Denver-based sketch group Bedtime Worldwide has been on quite the journey over the summer. This local troupe set out on a haunted mission to independently develop a pilot episode for a new series called “Paranormall.” The idea was developed originally for the company’s monthly hour-long revue show that grew when they decided to run with an idea about a pair of haunted shoes.
“We were gearing up for our second season, and one of the hour-long shows was going to be mall-themed because I was kind of obsessed with malls at the [time]” said lead actor Gabby Gutierrez-Reed. “Originally, our show was very general. It was like dance music and comedy. So, I was like, ‘Let’s get oddly specific for this one.’”
Gutierrez-Reed and fellow Denver-based comedians Michael Isaacs, Kelsey Wood, Evan Davis and Jennifer Sutherland combined forces to form Bedtime Worldwide in 2021 and have been putting on live sketch shows around Denver ever since. With decades of combined live performing experience, their cohesion as friends and performers has allowed the group is proud of what they created.
“When you feel like the cast of a show are just all really good friends, you’re almost getting in on some of the inside jokes with the group that made it,” Isaacs, the pilot’s director, said. “I really hope that comes through.”
The episode follows Erica (Gutierrez-Reed), who is described as a “true child of the 90s” who spends most of her free time at the mall and finds an ancient choker that sets free a shopping spree-hungry spirit. Now, Derek (Davis), a new hire at the boutique outlet who struggles with impulse control, and Aba (Wood), the head of security at the mall and literally a demon, must stop the spirit from taking over Erica completely.
The four-night shooting process took place at Cherry Creek Mall and was described by Isaacs as “expensive and difficult.” By using a mall as the setting, they wanted to show, “that a mall is made up of many different stores … and each store is like a different world, a different portal.”
The director’s influence comes from some of the greats. “I’m a big fan of John Carpenter and the practical effects that he has and his approach towards horror,” Isaacs said. He also draws influence from comedy films such as Edgar Wright’s “Scott Pilgrim vs. the World” and looks to combine the two genres in this project.
The production process, however, was not without its setbacks, the most serious of which was an injury to Davis, who tore his calf muscle while filming a running sequence. This, combined with limited time and a tight budget, forced the team to think on their feet.
“We [had] to make a decision: does the character get injured or do we pretend that Evan isn’t limping for the rest of the production?” Isaacs said. The director did not want to “give away our secrets,” so you will have to watch the pilot to find out what they decided.
The project was funded through the crowdfunding website Seed & Spark, and with more than 200 people supporting the idea, the group met their goal in 30 days and has raised over $18,000 for production. Gutierrez-Reed credits the comedy community in Denver for much of it. “It was really awesome that the [stand-up] community came together and made this happen,” Gutierrez-Reed said.
The filming process is nearly complete. Next comes the time-consuming editing phase. Following that, “Paranormall” plans to have a local premiere this winter before submitting it to film festivals.
The group hopes that they are given the chance to show their talents and that the show is picked up by a prospective studio for a full first season. If picked up, the group’s wishes were simple: “[We] want nerds to quote it,” Sutherland said.
A green light for “Paranormall” would be a boost for Denver’s growing comedy community. By using the “monster a week” formula and their backgrounds as stand-up comedians, Bedtime Worldwide looks to combine the type of horror seen in Supernatural with the humor seen on Adult Swim. Bedtime Worldwide will also be appearing as a group at Denver Sketch Fest on October 17th at RISE Comedy.
