Photo from a previous ‘Remote’ experience by Craig Schwartz.

Don’t think of it as theatre. Think of it as a 2 1/2-mile live art experience and guided audio tour of the unobserved.

By John Moore
Senior Arts Journalist

The most exotic adventure yet from the Denver Center’s most adventurous line of programming will take fearless participants through the streets of Denver from May 22 through July 1. Off-Center is known for creating experiences that challenge conventions and expand on the traditional definition of theatre, and Remote Denver promises to be a walk on the wild side.

Remote Denver, Off-Center Curator Charlie Miller says, “is an unexpected ramble through parts of Denver you probably haven’t seen before.” It’s an encounter with artificial intelligence. It’s both an individual and group social experiment.

And here’s something you won’t hear very often: It’s not for everyone. Participants will walk for more than two hours. They will cover approximately 2 ½ miles on foot. The won’t finish where they start. There’s no sitting. Which means, Miller says, some theatregoers may want to sit this one out.

Here’s the concept: You and a group of 50 don headphones and set off on a guided audio tour of hidden Denver that seems to follow you as much as you are following it. A computer-generated voice guides your movements in real time as you explore gathering spaces, back alleyways, unexpected passageways and public areas through a new lens.

But you’re not just walkers — you’re the actors and spectators, the observers and the observed. You will make your own individual decisions and yet remain always part of the group. Along the way, your headphones will provide a soundtrack to the streets, sights, and rooftops of the Mile High City. “The sound in your headphones will totally alter your view of reality,” Miller said. “Walking through the streets of Denver with this computer voice talking to you is a completely unique way of seeing the city.”

Don’t even think of it as theatre, Miller suggests. Think of it as a live art experience.

Remote Denver comes from the creative Berlin braintrust known as Rimini Protokoll, the umbrella label for a group of multimedia artists including Jörg Karrenbauer and Stefan Kaegim, who have developed a tailored experience for Denver. Remote X, as the parent show is called, has now been developed in more than 20 different countries.

Full guidelines: denvercenter.org/remote

Remote Denver: Ticket and show information

• Presented by Off-Center
• May 22-July 1
• Starts at Lincoln Park on the corner of 13th Avenue and Mariposa Street
• Call 303-893-4100 or BUY ONLINE

Photo from a previous ‘Remote’ experience by Craig Schwartz.