Larp House Presents: Club Felis

CLUB FELIS:
Everybody Wants to be a Cat

~~~ THIS EVENT HAS BEEN CANCELED ~~~

Cats of Rochester, come gather and play at your very own nightclub: Club Felis!

In this light-hearted interactive theatre event stray cats and posh house cats mingle. They flirt, play, drink milk, and enjoy their cat mint. In particular, they participate in or enjoy watching the Cat of the Year competition, which is held “every week.”  For one evening only, the Rochester Civic Theatre will host the hottest nightclub in southern Minnesota for all things cool cats and hot jazz: Club Felis!

This event is also a fundraiser for Camp Companion! You’ll get to play the role of a cat AND learn about real adoptable cats looking for homes! Learn more about Camp Companion here: https://www.campcompanion.org/

 

line art of a cat playing a trombone, and a cat playing a drum kit

We are a COVID Safe Event

COVID-19 Policy

Attendees need to be vaccinated for COVID-19 with your most recent vaccination after January 1, 2023. Bring proof of your vaccination status for inspection during check-in, which could be your card, a picture of it, or a document on your phone. You will be turned away at the door if you cannot provide proof of vaccination. 

Please reach out if you have any questions about this.

N95 respirators or better are required, and we will have a few to share. We also will provide surgical masks with cat faces for fun. We will be playing in a fairly crowded space, so masks will promote health and safety for everyone. Masks may be removed while performing on stage or in outside spaces. If you have any symptoms of COVID-19, stay home. If you are able to, please take a rapid test before arrival.

The 4 W’s

What

Club Felis is a Nordic style larp by Martin Brodén, Ada Fredelius and Anna-Karin Linder about cats living in the city and meeting in their very own nightclub.

It is also a fun evening of interactive theater, live pick-up jazz, karaoke, and cat ears!  Think the musical Cats + Improv theater and live-action role-playing. You are the audience, you are a performer, but above all… you are a CAT!

Where

Rochester Civic Theatre Lobby Stage,

30 Civic Center Drive; Rochester MN, 55904

Civic Center Parking Ramp or North Lot are closest and free on weekends

100 1st Ave SE or 317 E Center Street

Rochester, MN 55904

Travel to Rochester:  A passenger van will be available to transport people from Minneapolis. Musicians and event team travel free; for others please give $10 for gas. We will meet at a central location with parking and transit like the Mall of America and you can ask to be dropped home afterward if needed.

When

Saturday, June 15, 2024, from 6-10 PM

6:00 Doors Open

6:15 Pre-play workshops

7:00 – 9:00 Club Felis!

9:00 – 9:30 Debrief

10:00 Doors Close

Who

Presented by Larp House Role Play Collective and the Make a Scene Scenario Festival

Organized by Micah Amundsen (they/them), Peregrin Lorimer (they/them),  and Katherine Shane (she/her).

And hopefully attended by you!

Tickets

Get a ticket by filling out the Club Felis registration form. Once you have a ticket we will send you game information, but you don’t need to do anything else besides show up to play!

On the day of the event, we request a pay-what-you-want goodwill donation ($5-$20 suggested) to support low-cost immersive experiences in Minnesota and our wonderful host site, the Rochester Civic Theatre. No one will be turned away if they do not donate.

line art of a cat playing a bass guitar, and a cat playing a xylophone

 Accessibility

The building is ADA compliant. Our playspace has standing and seating areas, and space to do your cat dance. Access to the stage area for performers requires a low step. If you want to perform and this is a barrier for you, please let us know on your registration or reach out to the game runners.

Restroom access includes two full restrooms with stalls that will be gender-neutral for the event.

What Happens at Club Felis

At the most basic level, Club Felis is a big cat party. Everyone wears cat ears, and maybe a costume or fancy clothes if they like, and pretends to be a cat hanging out at a jazz club with other cats enjoying toy mice, catnip, milk drinks, and jazz.

Larp:  This event is a live action role play game, or larp. It is a very simple, beginner-friendly game where the goal is to pretend to be a cat and have fun with music. The rules are very minimal and come down to supporting each other in making up stories and not being a jerk.

Cat Character:  At the start of the evening you will create a cat character that you will bring to life throughout the evening through improvisation and role-play.

Cat Drama: Every cat will be either a House Cat or an Alley Cat.  There is a deep rivalry between the two groups, except when there isn’t. Cats may also be friends or rivals over anything they like, especially if the reason makes sense only to the cat. Every cat can choose to lean into the drama, ignore it, or subvert it.  You decide!

Performance: Any cat at Club Felis can perform in Cat of the Year (karaoke or a short talent act) or play pick-up jazz onstage. Read that section if this interests you.

Cat Judgement:  At the end of the evening, the Most Important Cats will choose who wins Cat of the Year. If you want to vote, all you need to do is get your paws on a Most Important Cat token.

