The No Proscenium Podcast

This week on the show we've got another double header.First up, Jake Pinholster the Dean of the College of Fine and Applied Arts at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and Creative Producer & Director Scarlett Kim — the producers of Worlds in Play, join us to talk about the upcoming gathering of play practitioners—game and theatre artists alike— which is coming to Monticello, Illinois this August.Then joining us is Prescott Gadd, creator of Spies Among Us, a mystery adventure that takes place on weekends in DTLA's Little Tokyo neighborhood — and for that interview we'll be joined by No Pro's own Kathryn Yu.SHOW NOTESWorlds In PlaySpies Among UsThe Next Stage Immersive SummitNext Stage: Intensive ScheduleNext Stage: Speakers & Guests Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week on the show we've got an extra-long double header with some real clarity of purpose as we take a look at IMMERSIVE inside Theme Parks.First up, Mike Ostrom, Manager of Entertainment and Events for Six Flags Magic Mountain and WOW! Entertainment Inc's Mark Brymer join me to spill the details on DC Heroes & Villains Festival - an immersive theatrical takeover of and Six Flags Magic Mountain and Six Flags Great Adventure this summer which kicks off at Magic Mountain in Southern California later this month, with a Grand Opening on June 21st and will hold its grand opening at Six Flags Great Adventure in Jackson, NJ on Aug 8th.Then we have an all-star AFTER DARK with CNET's Scott Stein, Overlook Film Festival's Landon Zakheim, and NoPro's Kathryn Yu and Parker Sela as we gather together to talk about Scott & Landon's time at Universal's Epic Universe, Kathryn, Parker, Landon, and Noah's time at Universal Fan Fest Nights, and the state of immersive — especially LIVE PERFORMER DRIVEN IMMERSIVE — in theme parks in 2025.SHOW NOTESDC Heroes & Villains Festival - Six Flags Magic MountainDC Heroes & Villains Festival - Six Flag Great AdventureWow! Entertainment Inc. Scott Stein @ CNETOverlook Film FestivalThe Next Stage Immersive SummitMiami Immersive Intensive Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today on the show we're talking about this year's Tribeca Immersive offering at the Tribeca Festival which is currently running in New York City.This year the lineup has come together thanks to a unique partnership between Tribeca, Onassis ONX, and Agog: The Immersive Media Institute. To tell us how that all came together we'll be joined this week by Casey Baltes, VP Tribeca Games & Immersive; Jazia Hammoudi, Program Director at Onassis ONX; and returning to the show is Chip Giller co-founder and Executive Director of Agog: The Immersive Media Institute.SHOW NOTESTribeca ImmersiveAgog: The Immersive Media InstituteOnassis ONXThe Next Stage Immersive Summit Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week on the show we go into the field for a visit to Sypher Arts Studio where Labyrinth Masquerade founder Shawn Strider and producer Jacquie Adorni give us a tour of the treasure trove of costumes that make up the living tapestry that is the Labyrinth Masquerade — the Twenty Seventh edition of which will take place this coming August 15th & 16th at the Historic Biltmore in Downtown Los Angeles.The Masquerade hosts thousands of guests each year, with many cosplayers and costumers going all out to create elaborate characters. The Labyrinth Masquerade is the place to see and be seen whether you are a Sylph from an airy dimension never visited by humans, or a hapless mortal wisked away from their prom night by a mischievous sprite. To get a sense of how hard folks go check the Photo Gallery in Show Notes below.SHOW NOTESLabyrinth MasqueradeLabyrinth Masquerade Photo GalleryThe Next Stage Immersive SummitThe Matrix in Shared Reality Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Little Cinema's Jay Rinsky joins us to talk about his most ambitious project yet:  bringing The Matrix — the 1999 blockbuster that defined action movies for a generation — to Cosm's titanic video domes. In classic Little CInema style they're using theatrical techniques to bring the world of The Matrix outside the film frame and onto the wrap around canvas of Cosm's big screens.SHOW NOTESThe Matrix in Shared RealityThe Next Stage Immersive Summit Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week on the show we are joined by Katy Naylor of Voidspace to talk about Voidspace Live, the interactive arts festival which is coming up in London June 7th & 8th and which is featuring a wonderful cross section of London's always bubbling immersive & experiential scene.SHOW NOTESVoidspace LiveThe Next Stage Immersive SummitNoPro Backer Focus Group (Round One - Pillar of the Community Tier & Above) Get bonus content on Patreon Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We wrap up our Detor into Andor: A Star Wars Story's second series with one more trip along the Rimma