Local theaters collaborate on 1920s-themed New Year’s Eve celebration event

Collaboration is nothing new in the theater world, but “Glitz, Glam and All That Jazz” takes things to another level, bringing four area theaters together for a 1920s-themed interactive event to celebrate New Year’s Eve.

The event, held Wednesday at the Montvale Event Center, is the work of Stage Left Theater, Spokane Children’s Theatre, Inland Classical Theatre and the Blue Door Theatre.

Stage Left Artistic Director Dahveed Bullis got the ball rolling on “Glitz, Glam and All That Jazz” after speaking with community partner Jerry Dicker. Bullis told Dicker that he would love to take Stage Left shows out of the theater. Dicker told Bullis he wanted to host a New Year’s Eve event but he didn’t have the entertainment, and the pair started brainstorming.

Shortly after, director and producer Juan Mas, who is producing “Glitz, Glam and All That Jazz,” reached out to Bullis and said he wanted to help with the event.

Bullis thought this would be a great event for other theaters to participate in, so he sent an email to the theater community at large. Tanya Morton, executive director of Spokane Children’s Theatre; Jeffrey St. George, executive director of Inland Classical Theatre; and Jim Mohr, president of the Blue Door Theatre board, wrote back saying, as Bullis recalls, “This sounds wild. How can we help?”

Bullis shared that he and Mas wanted to honor the history of the Montvale Event Center, which housed a speakeasy during Prohibition, and ideas started flowing right away.

“The first few meetings were definitely a lot of creative minds coming together with big dreams,” Morton said. “We all went way over the top, but it was fun. There was a lot of laughter and when you get a bunch of creative minds in one room, it’s amazing what could happen.”

The group decided on an event that brings a variety of entertainment styles to the Montvale. There will be games on the first floor, dancing on the second and jazz music and comedy on the third.

Everyone will start on the first floor, before the narrative splits into two storylines, written by playwrights Matthew Weaver and Sandra Hosking. One narrative involves rum runners, Hollywood producers and secret identities. The other deals with theft, infidelity and whodunit.

Though the major beats have been planned, “Glitz, Glam and All That Jazz” isn’t a straight play.

“(The actors have) been assigned characters, character background, character relationships that have been established,” St. George said. “We’ve had a couple of meetings where we’ve gotten together to discuss and make sure that we’re all on the same page about what kind of story we’re telling, and from there, it’s going to be a night of beautiful improvisation. We know the moments that we’re going to get to, and we’re going to find our way to that moment live.”

Though they hope the attendees interact with the actors and stay engrossed with the event until midnight, Bullis, Morton and St. George said attendees can simply enjoy the live entertainment for what it is; 1920s attire is encouraged either way.

Morton cautions though that those who choose not to talk with the performers might miss something important in the narrative. Latecomers too will miss a few moments here and there, but as the actors will be reintroducing themselves to guests throughout the night, everyone will be able to understand the storylines.

Whether they choose to be part of the story or not, by the end of the night, attendees will be guided to the third floor, where they will experience the final piece of the 1920s puzzle.

The event is recommended for ages 13 and older, with the team behind it hoping attendees, especially older teens and those younger than 21, would see it as a safe, fun way to celebrate New Year’s Eve.

“Glitz, Glam and All That Jazz” finds the four theaters working with 15 local actors, singer Madeline McNeill, pianist Jackie Sandberg, comedian Wilma and DJ Basdifiasco. The event is supported by 15 volunteers and community partners Dicker, the Steam Plant Restaurant and Brew Pub, the Montvale Event Center, and the Ruby Hotel and the Montvale Hotel, which are offering attendees a discount off a hotel stay after the event.

While theaters often lend their space to other companies, Bullis said “Glitz, Glam and All That Jazz” is special because the four theaters are taking things out of their own spaces and into that of a community partner. This signals to the community that there is unity within the theaters, he said, and that they can build something together.

St. George said it’s an ongoing desire in the theatrical community to collaborate but busy schedules often make that difficult. Something like this event, which runs for one night only, makes it easy to say yes to participating.

“Having the opportunity, having the time and the schedule, having a cool concept for a one-night-only event, all those are green lights,” he said. “It’s like ‘Yes, we can do this. We can have fun. We can work together.’ We have the opportunity to promote one another, which is all any of us ever want to do in community theater. We want to lift each other up and keep the community and the ecosystem strong.”