When Medicaid would not help a local actor with Medicaid, we did Aid recipient: Laura Jo Trexler, who grew up in Littleton and graduated from Heritage High School, last year performed her one-woman Shakespearean musical “Play On! A Musical Romp Through Shakespeare’s Women” for And Toto too Theatre Company at the Denver Performing Arts Complex’s […]
A move, a wedding … and an expensive medical diagnosis Aid recipient: Sarah Grover of Johnstown is a busy local actor who most recently appeared in the ensemble of “Jekyll and Hyde” at the Candlelight Dinner Playhouse. Before that, she played Esmerelda there in “The Hunchback of Notre Dame.” “Sarah Grover is everything you could […]
Neither Jekyll, nor Hyde, nor the actors who played them were spared the flu Aid recipient: Windsor actor Scott Hurst recently shared the title roles in Candlelight Dinner Playhouse’s ‘Jekyll and Hyde,’ his eighth production as an actor at the Johnstown theatre. Other roles there have included Fred and Petruchio in ‘Kiss Me Kate’ and […]
‘When I learned that my application was approved, I started crying from relief’ Aid recipient: Mike Martinkus, a Fort Collins native now living in Lakewood, most recently appeared in the title role of Theatre Company of Lafayette’s “Pippin, as Rich in Equinox Theatre’s “Be More Chill” and in the ensemble of Town Hall Arts Center’s […]
DAF purchases portable respiratory equipment for Phamaly co-founder Aid recipient: Denver native Kevin Ahl, who has had cerebral palsy since birth, is one of the founders of Phamaly Theatre Company, which for more than 30 years has been a creative home for theatre artists with disabilities. He and fellow founders Kathleen Traylor, Gregg Vigil, Teri […]
‘I might have had thousands of dollars worth of unnecessary and overpriced work done on my teeth’ Aid recipient: Busy actor Damon Guerrasio is currently playing Mark “Facebender” Lender in Benchmark Theatre’s regional premiere comedy “Airness,” a love letter to competitive air guitar running through February 29 in Lakewood. Other recent credits include the Arvada […]
‘I never could have imagined the immense feeling of gratitude and relief’ Aid recipient: Thornton actor Brandon Palmer has been performing for a variety of local theatre companies since 2011, most recently appearing as Liam in Firehouse Theater Company’s “Calendar Girls.” Other recent credits include playing Little Charlie Aiken in Vintage Theatre’s “August: Osage County,” […]
‘She was with us through everything life had to throw at us.’ Aid recipient: Educator and actor Jodi Hogle was the Director of the PREP Center for Denver Public Schools and a frequent performer for Phamaly Theatre Company, whose mission is to provide performance opportunities for actors with disabilities. Jodi, who impacted several generations of […]
Trumpet player: Two surgeries, two casts, two massive bills Aid recipient: Justin Peterson is a trumpet player currently performing in the orchestra for Sasquatch Productions’ “Matilda,” through February 9 at the PACE Center. Over the past year two years, Justin also has played in musicals for BDT Stage, Inspire Creative, Vintage Theatre Company, Aurora Fox, […]
Latest complication from diverticulitis lands director in hospital Financial-aid recipient: Deb Flomberg-Rollins is a founding member and co-Executive Producer of the Equinox Theatre Company, now in its 12th season. She most recently directed “The Great American Trailer Park Musical” and “Heathers: The Musical” at the Bug Theatre and next will helm “Monty Python’s Spamalot” […]
Two insurance policies and no coverage left local actor with $2,844 dental bill Aid recipient: Longtime local actor Ryan Belinak most recently played Frid in ‘A Little Night Music’ for Cherry Creek Theatre last year. Local credits also include Tom Collins in “Rent,” Fakir in “The Secret Garden” and Tony in “West Side Story” for […]
After the onset of mysterious symptoms and two surgeries, local actor left with $6,250 in bills Aid recipient: Local actor Misha McCulloch recently appeared in the ensembles of Vintage Theatre’s “The Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder” and “The Addams Family.” Previous credits include “Honeymoon in Vegas” and “Miss Saigon” at Vintage, as well as […]
‘Without this assistance from The Denver Actors Fund, I simply would not have been able to get the work done.’ Aid recipient: Neal Dunfee has been a professional musician and teacher in the metro area for more than 30 years. He is the resident Music Director at BDT Stage and teaches piano at his studio […]
Actor faced both oral surgery and nearly $3,000 in up-front costs Aid recipient: Actor and Arvada native Jason Maxwell is a longtime favorite in the Denver theatre community. He is a company member with Boulder’s The Catamounts, where this year he performed in the ensembles of “United Flight 232,” “The Last Apple Tree” and “Everybody.” […]
Actor discovers there’s no such thing as a cheap dental emergency Aid recipient: Lakewood native and True West Award-winning actor Jake Mendes recently starred in the Arvada Center’s “Bright Star” and in DCPA Education’s “Corduroy.” He won the 2018 Henry Award for Outstanding Actor in a Musical for his performance in the Aurora Fox’s “Hedwig […]
