Local Theater Company’s ‘Pop the Holidays’ is a hilarious, adults-only cabaret for those who are already tired of the holidays
For those already sick of the holidays or who just want an excuse to get hammered in public, Local Theater Company’s unconventional, boozy holiday cabaret delivers big laughs in an intimate space.
Following the success of their season opener, Raised on Ronstadt, Local Theater Company presents Pop the Holidays: Music with ‘Shells’ Hoffman. Crash into the season with this original cabaret written and directed by Local’s Co-Artistic Director Nick Chase, and hosted by NYC sensation Roslyn Hart as ‘Shells’ Hoffman, a JP Morgan-Chase VP turned wannabe cabaret star.
Chase and Hart have been artistic collaborators since the seventh grade and created the character of Shells while they were both working in NYC (read Alex Miller’s OnStage Colorado feature for more information about Chase and Hart’s real-life friendship and the show’s development). The story of Shells’ misadventures was presented in an episodic cabaret shows once a month at Joe’s Pub.
The pair created 27 “episodes” following the life of Shells while in the Big Apple, and their work was spotlighted in the New York Times. Now, Shells is back in Denver in this 85-minute ride that features her unique spin on a variety of music — and jaw-dropping look into her personal life. Audience members watch as Shells bears her soul, drinks her heart out and texts Scott, a handsome man she met on Tinder, live onstage.
Pop the Holidays is performed at The Savoy Denver, a swanky event venue in the Five Points area of North Denver. It is a fabulous space for this intimate production. Audience members are greeted by Local Theater representatives at the top of the stairs, who welcome patrons to the theatre, show you to the coat rack and invite you to order a drink from the bar before entering the theatre.
But don’t worry; if you’d rather wait for the show to start imbibing, there’s table service throughout the performance so you can keep up with Shells’ drinking. Although your liver may not appreciate your attempts to keep up her copious consumption, which Shells is totally OK with, she’s on board with the #soberlife and is just happy to have a whole bunch of new fans to support her onstage endeavors.
Roslyn Hart is a brassy and sassy performer who demands your attention. Her powerhouse comedic performance and raw charisma keep you invested throughout the show. Hart excels during the improvised, audience-work segments of the performance and delivers the scripted jokes with ease.
The direction by Chase is sharp. I was impressed by the production’s cohesion, especially given the show’s improvisational nature. All the focus was on Shells and how to heighten the cabaret’s comedy.
Hart tells one personal story about her sister late in the show that momentarily gets a little serious, but the majority of the evening is spent on sex-filled escapades, banter with the audience and singing light-hearted songs. Despite how much fun the performance was, I wished the script had included a little more emotional depth for the audience to connect in addition to the evening’s antics.
The Savoy Denver is transformed by production designer Cipriano Ortega into an inviting and festive setting for Shells’ performance. There’s a fireplace decorated with a stocking, menorah and stuffed skunk; fake trees line the back of the space; and the whole stage is wrapped in tinsel, bows and holly. Even Shells’ mic stand gets in on the holiday spirit and is wrapped with tinsel to look like a long, skinny candy cane.
Lighting design by Sean Mallary is unexpectedly elaborate. Though the space doesn’t feature a fancy light rig, Mallary’s experimentation with alternative lighting sources really elevated the production. He skillfully combines traditional holiday colors with a disco ball, a backdrop decorated with hanging lights and Christmas ornaments, and gloomy isolations for Shells’ emotional breakdowns.
If you’re hoping for a holiday sing-along, you might need to find a different show. Though Shells does begrudgingly perform a few seasonal standards, the songs are largely drawn from hits from the 1990s and early 2000s. Get ready for hits from artists like the Black-Eyed Peas and Eminem, with a few Yuletide classics sprinkled in.
And, since Shells is half Catholic and half Jewish, the seasonal songs include both Christmas and Hanukkah bangers for all denominations to enjoy. Her spirited performance of Mariah Carey’s “All I Want for Christmas Is You” and excellent rendition of the Dreidel rap were so well done that it almost made me wish she had spent the whole show putting her unique spin on holiday hits.
Shells celebrates Christmas and Hannukah | Photo: Michael Ensminger
Alec Steinhorn, the show’s music director and live accompanist (whom Shells treats as a human jukebox and doormat), is truly exceptional. Not only does he provide interesting arrangements of the songs Shells sings, but he hilariously improvises behind Shells’ musings. He weaves in musical motifs from classical music, film and TV soundtracks, and pop hits to create original atmospheric compositions that bring you into the emotion happening live.
The show’s resolution is fun and festive, but I wish the focus had moved on from the unseen Scott sooner (the texting scenarios and red flags we learn about him are so douchey that you are just waiting for her to ditch the dick) so we could have heard slightly more of Shells’ story.
For those looking for lighthearted holiday fare, Pop the Holidays hits the spot. Hart is a one-of-a-kind comedic performer we’re lucky to have here in Denver this month.
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