BOUNCERS Creates Immersive Street Theater Outside The Modern

The two-story windows of The Modern Theatre on Washington Street are lit up, disco music is thumping out to the sidewalk, and tuxedo-clad bouncers are prowling and trolling passers by (including Wicked ticket holders).

The producers of Bouncers by John Godber have transformed the lobby of the Modern to take audiences into the disco an hour before the show starts. The doors open at 7, with a bar, for the 8 p.m. showtime, and the four-actor cast mingles with attendees pre-show, maintaining order (because that's what bouncers do), and occasionally dancing on a second-story perch overlooking the lobby and the buy street outside.

'It's been awesome seeing people walking by take videos, and audience members start dancing in the lobby' said Becca Scott, Events Manager for The Modern Theatre at Suffolk University.

'This is the first time since I've been here that we've done something truly immersive,' she said. 'As soon as audience members step on the street in front of the theatre, they've entered the world of the show. Bouncers is not just a show you sit and watch on a stage, it's a full experience.'

'The most fun is when the curious become audience members,' said Bill Doncaster, Director. 'We've had quite a few people walk by, wonder what it's all about, interact with a cast member and then buy a ticket and come in. That's always exciting. The cast never really drop their intimidating bouncer characters, except maybe to do a bit of dancing, it's just crazy fun.'

Bouncers by John Godber is produced by Visual City, LLC, and The Modern Theatre at Suffolk University. It runs Thursday, Friday, and Saturday Nights through October 24. The play has a storied history in the UK, named one of The National Theatre of London's 'Plays of the Century', and is a less familiar title in the U.S.

'Honestly, for any fringe company, getting the word out is a challenge,' said Doncaster. 'The Modern's an amazing space, but those great big windows seemed like an opportunity to reach out to people walking by. A lot of them are headed to Wicked, which is playing next door. I'd like to think we're adding a bit to their night at the theater as well. Or not. Sometimes the bouncers might just be messing with them.'

Event Details

BOUNCERS runs Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights through October 24 at The Modern Theatre at Suffolk University, 525 Washington Street, Boston.

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