Immerse Yourself in Theater & A Wild Party
“You’re invited to leave your inhibitions (and Prohibitions) behind for a decadent 360° party in the Roaring Twenties. Indulge your inner flapper as you mingle with an unruly mix of vaudevillians, playboys, divas, and ingénues in a Manhattan apartment lost in time.” From the creators of last year’s immersive, experiential theater performance that we also covered, “Sweet & Lucky” the DCPA’s new Off-Center show “The Wild Party” is a similar experience but different. Confused? That’s good – the creators and two-time True West Award-winning Director Amanda Berg Wilson, want the audience to be surprised, it makes for a more exciting experience. Read on if you would like to know a little bit more of what to expect.
The audience begins the experience all together in a main room and is free to mingle about, have a seat, and buy drinks. Then the show begins with a fun musical act and the performers weave through the audience dancing, singing, and chatting with the crowd. They playfully ask groups of us to follow them into another room until the entire audience has been transported to the other side. Unlike “Sweet & Lucky” where the different groups of audience members are separated and experience different scenes in different rooms, all of the audience members of “The Wild Party” end up in one room together to watch one big show play out all around them.
The First Act is one big party, full of fun, flappers, booze and tunes, accompanied by a seven-piece band! You really feel like you’re at the party with the scenery (and almost everyone in attendance dressed up), the music, and the actors interact with the audience, teaching us to dance for example. We saw people of all ages around us, from 21 to 70’s, dressed up and having a fun night out. “Our goal with each audience member is that they are going to experience a kind of release that you only have when you have had a really wild night," Director Wilson said.
Debauchery turns disastrous in the Second Act as the party’s guest’s gin sets in. The plot thickens dramatically as the actors’ songs and actions reveal their feelings bubbling under the surface and themes such as race, gender, and religion are brought to the forefront. Accompanying this we hear adult language, see uncomfortable situations, nudity and violence. The mood gets real serious towards the end and almost makes us loose our buzz too, even after we all just had a complimentary shot of gin. The show’s tagline is, “When the night is over…No matter what happens…Blame it on the gin.” We came away with many different interpretations of the true moral of the story and left wishing the best parts of the party weren’t over.
The Wild Party is a musical by Michael John LaChiusa and a book by him and George C. Wolfe. The story is based on the 1928 Joseph Moncure March narrative poem of the same name. The show features all local actors, and runs most nights October 11 - 31, 2017 at The Hangar at Stanley Marketplace. Tickets for Sat, Oct 28 and Tue, Oct 31 include a post-show party with a costume contest, music, and dancing!
Immerse yourself in a sinful good time; hurry tickets are almost sold out.
https://www.wildpartydenver.com/get-tickets/
By Tiffany Candelaria
Party Weekend Roundup | Cinco de Mayo & KY Derby
CENTRO MEXICAN KITCHEN | Cinco de Mayo
What - Cinco de Mayo Pig Roast: Slow-roasted in the caja china, the pork will be doled out in tacos and served alongside borracho beans and fresh grilled street corn. There will also be $5 Suerte Coins and other drink specials!
Where - 950 Pearl Street, Boulder, CO When - Friday, May 5, 11 a.m. - 11:00 p.m.
LOLA COASTAL MEXICAN | Picnic of the Pig
What - Annual Celebration of All Things Swine on Cinco de Mayo! Lola’s own Jamey Fader and Sharif Villa Cruz will collaborate with five of Denver’s most talented chefs on an a la carte menu that celebrates all things swine. Gross-A$$ Man Band will perform live from 3:00 - 5:00 p.m. and Sixty Minute Men will perform live from 9:00 - 11:00 p.m.
Where - 1575 Boulder Street, Denver, CO When - Friday, May 5th, doors open at 2:00 p.m.
Illegal Pete’s | Cinco de Mayo
What - All day for happy hour pricing on margaritas and pacificos. May special offering “P.S. I Love You”, a Pacifico and a shot of Sauza Tequila for $5.
When - Friday, May 5th, open - 2am. Where – All locations
ViewHouse Ballpark | Cinco de Mayo
What - All Day Food & Drink Specials and Features with DJ & dancing all night.
When - Friday, May 5th, open - 2am. Where – Downtown Ballpark location.
The Lobby | Annual Derby Party
What – Free entry, lawn games in the Courtyard, killer food and drink specials and lots of chances to win cool stuff!
When – Saturday May 6th, 9am – 5pm. Where - 2191 Arapahoe St.
