Serial Killer Speakeasy puts the focus on the victims — and the drinks

“Come in with an open mind,” says Draven, the creative force behind a new immersive cocktail theater experience with a chill-inducing theme that’s headed to downtown Phoenix this week. The Serial Killer Speakeasy will lead audience members through stories based on the lives of four of America’s most infamous serial killers — Ed Gein, Jeffrey Dahmer, John Wayne Gacy and Ted Bundy — with interactive live performances and themed cocktails.

“Be prepared to hear stories you know from perspectives you don’t,” he adds.

There’s a fine line between edgy entertainment and glorification of violence, which Draven acknowledges was an initial concern. The team carefully navigates the gap by intentionally shifting focus away from the killers themselves in the experience. “The killers themselves are secondary,” he says. 

For example, Gacy’s story is told through the lens of law enforcement.

“The character is a cop who was a rookie on the force when Gacy was arrested who investigated him,” Draven explains. “The story is of the cop dealing with serious feelings of loss, regret and guilt that he wasn’t able to catch Gacy faster.”

Bundy’s story is told as a monologue through the perspective of the bartender who served him at one of the clubs where he sought out his victims.

“First and foremost, she is upset at people romanticizing a monster because looks don’t excuse behavior,” says Draven. She then goes on to share Bundy’s story in a “did you hear about…” style while giving the spotlight to the story of Carol DaRonch, whose testimony and identification helped the prosecution during multiple Bundy trials. “Carol is who deserves the attention, not the serial killer,” Draven says.

The Serial Killer Speakeasy runs approximately 90 minutes and includes the audience as part of the storytelling.

“From the top of the show to the bottom of the show, from the time you walk in the door to the time you walk out of the door, all characters, all actors are in character 100%,” Draven says. “You have the police officer holding down authority inside the building, keeping the killers in check. You have Ed Gein and Jeffrey Dahmer running around. Gein is threatening to wear various women as different articles of clothing, creepily remarking to them about how they look good as a pair of gloves.”

There are also some surprise guests. “Because Augusta Gein was a major driving force behind Ed being who he was, ‘Mama’ comes out and serves guests, and it is very much Ed in a mama skin suit, so it’s kind of disturbing,” Draven adds.

To keep nerves at ease, while also fulfilling the speakeasy element of the experience, each act is paired with a drink designed to mirror the killer it’s based on.

Gein’s Cauldron Punch is a riff on an old fashioned with an evil apple cider twist: a dried apple peel garnish that resembles an ear.

“It pairs with Gein’s story because he would boil down the bodies and whatnot in his cauldron to prepare them for his ‘arts and crafts,’” Draven says.

Gacy’s Killer Clown leans into nostalgic childhood flavors like grape and strawberry with vanilla and regular vodka, and is topped with a maraschino cherry. 

Dahmer’s Apartment 213 is a classic vodka with cranberry juice, with a ghoulish addition: a topping of coconut flakes to resemble bone flakes.

Then there’s Bundy’s Charming Stranger, a deceptively sweet cookie butter and vanilla vodka cocktail topped with ground espresso and cocoa powder. “It’s sweet, appealing, it will probably be your favorite drink,” Draven says. “But it’s also the most dangerous as it’s the most alcoholic.”

Serial Killer Speakeasy. Multiple showtimes Thursday, June 11, through Sunday, June 14. Phoenix Center for the Arts, 1202 N. Third St. Tickets are $55. For details, visit serialkillerspeakeasy.com