2025 #39

Hello There!

It's been two weeks and a day since our last newsletter and in that time we've been busy little bees.

I turned 50 on the 24th, and got to spend the weekend with friends here in the Southland, including some long time friends I hadn't seen since before the pandemic hit. That was soul-healing.

I also got to learn of hidden connections between friends, members of our immersive creative community who crossed paths and have backstory long before we had an immersive creative community over here in the Southland. (But not before London, to be sure.)

But was only part of it because...

We Relaunched Two Websites This Week


Sheer madness!

Who does this? Who relaunches TWO websites in a week?

Okay, okay so it's more of a soft launch for NoPro and an evolution for Everything Immersive, but let me crow a bit about how this is all working. Because these changes are going to make our websites even better resources for fans and creators alike.

No Proscenium's New Look

First of all, we've migrated the whole website onto Ghost, the very same instance of Ghost we've been running the newsletter off for a year. (Yes, we wanted to do this long ago. 2025 had different ideas.)

The number one thing this does is get rid of those annoying "Join Medium" pop-ups that were plaguing every post. In fact it's so bad that some of the text followed us here and it's going to take me the rest of the year to clean up the thousands of posts we have. But that's not important right now.

What matters is that the new theme we're using (Priority Vision's Aspect) is built for magazines, and gives us some nifty new tools to play with. Like the built in table of contents option that you see at the top of a post on mobile or in the side on the web. That works GREAT for the newsletter, for instance. Easier for me to make and better for you to navigate.

I'm especially happy with how that feature works with our Review Rundown and FOMO Guides. Navigating the pages is a breeze.

If you haven't visited the website on a Mac or PC yet, you really should, as that's where you can easily see just how robust the navigation is. Well, how robust it will be. I've still got a lot of posts to re-tag and some quirks of the theme to figure out. (You can also see the nav on mobile by tapping the three lines in the top left corner on any page on NoPro, but that tap target is a little tiny for my beefy fingers. It's a thing I hope to mod.)

All in all this is getting me excited about web publishing again. Just fixing some of the tags has reacquainted me with some of the great writing we've hosted over the years and it makes me eager to do even more of that.

Everything Immersive's New Tricks

Over at EI, which is a project of The Immersive Experience Institute which we also manage, developer Chris Grim has built new functionality for the front page that we're excited to roll out.

Now the front page of EI is what I've always dreamed it would be: a launchpad for exploring the entire immersive cosmos. When you visit EI you'll find links directly into our search results for different regions, hot links to exciting new productions, and links out to news & features from around the web.

I've always wanted there to be a "Front Page for Immersive" which could be the single stop for all a person needed that day – from breaking news to the hottest show. And now we run it.

We've also made it incredibly easy to see the latest releases. Just hit the "What's New" button and you'll see, ah, everything immersive, with the latest submissions at the top.

To be sure: we're still doing this by hand. That means we're approving submissions and updating the links on the front page. But it's easier for us to do that than ever, and the tedious process of making curated lists of the different cities and regions are over.

But we still have the ability to make specialty lists when we want, native to EI. And we can link NoPro posts – or Room Escape Artist reviews, or ARGN posts, or Blooloop's Influencer Lists, features from LA TACO, or whoever – right from the front page.

We're going to be playing around with this A LOT as we figure out the exact mix that works best.

And that means we're going to keep...

Evolving The Newsletter

It starts with getting rid of the old "In This Issue" which I am very glad to leave behind.

It also means playing around with the old Spotlight format, dropping the name and just going for headings thanks to the new TOC. I'll be tweaking the formula here until I feel like it's just right. Let me know what you think as we go.

(There are also going to be hiccups, like the bug that happened on Saturday on EI which kept us from getting the newsletter out until today.)

So Many Listings

We had over 40 new listings go up between now and when we last had a newsletter. What you'll find below is a curation of that. For everything immersive head to, well, you know.

Are You Connected?

We're on Instagram, LinkedIn, Threads, Bluesky, and Facebook.

GET LISTED!!!

As always: thanks to Kathryn and the team who set up the EI listings that show producers don't submit themselves, so that there is a newsletter to make. If YOU are an event producer who wants to see your work listed here submit a listing at Everything Immersive for the opportunity. Help us help you.

We're really going to pushing the front page of EI as a tool for the whole fan and creator community so you don't want to miss out on being a part of the site!

Just, please: make sure your listing explains why your event belongs.

-NJN

ON THE SITE

Promotional image: Less than 5Gr of Saffron. (See the Venice Immersive story, below)

Coming back from hiatus and redoing the websites hasn't stopped us, but three posts this week is just scratching the surface.

