2024
On Jan. 19 we announced all the winners for the second annual OnStage Colorado Awards for Theatrical Excellence — The OSCAs. We reviewed 200 shows this year and recognized many theatre artists around Colorado.
You can also watch the grand awards ceremony with a galaxy of stars, magnificent dance numbers and interminable acceptance speeches on YouTube here.
2024 Theater Awards by Category
Above & Beyond
- Noelia Antweiler for her memorable scarves performance in Dracula: A Feminist Revenge Fantasy, Really, Really, Arvada Center
- Mark Ragan for his adaptation of the script for Enemy of the People, BETC
- Buntport Theatre’s Eyes Up, Mouth Agape — For their exceptional integration of live video into the performance
- Lara Maerz for stage management of Impossible Things, The Catamounts
- Colorado Ballet for their production of Jekyll and Hyde
- Max Shulman for his adaptation of Henry IV & V into one shortened work, ENT Center/Theatreworks
- WYNOT Productions for puppetry in The Little Mermaid, Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center
- Debbie Spaur for wig work in Hedwig and the Angry Inch, Give 5 Productions
- Production team for The Pillowman, Miscreant Theatre Collective
- Eli Testa and company for Future is Bright: A Cabaret – a fundraiser for the Denver Actor’s Fund
- Homospouses for original music in The Bluebird, Theatre Artibus
- Meghan Frank for video/projections in The Bluebird, Theatre Artibus
Musical Director
- Alec Steinhorn for School of Rock, Miners Alley Performing Arts Center
- Andrew Fischer for The Music Man, Performance Now
- Caleb Wenger for Cannibal the Musical, Town Hall Arts Center
- Dan Graeber for Urinetown, Town Hall Arts Center
- David Nehls for Natasha, Pierre and the Great Comet of 1812, Arvada Center
- Dominique Scott for Million Dollar Quartet, Lone Tree Arts Center
- Katie Hughes for The Secret Garden, Candlelight
- Richard Shore for Crazy for You, Candlelight
- Susan Draus for Waitress, Arvada Center
Original Play or Musical
- Buntport Theatre Company for Eyes Up, Mouth Agape
- Cipriano Ortega for Cheyanne, Control Group
- Kevin Douglas for Josie’s Diner, Two Cent Lion
- David Myers for 237 Virginia Avenue, Local Theater Company
- Paul Stroili for A Jukebox for the Algonquin, Miners Alley Performing Arts Center
- Dana Cain, Jeff LaGreca, Mark Putt, The Android’s New Soul
- The Bluebird, Theatre Artibus
Choreography
- Ashley Coffey, Latisha Hardy, Claire Hayes, Jari Majewski-Price, Savannah Svoboda, and Teri Westerman Wagner for A Chorus Line, Phamaly Theatre Company
- Kelly Van Oosbree for Cabaret, Platte Valley Theatre Arts
- Shawna Walker for Crazy for You, Candlelight
- Piper Lindsay Arpan for Legally Blonde, Parker Arts
- Ronni Stark for Urinetown, Town Hall Arts Center
Costumes
- Clare Henkel for Dracula: A Feminist Revenge Fantasy, Really, Arvada Center
- Cole Emarine for The Legend of Georgia McBride, Vintage Theatre
- Meghan Anderson Doyle for Hamlet, DCPA Theatre Company
- Nicole Harrison for Cabaret, Platte Valley Theatre Arts
- Nicole Watts for Confederates, Curious Theatre Company Theatre
- Sarah M. Stark for Natasha, Pierre and the Great Comet of 1812, Arvada Center
- Terri Gerrard for School of Lies, Bas Bleu
- Costume team for The Little Mermaid, Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center
Lighting
- Brian Miller for The Android’s New Soul
- Jiyoun Chang for The Lehman Trilogy, DCPA Theatre Company
- Kyle LaBoria for Ripcord, Spring Ensemble Theatre
- Sean Mallary for GloWING, Artibus
- Vance McKenzie for Misery, Miners Alley Children’s Theatre
Scenic Design
- Arnel Sancianco for I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter, DCPA Theatre Company
- Brian Mallgrave for Natasha, Pierre and the Great Comet of 1812, Arvada Center
- Don Fuller for The Glass Menagerie, Vintage Theatre
- Erik Mattson for God of Carnage, Spring Ensemble Theatre
- Lex Liang for Emma, DCPA Theatre Company
- Roger Hanna for Waiting for Godot, Bas Bleu
