Century Madness

Denver isn't likely to be confused with the City That Never Sleeps; rather, our mile-high municipality seems to enjoy a good night's rest, as evidenced by the dearth of late-night entertainment. Shawn Ford and Jason Cooke, co-partners in Vertigo Productions, hope to change that with a new series of live events geared toward the 21-and-over set. Their next production, Cirque De Siecle, is a Halloween festival that will haunt the Denver Civic Theatre this Saturday. The party begins at 10:30. Closing time? 6 a.m.

According to Cooke -- who describes the event as a "nocturnal entertainment production," rather than a rave -- the festivities are well worth sacrificing some REM sleep. Cirque De Siecle ("Circus of the Century" en français) features a dizzying lineup of entertainment: Included are fire-breathers and dancers from the KosmiKaos company, freestyle BMX riders from the Mile High Extreme Team, visual art exhibits, a costume contest for cash prizes (sponsored by Red Bull, "the drink that gives you wings," says Cooke), and five DJs -- Tsar, Bnyce, Bombay, Ma'Sheen and Bill E. Divine -- spinning in different rooms. It all takes place inside the two-story DCT building, which just so happens to have a frightful theme already in place (the theater is currently in production of Dracula) and will be equipped with enough pulsating lights to show up on NASA radar.

"We decided to call it a circus, because that's really what it will be," says Cooke. "To us, combining DJ music with a strong performance element just fit together."

And how can the twosome be sure that sleepy D-Town is ready for such a gathering?

"Denver really closes down early," says Cooke. "But it's also an up-and-coming city with people who would like to have a party scene that lasts all night long. That's what we hope to provide. We just want to make the scene better."

Good night.