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Immersive theatre in attractions: the creative whys and operational hows 

Ahead of a discussion on the topic at IAAPA Expo 2022, we explore how theatre can elevate visitor experiences and make them more engaging

Many of us will have memories of a moment when a live performance or moment of immersive theatre transformed our experience at an attraction. Perhaps you had a chance to interact with the enigmatic wand keeper at Ollivanders wand shop, or were taken back in time by a historical character who came to life at your local museum?

Live performers can make a visit to a theme park, museum, or other LBE (location-based entertainment) venue feel unique and unforgettable. With today’s audience increasingly demanding more active and immersive experiences, how can operators use theatre to lean into this trend?

Lacy Campbell_Bezark
Lacy Campbell

This question will be explored by a panel at the upcoming IAAPA Expo in Orlando. In a session entitled Immersive Theater in Location-Based Entertainment: The Creative Whys and the Operational Hows, some of the industry’s leading voices in immersive theatre and location-based entertainment will discuss why this medium is so effective, as well as how operators can pull it off effectively.

Ahead of the event, we caught up with moderator Lacy Campbell, creative director at The Bezark Company, a studio that works extensively in immersive theatre and themed attractions, and panellist Elysia Segal, producer of public programmes at the Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum in New York. Together, they discussed some of the best examples of immersive theatre in the industry, their own inspiration, and their top tips for operators.

The appeal of immersive theatre in LBE

Elysia Segal Intrepid Air and Space Museum
Elysia Segal

Immersive theatre is not a new element in the location-based entertainment industry, but its popularity is certainly on the rise. What is it that happens when attractions add this element of performance or stagecraft?

For Segal, this type of immersive site-specific theatre is effective because it is a visceral live experience:

“You are there in the moment, right alongside performers and the other audience members. You’re all experiencing it together. There’s this curiosity about it and this infectious give and take of energy that informs the performance and your experience. You’re all in the same room feeding off each other.

“There’s also something about immersive theatre in an LBE space that gives it more context and turns it into this full-body experience. It’s very electric and completely different from watching it in the theatre or even on a TV or computer screen. It comes down to all your senses being immersed so fully.”

Creating a unique shared experience

Campbell agrees that a lot of the magic is down to it being a shared experience:

“There’s consistent data that shows when people go to the parks, they have a better time if they go in groups. They have an even better time than that if they’re able to connect within their group. And, they have the best time of all when they’re able to create to connect with other groups outside of theirs.”

Essentially, theatre and immersive performance elements can create something special and unique enough that it can draw everyone in and give them a shared experience that’s beyond just looking at the things around them.

star wars galactic starcruiser hotel disney
Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser

“It becomes more of an event,” adds Campbell, who has worked on several immersive theatre projects in the LBE space during her role at The Bezark Company. “It makes you feel like you were there in that moment, that it was worth it to leave your house.

“Also, I love the immediacy of theatre. A live performer can respond to what’s happening at that moment, whether that’s an audience member who is laughing hard, the weather that day, or even something that might be happening in the news that is relevant to the story that they’re telling. When we’re able to see our real-life experience reflected in a performance, it’s powerful, and makes for such a wonderful experience.”

The Bezark Company, which has worked with a diverse range of clients including Universal Creative, Walt Disney Imagineering, the National World War II Museum and The Franklin Institute, has been exploring the intersection between immersive theatre and theme park attractions for several years. With this expertise, it is well-positioned to help its clients explore the trend and has several projects that will be revealed in the future, subject to NDA.

The best immersive theatre experiences

Campbell and Segal go on to outline some of the most memorable examples of immersive theatre in the LBE space that they have come across. They also discuss why those particular performances are so effective.

“I grew up in Orlando and I worked at Disney World for many years as a part-time job in high school, so I do feel a little bit biased in that regard,” says Segal. “But I’ve always looked at their atmospheric theming and all their attention to detail as being at top of the game. I think that’s what got me interested in this line of work from such an early age.”

Dino Encounters at NHMLA immersive theatre in LBE
The Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County

When it comes to museums, one of her favourite examples is the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles:

“They’ve got these giant full-body dinosaur puppets which roam around in their galleries doing shows. It’s one of those situations where you know it’s not a real dinosaur. And yet you’re looking at it and interacting with it. You can see this guy’s legs and costume and yet the way that they operate it so skillfully and give it such personality is mind-blowing. You feel like you’re face to face with the dinosaur.”