- Tina Anderson for Dracula: A Feminist Revenge Fantasy, Really, Arvada Center
- Creative team for Gin & Gothic, Band of Toughs
Immersive
- Gin & Gothic, Band of Toughs
- Immersive Invitational, Denver Immersive
- Impossible Things, The Catamounts with Lonnie Hanzon Studios
Intimacy/Fight Direction
- Amy Arpan for fight choreography in Misery, Miners Alley Performing Arts Center
- Maya Vinice Prentiss for intimacy direction in I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter, DCPA Theatre Company
Director – Comedy
- Kate Gleason for Art, Aurora Fox
- GerRee Hinshaw for The Ballot of Paola Aguilar, BETC
- Jada Suzanne Dixon for POTUS, Curious Theatre Company Theatre Company
- Len Matheo for A Jukebox for the Algonquin, Miners Alley
- Steve Keim for The School for Lies, Bas Bleu
Director – Musical
- Lynne Collins for Natasha, Pierre and the Great Comet of 1812, Arvada Center
- Steve Wilson for Crazy for You, Candlelight
- Kenny Moten for Reefer Madness, OpenStage Theatre & Company
- Ben Raanan for A Chorus Line, Phamaly Theatre Company
- Kelly Van Oosbree for Cabaret, Platte Valley
- Tanner Kelly for Sweeney Todd, StageDoor Theatre Co.
- Matthew Daily for Jersey Boys, Town Hall Arts Center
- Christopher Page-Sanders for Raisin, Town Hall Arts Center
- Robert Michael Sanders for Urinetown, Town Hall Arts Center
Director – Play
- Richard R. Cowden for Around the World in 80 Days, Aurora Fox
- Jessica Robblee for An Enemy of the People, BETC
- Wendy Franz for Macbeth, Colorado Shakespeare Festival
- Chris Coleman for Rubicon, DCPA Theatre Company
- Laura Alcalá Baker for I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter, DCPA Theatre Company
- Gracie Jacobson for Josie’s Diner, Denver Fringe Festival
- Mikael Burke for Othello, ENT Center/Theatreworks
- Chris Medina for 12 Angry Men, Funky Little Theater Company
- Sam Gregory for The Mousetrap, Lone Tree Arts Center
- Warren Sherrill for Misery, Miners Alley Performing Arts Center
- Bernie Cardell for The Glass Menagerie, Vintage Theatre
Actor – Comedy
- Annie Barbour for Lucy in Dracula: A Feminist Revenge Fantasy, Really, Arvada Center
- Geoffrey Kent as Dracula in Dracula: A Feminist Revenge Fantasy, Really, Arvada Center
- Laura Chavez in The Ballot of Paola Aguilar, BETC
- Jeffrey Bigger as Frank in The School for Lies, Bas Bleu
- Kathleen Davis in Spirit Level, Evergreen Players
- Lawrence Hecht & Jacob Dresch in 237 Virginia Avenue, Local Theater Company
- Anna Faye Hunter in The Making of a Great Moment, Millibo Art Theatre
- Edith Weiss in A Jukebox for the Algonquin, Miners Alley
- Matt Radcliffe in The Thanksgiving Play, SET
- Braden Egtvedt in Run for Your Wife, SharkBox Theatre
- Haley Johnson in Murder on the Orient Express, Vintage Theatre
Actor – Play
- Steffen Beal in Gem of the Ocean, Aurora Fox Arts
- Bill Hahn in An Enemy of the People, BETC
- Magally Luna in Cheyanne, Control Group
- Kristina Fountaine in Cullud Wattah, Curious Theatre Company
- Brik Berkes in Hamlet, DCPA Theatre Company
- Xochitl Romero in Cebollas, DCPA Theatre Company
- Satya Chávez in Where Did We Sit on The Bus, DCPA Theatre Company
- Leslie O’Carroll as Stephanie in POTUS, Curious Theatre Company
- Karen Slack in Truth Be Told, Curious Theatre Company
- Carolyn Holding in Rubicon, DCPA Theatre Company
- Kelly Uhlenhopp in Othello 2024, Firehouse Theater Company
- Emma Messenger in Misery, Miners Alley Performing Arts Center
- Buba Basishvili in The Bluebird, Theatre Artibus
- Andrew Uhlenhopp in Red, Town Hall Arts Center
- Deborah Persoff in Eleanor, Vintage Theatre
- Matt Murry in The Glass Menagerie, Vintage Theatre
Actor – Musical
- Anne Terze Schwarz in Waitress, Arvada Center
- Matthew Dailey in Crazy for You, Candlelight
- Akasha Grace in The Little Mermaid, FAC
- Alex Forbes in Reefer Madness, OpenStage Theatre & Company
- Jessica Swanson in A Chorus Line, Phamaly Theatre Company
- Jeffrey Parker in Cabaret, Platte Valley
- Cooper Kaminsky in Sweeney Todd, StageDoor Theatre Co.
