In a year that will be remembered for its large number of collaborations between diverse companies, it’s fitting that “Ragtime,” a partnership between Boulder’s Dinner Theatre and Shadow, Denver’s only black troupe, has garnered the most 2007 Denver Post Ovation Award nominations, with 10.
Close behind was the Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center’s “Into the Woods,” with nine.
The Ovation Awards have honored the best in Colorado theater for seven years.
Boulder’s Dinner Theatre led the way with 13 overall nods, with the Arvada Center and Germinal Stage-Denver earning 11 each. The Creede Repertory Theatre had 10 and Paragon, the Colorado Shakespeare Festival and the Fine Arts Center followed with nine each.
A record 46 companies received at least one nomination.
The most honored plays were Listen Productions’ cowboy-themed “Macbeth,” with six, and Paragon’s “Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf ” and the Avenue’s “Dog Sees God: Confessions of a Teenage Blockhead,” with five each.
The most honored individual is Germinal artistic director Ed Baierlein, who was cited in six categories, including theater person of the year (for the fourth time), best year by a director, best actor in a dramatic role and in a solo performance. He directed five plays, acted in three, and staged an unprecedented double-bill of Eugene O’Neill’s “A Touch of The Poet” and “More Stately Mansions.”
Also under consideration for theater person of the year:
Brian Freeland, founder of the LIDA Project and now the new Countdown to Zero, brought the controversial “My Name is Rachel Corrie” to Colorado for the first time. He also was the sound or video designer on 23 plays for 11 companies.
Geoff Kent, one of fewer than 40 certified fight directors in the country, supervised 27 productions for 13 companies, including everything by the Denver Center Theater Company and Colorado Shakespeare Festival. He also directed “The Hobbit” for Breckenridge’s Backstage Theatre and “Macbeth” for Listen. He also acted in Modern Muse’s “Seascape” and in the CSF’s repertory company.
Murray Ross, longtime artistic director for Colorado Springs’ TheatreWorks, directed “The Importance of Being Earnest” and the historic double-bill of “Hamlet” with the 400-year-old and rarely performed “Antonio’s Revenge.” He also commissioned Bernardo Solano’s Colorado-based adaptation of “Zorro,” and mounted Colorado’s first look at the Pulitzer Prize-winning play “Doubt.”
Four-time nominee Nick Sugar, best known as a musical theater actor, directed and choreographed “Footloose” and “Joseph” for Littleton’s Town Hall, a risky, all-teen “Cabaret” for the Wolf Academy, and choreographed several others.
But he also directed an array of comedies and dramas, including “Our Town,” for the handicapped company PHAMALy, the hit comedy “The Bible Abridged” and “Dog Sees God” for The Avenue, and a children’s production of “A Year With Frog and Toad” for the Aurora Fox.
“Dog Sees God,” which explored what the Peanuts gang might look like as troubled teens, won four Colorado Theatre Guild Henry Awards, including best play.
Finalists were culled from the 154 Colorado productions observed by Denver Post critics in 2007. Winners have been selected by theater critic John Moore and will be published Dec. 30.
We’ll also announce separate “readers choice” favorites from our online poll. Readers can go online now and vote for their favorites in 30 major categories.
Best of Colorado theater
Theater person of the year
Ed Baierlein, Germinal Stage-Denver artistic director.
Brian Freeland, Countdown to Zero artistic director, sound/video designer
Geoff Kent, director, actor and fight director
Murray Ross, Colorado Springs TheatreWorks artistic director
Nick Sugar, director and choreographer.
Best year by a company
Buntport Theater
Creede Repertory Theatre
Germinal Stage Denver
Miners Alley Playhouse
Paragon Theatre
Best year by an actor
John Arp: Aurora Fox’s “Almost Maine,” Creede Rep’s “Everything in the Garden,” “Leading Ladies,” “Urinetown ” and “Pygmalion,” Curious’ “For Better “
Ed Baierlein, Germinal’s “Diversions and Delights,” “What the Butler Saw,” “A Touch of the Poet”
Jude Moran: Denver Rep’s “Denver,” Miners Alley’s “Lobby Hero,” Aurora Fox’s “Anna in the Tropics”
John Plumpis: Colorado Shakespeare Festival’s “A Midsummer Night’s Dream,” “A Servant of Two Masters,” “Julius Caesar”
Josh Robinson: Curious’ “Aphrodisiac,” Colorado Shakespeare Festival’s “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” and “Julius Caesar,” Listen Productions’ “Macbeth,” Aurora Fox’s “A Christmas Carol”
Best year by an actress
Emily Paton Davies: Paragon’s “Frankie and Johnny” and “How We May Know Him,” Firehouse’s “Some Girl(s)”
Hannah Duggan: Buntport’s “Moby Dick, Unread,” “Vote for Uncle Marty,” “Starship Troy,” “Titus Andronicus: The Musical!”
