Life in the Middle

"Not to disparage anyone's choices," Ashton says, "but when you do certain things, they have certain consequences." He says one way to avoid falling into the trap of a "bigger is better" mentality is for smaller theaters to learn how to cultivate their own audience bases. He also wants more people to be able to make a living doing what they love. "I'd like to see two or three [companies] expand so that we can perform professional-quality work at least five nights a week. We have way more talented people here than we ever had before."

And, he adds, "we need to find more varied ways of getting the word out. The Colorado Theater Guild is trying to get a centralized box office going, developing a Web page and creating posters that will promote the theater generally."

Anthony Camera

A real trouper: Bug Theatre Company co-founder Donna Morrison.

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More About

• Ed Baierlein
• Donna Morrison
• John Ashton
• Professional Theater Companies
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That sounds like a plan to Morrison, who exudes the same sort of enthusiasm that likely inspired Baierlein and company back in 1968. "Coming here and not knowing a soul, I've found that Denver has the potential," she says. "I don't mean to sound so '60s-ish, but I think the key is sharing. I just want Denver to be a player. It's definitely moving in that direction; I just want to help it along."

With, of course, a little more help from her friends.