19th Annual OPUS Awards
The 2016-2017 season was a historical year for OpenStage Theatre & Company! Thank you to each and every one of you who made our Henry Award Winning Outstanding Season possible!
Now in it's 19th year, the OPUS Awards took place on August 27th. Nominations and the final OPUS winners are chosen by company members, season ticket holders, sponsors and donors. These awards highlight the extraordinary contributions of our amazingly talented theatre artists. Congratulations to all of our nominees and winners!
First Annual Shela Jennings Award:
Shela was a long time OpenStage Theatre company member and a recipient of the OpenStage Founders’ Award. This award will be given annually to honor her memory. It will be given to an OpenStage Theatre company member who best exemplifies all that Shela was to the Fort Collins theatre world.
Shela Jennings Award:
Judith Allen
Founder's Award: Duane Sawyer
This year's Founders’ Award recipient is an individual who has worked with OpenStage Theatre since 1992 and in over 40 shows. During their 25-year tenure with the Company, he has worked primarily as an actor, but also as a director, assistant director and board operator and has also won an OPUS Award for acting. He is always game to volunteer when called upon, whether it is at strikes and set-ins or stepping into a role when asked.
He is known for creating very small type cheat sheets to hide in costumes or post backstage. He has played an incredible range of characters, including a TV writer; a Broadway Producer; a Corporate shill; a French soldier, an Italian gossip, a Jewish mogul and a Russian immigrant – all to high acclaim. He is an outstanding visual artist as well, especially with caricatures and has delivered some of the most memorable graphic designs for OpenStage posters and t-shirts. This individual exemplifies the comradery that is at the heart of our ensemble work and is loved and respected by everyone who works with him. It is with great delight and loving fondness that Bruce and Denise present this year's Founder's Award to a dear friend, a valued colleague and an individual who brings such great heart to OpenStage Theatre.
Outstanding Play:
August: Osage County
Oustanding Director:
Dulcie Willis, August: Osage County
Oustanding Actor in a Leading Role:
Steven P. Sickles as Valere in La Bête
Outstanding Actress in a Leading Role:
Sydney Parks Smith as Barbara Fordham in August: Osage County
Outstanding Actor in a Supporting Role:
Bas Meindertsma as Little Charles Aiken in August: Osage County
Oustanding Actress in a Supporting Role:
Rebecca Spafford as Karen Weston in August: Osage County
Oustanding Set Design:
James Brookman, August: Osage County
Outstanding Costume Design:
Maile Horger-Speetjens, La Bête
Oustanding Lighting Design:
Brandon Ingold, August: Osage County
Outstanding Sound Design:
Victoria Villalobos, The Flick
Outstanding Properties Designer and Set Dresser:
Carla Brookman, August: Osage County
Outstanding Hair Design:
Kirsten Hovorka and Kelly Burton-Gilmore (Shown Left to Right), La Bête
Outstanding Make-Up Design:
Judith Allen, La Bête
Outstanding Technical Support for the Season:
Mercedes Gil
2nd Annual Director's Awards
- La Bete Director’s Award presented by Peter Anthony: Jackson Lewis
- The Ultimate Beauty Bible Director’s Award presented by Natalie Scarlet: Teal Jandrain
- The Flick Director’s Award presented by Sydney Parks Smith: Michael Robinson
- Bright Ideas Director’s Award presented by Debbie Swan: Cooper Adams
- August: Osage County Director’s Award presented by Dulcie Willis: Elizabeth Zurn
- Don’t Dress for Dinner Director’s Award presented by Wendy S. Moore: Andrew Cole
- H2O Director’s Award presented by Chris Lanphear: Joe Morgan Taylor
- The Three Musketeers Director’s Award presented by Denise Freestone: Heath Howes and Corinne Weiben