THG, a creative agency specialising in developing attractions for theme parks, museums and brands, has once again collaborated with The National WWII Museum in New Orleans, Louisiana, US. The museum wanted to add a more intimate attraction within the Liberation Pavilion, a new building on the campus and turned to THG Creative to work on the Priddy Family Foundation Freedom Theater.
The new attraction, which opened at the end of 2023, offers a show focusing on FDR’s Four Freedoms (Freedom of Speech, Freedom of Worship, Freedom from Want, Freedom from Fear) and the expanding global role the United States was destined to play in the post-WWII era.
THG’s goal was to convey the narrative of why World War II was fought and how it still has an impact on the world today. The intention was to leave the audience with the knowledge that freedom is always fragile and vulnerable and that it is our collective duty to protect it.
As pioneers of immersive visitor experiences, THG Creative consistently pushes the frontiers of technology and creativity, and this latest project is no different. THG’s dedication to reinventing storytelling is embodied in this 20-minute spectacle, which features cutting-edge lighting, projection mapping, and audio.
Meeting a specific challenge
As a ticketed attraction, managing an adequate flow of visitors clashed with the space provided in the new building, which was filled with displays and exhibitions. To manage both requirements, the decision was made to seat the audience on a turntable.
The project consists of a pre-show space and a three-act show with several lighting, electromechanical, and scenic elements packed around the audience, among other challenging and unusual aspects. Split in half, the 44-foot diameter turntable seats 65 visitors on one half to watch the first of three acts. It then rotates 90 degrees for Act 2 and 180 degrees for Act 3. Once there, Act 1 begins again with the next 65 guests seated on the opposite side of the table.
During the whole twenty-minute performance, projection mapping covers the walls and ceilings, rich sound fills each half of the theatre, and moving scenery, broken buildings, and video displays appear and disappear. It was necessary to build double-thick walls and an inflatable acoustic gasket to stop sound from leaking between the two audience groups.
“The conception of a theater on a rotating platform is complicated enough, determining the details to physically integrate all the multi-disciplinary show equipment into a compact footprint of a new building designed by a partner firm adds exponentially to the challenges,” says Jodi Roberdes (AIA), director of architecture at THG Creative.
“It is rare for an experiential design firm to have an architectural department integrated within the company, and this is what makes THG unique and capable to solve these types of complex challenges.”
Last month, THG announced that Rani Bal has been promoted to vice president of people. Bal has over 20 years of experience across a wide range of industries, including hospitality, retail, and themed entertainment, the latter including key positions at Kings Dominion. She most recently worked with Thinkwell as vice president of people and as a consultant supporting studios in the US and worldwide with talent acquisition and HR.
