Just when you thought Taylor Swift’s album rollout for The Life of a Showgirl was going to be limited to specialty-edition vinyls and glitzy cardigans, she rolls out the orange carpet for The Official Release Party of a Showgirl—and everyone’s invited.
While The Hollywood Reporter was first to announce that Swift was planning a “secret” movie-theater event to coincide with the release of her 12th studio album, The Life of a Showgirl, Swift waited to confirm the news—and share more details—at exactly 12:12 p.m. ET on Friday, September 19.
“I hereby invite you to a *dazzling* soirée, The Official Release Party of a Showgirl,” she wrote on Instagram. “You’ll get to see the exclusive world premiere of the music video for my new single ‘The Fate of Ophelia,’ along with never before seen behind-the-scenes footage of how we made it, cut by cut explanations of what inspired this music, and the brand new lyric videos from my new album The Life of a Showgirl ❤️🔥.”
So, what else do you need to know? We’ve got all the details.
When is the Release Party of a Showgirl coming out?
Set to coincide with the release of her album, the Release Party of a Showgirl hits theaters on October 3 and will run through October 5, giving Swifties a three-day window to experience her music video and BTS footage on the big screen.
The first showings kick off at 12 p.m. PT/3 p.m. ET, but make sure to check your local listings for showings at Regal, AMC, and Cinemark locations at releasepartyofashowgirl.com, their company websites, and Fandango. Just be prepared for an online queue if you’re looking to book your tickets through AMC today, September 19.
How much do tickets cost?
In honor of Swift’s 12th studio album, tickets are $12 and nonrefundable, per AMC.
What will be included?
Taylor Swift pretty much laid it out in her Instagram post. The screening will include “The Fate of Ophelia” music video and BTS footage from the shoot, as well as new lyric videos and personal commentary about the album, which the AMC website further describes as “Taylor’s never-before-seen personal reflections on songs from her 12th studio album, The Life of a Showgirl.”
What’s the run time?
While Swift is not releasing a feature-length film like some were hoping, she’s included enough footage and content for a run time of a full hour and 29 minutes, per Fandango.
Will there be previews?
According to AMC, “The event will begin at showtime and will not include trailers,” so you’ll want to arrive on time for once. In fact, you may want to arrive early as AMC has promised heightened security on these dates.
Is there a dress code?
Not officially, though Swift encourages fans to “brush off that Eras Tour outfit or orange cardigan.”
Can I sing at the Release Party of a Showgirl?
In her post, Taylor Swift tells her fans that “dancing is optional but very much encouraged 💃.” But what about singing?
According to Regal, attendees can “feel free to stand, sing, and dance” but are warned to “stay aware of your surroundings and be safe! Don’t block walkways or exits or stand on the seats.” AMC shared a similar message on their website, writing, “singing and dancing are encouraged, but please do not stand on seats or block aisles and stairs.”
Fans may or not be happy to hear this, depending on their experience with movie-theater sing-alongs and their feelings about all that Hamilton discourse. While you may have attended Hamilton to belt out “Wait For It,” it’s worth noting that Lin-Manuel Miranda’s musical has been available to stream on Disney+ for five years, while Swift’s album will be released on the same day that Release Party hits theaters.
If you’re going to sing, the least you can do is learn the lyrics before showing off for your fellow theatergoers. On the other hand, the anti-singing crowd are free to listen to the album from the comfort of their own home until they’re ready to vibe with everyone else! Either way, this is your reminder that singing and screaming at the top of your lungs are two very different things.
This article may be updated.
