Denver’s Wonderbound starts a new season with a dazzling performance. The contemporary ballet company presents Winterland: A Discotheque Cabaret, a theatrical revue that will immerse its audience in a wintry celebration.
Wonderbound’s artistic director, Garret Ammon, created an intimate show that promises nostalgic fun while following guidelines for COVID-19. “It’s a great opportunity for people to get a bit of live art into their world in this period when we are all starved for it,” said Ammon.
Winterland will now opens its doors on January 21 with multiple performances throughout the month. As a revue, it offers a variety of unique performances, sketches and dance all centered around a winter theme. Additionally, Wonderbound will transform its new studios to capture the cabaret atmosphere— intimate, bold and risqué.
The premise of the show describes a winter party that will transport audiences to a sensual world of times gone by. Seated in a cabaret-style, round tables facing a stage, the audience will experience a series of vignette performances to the sound of music from the ’20s, ’30s and ’40s. The show’s playlist includes big names like Eartha Kitt, Muddy Waters and Judy Garland.
Even though the show’s atmosphere is fun and uplifting, Ammon wanted to include songs from times that parallel the country’s current pandemic and social concerns. “There is this kind of underlying tension between having fun but recognizing the challenges of just making it through, day to day, which is really interesting.”
Above all, Winterland looks to be tongue-in-cheek and sexy, directed towards the adults. “We feel like there are a lot of programs around the holidays that are very family-focused,” Ammon said. “Sometimes it feels like people need a date night with their significant other, to get out and do something a little different. That is the approach with this show”.
Ammon also wanted the show’s theme to focus more on winter than the jolly holidays, scrapping overused Christmas songs. “One thing we didn’t do was lean directly into the holidays specifically but more winter in general. It definitely has a holiday feel to it without directly being a Christmas show.”
While Winterland promises to be intimate, Wonderbound will firmly follow the guidelines related to COVID-19. As mandated, the audience capacity is limited to 25 patrons. Additionally, all volunteers, staff and audience members must wear masks at all times. Audience members must also stay within their party and keep a social distance of six feet from others.
Winterland: A Discotheque Cabaret will run from January 21 to February 7 at Wonderbound Studios located at 3824 Dahlia Street, Denver. Tickets are priced at $60 dollars and include a snack or appetizer and beverages. Multiple performances have already sold out so if you are interested, book your tickets quickly at Wonderbound’s official website.