Theatre Aspen works under an Actors’ Equity Association SPT (Small Professional Theatre) agreement and employs members of SDC (Stage Directors and Choreographers) and USA829 (United Scenic Artists).
Theatre Aspen has been a member of the Theatre Communications Group since 2008, was accepted into the National Alliance for Musical Theatre in October of 2012, and joined the Colorado Theatre Guild in 2008.
Theatre Aspen is also a member of the Blue Star Theatres Program, a partnership between Theatre Communications Group, Blue Star Families and MetLife Foundation, to build stronger connections between the theatre field and military families in communities across the country. Theatre Aspen offers military personnel and their families discounted tickets to its summer season main stage performances.
Proud member of ACRA (Aspen Chamber Resort Association).
2018-2019
Outstanding Musical Direction: Eric Alsford (Ragtime)
Outstanding Costume Design: Kevin Brainerd (Ragtime)
Outstanding Lighting Design: Paul Black (Ragtime)
2015-2016
Outstanding Season by a Theatre Company: Theatre Aspen
Outstanding Production of a Musical: Cabaret
Outstanding Actor in a Musical: Jon Peterson (Cabaret)
Outstanding Choreography: Mark Martino (Cabaret)
Outstanding Musical Direction: Eric Alsford (Cabaret)
Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Musical: Lori Wilner (Cabaret)
Outstanding Direction of a Play: Sarna Lapine (Other Desert Cities)
Outstanding Lighting Design Paul Black (Peter and the Starcatcher)
Aspen Non Profit Business of the Year (2013)
Outstanding Regional Theatre Henry Award (2009)
Best Supporting Actress Denver Post Ovation Award: Alison Luff (The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, 2008)
Theatre Aspen received five nominations for The Colorado Theatre Guild’s 16th Annual Henry Awards for its productions of Rock of Ages and Chicago during the 2021 Summer Season.
Outstanding Production of a Musical
Rock of Ages | Directed by Hunter Foster | Musical Direction by Eric Alsford
Outstanding Actress in a Musical, Tier 1
Giuliana Augello, Rock of Ages
Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Musical, Tier 1
Ben Liebert, Chicago
Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Musical, Tier 1
Reagan Rees, Rock of Ages
Outstanding Choreography
Abbey O’Brien, Rock of Ages
Theatre Aspen received an outstanding 25 nominations for its 2015 summer repertory season, which included CABARET, Peter and the Star Catcher, Other Desert Cities, and Junie B. Jones.
Recent Denver Post Ovation Award nominees include Joan Hess (Best Actress in a Comic Role, Same Time Next Year), Beth Malone (Best Supporting Actress in a Musical Role, The Marvelous Wonderettes), Aaron Rhyne (Best Multimedia Integration, Vices: A Love Story), Julia Foran (Best Young Actor, Annie) and Sandy Duncan (Best Actress in a Comedic Role, Becky’s New Car).
Theatre Aspen is now in the process of launching its 40th Anniversary Season. We are proud of our excellent artistic reputation, many committed board members, enthusiastic audiences, and our robust and growing year round educational programming, and look forward to another year of safe theatre making in the most beautiful place in the world.
Our mission is to produce world class entertainment and arts programming in an engaging, intimate and personal way.
World Class Theatre. Dramatically Closer.
Theatre Aspen’s award-winning shows are presented in the heart of Rio Grande Park, along the Rio Grande Trail, just next to the river. With daytime views of Aspen Mountain and nights filled with stars, theatre-goers are treated to an experience that combines dynamic professional theatre with the excitement of being outdoors.
Theatre Aspen’s professional productions feature the best of Broadway talent, as well as local performers, offering musicals, plays, new work and family-friendly shows that are perfect for a summer vacation.
In 2012, the Hurst Theatre and lobby were renovated, complimented by sumptuous gardens and ponds, designed by the City of Aspen Parks Department. New eco-friendly, compostable bathrooms located along the Rio Grande trail, next to the theatre, were completed for the summer of 2015, and the project was completed in the fall.
At our theatre, we believe in the limitless power of art to bring people together and to heal, to teach, and to inspire. We dedicate ourselves as individuals, and as an organization, to using our work to support and lift each other up, without regard to race, gender, sexual orientation, nationality or religion. We are proud to stand with our creative colleagues around the country, and around the world, in deploring violence and doing all we can to build one true community.
The founder of Aspen Theatre in the Park, Kent Reed, came to Aspen in 1983 from Kansas City, Missouri, with a vision of creating a professional theatre company in Aspen. He faced many challenges, primarily finding the money to produce the shows, and searching for a place to stage the productions. Aspen Community Theatre loaned Mr. Reed $2,500.00, and the then barren basement of the historic Hotel Jerome became the home of Theatre Under the Jerome.
