Ann Sabbah, Executive Director
Ann Sabbah is an artist, project manager, arts supporter and third-generation Denverite. After experiencing the Edinburgh Fringe in 2017 she was determined to start a Denver Fringe Festival to add to the expanding arts scene in Denver.
“I’ve been under the spell of the creative arts my entire life. The arts have the power to uplift, inspire and transform, to make people feel, think, look at things differently, heal, and connect. Live performance offers shared experiences that bond communities together. It provokes conversation and builds resilience. I believe in providing opportunities for more artists and creating live performance that can be experienced by as many people as possible.”
Basil Sabbah, Ticketing and Technology
Basil has extensive experience building new things and implementing technology.
Kalen Acquisto, Founding Board Member and Media Team Director
Kalen is an entrepreneurial community builder and a natural connector with a deep passion for the arts and sustainable economic growth. Born and raised in Denver, Kalen lived in New Zealand for a few years and was deeply involved in the Fringe festival there. She's excited to grow the Fringe in her hometown after seeing the impact it had on her New Zealand community. The founder of Kalen Jesse Photography, she loves empowering artists and entrepreneurs through photography/photographing the arts!
Lisa Prater, Operations Director
Lisa Prater is a professional production and stage manager and a lover of all things performing arts. She is the Broadway Operations Manager at the Denver Center for the Performing Arts, where she works with national touring productions. Lisa has been with the Denver Fringe Festival since 2022 and is thrilled to help bring a new batch of stories to life.
Johnny Bartlett, Technical Director
Johnny Bartlett is local Denver technical director, technician, improvisor, and all around factotum in the world of theatre. From audio, to lighting, to show control and automation, he puts his grubby little fingers in every aspect of theatre he can. He believes in pushing the boundaries of technical theatre to their limits to create work that is truly immersive and groundbreaking, to shed light on the wonders we can do with modern technology. He's excited to be a part of Denver Fringe for the second year and help bring the ideas of so many people to life!
Ella Mann, Lead Venue Manager
Ella Mann is a Denver-based artist and non-profit manager. Originally from Tennessee, Ella graduated from NYU's Tisch School of the Arts with a BFA in Theatre and English. She currently works as a Box Office Manager at the Denver Center for the Performing Arts and spends her free time creating and supporting local art. This is Ella's 4th year with the Denver Fringe Festival and it certainly won't be her last!
Esther Varney, Fringe Hub + Volunteer Coordinator
Esther is a Colorado native and avid supporter of the arts in all forms. She volunteers at several Denver arts organizations and attends as many live performances as possible. She firmly believes that stages are magical places where anything can happen and she’s always happiest in an audience along for the ride.
Ben Nicholson, Programming
Ben is a musician, performer, and arts professor based in Boulder. He loves the optimism of independent art and helping bring people together to share, witness, and collaborate in its making.
Olivia Buntaine, Community Engagement
Olivia Buntaine (she/her) is a writer, director, and intimacy director based in Denver with a Masters in Performing Arts Entrepreneurship. Her work focuses mostly on the intersections of queerness, girlhood, mythology, and burning it all down! She has worked in New York, Los Angeles, and Chicago, and is so happy to be getting to know the Denver art world. As a life-long educator and organizer, she believes in art because she believes in community. She is so happy you're on the Denver Fringe's website! For more information on Olivia head to www.oliviabuntaine.com
Leo Fernandez, Website & Technical Support
Leo is a Computer Science graduate and he works on developing and maintaining the websites.