'90s Classic Cruel Intentions Gets a Musical Spin-Off in Aurora

As Shifted Lens Theatre Company rehearsed its first public production, a raucous, infectious energy spilled out of the People's Building in Aurora. Before entering the space, the sound of a four-piece band practicing ’90s pop classics such as “Genie in a Bottle” and “Kiss Me” filled the air, setting the stage for what was to come: Cruel Intentions: The '90s Musical.

The immersive theater company's debut, which runs at the People's Building through September 1, is a full-throttle dive into the sultry, scandalous world of ’90s decadence. 

"Cruel Intentions is a ridiculously hilarious black comedy aimed at artists and people with day jobs in their thirties and forties who enjoy performance," says director Lexie Lazear. “There's not that much community theater for us — a lot of community theater is for people who have more disposable income. People say, ‘You can't put on theater for forty-year-olds; they don't buy tickets!’ Ask any forty-year-old, and they will tell you that we do not buy tickets because you do not produce shows for us. We want to see exciting shows; we don’t need to see Oklahoma! again."

Forget the wholesome tunes of “Oh, What a Beautiful Morning” or “Pick-a-Little, Talk-a-Little.” Cruel Intentions packs a punch with a soundtrack that includes hits from Christina Aguilera, the Backstreet Boys, Ace of Base and Britney Spears. It’s bold, it’s brash, and it’s not going to hold your hand.

Lazear, who founded Shifted Lens earlier this year, knew that Cruel Intentions was the perfect way to introduce the company to Colorado. “I picked Cruel Intentions because, as a brand-new community theater, I knew we needed to do something with some sort of name recognition,” she explains. “However, I wanted to show people with our first show what we're going to do here. You might recognize them, but you won’t recognize them. Once you get inside, it’s going to be very different than the original piece.”

Based on the 1999 cult film Cruel Intentions, which itself was an adaptation of the 1782 French novel Les Liaisons Dangereuses, this musical is a twisted tale of manipulation, seduction and betrayal set against the backdrop of upper-class Manhattan. The story follows step-siblings Sebastian and Kathryn as they make a dangerous wager: Can Sebastian seduce the new headmaster’s daughter, Annette, and strip her of her prized virginity?

At the same time, Kathryn seeks revenge on the innocent Cecile, who unwittingly destroyed Kathryn's previous relationship. What begins as a game quickly spirals out of control as love, the one emotion Sebastian never anticipated, complicates everything. "Playing Sebastian has been fun because he is just the worst," says actor Jack Icke. "It is so interesting to explore a horrible character and try to bring him to life in a way that does not corrupt you as a human."

Sabrina Patten, who portrays Kathryn Merteuil, relishes the opportunity to dive into her character's unapologetically ruthless persona. “Kathryn is definitely the worst, no matter what Jack tells you," Patten says. "She is the worst alive, but there's something so empowering about playing this character that’s so confident and sexy. She doesn't care that she's a bitch, which is a lot of fun to play.”

Helen Campbell, who plays the naive Cecile Caldwell, describes her character as “chaos in a little five-foot-four body.” For Campbell, Cecile’s unpredictable nature offers a wild ride of a performance. “It’s been super fun because I get to play around with the idea of a character that's got some undiagnosed ADHD and a wild sex drive, which makes for a lot of fun,” she says. "Cecile is a roller coaster of emotions."

Erica Caruso, who takes on the role of Annette Hargrove, appreciates the depth of her character. "I love this show because I think Annette gets put into the box of being an ingénue, but throughout the show, you get to see that she's very smart and confident," explains Caruso, who is also the theater company's development director. "She knows herself and her values, and that's what makes her interesting. When she butts heads against two people who are truly damaged, she is able to still see the good in Sebastian, and it's really beautiful.”

Shifted Lens Theatre Company was created to disrupt the conventional theater scene with fresh, daring and immersive productions. Lazear was motivated by a desire to fill a void she noticed in the local theater community after relocating to Colorado from California two years ago.

"When I moved out here, I realized that there's so much talent, but it didn't feel to me like enough opportunity for all of that talent to get on stage and get work," Lazear says. "I come from the Bay Area, which is just so oversaturated with theaters, so there wasn't room for me to start anything out there. But when I got out here, I realized pretty quickly that there was room for more community theater that does weird stuff for the weird kids and puts on art for the artists."

Central to Shifted Lens's philosophy is the idea of immersion. Lazear and her team strive to make their productions more than just performances; they want them to be experiences. “Standard proscenium theater can feel far away and untouchable,” says Lazear. “We’re interested in breaking down those barriers and making the audience feel like they’re part of the world we’re creating. Whether it’s through interactive elements, unconventional staging or simply bringing the action closer to the audience, we want people to leave our shows feeling like they were involved, not just spectators.”

In Cruel Intentions, this immersive approach includes such elements as actors moving through the audience and opportunities for the audience to interact with set pieces. The goal is to make viewers feel like they are a part of the seductive, treacherous world of the show, rather than mere observers. For the cast and crew, Cruel Intentions isn’t just a show; it’s a statement about what Shifted Lens stands for and what it aspires to become.

“Shifted Lens is just a beautiful brand-new company here in Denver with a very welcoming heart,” says Suzanne Connors Nepi, who plays Bunny Caldwell, a character she describes as “an incredibly horrific, racist bitch, Karen.”

Despite the challenges of portraying such a vile character, Nepi is excited for audiences to experience the company’s work: “I’m really excited for the community of Denver to get a load of both Lexie and the entire theater company, because it’s fabulous.”

Cruel Intentions: The '90s Musical, through Sunday, September 1, The People's Building, 9995 East Colfax Avenue, Aurora. Learn more at shiftedlenstheatre.com.