Experience design company, BRC Imagination Arts, has created a state-of-the-art immersive theatre experience for Nashville’s historic Ryman Auditorium.
‘Soul of Nashville’, part of the $14m Auditorium expansion project, recreates the story of the iconic venue which has witnessed over a hundred years of legendary performances. It also showcases a new collaboration featuring Darius Rucker, The Fisk Jubilee Singers, Sheryl Crow and Vince Gill.
The attraction, in a specially built 100-seat theatre, employs state-of-the-art technology and special effects to immerse the audience in moving images on multiple projector planes so that past performers become ‘multidimensional right before the viewer’s eyes’.
The show is the opener to a new tour of the venue featuring five new exhibits which include genuine artifacts. The Ryman's history is told in videos presented by Charles Esten, Marty Stuart, Nicole Kidman, Ricky Skaggs, Robin Roberts and Trisha Yearwood.
“We needed an extraordinary way to take visitors on our nearly 125-year journey, ” explains Sally Williams, General Manager of Ryman Auditorium. “The “Soul of Nashville” and our new exhibits do that job beautifully.”
BRC has over thirty years’ experience creating visitor destinations for institutions as diverse as The Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum, Adler Planetarium and NASA.
Colin Reed, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Ryman Hospitality Properties, Inc. who owns Ryman Auditorium, reports: “We now have a fully-immersive way to share just how important the Ryman is to Nashville. When you see the Ryman's past come to life in such an innovative way, it's hard to imagine that this building was nearly lost to history just 20 years ago.”
The original 1892 auditorium has been preserved during the renovation which includes a café, gift shop and box office.
“The opportunity to put guests inside the history of the Ryman has been one of the most satisfying experiences in our 33 year history, ” comments Brad Shelton, Creative Director of BRC Imagination Arts. “We’re immensely proud to be a part of it.”
Image courtesy Steve Lowry.
