The Colorado Theatre Guild’s Henry Awards are back and bigger … much bigger … than ever before.

In a calculated effort to spread the bounty around to more member companies, the advocacy group is now splitting most every category into two tiers based on size. That certainly expanded the number of small theater companies that now have a shot at one of the Guild’s head-spinning 33 prizes, it also ballooned the number of nominations available to the state’s largest theater companies that occupy the comparatively small top tier.

The Denver Center for the Performing Arts, which only presented half a season after returning from the pandemic shutdown, hauled in 47 of the 170 nominations, including 41 for its in-house theater company and six for its cabaret division. That obliterated the previous Henry Awards record of 29 nominations for one company.

In the end, the DCPA nabbed 43 percent of all the nominations it was eligible for. Imagine what it might do with a whole season of shows for judges to chose from.

Trailing a mile or so behind are the Arvada Center, with 15 nominations.

Every year the Henry Awards tends to lift one underdog company out of the pack for one brief, shining year, and this time around it is the Performance Now Theatre Company of Lakewood, which came next with 14 nominations, a tally matched by the Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center. The Town Hall Arts Center was next with nine.

The Henry Awards, started in 2006 but on hiatus since 2020, honor achievements by Colorado Theatre Guild members, which includes most Colorado companies but not notable names like Curious Theatre Company and Lake Dillon Theatre Company. 

By far, the most-honored single show of the year is the DCPA Theatre Company’s world-premiere homegrown musical “Rattlesnake Kate,” with 16 nominations. That was a contemporary look back at a Colorado pioneer who became briefly famous for surviving a snake migration, with music by former Lumineers cellist Neyla Pekarek. Among musicals, that was followed by Performance Now’s “The Drowsy Chaperone,” with 10 nominations. Four musicals followed with six each.

Pekarek’s musical, written with Karen Hartman, was not only nominated for Outstanding Musical and Outstanding New Musical, Pekarek was nominated herself as a supporting actress for her performance as Kate Slaughterback’s cello-playing horse, Brownie.

Among plays, the DCPA Theatre Company’s “In the Upper Room” hauled in 12 nominations, followed by its simultaneous offering of “Choir Boy” with 10. The Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center at Colorado College’s “Guadalupe in the Guest Room” was next with nine.

The Henry Awards long ago split its member companies into tiers for design categories. This is the first year it is also splitting them into tiers for acting – a controversial decision that implies that the quality of an actor’s work is somehow impacted by a company’s budget. But that will result in more winners, and, presumably more happy Guild members. Tier I remains companies with annual budgets of $500,000 or more, with Tier II anything less. However, the Guild is not splitting the two marquee categories – Outstanding Play and Outstanding Musical – by tiers.

The expansion of the nominee pool will attract a number of smaller member companies to the July 25 party at the Arvada Center, where the winners will be announced. Those include Sasquatch Productions, Cherry Creek Theatre, Firehouse, Theatre Or, Benchmark, the Springs Ensemble Theatre, Ovation West of Evergreen and the Steel City Theatre Company of Pueblo. One company that started up just after the pandemic but already has disbanded is the Forge Light Theatreworks, which earned five nominations for two shows.

Despite the expanded nominations pool, there certainly will be plenty of inevitable seasonal grousing about the sometimes head-scratching distribution of the Henry Award nominations, and how they are determined by a pool of 100 statewide adjudicators. Among the top-notch Colorado companies with a notable lack of representation this year are The Catamounts (1), Butterfly Effect Theatre of Colorado (1), Phamaly Theatre Company (0), BDT Stage (0), Su Teatro (0), Creede Repertory Theatre (0) and the Candlelight Dinner Playhouse (0). Because of social-distancing measures and reduced capacities last summer, the routinely snubbed Colorado Shakespeare Festival decided not to accommodate Henry Award adjudicators and so its shows were not eligible.

Three of the season’s most widely praised productions – The Arvada Center’s “Animal Farm,” Benchmark’s “Elephant” and the Aurora Fox’s “Hundred Days” – received no nominations.

According to the Guild, 140 shows were adjudicated and eligible for awards consideration. Shows had to have opened between June 1, 2021, and May 31, 2022.

