Alice laughed: “There’s no use trying,” she said; “one can’t believe impossible things.”

“I daresay you haven’t had much practice,” said the Queen. “When I was younger, I always did it for half an hour a day.

“Why, sometimes I’ve believed as many as six impossible things before breakfast.”

— Through The Looking-Glass and What Alice Found There by Lewis Carroll

My friends and I met in Denver on June 1 for Alex’s high school graduation party that turned into a wonderful, whimsical Alice In Wonderland journey.

The funny thing? We had never met Alex.

Because Alex (they/them) is the protagonist of Impossible Things, The Catamounts’ latest production.

Drink me.

Eat me.

We’re all mad here.

Co-created in collaboration with Lonnie Hanzon Studios and the Museum of Outdoor Arts, this immersive theater experience starts with a graduation party on the patio of the beautiful museum grounds, complete with fizzy refreshments, a guest book, gifts, twinkling lights, and guests in brightly-colored garb who are both audience members and actors in the play.

Everything you experience immerses you in the production, starting with Barb’s confirmation email (subject line: “Alex’s Graduation Party is TONIGHT” listing all the details you need to enjoy Alex’s graduation party — where to park, what to wear (“Roaming Garden Party Chic” with sensible shoes), what to bring (bug repellent), time frame (two hours,) etc.

We enjoyed chatting with Alex (Mel Schaffer), who is nonbinary, and their charming parents (Betty Hart and Mark Collins). I complimented the Chanel-style hot pink and orange ensemble worn by A Touch of Barb! event planner (Maggie Tisdale), whose business cards (aTouchofBarb.com) reveal a website that leads to the playbill.

The Catamounts describe the production this way:

Be our guest as we celebrate Alex’s graduation, and toast their next chapter! Which everyone feels clear about – except Alex.

Impossible Things is an immersive journey through the looking glass where you will explore the space between childhood and adulthood, and remember how to believe in impossible things.

Featuring and taking place in Lonnie Hanzon’s new permanent installation at the Museum of Outdoor Arts, the Cabinet of Curiosities and Impossibilities!

After a speech by Alex’s parents and a bit of family drama regarding Alex’s future, we were split into small groups to follow the graduate’s journey around Marjorie Park.

It’s encouraging to see The Catamounts’ commitment to diversity and multicultural casting. Cast, crew, and creative team showcase the talents of white, Black, Asian American, queer, and nonbinary individuals, who in turn reflect the multitude of identities in the greater Denver region and Colorado.

The only opportunity for improvement I’d suggest is for the actors to use microphones, to allow those who are hard of hearing to fully participate.

I won’t reveal any spoilers, other than to say many of the stations we visited incorporated the Alice In Wonderland sculptures along the park’s perimeter.

We spent a fun and heart-warming evening pondering impossible things and the beginning of journeys as the sun set over the Rocky Mountains.

The cast and crew include creators Jessica Austgen (writer), Amanda Berg Wilson (director), and Lonnie Hanzon (creative director).

Impossible Things runs through June 16. Buy tickets today!

Need more reasons? Read Denver Center for the Performing Arts’ (DCPA) summary of the incredible team that envisioned this production. Excerpt:

When asked why people should come to Impossible Things, [Amanda] Berg Wilson enthused: “People should come to Impossible Things because they will get an intimate experience of a beautiful and relatively unknown corner of Denver amidst a theatrical journey written by one of Denver’s most beloved local playwrights. They should come because it is a comedy, and there’s not a lot of immersive theatre that is as funny as it is experiential! They should come because it features the work of a cadre of artists who are exploring the uniqueness of immersive theatre for our adventurous population.”

– Denver Center for the Performing Arts

Read more about Impossible Things in WestWord.

Read a review by No Proscenium that is – WARNING – full of spoilers. Don’t read until after you’ve attended.

Optional Reading. WARNING: SPOILERS. I can’t help myself. I must reveal three spoilers:

1. The Queen of Hearts’ tea party was a delight. I volunteered to read Her Majesty’s proclamations.
2. Mr Grimm’s Interactive Puppet Experience was a hoot, complete with puppet show souvenir brochure “Wolves: A Guide: Wolves can be anywhere, and you must always be prepared to be attacked and eaten at any time. Here are some tips and tricks to avoid becoming wolf chow.”
3. Lonnie Hazon’s Cabinet of Curiosities and Impossibilities capped a magical experience. It features memorabilia from fairy tales, including a book lover’s version of the the rabbit hole, Little Red Riding Hood’s velvet cape, and Tom Thumb’s piano.

Kat Valdez wishes Alex well on their journey to adulthood, and plans to return to the Museum of Outdoor Arts to further explore the Cabinet of Curiosities and Impossibilities. In the meantime, she continues to enjoy writing at the intersection of pop culture and racial equity.

TheDefiantCurtsy.com: Pop culture through an equity and inclusion lens

How do I love thee, The Catamounts? Let me count the ways:

I love thee for guiding me through intriguing worlds full of tenderness, inspiration, and hope

I love thee for feeding my soul (as well as my belly during FEED events)

I love thee for your whimsical mementos – a ribbon, a cat’s cradle string, a rose petal – I take home as a tangible reminder to continue exploring and dreaming