“I feel like we didn’t necessarily pivot, as much as we adapted,” says Staza Stone, Director of Strategic Initiatives. “We haven’t changed what we create…we have just adapted it to the times to be as safe as possible.”
In 2020, Rainbow Militia was able to produce two whimsical shows within the state’s mandated guidelines.
“Gnome Away from Home” ran from July 30th - August 23rd. Audiences had to help gnome Fibblesticks Dabbledoo find a new home, as his was set to be demolished - and ode to their performance space.
“We were given for the summer a bungalow that was set to be demolished,” says Blais, “so we were able to actually put holes in the walls to the outside, so we made sure that every area had ventilation.”
They also put up plastic barriers between the audience and performers, followed mask mandates, recorded temperatures, and even practiced separately to reduce the amount of time spent together.
Their second performance, “Death’s Unraveling,” ran from October 15 to November 1 and followed similar protocol.
Rainbow Militia is already at work on its next project, and partnering with fellow immersive arts company, Prismajic. EXDO Event Center in Denver’s RiNo neighborhood has donated their space for the production. “It is inspired by Greek mythology,” Blais says of the upcoming show, “and there will be Greek gods, and circus, and aerial, and it’s going to be big like Zabiti…and we’re going to do it with all of the tools we used in the last few shows to keep audiences as safe as possible.”
The group is hoping to debut the show in February.
“Despite how challenging and difficult it’s been, 2020 has really shown that people need the arts, and value the arts, and art can bring the community together,” says Stone.
Rainbow Militia is currently fundraising for their upcoming show, "Celestial Chaos." You can donate and learn more at www.celestial-chaos.com.
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