Inaugural ROCHELLE DENTON AWARDS Will Honor Indie Theater Leaders at Judson Memorial Church
The event, free and open to the public, celebrates the legacy of Rochelle Denton, co-founder of the New York Theater Experience.
The family of Rochelle Denton has established the Rochelle Denton AWARDS to honor individuals and organizations that have provided longtime leadership and artistic contributions to New York City’s indie theater community.
The inaugural awards will be presented September 15 at 7 p.m. at Judson Memorial Church (55 Washington Square South). The event is free and open to the public with RSVP required, and will also stream live via Zoom. More information and RSVP details are available at dentonfamilytheaterfund.com.
Rochelle Denton was the guiding force behind NYTE (New York Theater Experience), the nonprofit organization she co-founded with her son Martin in 1999. For two decades, NYTE championed indie theater through publishing more than a dozen play anthologies, producing over 400 episodes of the pioneering nytheatrecast podcast, and reviewing countless productions on nytheatre.com. Denton passed away in April 2025 at the age of 89.
The inaugural recipients of the Rochelle Denton Awards are John Clancy, Michael Criscuolo, Tim Cusack, David Fuller, Elena K. Holy, and Judith Jarosz. In addition to the awards presentation, the evening will feature a memorial tribute to Denton, an excerpt from Chris Harcum’s 2017 play Martin Denton, Martin Denton, and archival video by Frank Kuzler filmed for his FringeNYC documentary.
About the Honorees
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John Clancy is an Obie-winning director, co-founder of the New York International Fringe Festival, and first executive director of the League of Independent Theater.
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Michael Criscuolo was a longtime critic for nytheatre.com and co-host of nytheatrecast. His career spans more than three decades as an actor and director Off-Broadway and in the San Francisco Bay Area.
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Tim Cusack co-founded Theatre Askew and developed its LGBTQ+ youth program, TAYPE. He is also co-editor of Puppet and Spirit: Ritual, Religion, and Performing Objects.
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David Fuller is Co-Producing Artistic Director of Theater 2020 and a veteran producer, director, actor, critic, and educator with decades of experience in New York and beyond.
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Elena K. Holy co-created the New York International Fringe Festival and has held leadership roles at Roundabout Theatre Company, Richard Frankel Productions, and 4A Arts.
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Judith Jarosz is Co-Producing Artistic Director of Theater 2020 and a multi-hyphenate artist who has performed on Broadway, regionally, and internationally.
The Rochelle Denton Awards continue NYTE’s mission of giving indie theater artists the validation, visibility, and encouragement they need to thrive. Denton’s son Martin, who co-founded NYTE and edited sixteen anthologies of new plays, leads the initiative and will oversee the ongoing advocacy work of the awards.
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