Our Founders
Bruce and Denise Burson Freestone founded OpenStage in 1973 and have provided leadership to both the Company and to the development of the arts in Northern Colorado for the past 50 years.
The Freestones have passed the Theatre’s primary leadership to Producing Artistic Director, Sydney Parks Smith, while still remaining involved in the theatre’s productions, operations, and strategic planning. Both Bruce and Denise have extensive experience as actors, directors, producers, and designers; they have garnered regional awards and recognition for both themselves and the Theatre, including the Governor’s Award for Excellence in the Arts and the Tree of Peace Medallion, which signifies a lifetime of contributions to the Arts and Culture Industry.
Bruce and Denise have been key leaders in creating this dynamic arts environment. Over the decades they have been advocates for the role of the arts in sustaining a healthy community and regional economy and have been active in numerous citywide planning endeavors. OpenStage Theatre & Company also has been instrumental in the creation and ongoing nurturing of numerous other art organizations by providing mentoring, advice, and resources.
The Ladies of the Camellias, M. Worms (cast)
Dial M for Murder, Additional Voice (cast)
King Lear, Albany (cast)
The Man Who Came to Dinner, Sheridan Whiteside (cast)
The Last Night at Ballyhoo, Director crew
The Tempest, Gonzalo (cast)
Fortinbras, Horatio (cast)
The Mousetrap, Director (crew)
Henry IV, Part 1, King Henry IV (cast)
Rumors, Ken Gorman (cast)
Wit, Director (crew)
Tartuffe, Tartuffe (cast)
Laughter on the 23rd Floor, Ira Stone (cast)
Moon Over Buffalo, George Hay (cast)
Proof, Producer (crew)
Agatha Christie’s Murder at the Vicarage, Director (crew)
Angels in America, Roy Cohn (cast)
Major Arcana, Funny Thing About Love; Regent (cast)
Copenhagen, Director (crew)
The Solid Gold Cadillac, T. John Blessington (cast)
A Bright Room Called Day, Producer (crew)
Enchanted April, Fredrick Arnott (cast)
Picnic, Assistant Producer (crew)
Noises Off, Selsdon (cast)
Doubt, Director (crew)
SceneWorks, Actor (cast)
The One-Eyed Man Is King, Director (crew)
Jacob Marley’s Christmas Carol Tech Crew (crew)
Sherlock Holmes: The Final Adventure, Sherlock Holmes (cast)
Sherlock Holmes: The Final Adventure, Properties Crew (crew)
King Lear, Production Manager (crew)
Shipwrecked! An Entertainment, Louis de Rougemont (cast)
A Child’s Christmas in Wales, Director (crew)
33 Variations, Painter (crew)
A Child’s Christmas in Wales, Production Manager (crew)
Othello, Production Manager (crew)
33 Variations, Production Manager (crew)
The Rocky Horror Show, Production Manager (crew)
The 39 Steps, Production Manager (crew)
The Ladies Man, Production Manager/Carpenter (crew)
Amadeus, Emperor Joseph II (cast)
A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Bottom/Egeus (cast)
Wit, Director (crew)
Bullshot Crummond, Production Manager (crew)
Noises Off, Production Manager/Shift Captain/Carpenter (crew)
The Rocky Horror Show, Production Manager (crew)
The Seafarer, Mr. Lockhart (cast)
The Tempest, Alonso (cast)
The Tempest, Production Manager (crew)
RENT, Production Manager (crew)
Dangerous Liaisons, Production Manager (crew)
Moonlight and Magnolias, Production Manager (crew)
Scapin, Production Manager (crew)
Journey to the West, Production Manager (crew)
True West, Production Manager (crew)
Romeo and Juliet, Production Manager (crew)
The Servant of Two Masters, Production Manager (crew)
Spring Awakening, Production Manager (crew)
Unnecessary Farce, Production Manager (crew)
OUTSIDE MULLINGAR, Tony Reilly (cast)
TAMING OF THE SHREW, Curtis/Vincentio (cast)
STAGE KISS, Production Manager (crew)
THE SUBMISSION, Production Manager (crew)
THE NORTH PLAN, Production Manager (crew)
ORPHANS, Production Manager (crew)
SUPERIOR DONUTS, Production Manager (crew)
August: Osage County, Beverly Weston (cast)
Ultimate Beauty Bible, Production Manager (crew)
Bright Ideas, Associate Production Manager (crew)
August: Osage County, Production Manager (crew)
Don’t Dress for Dinner, Production Manager (crew)
La Bete, Production Manager (crew)
The Flick, Production Manager (crew)
The Three Musketeers, Production Manager (crew)
H2O, Production Manager (crew)
Ideation, Production Manager (crew)