Segal also references the Children’s Museum of Indianapolis:

“They do so much immersive work within their galleries, bringing to life, for example, a Terracotta Warrior. They make children feel like the star of their own show in everything that they do.”

Putting the audience at the heart of the action

For Campbell, a key example is the experience at Ollivanders inside Universal’s Wizarding World of Harry Potter.

“That is done so beautifully and with such sophistication. People love being able to step into the story, and being able to have a conversation with another character just brings it to another dimension.

Ollivanders-Universal-Orlando
Universal

“You also can’t talk about immersive theatre right now without talking about Sleep No More [pictured, top] because it gave everyone a vocabulary and a common reference point.”

Another project that had an impact on Campbell is an immersive theatre piece called Learning Curve, created by Third Rail of New York and the Albany Park Theater Project in Chicago.

“They took over a Chicago high school that had been shut down. The mayor had shut down a bunch of schools, with catastrophic results. To respond to this, they collaborated over two years to create an immersive theatre experience.

“When you came to see this play, you came in as a student on your first day at a new school. You get a learning badge, you take an SAT, and you watch your teacher try to find supplies. You have to find your class and you get stopped in the hall by someone who says ‘Hey, I got this notice sent to my house. It says my dad’s going to be sent out of the country. What should I do?’

“It’s such a beautiful, complex way of telling a story and putting you right in it.”

The freedom to tell more stories

Campbell says that it was projects like this that inspired her to leave the traditional theatre world and move into the attractions space, where studios like The Bezark Company are using this impactful style of immersive theatre to reach a wider audience.

Lacy Campbell & Beowulf Cast
Lacy Campbell with Beowolf cast, during her independent work in the theatre world with Hearts and Brains

She also adds that people feel welcome to experience live storytelling at an attraction in a way that they don’t always feel welcome at a theatre:

“There’s so much coded behaviour when you go to a theatre. You must dress a certain way. You must act a certain way, to sit with your hands in your lap and not talk to anybody. It’s quite stifling.

“But people go to parks and feel so much freer. It’s a more open and welcoming atmosphere and I think that’s why I felt so drawn to work in this space. People don’t go to a theme park afraid that they might look stupid, the way they might feel when they go to see a Shakespeare play, for example.”

Bringing history to life with immersive theatre

Segal uses an example from her museum career to illustrate the power that this medium can have:

“My work started with solo first-person historical interpretation, in vintage train cars at the New York Transit Museum. There are so many stories that could be told in those cars because they range from the 1800s to the modern day.

“A lot of my audiences were school groups so I would be trying to weave in learning goals while also making it fun and interactive. One example was a performance about Mary Walton, a citizen scientist from the Victorian era. She was fed up with the noise of the trains running through New York City and so she used the scientific method to figure out how to quiet the tracks. She beat Thomas Edison to it and got her own patent.”

Elysia Segal as Mary Walton New York Transit Museum immersive theatre in LBE
Elysia Segal as Mary Walton. Image credit James Giovan

“I would be Walton, running around in a corset and bustle, staying in character no matter what and the kids were just completely enthralled with this idea that they were meeting someone from the past. Then we would do a mini science project on the train together, looking at how she experimented with sound absorbency in her basement. The kids would help me to come up with a solution. Afterwards, the educator would show the patent and boom, they have just made history.

“When the performer is leaning into playing that role, even if you don’t realise it at the time, you’re being immersed in your surroundings, and something magical happens.”

Practising empathy

Terracotta Warrior Children’s Museum of Indianapolis immersive theatre in LBE
Children’s Museum of Indianapolis

Moving on to talk about the state of the industry now, both Segal and Campbell see this blend of immersive theatre and LBE continuing to be a growing trend.

COVID hit us a little bit, but things are coming back,” says Segal. “Immersive theatre is so rewarding on so many levels. It stimulates curiosity, promotes empathy in many ways, and it can just be fun. It’s a wonderful way to communicate.

“For museums, it’s a wonderful way to communicate important or underrepresented stories. Immersive theatre can trigger awe and wonder, and people get a chance to experience something that might never happen to them in reality.

Campbell adds: “There’s a wonderful quote about how theatre is like a gym for empathy, in terms of letting you try on those feelings and try on someone else’s story.”

