Denise Burson Freestone as Violet Weston and Sydney Parks Smith as Barbara Fordham in OpenStage Theatre’s ‘August: Osage County.’ Joe Hovorka Photography.

(‘In the Spotlife’ is a regular feature of the DCPA NewsCenter calling attention to performers in theatre productions throughout the state of Colorado.)

MEET DENISE BURSON FREESTONE

Denise Burson Freestone, who plays Violet Weston in Openstage Theatre & Company’s ‘August: Osage County,’ founded the troupe 44 years ago with her husband, Bruce K. Freestone, who is playing Beverly Weston.  

What is August: Osage County all about? This Pulitzer Prize-winning story centers around the Weston family, who all come home after the patriarch, a world-class poet and alcoholic named Beverly Weston, disappears. The matriarch, Violet (Vi) is depressed and addicted to pain pills and “truth-telling.” Her daughters Barbara, Ivy and Karen are each harboring their own deep secrets. Adding to the family dynamic is Violet’s sister Mattie Fae – who is well-trained in the Weston family art of cruelty – and her husband and son. Tensions heat up and boil over in the ruthless August heat as this ferociously maladjusted family finds themselves holed up in their large family home on the desolate plains of Osage County, Okla.

Read John Moore’s 2009 interview with Tracy Letts

What’s one thing most people don’t know about you? Over the decades, I have supported my addiction to theatre by working a plethora of jobs for numerous employers. In this journey, every job I have worked has given me knowledge that I have applied to my theatrical passion, whether it is as simple as mastering technology that helps to run the day-to-day business of OpenStage … or printing, design and layout for marketing the company … or as complicated as researching organizational culture while working for Colorado State University’s president and applying that knowledge to nurturing a theatrical culture where artists celebrate each other’s work … or immersing myself in leadership styles and gender cultures as the Assistant Director of CSU’s Institute of Women and Leadership, and again, applying that knowledge to the theatre.

(Photo above and right: Denise Burson Freestone in Openstage Theatre & Company’s 2002 production of ‘Wit.’)

OpenStage’s August: Osage County: Ticket information
• Written by Tracy Letts
• Directed by Dulcie Willis
• Through March 18
• Performances:
7:30 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 23
8 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays
2 p.m. Sundays
• Lincoln Center, 417 W. Magnolia St., Fort Collins
• Tickets $25
• Info: 970-484-5237 or openstagetheatre.org

Cast list:


• Bruce K. Freestone: Beverly Weston

•Denise Burson Freestone: Violet Weston

•Sydney Parks Smith: Barbara Fordham

•Shannon Parr: Bill Fordham
•Rachael Jacobs: Jean Fordham

•Nicole Gawronski: Ivy Weston

•Rebecca Spafford: Karen Weston

•Judith Allen: Mattie Fay Aiken

•Charlie Ferrie: Charlie Aiken

•Bas Meindertsma: Little Charles Aiken

•Jennifer Lauren Bowers: Johnna Monevata

•James Burns: Steve Heidebrecht

•Mark Terzani: Sheriff Deon Gilbeau


More ‘In the Spotlife’ profiles:
Meet Lauren Bahlman of Wide-Eyed West’s theMumblings
Meet Mark Collins of And Toto Too’s Lost Creatures
Meet Carley Cornelius of Colorado Springs TheatreWorks’ Constellations
Meet Emily Paton Davies of Miners Alley Playhouse’s God of Carnage
Meet Sam Gregory of the Arvada Center’s Tartuffe

Meet John Hauser of Curious Theatre’s Hand to God
Meet Jim Hunt of Buntport’s The Zeus Probem
Meet Jeff Jesmer of Spotlight Theatre’sThe Crucible
Meet Wayne Kennedy of BDT Stage’s Mid-Life 2
Meet Seth Maisel of Town Hall Arts Center’s The Firestorm
Meet Tim McCracken of Local Theatre’s The Firestorm
Meet Angela Mendez of Beauty and the Beast
Meet Joelle Montoya of Su Teatro’s El Sol Que Tu Eres
Meet Anne Oberbroeckling of Boulder Ensemble Theatre Company’s Ripcord
Meet Jessica Robblee of Buntport Theatre for All Ages’ Siren Song: A Pirate Odyssey
Meet Cory Sapienza of Miners Alley Playhouse’s Hir
Meet Sean Scrutchins of the Arvada Center’s Bus Stop
Meet Jane Shirley of Santa’s Big Red Sack
Meet Petra Ulyrich of Germinal Stage-Denver’s Johnny Got His Gun
Meet Megan Van De Hey of the Arvada Center’s Sister Act
Meet Sharon Kay White of the Arvada Center’s I’ll Be Home for Christmas

More Colorado theatre coverage on the DCPA NewsCenter