The Speaking Heads frontman is pushing the boundaries of theater in a brand new immersive expertise.
DENVER — Earlier than the interview began, David Byrne needed to roll down his proper pant leg after biking to the warehouse the place his newest creation will play out in North Denver.
“What are we doing in Denver? Oh man simply driving round on my bike, having some nice meals, actually form of freshly brewed beer,” joked the Grammy and Tony award-winning artist.
Byrne is biking round Denver as a result of he co-created a present known as Theater of the Thoughts, a Denver Middle for the Performing Arts manufacturing that premieres on Aug. 31.
“Earlier than this little COVID factor got here and we have been form of set to go,” mentioned Byrne. “After which we hit the pause button.”
The present is lastly occurring on the York Road Yards in a former marijuana develop home. Rehearsals began Tuesday.
The director, Andrew Scoville, has been part of creating a number of immersive theater experiences in New York Metropolis. He mentioned this expertise will wow viewers members with “scientific phenomena.”
> Watch the total interview with Byrne and Scoville beneath:
“I feel a factor that’s going to actually observe for lots of those viewers members is the best way that these completely different perceptual phenomena really make up our notion of the world,” mentioned Andrew Scoville. “After which the expertise will ask the query, is that dependable? How malleable is that? And what does that imply for us as folks?”
Byrne, who just lately starred in and created the Broadway musical, American Utopia, mentioned he could not have guessed his profession would take him right here again in his Speaking Heads days.
> Expertise Designer, Heidi Boisvert and Producer and Manufacturing Supervisor, Melissa Cashion, focus on the challenges of an immersive present like this outdoors of a standard theater setting beneath:
“I couldn’t have imagined a present like this again then,” he mentioned. “It couldn’t have entered my head.”
After all, the 70-year-old does not should preserve creating. However he can not help himself.
“There’s this place in Florida, Mar-a-Lago that I heard is gonna be accessible, I might simply retire there,” joked Byrne. “No, there’s so many issues which can be simply fascinating, fascinating, thrilling working with different folks collaborating, issues I’d like to strive, and also you simply go I’ve the chance that I might really do that a present like this.”
Theater of the Thoughts runs from August 31-December 18. It takes place on the York Road Yards at 3887 Steele Road, Denver, CO 80205.
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