A devastating miscarriage, a focus on healing, then a wicked run of health challenges
Aid recipient: Evergreen actor and director Dana Hart Wright (formerly Lubeck) has performed throughout the metro area for years, including Ovation West’s “Fiddler on the Roof” (Golde); Naropa University’s “Luminous Emptiness”; the Molly Brown House’s “Titanic Memories” and the 2023 Play Crawl benefiting And Toto Too Theatre Company. In March, Dana directed Ovation West’s “I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change.” Assorted prior acting credits include The Edge Theatre’s “The Graduate” and Equinox Theatre Company’s “Carrie: The Musical,” as well as roles at at Miners Alley Playhouse, The Catamounts and Benchmark Theatre. Dana is a board member for Vintage Theatre and Magic Moments, an annual pop-music revue that integrates up to 150 disabled and able-bodied cast members of all abilities, ages and experience levels. Originally from New York, Dana has appeared Off-Broadway and in national tours. She has a bachelor’s degree from New York University, a master’s degree from and Naropa University in Boulder and a teaching license from Metropolitan State University of Denver. She now coaches secondary special-education teachers in Brighton and additionally freelances as a special-education and disability advocate. in addition to maintaining a performing practice in the Denver metro area in her free time. In 2022, Dana raised $700 for the Denver Actors Fund in celebration of her birthday. She is passionately driven to affect change for marginalized groups.
Her initial medical story: Dana and her husband, Jono Wright, began 2020 more than $8,000 in the hole following surgery to try to save their 8-month old puppy, who died after a fluke illness. In March, Dana suffered a devastating miscarriage, and a month later needed two operations to remove a cyst. Like most, Dana has insurance – only it’s bad insurance with a very high deductible. The Wrights paid off the vast majority of what they owed from these medical incidents themselves, but sent along two surgical bills to us totaling $685.
How we helped: The Denver Actors Fund has paid the full $685 requested by the couple.
‘THANK YOU, DENVER ACTORS FUND. AS FAR AS FANS GO, I’M ONE OF YOUR BIGGEST.’
The next chapter: Fast forward to this year. In Dana’s words: “It was has been very hard year for so many in terms of illnesses because of weakened immune systems, and my family wasn’t spared. Over the year, we have had hand/foot/mouth, RSV, two ear infections, croup, a number of nondescript viruses and two stomach viruses. Luckily, my husband and I were spared most of these – except for the last stomach virus, of which I had a horrible case, including a 104-degree fever for days. After two trips to urgent care, I had to make a trip to the ER. Suffice it to say, those bills really piled up again. And once again, the Denver Actors Fund swooped in and covered every last bill for all of my medical trips.”
How we helped: The Denver Actors Fund paid off three medical bills amounting to $1,963.88, bringing our overall support for the Wright family to $2,648.88.
A message from Dana: “Over the years, I have seen countless people I love receive support from The Denver Actors Fund when faced with unexpected medical costs. I have always been incredibly grateful that such an entity, run by such amazingly generous people, exists. Now, The Denver Actors Fund has once again come through for the Wright family. I am forever indebted to this wonderful organization and the people who run it. In times of need, I can’t tell you how comforting it is to know that if medical finances become a worry, the DAF can help. So, once again: Thank you, Denver Actors Fund. As far as fans go, I’m one of your biggest.”
One more thing: The Denver Actors Fund only makes known however much of our beneficiaries’ personal medical stories as they feel comfortable sharing. In Dana’s case, after great consideration with her husband, she decided she wanted her miscarriage to be part of her public story. “Although it is hard to be so vulnerable,” she said, “I want the stigma around talking about these types of things to lessen. Jono and I agree that mentioning the miscarriage may help someone else feel better about their own. When it happened to me, and I started telling close friends, I heard so many stories of miscarriages, and they comforted me in a surprising way. It’s more about helping another woman than it is about the perceived stigma.”
How you can help us help us help more Colorado theatre artists: The Denver Actors Fund now has made more than $1.3 million available to Colorado artists in need. If you would like to make a donation to The Denver Actors Fund, simply mail checks in any amount made out to Denver Actors Fund at P.O. Box 11182, Denver, CO 80211. Or use this donation link, with our humble thanks.
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 their story told.
Read testimonials from other Denver Actors Fund beneficiaries here, or click on a recent name below:
SEAN SCRUTCHINS AND DEVON JAMES: $1,276
BRITTNI AND LAVOUR ADDISON, $13,361
The Denver Actors Fund has now made $1,300,000 available to Colorado theater artists.
