Sopris Theatre Company receives national recognition

Bat's unscripted appearance did not keep local actor from winning top award

By Mike McKibbin
Colorado Mountain College contributor

Not even an unscripted flying rodent could get the only actor in a one-woman play out of character.

Sopris Theatre Company actor Bostyn Elswick’s interaction with a bat received the People’s Choice Award for Favorite Moment at the American Association of Community Theatre's AACTFest 2025, held June 25-28 in Des Moines, Iowa. The Colorado Mountain College-based community theater company performed "Natural Shocks," a play that has won them earlier awards as well.

Flying prop

Elswick said the play was in a historic theater, and when the bat started flying around, she knew it had to be acknowledged. Fortunately, the bat kept its distance.

Brad Moore, producing artistic director of Sopris Theatre Company at CMC, said, "She did a good job of acknowledging it while she stayed in character."

Beside the favorite moment award, Elswick won Outstanding Achievement in a Leading Role and the company was nominated for a production award.

‘Tour-de-force’

"Natural Shocks” is described on playwright Lauren Gunderson's website as a "powerful, shocking, funny, solo play," and "a 60-minute, one-woman tour-de-force...".

The Women's Project Theater has called the play, "A darkly hilarious solo tour-de-force where (Angela) is forced into her basement when she finds herself in the path of a tornado. Trapped there, she spills over into confession, regret, long-held secrets and giddy new love. But as the storm approaches, she becomes less and less sure where safety lies — and how best to defy the danger that awaits."

"Natural Shocks" also deals with domestic abuse and gun violence and was written for mature audiences.

‘Powerful storytelling’

The AACTFest typically selects 12 top plays from community theater companies throughout the country to be performed over the four-day festival.

"My goal is always to be remembered and present ourselves well," Moore said.

Judging by comments Moore received this year, the goal was reached.

"The executive director of the AACT had wet eyes and said, 'Thank you for bringing us such powerful storytelling'," Moore recalled. "Those kinds of responses mean more than anything."

He described others as using words like "breathless."

‘Great hobby’

Elswick, 25, lives in Glenwood Springs but is not a CMC student. She performed in plays in her high school years and now performs at the Glenwood Vaudeville Revue and around the Roaring Fork Valley.

"It's a great hobby," she said. "I love performing when I can."

Elswick auditioned for the role of Angela in front of Moore a few years ago.

"The best part (about the character) is she's so well written and she feels like a real person," she said. "And I like that kind of down-to-earth acting."

The company performed "Natural Shocks" around the state last year. Besides the New Space Theatre at CMC’s Spring Valley campus outside Glenwood Springs, the company performed the play at the Wheeler Opera House in Aspen and the Ute Theater in Rifle. Sopris Theatre also performed the play at the Colorado Theatre Festival, where Elswick received the Outstanding Actor in a Lead Role award, Moore received Outstanding Achievement in Sound Design.

The company won the “Techtinabulation” award, among the most coveted. It honors a community theater's teamwork, communication prowess and technical abilities. The production qualified for this year's AACTFest by being named a runner-up at the Colorado festival.

Moore and Elswick both noted tentative plans call for a "victory" performance of "Natural Shocks" soon at the Spring Valley campus.