Christmas Chaos, Production Manager (crew)
And Then There Were None, Production Manager (crew)
Monty Python’s Spamalot, Production Manager (crew)
The Crucible, Production Manager (crew)
The Comedy of Errors, Box Office Manager (crew)
The Mystery of Love and Sex, Production Manager (crew)
Fool For Love, Production Manager (crew)
Steel Magnolias, Production Manager (crew)
Frankenstein, Production Manager (crew)
Avenue Q, Production Manager (crew)
Much Ado About Nothing, Production Manager (crew)
Every Brilliant Thing, Production Advisor (crew)
Men on Boats, Production Advisor (crew)
Constellations, Production Advisor (crew)
The Full Monty, Production Advisor (crew)
Agatha Christie’s Murder on the Orient Express, Director (crew)
Passion. Inspiration. Stubborness., Co-Founder (cast)
The Book of Will, William Jaggard / Barman 1 (cast)
King Lear, Goneril (cast)
King Lear, Producer (crew)
Dial M for Murder, Make-up design (crew)
The Living, Producer (crew)
Breath of Spring, Make-up design (crew)
The Ladies of the Camellias, Producer (crew)
The Last Night at Ballyhoo, Boo Levy (cast)
The Last Night at Ballyhoo, Producer (crew)
The Comedy of Errors, Producer (crew)
The Comedy of Errors, Director (crew)
The Man Who Came to Dinner, Producer (crew)
An Inspector Calls, Make-up design (crew)
Misalliance, Producer (crew)
The Man Who Came to Dinner, Costume design (crew)
An Inspector Calls, Producer (crew)
A Little Night Music, Producer (crew)
The House of Bernarda, Alba La Poncia (cast)
The Tempest, Producer (crew)
The Mousetrap, Producer (crew)
Fortinbras, Producer (crew)
Cry Havoc, Costumes (crew)
Impression: Monet, Director (crew)
Impression: Monet, Hair design (crew)
Picasso at the Lapin Agile, Producer (crew)
The Tempest, Hair Design (crew)
The Mousetrap, Make-Up Design (crew)
Harvey, Producer (crew)
Cry Havoc, Producer (crew)
Impression: Monet, Properties design (crew)
Impression: Monet, Producer (crew)
Wit, Vivian Bearing Ph.D. (cast)
Crimes of the Heart, Producer (crew)
The HOT L Baltimore, Producer (crew)
Rumors, Director (crew)
The HOT L Baltimore, Make-Up Design (crew)
Henry IV, Part 1 Producer (crew)
Fuddy Meers, Producer (crew)
The Musical Comedy Murders of 1940, Bernice Roth (cast)
Romeo and Juliet, Producer (crew)
Laughter on the 23rd Floor, Makeup Designer (crew)
Tartuffe, Wig Design (crew)
Who Will Carry the Word, Producer (crew)
Laughter on the 23rd Floor, Producer (crew)
Romeo and Juliet, Hair Designer (crew)
Dorian Gray, Producer (crew)
Tartuffe, Producer (crew)
Macbeth Lady, Macbeth (cast)
Moon Over Buffalo, Charlotte Hay (cast)
Agatha Christie’s Murder at the Vicarage, Producer (crew)
Communicating Doors, Producer (crew)
Proof, Director (crew)
Flaming Guns of the Purple Sage, Producer (crew)
Major Arcana, New Splendid Lady; Electra Valdez; Amanda Bridges (cast)
Angels in America, Hannah Pitt (cast)
The Women, Director (crew)
Copenhagen, Make-Up and Hair Designer (crew)
Rasputin, Director (crew)
The Drawer Boy, Producer (crew)
The Play’s the Thing, Producer (crew)
Copenhagen, Producer (crew)
A Perfect Ganesh, Producer (crew)
A Bright Room Called Day, Annabella Gotchling (cast)
An Ideal Husband, Producer (crew)
The Six That Fell, Playwright Liaison (crew)
The Solid Gold Cadillac, Producer/Hair Designer/Hair Stylist (crew)
Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead and 15 Minute Hamlet, Producer (crew)
An Ideal Husband, Make-Up Designer (crew)
Desperate Affection, Artistic Advisor (crew)
The Exonerated, Producer (crew)
Rasputin, Producer (crew)
Picnic Rosemary, Sydney (cast)
Saint Joan, Producer (crew)
Splitting Infinity, Producer/Hair & Make-Up Designer (crew)
The Threepenny Opera, Director (crew)
Italian American Reconciliation, Producer/Hair Co-Designer (crew)
Swimming in the Shallows, Artistic Consultant (crew)
Boston Marriage, Artistic Consultant/Properties Designer/Hair Desig (crew)
Enchanted April, Producer (crew)
Noises Off, Dotty/Mrs. Clackett (cast)
Rag and Bone, Artistic Mentor (crew)
Dirty Blonde, Producer (crew)
Nickel and Dimed, Producer (crew)
The Arabian Nights, Producer (crew)
Noises Off, Co-Producer (crew)
The Cripple of Inishmaan, Producer/Make-Up Designer (crew)
Man of la Mancha, Producer/Hair Co-Designer (crew)
Doubt, Sister Aloysius (cast)
As You Like It, Production Manager/Hair Designer/Hair Stylist (crew)