This year, the Guild is reviving a tradition from the former Denver Post Ovation Awards by creating a category specifically for outstanding performers under age 18. That allowed for the only two nominations of the year for the Aurora Fox, one of Colorado’s most active producing companies.

Note: the following list reflects several revisions and corrections announced by the Colorado Theatre Guild since the nominations were first released on Friday.

Tickets to the July 25 Henry Awards are on sale at arvadacenter.org or by calling 720-898-7200. There is also a streaming option.

2021-22 Henry Award nominations*

The Colorado Theatre Guild has made several corrections and category adjustments to this list since it was first released on June 18. The following is the most current and correct list:

Outstanding Production of a Play

• “The Liar,” Arvada Center for the Arts and Humanities, Directed by Geoffrey Kent
• “Guadalupe in the Guest Room,” Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center at Colorado College, Directed by James Bruenger-Arreguin
• “In the Upper Room,” DCPA Theatre Company, Directed by Gregg T. Daniel
• “Choir Boy,” DCPA Theatre Company, Directed by Jamil Jude
• “The Crucible,” Miners Alley Playhouse, Directed by Len Matheo
• “Cat on a Hot Tin Roof,” Vintage Theatre, Directed by Bernie Cardell

Outstanding Production of a Musical

• “Kinky Boots,” Arvada Center for the Arts and Humanities, Directed by Rod A. Lansberry, Musical Direction by Christopher D. Littlefield
• “Rattlesnake Kate,” DCPA Theatre Company, Directed by Chris Coleman, Musical Direction by Angela Steiner
• “The Drowsy Chaperone,” Performance now Theatre Company, Directed by Kelly Van Oosbree, Musical Direction by Eric Weinstein
• “Rock of Ages,” Theatre Aspen, Directed by Hunter Foster, Musical Direction by Lee Eric Alsford
• “Once on This Island,” Town Hall Arts Center, Directed by Betty Hart, Musical Direction by Lee Ann Scherlong

Outstanding Direction of a Play

• James Bruenger-Arreguin, “Guadalupe in the Guest Room,” Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center at Colorado College
• Bernie Cardell, “Cat on a Hot Tin Roof,” Vintage Theatre
• Gregg T. Daniel, “In the Upper Room,” DCPA Theatre Company
• Jamil Jude, “Choir Boy,” DCPA Theatre Company
• Len Matheo, “The Crucible,” Miners Alley Playhouse

Outstanding Direction of a Musical

• Chris Coleman, “Rattlesnake Kate,” DCPA Theatre Company
• Joel Ferrell, “The Other Josh Cohen,” DCPA Cabaret
• Betty Hart, “Once on This Island,” Town Hall Arts Center
• Rod A. Lansberry, “Kinky Boots,” Arvada Center for the Arts and Humanities
• Bob Wells, “Little Shop of Horrors,” Town Hall Arts Center

Outstanding Musical Direction

• Donna Debreceni, “Little Shop of Horrors,” Town Hall Arts Center
• Mark G. Meadows, “Choir Boy,” DCPA Theatre Company
• Lee Ann Scherlong, “Once on This Island,” Town Hall Arts Center
• Angela Steiner, “Rattlesnake Kate,” DCPA Theatre Company
• Eric Weinstein, “The Drowsy Chaperone,” Performance Now Theatre Company

Outstanding Actor in a Play Tier 1

• Darron Hayes, “Choir Boy,” DCPA Theatre Company
• Sammie Joe Kinnett, “Witch,” Theatreworks Colorado Springs
• Jihad Milhelm, “The Crucible,” Miners Alley Playhouse
• Jon Hudson Odom, “Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf,” DCPA Theatre Company
• Colton Pratt, “Guadalupe in the Guest Room,” Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center at Colorado College

Outstanding Actor in a Play Tier 2

• David Austin-Groen, “Agatha Christie’s Murder on the Orient Express,” OpenStage Theatre & Company
• Shane Delavan, “Ada and the Engine,” Firehouse Theater Company
• Jacob Dresch, “It’s a Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play,” Breckenridge Backstage Theatre
• Sam Gilstrap, “Land of Milk and Honey,” The Catamounts
• Damon Guerrasio, “Meteor Shower,” Benchmark Theatre
• Peter Trinh, “You Will Get Sick,” Benchmark Theatre

