The No Proscenium Podcast

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.