This year for the 15th annual Henry Awards recognizing excellence in Colorado theatre, the Colorado Theatre Guild presented the ceremony in an online format.
It was an odd year for theatre, of course, with productions halting in mid-March due to the coronavirus pandemic. But the Henry Awards, one of the most anticipated nights in Colorado theatre, were still on. Hosted from the Aurora Fox by Betty Hart and Robert Michael Sanders, hundreds of people watched the presentation online the evening of July 26. Here are the night’s winners (*) and nominees:

Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Musical

*Annie Dwyer, “Cabaret,” Town Hall Arts Center
Susan Dawn Carson, “The Bridges of Madison County,” Fine Arts Center Theatre Company at Colorado College
Melanie Hollenstein, “The Great American Trailer Park Musical,” Mountain Repertory Theatre Company at the Butte Theater
Sarah Smith, “The Great American Trailer Park Musical,” Mountain Repertory Theatre Company at the Butte Theater
Emma Thoeni, “The Great American Trailer Park Musical,” Mountain Repertory Theatre Company at the Butte Theater

Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Musical

*Jeff Roark, “The Bridges of Madison County,” Fine Arts Center Theatre Company at Colorado College

Dieter Bierbrauer, “Bright Star,” Arvada Center for the Arts and Humanities
Dwayne Carrington, “The Scottsboro Boys,” Vintage Theatre
Ben Hilzer, “Roald Dahl’s Matilda The Musical ,” Sasquatch Productions and Parker Arts
Robert Michael Sanders, “Chicago,” Phamaly Theatre Company

Outstanding Sound Design Tier 1

*Jacob Keough-Mishler, “The Bridges of Madison County,” Fine Arts Center Theatre Company at Colorado College

El Armstrong, “The Mountaintop,” THEATREWORKS
Jakob K. Harbour, “Hazardous Materials,” Creede Repertory Theatre
Stephen Light, “The Curious Incident of the Dog In The Night-Time,” Fine Arts Center Theatre Company at Colorado College
David Thomas, “Bright Star,” Arvada Center for the Arts and Humanities

Outstanding Sound Design Tier 2

*Buntport Theater, “Universe 92,” Buntport Theater
Sean Jeffries, “A View from the Bridge,” Thunder River Theatre Company
Sean Jeffries, “The Doyle and Debbie Show,” Thunder River Theatre Company
Rachel Rogers, “Airness,” Benchmark Theatre
CeCe Smith, “Flame Broiled. or the ugly play,” Local Theater Company

Outstanding Lighting Design Tier 1

*Holly Anne Rawls, “The Curious Incident of the Dog In The Night-Time,” Fine Arts Center Theatre Company at Colorado College

Jiyoun Chang, “You Lost Me,” DCPA Theatre Company
Jason Lynch, “A Doll’s House,” DCPA Theatre Company
Kathy Perkins, “The Mountaintop”, THEATREWORKS
Jonathan Spencer, “The Bridges of Madison County,” Fine Arts Center Theatre Company at Colorado College

Outstanding Lighting Design Tier 2

*Sean Jeffries, “A View From the Bridge,” Thunder River Theatre Company
Sean Jeffries, “The Doyle and Debbie Show,” Thunder River Theatre Company
Tom Junker, “Noises Off,” StageDoor Theatre
Kevin Newton, “Roald Dahl’s Matilda The Musical ,” Sasquatch Productions and Parker Arts
Jacob Welch, “Flame Broiled. or the ugly play,” Local Theater Company

Outstanding Costume Design Tier 1

*Meghan Anderson Doyle, “A Doll’s House,” DCPA Theatre Company

Jeff Cone, “Indecent,” DCPA Theatre Company
Kevin Copenhaver, “Twelfth Night,” DCPA Theatre Company
Alethia Moore-Del Monico, “Hazardous Materials,” Creede Repertory Theatre
Nicole Watts, “A Christmas Carol – The Musical,” Arvada Center for the Arts and Humanities

Outstanding Costume Design Tier 2

(Three-way tie)

*Nancy Hankin, “The Great American Trailer Park Musical,” Mountain Repertory Theatre

Company at the Butte Theater

*Buntport Theater, “Universe 92,” Buntport Theater
*Suzanne Couch, “Noises Off,” StageDoor Theatre
Rachel Herring Finley, “Calendar Girls,” Firehouse Theater Company
Jennifer Schiller, “A Walk in the Woods,” Thunder River Theatre Company

