Alex and Toni return from their theater road trip to Steamboat Springs to discuss the 27th Annual Colorado New Play Summit, dive into the 2025 Henry Award nominations, and interview two Bobby G Awards winners heading to Broadway.

Highlights

Colorado New Play Summit (01:18) - We experienced four compelling new works at this prestigious festival that boasts a 75% success rate of plays moving to regional theaters or NYC. Shows included "Creature Feature" (Roundabout Theater), "Vienna, Vienna, Vienna" (Six Point Theater), "Dawn" by Tuyết Thị Phạm and Lauren Gunderson's "Muse of Fire" where she starred as Anne Hathaway opposite Shakespeare.

Henry Awards Discussion (16:22) - Analysis of the newly announced nominations, including the major shift to gender-neutral performance categories. Denver Center leads with 29 nominations, while Little Shop of Horrors, Music Man, and Waitress top the nomination counts. Ceremony: July 28th at Lone Tree Arts Center.

Bobby G Winners Interview (26:00) - Grayson Graham (Lutheran HS) and Hannah Schnorr (Fossil Ridge HS) discuss their winning moments, upcoming Jimmy Awards trip to Broadway, and advice for aspiring young performers. Hannah heads to NYU's Tisch School while Grayson is now seriously considering theater programs.

Key Takeaways

• Steamboat's festival directly partners with theaters, creating built-in production opportunities
• This year's Henry Awards feature tier-based categories instead of gendered divisions
• Colorado continues nurturing theater talent from high school to professional levels

Next Week: Full episode topic TBD. Subscribe to our Thursday newsletter for the latest Colorado theater updates.

Sponsored by Town Hall Arts Center, Miners Alley, Rocky Mountain Rep, Colorado Candlelight, Aurora Fox, Colorado Shakespeare Festival, and Boulder Ensemble Theater Company.