In her view, the interest is there, the appetite is there, and the talent is there. “However, what will be very telling is the parks’ demand on making a lot of money from it. We must acknowledge that it’s expensive. Live performers, skilled performers, skilled designers, and directors who will come in and know what they’re doing and do something that will be effective – it’s not cheap.

“Does it have value? Is it worth it? I think so, yes. But what is the profit margin that the parks are going to insist on? Are they going to say they just don’t want to pay for it?”

The challenges of bringing immersive theatre to LBE

So, the cost is one of the key challenges in making an immersive theatre project successful in an LBE setting. But what are some of the other factors to consider? For instance, is there a need for consistency across these performances; how much freedom will the performers have and what will the impact of that be?

“It is up to the director and the production team to determine what the consistency is,” says Campbell. “You’re not going to see the same line delivered in the same way 50 times a day. And nor should you. Otherwise, you’d just get a video recording.”

Lacy Campbell puppetry masterclass
Lacy Campbell leading a puppetry masterclass at the University of North Carolina School for the Arts, organised by The Bezark Company

“Is consistency something that feels unique and powerful? I think it’s going to be very interesting, especially now that we’re in a world where we have access to so much data. What are the metrics you’re going to set for each of these interactions? You can’t just say ‘We need this person to stand in x spot, say it in this time, raise their arms in this way, and then hooray, we made art.’ That’s not going to make anybody happy.”

Costs and risks

Segal agrees, saying:

“For it to be effective, there must be a fair amount of thoughtfulness and care that goes into it. From a museum perspective, often a site will think that immersive theatre looks appealing. But they have no idea what they’re getting into, so might try to cut corners.

“In my experience, it does require work and it does call for a budget. It doesn’t have to be a massive budget. Some of the most amazing work can come from needing to think creatively because of a limited budget. But there still needs to be something there, because of the value of the work itself.”

Elysia Segal as Betty Skelton at the Intrepid Museum immersive theatre in LBE
Elysia Segal as Betty Skelton at Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum

“Everything comes with some risks. For instance, if you’re going to be doing a theatre piece next to a priceless painting, you might want to have some insurance! But ultimately, there is payoff and reward for the effort of doing it properly.”

“There’s also a point to be made about looking for partnerships,” adds Campbell. “There’s no need to reinvent the wheel. Partnering with local institutions and local theatres can be a fruitful collaboration.”

Top immersive theatre tips for LBE operators

With their experience in bringing immersive theatre to a range of LBE venues, Campbell and Segal are well-placed to give some top tips for operators who are wanting to add an element of live performance to their attraction.

Lacy Campbell puppetry
Lacy Campbell works with a puppet during a previous project with Hearts & Brains

On the most important things to consider before embarking on a project, Segal begins by sharing a list of best practices created by the International Museum Theatre Alliance, where she serves on the board:

“These can be distilled down to four main points. The first one is that the performance should serve the institution’s audience. So, it involves being mindful of age-appropriate subject matter, for instance. Are you in a place where historical accuracy is paramount? Or can it be something a little more whimsical? You should also be inclusive. Maybe that looks like having closed captioning, having an ASL interpreter, or autism-friendly performances, depending on where that site is.

“The next point is the idea that the performance is an extension of that site. So, it should support the goals of that organisation. Also, in reverse, the institution should be able to support the project and its performers, in the form of things like an adequate budget and marketing

“The third one is a no-brainer, in that the content should be high quality. It is being presented alongside professional institutions or locations, so it should reflect that level of professionalism. If it’s a historical piece of research, there should be citations. The performances should be engaging.”

Inclusivity

Lastly, Segal continues, there should be HR policies to ensure fairness and health and safety for the performers.

“This should go without saying. But all too frequently, performers and theatre artists are taken advantage of out in the field. The performers need adequate training, they need to be compensated for their time and their contributions. Sometimes that can get a little bit grey in this industry – what are they being asked to do specifically? Are they being asked to help to devise the piece in some way? What does that look like in terms of credit and ownership rights?

“Considering these points can make or break the success of something like this over time.”

Puppet masterclass from Bezark at University of North Carolina School for the Arts
Lacy Campbell leading a puppetry masterclass at the University of North Carolina School for the Arts, organised by The Bezark Company

Cambell expands on Segal’s earlier point about inclusivity and accessibility, drawing on her experience with The Bezark Company, and beyond:

“Accessibility is key from the beginning. It’s going to be so much easier if you figure out things like ASL interpreters or captions from day one. You also need to understand your audience. What are they there for? What are they going to be receptive to? Sometimes you might be engaging in something that is emotionally loaded, especially in a museum environment. So, you must be conscientious with your tone and the way you’re handling it.