Outstanding Scenic Design Tier 1

(Two-way tie)

*Lindsay Fuori, “Hazardous Materials,” Creede Repertory Theatre
*Charles Packard, “The Mountaintop,” THEATREWORKS

Lex Liang, “The Bridges of Madison County,” Fine Arts Center Theatre Company at Colorado College
Brian Mallgrave, “Plaza Suite,” Arvada Center for the Arts and Humanities
Christopher L. Sheley, “The Curious Incident of the Dog In The Night-Time,” Fine Arts Center Theatre Company at Colorado College

Outstanding Scenic Design Tier 2

*Dean Arniotes, “Noises Off,” StageDoor Theatre
Buntport Theater, “Universe 92,” Buntport Theater
Michael R. Duran, “Parfumerie,” Benchmark Theatre
Sean Jeffries “A View from the Bridge,” Thunder River Theatre Company
Colin Tugwell, “The Doyle and Debbie Show,” Thunder River Theatre Company

Outstanding Choreography

*Christopher Page-Sanders, “The Scottsboro Boys,” Vintage Theatre

Mary Ripper Baker, “The Curious Incident of the Dog In The Night-Time,” Fine Arts Center Theatre Company at Colorado College
Nathan Halvorson, “The Great American Trailer Park Musical,” Mountain Repertory Theatre Company at the Butte Theater
Kitty Skillman Hilsabeck, “A Christmas Carol – The Musical,” Arvada Center for the Arts and Humanities
Nick Sugar, “Cabaret,” Town Hall Arts Center

Outstanding Ensemble Performance

*“The Mountaintop,” THEATREWORKS

“Hazardous Materials,” Creede Repertory Theatre
“Indecent,” DCPA Theatre Company
“The Curious Incident of the Dog In The Night-Time,” Fine Arts Center Theatre Company at Colorado College
“A Walk in the Woods,” Thunder River Theatre Company

Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Play

*Marisa D. Hébert, “Tiny Beautiful Things,” Fine Arts Center Theatre Company at Colorado College

Kate Berry, “Pride and Prejudice,” Creede Repertory Theatre
Anastasia Davidson, “A Doll’s House,” DCPA Theatre Company
Elise Santora, “The Curious Incident of the Dog In The Night-Time,” Fine Arts Center Theatre Company at Colorado College
Valerie Spencer, “Indecent,” DCPA Theatre Company

Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Play

*Chris Kendall, “Tuesdays with Morrie,” Cherry Creek Theatre

Brian Colonna, “Universe 92,” Buntport Theater
Steve Emily, “Tiny Beautiful Things,” Fine Arts Center Theatre Company at Colorado College
Cameron Folmar, “Twelfth Night,” DCPA Theatre Company
Ben Newman, “Pride and Prejudice,” Creede Repertory Theatre

Outstanding Actress in a Musical

*Jennifer DeDominici, “The Bridges of Madison County,” Fine Arts Center Theatre Company at Colorado College

Merideth Kaye Clark, “Bright Star,” Arvada Center for the Arts and Humanities
Meredith Jones, “Always…Patsy Cline,” Rocky Mountain Repertory Theatre
Sonya Meyer, “The Doyle and Debbie Show,” Thunder River Theatre Company
Erin Schneider, “Chicago,” Phamaly Theatre Company

Outstanding Actor in a Musical

*Perry Davis Harper, “Jekyll & Hyde,” Thingamajig Theatre Company

Dieter Bierbauer, “The Bridges of Madison County,” Fine Arts Center Theatre Company at Colorado College
Scott Hurst Jr., “Jekyll & Hyde,” Candlelight Dinner Playhouse
Cooper Kaminsky, “Roald Dahl’s Matilda The Musical,” Sasquatch Productions and Parker Arts Ben Newman, “Peter and the Starcatcher,” Creede Repertory Theatre

Outstanding Actress in a Play

*Marisa D. Hébert, “The Mountaintop,” THEATREWORKS
Kate Berry, “Hazardous Materials,” Creede Repertory Theatre
Jeri Marshall, “Hazardous Materials,” Creede Repertory Theatre
Marianna McClellan, “A Doll’s House,” DCPA Theatre Company
Deborah Persoff, “Looped,” Vintage Theatre

Outstanding Actor in a Play

*Logan Riley Bruner, “The Curious Incident of the Dog In The Night-Time,” Fine Arts Center Theatre Company at Colorado College