- Sherean Samimi in Cannibal the Musical, Town Hall Arts Center
- Elton J. Tanega in Jersey Boys, Town Hall Arts Center
- Mary Louise Lee in Raisin, Town Hall Arts Center
- Jake Bell in Urinetown, Town Hall Arts Center
Ensemble
- A Chorus Line, Phamaly Theatre Company
- A Jukebox for the Algonguin, Miners Alley Performing Arts Center
- Crazy for You, Candlelight
- Dracula: A Feminist Revenge Fantasy, Really, Really, Arvada Center
- Eyes Up, Mouth Agape, Buntport
- Impossible Things, The Catamounts
- The Pillowman, Miscreant/Creepatorium
- The School for Lies, Bas Bleu
- The Squirrels, Westcliffe Center for the Performing Arts
- Urinetown, Town Hall Arts Center
- Waitress, Arvada Center
Best Play
- An Enemy of the People, BETC
- Around the World in 80 Days, Aurora Fox
- Misery, Miners Alley Performing Arts Center
- I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter, DCPA Theatre Company
- Othello 2024, Firehouse Theater Company
- Proof, Springs Ensemble Theatre
- Red, Town Hall Arts Center
- The Glass Menagerie, Vintage Theatre
Best Comedy
- Art, Aurora Fox
- Eyes Up, Mouth Agape, Buntport
- Four Old Broads, Funky Little Theater Company
- POTUS, Curious Theatre Company Theatre Company
- School of Lies, Bas Bleu
- The Ballot of Paola Aguilar, BETC
- The Thanksgiving Play, Springs Ensemble Theatre
Best Musical
- A Chorus Line, Phamaly Theatre Company
- Cabaret, Platte Valley Players
- Crazy For You, Candlelight
- Natasha, Pierre and the Great Comet of 1812, Arvada Center
- Reefer Madness, OpenStage Theatre & Company
- The School of Rock, Miners Alley Performing Arts Center
- Urinetown, Town Hall Arts Center
- Waitress, Arvada Center
2023
Play
- Colorado Shakespeare Festival: A Winter’s Tale
- Denver Center Theatre Company: Clyde’s
- BETC: Coal Country
- Curious: Amerikin
- Firehouse: Tiny Beautiful Things
- Vintage Theatre: The Inheritance
Comedy
- DCPA Theatre Company: The 39 Steps
- CSF: One Man, Two Guvnors
- Give 5 Productions: Murder for Two
- Thunder River: You Can’t Take it With You
- Curious: The Minutes
- Wheat Ridge Theatre Co.: The Irish Curse
- Theatre Company of Lafayette: In the Next Room (or The Vibrator Play)
- Phamaly: A Midsummer Night’s Dream
- Arvada Center: The Book Club Play
Musical
- DCPA Theatre Co.: The Color Purple
- Arvada Center: Cinderella
- Lone Tree: Dreamgirls
- Arvada Center: Beautiful – The Carole King Musical
- Vintage: Sophisticated Ladies
- Miners Alley: Avenue Q
- Aurora Fox: Treasure Island
- Theatre Silco: Head Over Heels
Original play or musical
- Theatre Artibus: The Pastisserie by Tiffany Ogburn, Buba Basishvili, Meghan Frank and Nicole Dietze
- Local Theater Co.: You Enjoy Myself by Topher Payne
- Benchmark: FOMO: Formerly Mormon by Frankie Lee
- Benchmark: Stonewall by Neil Truglio, Samwell Rose and Frankie Lee
- Cherry Creek: The Headliners by Jeffrey Neuman
- DCPA: Miss Rhythm – The Legend of Ruth Brown by David Nehls and Sheryl McCallum
Actor in a play
- Brianna Buckley, Clyde’s, DCPA Theatre Co.
