Denver Civic Theatre (New) – Colorado Theater History

The new Denver Civic Theatre arts complex was opened on South Santa Fe Drive in 1985 by famed Denver producer Henry Lowenstein.

The Bonfils Memorial theater was closed by the DCPA in 1985; there would be no community theater outlet provided by them. Henry’s new theater was named to honor the original community theater company formed by Helen Bonfils in 1929.

The company had no home to start. The first five years of operations mounted productions in various venues around Colorado. The facility at 721 Santa Fe was acquired and renovations were completed in time for the Fall, 1990 season.

These photos represent some of the shows produced on the Mainstage and Dorie Theatre stages at the new Denver Civic Theatre from 1985 until Henry Lowenstein’s (second) retirement in 1995.

The theatre facility transferred hands a couple of times after Henry’s retirement and has been owned and operated since 2010 by Su Teatro Cultural and Performing Arts Center.

Click here for info on the original Denver Civic Theatre group.

Denver Civic Theatre - Exterior Shot

A view from Santa Fe Blvd of the new facade.

Henry Lowenstein

Overseeing the renovation of The New Denver Civic Theatre in 1985.

The Wizard of Oz - 1993

The people of Oz with Glenda the Good Witch and Dorothy.

The Wizard of Oz - 1993

Featuring: Aggie Bauer as the Good Witch and Ronni Stark as Dorothy.

The Wizard of Oz - 1993

The Tin Man, Dorothy, The Lion, and The Scarecrow finish a song.

The Wizard of Oz - 1993

The Wicked Witch sings a song while three of the winged monkeys look on.

The Wizard of Oz - 1993

Featuring: Ronni Stark as Dorothy.

Tarradiddle Tales - 1990

Tarradiddle Tales was presented by Denver Civic and Seven Ages Productions. Featuring: David Payne and Sheila Swanson McIntrye.

Tarradiddle Tales - 1990

Featuring: David Payne, Sheila Swanson McIntyre, Rick Madden, Bill Mount and Wilhelmina.

Educating Rita

Featuring Michael R. Duran

Keely and Du - Program Cover

Productioni mounted September, 1995

Keely and Du - Program Page

Productioni mounted September, 1995

Here is a list of productions mounted by the Denver Civic Theater.

Season	Venue	Title	Written By	Director
85-86	DCT – Lincoln Center, Ft Collins, CO	All Nite Strut		Buddy Butler
85-86	DCT – Shwayder Theatre	Kuni Leml	Goldfaden	Bev Newcomb
85-86	DCT – Shwayder Theatre	All Nite Strut		Buddy Butler
85-86	DCT – Broadmoor International Center	All Nite Strut		Buddy Butler
85-86	DCT – Sangre De Cristo Arts Center, Pueblo CO	All Nite Strut		Buddy Butler
85-86	DCT – Shwayder Theatre	All Nite Strut		Buddy Butler
87-88	DCT – UNC Greeley	Showboat
88-89	DCT – Prior To Renovation	The Innocent At Home		Gary Montgomery
90-91	DCT – Henry	Reallie Rosie First production in Santa Fe building		Kim Smith Fanelli
90-91	DCT – Henry	It’s A Brand New Day		Enrique Montoya
90-91	DCT – Henry	Svetlie Dyen
91-92	DCT – Henry	Baby		Bob Wells
91-92	DCT – Henry	Blues In The Night		Buddy Butler
91-92	DCT – Henry	Pinocchio	Carlo Collodi Adpt Jim Eiler	Sharlene Wanger
91-92	DCT – Dorie	41 Neighborhood Children, Twice A Week
91-92	DCT – Henry	Reallie Rosie		Kim Smith Fanelli
91-92	DCT – Henry	It’s A Brand New Day		Enrique Montoya
91-92	DCT – Henry	Svetlie Dyen
91-92	DCT – Dorie	Warren G Harding
91-92	DCT – Schools	Wonderful World/I Have A Dream/A Time To Share
91-92	DCT – Henry	Candide	Book by Hugh Wheeler	Gary Montgomery
91-92	DCT – Dorie	Only Kidding		Edith Weiss
91-92	DCT – Henry	It Happened In Hamelin		Sharlene Wanger
91-92	DCT – Dorie	Motherload		David Payne
91-92	DCT – Henry	The Ice Wolf		Laura Jones
91-92	DCT – Henry	Just The Fellas And Friends		Enrique Montoya
91-92	DCT – Henry	Circus In The Wind		David Payne
91-92	DCT – Dorie	Agnes Of God		Michael Duran
91-92	DCT – Dorie	The Club		Bev Newcomb
91-92	DCT – Henry	It’s A Brand New Day		Enrique Montoya
91-92	DCT – Henry	Simply Maria/ How Do I Know I’m Still Alive
92-93	DCT – Civic Center Park	I Have A Dream		Buddy Butler
92-93	DCT – Dorie	Talent Show
92-93	DCT – School Theatre Program	Workshops
92-93	DCT – School Theatre Program	Trail Mix	Kim Smith & Daniel Lowenstein	Mark Whalin
92-93	DCT – Dorie	My Children! My Africa!		Khadija Haynes
92-93	DCT – Henry	The Invisible People	William Lavender	Bev Newcomb
92-93	DCT – Henry	Sweeney Todd		Bob Wells
92-93	DCT – Dorie	Shirley Valentine		Jeff Reese
92-93	DCT – Dorie	Talley’s Folly		Terry Dodd
92-93	DCT – Henry	Lucky Stiff		Kirby Lewellen
92-93	DCT – Dorie	Talent Show
92-93	DCT – Schools	Workshops
92-93	DCT – Schools	I Have A Dream/Magician Prince/ Westside Drugfree Youth		Buddy Butler
92-93	DCT – Dorie	Trail Mix		Mark Whalin
92-93	DCT – Dorie	My Children! My Africa!		Khadija Haynes
92-93	DCT – Henry	Invisible People		Bev Newcomb
92-93	DCT – Henry	Latino Youth Aids Awareness		Enrique Montoya
92-93	DCT – Dorie	Blame It On The Movies		Kirby Lewellen
92-93	DCT – Henry	Christmas Carol		Michael Duran
92-93	DCT – Dorie	Shirley Valentine		Jeff Reese
92-93	DCT – Henry	Cinderella		Mark Whalin
92-93	DCT – Henry	Bleacher Bums		Frank Douglas Brown
92-93	DCT – Dorie	Talley’s Folly		Terry Dodd
92-93	DCT – Henry	How To Eat Like A Child		Charlene Wanger
92-93	DCT – Henry	Lucky Stiff		Kirby Lewellen
92-93	DCT – Henry	Las Variedades
92-93	DCT – Dorie	Cuba and His Teddy Bear		Jeff Reese
92-93	DCT – Henry	Jim Jackson
93-94	BT – School Theatre Program	I Have A Dream, Unto This Land, Trail Mix, Courage, Wsdfy		Buddy Butler
93-94	DCT – Workshops	STP Workshops
93-94	DCT – Copper Mountain, CO	Cinderella		Mark Whalin
93-94	DCT – Henry	Our God’s Brother	Pope Paul Ii	JQ
93-94	DCT – Dorie	A Piece Of My Heart		Jeff Reese
93-94	DCT – Henry	La Cage Aux Folles		Jeff And Ann Dukatis Reese
93-94	DCT – Dorie	Songbook		Kirby Lewellen
93-94	DCT – Henry	Latinos: Defining Ourselves		Sandra Santa Cruz
93-94	DCT – Henry	Inspecting Carol		Michael Duran
93-94	DCT – Henry	La Mujer Latina
93-94	DCT – Henry	Latino Dance Festival		Sandra Santa Cruz
93-94	DCT – Lobby	Latino Art Reception		Sandra Santa Cruz
93-94	DCT – Dorie	Latino Improv
93-94	DCT – Henry	Contemporary Latino Art & Literature
93-94	DCT – Schools	Dream, Unto This Land, Trail Mix, Courage, Wsdfy		Buddy Butler
93-94	DCT – Henry	La Cage Aux Folles		Jeff And ? Reese
93-94	DCT – Henry	The Nafta Controversy		Sandra Santa Cruz
93-94	DCT – Henry	The Wizard Of Oz
93-94	DCT – Dorie	Songbook		Kirby Lewellen
93-94	DCT – Henry	Latinos: Defining Ourselves		Sandra Santa Cruz
93-94	DCT – Henry	Inspecting Carol		Michael Duran
93-94	DCT – Dorie	Split Second		Donnie Betts
93-94	DCT – Henry	La Mujer Latina
93-94	DCT – Henry	The Red Shoes		Mark Whalin
93-94	DCT – Dorie	The Miracle Worker		Michael Duran
93-94	DCT – Henry	Latino Dance Festival		Sandra Santa Cruz
93-94	DCT – Lobby	Latino Art Reception		Sandra Santa Cruz
93-94	DCT – Dorie	Latino Improv
93-94	DCT – Henry	Tom Sawyer		Charlene Wanger
93-94	DCT – Dorie	Tomfoolery		Kirby Lewellen
93-94	DCT – Henry	Annie		Mark Whalin
94-95	DCT – Dorie	10% Revue		Kirby Lewellen
94-95	DCT – Henry	Alice In Wonderland		Mark Whalin
94-95	DCT – Henry	Barnum		Mark Whalin
94-95	DCT – Dorie	Hamlet	William Shakespeare	Christopher Selbie
94-95	DCT – Dorie	Torchsong Trilogy		Aurora F
94-95	DCT – Henry	Latino Jazz Festival
94-95	DCT – Henry	Cabaret		Michael Duran
94-95	DCT – Dorie	Life In The Theatre
94-95	DCT – Dorie	Educating Rita		Michael Duran
94-95	DCT – Dorie	Tarantara! Tarantara!		Christopher Selbie
94-95	DCT – Henry	Oliver		Christopher Selbie
94-95	DCT – Dorie	Five Women Wearing The Same Dress		Mark Whalin
94-95	DCT – Henry	Free To Be … You And Me		Sharlene Wanger
94-95	DCT – Henry	A Raisin In The Sun		Dwayne Carrington
94-95	DCT – Dorie	Butterflies Are Free		Lucy Roucious
94-95	DCT – Schools	Dream, Earthday, Circle		Buddy Butler
94-95	DCT – Workshops	Stp Workshops
94-95	DCT – Henry	Latino Dance Festival		Sandra Santa Cruz
94-95	DCT – Dorie	Much Ado About Nothing		Christopher Selbie
94-95	DCT – Henry	Roll Jordan Roll		Dwayne Carrington
94-95	DCT – Dorie	God’s Country		David Payne
94-95	DCT – Henry	The Rocky Horror Show		Gary Montgomery
95-96	DCT – Henry	The Rocky Horror Show		Gary Montgomery
95-96	DCT – Dorie	Oleanna		Tom McNally
95-96	DCT – Dorie	Keely & Du		Michael Duran
95-96	DCT – Henry	Heidi		Mary Reynolds
Unknown	Unknown	Verdi’s Requiem
Unknown	DCT – Shwayder Theatre	Kuni Leml		Bev Newcomb
Unknown	DCT – School Theatre Program	Kids Kronikles		David Payne
Unknown	DCT – School Theatre Program	Tarradiddle Tales		Kim Smith Fanelli
Unknown	DCT – School Theatre Program	Westward Ho		Tom Kimball
Unknown	DCT – School Theatre Program	Wiley And The Hairy Man		Charlene Wanger
Unknown	DCT – School Theatre Program	Trail Mix	Kim Smith/Daniel Lowenstein	Kim Smith Fanelli
Unknown	DCT – School Theatre Program	Mak And Zak
Unknown	DCT – Dorie	I Didn’t Know That		David & Julie Payne
Unknown	DCT – School Theatre Program	Kids Kronikles #2		David Payne
Unknown	DCT – School Theatre Program	You Are Not Hearing Me		David Payne
Unknown	DCT – Dorie	Stardust		Mark Whalin

This information was drawn from records kept by Henry Lowenstein.
Not all information may be correct. Please let us know with a comment if so.

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