Life and Work with Erin Rollman, Hannah Duggan, Samantha Schmitz, Brian Colonna, and Erik Edborg

Today we’d like to introduce you to Erin Rollman, Hannah Duggan, Samantha Schmitz, Brian Colonna, and Erik Edborg.

Thanks for sharing your story with us Erin, Hannah, Samantha, Brian, Erik. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
We created our first play together in 1998. In 2000, we found our warehouse space and settled in Denver, intent on creating exclusively new work. We just kicked off our 19th season here. Over the years, Buntport has developed programming ranging from full-length plays and musicals to comedy debates to live sit-com episodes to children’s programming. We have collaborated with individual artists and large organizations, including the Flobots, the Denver Art Museum, The Longmont Museum, playwright Ellen K. Graham, author Laird Hunt, the Clyfford Still Museum, Stories on Stage, Colorado College, and on.

To date, we have written 48 full-length productions and are on track to debut our 50th play in our 20th season. Our monthly programming has netted an even larger body of work. Buntport stays busy and is excited to host other artists in our space.

Everything we do is collaborative — we have all worked together for over 19 years without specific job titles. We are equal members, pitching in where ever it is needed.

We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc. – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
Making theater for a living is never a smooth road. The best advice we can give is to surround yourself by good, supportive people who will both challenge and support you. We were lucky enough to create our own company — if you have the opportunity, go for it. Then you are in charge of your work culture.

So, as you know, we’re impressed with Buntport Theater – tell our readers more, for example, what you’re most proud of and what sets you apart from others.
We are broadly known for quirky, creative comedies. Some of our plays include Kafka on Ice, Tommy Lee Jones Goes to Opera Alone, and Middle-Aged People Sitting in Boxes. Hopefully, those titles give a sense of our work. You will never know what to expect when you come to a Buntport production.

It has always been a part of our mission to be affordable — we are dedicated to keeping theater accessible. Not only are our ticket prices low for the market, but we also offer pay-what-you-can nights to ensure everyone can enjoy a night out.

We believe that the same group of artists working together for nearly two decades is very unusual — heightened by the fact that we always develop our own work.

Do you think there are structural or other barriers impeding the emergence of more female leaders?
We forged our own path and, while that has its own challenges, it has helped us avoid many of the traditional barriers that exist. We are all paid the same amount as one another, our voices are heard, we aren’t pigeon-holed in any roles. Our industry suffers from the same issues as most when it comes to its treatment of women. However, our personal experiences have been mostly outside of that dynamic.

Pricing:

• Shows are between $5 and $25
• There is some free programming, and you can name your own price on certain nights

Contact Info:

• Address: 717 Lipan Street
  Denver, CO 80204
• Website: www.buntport.com
• Phone: 720-946-1388
• Email: stuff@buntport.com
• Instagram: buntporttheater717
• Facebook: Buntport Theater
• Twitter: @buntport

Image Credit:
Portrait- From the hip photo. Show Photos- Buntport Theater

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