The online ‘Miscast 2014 Auction’: Bid now!

  As the countdown to “Miscast 2014” enters its final week, the Denver Actors Fund is tickled to introduce the 2014 Miscast Auction: Services provided by artists as they are “cast” in real life. Many of our most accomplished actors and artists have off-stage careers that call upon a wide variety of real-world skills. Some… Continue reading The online ‘Miscast 2014 Auction’: Bid now!

Denver Actors Fund in Action: Traci Kern

Note: At the Denver Actors Fund, anonymity of aid recipients is presumed and fully protected, unless and until the recipient chooses to have his or her story told. Financial aid recipient No. 7: Longtime actor and 17-year vocal coach Traci J. Kern has appeared in many productions for many local theatre companies, including recently in… Continue reading Denver Actors Fund in Action: Traci Kern

Photos: Traci Kern Comes of Age

To see this photo gallery on a mobile phone, click here. By John Moore Aug. 16, 2013 Photos from Traci Kern’s birthday concert Aug. 12, 2013, at the Vintage Theatre. She performed with Donna Debreceni on keyboards, Larry Ziehl on drums, Jason Tyler Vaughn on guitar, Scott Alan Smith on bass, and singers Jalyn Courtenay… Continue reading Photos: Traci Kern Comes of Age

Photos: Denver Actors Fund’s All-Theater Trivia Smackdown

To see caption information for any photo above, or to see the gallery if watching on a mobile phone, click here. (The information is posted on the lower-left corner of each photo.) Or just click the “show info” option on any photo. By John Moore July 23, 2013 The new Denver Actors Fund is a… Continue reading Photos: Denver Actors Fund’s All-Theater Trivia Smackdown

Video: Step Up to the Mic: Denver Actors Fun-draiser highlights

By John Moore June 3, 2013 Watch video highlights from CultureWest’s evening of karaoke silliness to raise seed money for the new Denver Actors Fund, a modest source of immediate, situational relief when members of the local theater community find themselves in sudden medical need. The host was Kent Randell. Performers on this video include… Continue reading Video: Step Up to the Mic: Denver Actors Fun-draiser highlights

‘Step Up to the Mic’: A special karaoke party fundraiser June 1

  By John Moore May 5, 2013 This has been a time of extraordinary personal challenge for members of the Colorado theater community. Many of our friends have found themselves in great and sudden need, and with numbing regularity: Shelly Bordas’ terminal cancer prognosis. Frank Oteri and Max Peterson facing expensive colon surgeries. Robert Michael… Continue reading ‘Step Up to the Mic’: A special karaoke party fundraiser June 1

Anatomy of a theater director: A daily Q&A with Colorado’s creative minds

  By John Moore May 3, 2013 My return to directing (“Always … Patsy Cline,” which closed April 27 at the PACE Center), had me revisiting a story idea I always wanted to do for The Denver Post, but never got around to: The anatomy of the theater director. So I am doing it now,… Continue reading Anatomy of a theater director: A daily Q&A with Colorado’s creative minds

Video: The making of “Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson,” Part 5: “Jackson Has It Going On”

Director Ben Dicke takes a moment in the Aurora Fox parking lot before taking to the stage in the delayed opening-night performance of "Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson" on Sept. Sept. 27, 2012. Photo by John Moore

  By John Moore Oct. 9, 2012 Part 5: Jackson Has It Going On Veteran arts journalist John Moore followed the making of Ben Dicke’s “Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson” from inception to an opening night postponed by a serious backstage accident that hospitalized the director/starring actor.  Part 5, the final chapter, chronicles the triumphant rescheduled… Continue reading Video: The making of “Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson,” Part 5: “Jackson Has It Going On”

Video: The making of “Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson,” Part 4: “This Is Happening”

The day after Ben Dicke was released from the hospital, the cast met to discuss whether to postpone the run until January, or come back as soon as it was medically possible for Dicke. Photo by John Moore.

Part 4: This is Happening Veteran arts journalist John Moore followed the making of Ben Dicke’s “Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson” from inception to an opening night postponed by a serious backstage accident that hospitalized the director/starring actor. Part 4 chronicles the crucial decision-making in the wake of the accident, and why and how this show… Continue reading Video: The making of “Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson,” Part 4: “This Is Happening”

Video: The making of “Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson,” Part 3: “Life Sucks”

Part 3: Life Sucks Veteran arts journalist John Moore followed the making of Ben Dicke’s “Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson” from inception to an opening night postponed by a serious backstage accident that hospitalized the director, who also happens to be the starring actor. Part 3: “Life Sucks” (a quote from the show) follows Dicke to… Continue reading Video: The making of “Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson,” Part 3: “Life Sucks”

Video: The making of “Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson,” Part 2: “The Perfect Mission”

Part 2: "The Perfect Mission" follows the cast through the creative process to the even of opening night, one day before Ben Dicke was severely injured in a freak backstage accident/ Photo by John Moore

Part 2: The Perfect Mission Veteran arts journalist John Moore followed the making of Ben Dicke’s “Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson” from inception to an opening night postponed by a serious backstage accident that hospitalized the director, who also happens to be the starring actor. Part 2: “The Perfect Mission” follows the cast through the creative… Continue reading Video: The making of “Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson,” Part 2: “The Perfect Mission”

Video : The making of “Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson,” Part 1

On May 1, Ben Dicke ran for 24 hours on a treadmill on the 16th Street Mall in downtown Denver to solicit the donations that put his $10,000 "Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson" Kickstarter project over the top. Photo by John Moore.

Part 1: Before the Fall Veteran arts journalist John Moore followed the making of Ben Dicke’s “Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson” from inception to an opening night postponed by a serious backstage accident that hospitalized the director, who also happens to be the starring actor. Running time: 9 minutes.   Here is a link to Part… Continue reading Video : The making of “Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson,” Part 1