By Netera Landar
Drama Libre will celebrate its 1,000th party on Sept. 12, 2026. Now that’s devotion!
Xerxes Sismondi and his partner, the late Peachy Sassoon, hosted their first Drama Libre party on Nov. 4, 2006. Their goal was to create a place in Second Life where people could escape the drama of both real life and Second Life, enjoy great music, and immerse themselves in pure creativity. That mission hasn’t changed in 20 years.
“When Peachy and I first started going to clubs, we loved the energy, but always felt the themes didn’t take full advantage of what SL could do. SL is a platform where you can literally build anything – so why not dance on Mars instead of just wearing a spacesuit,” said Xerxes.
So they learned to build one prim at a time. Soon, they recognized the joy of creating something new each week and seeing people’s reactions when they arrived motivated them to continue.
“At its heart, Drama Libre has always been about good music, good people, and no drama,” Xerxes admitted. “Peachy used to say our goal was simple: ‘Everyone should have a good time.’ That spirit still guides us today.”
At first, they thought about building a year’s worth of sets and rotating them. That idea lasted around five minutes, said Xerxes.
“The team wanted something new every week, and honestly, so did we. Now we take two weeks each summer and two weeks each December for a break. Except for four Saturdays, we build every week of the year,” said Xerxes.
During those early years, coming up with themes was easy because everything was new. After hosting hundreds of parties, it became more difficult, having already featured many themes.
“It takes brainstorming, teamwork, and a lot of imagination,” said Xerxes. “Today we have tools like mesh, Animesh, EEP, and PBR materials that let us build things we never could have dreamed of in 2006. After nearly a thousand parties, the excitement of creating something new each week is still what drives us.”
When it comes to organizing their parties every two or three months, the build team creates a schedule for the builders and DJs. The team includes: Dagmar Klaar, Cathy Ryder, Rinaldo Debevec, Patty Gummibaum, and Xerxes. A different builder becomes the build manager each week. They schedule it so each builder works with each DJ at least once during each rotation.
“The build manager chooses the theme, shapes the concept, and guides the overall look. Once the idea survives the team’s friendly interrogation, the manager writes a Prebuild Concept on a notecard that includes: the theme, major set pieces, special effects, scripts, and even the EEP settings. The notecard is then sent to the team.
“From there, everyone picks what they want to build. We aim to finish by Thursday so the manager can pack the set into a rez box. Friday, we swap out last week’s build. Saturday night is the party – and during the party, we announce the next theme and play the teaser. And by the following Monday, we restart our process again,” said Xerxes.
He added that they have been lucky to have amazing DJs over the years. Some are still with them, while others have moved on. They currently have Alexis Radikal, Noctoon Edelweiss, Ironman Zeplin, Rinaldo Debevec, Zathras Afarensis, and Magda Kameneva.
Xerxes said they take the themes seriously. Some aren’t difficult to match songs with, such as Woodstock, Moulin Rouge, and holidays. Some are more challenging.
“We’ve had themes like Oumuamua, Siberian Gulag, Pompeii, or Up Helly Aa! Watching the DJs puzzle out playlists for those is half the fun,” he said. “What I love most is that our DJs approach Drama Libre with joy. They support each other, share tips, and feed off the creativity of the builds. That energy makes every set feel alive.”
On average, about 30 people attend Drama Libre parties, with weekly attendance ranging from 16 to 45. Xerxes said it depends on the theme, season, and other events on the grid at that time.
Asked what makes their venue unforgettable, Xerxes replied, “I think it’s the atmosphere – the builds, the music, the creativity, and the people. Peachy used to say we proved you can have an amazing time in SL without sex, without drama, without all the complications. She was right. For us, hosting was never just a job. We wanted to enjoy ourselves, too. Yes, we’re busy greeting people and keeping things running, but we’re also dancing and laughing right alongside everyone else. That energy is contagious.”
Xerxes added that every Saturday night, you step into a brand-new world built just for that moment. Sharing that with a group of people who are excited to be there – that’s what makes every party at Drama Libre unforgettable.
When it comes to memorable parties, Xerxes said it’s hard to pick just one. He did mention a few sets that were unforgettable. Their “Back to the Future” set transformed every ten minutes to match each timeline in the movie series. Recently, they used the same “scene-swap” scripting for their “7 Deadly Sins” event. Each sin appeared as a new environment. He said watching the world shift around the dancers in real time was incredible.
“Our ‘Mad Max’ set had a massive truck barreling down a desert highway – so realistic some people joked that it made them motion-sick. We’ve done underwater cities where guests had to board a submarine to reach the party, and survival themes where people teleported into a burning airplane before escaping to a deserted island,” Xerxes said.
Dagmar often mentions “Art for Escher’s Sake,” a mind-bending tribute to M.C. Escher. Cathy loves the historical sets, especially “Battle of Britain,” where WWII planes buzzed in the airfield during the party. Rinaldo likes the annual Winter Skate sets that remain out sometimes through January.
For more information about Drama Libre – including weekly themes, photos, videos, and event announcements – visit www.dramalibre.com
 |
| The setting for Open a Book Open A World on Saturday, March 21. |
Drama Libre will celebrate its 1,000th party on Sept. 12, 2026. Now that’s devotion!