Elgin Kelley: Denver Children’s Theatre’s “Ramona Quimby,” The Avenue’s “Right On, America!” and “Dog Sees God,” Colorado Shakespeare Festival’s “Around the World in 80 Days,” “All’s Well that Ends Well,” Denver Center Theatre Company’s “The Diary of Anne Frank”
Karen Slack: Denver Children’s Theatre’s “Ramona Quimby,” TheatreWorks’ “The Syringa Tree,” Boulder Ensemble’s “Danny and the Deep Blue Sea,” The Avenue’s “Dog Sees God,” Colorado Shakespeare Festival’s “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” and “Julius Caesar,” Listen Productions’ “Macbeth”
Sharon Kay White: Country Dinner Playhouse’s “Clue, the Musical!” and “Guys and Dolls,” Arvada Center’s “The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas,” New Denver Civic’s “The Great American Trailer Park Musical,” Arvada Center’s “La Cage aux Folles”
Best year by a director
Ed Baierlein: Germinal’s “Diversions and Delights,” “A Touch of the Poet,” “What the Butler Saw,” “Razzle Dazzle: A Saroyan Circus,” “More Stately Mansions”
Terry Dodd: Victorian’s “Twelfth Night” and “Jacob Marley’s Christmas Carol,” Miners Alley’s “Lobby Hero,” Modern Muse’s “thom pain (based on nothing),” Crossroads’ “Three Viewings,” Bas Bleu’s “The 1940s Radio Christmas Carol”
Murray Ross: Colorado Springs TheatreWorks’ “The Importance of Being Earnest,” “Hamlet,” “Antonio’s Revenge”
Nick Sugar: PHAMALy’s “Our Town,” The Avenue’s “Dog Sees God” and “The Bible Abridged,” Aurora Fox’s “A Year with Frog & Toad,” Town Hall Arts Center’s “Footloose” and “Joseph ” Wolf Academy’s “Cabaret”
Best drama
Boulder Ensemble Theatre Company’s “Danny and the Deep Blue Sea”
Curious’ “How I Learned to Drive”
Listen Productions’ “Macbeth”
Germinal Stage Denver’s “More Stately Mansions”
Paragon’s “Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf”
Best musical
Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center’s “Into the Woods”
Arvada Center’s “La Cage aux Folles”
Boulder’s Dinner Theatre/Shadow Theatre’s “Ragtime”
Denver Center Attractions’ “The Taffetas”
Creede Rep’s “Urinetown “
Best comedy
The Avenue’s “Dog Sees God”
Germinal’s “What the Butler Saw”
Colorado Shakespeare Festival’s “A Servant of Two Masters”
Miners Alley Playhouse’s “Not Now, Darling”
OpenStage’s “Noises Off”
Actor, dramatic role
Ed Baierlein, Germinal’s “A Touch of the Poet”
Leonard Barrett, Aurora Fox/PHAMALy’s “Our Town”
Sam Gregory, Paragon’s “Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf”
Christopher Reid, Aurora Fox’s “Cat on a Hot Tin Roof”
Michael Stricker, Paragon’s “The Night Heron”
Actress, dramatic role
Lori Hansen, Germinal’s “More Stately Mansions”
C. Kelly Leo, Curious’ “How I Learned to Drive”
Martha Harmon Pardee, Paragon’s “Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf”
Karen Slack, Listen Productions’ “Macbeth”
Terry Ann Watts, Victorian Playhouse’s “Dead Man Walking”
Actor, musical
Leonard Barrett, Boulder’s Dinner Theatre/Shadow’s “Ragtime”
Mark Giles, Nonesuch’s “John & Jen”
Michael E. Gold, Arvada Center’s “La Cage aux Folles”
Wayne Kennedy, Boulder’s Dinner Theatre/Shadow’s “Ragtime”
Kelly Walters, Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center’s “Into the Woods”
Actress, musical
Joanie Brosseau-Beyette, Country Dinner Playhouse’s “Evita”
Rebecca Gibel, Creede Rep’s “Urinetown “
Staci Jackson, Performance Now’s “Joseph “
Shelly Cox Robie, Boulder’s Dinner Theatre/Shadow’s “Ragtime”
Sara Seever, Town Hall Arts Center’s “My Fair Lady”
Actor, comic role
Bernie Cardell, Spotlight’s “Run for Your Wife”
Michael Cobb, TheatreWorks’ “Antonio’s Revenge”
Christian Mast, Miners Alley Playhouse’s “Not Now, Darling”
T.J. Mullin, Heritage Square Music Hall’s “Too Old to Be Loud”
Rob Stack, Southern Colorado Rep’s “The Italian-American Reconciliation”
Actress, comic role
Hannah Duggan, Buntport’s “Starship Troy”
Sarah Fallon, TheatreWorks’ “The Importance of Being Earnest”
Allison McLemore, Creede Rep’s “Pygmalion”
Trina Magness, Playwright’s “The Perfect Party”
Erica Sarzin-Borrillo, Germinal’s “What the Butler Saw”
Director, play
Ed Baierlein, Germinal Stage Denver’s “More Stately Mansions”
A. Lee Massaro, Firehouse’s “Some Girl(s)”
Warren Sherrill, Paragon’s “Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf”
Nick Sugar, The Avenue’s “Dog Sees God”
Chip Walton, Curious’ “How I Learned to Drive”
Director, musical
Scott Beyette, Boulder’s Dinner Theatre’s “The Sound of Music”
Michael J. Duran, Boulder’s Dinner Theatre/Shadow’s “Ragtime”
Mark Hunter, Creede Rep’s “Urinetown “
Alan Osburn, Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center’s “Into the Woods”
Christopher Willard, Town Hall Arts Center’s “My Fair Lady”
Supporting actor, dramatic role
Jack Casperson, Aurora Fox’s “Cat on a Hot Tin Roof”
Josh Robinson, Listen Productions’ “Macbeth”
Vincent C. Robinson, Shadow’s “Two Trains Running”
Zach Shields, Triptych Theatre’s “The Mistakes Madeline Made”
Richard Thieriot, Colorado Shakespeare Festival’s “Julius Caesar”
Supporting actress, dramatic role
Barbra Andrews, Paragon’s “Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf”
Jessica Austgen, Crossroads at Five Points’ “Bold Girls”
GerRee Hinshaw, Listen Productions’ “Macbeth”
Simone St. John, Curious’ “A House With No Walls”
Mare Trevathan, Paragon’s “The Night Heron”
Supporting actor, musical
David Ambroson, Town Hall Arts Center’s “1776”
John Arp, Creede Rep’s “Urinetown “
Milton Craig Nealy, Arvada Center’s “La Cage aux Folles”
Kent Randell, Performance Now’s “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat”
Markus Warren, Country Dinner Playhouse’s “Evita”
Supporting actress, musical
Sally Lewis Hybl, Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center’s “Into the Woods”
Carla Kaiser Kotrc, Performance Now’s “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat”
Mercedes Perez, Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center’s “Into the Woods”
Barb Reeves, Boulder’s Dinner Theatre/Shadow’s “Ragtime”
Sharon Kay White, Country Dinner Playhouse’s “Guys and Dolls”
Supporting actor, comedic role
Erik Edborg, Buntport’s “Moby Dick Unread”
Seth Maisel, Victorian Playhouse’s “No Sex Please, We’re British”
Michael Morgan, Curious’ “How I Learned to Drive”
Matthew Mueller, Colorado Shakespeare Festival’s “Around the World in Eighty Days”
Stephen Weitz, Colorado Shakespeare Festival’s “A Midsummer Night’s Dream”
Supporting actress, comedic role
Vanessa Bowie, Miners Alley Playhouse’s “Not Now, Darling”