Trade Route to talk with Jay Bushman about the final arc – ever – of the series which pushed Star Wars storytelling in bold new directions.Spoilers Abound.SHOW NOTESNight Drive - Synthwave Cyberpunk by Elysium Sound Get bonus content on Patreon Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week on the show we are joined by Donna Personna & Mark Nassar two of the three writers — along with Collette LeGrande — of The Compton's Cafeteria Riot which has returned to San Francisco's Tenderloin after a successful run in 2018. The immersive, interactive play brings to life the 1966 uprising in San Francisco's Tenderloin district that was one of the first acts of organized LGBTQ+ resistance in the United States pre-dating the Stonewall Riots by three years.Donna beings her real life experience of being part of the Tenderloin's LGBTQ+ community at the time of riot, and her years as an advocate for transgender rights to the story while Mark brings a career that includes being one of the creators of the long standing interactive theatre hit Tony & Tina's Wedding to bear on bringing this moment of sometimes hidden San Francisco history to life.SHOW NOTESThe Compton's Cafeteria Riot Screaming Queens: The Riot at Compton's Cafeteria Donna The Next Stage Immersive Summit Get bonus content on Patreon Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Another Detour into the world of Star Wars as storyteller extraordinaire Jay Bushman joins NoPro host Noah Nelson to dive into the incredible third arc of Andor's second season.SHOW NOTESDetour: Jay & Noah Talk Andor Season OneWho's The Bossk: Episode 224: Lonni, You're Out of Your Element with Noah J. NelsonPros & Cons Season 2Aaron Burr's Farewell Address Get bonus content on Patreon Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jon Pedigo is known to the NoPro universe as one of the creators of Bar of Dreams, which has charmed audiences on both the East and West Coast and to attendees of the 2022 Los Angeles Immersive Invitational as part of the team that created the brilliant Well, Well, Well that year.Well, Jon will be back this weekend at the LA Immersive Invitational, teaming up with Karlie LeClare and Keight Leighn of Dream Logik (Snow Fridge), and joins us on the show this week to talk about Quonk, his project to create a sustainable venue to introduce immersive theatre to more audiences starting with Quonkhampton in Northampton, Mass.SHOW NOTESQuonkThe Los Angeles Immersive InvitationalWho's The Bossk? Episode 224 Get bonus content on Patreon Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week on the show we're marking the imminent Halfway to Halloween point of the year with two interviews.First up: Jason Egan of Egan Productions - whose Saw, It, and Blair Witch escape games are perreniall favorites in Las Vegas, joins us to talk about his origins in haunts, and his latest endeavor: The John Wick Experience at AREA15. Then David Markland, co-founder and executive director of Midsummer Scream the world's largest horror and Halloween convention which will be returning to Long Beach this August, joins us to talk about Midsummer and the state of the horror scene as a whole.SHOW NOTESThe John Wick ExperienceEgan ProductionsThe Official Saw Escape Las VegasEscape Blair WitchEscape ItMidsummer ScreamThe Los Angeles Immersive InvitationalLife & Trust Cast & Crew GoFundMe Get bonus content on Patreon Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

As we near Episode 500 I want to start experimenting, exploring other ways to connect with members of the immersive creative community.One idea I've been toying with is a side-project where we talk with creators about works they love and that inspire them, and so that's what we do this week with long time backer, storyteller extraordinaire Jay Bushman.Jay and I have known each other for nearly 15 years now, he's integral to the origin story of NoPro, and we both love ANDOR, the second of which starts this week. Somehow, in all this time, we have NEVER talked about ANDOR with each other. Which is weird, honestly, as talking Star Wars with each other is one of the facets of our friendship.Note: this is a full on SPOILERS ON conversation, and it's less about the show itself then it is about storytelling, meaning making, and... okay it's also a lot about ANDOR! But it's not a recap show, so if you haven't seen Season One you will get lost pretty quick once we get going. Get bonus content on Patreon Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Another double header this week as first we're joined by Winston Fisher, Chief Executive officer of Las Vegas' AREA15 to talk about their 20-acre expansion this year which will see attractions like Felix & Paul Studios' Interstellar Arc, The Museum of Ice Cream, and the highly anticipated Universal Horror Unleashed. Then Graham Wetterhahn of After Hours Theatre Company and Nick Rheinwald-Jones of Spy Brunch join us for a chat about The Los Angeles Immersive Invitational, where competitors will be showcasing their creations on May the 4th at the Los Angeles LGBT Center's The Village at Ed Gould Plaza.SHOW NOTESAREA15Universal Horror UnleashedThe Los Angeles Immersive Invitational Get bonus content on Patreon Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week we're joined by Margaret Chandra Kerrison, who is here to talk about her latest book The Art of Immersive Storytelling: Strategies from the Gaming World.  