‘Elevate Immersive’ is Denver’s New Theater Company

Creating Unforgettable Interactive Experiences-

Meet the Owner, Anneliese Farmer-Smith

Hi Anneliese!  Can you us how you became the Owner of “Elevate Immersive” in Denver?

Hi there! My name is Anneliese and I am the owner of Elevate Immersive! I have a degree in directing and performance from University of Northern Colorado, and have been working in the performing arts for over 15 years. I have recently been focusing on immersive theater and spent multiple years working for an out of country company traveling around the US and Canada opening immersive cocktail experiences.

While I learned a lot from this company and created some mind blowing events, I wanted to focus more on Denver, and creating a safe and healthy work environment that supports local artists.  So, January 2023 I created Elevate Immersive! We specialize in creating “elevated events”, whether that be a fully decked out space, or a custom made murder mystery party for a corporate event, to producing staged readings and immersive theater productions.

What are some upcoming Shows / Events you have currently running or coming up?

We are currently running “Naughty or Nice; a choose your own immersive Christmas experience!” at our homebase, and rotating pop-up residency with Zeppelin Station till December 23rd.  Then we will be switching gears and focusing on our spring events.

We are going to be doing a longform event theme this spring, lasting from February to May, versus the month-long pop-ups we’ve been doing for Halloween and Christmas time. This basically entails still having a beautiful decked out space, but having multiple events within that space. These events can vary from our classic immersive mystery experiences, to themed Balls to watch parties, to drag bunches! I’ll give one hint for the spring theme and that is in “Enchanted Forest”.

Be sure to follow Elevate Immersive on Instagram for official information and ticketing info! 

What are some shows you have done in the past that you loved? 

One of my absolute favorite productions I have been a part of to this day was in high school actually.  Denver School of The Arts Theatre department puts on something called “Too Much Light”, which is a self produced, self written, acted, and improvised variety show. Think Saturday night live, but with a much smaller budget. The order in which the sketches are performed are up to the audience and audience participation is encouraged for quite a few of the sketches. It’s initially what made me want to specialize in immersive theater, as I am interested in and love the challenge of creating theater and art in unexpected and unconventional spaces.

One of the best productions that I’ve seen in Denver was created by Oddknock Productions and called “From on High”.  It was an immersive theater and dance piece exploring the turmoil and every day life of corporate America. Their venue was a warehouse in RiNo, you would never expect that space to be a performance space, as it was so industrial and hard, but what a delight entering into a warehouse to find this perfect piece of art!   I think that smaller theater companies are moving away from the traditional theater settings like a stage or auditorium, because they are expensive to maintain, and it doesn’t get guests involved! Especially in Denver, we are seeing a big boom in immersive art, and that is so exciting for the city! 

Are you from Colorado? What neighborhood did you choose to call home and why?

I am from Colorado! I grew up in Golden, and absolutely loved it there.  However, my husband and I decided to put down roots in the Mar Lee/Harvey Park area.  I went to high school in Denver and my husband is from Littleton, so we both felt that being closer to the city, and closer to family was important. I had good friends growing up who lived in the Harvey Park area and it certainly holds a special place in my heart with lots of fond memories.

What challenges have you experienced along your journey?  

Starting any new business is scary. Starting a new business without a business degree or any prior knowledge to creating a business is extra scary. I think for me, the biggest challenge was believing that I could do it. I also have an amazing support system and group of artists that I partner with to bring in these events to life. I work closely with Prop Dungeon, they are the coproducers on our Zeppelin Station events and also the geniuses behind all of our set design (please check them out, they are amazing.)  I also have an amazing business partner, who helps me keep my head on straight when it comes to tough business decisions and taxes (as a reminder, I have a theater degree).  

How would you describe the Personality or “Vibe” of Denver? 

Denver is an up-and-coming bustling metropolis! We have a lot of cool, creative people here who maybe didn’t want the craziness of a Coast town but still wanted to make their mark. Denver has a lot of amazing things to do, see and so close to beautiful nature!

What is the Website to follow for “Elevate Immersive” ?

You can find more information on our current list of events by following us on Instagram @elevate_immersive, keep up-to-date with the amazing art and installations Prop Dungeon is working on by following them at @prop_dungeon and of course, by visiting our website at

https://www.elevateimmersivecolorado.com

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