Outstanding Actress in a Play Tier 1

• Anastasia Davidson, “The Crucible,” Miners Alley Playhouse
• Lynnette R. Freeman, “By the Way, Meet Vera Stark,” Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center at Colorado College
• Kelly McAndrew, “Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf,” DCPA Theatre Company
• Elise Santora, “Guadalupe in the Guest Room,” Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center at Colorado College
• Kelly Uhlenhopp, “Cat on a Hot Tin Roof,” Vintage Theatre

Outstanding Actress in a Play Tier 2

• Amalia Adiv, “Ada and the Engine,” Firehouse Theater Company
• Latifah Johnson, “Flyin’ West,” 5280 Artist Co-Op and Firehouse Theater Company
• Lee Massaro, “Sisters In Law,” Theatre Or
• Martha Harmon Pardee, “Ann,” Cherry Creek Theatre
• Edith Weiss, “You Will Get Sick,” Benchmark Theatre

Outstanding Actor in a Musical Tier 1

• Brett Ambler, “The Other Josh Cohen,” DCPA Cabaret
• JP Coletta, “Million Dollar Quartet,” Arvada Center for the Arts and Humanities
• David Kaverman, “Kinky Boots,” Arvada Center for the Arts and Humanities
• Nnamdi Nwankwo, “Once on This Island,” Town Hall Arts Center
• Carter Edward Smith, “Little Shop of Horrors,” Town Hall Arts Center
• Esteban Suero, “Rattlesnake Kate,” DCPA Theatre Company

Outstanding Actor in a Musical Tier 2

• Brian Adams, “The Noteworthy Life of Howard Barnes” Forge Light Theatreworks
• Bernie Cardell, “The Drowsy Chaperone,” Performance Now Theatre Company
• Chase Conlin, “The Wizard of Oz,” Sasquatch Productions
• Ben Hilzer, “The Wizard of Oz,” Sasquatch Productions
• Jesse McFarland, “I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change,” Steel City Theatre Company

Outstanding Actress in a Musical Tier 1

• Giuliana Augello, “Rock of Ages,” Theatre Aspen
• Leana Rae Concepcion, “Rattlesnake Kate,” DCPA Theatre Company
• Andrea Frierson, “Rattlesnake Kate,” DCPA Theatre Company
• Valerie Igoe, “The Other Josh Cohen,” DCPA Cabaret
• Alyse Alan Louis, “Rattlesnake Kate,” DCPA Theatre Company

Outstanding Actress in a Musical Tier 2

• Abigail Kochevar, “Lizzie,” Forge Light Theatreworks
• Carolyn Lohr, “1776,” Performance Now Theatre Company
• Emma Rebecca Maxfield, “The Drowsy Chaperone,” Performance Now Theatre Company
• Jennasea Pearce, “Lizzie,” Forge Light Theatreworks
• Colby Reisinger, “Nunsense,” Performance Now Theatre Company

Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Play Tier 1

• Topher Embrey, “The Liar,” Arvada Center for the Arts and Humanities
• Matthew Hancock, “In the Upper Room,” DCPA Theatre Company
• Rick Long, “Cat on a Hot Tin Roof,” Vintage Theatre
• Miguel Nuñez, “Guadalupe in the Guest Room,” Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center at Colorado College
• Levy Lee Simon, “In the Upper Room,” DCPA Theatre Company
• Peter Van Wagner, “Choir Boy,” DCPA Theatre Company
• Kyle Ward, “Choir Boy,” DCPA Theatre Company

Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Play Tier 2

• Brian Colonna, <3 Richard,” Buntport Theater
• Erik Edborg, “<3 Richard,” Buntport Theater
• Seth Palmer Harris, “It’s a Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play,” Breckenridge Backstage Theatre
• Akolotu Moeloa, “Agatha Christie’s Murder on the Orient Express,” OpenStage Theatre & Company
• Austin Lazek, “Jest a Second!,” Cherry Creek Theatre
• Matt Radcliffe, “Life Sucks,” Springs Ensemble Theatre

Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Play Tier 1

• Yvette Monique Clark, “In the Upper Room,” DCPA Theatre Company
• Kristina Fountaine, “The Liar,” Arvada Center for the Arts and Humanities
• Lilli Hokama, “Guadalupe in the Guest Room,” Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center at Colorado College
• Rebecca Myers, “By the Way, Meet Vera Stark,” Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center at Colorado College
• Chavez Ravine, “In the Upper Room,” DCPA Theatre Company

Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Play Tier 2

• Shannon Altner, “Our American Cousin: A nation divided,” Benchmark Theatre
• Jessica Emerling Crow, “Agatha Christie’s Murder on the Orient Express,” OpenStage Theatre & Company
• Lauren Dennis, “It’s a Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play,” Breckenridge Backstage Theatre
• Melissa Hoffman, “Life Sucks,” Springs Ensemble Theatre
• Erin Rollman, “<3 Richard,” Buntport Theater
• Rachel Turner, “Jest a Second!,” Cherry Creek Theatre

Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Musical Tier 1

• Matthew Bryan Feld, “Rattlesnake Kate,” DCPA Theatre Company
• Isaac Huerta, “Rattlesnake Kate,” DCPA Theatre Company
• Ben Liebert, “Chicago,” Theatre Aspen
• Charlie Schmidt, “Little Shop of Horrors,” Town Hall Arts Center
• Aaron Vega, “The Other Josh Cohen,” DCPA Cabaret

Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Musical Tier 2

• Patrick Brownson, “The Noteworthy Life of Howard Barnes” Forge Light
  Theatreworks
• Wes Munsil, “1776,” Performance Now Theatre Company
• Jeffrey Parker, “The Drowsy Chaperone,” Performance Now Theatre Company
• Jeffrey Parker, “Tenderly, The Rosemary Clooney Musical,” Cherry Creek Theatre
• Andy Sievers, “The Drowsy Chaperone,” Performance Now Theatre Company

Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Musical Tier 1

• Jada Simone Clark, “Rattlesnake Kate,” DCPA Theatre Company
• Jennifer DeDominici, “Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Cinderella,” The Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center at Colorado College
• Neyla Pekarek, “Rattlesnake Kate,” DCPA Theatre Company
• Reagan Rees, “Rock of Ages,” Theatre Aspen
• Megan Van De Hey, “Elf – The Musical,” Arvada Center for the Arts and Humanities

Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Musical Tier 2

• Nancy Begley, “The Drowsy Chaperone,” Performance Now Theatre Company
• Jennifer DeDominici, “Carousel,” Central City Opera
• Lindsey Kinney, “The Noteworthy Life of Howard Barnes” Forge Light Theatreworks
• Lindsey Kinney, “The Wizard of Oz,” Sasquatch Productions
• Colby Reisinger, “1776,” Performance Now Theatre Company

Outstanding Ensemble Performance

• “Kinky Boots,” Arvada Center for the Arts and Humanities
• “The Liar,” Arvada Center for the Arts and Humanities
• “Guadalupe in the Guest Room,” Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center at Colorado College
• “Choir Boy,” DCPA Theatre Company
• “In the Upper Room,” DCPA Theatre Company

Outstanding Choreography

• Kitty Skillman Hilsabeck, “Elf – The Musical,” Arvada Center for the Arts and Humanities
• Kitty Skillman Hilsabeck, “Kinky Boots,” Arvada Center for the Arts and Humanities
• Dominique Kelley, “Rattlesnake Kate,” DCPA Theatre Company
• Abbey O’Brien, “Rock of Ages,” Theatre Aspen
• Christopher Page-Sanders, “Once on This Island,” Town Hall Arts Center

Outstanding New Play or Musical

• “You Will Get Sick,” by Noah Diaz, Directed by Christy Montour-Larson, Benchmark Theatre
• <3 Richard,” Directed by ensemble, Buntport Theater
• “Fourteen Funerals,” by Eric Pfeffinger, Directed by Rebecca Remaly, Butterfly Effect Theatre of Colorado
• “In the Upper Room,” by Beaufield Berry, Directed by Gregg T. Daniel, DCPA Theatre Company
• “Rattlesnake Kate,” by Neyla Pekarek and Karen Hartman, Directed by Chris Coleman, DCPA Theatre Company