Many of you know Margaret from her time with Walt Disney Imagineering where she worked on some projects dear to our hearts like Galaxy's Edge. These days she is Senior Creative Director for TAIT.Before we get into the episode — it's time to break down just who will be joining us at the LOS ANGELES IMMERSIVE INVITATIONAL the first weekend in May.SHOW NOTESThe Art of Immersive Storytelling: Strategies from the Gaming WorldThe Los Angeles Immersive InvitationalPatreon: How to use your audio RSS Get bonus content on Patreon Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week we're joined by Alexander Patterson, founder of Beat The Bomb and we go on the origin story journey of the New York based company which traces its roots to Alex's time with Tough Mudder all the way to its post-pandemic expansion, including the opening THIS WEEKEND of Beat The bomb Denver — the SEVENTH overall.SHOW NOTESBeat The BombBeat The Bomb DenverThe 2025 Los Angeles Immersive Invitational Get bonus content on Patreon Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week on the show: another double header.FIrst up: Mikhael Tara Garver and Jenny Koons of Culture House Immersive are with us to talk a bit about the work going on over there, including a fair amount about working with creatives from outside the realm of immersive to bring their worlds to life.Then we check in with friend of the show Yannick Trapman-O'Brien, who is celebrating an anniversary for The Telelibrary — the much beloved one on one phone based experience that has taken on a life of its own — and is rebuilding the secretive Undersigned after losing some of the show to the devastating fires in LA this past January.SHOW NOTESCulture House ImmersiveYannick Trapman-O'BrienThe TelelibraryUndersigned Get bonus content on Patreon Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week on the show we've got a double header.FIrst up: Amy Ashton and Mia Fiorella of the La Jolla Playhouse will help me make a path through the lineup of this year's Without Walls Festival, which is coming up April 24-27th on the campus of UC San Diego.Then Jimmy Reckitt and I talk about making Vampire LARPS which is exactly what he does as the Head of Story for By Night Studios and their upcoming event Darkness Emergent: Los Angeles, the latest in the Darkness Emergent series of blockbuster LARPS which comes to the Biltmore Hotel in LA on Memorial Day weekend.SHOW NOTESWithout Walls Festival Lineup AnnouncementWithout Walls FestivalDarkness EmergentBy Night StudiosEnemies of the Night Backerkit Campaign Get bonus content on Patreon Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week we are joined by Jack Aldisert of Deadweight Theatre, creator of The Manikins, which was the talk of the London immersive scene throughout 2024 — so much so that some legendary figures on that scene became collaborators — and which will be coming to the Overlook Film Festival in New Orleans this April and is sure to be all the talk there. In the host chair for this discussion is Shelley Snyder, NoPro's London Curator — and not only do Shelley and Jack deftly avoid serious spoilers (although those who love to go in cold, consider yourself forewarned) they also have one of the frankest conversations about making immersive work I've had the pleasure of listening to in quite some time. – NoahSHOW NOTESThe ManikinsDeadweight TheatreThe Overlook Film Festival 2025 Events Get bonus content on Patreon Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week on the show we've got a look at two of the experiences in this year's SXSW XR Experience Competition — The Secret Life of Monsters: The Gateway Experience and Traces: The Grief Processor — we have the key creatives behind both joining us on the pod in a double header.Once again the SXSW lineup is filled with as many XR experiences, IRL activations, and smarty pants panels a person can take in, and we've picked out the ones we're most intrigued by in our annual SXSW FOMO Guide, which is up on the site and linked in the show notes.Which includes a panel your podcast host is moderating.SHOW NOTESThe Secret Life of Monsters: The Gateway Experience Traces: The Grief Processor The 2025 SXSW FOMO Relief Patch (A NoPro Guide)From Creator To Closer: Your Path To Greenlight (SXSW panel w/Noah)The 2025 NoPro Audience Awards Get bonus content on Patreon Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week on the show we're joined by Erica Boeke, CEO of