Denver Actors Fund helps scenic technician walk away from persistent pain in his legs
Financial-aid recipient: For many years, Louis Fernandez III has been a Master Carpenter and now Lead Scenic Technician for the DCPA Theatre Company, most recently on the build for “Rattlesnake Kate.” He was born and raised on Maui, where his Maui High School theater teacher ignited his passion for the arts. Louis attended the University of Northern Colorado in Greeley, earning a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Design Technology. He joined the then-Denver Center Theatre Company as a carpenter in 1999 and has worked there ever since, except for a three-year stint back home as Technical Director for Maui OnStage at the Historic Iao Theatre. He returned to Denver and the Denver Center in 2008.
His medical story: For two decades, Louis has coped with a worsening medical condition called Restless Leg Syndrome. He describes the pain as like having ants crawling through his legs at all times. Louis works all day on his feet in the Denver Center scene shop, and it was beginning to look like he might not be able to keep up with the job requirements. At the urging of his wife, Krista, Louis went to a specialist who recommended a vein surgery that has relieved him of his pain, and he has resumed work as normal. Even after insurance, Louis was left with $2,131.90 in out-of-pocket expenses.
How we have helped: The Denver Actors Fund Board of Directors unanimously voted to pay Louis’ $2,131.90 medical obligation in full.
‘BECAUSE OF THIS SURGERY, NOW I CAN CONTINUE DOING MY JOB FOR ANOTHER 20 YEARS!’
How you can help us replenish: If you would like to help, simply mail checks made out to The Denver Actors Fund to P.O. Box 11182, Denver, CO 80211. Or use this donation link. Your donation will be applied to the replenishment of the Denver Actors Fund’s general fund. Or please join us this coming Monday (June 13) for Town Hall Arts Center’s production of “The Wedding Singer.” All proceeds go to The Denver Actors Fund. Details below!
A message from Louis: “Thank you, Denver Actors Fund! I want to say how grateful my family and I are for your assistance with this medical bill. It’s such a huge relief off my shoulders, and I can’t thank you enough for what you do for the entire theater community here in Colorado. Currently, my legs are feeling and doing great. Now I can continue doing my job for another 20 years!”
(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.)
Read more Denver Actors Fund testimonials by clicking here
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. To date, the Fund has allocated more than $980,000 to artists facing medical need. In addition to financial relief, a team of more than 100 Denver Actors Fund volunteers offers good neighborly assistance 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 80211
SUPPORT THE EVENTS THAT SUPPORT US:
MONDAY, JUNE 13: Our friends at Town Hall Arts Center are continuing on their incredible promise to designate one performance per run with 100 percent of all proceeds from ticket and concession sales to be donated to The Denver Actors Fund. Join us for “The Wedding Singer,” based on a the popular Adam Sandler movie. The years is 1985. The place is New Jersey. Robbie, a wannabe rock star, is left at the altar and starts changing his tune. Enter Julia, a waitress who wins his affection. As luck would have it, Julia is about to be married to a Wall Street shark – unless Robbie pulls of the performance of a decade, the girl of his dreams will be gone forever.
Tickets only $25 (normally as much as $52). Reserve your seats at at 303-794-2787 or townhallartscenter.org.
- Directed and Choreographed by Nick Sugar
- Music Direction by Donna K. Debreceni
- Production Stage Manager: Jane Stewart
CAST:
- Damon Guerrasio: Robbie
- Lynzee Jones: Julia
- Logan Traver: Glen
- Kelsey Rich: Holly
- Gibran Mahmud: George
- Mike Martinkus: Sammy
- Annie Dwyer: Rosie
- Krystle Schaub: Linda
- Jamie Molina: Angie
- Jahalia Coleman: Crystal\Tina Turner
- Asad Clinton: Mookie\Mr. T
- William Riley Holmes: Reagan\Ensemble
- Andrew Alber: Harold\Ensemble
- Kayleigh Bernier: Debbie\Ensemble
- Katie Jackson: Cyndi\Ensemble
- Adam Kilgore: Dave\Ensemble
- Junelle Gabrielle Flores: Imelda\Ensemble
- Gabe Morales: Ensemble
- Caleb Reed: Understudy
- Lacey Eberl: Understudy
ONGOING: “Waiting for Obama,” the audio version of DAF Founder John Moore’s play that was an official selection at the 2016 New York International Fringe Festival, has been released as way of raising funds for The Denver Actors Fund. A Colorado Springs family is convinced that Barack Obama is coming for their guns in the final weeks of his presidency – and they’re right. Featuring Laurence Curry, Drew Horwitz, Chris Kendall, Leslie O’Carroll, Jenna Moll Reyes, Jessica Robblee, Luke Sorge and Mare Trevathan. It was recorded by the staff of Parker Arts at the PACE Center as an in-kind donation to The Denver Actors Fund. Listen for FREE on all major podcasting platforms including Spotify, Apple Podcasts and Podbean. Just by listening, you will be raising revenue for The DAF! Or, WATCH the recording as a pay-per-view video for $9.95 on Broadway on Demand. ‘Waiting for Obama’ was recorded by the staff of Parker Arts at the PACE Center and edited by Ray Bailey TV as in-kind donations to The Denver Actors Fund. The actors also donated their services.
ONGOING: “Quarantine Week by Weak” is a new photographic coffee-table book by Susannah McLeod and her wife, Chloe McLeod, who chronicled their home life during the COVID19 shutdown with a light-hearteded photo series documenting their lives during quarantine. They produced more than 35 sets of humorous photos comparing the beginning of quarantine to later in the “stay-at-home” period. Susannah pulled out her camera and we started to play,” said Chloe McLeod. As popularity for the series grew on Instagram and after a feature in Westword, the couple started exploring options to publish the series as a book to benefit The Denver Actors Fund. To order, visit mcleod9creative.com. This project is generously sponsored by: The Albritton Family; Natalie Bowen and Jim Corbett; Dave Dyer; Julie Dyer; and Denise Gentilini and Lynette Prisner. Additional support provided by Angie Flachman and Sandy Birkey at The Publishing House and Sandra Lee Stuart.
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