Doubt, Wig Stylist (crew)
Anon(ymous), Production Manager (crew)
The Maiden’s Prayer, Artistic Consultant (crew)
Little Shop of Horrors, Producer/Make-Up Co-Designer/Stylist (crew)
The Oldest Profession, Producer & Costume Designer(crew)
The Book of Liz, Production Manager (crew)
Third, Production Manager (crew)
Pride and Prejudice, Production Manager (crew)
The Glass Menagerie, *Amanda Wingfield (cast)
SceneWorks, Actor (cast)
Jacob Marley’s Christmas Carol, Director (crew)
SceneWorks, Producer/Stage Manager/MC (crew)
The One-Eyed Man Is King, Production Manager (crew)
Is He Dead?, Production Manager/Wig Designer/Hair Co-Designer (crew)
Shining City, Artistic Consultant (crew)
Anton in Show Business, Producer (crew)
Bug, Production Manager (crew)
King Lear, Goneril (cast)
Jacob Marley’s Christmas Carol, Director (crew)
Sherlock Holmes: The Final Adventure, Hair Designer & Make-Up Designer/Hair Stylist/Prop (crew)
The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (abridged), Production Manager (crew)
Dead Man’s Cell Phone, Production Manager (crew)
Brilliant Traces, Production Manager (crew)
Sherlock Holmes: The Final Adventure, Production Manager/Hair Designer (crew)
A Picasso, Production Manager (crew)
King Lear, Production Manager (crew)
Othello, Director (crew)
The Rocky Horror Show, Production Manager (crew)
A Child’s Christmas in Wales, Production Manager/Make-Up Designer (crew)
Othello, Production Manager (crew)
Shipwrecked! An Entertainment, Production Manager (crew)
33 Variations, Production Manager (crew)
33 Variations, Painter (crew)
The 39 Steps, Production Manager (crew)
The Ladies Man, Production Manager (crew)
Wit, Professor Vivian Bearing (cast)
Noises Off, Dotty Otley (cast)
A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Director (crew)
Bullshot Crummond, Production Manager (crew)
Amadeus, Production Manager (crew)
The Rocky Horror Show, Production Manager (crew)
A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Production Manager(crew)
Dangerous Liaisons, Madame de Rosemonde (cast)
Moonlight and Magnolias, Production Manager (crew)
Scapin, Production Manager (crew)
The Tempest, Director (crew)
RENT, Production Manager (crew)
The Seafarer, Production Manager (crew)
The Tempest, Production Manager (crew)
Spring Awakening, Production Manager (crew)
Unnecessary Farce, Production Manager (crew)
The Servant of Two Masters, Production Manager (crew)
Journey to the West, Hair Designer/Hair Stylist/Production Manager (crew)
True West, Production Manager (crew)
Romeo and Juliet, Production Manager/Language Consultant (crew)
OUTSIDE MULLINGAR, Aoife Muldoon (cast)
TAMING OF THE SHREW, Director (crew)
STAGE KISS, Production Manager/Hair and MakeUp Designer (crew)
THE SUBMISSION, Production Manager (crew)
THE NORTH PLAN, Production Manager (crew)
TAMING OF THE SHREW, Production Manager (crew)
SUPERIOR DONUTS, Production Manager (crew)
A BRIGHT NEW BOISE, Production Manager (crew)
ORPHANS, Production Manager (crew)
August: Osage County, Violet Weston (cast)
La Bete, Production Manager (crew)
The Three Musketeers, Director/Production Manager (crew)
Bright Ideas, Associate Production Manager (crew)
August: Osage County, Production Manager (crew)
Ultimate Beauty Bible, Production Manager (crew)
The Flick, Production Manager (crew)
Monty Python’s Spamalot, Production Manager (crew)
The Crucible, Production Manager (crew)
And Then There Were None, Production Manager (crew)
Ideation, Production Manager (crew)
Christmas Chaos, Production Manager (crew)
The Comedy of Errors, Director/Production Manager (crew)
Steel Magnolias, Ouiser Boudreaux (cast)
Frankenstein, Production Manager (crew)
Fool For Love, Production Manager (crew)
Much Ado About Nothing, Production Manager/Hair Co-Designer (crew)
The Mystery of Love and Sex, Production Manager (crew)
Avenue Q, Production Manager (crew)
Steel Magnolias, Production Manager (crew)
Every Brilliant Thing, Production Advisor (crew)
The Full Monty, Production Advisor (crew)
Constellations, Production Advisor (crew)
Men on Boats, Director (crew)
Passion. Inspiration. Stubborness., Co-Founder (cast)
Hedwig And The Angry Inch, Wig/Hair Designer (crew)
The Book of Will, Anne Hathaway / Francisco / Barman 2 (cast)
Sweat, Production Manager (crew)