Denis Berkfeldt, “Frost/Nixon,” Vintage Theatre
Bob Moore, “A Walk in the Woods,” Thunder River Theatre Company
John Plumpis, “Indecent,” DCPA Theatre Company
Calvin M. Thompson, “The Mountaintop,” THEATREWORKS

Outstanding New Play or Musical

*“Hazardous Materials,” by Beth Kander, Directed by Kyle Haden, Produced by Creede Repertory Theatre

“Universe 92,” Written and Directed by Buntport Theater, Produced by Buntport Theater
“twenty50,” by Tony Meneses, Directed by Henry Godinez, Produced by DCPA Theatre Company
“You Lost Me,” by Bonnie Metzgar, Directed by Margot Bordelon, Produced by DCPA Theatre Company
“Take to the Highway,” by Kenny Moten & John Seaberry, Directed by Kenny Moten, Produced by Divabee Productions

Outstanding Musical Direction

*Stephanie McGuffin, “The Bridges of Madison County,” Fine Arts Center Theatre Company at Colorado College

Eric Alsford, “Bright Star,” Arvada Center for the Arts and Humanities
Donna Kolpan Debreceni, “Cabaret,” Town Hall Arts Center
David Nehls, “Once,” Miners Alley Playhouse
Lee Ann Scherlong, “The Scottsboro Boys,” Vintage Theatre

Outstanding Direction of a Musical

*Nathan Halvorson, “The Bridges of Madison County,” Fine Arts Center Theatre Company at Colorado College

Melissa Firlit, “Jekyll & Hyde,” Thingamajig Theatre Company
Rod A. Lansberry, “Bright Star,” Arvada Center for the Arts and Humanities
August Stoten, “Roald Dahl’s Matilda The Musical,” Sasquatch Productions and Parker Arts Nick Sugar, “Cabaret,” Town Hall Arts Center

 Outstanding Direction of a Play

*donnie l. betts, “The Mountaintop,” THEATREWORKS
Chris Coleman, “A Doll’s House,” DCPA Theatre Company
Kyle Haden, “Hazardous Materials,” Creede Repertory Theatre
Nancy Keystone, “Indecent,” DCPA Theatre Company
Scott RC Levy, “The Curious Incident of the Dog In The Night-Time,” Fine Arts Center Theatre Company at Colorado College

Outstanding Production of a Musical

“The Bridges of Madison County,” Fine Arts Center Theatre Company at Colorado College ,

“Bright Star,” Arvada Center for the Arts and Humanities, Directed by Rod A. Lansberry, Musical Direction by Eric Alsford
Directed by Nathan Halvorson, Musical Direction by Stephanie McGuffin
“Jekyll & Hyde,” Thingamajig Theatre Company, Directed by Melissa Firlit, Musical Direction by Boni McIntyre
“Cabaret,” Town Hall Arts Center, Directed by Nick Sugar, Musical Direction by Donna Kolpan Debreceni
“The Scottsboro Boys,” Vintage Theatre , Directed by Betty Hart, Musical Direction by Lee Ann Scherlong

Outstanding Production of a Play

“The Curious Incident of the Dog In The Night-Time,” Fine Arts Center Theatre Company at Colorado College, Directed by Scott RC Levy

“Hazardous Materials,” Creede Repertory Theatre, Directed by Kyle Haden
“Indecent,” DCPA Theatre Company, Directed by Nancy Keystone
“Fairfield,” Miners Alley Playhouse, Directed by Jada Suzanne Dixon
“The Mountaintop,” THEATREWORKS, Directed by donnie l. betts

Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Musical

Jeff Roark, “The Bridges of Madison County,” Fine Arts Center Theatre Company at Colorado College

Dieter Bierbrauer, “Bright Star,” Arvada Center for the Arts and Humanities
Dwayne Carrington, “The Scottsboro Boys,” Vintage Theatre
Ben Hilzer, “Roald Dahl’s Matilda The Musical ,” Sasquatch Productions and Parker Arts
Robert Michael Sanders, “Chicago,” Phamaly Theatre Company

Outstanding Season for a Theatre Company

Because of the shortened theatre season there was no award for Outstanding Season this year.

Editor & Publisher at  |  + posts

Alex Miller is editor and publisher of OnStage Colorado. He has a long background in journalism, including stints as the top editor at the Vail Daily, Summit Daily News, Summit Country Journal, Vail Trail and others. He’s also been an actor, director, playwright, artistic director and theatre board member and has been covering theatre in Colorado since 1995.