Note: At The Denver Actors Fund, anonymity of aid recipients is presumed and fully protected, unless and until the recipient chooses to have their 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 presents the memorial video at the Colorado Theatre Guild’s 2023 Henry Awards.
The Denver Actors Fund is a 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 $1,300,000 to more than 560 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
VOLUNTEER:
Ever thought about taking a more active role in The Denver Actors Fund? Click here for more information
SHOP AT KING SOOPERS
Sign up for King Soopers’ Community Rewards Program and raise money for The DAF just by shopping for your groceries – and it doesn’t cost you an extra penny. To sign up, simply go here and designate The DAF as your preferred non-profit. Each quarter, King Soopers sends us a donation based on how much our supporters have spent. Thanks to all of you who are shopping for The DAF.
DONATE YOUR CAR
The Denver Actors Fund is now registered to accept vehicle donations, thanks to a new partnership with Vehicles for Charity. You can turn your unwanted but usable vehicle into greatly appreciated funds for The Denver Actors Fund. The process is simple. The DAF will receive 80 percent of auction proceeds, and a receipt for the donation will be sent to you that can be used for tax purposes. Read all about it here.
VOLUNTEER:
Ever thought about taking a more active role in the Denver Actors Fund? Click here for more information
COME TO THE EVENTS THAT SUPPORT US:
‘BEAUTIFUL’ FRIDAYS! The Arvada Center is conducting audience lobby collections following Friday night performances of “Beautiful: The Carole King Musical,” with star (and DAF recipient Emily Van Fleet) speaking on our behalf. The collections will take place Sept. 22 and 29, as well as Oct. 5 and 13. If you have yet to see this big-buzz, acclaimed show, plan to attend on a Friday night and throw some change in the bucket on your way out. Thank you to Emily, director Lynne Collins, Arvada Center reps Sarah Kolb and Leslie Simon, and the entire cast, crew and staff and volunteers for your support in this important effort! In the songwriting words of Carole King herself: “You give me faith and hope and love and light.” 6901 Wadsworth Boulevard. Tickets at arvadacenter.org
MONDAY, OCTOBER 2: The Roller Roper Romp, a fun event organized by Shauna Earp-Ballinger, takes place from 6:30-8:30 p.m. at Skate City in Arvada. The admission fee is $7, with $3 going directly to The Denver Actors Fund. (Skate rental is an additional $4, if you need them.) You do not need to skate to attend. All are encouraged to come in a caftan or dressed as your favorite “Three’s Company” character. (But you don’t have to do that either if you don’t wantto.) We’d rather have you there not in costume, than not have you there at all. All ages welcome. Snacks and non-alcoholic beverages will be provided by Karin’s Craft Services. Seriously, everyone is welcome and invited, so please share. Skate City is located at 5353 W. 64th Ave., in Arvada.
MONDAY, OCTOBER 9: Please join us for Town Hall Arts Center’s Industry Night performance of “All Shook Up.” Our friends at Town Hall are continuing their incredible commitment 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 on MONDAY, OCTOBER 9, at 2450 Main St. in Littleton. Tickets are only $27 (normally as much as $52). Reserve your seats at 303-794-2787 or townhallartscenter.org.
MORE UPCOMING TOWN HALL BENEFIT PERFORMANCES:
- Monday, Dec. 11: “Matilda the Musical”
- Monday, Feb. 5: “Urinetown”
- Monday, March 8: “Raisin”
- Monday, June 3: “The Prom”
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 8: Leiney Rigg and Nick Rigg Johnson received a small ($646) compensation from the Denver Actors Fund’s PAWS Fund to help with some unexpected pet medical expenses. They have already more than paid that back (without being asked!) by hosting a fun Facebook video song series that raised $2,000 for the DAF. But they aren’t stopping there. The married performers are hosting “Foolin’ Around with Leiney & Nick,” a cabaret concert at Vintage Theatre, with all proceeds after Vintage fees going to the PAWS Fund. Leiney and Nick met in 2018 while performing in Monty Python’s “Spamalot,” and they have kept the laughs rolling ever since. Join them on a musical journey to nowhere in particular as they fool around on stage like only these two can. Tickets are $24 or $15 for a streaming option. 7:30 p.m. Nov. 8 at 1468 Dayton St., in Aurora. Reserve your seats at vintagetheatre.org.
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.