The Patreon Report

We're down to 469 backers, which doesn't feel great, Bob. Part of the problem is Patreon offering up the "Free" tier which we don't even use. I gotta see if we can turn that off. There are 80 people hanging out in "Free" who are probably wondering why they get nothing.

Know who is finally getting something, now that hiatus is over? Our new backers.

Welcome to Erin Rose O’Brien, Rory Blevins, Jacqui Albin, and Collin Blackard. Thank you for keeping the abyss at bay.

The sustaining backers of No Proscenium are:

Sydney Guillory, Lonnie Hanzon, Jerome Joseph Gentes, Tome Wilson, Ryan, KJ Knies, Erin Reilly, Chris Wollman, Samantha Davison, Jay Bushman, Cameo Wood, Daryle, Lekker Lecool, Elaine, After Hours Theatre Company, The Ministry of Peculiarities, Kurt Collins, Anonymous, and Yan Budman.

Astra Lumina Across America

Astra Lumina, the gorgeous night walk from Moment Factory is expanding its constellation of locations across the United States this year.

We love Astra Lumina here at NoPro, having had a chance to talk to the creative team when they installed the work at the South Coast Botanic Garden back in 2022. Moment Factory are amongst that rarified creative forces on the level of the legendary TeamLab when it comes to using technology to make installation work that truly lives up to the word immersive in its fullest sense.

This year, if you have an Astra Lumina near you, go check it out.

installation, outdoors; all ages

New York City

Secrets

Drama and comedy unfold as you eavesdrop on characters’ conversations. blending the intimacy of a bar with the energy of broadway, secrets immerses you in a world of gossip, comedy, and scandal. One moment you’re laughing at a witty exchange; the next, you’re holding your breath as lies unravel in front of you.

comedy, intimate, site-responsive; 21+, $69, Mahattan, Nov. 13 - Dec. 28

Roomies LIVE!


Roomies LIVE! is an homage to those classic sitcoms of the 90s. Three down-on-their-luck roomies constantly run afoul of their eccentric landlord while trying to survive in the big city of Cincinnati! Every performance features two back to back episodes for double the laughs!

During each episode, the Live Studio Audience helps solve an outrageous mystery. Some audience members can even join the shenanigans as Special Guest Stars. YOU could be the next third roomie!

interactive, theatre, comedy; 18+, $40, Brooklyn, Nov. 21 - Dec. 12

The Harmnf

Chekhov’s The Harmfulness of Tobacco gets rebooted for the algorithm age: one man, one VR headset, and a lecture that won’t stay on topic.

When theater director and mixed-reality artist Kevin (as a robot) Laibson set out in 2019 to create a fully AI-generated adaptation of Anton Chekhov’s The Harmfulness of Tobacco, everything went wrong. The synthetic actor couldn’t act, the generated designs were awful, and eventually even his language model gave up. So instead, Laibson turned the failure itself into the performance.

In The Harmnf, he attempts to deliver a lecture on that failed experiment—just as Chekhov’s hapless lecturer once tried (and failed) to give a talk on tobacco. What unfolds is part confession, part comedy, and part philosophical meltdown: a live show presented as a talk that keeps derailing into questions about creativity, collaboration, and the inevitability of humanity's continued monopoly on art, despite the technocratic set's best efforts. Performed with slides, a "trusty" laptop, and a VR headset connecting to a simultaneous virtual audience, The Harmnf is equal parts stand-up, academic farce, and existential tech demo.

interactive, VR, comedy; all ages, $20, Manhattan, Nov. 30

CHICAGO

The Lieutenant's Dream:
An Immersive Theatre School Experience

Kenneth Sawyer Goodman – playwright, businessman, and Naval Lieutenant – didn't live to see his vision of a uniquely Chicago theatre conservatory come to pass. Finally realized at the Art Institute of Chicago and now a part of DePaul University, The Theatre School celebrates its Centennial by inviting audiences to share the experiences of students over the last hundred years living his dream while discovering their own. The Theatre School partners with Birch House Immersive to create a journey through our building that honors that past and looks to the future.​

history, immersive theatre; 16+, $32, De Paul University, Nov. 7-16

Theater of the Mind

Co-created by Academy, Grammy and Tony Award-winning artist David Byrne and writer Mala Gaonkar, Theater of the Mind is a new theatrical experience you’ll see, feel, taste and hear.

