Latest news with #immersive
Forbes
4 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Forbes
3 Immersive Dramatic Experiences Not To Miss-2 In New York, 1 In Paris
In one section of the journey in Viola's Room, the group of six encounter a banquet. Marc J. Franklin Watching a theatrical production is not enough anymore. Audiences are increasingly becoming part of the show. When preview performances begin tomorrow for Masquerade, the new immersive production of Phantom of the Opera , aspects different from the Gaston Leroux novel based- Andrew Lloyd Webber musical will be visible immediately. For one, it will be a far better dressed crowd than usual since attendees are instructed to dress 'extravagantly' in black, white or silver formal or cocktail attire (but no high heels) and wear a masquerade mask (the staff will have handouts, though, if ticketholders arrive without one). And instead of the setting of a Broadway theater, this show takes place in a reconfigured five story building on West 57th Street that formerly housed the art supply store Lee's Art Shop. In that, it echoes the McKittrick Hotel, the six-story building in far west Chelsea that was the home of the immersive production that really set fire to this trend: Sleep No More , a limited run that ultimately ran for 14 years, closing this January. Costumes by Emilio Sosa and masks by Nicola Formichetti from MASQUERADE. César Buitrago for MASQUERADE This setting is constructed to resemble the Paris Opera House complete with the famous chandelier composed of 30,000 crystals provided by Preciosa, the production's 'Official Crystal Partner' as well as the catacombs below (the reason for no high heels; too dangerous to walk.) Within it, audience members are meant to pursue the Opera Ghost through the various floors, learning about his influence over Christine and hearing the original musical's songs sometimes inches from the cast member performing them. Some cast members know that score extremely well: they were principals in the original musical. Ticketholders to Masquerade are required to bring a mask or are provided one if they forget. But it will likely not be as elaborate as this cast member's mask designed by Nicola Formichetti. César Buitrago for MASQUERADE Interest in the show is so high that the preview period sold out within hours but the run has been extended with tickets now on sale for performances September 9 through October 19. The evening performances are adults only but there are a few special Saturday and Sunday matinees for 16 year olds and above. The bedroom of the main character in Viola's Room. Marc J. Franklin Over at The Shed in Hudson Yards, Punchdrunk, the company that created Sleep No More is at it again with Viola's Room, a particular favorite of Felix Barrett, the company's artistic director. Based on The Moon Slave , a turn of the 20th century Gothic story by author Barry Pain, it's a more linear production than Sleep No More : you're moving forward although in relative darkness guided by low level light cues through a labyrinth of passageways, sometimes with squishy walls closing in on you. You can't wear high heels here either; in fact you can't wear shoes at all, a directive which becomes clearer in the second half of the journey as your feet encounter uneven, sometimes gritty surfaces and sand as part of the story. Your guide for all this is the hypnotic voice of actress Helena Bonham Carter on noise canceling headphones, revealing a tale of an orphaned princess betrothed to a prince she doesn't want to marry and her amblings from the palace into a garden maze to dance under the spell of the moon. But you also start in the room of a young girl growing up in the 90's (cue Black Hole Sun by Soundgarden and a poster of Tori Amos among other memorabilia), a room that you return to as part of the meandering path but there are always changes in it when you do. The story is operating on two levels with so many sensory infusions (visuals, sounds, scents) that you don't always know in whose story you're moving. You're often also too busy trying to find the next doorway or wall opening to really try to figure it out at the same time. All in all, it's a dreamlike journey-you just go with it- and one with so many stimulations that it should be experienced twice at least to take it all in. The running time is about 50 minutes and the production also runs until October 19. Famous Paris landmarks provide the setting for an upcoming three day immersive experience created by the upscale travel company Ariodante. Leonard Cotte Solving A Mystery In The Landmarks of Paris Coming this fall in Paris, in the way that the Olympics Opening Ceremony used the city as a setting, the luxe travel company Ariodante plans to use it to stage a three day experience called The Queen's Lost Diamonds . Here, the participants are even more involved in the production because there's a mystery around a royal scandal and the guests are the ones solving it, traversing the city, venturing into parts of landmarks usually not open to the public and questioning historical figures played by actors. There are also promised challenges for aspiring daredevils. Tickets aren't being placed on public sale and very few other details are being released in advance. Would-be participants need to apply and prices start at $627,000; the exact price will be determined by the path the participant takes—each will be individually tailored. No exact dates have been announced yet but the time frame is expected to be October-November. MORE FROM FORBES Forbes These 4 New York Hotels Get You Into The Hottest Broadway Shows By Laurie Werner Forbes Discover Berlin Like A Local: An Expert's Guide To Summer In The City By Laurie Werner Forbes Unearth Dinosaur Fossils On Global Digs With Dinosaur Trips By Laurie Werner Forbes Chase Sapphire Reserve Announces New Restaurant And Celebrity Events By Laurie Werner
