WEB ARTICLE 2026:
March 26, 2026
Colorado Actor’s Rare Theatrical Journey from Denver to the World
Well-known Colorado actor Eddie Schumacher is doing things that rarely occur in the local Denver theatre scene, extending performances beyond typical runs, earning national and international acclaim, and reshaping expectations for how regional theatre can evolve, travel, and endure.
By Mike Broemmel
Well known Colorado actor Eddie Schumacher is doing things that rarely occur in the local Denver theatre scene. Some of these accomplishments stem from his portrayal of American author Truman Capote in the leading role in the play entitled The Wind Is Us: The Death that Killed Capote. In that regard, Schumacher is heading towards completing his fourth-year portraying Truman Capote. Typical Denver theatre fare is staged for a run of three to four weeks and then the curtain drops for good. “My Truman journey began in the summer of 2022. This year marks my 4th anniversary in the role. So, a traditional anniversary gift would be some lovely flowers,” Schumacher explained, with a wry smile.
Schumacher further distinguishes himself in playing Capote because The Wind Is Us has been performed on stages throughout Colorado, across the country, and now in Europe. Indeed, Schumacher has performed Capote Off-Broadway at the United Solo Theatre Festival at Theatre Row, the largest theatre festival of its kind in the world. While that alone is a singular achievement, Schumacher outpaced the best of the best in the realm of stage performers, taking home the seminal Best Actor Award.
Schumacher enhances his accomplishments as an actor when The Wind Is Us opens to audiences in Belfast, Northern Ireland in March of this year. “Truman takes Belfast! Bringing a slice of American pop culture to Belfast and giving Truman an International presence.” Schumacher remarked in reflecting on staging the play abroad.
Eddie Schumacher as Truman Capote
Rooted in Queer History and Globally Elevated, Eddie Schumacher’s Truman Capote Enters a Defining New Chapter
The Wind Is Us doesn’t wrap when Schumacher’s plane lifts off from the tarmac in Belfast. In fact, the production boomerangs back to Denver. Preproduction efforts are underway to bring The Wind Is Usto hallowed stage of the Historic Elitch Theatre in the latter part of spring or early summer. Throughout the late-19th and most of the 20th century, the biggest names in entertainment performed on the boards of the Elitch Theatre.
In June during Pride Month, a new LGBTQ+ focused theatre festival launches in the currently developing Lavender Hill Theatre District. “I will play Truman forever if I can, as long are there are people who still remember him,” Schumacher said.
When asked about Truman Capote’s relevance to the LGBTQ+ community today, Schumacher was quick to respond. “Truman could be the life of any party. People loved he was always ‘on,’” Schumacher explained. “His days dancing at Studio 54 and parties in Palm Springs were the epicenter of Gay lifestyle in the 1970s.” He went on to make note that the LGBTQ+ community, allies, and the world more broadly can still learn a great deal about Capote’s unfettered, passionate presence.
Eddie Schumacher as Truman Capote
A Career Defined by Craft, Collaboration, and Character
Schumacher’s work as an actor in the past year has not been confined to his portrayal of Truman Capote. In the fall of 2025, Schumacher was part of the cast of a new musical created by Denverite Scott Merchant. “I recently played Father Harmful in Icabod the Musical,” Schumacher said. “Scott Merchant wrote and directed the play, and I was discovered by him while camping. There is more to come as we’ll be taking the show around Denver in 2026.”
Writer-director Scott Merchant addressed casting Schumacher in his production. “When I was writing Icabod, I found myself requiring the skills and talents of a great comedian to play our villain, Father Harmful,” he explained. “Eddie stepped into the role. As Father Harmful, Eddie has a masterclass on villainous comedy.”
Merchant went on to add that every person who came into contact with Schumacher “considers him kind and gracious. “Eddie has an authenticity that reminds us that we are, all of us, in this boat together paddling away,” Merchant remarked.
Currently, Schumacher’s comedic timing is on full display in a television advertisement for Ent Credit Union. “I was a mover assisting Bo Nix by carrying an armoire on my back and greeting him in his kitchen,” Schumacher said. “I love being on a set and this one was a great experience.”
The tragic death of Hollywood legend Rob Reiner and his wife Michele brought into sharp focus one of Schumacher’s earliest forays into film. Schumacher was Billy Crystal’s photo double in the beloved film When Harry Met Sally. A photo double is a performer who substitutes for a principal actor when that actor’s face itself is not required to be seen.
When Timing Meets Destiny: A Role 30 Years in the Making
On some level, Schumacher as Capote has been a role in the works for three decades. Schumacher explained that in the 1990s, a director he worked with in Chicago was asked by another performer why there have been so few portrayals of Capote on stage and screen. The director responded that if anyone could play Capote in a masterful manner, “it was this kid, Eddie Schumacher.” Schumacher went on to explain that when he saw the audition notice for The Wind Is Us in 2022, “I thought it was time.”
Jennifer Dempsey, the theatrical producer who is coordinating the Northern Ireland run of the Capote play, noted that “when the opportunity final arrived, it was less a sudden casting than the convergence of preparation and instinct.” She went on to add that “The Wind Is Us did not introduce Schumacher to Capote. Rather, it allowed him, at last, to step fully into a role that had been waiting for him for thirty years.”
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About the author
Writing and journalism has been at the heart of Mike’s life after graduating from college with a degree in political science and journalism and beginning his career in the White House Office of Media Relations and Planning (and then in the Office of the First Lady). A primary focus of his work has been in the realm of political analysis and commentary. Mike is also a playwright with several productions addressing issues of equality, diversity, and inclusion that have been produced internationally.