Touch & Movement: You will be using your whole body to act out being an anthropomorphic cat. You might pounce on a mouse or get hypnotized by a laser toy. You may try rubbing against things, asking for pats, or even cuddling if everyone agrees. Be ready to use movement and touch in play to represent your cat, but also to ALWAYS respect the boundaries of others, to ask if you don’t know, and to respect and maintain your own boundaries. You can always decline if someone else initiates something you are not interested in.

Noise: The space may be loud and crowded and lighting effects will help create a nightclub atmosphere.

Children are welcome with appropriate adult supervision for their age and needs.

Improv Safety Tools

Club Felis is unscripted and improvisational, so sometimes the actions of another player may surprise you or you may want to try something others may not expect. Techniques for creating your character, Inviting others into a scene, asking permission before touching, opting out, stopping play, asking for space, or leaving the room quietly will be discussed and practiced before play begins.

Following play, we will debrief to discuss our experiences and shed the roles we assumed for the game. The debrief is encouraged, but not required.

line art of a cat playing a bass cello, and a cat playing a muted trumpet

Performing

. Cat of the Year 

During the course of the evening, some cat will be awarded Cat of the Year, something which happens every week at Cub Felis. Cat of the Year is a talent competition.  During the year many cats have won Cat of Year. (Mr. Mephestoffilies is sure to remind you that it has won the competition many times.) You can prepare in advance, or do something completely spontaneous. Karaoke, stand-up, improv, and talent (or talentless) acts lasting under 6 minutes are ideal. The winner is selected based on cat-like non-logic not talent, so just have fun with it!  On your registration, we will ask if you will want to perform.  This isn’t a commitment, it’s just to help us plan about how many acts to expect.

Acts with racist, homophobic, misogynist, transphobic, ableist, body shaming or other negative content are unwelcome. Anyone presenting this type of content will be asked to leave.

Scatcats 

The Scat Cats are the resident jazz band of Club Felis. It varies from night to night exactly which cats are playing in Scatcats. It also varies which instruments they play. The only thing you can be certain about is that Scat Cats will play some great hits during the night. If you want to play in or sing with the Scat Cats, indicate that on your registration and we will reach out to you.

Costuming

All players are asked to wear cat ears to help set the mood for everyone.  Some will be provided at the game, but we encourage you to bring your own.  If you want to wear a fancier costume, dress up, or wear something that makes you feel like a cat, go for it!

This a masked event for COVID safety and you can certainly decorate your N95 with a cat face. We will also be providing surgical masks with silly cat faces for added fun.

What this Larp is Aiming for: 

Yes: 

  • Finding joy in music and performance, yours and others
  • Participation in acting and music at all skill levels
  • Catlike sensuality without sexuality
  • Gender-free play
  • Playfulness
  • Respect
  • Catlike non-logic
  • An open mind for the other players’ initiatives.

No:

  • Sexism, racism, homophobia, transphobia, ablism, body shaming, or generally being a jerk
  • Harassment of any kind – No means no
  • Violence, including mock or stage fighting
  • To sit in a corner and look enigmatic the whole evening

line art of a cat playing a piano

Salon du Larp House: The Pitbull

REGISTER HERE

Join us on April 28, 2024

On the 13th and highest floor of the tallest building in the city a crew of dastardly individuals bask in their own glory. They drink, they laugh, they banter. Each one knows that they are the greatest to ever live. The people of this town are but mere pawns in their dastardly schemes, and as they’d be happy to tell you in monologue fashion, it would be impossible for something to ever change that. Bwahahahaha!

However, today is not a normal day for our group of despicable villains, for The Pitbull has come to town and they seem distressingly capable of the impossible…

What

The Pitbull is a larp about being a ridiculous Supervillain. Throughout the game, you will create an over-the-top character, gloat about how great you are, and come up with a cunning plan that cannot fail, only to watch it fail. Come play for the campy hijinks, stay for the schadenfreude!

Beginners Welcome! We wrote this game with new larpers in mind. If you can come up with a really dumb plan, let loose a cackle, or say “impossible” in three different intonations, you can play this larp!

Designed by Tom Fendt and Ben Francis

Organized by Ben Francis and Tom Fendt
Admin Support by Jon Cole, Olivia Montoya, Katherine Shane

This event is a playtest. The Pitbull isn’t totally finished, though it will be a complete play experience. We have playtested it before, but there might be some parts that still need more polish. If this game sounds interesting to you even though it is not in its final form, we will be very glad to have you join us!

