Press and Media

American Theatre

July 22, 2015

At the annual awards honoring Denver-area theatre, Denver Center was recognized for its production of 'The Unsinkable Molly Brown,' starring Beth Malone and directed by Kathleen Marshall, and for its 2014�15 season.

BY AMERICAN THEATRE EDITORS

DENVER: Denver Center Theatre Company, housed within the Denver Center for the Performing Arts, won 11 awards at the Colorado Theatre Guild's 10th annual Henry Awards on Monday night, July 20. It was the most honored company of the evening. The awards were presented at the Arvada Center for the Arts and Humanities.

Denver Center's production of Meredith Wilson's The Unsinkable Molly Brown won the most prizes of any show that evening, with seven awards. The revised musical, with additional lyrics and books by Dick Scanlan, starred Beth Malone (a Colorado Native who was most recently nominated for a Tony for her performance in Fun Home on Broadway), and was directed by three�time Tony nominee Kathleen Marshall. Both women were recognized for their work in the show.

Denver Center also won the outstanding season award. Upon accepting the prize, Denver Center Performing Arts president and CEO Scott Shiller remarked: "We count ourselves lucky to work in such a powerful and vibrant community of artists, where new and exciting work happens all across the state. Thank you for this honor, for your warm welcome into this community, and for everything you do on a daily basis to support theatre in the Rocky Mountain Region."

Other honorees of the evening included the Arvada Center for the Arts and Humanities, BDT Stage and Vintage Theatre; they each won three Henrys.

In addition to the competitive awards, three honorary prizes were handed out. Educator Jo Bunton Keel was given the Lifetime Achievement in Theatre award for her work in raising cultural awareness in Colorado. Creede Repertory Theatre received the Outstanding Regional Theatre award, and Lisa Cook took home the special award for Outstanding Stage Management.

Established in 2006, the Henry Awards are named after longtime local theatre producer Henry Lowenstein. He passed away last year at the age of 88 and a video tribute was played during the ceremony.

The complete winners list is below:

OUTSTANDING SEASON FOR A THEATRE COMPANY
Denver Center Theatre Company

OUTSTANDING PRODUCTION OF A MUSICAL
The Unsinkable Molly Brown; DCPA Theatre Company; Kathleen Marshall, Director; Michael Rafter, Musical Director

OUTSTANDING PRODUCTION OF A PLAY
'Night, Mother; Vintage Theatre Productions; Billie McBride, Director

OUTSTANDING NEW PLAY OR MUSICAL
The 12; DCPA Theatre Company; Robert Schenkkan and Neil Berg

OUTSTANDING DIRECTION OF A MUSICAL
Kathleen Marshall; The Unsinkable Molly Brown; DCPA Theatre Company

OUTSTANDING MUSICAL DIRECTION
Michael Rafter; The Unsinkable Molly Brown; DCPA Theatre Company

OUTSTANDING DIRECTION OF A PLAY
Billie McBride; 'Night, Mother; Vintage Theatre Productions

OUTSTANDING LEAD ACTOR IN A MUSICAL
Wayne Kennedy; Fiddler on the Roof; BDT Stage

OUTSTANDING LEAD ACTRESS IN A MUSICAL
Beth Malone; The Unsinkable Molly Brown; DCPA Theatre Company

OUTSTANDING LEAD ACTOR IN A PLAY
Mike Hartman; Benediction; DCPA Theatre Company

OUTSTANDING LEAD ACTRESS IN A PLAY
Emma Messenger; 'Night, Mother; Vintage Theatre Productions

OUTSTANDING SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A MUSICAL
Annie Dwyer; Young Frankenstein; Town Hall Arts Center

OUTSTANDING SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A MUSICAL
Michael Wordly; Memphis; Midtown Arts Center, Fort Collins

SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A PLAY
Benjamin Cowhick; Good TV; A & A Productions

OUTSTANDING SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A PLAY
Billie McBride; Benediction; DCPA Theatre Company

OUTSTANDING ENSEMBLE PERFORMANCE
Middle Aged People Sitting in Boxes; Buntport Theater Company

OUTSTANDING CHOREOGRAPHY
Kathleen Marshall; The Unsinkable Molly Brown; DCPA Theatre Company

COSTUME DESIGN, TIER 1
Paul Tazewell; The Unsinkable Molly Brown; DCPA Theatre Company

OUTSTANDING COSTUME DESIGN, TIER 2
Linda Morken; Mary Poppins; BDT Stage

OUTSTANDING SCENIC DESIGN, TIER 1
Brian Mallgrave; She Loves Me; Arvada Center

OUTSTANDING SCENIC DESIGN, TIER 2
Christopher Waller; Jerusalem; The Edge Theater

OUTSTANDING SOUND DESIGN, TIER 1
David Thomas; Memphis; Arvada Center

OUTSTANDING SOUND DESIGN, TIER 2
Ren Manley; Jerusalem; The Edge Theater

OUTSTANDING LIGHTING DESIGN, TIER 1
Don Holder; The Unsinkable Molly Brown; DCPA Theatre Company

OUTSTANDING LIGHTING DESIGN, TIER 2
Brett Maughan; Mary Poppins; BDT Stage

SPECIAL AWARDS:

LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT IN THEATRE
Jo Bunton Keel

OUTSTANDING REGIONAL THEATRE
Creede Repertory Theatre

OUTSTANDING STAGE MANAGEMENT
Lisa Cook