- Josh Levy, Blasted, Benchmark
- Norrell Moore, The Headliners, Cherry Creek
- Jeremy Rill, The Headliners, Cherry Creek
- Natalie Fuentes, Wolf at the Door, Su Teatro
- Anne Penner, Undone: The Lady M Project, Local Theater
- Johnathan Underwood, Dracula, Firehouse
- Jacque Wilke, Every Brilliant Thing, Happy Dagger
- Matt Miles, Gift of the Magi, Breckenridge Backstage Theatre
- Sam Sandoe, King Lear, Colorado Shakespeare Festival
- Bobby Bennett, The Inheritance, Vintage Theatre
- Deborah Persoff, Driving Miss Daisy, Vintage Theatre
- Josh Innerst, A Winter’s Tale, CSF
- Emily Van Fleet, A Winter’s Tale, CSF
- Madge Montgomery, The Curious Savage, Theatre Company of Lafayette
Actor in a comedy
- Bob Moore, You Can’t Take It With You, Thunder River
- Amelia Pedlow, The 39 Steps, DCPA Theatre Co.
- Zaya da Camara, I Hate Hamlet, Miners Alley
- Matthew Schneck, One Man, Two Guvnors, CSF
- Emma Maxfield, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Phamaly
- Keenan Gluck, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Phamaly
- Ryan Omar Stack, You Enjoy Myself, Local Theater Co.
- Iliana Lucero Barron, You Enjoy Myself, Local Theater Co.
- Cajardo Lindsey, The Minutes, Curious Theatre Co.
- Brian Landis Folkins, The Minutes, Curious Theatre Co.
- Blake Nawa’a, Murder for Two, Give5 Productions
- Brandon Bill, Murder for Two, Give5 Productions
- Stephanie Machado, Laughs in Spanish, DCPA Theatre Co.
- Diana Dresser, The Book Club Play, Arvada Center
- Lavour Addison, The Book Club Play, Arvada Center
- Ronan Viard, In the Next Room, Theatre Company of Lafayette
- Rachel Fey, Picasso at the Lapin Agile, Millibo Art Theatre
Actor in a musical
- Gunnar Bettis, Once, Stage DoorTheatre
- Olivia Kisicki, Once, Stage DoorTheatre
- Maiesha McQueen, The Color Purple, DCPA Theatre Co.
- Robert Anthony Jones, Damn Yankees, Arvada Center
- Megan Van de Hey, Cinderella, Arvada Center
- Emily Van Fleet, Beautiful, Arvada Center
- Ava Francis, Avenue Q, Miners Alley
- John White, La Cage Aux Folles, Town Hall Arts Center
- Carter Edward Smith, Memphis, Town Hall Arts Center
- Mary Campbell, Cabaret, Vintage Theatre
- Mary Louise Lee, Sophisticated Ladies, Vintage Theatre
- Nick Rogers, All Shook Up, Town Hall Arts Center
- Jalyn Webb, Cats, Candlelight
Director of a play
- Jessica Robblee, Coal Country, BETC
- Peter J. Hughes, Tiny Beautiful Things, Firehouse
- Carolyn Howarth, King Lear, CSF
- Bernie Cardell, The Inheritance, Vintage Theatre
- Kate Gleason & Rodney Lizcano, The Laramie Project, Arvada Center
- Nick Sugar, The Headliners, Cherry Creek Theatre
- Jada Suzanne Dixon, Amerikin, Curious Theatre
- Jamil Jude, Clyde’s, DCPA Theatre Co.
Director of a comedy
- Missy Moore, You Can’t Take It With You, Thunder River
- Tim Orr, One Man, Two Guvnors, CSF
- Shelly Gaza, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Phamaly
- Betty Hart, You Enjoy Myself, Local Theater Co.
- Christy Montour Larson, The Minutes, Curious Theatre Co.