Outstanding Costume Design Tier 1

• Trevor Bowen, “Choir Boy,” DCPA Theatre Company
• Angela Calin, “In the Upper Room,” DCPA Theatre Company
• Kevin Copenhaver, “The Liar,” Arvada Center for the Arts and Humanities
• Meghan Anderson Doyle, “The Other Josh Cohen,” DCPA Cabaret
• Azalea Fairley, “By the Way, Meet Vera Stark,” Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center at Colorado College
• Nicole Watts, “Kinky Boots,” Arvada Center for the Arts and Humanities

Outstanding Costume Design Tier 2

• Rachel Finley, “Ada and the Engine,” Firehouse Theater Company
• Rachel Finley, “Sisters In Law,” Theatre Or
• Nikki Harrison, “The Drowsy Chaperone,” Performance Now Theatre Company
• Jessie Page, “The Wizard of Oz,” Sasquatch Productions
• Rebecca Spafford, “Agatha Christie’s Murder on the Orient Express,” OpenStage Theatre & Company

Outstanding Lighting Design Tier 1

• Elizabeth Harper, “Rattlesnake Kate,” DCPA Theatre Company
• Charles R. MacLeod, “In the Upper Room,” DCPA Theatre Company
• Charles R. MacLeod, “The Other Josh Cohen,” DCPA Cabaret
• Nita Mendoza, “Guadalupe in the Guest Room,” Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center at Colorado College
• Jeanette Yew, “Choir Boy,” DCPA Theatre Company

Outstanding Lighting Design Tier 2

• Seth Allison, “The Wizard of Oz,” Sasquatch Productions
• Riley Goosen, “It’s a Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play,” Breckenridge Backstage Theatre
• Brett Maughan, “The Drowsy Chaperone,” Performance Now Theatre Company
• Grant Putney, “Agatha Christie’s Murder on the Orient Express,” OpenStage Theatre & Company
• Steve Tangedal, “Sisters In Law,” Theatre Or

Outstanding Scenic Design Tier 1

• Tony Cisek, “Choir Boy,” DCPA Theatre Company
• Efren Delgadillo Jr., “In the Upper Room,” DCPA Theatre Company
• Tanya Orellana, “Guadalupe in the Guest Room,” Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center at Colorado College
• Lisa Orzolek, “Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf,” DCPA Theatre Company
• Klara Zieglerova, “Rattlesnake Kate,” DCPA Theatre Company

Outstanding Scenic Design Tier 2

• Andrew Bates, “The Drowsy Chaperone,” Performance Now Theatre Company
• James Brookman, “Agatha Christie’s Murder on the Orient Express,” OpenStage Theatre & Company
• Ensemble, <3 Richard,” Buntport Theater DCPA Theatre Company
• Kelsey Colwell, “It’s a Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play,” Breckenridge Backstage Theatre
• Jay Louden and Jeffrey Jesmer, “Ada and the Engine,” Firehouse Theater Company

Outstanding Sound Design Tier 1

• Jason Ducat, “The Liar,” Arvada Center for the Arts and Humanities
• Jeff Gardner, “In the Upper Room,” DCPA Theatre Company
• Gary Grundei, “The Crucible,” Miners Alley Playhouse
• Jonathan Taylor, “By the Way, Meet Vera Stark,” Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center at Colorado College
• Ken Travis, “Rattlesnake Kate,” DCPA Theatre Company

Outstanding Sound Design Tier 2

• Jason Ducat, “You Will Get Sick,” Benchmark Theatre
• Riley Goosen, “It’s a Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play,” Breckenridge Backstage Theatre
• Tanner Kelly, “The Wizard of Oz,” Sasquatch Productions
• Rick Reid and Max Silverman, “Sisters In Law,” Theatre Or
• Max Silverman, “Steel Magnolias,” Cherry Creek Theatre

Outstanding Youth Performer

• Rylee Armstrong, “Fun Home,” Steel City Theatre Company
• Evan Duncan, “Once on This Island,” Town Hall Arts Center
• Hazel Kachline, “Fiddler on the Roof,” Ovation West
• Macaelle “Mac” Vasquez, “A Very Merry Unauthorized Children’s Scientology Pageant,” Aurora Fox Arts Center
• Nathaniel Waite-Lutz, “A Very Merry Unauthorized Children’s Scientology Pageant,” Aurora Fox Arts Center