COMING SOON: Josie’s Diner
Grab a slice of life at Josie’s Diner starting at the Denver Fringe this June
Opening up at the Denver Fringe this year is Josie’s Diner, an immersive production which invites guests into a retro cafe for a walk down memory lane.
Get to know characters spanning from Gen Z to Baby Boomers, each with their own relationship to queerness and nostalgia. Enjoy a cinnamon roll and a fresh cup of coffee as you immerse yourself in this LGBTQ+ slice-of-life production.
The show kicks off with a pop-up performance at the Butcher Block Cafe (38th Street) as part of the Denver Fringe Festival (June 8), and then sets out for a three-weekend run at The People’s Building in Aurora (June 15–30). Tickets are pay-what-you-can starting at $10.
We checked in with Kevin Douglas & Gracie Jacobson, co-founders of Two Cent Lion about the new show.
This is No Proscenium’s COMING SOON, a look at ongoing immersive experiences & events. To learn more about how your event could be considered for the feature check out How To Get Covered By NoPro.
NO PROSCENIUM: Tell us a little bit about your experience! What’s it about? What makes it immersive?
Kevin Douglas & Gracie Jacobson: Josie’s Diner is a slice-of-live immersive show that puts the audience in a retro American diner. Fresh cinnamon rolls, toast, coffee (or tea) are served by the characters, who know “the regulars” on a first-name basis.
In this imagined queer safe space, you will feel right at home as servers and “the regulars” ask you about yourself. Easter eggs of this fictional diner’s history are displayed around the cafe, alongside artwork and historical signifiers from LGBTQIA+ rights movements of the past (and present).
Along with being immersive, we wanted the story to be collaborative and ever evolving. Some of these discoveries will happen in rehearsals, and some will be elements of improvisation that changes every night depending on the audience. This is where the fun of the audience interaction comes into play, with everything from taking orders, to starting up conversations. The audience members will very much be taking part in the action happening around them.
NP: What was the inspiration for your upcoming experience?
KD& GJ: The classic retro diner instantly conjures a warm nostalgia for the audience. The recent closure of landmarks such as Tom’s Diner on Colfax had us reflecting on how perspectives and values compare from generation-to-generation. We thought it would be unique to put Gen Z queer characters in the same room as queer Gen Xers and Baby Boomers.
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At the same time, found family is a common theme in our stories — as it is for many queer-identifying people. A local diner represents community and found family in a way that speaks to the power of connection and togetherness, in a time where it can be easy to feel isolated. The Golden Apple in Chicago is a real-life example of a community-oriented diner that many consider a “second home,” and it provided direct inspiration for the setting.
NP: What do you think fans of immersive will find most interesting about this latest experience?
KD& GJ: Rather than immersing you in a fictional world, Josie’s Diner is “slice-of-life” that captures the energy of diners such as the Golden Apple. Neon lights and oldies on the radio make for a unique, nostalgic atmosphere that makes the diner feel both like a time machine… but at the same time, it feels somewhat timeless. We hope being dropped into this world will make connecting with the characters meaningful and honest, creating a strong emotional bond within the short runtime. As their individual stories unfold, we hope you’ll be invested in their stories the same way you invest in a friend going through a tough time.
NP: Once you started designing and testing what did you discover about this experience that was unexpected?
KD& GJ: During the process of rehearsals, Gracie was first struck by how rare it is to see this diversity of age ranges working together on something creative like this. She has very much enjoyed the opportunities for the cast and director to learn from one another and our vastly different life experiences. She believes most of the surprises will come once we get an audience to interact with, she can’t wait to see what the actors come up with and how they will roll with this improvisational element of the production.
NP: What can fans who are coming to this, or thinking about coming to this, do to get into the mood of the experience?
KD& GJ: You can check out our Spotify playlist, which spans from classic oldies to modern-day rock in the spirit of our characters and their respective stories
You can meet our characters on the official website for Josie’s Diner.
Our design team created a mood board.
Here’s some materials from Gracie that she’s been using for research, historical background, and inspiration as a director:
Paris Is Burning : 1991 Movie
All About Love: Book by Bell Hooks published in 2000
A Queer History of the United States: Book by Michael Bronski published in 2011
Sister Outsider: Collection of essays and speeches by Audre Lorde published 1984
These movies all have iconic scenes set in diners. These could get you in the mood 🙂
Back to the Future (1985)
When Harry Met Sally (1989)
Baby Driver (2017)
After Hours (1985)
Pulp Fiction (1984)
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