Meet the Denver Actors Fund’s 600th individual aid recipient: Miranda Guettlein and her dog, Charlie!
Who we helped: Miranda Guettlein, dialect coach for StageDoor Theatre’s current production of “Sweeney Todd” in Conifer, is a Knight-Thompson Speechwork (KTS)-certified voice, speech and accents teacher. Miranda is a member of the Voice and Speech Trainers Association (VASTA) and the editor-in-chief of its academic journal, “The Voice and Speech Review.” She has a master’s degree in linguistics from CU Boulder, a bachelor’s degree in inguistics from Regis University, and taught voice and speech at the University of Northern Colorado in Greeley. Previous coaching credits include “A Murder on the Orient Express,” “The Pirates of Penzance,” “Titanic,” “The Scarlet Pimpernel” and “Noises Off.” She was born in Arvada, graduated from Ralston Valley High and now lives in Fort Collins. Her companies as an actor and dialect coach have spanned The Candlelight, Town Hall Arts Center, Evergreen Players, OpenStage, Firehouse Theatre Company and more.
Bonus bio! Miranda’s dog, Charlie, is a 9-year-old Australian Cattle Dog. She was rescued from the Humane Society of Boulder Valley in 2016 when her mom “just went to pet some dogs” during her last week of college. Since then, Charlie has completed puppy school, gone on lots of adventures, and worked to overcome her anxiety and rough puppyhood. She most enjoys spending time with her mom and her Christopher, and taking care of her “rat baby.”
Charlie’s medical story: Charlie had to have emergency dental surgery to remove 12 teeth – and for a dog, dental health is the window to overall health. Doctors found that the roots of many of Charlie’s teeth were eroding. The procedure came to nearly $1,500, wiping out Miranda’s savings
How we helped: The Denver Actors Fund Board unanimously approved a $500 grant – the most allowed in any 12-month period to a PAWS Fund recipient.
‘NOTHING CAN DEMONSTRATE THE MAGNITUDE OF THE DENVER ACTORS FUND’S CARE FOR THIS COMMUNITY BETTER THAN ITS CREATION OF THE PAWS FUND.’ – MIRANDA GUETTLEIN
A message from Miranda: “I don’t think that anything could demonstrate the magnitude of care that the Denver Actors Fund has for its community better than the creation of the PAWS Fund. They made it so accessible to ask for and receive support, even if you’re the kind of person who hates asking for help. Charlie means the world to me, and it’s such a massive relief to know that she is now healthy and pain-free, and that I didn’t have to bear the burden of the massive unexpected cost on my own. Thank you, donors and DAF, from both of us! Support local theater, the artists who create it, and the pets who keep them sane by donating to the DAF, and by seeing productions that give a portion of their funds to keep the mission going!”
LOW FUNDING ALERT: DONATE TODAY TO KEEP THE PAWS FUND GOING!
What is up with the PAWS Fund?: The PAWS Fund is a 1-year-old separate fund administered by the Denver Actors Fund to help qualified Colorado theater artists (both on- and off-stage) with sudden veterinary medical expenses. It launched in May 2023 with $35,000 in seed money that, with your kind donations, has grown into a 67,000 fund. Problem is, about $64,300 of that already has been distributed to qualified applicants. The leaves the the PAWS Fund with a present remaining balance of just $2,752. If designated donations to the PAWS Fund continue to come in, the PAWS Fund will continue. If not, it will expire whenever the balance is gone. If you would like to help us keep it going, simply mail checks in any amount made out to Denver Actors Fund, P.O. Box 11182, Denver, CO 80212. Please write “PAWS Fund” in the memo field. Or use this donation link, with our humble thanks. When you donate online, be sure to use the pull-down menu that gives you the option to specifically designate your donation to the PAWS Fund by choosing “Domestic Animal Medical.” Otherwise, as always, your donation will go to the General Fund and will be reserved for our primary mission, which is paying qualified applicants’ own (human!) medical bills.
Help us to replenish?: The overall Denver Actors Fund sent out more than $108,000 in medical relief in the first five months of 2024 alone. If you would like to help us replenish so we we can keep helping other Colorado theater artists, simply mail checks in any amount made out to Denver Actors Fund, P.O. Box 11182, Denver, CO 80212. Or use this donation link, with our humble thanks.
Read testimonials from other Denver Actors Fund beneficiaries here, or click on a recent name below:
BARRET AND SYDNEY HARPER, $6,392
The Denver Actors Fund has now made $1,400,000 available to Colorado theatre 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.
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 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 $1.4 million to more than 590 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.
SHOP AMERICAN DOG: We have an exciting new partnership to share! American Dog, a USA-made company that makes dog toys, dog beds and accessories, has put together a special promotional offer to support the PAWS Fund. When you use the code DAFPAWS at checkout, 10% of your purchase will be donated to the PAWS Fund. Visit americandog.com/ to learn more! Thank you so much to Tina Anderson and our friends at American Dog!
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:
MONDAY, JULY 8: Our wonderful friends at Firehouse Theater Company have designated their Industry Night performance of “Othello 2024” as a benefit for the Denver Actors Fund. Misinformation. PTSD. Betrayal. Deep fakes. A play written 420 years ago is as relevant as ever. This version, adapted by Greg Sherman and Gregory Wolfe, features Kelly Uhlenhopp as the wicked Iago, and her director is her husband, Andrew. Please join us at 7:30 p.m. MONDAY, JULY 8 at the John Hand Theater, 7653 E. 1st Place, Denver, CO 80230. Tickets are only $15 (normally $27) on this night only. Order yours or get more information at firehousetheatercompany.com.
SUNDAY, AUGUST 11: Give 5 Productions has designated its Industry Night of “Hedwig and the Angry Inch’ as Denver Actors Fund Night. Use code DAF10 for 10 percent off tickets, and 10 percent of each ticket sold with this code will be donated to the DAF. (Psst: This code is good for all performances). “Hedwig” is an immersive, iconic, queer Broadway rock musical that runs Aug. 1-17, at Herman’s Hideaway, 1578 S. Broadway. One-hour variety pre-show with Jessica L’Whor, circus and burlesque acts. Nightly costume contest with prizes. Theme: ’80s rock glam with East Berlin vibes. (Costumes not required for entry.) Tiockets at eventbrite.com.
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.
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.
