So why does Denver need another small theatre to produce original works? In all honesty, this is a SELFISH ENDEAVOUR to fulfill one person’s passion to produce theatre. Allow me to introduce Winnie Wenglewick (yes that is her real name!)  Email Winnie

 Most stage theatres are born out of a group of talented performers who form a company and then want their own stage to perform on.  Not the case here.  While you will find Winnie on stage from time to time – her passion is as an audience member.

 In 1991 Winnie started as a volunteer at SAK Theatre Comedy Lab, an Improv based theatre in the heart of downtown Orlando, FL.( www.SAK.com ). She quickly progressed from volunteer, to Volunteer Coordinator to House Manager and Newsletter Editor. In 1992 two SAK Theater founders, Terry Olson and Andy Anthony, started the Orlando International Fringe Theatre Festival. ( www.orlandofringe.org ). Once again Winnie was called upon to help out.  She started the first year as a volunteer and over the next ten years she sat in a tiny booth selling advance tickets, trained volunteers, became an artist liaison and worked with a team to develop cash office policies and procedures. She then managed the cash office of this very busy theatre festival for many years.

 It was through her association with Fringe that she gained her appreciation, no LOVE, for small intimate theatre. It led to Winnie opening her own small theatre in 1998. Performance Space Orlando (PSO as it came to be known) was little more than a 970 SF room with 14 FT ceilings and Home Depot flood lights screwed into the wood beams connected to cheap dimmer switches. There were 50 chairs and no permanent stage, just a few platforms that could be moved and used as a stage or as seating risers. It was primarily a cheap space anyone with a need for a place to perform could use. PSO was home to a misfit group of performers that resulted in full length plays, improv comedy shows, all night poetry slams, performance art, music performances and art installations. Over the next few years, absolute magic happened in that small little space. Unfortunately, after spending the entire summer of 2000 without air conditioning, and unable to work out a resolution with the landlords, Winnie closed PSO in September of 2000.

 Winnie ended up visiting relatives in Denver over the holidays and took a liking to the Mile High City and the theatre community it has. She ended up moving out here in June 2001 with the original intent of producing a Fringe Festival in Denver. She hit the ground running and started to get to work on a Denver Fringe for 2002. Unfortunately, because of 9/11 and the shift in the economy, the project stalled and never got off the ground. No worries though, Boulder now has a Fringe Festival in August. (www.boulderfringe.org )

 Over the next few years Winnie produced a number of theatrical productions. Her Sick, Twisted & Wrong Comedy troupe has performed locally and at corporate events. She has produced a few Extreme Playwright Adventures as well as couple full length productions. In doing so she came to the conclusion that renting out other theatre spaces just plain sucked. She wanted her own space to work out of to call her own.  Now she has it.

 Why “Dangerous Theatre”?  One could say that with the state of funding of the arts it is downright dangerous to try to make a living in theatre. Winnie prefers to think that what she does in her theatre is a little riskier than most theatres. She likes original and non-mainstream productions. Many theatres rely on producing well known plays by well known playwrights. You can’t blame them. It is much more difficult to get an audience to a new work than it is to an established play. But every play has to be produced somewhere first. Winnie first saw Menopause: The Musical, which has had a very successful run (twice) at the Denver Civic Theatre, as a production at the Orlando Fringe Festival. She came up with the concept for the Extreme Playwright’s Adventure at PSO and is sure there is no one else attempting such a challenge for both the playwright and the actor. She calls it theatre without a net. Her years working in Fringe provide her a number of national and international performers who are willing to come to Denver for her. For example, Peter McGarry of Eyewitness Theater in England is coming out to Denver to help launch the theatre with two if his plays – KAMA SUTRA and A Time to go Walking.

Something Yummy to know about Denver’s Dangerous Theatre:
If there is one thing Winnie has learned over the years is that audience members will not enjoy the show if they are hungry, thirsty, hot or cold.  So the theatre boasts a very nice social area complete with comfy sofas to relax in prior to the show, a coat check room and heating and A/C that can actually run during the performance to keep the audience comfortable.  Also included in the social area is an appetizer buffet and fridge full of soda (and coffee as well). After all, you can’t concentrate on the performance if your tummy is rumbly and mouth is dry. While there is a donation basket out – there are no suggested donation prices and it is not required to make a donation. The idea is to create a social atmosphere that invites audience members to come early and relax before the show. There is also plenty of free parking in the lot directly outside the theatre.

Sunday Cabaret Performances:
Sunday Matinee performances will take it up another notch with limited cabaret style seating. Audience members will be able to choose from a small menu of yummy treats to be delivered to their tables and sip sparkling cider.  All included in the ticket price! We do not offer any alcohol at the theatre but anyone over 21 is welcome to bring their own if they so choose – we have wine glasses and cork screws available.