XPLAND — which covers the business of experiential from awards shows to activism, sports to immersive — and who are gearing up for their second XLIST — which puts the spotlight on the most creative visionaries in experiential. Nominations for which are open RIGHT NOW.SHOW NOTESXPLANDThe XLIST Nomination Process 2025Audience Discount Code for Nominations: XLISTNOPRO25 The XLIST 2023The 2025 NoPro Audience Award NomineesBallot Access for The 2025 NoPro Audience Awards (Backer Only) Get bonus content on Patreon Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week on the show we've got a double feature.First up: Graham Wetterhahn of After Hours Theatre Company and NoPro's own Parker Sela stop by to talk about Dark Library Paris: 1925, a new immersive cocktail experience that's running in North Hollywood at present.Then: immersive theatre creator Michael Bontatibus, whose company Witness we have covered in the past here at NoPro, joins us to talk about the state of immersive theatre as a whole, based on a recent essay he wrote entitled "What Happened to Immersive Theatre? How traditional and immersive theatre could rebuild together."SHOW NOTESDark Library Paris: 1925 After Hours Theatre CompanyWhat Happened to Immersive Theatre?WitnessThe 2025 NoPro Audience Award NomineesSecret Cinema: GreaseUniversal Horror Unleashed in Las Vegas Tickets On Sale Announcement Get bonus content on Patreon Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week on the show we're joined by Planning Your Escape author and one of the creators of the upcoming Mystery Ave. in Portland, the one and only Laura Hall — who will not be talking about EITHER of those things but instead talking about the Center for Immersive Arts — her project to help preserve key parts of the history of immersive art.That includes the resurrection of the classic Alternate Reality Game forum known as the Unforum, as a static archive that captures a key moment in time.SHOW NOTESCenter for Immersive ArtsThe Unforum (Archive)Planning Your EscapeMystery Ave.NoPro's 10 Most Anticipated New Immersive Works of 2025 (Part I)Immersive Review Rundown: Worlds Beyond, Worlds WithinCALL SHEET FEBRUARY 2025 Get bonus content on Patreon Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week on the show, Stefanie Frey the Director of Organizing & Mobilization for Actor's Equity Association — joins us to talk about how Equity — the union for actors and stage managers — has been expanding its membership into places like escape rooms and themed restaurants that touch upon our world of immersive experiences.SHOW NOTESActor's Equity Association Get bonus content on Patreon Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week on the show, the Review Crew – in the form of NYC curator Allie Marotta, East Coast Editor at Large Blake Weil, Exec. Editor Emeritus Kathryn Yu, NYC correspondent Penelope Ray, and host Noah Nelson – gather to talk about the end of Sleep No More's era defining run in New York City and the last run of shows and parties at the McKittrick Hotel, the show's venue in Manhattan's Chelsea neighborhood which now recedes into history. Get bonus content on Patreon Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The original plan for this week was for us to have no episode while The Next Stage Immersive Summit was on.Because of the ongoing humanitarian crisis in LA brought about by the wildfires The Next Stage is postponed.We'll have more on the plans for that at a later date. In the meantime check the show notes for how to help those in LA.Show NotesLA Fires: How You Can Help (compiled by Kathryn Yu)GoFundMe for immersive actor Brandon Bales' family to find a new place to liveGoFundMe for 2023 Next Stage Immersive Summit speaker Wendy McClellan AndersonGoFundMe for 2025 Next Stage Immersive Summit speaker Suzanne Down of Cirque BerzerkLA Immersive Industry Mixer at Squirrelor's Tavern Get bonus content on Patreon Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A quick check in from LA as the fire situation evolves, including updates on The Next Stage Immersive Summit, which at present is still on at the Pasadena Playhouse Jan 17-19.We will check in next week.SHOW NOTESGoFundMe for Suzanne Down to recover from the Eaton Fire Get bonus content on Patreon Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week on the show, Parker Sela takes up the host duties to interview Nicole Orabona and Nathan Leigh of CirqueSaw about their remote repertory season consisting of Void Main, a revival of POV: You Are an AI Achieving Consciousness and workshop dates for labRats and just why an online theatre company is going to all the trouble of coding its own platform. SHOW NOTESCirqueSaw @ WellAttended (ticketing site)CirqueSaw InstagramNext Stage Immersive Summit: Program Guide Get bonus content on Patreon Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week we wrap our End of the Year podcasts with our annual gathering of the NoPro Crew to look back at the year that was in immersive and look forward to what might be.Joining us for the chat are NoPro Toronto Curator Katrina Lat, New York Correspondent Nicholas Fortugno, correspondent-at-large Martin Gimenez, and Senior LA Reviewer Kathryn Yu.SHOW NOTESIn the Matter of the Death of ‘Tamara': A Post-Mortem – LA Times, 1993The Next Stage Immersive Summit Get bonus content on Patreon Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