In 1987 the Hotel Jerome began its restoration and Theatre Under the Jerome, once again found itself without a performance space. Due to the loss of the Jerome, the name of the theatre was changed to The Aspen Theatre Company. Mr. Reed continued to produce plays in one local venue, then another, until he finally went before the Aspen City Council requesting a small plot of land used as the snow dump by the Rio Grande Trail. It was during this time that the City of Aspen created the Aspen Art Park. What was once “just another field” was transformed into a beautiful and well-tended little oasis by the river. A second-hand circus tent was purchased and permission was obtained from the City to erect the tent on this site during the summer months. The Aspen Theatre Company began to take shape as the theatre we know today.
In 1989, Kent Reed left the Company and Aspen to pursue his own acting career. In 1992 the name was officially changed to Aspen Theatre in the Park. That same year, a fund raising campaign was undertaken to purchase a new, state-of-the-art performance tent. The Aspen School of Theatre Arts was created in 1998 to provide quality theatre education programs.
In 2005, we became Theatre Aspen and turned the page to a new chapter in this long and prestigious history. The next few years witnessed continued and significant growth, as Theatre Aspen took its place among Aspen’s cultural institutions and became a destination for those who seek professional and exciting theatre.
We welcome you to Theatre Aspen. We acknowledge that we gather on the ancestral land of the Uncompahgre band of the Ute Nation and pay our respects to the Ute past, present, and future. Theatre Aspen is grateful to all those who have stewarded the land for generations. We strive to honor their relationship with this land by embracing the beauty of our surroundings and celebrating the cultural legacies of all indigenous peoples who have been its inhabitants. To learn more about the history of the Ute and indigenous people in our area, visit Aspenaif.org.
Since 1983, the mission of Theatre Aspen has been to produce world class entertainment and arts programming in an engaging and personal way, through transformative and enriching live performance art. In line with our goal to create excellent theatre, we are committed to continuing our pursuit of diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility in our hiring, leadership, casting, education, and workplace practices, both on and offstage. We recognize, collectively and individually, this work is never complete.
Creating art calls for people with different backgrounds, abilities, and perspectives. That’s why, as a leading performing arts organization, we embrace diversity in all its forms. We believe creativity starts with inclusion, and we are committed to cultivating a workplace where all people can do their best work and succeed without barriers. Through our theatre presentations, educational and training programs, and audience development, we strive to shift perspectives and be catalysts for community conversation.
We aim for everyone in our Theatre Aspen community to feel welcome, and for the art you see on our stage to reflect the world in which we live.
1983
27 Wagons Full of Cotton Tennessee Williams
The Public Eye Peter Shaffer
Betrayal Harold Pinter
5th of July Lanford Wilson
Tagert Hut Hancel McCord
Between the Dark and the Dawn Sue Furze
1984
Green Julia Paul Abelman
Beyond Therapy Christopher Durang
True West Sam Shepard
The Dining Room A.R. Gurney
American Buffalo David Mamet
Really Rosie Maurice Sendak
Talk to Me Like the Rain Tennessee Williams
This Property is Condemned Tennessee Williams
Lady of Larkspur Lotion Tennessee Williams
The Reunion Hancel McCord
Paradox Elizabeth Aley
1985
Mine David Epstein
Paradise Elizabeth Aley
Monkey Business Hancel McCord
1986
Greater Tuna Jaston Williams, Joe Sears
A Perfect Analysis Given by a Parrot Tennessee Williams
Tennessee Romulous Linney
The First Rose Averill Bowers
1987
Deathtrap Ira Levin
Uncle Vanya Anton Chekhov
Quilters Molly Newman, Barbara Damashek
1988
The Glass Menagerie Tennessee Williams
Hughie Eugene O’Neill
1989
Miss Julie August Strindberg
Lysistrata Aristophanes
Frankie and Johnny in the Claire de Lune Terrence McNally
1990
Bus Stop William Inge
Wenceslas Square Larry Shue
1991
The Birthday Party Harold Pinter
On the Verge Eric Overmyer
1992
Crimes of the Heart Beth Henley
Burn This Lanford Wilson
He Singular Dorothy Parker Rory Seeber
1993
Educating Rita Willy Russell
Truck Dog James Donlon, Charlie Oates
The Heidi Chronicles Wendy Wasserstein
