A weekly feature pointing you towards the current experiences that have people talking.
For people who always tap “Ask App Not to Track”
("Bitten Sie die App, nicht zu verfolgen”)...
The Crystal Heaven Lounge [BERLIN, GERMANY AND REMOTE]**
For this weekend only as part of the Performing Arts Festival in Berlin, explore a fully interactive (and English friendly) environment filled with striking visuals and live performers reflecting the outsized anxiety that can come from living in a virtual world. Through the experience’s custom character generator, find your place in the Crystal Heaven Lounge, a refuge from a digital Dystopia where your every move is tracked and every thought is catalogued as data ripe for exploitation and sale; a secret oasis where people are free to live outside the system as their most authentic selves. And if you can’t make it to Berlin on short notice, a limited number of remote tickets promise a digital experience as interactive and potentially impactful to the world as the in-person participants. Reach out from the real world and give the denizens of The Foundation a taste of the freedom they yearn for.
Why we think you’ll love it: For people who miss the at-will exploration and captivating oddities of early free-roaming remote experiences like Eschaton, this could be a perfect opportunity to get a look at, and potentially impact, Immersive on the other side of the world.
For people who always thought "If a tree falls in the woods and no one is around to hear it, does it really make a sound?” was a stupid question...
Forest (for a thousand years…) [POTOMAC, MARYLAND]**
The Glenstone Museum, already known for its captivating, understated exhibition of both nature and modern art debuts a new aural experience as part of the site’s FREE admission that proves to be a serenely arresting fusion of both. Situated within a beautiful forest clearing surrounded by towering, ancient trees, over thirty speakers play a rich, transportive soundscape by artists Janet Cardiff and George Bures Miller conjuring just a handful of the countless moments a forest like this has borne witness to during its millennia of growth. From a gentle summer breeze to a raging storm, from children playing in the grove to soldiers waging war, the Forest invites you to close your eyes, breathe deeply, and allow the trees to tell you their story.
Why we think you’ll love it: With sound design so detailed and carefully rendered you may not know whether those creaking branches above your head are real or part of the show, this is a lovingly observed installation that reminds us nature is its own immersive experience.
For people who got more and more impatient every time Netflix said season 4 was “coming soon…"
Stranger Things: The Experience [NEW YORK CITY & SAN FRANCISCO, CA]
Escape from the upside down 2022 for a while and dive back into 80’s through the lens of Stranger Things, where all you have to worry about is what ice cream flavor you want and the odd dimension-hopping Demogorgon. Featuring a fully interactive story experience where your hero potential is dialed up to Eleven with powers that may just help Will, Lucas, and Dustin save the town of Hawkins yet again before unleashing you on the Harcourt Mall with all the food, games, character meet-ups, and nefarious secrets your nerdy, nostalgia-fueled heart could want.
Why we think you’ll love it: In the land of live brand activations, few IPs go as consistently hard as Stranger Things, and this appears to be their most truly immersive endeavor to date. If you ever wanted to know how it feels to take on the Mind-Flayer with America’s favorite D&D party, this might be your best chance.
**These listings were suggested by community members Jos Porath and Melissa Bouton (respectively). Thanks, Jos! Thanks, Melissa!
Have an upcoming/ongoing immersive experience that has you buzzing? Point it out to us through pitches@noproscenium.com with the subject line "Trailheads" and we might include it in the next issue!