Final Curtain Call For Director Who Championed New Play Creation In Denver

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Photo: Kent Thompson
Kent Thompson, the outgoing producing artistic director of the DCPA Theatre Company, in his office on Feb. 21, 2017.

A director devoted to the creation and development of new plays in Denver resigns next month. Kent Thompson has been producing artistic director of the Denver Center for the Performing Arts' theater company for 12 years.

In that time, he co-founded the Women's Voices Fund to commission works by female playwrights and hire more female actors. He's also worked to diversify the racial makeup of playwrights, casts and staff. And, in 2006, he launched the Colorado New Play Summit, an annual festival focused on the development of new work. According to the DCPA, more than half of the unproduced plays featured at the annual summit have gone on to have world premieres either in Denver or with other theater companies across the country.

Kent Thompson New Play Summit
Kent Thompson welcomes the cast and crew of the 2016 Colorado New Play Summit.

Thompson spoke with Colorado Matters host Ryan Warner about this year's Colorado New Play Summit and what's next for his career.

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