Bonfils Theatre

Bonfils Home Page

Main Stage

Theatre For Children

BoBan’s Cabaret

Festival Caravan

The Bonfils Theatre was opened in 1953; it was the brainchild of philanthropist and Denver Post newspaper owner Helen Bonfils. “Miss Helen”, as she was frequently referred to, and a small group of supporters founded the Denver Civic Theatre in 1929. The company was dedicated to producing high quality plays with amateur local community talent on the stage. The original company shared the theater in Margery Reed Hall with the University of Denver theater department. After 145 productions in their shared space, it was finally time for the DCT to have their own space.

Miss Helen acquired the land at 1425 Elizabeth St for the theater shortly after World War II ended, but due to material shortages, construction couldn’t begin until the early 1950’s. The theater was designed by architect John K Monroe, who had been working as chief architect for the Archdiocese of Denver. As Miss Helen was a major donor to the Catholic church, it seemed a natural fit for him to design the theater. There is a good Wikipedia article on the Bonfils that discusses some of the history of the construction and the social impact the theater had on the community. The theater opened with a grand gala in October, 1953.

In addition to the Main Stage productions, the theater began producing children’s plays in its second year of operation. A full season of at least six Main Stage productions and four Theatre for Children productions occurred every year from 1954-1983.

The Denver Post Opera had been a popular outdoor summer activity in Denver’s Cheeseman Park from 1934 to 1972. After Miss Helen died in 1972, funding for the opera stopped. Not wishing to deprive the city of outdoor theatrical performances, Henry Lowenstein, producer at the Bonfils Theatre, created a new program of performances in city parks: Festival Caravan. Beginning in summer of 1973, a traveling stage was constructed and taken to several city parks each summer. Festival Caravan presented musical reviews and plays from 1973-85. In 1975, “Colorado Quest”, a play about the roots of Colorado history, toured to seven cities all around the state.

In 1976, Bo-Ban’s Cabaret was opened in the basement off the lower lobby. Seating up to 80 patrons, Bo-Ban’s presented small-cast productions of musical reviews and comedies. In all, 43 productions were mounted in this intimate space.

Prior to the theatre’s closing in 1985, the Bonfils Theatre was renamed the Lowenstein Theatre after longtime designer/producer, Henry Lowenstein. At its peak, Bonfils Theatre was “the” theatre in the 1950’s and ’60s and ’70s. Each Main Stage opening night was a big social occasion!

Click one of the links below to see more photos and stories about each of the Bonfils Theatre venues.

Main Stage

Theatre For Children

BoBan’s Cabaret

Festival Caravan

Below is a list of all Bonfils Theatre productions in all venues: