Denver Center for the Performing Arts history

New Year’s Eve 1979 The DCPA Theatre Company opened under the artistic leadership of Edward Payson Call on New Year’s Eve with three simultaneous productions —The Caucasian Chalk Circle, Moby Dick Rehearsed and The Learned Ladies.

1982 The Theatre Company presented the world premiere of Quilters.

1984 The DCPA and the American National Theatre and Academy established the National Theatre Conservatory, a three-year Master of Fine Arts acting school.

1988 Metro Denver voters approved creation of the Scientific and Cultural Facilities District, a one-tenth of one percent sales tax to support area non-profit organizations.

1989 DCPA Theatre Company became the fourth American company invited to tour Japan.

1991 The City converted the old Auditorium sports arena into the 2,830-seat Buell Theatre.

1992 To expand its offerings, the DCPA began using the 213-seat Garner Galleria Theatre for long-running cabaret hits such as Forever Plaid.

1993 DCPA Theatre Company’s 15th anniversary season kicked off with Black Elk Speaks.

1994 DCPA Education’s high school tour took It Ain’t Nothin’ But the Blues statewide.

1995 Denver was selected to launch the revival of Hello, Dolly! starring Carol Channing.

1996 Ticket sales reached 1,016,473 — roughly half the population of Denver and a quarter the population of Colorado.

1998 The DCPA Theatre Company received the Tony Award for Outstanding Regional Theatre.

2000 The new millennium started with a ground-breaking world premiere — The Laramie Project.

2004 DCPA President Lester Ward retired to be replaced by Executive Director of Broadway Randy Weeks.

2007 Founder Donald Seawell retired as Chairman to be succeeded by businessman, philanthropist and former University of Denver Chancellor Daniel L. Ritchie who said: “Donald Seawell has created a cultural legacy in the Rocky Mountain West that is both undisputed and unrivaled.”

2008 DCPA Theatre Company became the first company in the US to produce August Wilson’s 10-play cycle documenting the African American experience under the guidance of a singular director — Israel Hicks — with the presentation of Radio Golf.

2010 With an Innovation Lab for the Performing Arts grant, Theatre Company spent a season creating, testing and retooling new approaches to theatre.

2012 DCPA Broadway was chosen to launch the national touring premiere of nine-time Tony winner The Book of Mormon by Colorado’s own Trey Parker and Matt Stone of “South Park” fame.

2013 An all-new Sense & Sensibility The Musical was brought to life by Tony nominated director and choreographer Marcia Milgrom Dodge.

2014 The Theatre Company mounted a new adaptation of Colorado’s own heroine, The Unsinkable Molly Brown.

2015 DCPA Founder and Chairman Emeritus Donald R. Seawell passed away at 103.

2016 Janice Sinden becomes the third CEO in the DCPA’s nearly 40-year history.

2017 Long-time DCPA laywer and Trustee Martin Semple was named the third Chairman of the Board in the DCPA’s nearly 40-year history, succeeding Dan Ritchie.

A noted philanthropist who created the Bonfils Blood Center (renamed in 2018 to Vitalant, Bonfils Tumor Clinic and Bonfils Memorial Theatre (now Tattered Cover) on Colfax Avenue among many other charitable contributions, Helen’s first love was always the theatre.

2020 On the cusp of one of the DCPA’s most successful seasons to date, tragedy strikes.