Christy Brandt, Creede Rep’s “Pygmalion”
Niccole Carner, Bas Bleu’s “The 1940s Radio Christmas Carol”
Pam Clifton, Playwright’s “The Perfect Party”
Elgin Kelley, The Avenue’s “Dog Sees God: Confessions of a Teenage Blockhead”
Solo performance
Ed Baierlein, Germinal’s “Diversions and Delights”
Doug Foote, Theatre 13’s “Prison Writings: My Life is My Sun Dance”
Julie Rada, Countdown to Zero’s “My Name is Rachel Corrie”
Vickilyn Reynolds, 3-G Productions’ “Hattie What I Need You to Know”
Erik Tieze, Modern Muse’s “thom pain (based on nothing)”
Ensemble
The Avenue’s “Dog Sees God”
Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center’s “Into the Woods”
Listen Productions’ “Macbeth”
Boulder’s Dinner Theatre/Shadow’s “Ragtime”
Creede Rep’s “Urinetown “
Younger actor
(must not yet have been 18 by opening day):
Melissa Deni, Wolf Academy’s “Cabaret”
Rachael Perez, Boulder’s Dinner Theatre’s “The Sound of Music”
Desiree Samler, DCTC’s “White Christmas”
Cameron Varner, Theatre Group’s “Torch Song Trilogy”
Noah Wilson, DCTC’s “The Pillowman”
New work
Bas Bleu’s “The 1940s Radio Christmas Carol,” by Walton Jones
Denver Rep’s “Denver,” by Jonson Kuhn
Modern Muse’s “Every Secret Thing,” by Judy GeBauer
Buntport’s “Moby Dick Unread,” by ensemble
TheatreWorks’ “Zorro,” by Bernardo Solano
Remount
(Defined as any production brought back by the same company, or principal cast within the past six years, and not previously nominated in this category):
Magic Moments’ “All This and World War II”
Next Stage’s “Assassins”
The Avenue’s “I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change”
Spotlight’s “Run for Your Wife”
TheatreWorks’ “The Syringa Tree”
Best band
Donna Debreceni, Town Hall Arts Center’s “Joseph “
Neil Dunfee, Boulder’s Dinner Theatre’s “The 1940s Radio Hour”
Neil Dunfee, Boulder’s Dinner Theatre’s “Ragtime”
Roberta Jacyshyn, Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center’s “Into the Woods”
N. Randall Johnson, Heritage Square Music Hall’s “Too Old to Be Loud”
Choreography
Bryan Bell, Performance Now’s “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat”
Ray Roderick, Denver Center Attractions’ “The Taffetas”
Kitty Skillman Hilsabeck, Arvada Center’s “La Cage aux Folles”
Debbie Stark and Cindy Bray, PHAMALy’s “Urinetown “
Scott Wright, Carousel Dinner Theatre’s “Altar Boyz”
Musical number
“Molasses to Rum,” from Town Hall Arts Center’s “1776” (Nolo Rocco and Amanda Farnsworth)
“Journey On,” from Boulder’s Dinner Theatre’s “Ragtime” (Alicia Dunfee and Neil Dunfee)
“Opening,” from Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center’s “Into the Woods” (Mary Ripper Baker and Roberta Jacyshyn)
“Mr. Cladwell,” from PHAMALy’s “Urinetown ” (Debbie Stark, Cindy Bray and Donna Debreceni)
“Run, Freedom, Run,” from Creede Rep’s “Urinetown ” (Dede Dresser, Diana Dresser and Michelle Alexander)
“We Are What We Are,” from Arvada Center’s “La Cage aux Folles” (Kitty Skillman Hilsabeck and David Nehls)
Set design
Eric W. Corrneliuson, OpenStage’s “Noises Off”
Joseph J. Egan, New Denver Civic’s “The Great American Trailer Park Musical”
Ensemble, Buntport’s “Vote for Uncle Marty”
Brian Mallgrave, Arvada Center’s “Do I Hear a Waltz?”
