Aid recipient: Maggie Lamb (who long went by the name Margie), had been performing in the local theatre community for two decades when she was cast as the bipolar wife and mother Diana in Next to Normal, and it changed the trajectory of her stage career forever. Maggie would never be looked at the same after playing Diana at the Midtown Arts Center, Aurora Fox (Ignite Theatre) and Littleton Town Hall Arts Center. Her awards for the role included the 2011 Denver Post Ovation Award and a 2015 Westword Best of Denver Award. Before that she spent five years as a Barnstormer at Country Dinner Playhouse and finally broke through playing chorus girls in classic musicals — including performing alongside future movie star Amy Adams in Crazy for You. Her work has been seen across Colorado, including Boulder’s Dinner Theater, The Arvada Center, Miners Alley Playhouse and Breckenridge Backstage Theater. Notable recent roles have included playing the adult women in Town Hall’s Spring Awakening, Alan’s mother in The Avenue Theater’s Equus and Abuelo Claudia in Town Hall’s In the Heights. Maggie trained at the former Loretto Heights College and the University of Denver.
Her medical story: Maggie’s son recently was diagnosed with a lump on his thyroid. After many doctor’s visits, biopsies, blood draws, tears, worry and finally surgery, thankfully no cancer was found. Maggie and husband Gary Duff have insurance coverage through her full-time job at the Denver Center, but the total cost of their son’s medical ordeal exceeded $40,000, and of that the family was left with $2,877 to pay out of pocket. Maggie took a second job as a weekend caterer to try to pay it down — but a month or so ago, she fell and dislocated her foot. Doctors ordered her to stay off her feet, so no more second job. The unpaid bill had been sent to a collector, so the family was up against it.
How we are helping: The Denver Actors Fund’s board of directors has voted to pay down $2,000 of Maggie’s outstanding bill.
Update: Targeted donations to help Maggie Lamb totaling $350 have brought the total amount of DAF assistance for Maggie and her family to $2,350 through Aug. 30.
How you can help us help more: Even after this gift, Maggie and Gary still have nearly $900 to pay to keep the collectors at bay. If you would like to direct a specific donation to help the family pay down that total, simply mail checks in any amount made out to Denver Actors Fund (with Maggie Lamb’s name written in the topic field), to P.O. Box 11182, Denver, CO 80212. Or use this donation link. If you use the online option, be sure to designate that your donation is a targeted donation to Maggie Lamb. (She will receive 100 percent of your donation.) Otherwise, your donation will be applied to the replenishment of the Denver Actors Fund’s general fund.
A message from Maggie: “A full-time job with benefits doesn’t always keep the astronomical health bills from knocking at your door. I was comforted in knowing my family and I were fully covered until my son was diagnosed with a lump on his thyroid. I was thankful that he was cancer-free and breathed a sigh of relief for insurance. Then we were blindsided with three very high, very unexpected bills with procedures ‘not covered’ by our policy. So I did what I had to do and got a second job to pay it off. All good until I became injured and was unable to maintain my catering position. To my beautiful theatre family: You have helped me go from terrified and helpless to tearfully grateful and comforted. Thank you for every penny that you give. I never thought I would need to turn to the Denver Actors Fund. I can’t wait to give back and help give someone else I love the same relief. Thank you, DAF, for being here for all of us, because … you just never know.”
The Denver Actors Fund has now made more than $262,000 available to Colorado artists in medical need. If you would to help us replenish our general fund, simply mail checks made out to The Denver Actors Fund to P.O. Box 11182, Denver, CO, 80212. Or use this donation link.
Read testimonials from other Denver Actors Fund beneficiaries here
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.
HOW YOU CAN HELP US REPLENISH:
To DONATE the Denver Actors Fund, please CLICK HERE (with our humble thanks)
ABOUT THE DENVER ACTORS FUND:
Video above: The Denver Actors Fund receives the Colorado Theatre Guild’s 2016 Community Impact Award.
The Denver Actors Fund is a modest source of immediate, situational relief when members of the local theater community find themselves in medical need. In addition to $262,000 in financial relief, a team of more than 60 Denver Actors Fund volunteers has offered good neighborly assistance to more than 100 beneficiaries including meal prep and delivery, child care, transportation, errands, construction, pet-sitting and more. For more information, visit our web site at DenverActorsFund.Org.
HOW TO APPLY FOR AID:
To apply for Denver Actors Fund aid: Fill out this brief online form here
MORE WAYS TO HELP:
DONATE BY MAIL:
Send checks made out to the Denver Actors Fund to:
P.O. Box 11182
Denver, CO 80212
VOLUNTEER:
Ever thought about taking a more active role in the Denver Actors Fund? Click here for more information
COME TO OUR EVENTS:
Project Careaoke Launch Party for Denver Actors Fund, Sept. 9: Please join us for a fun karaoke (and much more) fundraiser hosted by Project Careaoke that could represent the biggest infusion of funds to the Denver Actors Fund in our history. And it costs only $12 to attend. There will be competitive karaoke, Jayson Payne from JAMMIN’ DJs, live music with Float Like A Buffalo, a local artist showcase featuring live art, and a silent live auction. Starts at 5 p.m. at The Venue. located at 1451 Cortez St. in Denver (at Highway 36 and Pecos Street). Please come, and spread the word! Purchase your tickets here
‘Miscast’ returns Sept. 17: “Miscast,” which is presented each year by Robert Michael Sanders as a benefit for The Denver Actors Fund, is an opportunity for local performers to sing songs and act out scenes they would never … ever! … get cast to perform on any legit stage. Think gender-bending, race-bending and age-bending. Odd couples and mixed groups. Wrong is oh so right. “Miscast” has evolved over the years into one of the biggest nights of the year in the Colorado theatre community – and it is a really good show. “Miscast 2018” will be held Sept. 17 at a new location: The Mizel Arts and Culture Center. Purchase tickets here or avoid fees by ordering by phone at 303.316.6360. (Leave a message if unattended.)
VISIT OUR ONLINE MERCH STORE:
Click here to see how you can buy DAF products such as T-shirts, key chains, puzzles and much more
