Aid recipient: Fort Collins native Will Ferrie, a graduate of Rocky Mountain High School, is an award-winning actor and longtime member of OpenStage & Company in Fort Collins who most recently played Sir Robin in Monty Python’s Spamalot. He won the OPUS Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor for his work as Bartley in The Cripple of Inishmaan, and was nominated for a 2013 True West Award for playing Professor Rupert Fenton and six other characters in Bullshot Crummond. Other favorite roles include Max in Lend Me a Tenor, Ernst in Spring Awakening, Larry in Burn This, M in Cock, Clifford in Side Man and Jason in Rabbit Hole. He will play Rab next spring in Nick Dear’s Frankenstein, and also will be appearing in the upcoming film RGB Nightmare, to be released this winter. Of his work in Bas Bleu Theatre Company’s Side Man, reviewer Kate Forgach wrote for The Coloradan: “Clifford is played with great facial intensity by Will Ferrie. Every twist in the action is written so well on Ferrie’s face that it deserves a close-up camera more than the distance of theater.” Will is also the son of prominent Fort Collins actor Charlie Ferrie, with whom he appeared in Spamalot.
His medical story: Ferrie recently found himself in need of emergency dental care when a previous root canal failed and an abscess developed on a rear molar. That led to an emergency E.R. visit, where he was told the infection was threatening his right eye. The Denver Actors Fund referred Ferrie, who has no health or dental insurance, to Thornton dentist (and former Broadway dancer) Brian Kelly. Through a unique ongoing partnership with the Denver Actors Fund, Kelly accepts a limited number of emergency dental cases referred through the DAF as an in-kind donation. Kelly’s goal is to transition every referred patient from gum disease to health.
How we have helped: Dr. Kelly’s treatment plan for Will was to extract the tooth and build a custom retainer and prosthetic replacement. The billable value of Kelly’s services to date is $1,228. The amount Kelly has asked the Denver Actors Fund to compensate has been just $131 for reimbursement of materials. That makes the total valuation of Kelly’s overall in-kind donation to the Denver Actors Fund in the past two years to be $30,964 for his help with nine emergency patients from the Colorado theatre community. (And he already is working on Nos. 10 and 11.).
Video above: Will Ferrie, left, and his father, Charlie (center), were among a group of cast members from OpenStage’s ‘Spamalot’ who traveled from Fort Collins to perform at the Denver Actors Fund’s monthly film series screening of ‘Monty Python and the Holy Grail’ at the Alamo Drafthouse. Highlights above.
A message from Will: “This takes a tremendous weight off my shoulders. I really got pulled out of a bind, and I would like to give back in any way that I can.”
The Denver Actors Fund has now made more than $257,000 available to Colorado artists in medical need. If you would to help us replenish our general fund, simply mail checks made out to The Denver Actors Fund to P.O. Box 11182, Denver, CO, 80212. Or use this donation link.
Read testimonials from other Denver Actors Fund beneficiaries here
Note: At the Denver Actors Fund, anonymity of aid recipients is presumed and fully protected, unless and until the recipient chooses to have his or her story told.
HOW YOU CAN HELP US REPLENISH:
To DONATE the Denver Actors Fund, please CLICK HERE (with our humble thanks)
ABOUT THE DENVER ACTORS FUND:
Video above: The Denver Actors Fund receives the Colorado Theatre Guild’s 2016 Community Impact Award.
The Denver Actors Fund is a modest source of immediate, situational relief when members of the local theater community find themselves in medical need. In addition to $257,000 in financial relief, a team of more than 60 Denver Actors Fund volunteers has offered good neighborly assistance to more than 100 beneficiaries including meal prep and delivery, child care, transportation, errands, construction, pet-sitting and more. For more information, visit our web site at DenverActorsFund.Org.
HOW TO APPLY FOR AID:
To apply for Denver Actors Fund aid: Fill out this brief online form here
MORE WAYS TO HELP:
DONATE BY MAIL:
Send checks made out to the Denver Actors Fund to:
P.O. Box 11182
Denver, CO 80212
VOLUNTEER:
Ever thought about taking a more active role in the Denver Actors Fund? Click here for more information
COME TO OUR EVENTS:
Denver Actors Fund Film Series: Our next Denver Actors Fund film screening at the Alamo Drafthouse Sloan’s Lake will be a “West Side Story” singalong at 7 p.m. Monday, Aug. 20, hosted by Traci J. Kern and Ryan Belinak. Reserve your preferred seat here.
Project Careaoke Launch Party for Denver Actors Fund, Sept. 9: Please join us for a fun karaoke (and much more) fundraiser hosted by Project Careaoke that could represent the biggest infusion of funds to the Denver Actors Fund in our history. And it costs only $12 to attend. There will be competitive karaoke, Jayson Payne from JAMMIN’ DJs, live music with Float Like A Buffalo, a local artist showcase featuring live art, and a silent live auction. Starts at 5 p.m. at The Venue. located at 1451 Cortez St. in Denver (at Highway 36 and Pecos Street). Please come, and spread the word! Purchase your tickets here
‘Miscast’ returns Sept. 17: “Miscast,” which is presented each year by Robert Michael Sanders as a benefit for The Denver Actors Fund, is an opportunity for local performers to sing songs and act out scenes they would never … ever! … get cast to perform on any legit stage. Think gender-bending, race-bending and age-bending. Odd couples and mixed groups. Wrong is oh so right. “Miscast” has evolved over the years into one of the biggest nights of the year in the Colorado theatre community – and it is a really good show. “Miscast 2018” will be held Sept. 17 at a new location: The Mizel Arts and Culture Center. Tickets on sale here. All seats just $20. No fees if you purchase by phone at 303-316-6360. (Leave a message if unattended.) .
VISIT OUR ONLINE MERCH STORE:
Click here to see how you can buy DAF products such as T-shirts, key chains, puzzles and much more