When

Sunday April 28, 2024, from 12 pm to 5 pm

Colorful comic book covers spread overlap one another with bold titles like "In the Clutches of Mephisto" and "Casualty of War!"

Where

Private residence near Arlington Hills Library in St. Paul (address given after sign up)

Metro Transit routes 64 and 71 stop nearby. Street parking available.

Tickets

Get a ticket by filling out The Pitbull registration form. Once you have filled out our form you don’t need to do anything else besides show up to play!

On the day of the event we request a pay-what-you-want goodwill cash donation ($5–$20 suggested) to support low-cost immersive scenarios in Minnesota. No one will be turned away if they do not make a donation.

A masked villain stands facing away from the viewers, looking back over their shoulder. Flanked by 2 trains, they are holding 2 scifi guns and conceal their identity with a full coverage helmet.

Covid policy

Attendees need to be vaccinated for COVID-19 and boosted to the extent recommended by the CDC for their demographic group. Bring proof of your vaccination status for inspection during check in, which could be your card, a picture of it, or a document on your phone. Our policy means you will need to have had the 2023 covid vaccine at least two weeks before this event or we will turn you away at the door. Please reach out if you have any questions about our policy. N95 respirators or better are required, and we will have a few to share. We will be playing in a large and well-ventilated room and bring our own CR box to run. If you have any symptoms of COVID-19, stay home. If you are able to, take a rapid test before arrival.

Other Information

Safety Tools

Check-in, Brake, and Cut, will be reviewed and practiced prior to play.

Following play, we will debrief our experiences and shed the roles we assumed for the game. The debrief is encouraged, but not required.

Accessibility

Our venue is in the attic, you will need to go up stairs in order to play. Our playspace has plenty of seating. Gender-neutral restrooms on site.

Water will be available, and we recommend bringing a water bottle for your ease of access. No food will be provided.

Costuming

No costuming needed.  If you want to wear something that makes you feel like a campy supervillain, go right ahead. Some amount of costume items will be available, but no guarantees it will suit what you’re looking for.

Contact

Contact us with any questions or concerns!

Photo of a plastic action figure. The action figure is lit from the side, almost appearing human at first glance. The action figure is a white man wearing a billowing black leather duster and a domino mask.

Image credits

Cover image from Loading Ready Run (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CApIobs1oss). Inline images are used under Unsplash license and are by Erik Mclean, Emmanuel Denier, Kashish Kumar.

Larp House Presents: Blood Feud MegaGame

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Join us on March 23, 2024

The vampire sects of New York City are in upheaval. The very secret that allows them to hunt unseen amongst humans is threatened. For years the elder vampires have struggled to contain the rebellious young vampires’ uprising bubbling beneath the surface. Then, a few government agencies discovered the existence of vampires, beginning a Second Inquisition. As government agents swarm the streets seeking to root out the bloodsuckers, unlifetimes of animosity bubble over in the chaos. This is that night. Who will rise to power? Who will fall? Every soul has an ambition, and tonight is your chance to triumph in this blood feud.

What

Vampire: The Masquerade – Blood Feud is a MegaGame about vampires, and their eternal struggle to control New York City. Join one of many vampiric or criminal factions in a game for up to 32 players. Within this extra-large board game, there is lots of room to roleplay as the characters steering your faction towards victory or defeat. Gameplay is enhanced by strategic and diplomatic thinking, but is not required to have fun.

Tone: A supernatural political power game

You might enjoy this game if you are a fan of media about disturbing ancient parasites such as Succession, House of Cards, or Interview with the Vampire. The setting is within the World of Darkness franchise of games, but no prior knowledge of the system or franchise is necessary to play.

Run Time: 3 to 4 hours

Players: 4 to 32

Facilitators: 2

Designed by Ben Kanelos
Organized by Jae Krehbiel
Admin support from Jon Cole, Katherine Shane, Olivia Montoya

A shirtless young man with pale skin stares in profile. His raised hand is covered in blood and he seems to have carelessly wiped some onto his cheek and chest.

When

March 23, 2024, from 1–5 PM

Tickets

Get a ticket by filling out the Blood Feud registration form. Once you have a ticket you don’t need to do anything else besides show up to play!

On the day of the event, we request a pay-what-you-want good will donation ($5–$20 suggested) to support low-cost immersive games in Minnesota. No one will be turned away if they do not make a donation.

A New York subway tunnel is illuminated by glaring red lights. It is dark and deserted.