Inspired by both historical and current neuroscience research, the show takes you on an intimate and immersive journey inside how we see and create our worlds. Peer behind the curtain of the physical realm as you move through a series of rooms with your guide, where you’ll participate in thought-provoking experiences—and marvel at the wonders of your mind.

immersive theatre, science, biographical; 13+, $66, March 11 - May 31, 2026

Denver

Camp Christmas Takeover at Stanley Marketplace


This season, Stanley Marketplace transforms into a winter wonderland like never before as the beloved holiday extravaganza created by local artist Lonnie Hanzon in partnership with DCPA Off-Center, returns bigger and brighter & more festive than ever

Wander the Marketplace and discover photo ops galore! Holiday magic and festive backdrops at every single turn, yours to enjoy for FREE!

MERRY BADGE SCAVENGER HUNT
Channel your inner elf detective and explore the entire Marketplace on this free, all-ages adventure! Hunt down all 20 Merry Badges hidden throughout the Marketplace and score yourself a jolly reward (redeem at the Camp Christmas Gift Shop located at the East entrance).

CAMP CHRISTMAS EXPRESS
Feeling "meh" about the holidays? Let us tune up your holiday spirit with a wildly festive 15-minute immersive journey that will rinse away your winter blues and tumble-dry your holiday spirit! Cycle through six whimsical stations, from "Pre-Soak" to "Fluff & Buff", and emerge renewed, sparkling like fresh tinsel, ready to SLEIGH the season.

COST: Only $10 | No reservations, no stress, just show up and dive in! Located near the East entrance.

HOLIDAY THEMED BARS
Sip, sip, hooray! Local Drive transforms into The Camp Christmas Bar, Denver Biscuit Company becomes The Santa Bar, and Traveling Mercies is decked out as the dazzling Ornament Bar, all wrapped up in twinkling holiday glory with plenty of merry libations to go around!

Christmas, interactive, kid-friendly; all ages, Free+, Aurora, Nov. 21 - Dec. 28

ITCHY-O's New Year's Eve SATURNALIA

At Saturnalia, every attendee has agency. You may dive fully into the current—dancing, shouting, co-creating, or remain still, absorbing the chaos like a steady flame within the storm. Both choices feed the resonance that drives the rite. The ensemble and the audience form a living exchange of sound, light, and intent, each presence amplifying the experience in their own way.

Those wishing to attune more deeply before the event can access itchy-O’s Resonant Primer, available through their Patreon channel; a preparatory workbook of meditations, cues, and ritual concepts designed to align mind and body what itchy-O's exocosmic "Āoth" field. Whether you engage in motion or contemplation, your presence completes the circuit. The line between performer and participant is yours alone to define.

dance, sci-fi, performance art, music; 18+, $55, Dec. 31

LAS VEGAS

Oddyssey Manor

Step inside Oddyssey Manor, a surreal cocktail theater where myth and mystery come alive. Inspired by Homer’s Odyssey and AREA15’s hidden lore, the Manor invites you into an eccentric world of craft cocktails and a cast of strange and alluring characters who thrive in its velvet shadows.

Every sip is an initiation, every corner holds a secret. As you wander, sirens beckon, suitors whisper, and shapeshifting hosts lead you deeper into the Manor’s living story. With aerialists, burlesque, circus mischief, and a rotating lineup of eclectic variety artists, no two nights are ever the same.

Get lost in shadowy alcoves, uncover playful encounters, or toast with friends as the Manor unveils its decadent secrets. Mysterious, seductive, and unlike anything else, this is Las Vegas at it's finest.

What will you uncover in the shadows?
Who will you be when you emerge?

Oddyssey Manor is a surreal cocktail theater inside AREA15 where myth, mystery, and nightlife collide. Guests journey through an 80-minute immersive cycle of interactive characters, circus performances, craft cocktails, and whispered secrets in a velvet-shadowed world.

immersive, cocktails, performance; 21+, $69, AREA15, Nov. 7 - May 2

SF BAY AREA

About Last Night...

You remember that there was a rave in Fremont. A rave thrown by VC darling Marcus Blackwood, CEO of NeurAI. A rave that probably got out of control??

And you remember who you are…. well… you remember your own name, maybe a couple facts about yourself, but everything else is a bit fuzzy and out of reach.

And now, a detective is telling you that Marcus is dead and asking you all these questions.

Thankfully, there’s puzzles. Solve the puzzles to find your lost memories to figure out who you are. Solve the puzzles to piece together just what happened last night. Solve the puzzles to figure out just how much your memories are worth…

Set in a near-future Silicon Valley, this 2 hour pop-up immersive experience combines escape room puzzles, social deduction, and strategic trading mechanics. Players embody party-goers, who wake up in a warehouse after a rave with fragmented memories and a missing host.

puzzles, mystery, game; 16+, $75, Fremont, Nov. 9 - May 3

LOS ANGELES

The Backyard

Are you ready to open the gate? Explore The Backyard before it vanishes!

