MONSTER PARTY Will Come to Rita House in Los Angeles
Guests will have an opportunity to engage with a host of colorful characters, piecing together a lurid and gruesome narrative.
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MONSTER PARTY will run April 16-25 at Rita House. MONSTER PARTY is an interactive play that puts guests in the center of a supernatural, sociopolitical melodrama. Set within the context of a bizarre, surreal cocktail party, the show sees attendees let loose inside the home of an enigmatic socialite known as The Baroness. Throughout the 2.5 hour experience, guests will have an opportunity to engage with a host of colorful characters, piecing together a lurid and gruesome narrative.
Interactivity, participation in party games, and, most importantly, gossip can all be utilized as storytelling mechanics; guests are encouraged to not only engage with the performers, but with each other to help piece the story together. While participation is encouraged, MONSTER PARTY is designed for newcomers and seasoned immersive theatre attendees alike, allowing everyone to engage with the narrative at their own pace. Guests can dive in and engage with the material directly, or simply enjoy a libation while watching a zany, absurdist narrative unfolds around them. Thematically, MONSTER PARTY is a fable about how the systems we exist in – Western Christianity, capitalism, patriarchy, warmongering, and various moral panics – turn us into monsters, terrorizing one another while those in power benefit.
The show is set in Washington D.C., against the backdrop of McCarthyism of the early 1950s – specifically the moral panic that would later be known as the ‘Lavender Scare,’ when queer government employees were outed and fired due to being perceived as ‘national security risks’ (read: due to institutional homophobia). The show is designed to both entertain and provoke, challenging audiences to confront their own monstrous tendencies.
Writer, director and producer, Matt Dorado: “MONSTER PARTY is very near and dear to my heart. I’ve been working on this fully realized version since the day after we wrapped the proof-of-concept back in October 2024. It’s been incredibly rewarding to develop, fundraise for, and ultimately get to produce a show that is so authentic to my deranged inner-creative. Unfortunately, the show’s themes have become strikingly more relevant since then, as we’re mired in a new era of violent political upheaval, unfounded moral panic, and deep division. So although it’s rooted in schlocky melodrama, I’m hopeful that MONSTER PARTY will challenge audiences – perhaps in new and unexpected ways – while also allowing them an evening of gonzo entertainment. I’m genuinely thrilled to unleash this lurid, campy immersive piece into the world!”
Monster Party Cast:
Dasha Kittredge as The Baroness
Sidney Franklin as Charlie
Benjamin Berg as Bernard
Bukola Ogunmola as Patricia
Emily Yetter as Loretta
Misha Reeves as Helena, The Butler
Darren Herczeg as Stanley, The Maid
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