Forbes
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Forbes
The FRIENDS Experience: The One In Vegas Opens At MGM Grand
The FRIENDS Experience: The One in Vegas is the newest location for this immersive attraction based ... More on the NBC hit TV show. The NBC hit series, 'FRIENDS,' is set in New York City but its fifth season had a memorable storyline in Las Vegas. The cast of characters took a trip to Las Vegas, where Ross and Rachel drunkenly end up getting married and Joey had his moment as well. Now, its fans can see a Vegas-exclusive wedding chapel set, inspired by the couple's unforgettable night on the Strip, at the now-open The FRIENDS Experience: The One in Vegas at MGM Grand Hotel & Casino. This attraction marks the West Coast flagship location for this pop culture entertainment venue showcasing iconic props and recreated sets from the Warner Bros. produced TV show that became a global phenomenon. The famous, "PIVOT!," scene is depicted in The FRIENDS Experience: The One in Vegas, The FRIENDS Experience made its debut in 2019 as a pop-up in Manhattan's SoHo neighborhood in honor of the show's 25th anniversary. New York City would also become the location for its permanent offering in Manhattan's Gramercy neighborhood, opened in March 2021. Other branches include London, Madrid and Rio. This immersive experience has also had temporary showing in Seattle in early 2023. Overall, The FRIENDS Experience celebrates the show's legacy through visual reminders of famous scenes and objects that visitors can engage with. What to See at The FRIENDS Experience: The One in Vegas The FRIENDS Experience: The One in Vegas features props specific to the episodes filmed in Las ... More Vegas. It includes a replica of the wedding chapel that Ross and Rachel went to. At The FRIENDS Experience: The One in Vegas, fans can pose, propose, exchange vows, or make a good laugh. They will also see Joey's gladiator costume, from the show's Las Vegas episodes involving his job at Caesars Palace. The Las Vegas attraction also contains replicas of Monica and Rachel's apartment, Joey and Chandler's recliner-filled living room, the coffeehouse and hangout spot, Central Perk, the famous fountain and orange couch in the show's opening credits. Then, there's a nod to the 'PIVOT!' scene. One section recreates the moment that changed how we may look at lifting and moving furniture with Ross shouting this directive as he, Rachel and Chandler bring a couch up a flight of stairs. The FRIENDS Experience-The One in Vegas includes reproductions of sets from the show including ... More Monica and Rachel's apartment. In choosing Las Vegas as the attraction's next location, a media statement cited that the Nevada city has where the show's cast first bonded and where their respective characters made some memorable decisions. 'Las Vegas was the backdrop for some of the show's most hilarious and heartfelt moments,' said Stacy Moscatelli, CEO of Original X Productions, which created the attraction with Warner Bros. Discovery Global Experiences and Warner Bros. Television Group. 'Whether reenacting 'PIVOT!,' catching up at our Central Perk replica, or proposing at the wedding chapel, there's something for everyone to discover and smile about.' Other props from the show on display include the famous turkey head, which Monica dons during a Thanksgiving episode, and Rachel's 18-page front and black written letter to Ross, expressing her feelings about their relationship. Where Is The FRIENDS Experience: The One in Vegas Located? The FRIENDS Experience: The One in Vegas officially opened at the MGM Grand on July 23. The attraction's location also works well for MGM Grand Hotel & Casino, which is based along the famous Las Vegas Strip. 'We're always looking for innovative, world-class experiences to bring to MGM Grand, and The FRIENDS Experience: The One in Vegas was a natural fit,' said Mike Neubecker, the resort's president and COO. 'Through a great partnership with Warner Bros. Discovery and Original X Productions, we were able to bring this beloved experience to life in a way that enhances our overall entertainment offerings and contributes to Las Vegas' reputation as the ultimate entertainment destination.' Also at The FRIENDS Experience: The One in Vegas, a FRIENDS retail space will feature special merchandise ranging from apparel to memorabilia to Las Vegas mementos. Guests can also enjoy a limited-time FRIENDS-inspired lobby display at MGM Grand, on view now through August 5. Admission starts at $39 and are available for purchase now through this link.
