An immersive rave opera is happening this summer in Toronto
Published May 27, 2024 at 9:42 am
A combination dance party, theatre show and immersive rave opera is happening soon in Toronto. Yes, you read that right…immersive rave opera.
If you’re ready to dance your pants off this summer while experiencing some seriously genre-bending immersive theatre art, you’re going to want to check out R.A.V.E., a collaborative effort from Outside the March and DJ Me Time.
R.A.V.E. will take place on a dancefloor in a cleared-out cubicle farm at Downsview Airport Lands as part of Luminato Festival. The show bills itself as “an immersive mashup like no other” that’s “parody meets autobiography; Black Panther meets Severance; Oprah meets Daft Punk,” noting that there’s “no rave experience required.”
The performance is staged as the launch of R.A.V.E. (Real Audio Visual Experience) technology, with DJ Me Time playing The Founder, an Elizabeth-Holmes-style character. You can dance throughout the show that combines DJ Me Time’s sets with storytelling and four dancer-performers.
While the experience is participatory and interactive with the audience invited to dance the whole time, you can participate at your own pace, physical ability and comfort level without ever being put on the spot or in the spotlight. Dancefloor seating is provided and those using mobility devices or who can’t stand for long periods are welcome.
“The experience is woven together with an evocative dance music soundtrack, blending original compositions with historically relevant samples from Black pioneers, building on my work as a DJ, vibe selecta and beat archivist,” says Me Time in a press release.
“Drawing from seven years of creating dance music events that provide safer spaces for marginalized communities and promote underrepresented artists, R.A.V.E. emphasizes that shared values enable transformative communal experiences.”
“Audience habits have changed since the pandemic, and with people’s household budgets stretched, the bar to convince anyone to attend a live event is higher than ever,” says Outside the March creative producer Griffin McInnes in a press release.
“At OtM we believe that the future of live performance is in leaning into our artform’s strengths of liveness and immediacy. We often call our performances ‘experiences.’ That’s not just branding. We really believe that performance is at its most thrilling when it is epic, intimate and deeply-felt. Me Time absolutely shares that instinct.”
Previews of the show take place on June 9 and 12, with regular performances running from June 13 to 16. All shows start at 8 p.m., and tickets start at $20 for “solidarity” tickets for previews. Full price tickets are $100, and there’s also a pay-it-forward program where you can donate to the program and buy tickets for others, or request a ticket if you’re in financial need. Tickets are available online.