1994
Lips Together, Teeth Apart Terence McNally
I Hate Hamlet Paul Rudnick
The Mathematics of Change Josh Kornbluth
1995
Private Lives Noel Coward
Sight Unseen Donald Margulies
1996
I Do! I Do! Tom Jones, Harvey Schmidt
Wait Until Dark Frederick Knott
Greater Tuna J. Williams, J. Sears, E. Howard
1997
Pump Boys and Dinettes John Foley, Mark Hardback, Debra Monk, Cases Morgan, John Stimuli, Jim Wann
Sylvia A.R. Gurney
The Complete Works of Wm Shakespeare abridged Adam Long, Daniel Singer, Jess Winfield
1998
Forever Plaid Stuart Ross
The Nerd Larry Shue
Jake’s Women Neil Simon
The Magician’s Nephew Aurand Harris
1999
Side by Side by Sondheim Stephen Sondheim
Picasso at the Lapin Agile Steve Martin
Much Ado About Nothing William Shakespeare
The Unwicked Witch Madge Miller
2000
I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change Joe Dipietro, Jimmy Roberts
Visiting Mr. Green Jeff Baron
An American Daughter Wendy Wasserstein
Rapunzel Sidney Berger
2001
I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change Joe Dipietro, Jimmy Roberts
Tartuffe Moliere
Baby Richard Maltby, David Shire, Sybille Pearson
‘Night Mother Marsha Norman
Little Red Riding Hood Sidney Berger, Rob Landes
2002
Broadway Sings at 8,0000 feet
You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown Clark M. Gesner based on the
comic strip of Charles M. Schultz
Art Yasmina Reza
Picnic William Inge
Quack Janice Estey
2003
Broadway Sings at 8,000 feet
Lend Me A Tenor Ken Ludwig
Twelfth Night Shakespeare
The Princess and The Pea Paul Lavrakas
2004
Spring Production – Wheeler Opera House
Lend Me A Tenor Ken Ludwig
Summer Repertory – Theatre Tent
Lies and Legends: The Musical Stories of Harry Chapin Stephen Chapin, Tom Chapin
Proof David Auburn
Aesop-a-Rebop Janice Estey
It’s A Wonderful Life James W. Rodgers
2005
Summer Repertory – Theatre Tent
Smokey Joe’s Café Jerry Leiber, Mike Stoller
The Colorado Catechism Vincent J. Cardinal
The Underpants Carl Sternheim
The Near-sighted Knight and The Far-sighted Dragon Eleanor and Ray Harder
It’s A Wonderful Life James W. Rodgers
2006
Love, Janis Randal Myler
Dinner With Friends Donald Margulies
Seemed Like A Good Idea At The Time Andrew Kole
The Adventures of Johnny Appleseed Janice Estey
2007
Ain’t Nothin’ But the Blues Charles Bevel, Lita Gaithers, Randal Myler, Ron Taylor, Dan Wheetman
Moonlight and Magnolias Ron Hutchinson
The Last Five Years Jason Robert Brown
Little Red Riding Hood Sidney Berger, Rob Landes
2008
Little Shop of Horrors Howard Ashman, Alan Menken
Rounding Third Richard Dresser
Seussical Stephen Flaherty, Lynn Ahrens, Eric Idle
Crimes of the Heart Beth Henley
2009
25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee Finn, Sheinkin
A Year With Frog and Toad Reale brothers
Chapter Two Neil Simon
2010
The Marvelous Wonderettes Roger Bean
The True Story of the 3 Little Pigs! Robert Kauzlaric, Paul Gilvary and William Rush
Same Time, Next Year Bernard Slade
2011
Becky’s New Car Steven Dietz
Annie Martin Charnin, Charles Strouse, Thomas Meehan
Vices: A Love Story Michael Heitzman, Ilene Reid, Everett Bradley and Susan Draus
2012
Avenue Q Whitty, Lopez, Marx
How I Became a Pirate Yates Vogt, Friedman
The 39 Steps Adapted by Patrick Barlow, from the novel by John Buchan
2013
Les Misérables Boublil, Schonberg & Kretzmer
Fully Committed Becky Mode
You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown Clark M. Gesner based on the
comic strip of Charles M. Schultz
Cross That River Pat & Allan Harris
2014
The Full Monty Terrence McNally, David Yazbek
Little Women Allan Knee, Mindi Dickstein, Jason Howland
The Cottage Sandy Rustin
2015
CABARET Masteroff, Kander, Ebb
Junie B. Jones The Musical Heisler, Goldrich
Peter and the Starcatcher Elice
Other Desert Cities Baitz
2016
MAMMA MIA! Johnson, Ulvaeus, Andersson and Anderson
Buyer & Cellar Jonathan Tolins
Dear Edwina Heisler, Goldrich
2017
Hairspray Shaiman, Wittman, O’Donnell and Meehan
The World According to Snoopy Grossman, Hackady, Hopkins and Cates
Sex with Strangers Eason
2018
Ragtime Terrence McNally, Stephen Flaherty, Lynn Ahrens
Our Town Thornton Wilder
Godspell John-Michael Tebelak, Stephen Schwartz,
2019
Guys and Dolls Frank Loesser
Little Shop of Horrors Howard Ashman, Alan Menken
God of Carnage Yasmina Reza
Inaugural SOLO FLIGHTS play festival
2020
Celebrity Concert Series
Summer Cabaret Series
Meet Me in St. Louis A New Radio Play
2021
Chicago John Kander, Fred Ebb, Bob Fosse
Rock of Ages Chris D’Arienzo
SOLO FLIGHTS play festival
2022
Gypsy: A Musical Fable
Jersey Boys The Story of Frankie Valli and the Four Season
SOLO FLIGHTS new works festival