Yahoo
22-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
A new show in London is retelling the story of Elvis through immersive theatre
A new show in East London is taking audiences on an immersive, multi-sensory journey through the highs, lows and hip thrusts of the King of Rock & Roll's legendary career. Held at Immerse LDN, "Elvis Evolution" blends live actors and musicians with cinematic effects, pulsating sound, and sets that shimmer and transform around its visitors. "We've been working on the show for nearly two years now, and we've got 220 LED panels, we've got 180 speakers, we've got a cast of 29, we've got endless amounts of technology and people involved in this show from all across the world," said the show's writer and director, Jack Pirie. Footage shot in Memphis earlier this year is also projected onto a huge screen, featuring actors Alexander Bayles as a young Elvis and King J. Henry as his childhood friend Sam Bell - grounding the story in the people and places that shaped the icon. "For me, Elvis represents this idea of the power of music to transform lives, to bind communities, and to kind of shape human experience," said Pirie. Created by Layered Reality - the team behind the cult hit "The War of the Worlds: The Immersive Experience" - "Elvis Evolution" opens its doors at Immerse LDN, Excel Waterfront, on 18 July. Check out the video in the web player above for a sneak peek of "Elvis Evolution."
Japan Times
22-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Japan Times
Get your summer chills in at 'yokai' exhibition in Nagoya
Japanese supernatural creatures known as yokai come to life through the power of digital technology in the "Yokai Immersive Experience Exhibition," which has opened in the city of Nagoya. The exhibition, which started on Saturday at the museum wing of the Kanayama Minami Building and will run through Sept. 23, features an immersive experience in which videos of spooky yokai depicted in artworks such as the "Hyakki Yagyo Emaki" picture scroll and works inspired by "Hyakumonogatari" supernatural storytelling are projected in 3D spaces. It also exhibits realistic 3D-modeled figures of yokai. Over 300 yokai creatures appear in the exhibition, which comprises eight rooms based on distinct themes such as the yokai birthplace and yokai processions. The main attraction is a room themed on a wild dance of yokai. Moving images of supernatural creatures fill the room's walls, ceiling and floor, accompanied by powerful music for a fully immersive experience. Explanations of yokai drawings and caricatures from the Edo Period (1603-1868) and Meiji Era (1868-1912) also help make the exhibition educational and enjoyable for adults. On weekends and the five-day period ending on Aug. 15, traditional yokai such as tengu and kappa will roam the venue. Visitors will also be able to take photographs with the life-size yokai.
Tahawul Tech
21-07-2025
- Business
- Tahawul Tech
AWS Unit Archives
Middle East is undergoing a visual revolution not just in what people see, but in how spaces perform. The MIP-Visualperfect doesn't just meet today's immersive expectations, it anticipates tomorrow's demand, says Zac Liang, GM – Gulf Area, Unilumin Group.