At the end of every year we pull together a roundtable of journalists covering immersive to look back on what was and this year we're talking with our colleagues in London, starting with NoPro curator Shelley Snyder, the Voidspace's Katy Naylor, Immersive Rumors' Graham Fitzgerald, and Franco Milazzo stage critic for Broadway World UK.SHOW NOTESVoidspaceImmersive RumorsFranco Milazzo, Broadway WorldThe Next Stage Immersive SummitNoPro's Best of 2024: Immersive Moments Get bonus content on Patreon Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week Ilana Gilovich, Chief Storyteller for Emursive Productions, joins me for our first-ever conversation and yes, we get into just what the Chief Storyteller for the production company behind Life And Trust and the McKittrick Hotel – home of Sleep No More in NYC — does and nerd out as only two theatre kids meeting for the first time can do.Happy Holidays: it's one of THOSE No Pro episodes and a good one at that.Plus: the latest updates on The Next Stage Immersive Summit including HASBRO & DISNEY LIVE ENTERTAINMENT. –NoahSHOW NOTESLife And TrustSleep No MoreSpeakeasy MagickEmursiveThe Next Stage Immersive SummitContact Noah about that thing he mentioned. Get bonus content on Patreon Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week Shawn Kittelsen SVP Creative at Skydance Interactive, the creators of the just released Skydance's Behemoth (available now on PSVR2, Steam VR, and Meta Quest) joins us to talk about the game which puts players into the role of Wren, a lone hunter who sets off for the Forsaken Lands to lift a terrible curse. The only way to do so is by saying the towering gods known as Behemoths.In this talk we get into storytelling in VR, the way dynamic, spatial games systems lead players to embody characters, and a whole lot more. It's another very fun conversation about VR at the precise moment when the medium is hitting a stride on narrative focused experiences that rival the best traditional video games can offer.SHOW NOTESSkydance's BehemothAnn Morrow Johnson, of Gensler, Joins Board of The Immersive Experience InstituteThe Next Stage Immersive Summit: Speakers & GuestsThe Next Stage Immersive SummitThe Next Stage Immersive Summit: BadgesNo Proscenium Gift Subscriptions Get bonus content on Patreon Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week we have a delightful doubleheader. First up we have Ryan Payton, director of Batman: Arkham Shadow. I've been following Ryan's career since he founded his studio Camouflaj back in 2011 back when I was doing stories about the rise of crowdfunding and here we are on the cusp of 2025 talking about the greatest game to be released on the Meta Quest platform so far.In this conversation we get deep into the storytelling that drives the action of Batman: Arkham Shadow, which is some of the best I've encountered in any video game in years. With that in mind, we avoid spoilers for almost half the conversation. Spoilers start at 19:23 of the pod and end at 37:20. We get into some of the big character beats. So consider yourself forewarned.Then we settle in for a long chat about the state of XR with friend of the show Alex Coulombe — chatting it up about everything from the Unreal Engine classes he's teaching to folks who are working with the Apple Vision Pro to the recreation of the Halcyon — aka the Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser — an open source project in Unreal that he's been helping to lead pretty much since he got back from visiting the ship.SHOW NOTESBatman: Arkham ShadowCamouflajRépubliqueGet Cast In A Dream Role In ‘Batman: Arkham Shadow' (The NoPro Review)A Christmas Carol VRGitHub - AgileLens/HalcyonVRAlex Coulombe (@ibrews.bsky.social) — BlueskyAlex Coulombe Presents Unreal Engine TrainingThe (Unofficial) Unreal Engine Podcast - YouTubeThe Weeknd's ‘Open Hearts' Drops On Apple Vision ProThe Next Stage Immersive Summit Get bonus content on Patreon Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week we have a doubleheader as first we are joined by Third Rail Project's Co-Artistic Director Jennine Willlet and musician Coyle Girelli to talk about their new collaboration True Love Forever, which has just opened in NYC.Then Immersive Experience Institute co-founder Kathryn Yu joins me as we break down just how next year's Next Stage Immersive Summit — coming up Jan 17-19 in Pasadena, CA — is going to work as the event evolves some new forms and formats.SHOW NOTESTrue Love