Christopher L. Sheley, Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center’s “Into the Woods”
Costumes
Kevin Copenhaver, Modern Muse’s “Seascape”
Nicole M. Harrison, Arvada Center’s “La Cage aux Folles”
Patrick Holt, Colorado Shakespeare Festival’s “A Midsummer Night’s Dream”
Brian Mallgrave, Country Dinner Playhouse’s “Clue, the Musical”
Mallory Kay Nelson, PHAMALy’s “Urinetown “
Lighting
Les Dickert, TheatreWorks’ “Zorro”
Nicholas Kargel, Boulder’s Dinner Theatre’s “Ragtime”
Steven D. Mazzeno, PHAMALy’s “Urinetown “
Shannon McKinney, Listen Productions’ “Macbeth”
Jacob Welch, Paragon’s “The Night Heron”
Sound
Brian Freeland, Shadow’s “Two Trains Running”
Iaeden Hovorka, Curious’ “A House With No Walls”
Dave Johnson, The Avenue’s “Dog Sees God: Confessions of a Teenage Blockhead”
Matthew Swartz, PHAMALy’s “Urinetown “
Dan Tschirhart and Walton Jones, Bas Bleu’s “The 1940s Radio Hour”
Children’s production
Arvada Center’s “The Dinosaur Play”
Backstage’s “The Hobbit”
Denver Children’s Theatre’s “Ramona Quimby”
Buntport’s “Trunks”
Aurora Fox’s “A Year with Frog & Toad”
Actor in a children’s play
Amanda Earls, Arvada Center’s “Miss Nelson is Missing”
Daniel Langhoff, Arvada Center’s “The Dinosaur Play”
Andrew Long, Arvada Center’s “The Dinosaur Play”
Jessica Robblee, Buntport’s “Trunks”
Christopher Willard, Backstage’s “The Hobbit”
Best of Denver Center Theatre Company
Best production
“1001”
“The Pillowman”
“You Can’t Take it With You”
Best year by an actor
Sam Gregory: “King Lear,” “The Sweetest Swing in Baseball,” “You Can’t Take it With You,” “The Diary of Anne Frank”
Mike Hartman: “King Lear,” Pure Confidence,” ” Forum,” “You Can’t Take it With You,” “White Christmas”
Philip Pleasants: “King Lear,” “Pure Confidence,” ” Forum,” “Third,” “Anne Frank”
Best year by an actress
Caitlin O’Connell, “The Sweetest Swing in Baseball,” “Third”
Jeanne Paulsen: “Mrs. Warren’s Profession,” “You Can’t Take it With You,” “Pride and Prejudice”
Nisi Sturgis: “Mrs. Warren’s Profession,” “You Can’t Take it With You,” “Pride and Prejudice”
Best actor
Scott Ferrara, “The Pillowman”
Josh Philip Weinstein, “1001”
Randy Moore, “You Can’t Take it With You”
Best actress
Aya Cash, “The Diary of Anne Frank”
Caitlin O’Connell, “Third”
Jeanne Paulsen, “Mrs. Warren’s Profession”
Supporting actor
Brad Heberlee, “The Sweetest Swing in Baseball”
Daoud Heidami, “1001”
Philip Pleasants, “Third”
Supporting actress
Lanna Joffrey, “1001”
Heather Alicia Simms, “Pure Confidence”
Brenda Withers, “Pride and Prejudice”
Director
Paul Mason Barnes, “The Diary of Anne Frank”
Ethan McSweeny, “1001”
Penny Metropulos, “You Can’t Take it With You”
Anthony Powell, “The Pillowman”
Set design
Rachel Hauck, “1001”
Alexander Dodge, “The Sweetest Swing in Baseball”
William Bloodgood, “You Can’t Take it With You”
Costumes
Kevin Copenhaver, “Forum”
David Kay Mickelson, “Pride and Prejudice”
Austin K. Sanderson, “Pure Confidence”
Best of the Broadway-scale musicals
Best production
“The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee”
“The Light in the Piazza”
“Spamalot”
“White Christmas”
Best actor
David Burnam, Fabrizio, “The Light in the Piazza”
Sean Palmer, Prince Eric, “The Little Mermaid”
Benjie Randall, Phil, “White Christmas”
Best actress
Sierra Boggess, Ariel, “The Lilttle Mermaid”
Katie Rose Clarke, Clara, “The Light in the Piazza”
Victoria Matlock, Elphaba, “Wicked”
Supporting actor
Eric Petersen, Barfee, “The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee”
John Treacy Egan, Louis, “The Little Mermaid”
Mike Hartman, Waverly, “White Christmas”
Supporting actress
Sarah Stiles, Logainne,”The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee”
Sherie Rene Scott, Ursula, “The Little Mermaid”
Dorothy Stanley, Martha, “White Christmas”
John Moore: 303-954-1056 or jmoore@denverpost.com