- Julia Tobey, Murder for Two, Give 5 Productions
- Meredith McDonough, The 39 Steps, DCPA Theatre Co.
- Len Matheo, The Cherry Orchard, Miners Alley
- Lynne Collins, The Book Club Play, Arvada Center
Director of a musical
- Kenny Moten, Cinderella, Arvada Center
- Timothy Douglas, The Color Purple, DCPA Theatre Co.
- Kelly Van Oosbree, Damn Yankees, Arvada Center
- Kurt Stamm, Cats, Candlelight
- Nathan Halvorson, La Cage Aux Folles, Town Hall Arts Center
- Ben Raanan, Spring Awakening, Phamaly
- Chris Coleman, A Little Night Music, DCPA Theatre Co.
- Nick Sugar, Treasure Island, Aurora Fox
- Terrell Davis, Blues in the Night, Aurora Fox
- Warren Sherrill, Avenue Q, Miners Alley
Musical director
- Trent Hines, Dreamgirls, Lone Tree Arts Center
- David Nehls, Miss Rhythm – The Legend of Ruth Brown, DCPA Theatre Co.
- Rob Lowe, Sondheim on Sondheim, Cherry Creek Theatre Co.
- Susan Draus, Avenue Q, Miners Alley
- Brandon Bill, Tick, Tick Boom!, Vintage Theatre
Ensemble
- You Can’t Take It With You, Thunder River Theatre Co.
- One Man, Two Guvnors, CSF
- Coal Country, BETC
- La Cage Aux Folles, Town Hall Arts Center
- Cats, Candlelight
- The Inheritance, Vintage Theatre
- The Minutes, Curious Theatre
- Stonewall, Benchmark
Choreography
- Jessica Hindsley, Cinderella, Arvada Center
- Kurt Stamm, Cats, Candlelight
- Nathan Halvorson, La Cage Aux Folles, Town Hall Arts Center
- Christopher Page Sanders, Sophisticated Ladies, Vintage Theatre
- Christopher Page Sanders, Dreamgirls, Lone Tree Arts Center
- Christopher Lengerich, All Shook Up, Town Hall Arts Center
Costumes
- Emily Valley, Dreamgirls, Lone Tree Arts Center
- Madison Booth, Cinderalla, Arvada Center
- Sammy Gleason, La Cage Aux Folles, Town Hall Arts Center
- Kevin Copenhaver, A Little Night Music, DCPA Theatre Co.
- Linda Morken, The Headliners, Cherry Creek Theatre Co.
- Steffani Bolmer, The Cherry Orchard, Miners Alley
- Clare Henkel, A Winter’s Tale, CSF
- Rachel Finley, The Odd Couple, Firehouse Theatre
Lighting
- Erin Thibodaux, Coal Country, BETC
- Emily Maddox, Sondheim on Sondheim, Cherry Creek Theatre
- Jonathan Dunkle, Dreamgirls, Lone Tree Arts Center
- Peter Mardudin, The Color Purple, DCPA Theatre Co.
- Jess Buttery, Things We Will Miss, Square Product Theatre
- Haley Hartmann, Amerikin, Curious Theatre Co.
Scenic design
- Isabel and Moriah Curley-Clay, Clyde’s, DCPA
- Markas Henry, Amerikin, Curious Theatre
- Tina Anderson, Coal Country, BETC
- Brian Mallgrave, Beautiful, Arvada Center
- Kevin Nelson, Dreamgirls, Lone Tree Arts Center
- Susan Crabtree, You Enjoy Myself, Local Theater
- Tony Cisek, The Color Purple, DCPA
Sound design
- Jason Ducat, Coal Country, BETC
- Max Silverman, Dreamgirls, Lone Tree Arts Center
- Lindsay Jones, The 39 Steps, DCPA Theatre Co.
- John Hauser, A Great Wilderness, Benchmark
- Max Silverman, Amerikin, Curious Theatre Co.
Above & Beyond
- Amelia Morse, intimacy direction, Blasted – Benchmark
- Audacious Theatre Company, immersive, Drunk Christmas
- Garrett Thompson, projections, The Laramie Project, Arvada Center
- Wonderbound, planning for the future with new facility
- Miners Alley, planning for the future with new facility
- Lauren Boebert, audience participation, Beetlejuice, Denver Center