Where

Walker Library, 2880 Hennepin Ave, Minneapolis, MN 55408

Transit: Located a block from the Uptown Transit Station, and can be reached on the 6, 21, 23, 114 and 614 bus lines.

Parking: In the heart of uptown, most on street parking is pay by the hour. There is a parking structure at Calhoun Square and some unmetered parking to the north of the library along Hennepin Ave.

Details on the Game

Play Style

Vampire: The Masquerade – Blood Feud is a board game with a flair for larping! 4-32 players take up roles in the warring vampire clans. Or, perhaps you’ll choose to become one of the human factions fighting for their own desires, such as City Hall, the Mafia, or Vampire Hunters. Teams will choose their ambitions, which allow for multiple paths to victory, such as being bloodthirsty, manipulative, greedy, or somewhere in between.

Blood Feud is dubbed a “Mega Board Game” because unlike a traditional board game, it isn’t played at a single table. One game table features the Cityscape and Orders, the map where players move their forces around the city and order them to fight and take control of important territories. The other game table features the Council and Market, where players use their best diplomatic and resource management skills to make sly trades, buy upgrades and player level-ups, and make large political decisions that will shape the destinies of teams to determine whether they win or lose!

A backlit bust of a person with short hair gazes at the viewer. Their face is not visible, cast into darkness by the white halo of light engulfing their head.

Content Advisory

Political decision making, political disagreements, vampiric blood drinking and murder discussed but not enacted at the game.

Safety Tools

The check-in and cut techniques will be discussed and practiced before play begins, as well as subjects that are off-limits for players.

Following play, we will debrief to discuss our experiences and shed the roles we assumed for the game. The debrief is encouraged, but not required, should you choose to leave following play.

Costuming

No costuming needed, but it is certainly welcome. If you want to wear something that makes you feel like a 2010’s big shot vampire, mobster, or government agent in the Big Apple, go for it!

A low angle photograph of a New York City sidewalk at night. The wide thoroughfare is narrowed by scaffolding, forming an empty tunnel.

Other Information

COVID-19 Policy

Attendees need to be vaccinated for COVID-19 and boosted to the extent recommended by the CDC for their demographic group. Bring proof of your vaccination status for inspection during check in, which could be your card, a picture of it, or a document on your phone. Our policy means you will need to have had the 2023 covid vaccine at least two weeks before this event or we will turn you away at the door. Please reach out if you have any questions about our policy. N95 respirators or better are required, and we will have a few to share. We will be playing in a large and well-ventilated room and bring our own CR box to run. If you have any symptoms of COVID-19, stay home. If you are able to, take a rapid test before arrival.

Accessibility

By default, gameplay requires players to move between different tables to interact with board game components, and participate in small conversations while other talking is happening in the same room. Game materials are in English and the print can be small at times.

Our venue is the Walker Library and is climate controlled. Our play space has plenty of seating, and is located on the main level. The main entrance has double doors that can be opened by button-push, there are accessible restrooms on the main level.

Water will be available, and we recommend bringing a water bottle for your ease of access. No food will be provided.

Social

After the event some folks will get food together to continue to hang out at the Uptown Diner or another uptown location. Hanging out afterwards is totally optional, and we think it’s fun to get to know your fellow players as people, not just as their characters. Folks who didn’t attend the event are welcome to attend this part.

Contact

Contact us with any questions or concerns!

Image Credits

Photos by Maxim Hopman, Adrian “Rosco” Stef, Andre Benz, Joe Shields, Zachary Shakked, Egor Myznik. These images are used under Unsplash license.

 

People in military fatigues and carrying riot shields ride in a covered truck. We don’t see their faces and the only contrasting spot of color is a mysterious red and yellow geometric emblem on one person’s sleeve.

Larp House Presents: Hell is Other Vampires

UPDATE

Current sign-ups for this event are full, however you can still sign up for the WAITLIST at the registration link below.

Should a player drop out of the event, there may be a chance you will be contacted to fill their slot.

REGISTER HERE
Join us on January 13, 2024

It’s 1993, when grunge music is all the rage, hacker kids are dialing up to this new thing called “the Internet,” and discontentment ripples through the secret world of the vampires.

In Chicago, Prince Lodin has dominated the vampires here for decades and kept various factions at bay. However, his days of dominance and absolute monopoly are numbered. Unrest is breeding among the undead of the city, and whispers of a plot to depose him are growing louder.