Xerxes Sismondi and his partner, the late Peachy Sassoon, hosted their first Drama Libre party on Nov. 4, 2006. Their goal was to create a place in Second Life where people could escape the drama of both real life and Second Life, enjoy great music, and immerse themselves in pure creativity. That mission hasn’t changed in 20 years.
 |
| Rendal as the Cheshire Cat and Mystic. |
“When Peachy and I first started going to clubs, we loved the energy, but always felt the themes didn’t take full advantage of what SL could do. SL is a platform where you can literally build anything – so why not dance on Mars instead of just wearing a spacesuit,” said Xerxes.
So they learned to build one prim at a time. Soon, they recognized the joy of creating something new each week and seeing people’s reactions when they arrived motivated them to continue.
 |
| Amber and John from The Wizard of Oz. |
“At its heart, Drama Libre has always been about good music, good people, and no drama,” Xerxes admitted. “Peachy used to say our goal was simple: ‘Everyone should have a good time.’ That spirit still guides us today.”
At first, they thought about building a year’s worth of sets and rotating them. That idea lasted around five minutes, said Xerxes.
“The team wanted something new every week, and honestly, so did we. Now we take two weeks each summer and two weeks each December for a break. Except for four Saturdays, we build every week of the year,” said Xerxes.
 |
| Rinaldo Debevec as a bookworm. |
During those early years, coming up with themes was easy because everything was new. After hosting hundreds of parties, it became more difficult, having already featured many themes.
“It takes brainstorming, teamwork, and a lot of imagination,” said Xerxes. “Today we have tools like mesh, Animesh, EEP, and PBR materials that let us build things we never could have dreamed of in 2006. After nearly a thousand parties, the excitement of creating something new each week is still what drives us.”
When it comes to organizing their parties every two or three months, the build team creates a schedule for the builders and DJs. The team includes: Dagmar Klaar, Cathy Ryder, Rinaldo Debevec, Patty Gummibaum, and Xerxes. A different builder becomes the build manager each week. They schedule it so each builder works with each DJ at least once during each rotation.
“The build manager chooses the theme, shapes the concept, and guides the overall look. Once the idea survives the team’s friendly interrogation, the manager writes a Prebuild Concept on a notecard that includes: the theme, major set pieces, special effects, scripts, and even the EEP settings. The notecard is then sent to the team.
“From there, everyone picks what they want to build. We aim to finish by Thursday so the manager can pack the set into a rez box. Friday, we swap out last week’s build. Saturday night is the party – and during the party, we announce the next theme and play the teaser. And by the following Monday, we restart our process again,” said Xerxes.
He added that they have been lucky to have amazing DJs over the years. Some are still with them, while others have moved on. They currently have Alexis Radikal, Noctoon Edelweiss, Ironman Zeplin, Rinaldo Debevec, Zathras Afarensis, and Magda Kameneva.
 |
| Zynthar in front of the Wizard of Oz book, representing its magic and our love for the novel. |
Xerxes said they take the themes seriously. Some aren’t difficult to match songs with, such as Woodstock, Moulin Rouge, and holidays. Some are more challenging.
“We’ve had themes like Oumuamua, Siberian Gulag, Pompeii, or Up Helly Aa! Watching the DJs puzzle out playlists for those is half the fun,” he said. “What I love most is that our DJs approach Drama Libre with joy. They support each other, share tips, and feed off the creativity of the builds. That energy makes every set feel alive.”
On average, about 30 people attend Drama Libre parties, with weekly attendance ranging from 16 to 45. Xerxes said it depends on the theme, season, and other events on the grid at that time.
Asked what makes their venue unforgettable, Xerxes replied, “I think it’s the atmosphere – the builds, the music, the creativity, and the people. Peachy used to say we proved you can have an amazing time in SL without sex, without drama, without all the complications. She was right. For us, hosting was never just a job. We wanted to enjoy ourselves, too. Yes, we’re busy greeting people and keeping things running, but we’re also dancing and laughing right alongside everyone else. That energy is contagious.”
 |
| Xerxes as one of many banned books. |
Xerxes added that every Saturday night, you step into a brand-new world built just for that moment. Sharing that with a group of people who are excited to be there – that’s what makes every party at Drama Libre unforgettable.
When it comes to memorable parties, Xerxes said it’s hard to pick just one. He did mention a few sets that were unforgettable. Their “Back to the Future” set transformed every ten minutes to match each timeline in the movie series. Recently, they used the same “scene-swap” scripting for their “7 Deadly Sins” event. Each sin appeared as a new environment. He said watching the world shift around the dancers in real time was incredible.
“Our ‘Mad Max’ set had a massive truck barreling down a desert highway – so realistic some people joked that it made them motion-sick. We’ve done underwater cities where guests had to board a submarine to reach the party, and survival themes where people teleported into a burning airplane before escaping to a deserted island,” Xerxes said.
 |
| Sky from Alice in Wonderland, and Capt. Halpin. |
Dagmar often mentions “Art for Escher’s Sake,” a mind-bending tribute to M.C. Escher. Cathy loves the historical sets, especially “Battle of Britain,” where WWII planes buzzed in the airfield during the party. Rinaldo likes the annual Winter Skate sets that remain out sometimes through January.
For more information about Drama Libre – including weekly themes, photos, videos, and event announcements – visit www.dramalibre.com
Netera Landar