ForeverThird Rail ProjectsCoyle GirelliLove KillsThe Next Stage Immersive SummitThe Next Stage Immersive Summit F.A.Q. Get bonus content on Patreon Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On this episode: a preview of our 2024 Holiday Gift Guide with Kathryn Yu, Kevin Gossett, Patrick McLean, and Noah Nelson. Find the perfect gift for the immersive fan in yourself (even if that's just you).SHOW NOTESGIFT GUIDE LINKSBox TWO by Neil Patrick Harris and Theory11Clue: Treachery at Tudor MansionThe Morrison Game FactoryStar Trek: ResurgenceAlan Wake 2Star Wars: OutlawsLife & Trust Gift ExperienceMcKittrick Snow GlobeStar Wars Etsy UniverseMeow Wolf Vista Boss2120NOT GIFT GUIDE LINKSDenver Immersive Invitational Accolades (Facebook Post)The Next Stage Immersive Summit Get bonus content on Patreon Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The last time British-Iranian theatre maker Javaad Alipoor joined us was way back in May of 2021 when we talked about Rich Kids: A History of Shopping Malls in Tehran — which at the time we said was “an incredible multi-media theatre piece that links a constellation of Big Ideas into an incredibly human story.”His most recent work Things Hidden Since the Foundation of the World is just about to wrap up it's tour of the US and is the final part of a trilogy of plays – after The Believers Are But Brothers and Rich Kids – that interrogate how technology, global politics and fracturing identities are changing the world.Exploring the themes of the trilogy is exactly what we do in this wide ranging conversation with one of our favorite artists to talk with.Warning: there is a description of a fairly gruesome murder, but we do not dwell on it for long. We do dwell on geopolitics on this episode which was recorded before the election in the United States.SHOW NOTESThings Hidden Since the Foundation of the World - Washington D.C. DatesThe Javaad Alipoor CompanyThe Denver Immersive InvitationalLA Fall Immersive MeetupThe Next Stage Immersive Summit Get bonus content on Patreon Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

After our annual break we are back this week on a double header.First up, the one and only Nick Moran of Phantom Peak will be joining us to talk about the London favorite, which has conjured a Wild West town not far from the Canada Water station. What is in that Canada Water and why are there so many platypuses involved?We WON'T learn the answers to those questions but we will learn all about Phantom Peak and why it's taking so long for it to make it to the United States in this dynamic conversation with Nick.THen we have a visit with Rita Orlov of PostCurious to get the details on the game at the center of their latest Kickstarter Campaign: Ministry of Lost Things: Lint Condition - A Puzzletale which has just 12 days left in its already successful campaign. SHOW NOTESPhantom PeakMinistry of Lost Things: Lint Condition - A Puzzletale The Denver Immersive Invitational ShowcaseLA Immersive Meetup for Fall '24The Next Stage Immersive Summit Get bonus content on Patreon Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week on the show we gather the Review Crew to chat about our various Spooky Season and Autumnal Escapades. Nick Fortugno, Blake Weil, Katrina Lat, Laura Hess, and Patrick McLean join host Noah Nelson as we go coast to coast over to London, and into the wilds of VR in search of chills and thrills.SHOW NOTESThe Next Stage Immersive SummitDenver Immersive InvitationalBeetlejuice Beetlejuice: The Afterlife ExperienceJimmy Fallon's TonightmaresHouse of Exquisite Corpse IV: SuperstitionsPhantom PeakShadow Traffic (Lost Horizon Night Market)You Can't Scare Me Get bonus content on Patreon Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week on the show we're joined by Wesley James and Dallas Nichols of Phoenix based design + build firm LINE LAB for a conversation about building unique immersive environments for places like The Nemesis Club, and Platform 18 and the UnderTow Tiki Bar at Century Grand - all of which have received glowing reviews and accolades.But before we do that we'll we kick things off with Tia Shearer Bassett, organizer of The From Home Fest to tell us all about this immersive festival which you can experience from your own home starting on Oct. 26th. SHOW NOTESLine LabThe Nemesis ClubCentury GrandThe From Home FestThe Next Stage Immersive Summit Get bonus content on Patreon Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week we're joined by Carmel Clavin of Spectacle & Mirth, who just wrapped a tour of two immersive works — Journey to the Kingdom of Hypnos and City Liminal — to talk about the challenges and opportunities of touring immersive work around the globe through the network of Fringe Festivals and beyond.And we break down the Badge Pricing and On-Sale dates for the 2025 Next Stage Immersive Summit.SHOW NOTESSpectacle & MirthBadge Pricing & On Sale Dates for the 2025 Next