As a downpour pummels the streets outside the crumbling ruins of the City Methodist Church in Gary, Indiana, a small cabal of vampires gather inside to wait out the storm and conspire to overthrow the Prince. Will these vampires set aside their long held-grudges and bloody interpersonal histories, or will they end up at each other’s throats?

What

Hell Is Other Vampires  is a larp about, well, vampires, but also an interpersonal drama about whether the group can put aside their personal problems to achieve their common goal, or if they succumb to petty squabbles instead.

Tone: A supernatural goth early ’90s gritty drama

You might enjoy this game if you are a fan of vampire media such as The Daybreakers or Interview with the Vampire, with a touch of No Exit by Jean-Paul Sartre and Reservoir Dogs, or if you wonder how semi-immortal beings can get along when they can’t live with what they’ve done to one another. The setting is within the World of Darkness franchise of games, but no prior knowledge of the system or franchise is necessary to play.

Run Time: 3 to 4 hours, including approximately 1.5 to 2 hours of active play time

Players: 3 to 9 players

Facilitators: two

Written by Evan Torner
Organized by Ari Fenenga and Jon Cole
Admin support from Katherine Shane and Jon Cole

When

January 13, 2024, from 1–5 PM

Continue reading “Larp House Presents: Hell is Other Vampires”

Larp House Presents: Strictly Between Us

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Join us on November 4th, 2023

 

Strictly Between Us is for roleplayers who want to move and dancers who want to tell stories. It blends the expression of partner dance with the emotional storytelling of larp. Strictly explores the dynamics of a relationship either coming together or falling apart, by playing with the physical and emotional connection between two people.

The game eases players into character with dance exercises exploring emotion through movement. Over three sets of scenes, players will work through their feelings about their dance partner, before getting to show off in the community jam where they will put their sentiments in motion for an audience.

So put on your dance shoes, learn about the blues community, listen to some incredible music, and dance your heart out!

What

A live action game that is also a beginner blues dance workshop.

Duration: 4 hours. 2 hours workshop and dance instruction, then 2 hours play

Players: 2 to 24 players

Written by Eli Seitz, Kristen Dabney, Julie Brown

Organized by Jon Cole

Dance Instruction by Anonymous

Admin support from Katherine Shane and Olivia Montoya

Special Thanks to Lindy Bowen and Collectively Blue

Two femmes dance in closed position at a dance event, surrounded by other dancers. The person leading is a AAPI femme with long dyed blonde hair in a patterned blouse. The person following is a white femme with dark bobbed hair in a patterned top and white skirt.

Story

This larp is mostly played as a duo, though you will likely dance with other people. This key duo relationship can be any strong relationship that might attend a social dance together. It certainly need not be romantic in nature. Part of the workshop will be helping every attendee to find a partner to create a character and dance with. With that partner you will choose one of two story frameworks for the relationship you’d like to explore with your characters.

  • Getting Together is about maybe getting together, and is lighter and more joyous in tone.
  • Moving Apart is about maybe splitting apart, and is heavier with a melancholic tone.

Dance Instruction

The play of this game is done through blues dance and no prior dance experience is needed to have a great time. We are providing an hour of professional instruction for all attendees, in addition to more practice and teaching during the workshop.

We are very excited that Anonymous has made time in her schedule for Strictly, as she is in high demand as the head teacher at local blues dance organization Collectively Blue. Anonymous has years of experience as a dance instructor and is known for her accessible teaching style and prosocial philosophy of dance communities.

When

November 4, 2023, from 1:30–6:00 PM

Where

Center for the Performing Arts, 3754 Pleasant Ave, Minneapolis, MN 55409

We will be in one of CFPA’s spacious dance studios with floor to ceiling windows and a well maintained wooden dance floor.

Metro Transit routes 6, 11, 18, 23C stop nearby. Street parking available.

A wide angle view of a wooden floored dance studio with floor to ceiling windows along one wall.

Tickets

Get a ticket by filling out the Strictly Between Us registration form. Once you have a ticket you don’t need to do anything else besides show up to play!

This event has a sliding scale ticket price, from $10–$30 depending on your situation. You can pay the ticket price via paypal when you register.

We strongly prefer that people sign up in advance for this event. As such, the door price for a ticket will be $5 higher, for example $25 instead of $20.

