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 in Globeville 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immersive theater movement can be traced back to a specific time and place — 2016, in a RiNo warehouse that has since been replaced by the Mission Ballroom.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.
Read the full story on Denverite.
This story was updated at 3 p.m. on Aug. 12 to reflect the correct location of Denver's previous "Immersive Van Gogh" installation.