Stage Immersive Summit Get bonus content on Patreon Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week we're climbing The Ladder of success with Terry Pettigrew-Rolapp and Tommy Wallach of Hatch Escapes in Los Angeles as we talk about The Ladder, their long in development new game that turns escape game conventions on their ear and establishes itself as a new can't miss immersive attraction. SHOW NOTESThe LadderHatch EscapesThe Immersive Industry Report SurveysThe Next Stage Summit ScholarshipsGhostRave (Use code GRPG for 10% off) Get bonus content on Patreon Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week we heading to heaven and a galaxy far far away… sort of.The Heaven is Cowboix Hevvven, currently being built inside Meow Wolf's RADIO TAVE in Houston, and we're talking to Cole Bee Wilson, the creator of this new space which is Meow Wolf's first fully functioning dive bar inside one of their exhibitions. We talk to Cole from just outside the worksite, in the middle of a busy build, and it's a fantastic chat.Then we connect with Mike and Emily Hyde of Hyperspace Props, the popular crafters of cosplay elements and replica card game decks from Star Wars.We get into how this literal mom & pop operation got started, and how they've become a lynchpin for a fan community that has found their own way to immerse themselves into a galaxy of outlaws and scoundrels.SHOW NOTESMeow Wolf's Radio TaveCowboix Hevvven Hyperspace PropsThe Immersive Industry Report SurveysThe Next Stage 2025 Scholarships Get bonus content on Patreon Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Another double header!First up, today is iPhone pre-order day, and that makes it a great day to drop my interview from July with Adam Lisagor, the man behind Sandwich — the firm that got its start making ads for apps and companies big and small because of the the original iPhone and has gotten BACK into the app development game for the Vision Pro with the apps Television and Theatre — with the later being used to broadcast a live event captured in 3D and Spatial Audio at this June's Apple World Wide Developer Conference.This conversation with Adam, whose work I have long admired, is one of the most philosophical I've had all year, and hopefully will give you a nice think about media and the tools we use to make and consume it.Then, NoPro's roving correspondent Martin Gimenez brings us an on-site interview with On Site Opera's  General Director & CEO Piper Gunnarson as its next and Artistic Director Sarah Meyers recorded at this year's World Opera Forum and annual North American Opera Conference hosted by the LA Opera this past June. They dig into the past, present, and near future of the company, including the recently announced World Premiere of Lucidity which runs November 14-16 at Abrons Arts Center in New York City.SHOW NOTESSandwichTelevision (Apple Vision Pro)Theater (Apple Vision Pro)Video: playing with dalle3 images, luma image-to-video, and suno music. (X)How Sandwich streamed The Talk Show Live in 3D on Vision Pro (six colors)On Site OperaLucidityThe Next Stage 2025 Scholarship Applications Get bonus content on Patreon Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We kick off our Spooky Season 2024 coverage with an LA double header.First up: Justin Fix, Stephanie Turek, and Daniel Montgomery of JFI Productions are here with us to talk about the return of CREEP — the show that started it all for JFI and which has been one of the foundational rocks of LA's Spooky Season for nearly a decade now.This year's CREEP is a collaboration with the CBS series GHOSTS, and we'll learn how that teamup is making a difference with the 2024 show.Then Matt Dorado — known to many in the LA scene for the Drunken Devil series of parties and the Live and DIne In LA supper club, returns with an all new venture: Monster Party. A more intimate affair than the days of Drunken Devil, Monster Party is set during the McCarthy Era Lavender Scare, as Dorado and his team weave together a horror tale from America's LGBTQ history.SHOW NOTESCREEP x GHOSTSMonster Party Get bonus content on Patreon Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week a doubleheader:Stephen Dobbie and Colin Nightingale of A Right/Left Project whose ORIGIN - A DEEP LISTENING EXPERIENCE is returning to London this September as part of London Design Week join us first. Stephen and Colin have been collaborators for two decades now, including their work with Punchdrunk stretching back to the early days of the storied companies. As a Right/Left Project they're exploring new forms, iterating quickly, and have established their own signature style.Then we check in with PostCurious' Rita Orlov and writer Lauren Bello about how their collaborations are going, with Bello's The Morrison Game Factory currently in print from PostCurious.From high tech to the table top — we've got a wonderful spread this week for you on No Proscenium.SHOW NOTESA