Multiple dancing duos compete at North Star Blues, in front of an audience and judges. One partnership is centered in the frame, the two dancers make eye contact while in closed position. The leading person is Black and masc, wearing a yellow polo and black pants. The person following is a white femme in a polkadot top and red skirt.

Structure

Workshop 2hrs, Play 2hrs.

Strictly Between Us explores the evolution of a relationship over three nights of social dancing. Each night begins with a free play time, where players explore the relationship with their partner, followed by water cooler time where the group mingles across pairs, and finally a community jam session where couples can showcase their development through dancing. At the end of the third night the duo will know whether they stay together or move apart. Play concludes with a brief epilogue.

What is Blues Dance?

Blues dance always begins in close embrace, with chest to chest physical contact akin to a hug. Blues dance focuses on improvisation, connection, and musicality, with little emphasis on memorizing complex footwork. The accessibility of blues dancing invites a variety of people to dance, regardless of age, ability, or skill level. Blues dance encourages independent expression both as an individual dancer and in a partnership regardless of role. This individual expression within a partnership is part of what makes it a great fit for larp.

Blues was created by African-Americans and is rooted in their experiences in the United States. Historically and currently, that experience is influenced by oppression—first by enslavers and perpetuated through systemic racism. Blues music and dance was created and popularized by the Black community, as a way to express independence and feelings from joy to heartbreak.

Blues music has its roots in African American work songs, spirituals, and folk music from the 1860s. Blues dance started in the American South, primarily in bars, house parties, and juke joints. Over time, blues dancing spread internationally both as a music style and a dance style.

Content Notice

Relationships forming and breaking apart.

This is a highly physical game where dancing is as much a form of communication as words. Blues dance always begins in close embrace, with chest to chest physical contact that is akin to a hug. The basics of this improvisatory dance style will be taught during the workshop so no prior skill is needed to play!

Calibration and Consent Tools

This game will use Cut, Break, Tapout which will be reviewed and practiced prior to play. Following play, we will debrief our experiences and shed the roles we assumed for the game. The debrief is encouraged, but not required.

Players will need to verbally ask one another to dance. During the workshops we will teach and practice how to non-verbally ask to change the point of contact being used to maintain connection while dancing, and answer non-verbally was well. Players are always welcome to revert to verbal requests.

Costuming

This game is set at a 21st Century social dance. Consider the following priorities in order as you consider your costuming:

  1. Thick socks you don’t mind getting dirty, or sturdy leather-soled shoes. This dance style needs slightly slippery feet and dancing in socks is the most accessible way to achieve this.
  2. Good hygiene can both boost your confidence and your partner’s comfort. Please avoid perfume, cologne, and other scented products since you won’t know who is sensitive to smells.
  3. Comfortable to move in for long periods of time. If you are a sweaty person, bringing an extra shirt to change into halfway is a good idea. Pick absorbent materials rather than sweat-wicking.
  4. Spiffy duds because your character wants to look their best at this social event. To be clear, we’d rather have you in your most casual sweatpants than miss you entirely!

Damon and Kelsy Stone dance together in open position in the corner of the dance floor. They are in the midst of a lean and look breathless and intense in their focus. Damon is masc and Black with a bald head and glasses, he wears a navy suit. Kelsey is a white femme with shoulder length brown hair who is visibly pregnant, and wearing a stretchy blue dress and her white dance shoes.

Other Information

COVID-19 Policy

Attendees need to be vaccinated for COVID-19 and boosted to the extent recommended by the CDC for their demographic group. Bring proof of your vaccination status for inspection during check in, which could be your card, a picture of it, or a document on your phone. Our policy means you will need to have had the 2022 bivalent booster at least two weeks before this event or we will turn you away at the door. We strongly encourage you to get the 2023 monovalent booster before you attend, but aren’t requiring it yet because of the relatively short amount of time between vaccine release and this event. Please reach out if you have any questions about our policy.

N95 respirators or better are required, and we will have a few to share. We will be playing in a large and well-ventilated room and bring our own CR box to run. If you have any symptoms of COVID-19, stay home. If you are able to, take a rapid test before arrival.

Accessibility

This game requires dancing to music. Without making any accommodations, we would expect attendees to be able to stand for long periods, walking, vision, hearing, and athletic movement. Please reach out, as we would like to be able make accommodations for anyone who cant do all those things consistently.

