Financial-aid recipient: Funnyman Mark Shonsey has been an an actor in the Denver theatre and improv-comedy communities since 2003. The graduate of John F. Kennedy High School and the University of Colorado Denver most recently played Nicky in the Town Hall Arts Center’s production of Avenue Q in January. It’s a role he first played … Continue reading Denver Actors Fund in Action: Mark Shonsey

Financial-aid recipient: For 18 years, Carol Kelly was the Hair and Makeup Coordinator for Phamaly, the acclaimed Denver theatre company that creates performance opportunities for actors with disabilities. Most recently, she worked on Cabaret at the Denver Center’s Space Theatre. Her medical story: Carol has been put on a two-week medical leave by her doctor… Continue reading Denver Actors Fund in Action: Carol Kelly

Financial-aid recipient: Daniel Perkins, known in your theatre programs as DP Perkins, came to Colorado in 1980 to do a show at the Heritage Square Opera House, and stayed. He was part of a brigade that piled into a car and drove to Golden after the Goldenrod Showboat in St. Louis closed. The group included… Continue reading Denver Actors Fund in Action: Daniel Perkins

Jaime Lujan, far right, and the cast of The LIDA project’s ‘Watershed, Part 1,’ a 2013 collaboration with Metropolitan State University. Photo by John Moore.   Financial-aid recipient: Jaime Lujan is an actor, vocalist and performance artist who has been active in the Colorado theatre community for 17 years. Her credits include the DCPA Theatre… Continue reading Denver Actors Fund in Action: Jaime Lujan

  Financial aid recipient: Cathrine Floyd (pronounced KUH-TREE-nuh), played Miss Lark in Englewood Summer Drama’s 2016 production of Mary Poppins alongside her daughters, Emma and Hanna. Cathrine’s story: Shortly after Mary Poppins ended, Cathrine was diagnosed with breast cancer. After undergoing chemotherapy, surgery and radiation, Cathrine was found to be cancer-free last month. The bills… Continue reading Denver Actors Fund in Action: Cathrine Floyd

Financial aid recipient: Adrianna Tye is the mother of actor Christopher Tye, who appeared as Curtis Taylor Jr. in Ignite Theatre’s production of “Dreamgirls” in 2014-15 at the Aurora Fox. Christopher died without warning on July 20, his birthday. He was 36. “He died too young and without warning or signs,” said his wife, Tahesha… Continue reading Denver Actors Fund in Action: Christopher Tye

  Financial aid recipient: Actor Abner Genece performed last season in Curious Theatre’s Water by the Spoonful and has been cast as a full member of the Arvada Center’s Black Box Theatre Company for its upcoming second season. Artistic Director Lynne Collins has cast Genece to play Sir John in Sense & Sensibility, Ambimbola in… Continue reading Denver Actors Fund in Action: Abner Genece

Financial aid recipient: Katherine Paynter is an actor who just performed in Performance Now Theatre Company’s “The Wedding Singer,” which closed Sunday. Paynter, who hails from Minnesota, studied theatre arts through a dual-college program within both Minnesota State and North Dakota State universities. She is now a Denver-based flight attendant with United Airlines and made… Continue reading Denver Actors Fund in Action: Katherine Paynter

  Financial aid recipient: Meghan Ralph has been heavily involved in the Denver theatre community since 2004, working as actor, stage manager, assistant director, run crew, box office, photographer and anything in-between. She is one of the founders of Equinox Theatre Company and has worked with Spotlight, Firehouse, Vintage and many others. Most recently, she… Continue reading Denver Actors Fund in Action: Meghan Ralph

Financial aid recipient: Longtime actor and 20-year vocal coach Traci J. Kern has appeared in productions for many local theatre companies, including as the Narrator in both “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat” for Cabrini Productions and “Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson” for Ben Dicke Productions at the Aurora Fox. Recent productions as Music Director have… Continue reading Denver Actors Fund in Action: Traci J. Kern

Financial-aid recipient: Lara Maerz has been an active Stage Manager in the Colorado theatre community for many years, including stints at The Edge Theatre, Colorado Shakespeare Festival, Colorado Springs TheatreWorks, Theatre Aspen and Parker Performing Arts School. Most recently she ran The Addams Family Musical for the Northglenn Players. She is a graduate of Jefferson… Continue reading Denver Actors Fund in Action: Lara Maerz

Financial-aid recipients: Patrick and Melissa Swift-Sawyer are longtime contributors to the Colorado theater community. Patrick’s roots go back 40 years, from performing in melodramas at the historic Imperial Hotel in Cripple Creek (where he grew up) to The Crystal Palace in Aspen, Boulder’s Dinner Theater, The Carousel Dinner Theater (now Midtown Arts Center) in Fort… Continue reading Denver Actors Fund in Action: Patrick and Melissa Sawyer