Right/Left ProjectORIGIN - A DEEP LISTENING EXPERIENCEPostCuriousThe Morrison Game Factory Get bonus content on Patreon Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week we've got a really unique edition of the podcast because a year ago I messed up!Last August I interviewed Doug North Cook, the CEO & Creative Director at Creature a new VR video game studio & label that draws upon the team's deep roots in both video games and VR, and is using a model that means indie studios can get the benefits of working with a larger publisher without giving up control over their work.And then I forgot to share the interview!So we're making up for it by sharing that one and a new interview where we catch up with Doug now to talk the label's releases and the state of video games and VR gaming in what has become an inflection point of a year.SHOW NOTESCreatureStarship HomeThrasherSXSW Panel Picker: From Creator to Closer: Your Path to Greenlight Get bonus content on Patreon Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We're celebrating this milestone the best way we know how — by getting members of NoPro's esteemed Review Crew together to wax philosophical about the state of things in the immersive cosmos. This time out associate producer Parker Sela, New York City correspondent Nicholas Fortugno, and New England Curator Leah Davis join host Noah Nelson for a discussion that touches on the notions of “immersive before immersive” and “immersive after immersive” — and while we're at it there are bits about Plastic Bag Store currently at MASS MOCA, Hatch Escape's The Ladder, and Emursive's Life and Trust.SHOW NOTESThe Plastic Bag Store at MASS MocaThe Power of Plastic Parody (REVIEW)Hatch Escape's The LadderLife And TrustNoPro's August CALL SHEET Get bonus content on Patreon Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week: we're back to the double header groove, first with a stop to chat with Aaron Blanton & Este Olivia, owners The Ghoulish Sanctuary, a Haunted Mansion inspired Airbnb in Kissimmee, Florida and then we look to the future with Corvas Brinkerhoff, one of the co-founders of Meow Wolf to talk about his new venture the in-development SUBMERSIVE, an immersive art spa that is planned to launch in Austin.  SHOW NOTESThe Ghoulish SanctuarySubmersive Get bonus content on Patreon Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Listen in on host Noah Nelson's first conversation ever with legendary ARG designer Adrian Hon as they talk about game design, escape games, defining immersive, training actors and more. It's a winding conversation between two folks who love this stuff more than anyone reasonably should.SHOW NOTESAdrian HonEdinburgh Fringe Immersive Creators Meetup w/Adrian HonZombies Run!Perplex City Get bonus content on Patreon Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week on the show we have another double header, this time focused on escape game companies with a theatrical flair… or is that theatre companies who got the escape game itch?First: Tina Keenan, Managing Director of Toronto's Secret City lets us on on their secrets: from their days of working with SCRAP to bring the escape game pioneer's work to Toronto all the way to THE PERFECT BITE, their collaboration with Netflix.Then Jeffrey Carpenter & Tami Dixion of Pittsburgh theatre company Bricolage (OjO: The Next Generation of Travel) and Rod Schwartz, Owner of the escape game company ENTER THE IMAGINARIUM — tells us about how their partnership formed to create some of the most lauded escape experiences on the East Coast.SHOW NOTESSecret CityThe Perfect BiteThe Wedding PartyBricolageEnter The ImaginariumCOMING SOON: Hiker TrashCOMING SOON: SEEKThat Everything Immersive Facebook post we need to you like/share/comment Get bonus content on Patreon Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week on the show: NoPro London Curator Shelley Snyder talks with Parabolic Theatre's Owen Kingston about the return of Bridge Command to London.Plus: Majestic Repertory Theatre's Troy Heard, writer & director of the new immersive adaptation of Jane Austen's EMMA and actress Coco Lane Rigbye (Emma) join host Noah Nelson to dish on the new production that opens this week in Las Vegas.SHOW NOTESBridge CommandJane Austen's EMMANoPro's Front PageSomething Wicked Stirs In Kansas City (Field Report)DIY Publicity 101 for Immersive Creators (July 30)DIY Publicity 101 for Immersive Creators (Aug 6) Get bonus content on Patreon Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This special edition of the podcast features NoPro's Nicholas Fortugno, Parker Sela, and Noah Nelson along with special guest Jeff Crocker (Mister & Mischief) as they trade notes on Julia Masli's ha ha ha ha ha ha ha, in full Spolier Cast mode.SHOW NOTESha ha ha ha ha ha ha (Boston)ha ha ha ha ha ha ha (Washington D.C.) Julia MasliEscape From Godot Get bonus content on Patreon Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.