Our venue is on the third floor, and is climate controlled. The building is ADA compliant. Our playspace has plenty of seating. There are two non-gendered restrooms near the playspace.

Water will be available, and we recommend bringing a water bottle for your ease of access. No food will be provided.

Social and Evening Dance Event

The evening of Strictly Between Us just so happens to be the November blues dance house party hosted by Collectively Blue. Join Anonymous, Jon, and your new dance chums for an evening of social blues dance, no characters needed. Lock in your learning and meet new friends. Show up at 7:30pm at the 30-minute refresher dance lesson, then enjoy music from 8:00 pm-midnight by the fabulous local blues DJs! Collectively Blue parties are $5 to attend and are BYOB. Collectively Blue events require covid vaccination, and offer N95s but do not require them.

Between the end of the game and the start of the party some folks will get food together to continue to hang out at Hola Arepa. Hanging out afterwards is totally optional, and we think it’s fun to get to know your fellow players as people, not just as their characters. Folks who didn’t attend the event are welcome to attend this part.

A full dance floor at a dance event. In the center of the frame four femmes dance solo, riffing on one another's moves.

Contact

Contact us with any questions or concerns!

Image Credits

Photos by Ben Hejkal

Two fat Black people dance in close embrace under a shady picnic pavilion at a park. The masc person leading has a mustache and glasses and is wearing a tshirt and jeans. The femme person following is smiling, wears a flowing top and leggings.

Larp House Presents: Hell Is Other Vampires

a red-tinted full moon

REGISTER HERE
Join us on September 2, 2023

It’s 1993, when grunge music is all the rage, hacker kids are dialing up to this new thing called “the Internet,” and discontentment ripples through the secret world of the vampires.

In Chicago, Prince Lodin has dominated the vampires here for decades and kept various factions at bay. However, his days of dominance and absolute monopoly are numbered, and there are whispers of a revolutionary plot against his iron-fisted reign.

As a downpour pummels the streets outside the crumbling ruins of the City Methodist Church in Gary, Indiana, a small cabal of vampires gather inside to wait out the storm and plot to overthrow the Prince. That is, if they don’t all kill each other instead…

What

Hell Is Other Vampires is a larp about, well, vampires, but also an interpersonal drama about whether the group can put aside their personal problems to achieve their common goal, or if they succumb to petty squabbles instead.

Tone: A supernatural goth early ’90s gritty drama

You might enjoy this game if you are a fan of vampire media such as The Daybreakers or Interview with the Vampire, with a touch of No Exit by Jean-Paul Sartre and Reservoir Dogs. The setting is within the World of Darkness franchise of games, but no prior knowledge of the system or franchise is necessary to play.

Run Time: 3 to 4 hours, including approximately 1.5 to 2 hours of active play time

Players: 3 to 9 players

Facilitators: one

Written by Evan Torner
Organized by Tom S. Tea
Admin support from Katherine Shane and Jon Cole

When

September 2, 2023, from 2–7 PM

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Salon du Larp House: Velveteen Hearts

A collection of assorted stuffed animals sit of a bed facing the viewer, as if waiting patiently for play to begin.

Join us on June 17, 2023!
|| Click here to register to play! ||

Updated: The title of this work-in-progress larp has changed from “Batting Hearts” to “Velveteen Hearts”

As soon as I saw you, I knew an adventure was going to happen.

A day spent with you is my favorite day. So today is my new favorite day.

If there ever comes a day when we can’t be together, keep me in your heart, I’ll stay there forever.

―Winnie the Pooh

What

Children at preschool enter the land of make believe with their stuffed animal companions. This is a physical play experience, where players literally enact childsplay and wind through the rambling-dream logic of stories children tell. How does the child’s inner life come through make-believe play with their stuffie? When hardship comes and fears threaten to overwhelm, who supports who and how? Leave this game feeling a little more grown-up and a little more connected to childlike parts of yourself.

Written and Organized by Jon Cole
Admin Support by Olivia Montoya, Katherine Shane

This event is a playtest. Velveteen Hearts isn’t totally finished, though it will be a complete play experience. There might be some missing pieces or rough patches in play. If this game sounds interesting to you even though it is not in its final form, we will be very glad to have you join us!

When

Saturday June 17th, 2023, from 1 to 4pm

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Larp House Presents: Club Felis

Club Felis / A Larp House event / May 12, 2023 6-10 PM / Caydence Records & Coffee / 900 Payne Avenue St. Paul MN / Reserve your place right meow!

CLUB FELIS:
Everybody Wants to be a Cat
~~~ REGISTER HERE ~~~

