Cherry Creek Theatre co-founders Maxine and Mark Rossman announce retirement

Founding couple made it to all but 10 of the company’s 366 performances

It was a bittersweet moment at the Cherry Creek Theatre (CCT) board meeting Monday as co-founders Maxine and Mark Rossman, vice-chair and chair of the board of directors, respectively, announced their retirement.

It was the vision and passion of Maxine and Mark Rossman that established CCT 10 years ago and turned a start-up dream into a thriving arts organization. During their tenure, the Rossmans produced 28 plays and musicals, attracted over 30,000 attendees, built a patron base of well over 300 theater lovers, and achieved attendance capacities of 83% during their 10 years of leadership.

“Maxine and I are incredibly proud of our accomplishments over the past decade and, most importantly, building a loyal community of patrons who support the arts within the Cherry Creek neighborhood,” said Mark Rossman. “I’ve always believed that theater creates family; out of 366 performances, Maxine and I have been to 356. We take great pride in this. It’s as if the audience, our family, is coming to our living room nightly, and we know that legacy will serve the organization well into the future.”

To honor the Rossmans’ contributions to CCT, the board announced the formation of the Maxine & Mark Rossman Scholarship in Theatre Arts (MMRSTA) to be awarded annually to a graduating African-American high school senior who has demonstrated success and the potential to succeed in one of three theater fields including acting, design and technical arts. The first scholarship will be awarded in Spring 2021.

In addition, the board announced CCT board emeritus status for both Maxine and Mark Rossman who can continue to serve the organization in the future as desired.

Mark Rossman, who served as chairman since the inception of the organization in 2010, is succeeded by Matt Meier who joined the CCT board in 2017 and is very active within the arts community. In 2017, Meier won the Business Committee for the Arts (CBCA) Cultural Leadership Award which recognizes outstanding alumni of their Leadership Arts program who have made or continue to make a significant impact on arts and culture in Colorado. He is the co-founder and creative director of the RiNo-based design studio, Ligature Creative, and he also serves on the board of directors for the Denver Philharmonic Orchestra.

“I want to congratulate Maxine and Mark Rossman for their tireless contributions to CCT and for their 10 years of incredible success,” said Meier. “Their continued support and inspiration, as we navigate the impact of COVID, will be instrumental in bringing back CCT as soon as it is safe to do so. I also look forward to working with the CCT board and staff in continuing the artistic integrity our audiences have come to expect and guaranteeing our financial stability as we enter our second decade of operation.”