Dangerous Theatre Brings Vaccinated-Only Pervy Laughs to Denver

Dangerous Theatre director Christine Winnie Wenglewick knows that many in her kink-and-comedy-loving audience are still not comfortable with being indoors with un-vaccinated people. So for the company's next production, Comedy Shows Denver, Wenglewick is launching a series of performances for vaccinated people only.

During the show's run — it opens Friday, May 21, and continues Fridays through the end of June — Wenglewick will host two shows per night: the 7:30 p.m. show will be mask-free and require proof of vaccination; the 10 p.m. performance will require masks and will be open to all. Both sets will be capped at 24 attendees.

Wenglewick explains: "So many theater-goers say, 'I'm not going to be really comfortable in the theater until more people are vaccinated.' And so I said, 'Let's do a...proof-of-vaccination show.'"

Are people grateful? Will there be blowback? Is this even legal?

"At this point, I have no fucks left to give," Wenglewick says. During COVID-19, in-person audiences for Dangerous performances have averaged around seven people, with the stage so far from the tiny crowd that there's little joy in performing. Little joy, and less money: Wenglewick has been on the brink of closure for months, and still owes $11,000 in rent to her landlord. But despite being in the hole, she's confident that the company will survive.

To raise additional funds, Wenglewick and the Sanctuary are planning to host a kinky vendor fair and bake sale on June 5, when supporters can buy handcrafted floggers, leather goods, paddles and more, as well as cookies, breads and other tasty treats. Details will be announced at the Sanctuary website.

Comedy Shows Denver, written and performed by Wenglewick and Brainard Starling, is named after the highest-ranked search terms on Google that draw people to Dangerous Theatre.

"The description was basically very tongue-in-cheek about people googling for comedy," Wenglewick says. "I did put a show together that starts off with standup. And then we're going to go into some improv bits. And then we've got some sketch stuff that we're doing. ... It's all kind of weird."

If the idea of vaccinated crowds and masks sounds too sterile to be fun, the content of Comedy Shows Denver is sure to be anything but.

“If you want to," says Wenglewick, "come see some weird nudity and mayonnaise."

Comedy Shows Denver opens Friday, May 21, and runs on Fridays through the end of June at Dangerous Theatre, 2620 West Second Avenue, #1. For more information and tickets (18+), go to the Dangerous Theatre website or call 720-989-3283.