A hand up to a shattered family after the most unimaginable of losses
Aid recipient: Kristin Hamer MacFarlane is a longtime scenic artist with the DCPA Theatre Company. Born and raised in Lakewood, she graduated from the University of Northern Colorado with a degree in Theatre Design and Technology. She started as a freelancer and painted sets for the Candlelight Dinner Playhouse, Central City Opera, Little Theatre of The Rockies, Theatre Aspen, the Boulder Ballet, Curious Theatre and others before going full-time (seasonal) with the Denver Center. Between 2008-16, Kristin estimates she worked on more than 90 productions. During her pandemic furlough from the DCPA, she worked as a scenic artist at Meow Wolf Denver.
Kristin met Boston-born Roy MacFarlane at the Williamstown (Mass.) Theatre Festival in 2008, they moved together to Colorado the next year, and the rest is history. Roy was the shop foreman at “You Want What? Productions” for 15 years, while also working alongside his wife at many of the same local theaters. Roy was most recently Head of Set Construction on Curious Theatre Company’s “Amerikin.” “Roy was incredibly gifted at solving problems and making things work,” she says. “He loved his job. He loved making things, and he loved that no project was ever the same.” The couple are the parents of a 5-year-old daughter, Audrey. “She is the light of our lives,” says Kristin, “but Roy always told her: ‘Theater is a hobby, kid – please be a doctor.’ The truth is, she is already just as creative as her mama and daddy, and she loves to sing and dance, and he loved that.”
Her family’s story: Kristin and her family have been through the unthinkable. During the pandemic shutdown, Roy was diagnosed with throat cancer. On May 8 of this year, Roy went by ambulance to the emergency room and was admitted to the ICU with acute liver and kidney failure. Over two hospital stays, he spent 37 days in the ICU and another 29 in in-patient rehab. Eventually, Roy was transported by ambulance to home hospice, where he passed away on July 24.
How we helped: Kristin was left with an unending stream of medical bills. She submitted seven to The Denver Actors Fund for consideration totaling $5,169.46 – and we have paid them all off, in full.
‘THE DENVER ACTORS FUND HAS GIVEN AUDREY AND ME A PEACE OF MIND THAT SEEMS SO FLEETING IN THESE EARLY DAYS OF OUR GRIEF.’ – KRISTIN HAMER MACFARLANE
A message from Kristin: “After Roy died, my world shattered. I had been off contract and then was given
all the time I needed once my contract resumed to be by his side until even after his passing. When all was said and done, our household had not had any income for almost four months, and the reality of going forward knowing that my household income would be halved, as well as a pile of medical bills, was hitting hard. Many people suggested I reach out to the Denver Actors Fund, and so one night I did. John Moore called me after getting my submission and I was truly shocked. It was so personal and it made me feel so loved. He said, ‘Send us everything,’ so I did, but I never expected for them to pay all of it. The words to describe how humbling and kind and incredible this is will probably never come to me. The Denver Actors Fund has given Audrey and me a peace of mind that seems so fleeting in these early days of our grief, and I am eternally grateful. Roy and I love the work we do and mostly it’s because of the kind of community we get to be a part of – and never has that community held us more than now.”
How you can help us help us to 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 in Roy MacFarlane’s memory, 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. Please be sure to mention Kristin or Roy in your comments when prompted.
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.
