Denver is a hub for immersive experiences.
The city is home to permanent installations, like Meow Wolf Convergence Station and Casa Bonita. It was the world premiere destination for David Byrne’s “Theater of the Mind,” and it has hosted traveling exhibitions like Immersive Van Gogh at the Denver Art Museum and “DARKFIELD” in the RiNo Art District.
Long before “immersive” art was trendy, Denver also had artists like Lonnie Hanzon, the creator of “Camp Christmas,” and the late Dorothy and Mel Tanner, creators of Lumonics Light & Sound Gallery, who paved the way for experimental exhibitions.
But the city’s immersive theater movement can be traced back to a specific time and place — 2016, in a RiNo warehouse that has since been replaced by the Mission Ballroom.
Then and there, Colorado audiences were introduced to “Sweet & Lucky,” an interactive show created by Brooklyn-based Third Rail Projects. The show was an exploration of memory that gave every participant a front-row seat.
“It sold out 89 performances, and people still talk about it to this day,” said Charlie Miller, executive director and curator of the experimental “Off-Center” arm of the Denver Center for the Performing Arts.
Starting on Aug. 13, the beloved production will be resurrected with “Sweet & Lucky: Echo.”
“We’re not calling it a sequel or a prequel,” said Brittany Gutierrez, associate director of communications for the DCPA.
“It's so exciting to be able to restart this collaboration, revisit these stories, and at the same time be bringing a completely new work to life,” Miller said.
The reimagined show will be on stage Aug. 13 through Oct. 5 at the DCPA’s Off-Center theater in Broadway Park.
What is “Sweet & Lucky: Echo” about?
In short, that’s a question that can only be answered after you’ve seen the production.
“In talking about this show, we don't want to give away too much,” Miller said. “Part of what makes immersive theater special is the element of surprise and the ability to really give you something that you didn't expect.”
Zach Morris, of Third Rail Projects, is the creator and director of "Sweet & Lucky: Echo." He said the show is based on similar themes from the original “Sweet & Lucky”: love, loss, and remembrance.
“One of the things that I'm really excited about,” he said, “is a sort of different way of thinking about the way that the audience is engaging with the space itself. In this work, the world is built around you, and in some cases with you.”
What if I’m an introvert? Will an immersive show stress me out?
“I can speak to that,” Morris said. “Because, as an audience member going to immersive theater, I am that person. I'm like, ‘No, I want to hang back. I want to watch.’”
So, he said, “Sweet & Lucky: Echo” makes a point of presenting audience members with a variety of ways to engage.
“There are opportunities to become involved, if that makes sense for you and that's what you want to do,” Morris said. “But also the act of witnessing, the act of simply being in the room with the performers as they're navigating this story is crucial as well.”
Third Rail Productions, Morris said, “has become known for centering the audience and thinking about the way that our works, our invitations, are offerings — never demands.”
How does Off-Center afford these imaginative, new productions?
The Denver Center for the Performing Arts is a nonprofit theater. That means ticket sales only cover a portion of the costs of creating shows. And with innovative productions like “Sweet & Lucky: Echo,” the costs outweigh the sales.
“We have a strong fundraising arm for the organization, and there are individual contributions and grants that support us,” Miller explained.
A large portion of the DCPA’s supplementary funding comes from Denver’s Scientific and Cultural Facilities District.
“It's always a challenge to balance the budget and figure out how to invest in all that it takes to make a show,” Miller said.
But Off-Center, as the name suggests, doesn’t host any of its shows at the Denver Performing Arts Complex. As a result, venues and productions emerge in business ecosystems around the city.
“Folks are coming into these communities and engaging with small businesses, and that really has sort of a ripple effect,” Morris said.
“We measure the economic impact of our productions,” Miller added, “because for every ticket that someone buys to the show, they're likely going to go out for a drink or go out for a meal before. And so there is this ripple effect in the economic activity around a production.”
Shows like “Sweet & Lucky: Echo” depend on the DCPA and other supporting entities to help bring their work to life. But, in return, these innovative offerings bring new fans into the fold.
“Off-Center has been a huge source of new audiences for the DCPA over the past six years,” Miller said. “We've averaged 49 percent (new) audience members, which is higher than any other programming.”
Miller said Off-Center helps the DCPA “strategically broaden its audience, diversify its offerings, and we see some really tangible success.”
