For some reason I assumed it was some kind of cruisehip-style carefully-managed weekend dinner theater murder-mystery thing, where they're doing a play but go down and interact with the audience, and there are maybe some light audience participation RPG elements? Puzzles to solve outside of the show? You can pick a faction and yell in favor of it and feel sort of like you did something at the end? Like the Star Wars Hotel, if the shitty Disney apps worked?

No. Apparently it was a mix of a dark ride and a barebones production of Macbeth (set in the 1930s for some reason), except you didn't ride, you walked through it in groups while wearing weird masks, and the play just sort of vaguely happened around you.

And you were specifically not allowed to talk or participate in any way. And the play part was on a set scheduled loop that wasn't connected to when you entered, so you could easily miss parts of it.

Also "guests" absolutely did talk, and also grope. There were a lot of issues with this.

But it still ran internationally for like 11 years, so I guess people were into this?

Look. I respect weird art. This may have been a great experience. But, if my impression is correct, it feels like the first-draft of an idea that certainly should have had at least another draft.

Evermore failed, aiming for a target that sounds not exactly worth hitting in the first place.

Kids running around a resort hotel / water park in the Poconos, shooting TVs with RF guns to trigger prerecorded cutscenes, may be a lower tier of interactive theater, and more likely to result in rowdy teens annoying vacationing families. But it also sounds like the audience has way more of a role in the "interactive" part of the interactive theater experience. And also, way fewer actors get groped.

My conception of a psuedo-interactive dinner theater thing sounds like a way better idea. That must be a thing, quietly, somewhere.

I once worked an interactive "walkthru haunted house." Not one of the big ones Pennsylvania is infamous for, but a similar idea. Those generally aren't story driven, but there is a limited but satisfying amount of guest interactivity. And, while groping and other rule-breaking does happen (they sell $8 beer at these because money), those are usually real good about having strategically-placed security in costume to immediately swoop in and drag drunken dickheads out. And even make it look like part of the show, at least until they toss them into a puddle in the parking lot (you sign a waiver before you go in so you can't sue in general, but especially if you are being a drunken or sober dickhead). All that sounds like an actual better interactive theater experience than whatever Sleep No More was doing. For both the patrons and the actors. It certainly seemed to work well when I acted in one.

Idk. This seems like it shouldn't be that hard to make work, but apparently it is?

Goddamn professional wrestling is successful interactive theater. I realize the tone is different, but the objective is the same. Why isn't anyone learning from anyone else, when they're all trying to do the same thing? Is it just theater kids being snobs about shit? That's weird, because I know first-hand that plenty of them know and like wrestling and get what it is.

It's like when a serious AAA video game borrows ideas from some 2D indie platformer. You are literally trying to reach the same audience. It doesn't matter what the aesthetics are, do what works.

Live near Burbank / Los Angeles?

Like D&D and interactive theater?

Come to The Roguelike Rumbles at The Roguelike Tavern! ⚔️

The Roguelike Rumbles is a real-play, live-action D&D comedy show! 4 heroes will compete in a Tournament of Champions. As they fight to the finish, you will be able to not only cheer on your champion, but aid your hero as well! Food and beverages purchased at the bar will equip your heroes with items and potions to help them conquer all foes! 🍻

$25 Tickets in advance or at the door required & include your first drink (delicious mocktails available!) Email [email protected] today to reserve before seats are gone!

Don't live near by but want to catch the show?

In a shocking(?) turn of events, Jom has revealed himself to be none other than Puck, a fae in disguise! He's kidnapped(?) the chaotic traveler Dandelion and outed another recent Litho migrant as another fae! Miss Lily was so shocked, she said something that rhymes with "Puck"!

Once, when I was in middle school, we had this activity called interactive theater. Basically, actors would play a scene, and it ended "badly". Then students could take the place of one of the actors to try to change the outcome.

The topic was bullying.

The last scene was this older sibling trying to get their younger sibling to explain why the school had called and said they were skipping. (The younger was being bullied, but no one knew). In the initial scene, and with the first students who took the place of the older sibling, the older sibling was insistent, kept harassing the younger to tell them what was going on, sometimes even getting angry.

