Arvada Center productions, directors, actors, and designers were recognized on July 23 at the Colorado Theatre Guild’s 13th annual Henry Awards. The Arvada Center won or tied for eight of the 29 nominations it received, including three awards for Sense and Sensibility, directed by Lynne Collins.
The 29 nominations were also the most nominations netted by a Colorado theatre in the history of the awards. The Center received the evening’s highest honor — Outstanding Season for a Theatre Company — for the first time since 2012.
Arvada Center’s Artistic Director of Plays Lynne Collins tied the award for Best Direction of a Play (alongside Christy Montour-Larson, who will direct “The Diary of Anne Frank” at the Arvada Center in the spring). The production also won for Outstanding Ensemble and Outstanding Production of a Play.
Shannon McKinney received her record seventh Henry Award for the lighting design of “Sunday in the Park with George,” and costume designer Clare Henkel received her first Henry (after 10 nominations) for the same production.
Brian Mallgrave won his fourth Outstanding Scenic Design award for “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat,” and choreographer Kitty Skillman Hilsabeck received her fourth award for Outstanding Choreography for Joseph.
Established in 2006, the Henry Awards honor outstanding achievements during the past season and serves as the Colorado Theatre Guild’s annual fundraising event. The awards are named for longtime Colorado theatre producer Henry Lowenstein who passed away in 2014. Nominations are determined through a judging process conducted by statewide theatre reporters, educators, and assigned judges.
Miners Alley Playhouse in Golden also won six Henry awards, five of which were for its production of “Fun Home.” They include Outstanding Production of a Musical, Outstanding Direction of a Musical, Outstanding Musical Direction, Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Musical and Outstanding Sound Design, smaller budget.
Chris Kendall also won Outstanding Actor in a Play for the production of “District Merchants.”
Emma Messenger, of The Edge Theater Company, also took home one award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Play in the production “Mud Blue Sky.”
See the full list of winners at www.denvercenter.org.
