Last month, the 8-year-old Paragon Theatre won its first Denver Post Ovation Award for best year by a company. Paragon won five awards, most by any company, including best drama for “Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?” We caught up with co-founders Warren Sherrill and Michael Stricker, along with ensemble actor Barbra Andrews, Stricker’s wife.
John Moore: So how did all of this begin?
Sherrill: Years ago, when I was a pup, I was asked to direct a one-act play at Fort Collins High School. I needed to cast a little rug-rat kid, and along comes Michael Stricker, who had never acted before. And he blew me away.
Moore: And you’ve been molding him ever since?
Sherrill: Still am.
Stricker: We started working together at just about every theater in northern Colorado. We realized we have an affinity, not only for theater, but for a certain type of theater. We always knew we wanted an ensemble-based theater company in the tradition of Steppenwolf. We knew that at the core, we wanted to be honest, intimate and bold.
Moore: So all three of you were just nominated for individual Ovation Awards: Warren for directing “Virginia Woolf,” Barbra for playing Honey, and Michael for acting in “The Night Heron.” Now . . . how many did you win again?
Sherrill and Andrews: Uh . . . zero.
Stricker: Yeah, all three of us . . . didn’t win.
Moore: Well . . . (pause) congratulations on winning best year by a company!
Stricker: (laughing) It’s great because honestly, what has it been: Curious three times, the Arvada Center and Buntport?
Sherrill: It’s nice to be up there with those companies.
Moore: So why did “Virginia Woolf” work?
Sherrill: We started with Martha Harmon Pardee, who brings so much to the table. We told her we needed an actor who could raise everyone else up, and she brought us Sam Gregory from the Denver Center Theatre Company.
Moore: Barbra, what was that job like for you?
Andrews: With that cast, it was absolutely the most effortless gig I have ever had. The stars were aligned for that show.
Moore: One of the reasons you won best company was for all of the incredible roles for women.
Andrews: It’s just so decadent. I get to play amazing roles with a company I love.
Moore: Tell us about your new home.
Stricker: We are moving into the beautiful new Crossroads at Five Points Theatre starting with “The Gin Game,” opening Feb. 16, with Jim Hunt and Patty Mintz Figel.
Sherrill: Then “Sight Unseen” (by Donald Margulies) asks, when do you stop doing art for yourself, and start doing it for someone else?
Stricker: Then “This is How it Goes,” by Neil LaBute. It’s a little like a Chris Rock concert in that it’s both racially charged and really funny. And it’s a joy that we get to do it in Five Points.
John Moore: 303-954-1056 or jmoore@denverpost.com
Information on Paragon Theatre
Now performing at 2550 Washington St. Call 303-300-2210 or go to .
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