DENVER CENTER FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS
DCPA COMPLEX
Denver, Colorado
In 2014, the City of Denver and the Denver Center for the Performing Arts conducted a
study of the Bonfils theatre facility to assess a potential renovation. The focus of the study
for this LORT A professional theatre and civic venue was to identify items that solved
codes and accessibility issues, improved the patron experience, and made the facility a
safer and better artistic experience for actors, designers, and technicians.
The first phase of renovations which included the Kilstrom Theatre, finished in 2017. The
project reconfigured the pentagonal arena to accommodate five separate control and
video projection booths, improving sightlines, and adding wheelchair accessibility for the
ground floor.
The second phase addressed the thrust space, the Wolf Theatre, a smaller endstage called
the Singleton Theatre, and significant portions of the back of house and dressing room
facilities. The renovation of the Wolf Theatre included a completely new performance
lighting system, addition of a forestage grid, replacement of the entire stage floor platform
system, and removal and adjustment of an overhead catwalk to create a better stage
picture. Additional renovations were done to the lobby to create an integrated access point
to the Singleton Theatre, which previously had to be accessed from outside the lobby.
The final result was revitalized cultural assets that were heralded by audiences and artists
alike. The improved facilities positioned DCPA to attract better artistic talent and increase
patron attendance, and they no longer presented an ADA-compliance risk to the city.
TheatreDNA provide full theatre planning, theatre design, and performance equipment design and specification services.
COMPLETION
2021
OWNER
City of Denver
ARCHITECT
Semple Brown