Go beyond the white picket fence to where The Backyard waits—an artful suburban dreamscape gone delightfully glitch.

The Backyard invites you to explore a new artistic frontier, immersing your entire self in five original audio/visual works and experiential art of every kind.

Before entry, guests pass through a Waiting Room, where Cynthia 404, the suburban guide, offers playful prompts and cryptic instructions about what lies beyond the gate.

installation art; 21+, $45, DTLA Arts District, Nov. 11-13

5 Lesbians Eating a Quiche

This November, Los Angeles audiences are invited to experience 5 Lesbians Eating a Quiche like never before — reimagined as a fully immersive, site-specific comedy event.

The cult-favorite play by Evan Linder and Andrew Hobgood drops audiences into 1956, as the fiercely devoted members of the Susan B. Anthony Society for the Sisters of Gertrude Stein gather for their annual quiche breakfast. But when the sirens blare and the world outside is obliterated, the women are forced to confront more than just their appetite for egg-based dishes.

“5 Lesbians Eating a Quiche” is a hilarious, high-camp comedy that serves up a heaping slice of absurdity, repression, and egg-based solidarity. Hold onto your pearls—it’s about to get deliciously queer...

play, comedy participatory; 18+, $40, Glendale, Nov. 13-16

Retreat!

When’s the last time you felt truly at peace? Connected with someone new? And be honest: what’s your screen time for this week?

Come enjoy a session at The Meadow, LA’s newest upscale retreat with the tagline:

Come re-regulate your nervous system.

A place to finally get some quiet away from the noise of the world, to get started on that book you’ve always wanted to read, to have an excuse to get off your phone, and to find new friends looking for that same slice of tranquility.

Will it change you for the better? What does it really take to be in the moment? And what happens when the person you’ve asked to help you needs that, too?

That’s all up to you.

drama, one-on-one; all ages, $85-105 (up to two per slot), Encino, Nov. 14-16

VANCOUVER

The Effect

A dark, razor-sharp thriller by Emmy-winning writer of Succession, Lucy Prebble. The Effect dives into the chemical nature of love through the lens of a clinical drug trial. Connie and Tristan enter a study for a new dopamine-regulating antidepressant. They fall in love. Or do they? As the dosages rise, desire and obsession intensify. And the boundary between genuine emotion and altered chemistry begins to blur. This provocative and timely co-production with our friends at Rumble Theatre asks: If you can’t trust your heart and you can’t trust your mind—what’s left?

For The Effect we’ll be transforming the studio at Progress Lab 1422 into an immersive audio/visual staging ground under the direction of Rumble’s own Jiv Parasram.

play; 16+, $30, Nov. 7-22

LONDON

The Map and the Echo

The Map and the Echo is part-performance, part game… an interactive journey through the British Library, exploring how people make maps and how maps make places.

After viewing the Secret Maps exhibition, an audio tour will guide you through the Library, imagining the unseen areas of the landmark building and its ever-growing collections.

The audio tour leads to a performance, where a man stands on a bare stage and describes another place: a version of the British Library that may or may not exist.

Inspired by choose-your-own-adventure stories and early text-adventure computer games, each performance is unique, shaped by your choices. Using simple instructions like ‘Go North’ or ‘Pick up the lamp’, the audience works together to navigate this other place, overcoming obstacles and exploring the Library… without leaving your seat.

The Map and the Echo is a new edition in Seth Kriebel’s acclaimed series of Exploration Games, created specially for the British Library and Secret Maps.

game, site-specific, audio; 13+, £25, British Library, through Dec. 3

Handle With Care

A box is mailed to the theatre. The instructions are clear:
Invite a group of people, on a specific night, at a specific time.
Let the audience take their seats.
Place the box at the centre of the stage.
The audience is waiting.
An audience member stands up and opens the box.
The show has begun.

In Handle with Care, Ontroerend Goed puts the audience in control. They provide the structure; you shape the experience. Choose your role—take the lead or observe as others make choices that steer the performance in unexpected directions.

Together, you create something special: a shared experience filled with reflections on time, transience, and togetherness. And don’t worry—there are no wrong choices. For one hour, you’ll live something unique, fleeting, and unrepeatable. Here. Now. Together. No one is watching. What is yours, stays yours.

Take good care of it. And send us a postcard.

interactive; 13+, £14, Battersea Arts Centre, Nov. 12-15

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