Hitting NYC later this month is Roomies LIVE!: a homage to classic 90’s sitcoms. In this interactive show “three down-on-their-luck roomies constantly run afoul of their eccentric landlord while trying to survive in the big city of Cincinnati.” The catch: the third roommate might just be you, as each edition features an audience member pulled in to be said roomie.

The rest of the audience takes on the role of the live studio audience, looking to keep one step ahead of the kooky mystery the roomies have gotten mixed up in, as part of a format that features two episodes of the sitcom for each show. The show got its start as part of Playground: Immersive Works in Progress at Culture Lab LIC this past summer.

We checked in with creator Collin Blackard about Roomies LIVE!

which opens Nov. 21st and runs through Dec. 12th at the Brooklyn Art Haus.

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No Proscenium: Tell us a little bit about your experience! What’s it about? What makes it immersive?

Collin Blackard: Roomies LIVE! is an interactive 90s style sitcom about three roommates and their wacky landlord. However, one of the Roomies isn’t played by an actor. We feature Special Guest Stars pulled from our Live Studio Audience to hop on set and join the misadventures. YOU could be the next third Roomie! And, every episode is a madcap mystery for our viewers to solve. Two back to back episodes each performance for double the laughs.

NP: What was the inspiration for your upcoming experience?

CB: I perform in a lot of murder mysteries. And, don’t get me wrong. I love murder, but I wanted to write a mystery with high stakes and no death. Once, I had a roommate who owned a rare breed of cat. This roommate was a little overprotective of their pet. I won’t get into details, but the smoke alarm went off twice after someone put Honey Nut Cheerios in the cat dish. Things spiraled into full-blown sitcom chaos. The cat was fine, though.

Sitcoms are full of big, ridiculous moments. Everything feels urgent, but no one gets hurt. Evicted maybe, but not hurt. So, I wrote Episode 203: Who Let The Cat Out? as a send-up to classic sitcom tropes. That was our first episode. 

NP: What do you think fans of immersive will find most interesting about this latest experience? 

CB: It’s a blast to be part of a live studio audience. Each episode is a silly mystery, and viewers can voice their theories right before the big reveal. It feels like talking to your friends about your favorite show. Good TV does that. It brings people together. And honestly, one of the funniest parts is watching the Special Guest Stars try to keep up with the Roomies’ halfbaked schemes.

NP: Once you started designing and testing what did you discover about this experience that was unexpected?

CB: I was surprised by how quickly people understood the audience participation. I expected we’d have to prompt certain reactions, but nope. They knew when to laugh, clap, and aww. The best laugh track you could ask for. I think it’s because TV was a shared experience for such a long time. We collectively learned the sitcom formula, so we’re all in on the joke. 

NP: What can fans who are coming to this, or thinking about coming to this, do to get into the mood of the experience? 

CB: It’s the 90s! Break out the flannel and feed your Tamagotchi. You bring the laughter, we’ve got the slap bracelets.

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