,” BDT Stage
Amy Campion, “Peter and the Starcatcher,” BDT Stage
Douglas Clarke, “Rabbit Hole,” Vintage Theatre Productions
Michael R. Duran, “The Explorers Club,” Lone Tree Arts Center
Jared Grohs, “The Velocity of Autumn,” Lake Dillon Theatre Company
Lori Rosedahl, “Outside Mullingar,” OpenStage Theatre & Company
Kyle Scoggins, “Pump Boys and Dinettes,” Miners Alley Playhouse

Outstanding Sound Design Tier 1
Craig Breitenbach, “Tribes,” DCPA Theatre Company
Grant Evenson, “The Mountaintop,” Arvada Center for the Arts and Humanities
Jake K. Harbour, “Guys and Dolls,” Creede Repertory Theatre
Alex Ruhlin, “Sex with Strangers,” Curious Theatre
David Thomas, “Peter and the Starcatcher,” Theatre Aspen
David Thomas, “Cabaret,” Theatre Aspen
Zach Williamson, “Sweeney Todd,” DCPA Theatre Company       

Outstanding Sound Design Tier 2

Curt Behm, “Violet,” Town Hall Arts Center
Craig Breitenbach, “Cabaret,” Phamaly Theatre Company
Brian Freeland, “The Explorers Club,” Lone Tree Arts Center
Jonathan Scott-McKean, “Pump Boys and Dinettes,” Miners Alley Playhouse
Grant Putney, “The Outgoing Tide,” Bas Bleu Theatre Company
Dave Shirley, “Voddville,” Avenue Theater
Wayne Kennedy, “Peter and the Starcatcher,” BDT Stage

SPECIAL AWARDS
CTG Community Impact Award
The Denver Actors Fund

(Additional Special Awards including Lifetime Achievement will be announced in July.) 

2016 Henry Awards: Ticket information
6 p.m. Monday, July 18
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.

More Colorado theatre coverage on the DCPA NewsCenter