‘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 […]

  ‘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 […]

  ‘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 […]

Just after pregnant actor was ordered on bed rest, her daughter was diagnosed with cancer Aid recipient: Denver actor and soprano DaNia Mortimer is a longtime member of the local theatre community. Her credits include “Little Women,” “Annie” and “Bye Bye Birdie” at the Town Hall Arts Center and Performance Now’s “South Pacific” in 2013. […]

‘I’m now able to replenish funds that were lost while I was sick.’ Aid recipient: Actor Jacob Villarreal has been an active member of the Colorado theatre community since first moving here in 2012. You may have seen him around the state in “Forever Plaid,” “Hair,” “In the Heights,” “The Music Man,” “Smokey Joe’s Cafe” […]

‘To have a resource like The Denver Actors Fund touches me so very deeply.’ Aid recipient: David Jensen just completed a run of “Our Town” at Miners Alley Playhouse playing the town drunk, Simon Stimson. David’s recent roles have included Henry and others in “Angels in America,” directed by Timothy McCracken; Dr. John Buchanan Sr. […]

  ‘Ask for the help. God knows we all need it at one time or another.’ Aid recipient: For all 30 years of the acclaimed Phamaly Theatre Company‘s existence, Denver actor Mark Dissette has been a member. Phamaly is one of the only companies in the world that exists to create performance opportunities for actors […]

  ‘This is a huge comfort, and a weight off of my mind’ Aid recipient: Luke Rahmsdorff-Terry is a longtime local actor, director and sound director, mostly with Lowry’s Spotlight Theatre. He played Ed Carmichael, the chime-playing son-in-law, in Spotlight’s farewell production of “You Can’t Take It With You” last September. Before that, he was […]

  ‘This means more to me than you could possibly know’ Aid recipient: Actor Regina Fernandez is a company member for the Arvada Center’s 2019 black-box season, meaning she is currently appearing in “The Diary of Anne Frank,” “The Moors” and “Sin Street Social Club” – all at the same time. In 2017, she appeared […]

‘Thanks to The Denver Actors Fund, I will be able to hear my director, my fellow actors and the band’ Aid recipient: Kathleen Traylor of Littleton is one of the founding members of Phamaly Theatre Company, which she helped to create in 1989 when she and four other students from the Boettcher School in Denver […]

‘Here I am. Breathing, because of you.’ Aid recipient: Katrina Niemisto of Denver is a stage manager in the local theatre community who has worked most recently at the Lone Tree Arts Center and for the Denver Center Theatre Company’s Colorado New Play Summit. Her medical story: Katrina recently underwent a complicated hip surgery necessitated […]

  ‘I’m so thankful for this amazing program that has helped so many actors in town, now including myself’ Aid recipient: Boulder High School graduate Matthew D. Peters is a busy actor, director and choreographer who most recently directed ‘The Little Mermaid’ for BDT Stage (and played Jetsam), choreographed ‘Newsies’ for Candlelight Dinner Playhouse and […]

‘It’s powerful medicine to know there are great people out there in the world,’ says the actor Aid recipient: Amy Arpan is an actor and circus choreographer who most recently appeared as Mrs. Soames in Miners Alley Playhouse’s March production of “Our Town.” She is also the owner and principal performer at Amy Arpan’s Illusions […]

A superhero in our midst injured in the service of others finds a community waiting to help him in his time of need Aid recipient: Denver native Matt Gnojek recently starred as Seymour in Equinox Theatre Company’s production of Little Shop of Horrors. The Aurora Sentinel’s Ramsey Scott called Gnojek “an amazing singer whose talent […]

‘Kenny Moten does everything with integrity. He’s a solid human being.’ If you think being a performer is hard, try being a performer and the owner of your own entertainment and consulting company. Kenny Moten makes the transition from actor to producer to businessman and back again in same manner that often describes his rich […]

‘I’m blown away by the kindness and generosity of The Denver Actors Fund.’ Aid recipient: Kent Sugg is a veteran actor and director living in Boulder. He is currently playing Fagin in Candlelight Dinner Playhouse’s production of Oliver! after having played the title role in Scrooge and a member of the ensemble in Mary Poppins. […]

Aid recipient: Miriam Suzanne is a True West Award-winning writer, director, producer, actor and musician whose unconventional novel Riding SideSaddle was adapted for the stage by Buntport Theater in 2016 as 10 Myths on the Proper Application of Beauty Products. The play, a story of gender fluidity and transition, took place in a bathroom as […]