Cats of the Twin Cities, come gather and play at our very own nightclub: Club Felis. Here the stray cats and posh house cats mingle. They flirt, play, drink milk, and enjoy their cat mint. In particular they participate in or enjoy watching the Cat of the Year competition, which is held “every week.”  For one evening only, Caydence Records & Coffee in Saint Paul, MN will host the hottest night club in the Twin Cities for all things cool cats and hot jazz: Club Felis!

“Welcome all you cats and friends to Club Felis! Not everyone is welcome here, but you are! Are there any dogs among the audience maybe? Not so? Are there any mice among the audience? Not that either? But can everyone who belongs to the family of cats raise their paws and give me a resounding MEOW! Tonight we will announce who is the deserving winner of the Cat of the Year award! Those of you who want to brave the competition should talk with Agent Orange. Apart from that, enjoy the milk and other extravaganza. You have been here before, so you know what the deal is. Please welcome Scat Cats! (music!)”

– George – master of ceremonies at Club Felis

All Swinging Cats, show off your talents, sing/yowl your heart out, or jump into the Scat Cats improv jazz jam, playing awesome pick up standards. Scheme with your friends, disdain your enemies, and use impeccable cat logic to prove YOU deserve to help decide who wins Cat of the Year this week. Because everybody wants to be a swinging cat!

line art of a cat playing a trombone, and a cat playing a drum kit

The 4 W’s

Who

Presented by Larp House Role Play Collective and the Make a Scene Scenario Festival 

Organized by Micah Amundsen (they/them), Jamie Bordewick (they/them),  and Katherine Shane (she/her).

And hopefully attended by you!

What

Club Felis is a Nordic style larp by Martin Brodén, Ada Fredelius and Anna-Karin Linder about cats living in the city and meeting in their very own nightclub: Club Felis.

Players: 20-40 players

Run Time: 3 hours, including about an hour of prep time to don your cat ears, practice your cat moves, and get your Cat of the Year talents or karaoke hits to our very own Club Felis music & talent team!

Where

Caydence Records & Coffee, 900 Payne Avenue • St Paul MN

Metro Transit route 64 with 14, 30, and 32 stops nearby. Street parking available.

When

Friday May 12, 2023, from 6-10 PM

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Salon du Larp House: Charm School playtest

It’s 1925 and some experienced grifters—hustlers, sharps, and general crooks—gather to teach a group of younger, less-experienced con artists the tricks of the trade. Of course everyone brings their own bag full of secrets, and sometimes the best con is the one you don’t even know you are running…

Professors teach their signature cons, honed over years of practice, to promising new comers.

Students can gain experience, insight, and possibly a mentor as they learn various cons.

And as anywhere old and young gather, stories will be shared, grudges aired, and feelings bared.

What

Charm School is a game about being low-down dirty-rotten crooks who exchange tips, stories, and grudges. Sometimes the best con is the one you don’t even know you are running.

Run Time: 3 hours, including 90 minutes active play time
Players: 6–10
Facilitators: 2, who play as well
Tone: Self-serious characters played in a light-hearted way

You might enjoy this game if you are a fan of such films as: The Sting, The Usual Suspects, Reservoir Dogs, Now You See Me, Catch Me If You Can, The Brothers Bloom, or the Ocean’s Eleven franchise.

Written by Jason Morningstar
Organized by Kevin McIntrye and Kelley Vanda
With admin support from Katherine Shane and Jon Cole

This event is a playtest. Charm School isn’t totally finished, though it will be a complete play experience. There might be some missing pieces or rough patches in play. If this game sounds interesting to you even though it is not in its final form, we will be very glad to have you join us!

When

Saturday March 25th, 2023, from 1 to 5 pm Continue reading “Salon du Larp House: Charm School playtest”

Larp House Presents: The Harvest Festival

The hands of person with pale skin wearing blue uses blue clay on a rustic wooden table to create molds for silver charms.

A rural village craftspeople prepare for the annual Harvest Festival. At the festival each craftsperson will present their proudest works to other members of the community as a symbol of gratitude, forgiveness, or apology.

During the day, you sit with an elder perfecting your craft and seeking advice from your peers about your personal life. At night, wander the cozy streets of the hamlet to visit with other villagers to put that advice into practice (for better or for worse). After the third day, we will celebrate the Harvest Festival and give away the things we created.

What

The Harvest Festival is a pastoral game about interpersonal conflict and support networks. Inspired by Animal Crossing and Harvest Moon, join us to live out a hygge cottagecore fantasy for one afternoon.

Written by Marshall Bradshaw
Organized by Jon Cole

When

Saturday January 7th, 2023, from 1 to 4pm

The fingers of a person with pale skin delicately manipulate wet clay on a pottery wheel. The hands are wet, covered with shiny clay.

Continue reading “Larp House Presents: The Harvest Festival”