I knew that wasn't how they should do it - I knew my idea was better, but I was to shy to step forward. I nearly didn't, but in the end I found the courage to raise my hand.

It was nerve wracking to improvise in front of my classmates.

I said a couple nervous sentences first, the obvious "hey, the school called today, apparently you didn't go, can you tell me why?". But as soon as the "younger sibling" started growing agitated, and sat down on the couch, I shut up. Then I sat right next to them. And stayed silent.

Seconds, minutes passed. I was growing incredibly nervous, as my classmates started shifteing and muttering, but I stubbornly stayed silent. I stayed silent when "younger sibling" who had been shifting as well, angrily asked what I was doing. Minutes passed, the bell rang and my classmates grew agitated. Seconds. And then...

"Do you promise not to tell mom and dad?"

I didn't know what to answer. I'm not sure if I answered before we cut the scene and the actors congratulated me for finding a solution. (It's been a while since then). I'm not sure how I did or would have answered. But it's not really the point.

The thing that I knew, and that my classmates didn't, I had learnt from experience. The more someone asks for explanations, try to get you to open up, the more closed off you become. You feel attacked. But if someone sits next to you, and stays without demanding anything, not silently judging and staring but deciding to stand by your side, you're grateful for their support. You start to believe you can try trusting them.

Hurt people don't trust violent ones, even if that violence isn't conscious to the attacker. They sense a threat and shut down. What they need is soft words and silence, support and patience.

To help someone you've got to stop thinking about yourself, your need to help, your curiosity, your frustration, your helplessness.

I work at a spooky live theatrical attraction, and with the Halloween season coming on, maybe some of my readers will be visiting such places. Good for you! Live theater is fun! But here is some stuff to keep in mind as you go, to make the experience better for both you and the performers.

1. If you want to get picked on, sit/stand near the front and smile. We often aren’t able to communicate with each other which guests have or haven’t been picked yet, so we look for people who seem to be getting into it. If you don’t want to be picked for a scene, put yourself towards the back, but be prepared that it’s something that happens at interactive shows.

2. Pay attention to your kid! If your kid is screaming and miserable no one’s going to enjoy the show. I know kids change their minds, and if you’ve bought the ticket you may be reluctant to miss the show, but why do something that’s supposed to be fun if it’s not going to be fun? And if they’re being loud or breaking the rules, it’s your job to control them, not ours.

3. Speaking of rules, follow them yourself. If they say no pictures, no pictures. If they say turn your phones off, turn your phones off. If they say no touching the actors, for the love of god don’t touch the actors. (Even if the rules don’t state this, it’s still a good precaution.)

4. Remember, this is our job. We are playing characters. Don’t get mad if a scary character yells at the room, don’t tell someone playing a sexy character your marital history. These characters are not real. And this really shouldn’t have to be said, but if you think an actor is the wrong race or ethnicity for the role, keep it to yourself.

5. I don’t think most performers mind the odd compliment from guests, but again, this is our job. The odds of you picking us up during work hours are vanishingly small.

6. If you have a problem with jump scares, think twice about this form of entertainment. Even something not meant to be a jump scare can accidentally startle. If being startled makes you punchy....please. Please stay home.

7. Participate, but don’t launch into monologues or standup comedy. The scene does have to actually progress.

8. If the show is in an enclosed space, observe common courtesy and don’t vape. Dude. Come on.

9. Lighten up! Sure, it’s inherently a little goofy, but don’t just stand there refusing to participate because you’re too cool for this place. You bought the ticket. You’re not too cool.

10. If it’s not scary when it’s supposed to be scary or funny when it’s supposed to be funny, that’s a perfectly good thing to put in a yelp review. In the moment, there’s nothing we can do with that critique.

I hope I don’t sound too down on audiences here! Good audience reactions are what keep me going at this job, and I still talk about particularly nice interactions with guests years later. Just keep this stuff in mind, along with common courtesy.

(via https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fhBYMOCE3FU)