“Playtesting is also important, testing it in front of an audience. Nothing is going to be right in the first draft. You must be willing to see how actual humans in the actual space respond. Then go back and iterate and make it stronger and more engaging.”

Where can immersive theatre succeed?

Of course, there is no one-size fits all approach. But what kind of LBE venue or specific content might lend itself well to immersive theatre installations?

“Immersive theatre can be inspired by anything; it has this incredible versatility,” says Segal. “There might be a new exhibit that’s opening that lends itself automatically to a show.

Elysia Segal as Elinor Smith next to flying suit immersive theatre in LBE
Elysia Segal as Elinor Smith, next to Smith’s flying suit

“For instance, at Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum, we opened a new exhibit on women astronauts of the space shuttle era. Right alongside it, underneath the Space Shuttle Enterprise, I launched a one-woman show about Betty Skelton. She was the first woman to undergo the Mercury astronaut tests in 1959.

“It’s a wonderful way to highlight this unknown story from history but also to complement the exhibit, showing how far we have come since NASA was first founded.”

“Or it could also be something as simple as one artefact. What is the history of that item? What has that item seen over the years? I recently created a performance about Elinor Smith, a daredevil pilot from the 1920s. I was invited to perform it right next to her flight suit in a gallery out at another museum of aviation on Long Island.

“That was a surreal moment, to be able to tell her story next to an artefact from her actual life.”

Campbell tackles the question from a space perspective:

“In theme parks, we talk a lot about waders, swimmers, and divers. Waders engage a little bit, swimmers get more involved and then divers want to get in there and experience everything. With our work at The Bezark Company, we’ve found that the best thing to do is to create an atmosphere where all three can engage exactly as much as they want without bothering other people.”

Two worlds collide

Many attractions professionals come from a theatre background, and vice versa. What is it about this art form that makes it able to span both disciplines? And what lessons can these two groups of professionals learn from each other?

For Campbell: “It’s all the same muscles – it’s lighting and sound design, it’s telling stories in three dimensions. It’s the same skill set.”

Segal agrees that it all boils down to storytelling:

“Attractions people and museum people are storytellers, and theatre is storytelling. It’s a natural fit. Essentially, I see immersive theatre, as a living attraction.”

Immersive theatre in LBE: not just a fad

Campbell also points out that it’s important to overcome a certain element of snobbishness when it comes to immersive, site-specific theatre:

“People can refer to immersive theatre as a fad. I want to push back against that because I think it’s easy for people to forget the fact that theatre, as we know it today, is also a fad.”

Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser immersive theatre in LBE
Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser

“The fourth wall didn’t come into theatre until the mid-1800s when the Russians introduced it. Before that, the performer speaking directly to the audience was the thing for centuries. People feel that you must have an audience in the dark and a stage that is lit. But we’ve only had electric lights for so long.

“This is just another evolution of a style of storytelling. It’s been around long before those conventions were introduced.”

Relevant and exciting

Segal finishes by saying that, often, people don’t see immersive theatre as theatre. Especially in the theme park or museum space:

“But breaking out of that narrow definition of theatre can only be a good thing.”

“It brings them in and allows them to respond in fresh new ways, it makes theatre feel relevant and exciting,” adds Campbell. “If there is a place where theatre artists can come and tell you powerful stories, and create that empathy, in parks and location-based entertainment venues and museums, that is beautiful.”

Catch Campbell and Segal in conversation with Adam Bezark, chief creative officer of The Bezark Company; Eric Hoff, senior creative director at Thinkwell Group; and Ameenah Kaplan, immersive experience director for Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser at the Walt Disney Company, at IAAPA Expo 2022 in Orlando, Florida.

The EDUSession, Immersive Theater in Location-Based Entertainment: The Creative Whys and the Operational Hows, will take place on Monday 14 November from 8:30 – 9:30 a.m.

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charlotte coates

Charlotte Coates

Charlotte Coates is blooloop's editor. She is from Brighton, UK and previously worked as a librarian. She has a strong interest in arts, culture and information and graduated from the University of Sussex with a degree in English Literature. Charlotte can usually be found either with her head in a book or planning her next travel adventure.

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