Actor doesn’t let chronic knee injury sideline her Aid recipient: Longtime local actor Mary McGroary, who recently played Fraulein Kost in “Cabaret” and Mona Kent in “Dames at Sea” for the Town Hall Arts Center, is currently appearing in “Holiday Inn” through January 19 at the Candlelight Dinner Playhouse in Johnstown. Mary also has […]
Unique DAF partnership helps another Colorado theatre artist return to dental health Aid recipient: Hannah Marie Harmon is a Colorado Springs actor who performed in “My Fair Lady” at the Midtown Arts Center in March. (She was described as “As delightful as ever,” by reviewer Tom Jones.) Before that, she sang as Sarah Brown in […]
New partnership could save Colorado theatre artists unnecessary, expensive trips to Urgent Care or emergency rooms The Denver Actors Fund today announced an important new health-care benefit for qualified members of the Colorado theatre community. The grassroots nonprofit is partnering with Hippo Health to provide on-demand, free access to emergency medical evaluations via video […]
‘Within only a few hours, we had our tremendous burden lifted from us’ Aid recipients: Lisa and Michael “Big Mike” Young of Parker are longtime married performers in the local theatre community. Lisa is an actor who appeared in the Aurora Fox’s “Caroline, Or Change” and is currently performing in Bitsy Stage’s “The Necromancer’s Stone.” […]
‘No matter what we did, we could not stop the bills from piling up into the thousands’ Aid recipient: Tara Falk is an acclaimed local actor who recently appeared in the DCPA Theatre Company’s “Sweat.” Previous local roles have included Curious Theatre Company’s “Hand to God” and “Time Stands Still”; as well as Senior Housing […]
‘I found myself faced with bills I thought would be covered by my insurance but weren’t’ Aid recipient: Littleton native Joanie Brosseau-Rubald has been performing regularly at BDT Stage for 23 years, most recently appearing in “A Christmas Story,” “Disenchanted,” “Motones vs. Jerseys” and “Mamma Mia.” Seminal roles have included playing Eva Peron in “Evita,” […]
‘I’ve seen more doctors since January 7 than I’ve seen in, well, ever!’ Aid recipient: Todd Debreceni of Aurora is Colorado’s most experienced and awarded prosthetic makeup effects artist, with more than 40 years in the entertainment industry. He has created prosthetics and special effects for innumerable film and local stage productions, most recently Littleton […]
‘My dad was a hard-working, loving and vibrant man who will be missed every day.’ Qualifying artist: Mark Duran of Denver was the Stage Vice President of IATSE Local 7. He worked dozens of Denver Center shows at the Buell Theatre, including having had a large hand in Denver’s pre-Broadway run of Disney’s “Frozen.” He […]
‘I am now able to continue working in the theatre without incredible financial stress’ Aid recipient: Katie Burke is a Fort Collins actor and teacher who last appeared in “A Wonderful Life” at Candlelight Dinner Playhouse in Johnstown. Other credits include at Missoula Children’s Theater, Up In Lights and playing Cinderella’s dreadful stepsister in […]
‘Not knowing what is wrong with your body is scary. Not being able to get answers is even worse.’ Aid recipient: Actor, dancer, costumer and choreographer Cole Emarine is a Fort Collins native who has worked on more than 150 productions across the Front Range, and in a variety of capacities. Most recently, he […]
‘I am incredibly grateful to have Denver Actor’s Fund as a resource’ Aid recipient: Boulder’s Kristy E. Pike directed and designed the lighting for The Upstart Crow Theatre Company’s The Lion in Winter in August 2018, with previous lighting credits including As You Like It and Pygmalion. She is currently designing the lighting for […]
‘When I was diagnosed with Lynch Syndrome, I was sad, but I wasn’t going to let it bring me down.’ Aid recipient: Longmont actor Danielle Hermon Wood was nominated for a Henry Award for her performance as The Lady of the Lake in Inspire Theatre Company’s 2016 production of “Spamalot” at the PACE Center […]
‘The Denver Actors Fund’s volunteer angels stepped up and came through the way they always do.’ Aid recipient: Properties Director Beki Pineda, who was given the Colorado Theatre Guild’s Lifetime Achievement Award at the 2019 Henry Awards, has been an active member of the Colorado theatre community since the early 1980s. She started as a […]
‘I am beyond grateful for this. Truly, I cannot thank all of you enough.’ Aid recipient: Denver native Cipriano Ortega is an actor, artist, musician and educator who in the past five years has performed in two productions at Su Teatro (“Dona Rosita’s Japapeno Kitchen” and “Christmas in Colorado”), and in Curious Theatre’s 2017 […]
‘Thank you for helping me pay for the orthotics that allow me to live and walk and perform safely and comfortably.’ Aid recipient: Boulder actor Adam Russell Johnson next will appear in Phamaly Theatre Company’s August 2019 production of “Chicago” at the Denver Performing Arts Complex. Most recently, he appeared in Phamaly’s 30th anniversary […]