Starting July 1, the Denver Center for the Performing Arts will be facing “the toughest fiscal year we have ever had in my memory,” president Randy Weeks said last week.
About 14 percent of the DCPA’s revenue in 2004-05, or $6 million, came from the Bonfils Foundation, funds from which were used by founder Donald R. Seawell to create the DCPA in 1972 and build the Bonfils Theatre Complex. The DCPA, which runs Denver Center Attractions and the Denver Center Theatre Company, has received an annual cash infusion from the foundation since.
“But our contribution from the Bonfils Foundation in three fiscal years is going from approximately six to three to two million dollars per year,” Weeks said.
As they say, you do the math.
“The stock market hasn’t been doing anything since 9/11,” Weeks said. “You can’t continue to take a contribution from a foundation that is not making any income without impacting capital. So we are self- imposing restrictions on the amount of money given to the DCPA by the Bonfils Foundation for the good stewardship of the foundation.”
Devin to retire
Dick Devin will retire after the upcoming Colorado Shakespeare Festival season – his 17th as producing artistic director and 26th with the fest. He thinks the 2007 50th anniversary celebration is the perfect way to introduce a successor.
“It seems like good timing,” said Devin, 62. “And I’m ready to have my first summer off in 35 years.”
Devin said working to meet the financial needs of the company made up about 80 percent of his job. “It wears you down,” he said.
Devin was the festival’s lighting designer for 10 years before taking over in 1990. Under his tenure, the annual budget grew 25 percent, to about $1 million.
“That has improved our ability to attract and hire really fine directors, designers and acting company,” said Devin. He said his greatest accomplishment has been “building and maintaining a professional staff that has been a real solid rock of support for the festival.”
Artistically, he said, “I know this is debatable, but a lot of returning patrons told us last summer was our best season yet.”
Devin said the biggest challenge facing his successor is a universal one. “It’s the shift since 9/11 toward people deciding at the last minute what their entertainment will be,” said Devin. “Going from a longtime subscriber base to single-ticket sales and same-day purchases is a big nut to crack. It’s frustrating not to know until the last minute whether you are going to have people in the seats and paying the bills.”
Devin is a purist who never wants to see the outdoor Mary Rippon Amphitheater fully amplified, but he thinks it’s inevitabile. “There is a move in that direction, and I will be anxious to see how it turns out,” he said. “I prefer the natural voice, but I think subtle support will be good, and it’s probably going to be in our near future.”
Devin’s final season begins July 7 with “The Tempest” and “As You Like It” outdoors, and “The Merchant of Venice” and “Unexpected Shaxpere!” indoors (303-492-0554).
Corries in Boulder
Craig and Cindy Corrie, parents of a 23-year-old American peace activist killed by a bulldozer while protecting Palestinian homes from demolition, will speak at 7 p.m. Monday at the University of Colorado’s Conference on World Affairs in Chem 140.
“My Name is Rachel Corrie,” a play conceived out of her writings, was a controversial sensation in London but, because of protests by the Anti-Defamation League, a planned run in New York was scuttled. (303-444-6981, ext. 2).
Briefly …
Denver’s Leigh Miller, Kippy in Curious’ “Take Me Out,” has been accepted into the Denver Center’s incoming National Theatre Conservatory class of 2009. Also chosen from a field of 450 was former Country Dinner Playhouse barnstormer Melissa Ortiz. The class of 2006 bows out with performances of “Our Town” and “Othello” at the Tramway Theatre April 12-29 (303-893-4100) …
The public is invited to sample entrants in this summer’s Boulder International Fringe Festival at 7 p.m. Monday at the RedFish Brewhouse (2027 13th St., 720-563-9950) …
The theater community is mourning the death of radio personality John Wolfe, who gave local theaters badly needed airtime and even free advertisements on his 1970s “In the Square” program on KVOD. “I honestly don’t think we could have made it through the early years without the help of John and KVOD,” said Germinal Stage Denver founder Ed Baierlein. “He was very instrumental in getting people to come to our theaters at all.” …
And finally, about 25 Trinidad middle-schoolers spent the night at Heritage Square Music Hall March 31 when their bus failed to start after a performance of “Phantom of the Music Hall.” They were tended to overnight by company actors Annie Dwyer and Kira Cauthorn.
Theater critic John Moore can be reached at 303-820-1056 or jmoore@denverpost.com.
This week’s theater openings
TODAY|Stories on Stage’s “It’s All in How You Look at It” (Stage Theatre)
TUE-APRIL 16|Denver Center Attractions’ “Riverdance” (Buell Theatre)
THU-JUNE 3|Denver Center Theatre Company’s “After Ashley” (Ricketson)
APRIL 14-MAY 14|Aurora Fox’s “Death of a Salesman”|AURORA
APRIL 14-23|Festival Playhouse’s “The Subject Was Roses”|ARVADA
This week’s theater closings
TODAY|Modern Muse’s “The Last Five Years” (at Buntport) and “Vigil” (at the Bug Theatre)
TODAY|Fine Arts Center’s “The Complete Works of William Shakespeare Abridged”|COLORADO SPRINGS
TODAY|Evergreen Players’ “Marvin’s Room”|EVERGREEN
TODAY|Performance Now’s “Annie Get Your Gun”|LAKEWOOD
TODAY|The E Project’s “Book of Liz”|LAKEWOOD
SAT|Theatre Group’s “Southern Baptist Sissies” (at Theatre on Broadway)
SAT|The Avenue’s “Smell of the Kill”
SAT|TheatreWorks’ “Metamorphoses”|COLORADO SPRINGS
SAT|Backstage’s “Enchanted April” (Breckenridge)|BRECKENRIDGE
SAT|Theatre 13’s “Pop”|BOULDER
SUN|Union Colony Dinner Theatre’s “Run for Your Wife”|GREELEY