ViewHouse Eatery | Kentucky Derby Party
What - It’s that time of the year to bust out those BIG hats, summer dresses & seersucker suits. Moses Jones Band will kick things off in the courtyard at 1:00pm. Live Derby Broadcast on the 200” outdoor LED TV & dozens of flat screens at 4:00pm with drink specials and contests all afternoon.
Where - 2015 Market St. Denver CO 80205 When – Saturday 6th, 1pm – 2am.
The Real Dill | 5th Anniversary Party
What – Cocktail, cider & beer bars, food trucks, live music from The Raritans and 105% of proceeds will benefit The GrowHaus, a nonprofit indoor farm, marketplace, and educational center in Denver.
Where - The Real Dill 33 S Fox St Denver, CO 80223 When – Friday 5th from 5-10pm
The Big Wonderful | Kick-Off Weekend
What - Kicking off over Derby Weekend on May 5-7th, The Big Wonderful has a new location in Globeville and lots of exciting features for the summer. The Big Wonderful 2017 Derby Weekend has a slew of live bluegrass, including headliners Jeff Austin (Formerly of Yonder Mountain String Band) & Friends, The Drew Emmitt Band, Andy Thorn & Friends, Rob Drabkin, and DeadPhish Orchestra. Saturday 6th, from 3-6pm is BEERFEST featuring over 20 craft breweries and distilleries pouring a handful of their finest flavors into commemorative BEERFEST sampling glasses. Each participating brewery and distillery will offer unlimited tastings of select brews, ciders and spirits, while Pickin' on Beatles (DeadPhish Orchestra) provides the live soundtrack.
Labor Day Weekend | Music in the Mountains
Still deciding on Labor Day Weekend plans? Want to do something epic and unforgettable that doesn't require too much planning or budgeting. . . How about a long weekend in awe-inspiring Aspen/Snowmass watching performances by The Killers, Stevie Wonder, Duran Duran and Thievery Corporation?!
This year’s JAS Labor Day Experience lineup is one of the most diverse in JAS’ 25-year history (probably why this music festival hasn’t been on many of our radars yet). Jazz Aspen Snowmass (JAS) is a not-for-profit organization whose purpose is to present and preserve jazz and related forms of music through world-class events, performances, and education programs. Their Labor Day Experience is an open air, dance oriented festival of popular, R&B, rock, funk, blues, and soul music, in Snowmass Town Park with the (epic) Elk Mountain Range as the backdrop.
The festival kicks off Friday Sept. 2 with Train and Andy Grammer, Saturday evening you’ll see The Killers, Thievery Corporation and Black Pistol Fire, to name a few. These first two nights’ end with an “After Dark Silent Disco Party” for an added $25 featuring a dance party with dueling DJs until 11:30pm. On Sunday, Sept. 4th, iconic singer, songwriter, musician and producer, Stevie Wonder will grace the crowds with his headlining performance. Stevie is one of the most celebrated figures in popular music, with 49 Top Forty singles, 32 #1 singles and worldwide sales over 100 million. He has won 25 Grammy Awards, the prestigious Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award, a Golden Globe and an Academy Award. What makes this music festival even more enticing, this will be the only Colorado appearance this year for many of the artists.
Given the collection of talent, spanning multiple genres and eras, along with a spectacular setting and array of food, drinks, VIP options, and vendors, JAS Experience ensures everybody has an exceptional Labor Day weekend. Keeping the crowds content is crucial during day-long festivals, and even though JAS Experience's days aren't as long as some of the big name music festivals, there will be a good lineup of food and booze options. These include Bangkok Happy Bowl, Cowgirl Lemonade, Francesca's, Havana Cabana, Hickory House Ribs and Windy City Eats, to name a few. There are also beer, water and cocktail stations throughout.
Tickets to the JAS Labor Day Experience are still available, individual or 3-day passes, as well as JAS Deck tickets. Deck tickets include complimentary beer, wine, water, afternoon grille fare, private restrooms and an elevated viewing platform. This year’s festival will offer an added opportunity to meet, drink and take photos with Broncos players past and present during the “Broncos Experience at JAS” Saturday Sept. 3rd for an additional cost. If you are looking for a low-cost way to experience the festival, you can still sign up to become a volunteer via their website.
To purchase tickets visit www.jazzaspensnowmass.org or call 866-JAS-TIXX (527-8499). Tickets are also available at the Belly Up Box Office in Aspen.
