Category Archives: Immersive Experience

Shakesport: Much Ado About ANYTHING

Immersive Experience, Shakespeare, Theater Event August 29, 2026 Leave a comment

Experiencing the timeless wonder of a play by William Shakespeare does not have to be some hoity-toity affair.  Done well, his iambic pentameter can sound closer to natural conversation than a recitation of poetry.  And when you think about it, going to see Hamlet in Shakespeare’s own era was just a night out at the theater.  That approachability and entertainment value is very much in evidence every third Monday of the month at Jones Wood Foundry on the Upper East Side.  That is when the Shakespearean Improv troupe Shakesport steps out on stage — or rather into the Main Dining Room.

A typical scene performed by Shakesport at the Jones Wood Foundry

A revolving lineup of four out of the nine core players participates in each performance.  The squad takes on four scenes from the Folio and then takes them for a ride. Similar to Shakespeare’s time, there is no one sitting in a director’s chair. Instead, the show is observed by one of three Performer-Producers — Carey Van Driest, Neil Hellegers, and Gabra Zackman — who takes notes about what is working and what could use a tweak. To decide which plays should make up the program, restaurant patrons draw titles from a selection of cards.  Attendees at surrounding tables then select the names of the actors to portray each part.  This means, of course, that casting is always gender neutral and that every cast member has to know the lines of every role.  As a stop gap measure, each has one pass in their actual back pocket that can be executed if they truly draw a blank.

After describing the situation and personage, the actors present the scene as written.  The action takes place around and between tables with a two-top at center (in red on the seating chart) reserved for Shakesport’s use.  Distractions are plentiful.  “Regular” diners are seated in the Jones Wood bar, front patio and garden and all waitstaff activity continues at a normal pace.  But these interactions are pushed into the background or playfully incorporated as just part of the fun.  Heckling is permitted — nay, encouraged — should one of the Shakesports need prompting for a forgotten line.

After the scene concludes, the improv elements or “rubs” — as in “ay, there’s the rub” — suggested by the ticket holders are pulled from a literal hat and added to the heady brew.  The writing of these elements is a way to get the audience involved, build a relationship with them, and give them a sense of ownership in the proceedings.  The scene is then adapted, applying these new components.  Three of the slips simply say “change roles.”  To give you a sense of how a scene might evolve, at the August rendition the cast of Taylor Harvey, Jess Nahikian, Gabriel Vaughan, and Zackman ended up creating a hilarious rendition of MacBeth in a nail salon with two different accents and an exit pursued by a bear.  Through all the chaos, the core of the scene remained intact.  They made it look easy.  It is not.

The Shakesport team’s collaboration with Jones Wood Foundry grew out of a post-pandemic conversation between Van Driest and Jones Wood’s chef and owner Jason Hicks.  She had experience bringing Shakespeare to the people through pub crawls and similar public settings.  He wanted to bring fun and friendly entertainment into his restaurant.  Having also been born in Stratford Upon Avon, iconic Shakespeare turned on its “pate” was an obvious fit for Hicks’ needs.  

Hellegers was the next to join the creative discussion about how best to preserve the lyrical language while keeping the stories fresh, flexible and delicious with a side of Yorkshire pudding.  Other company participants were recruited primarily from within the professional circle of audio narrators to which Hellegers and Zackman belong.  The company is now expanding their reach with an engagement on October 15 at the Phoenix Festival in Nyack.  They are also making themselves available for private events. Inquiries can be sent to shakesportnyc@gmail.com or by direct message at https://www.instagram.com/shakesportnyc/.  

Shakesport is an imaginative spin on the works of the Bard and a terrific night out.  Performances occur on the third Monday of every month at Jones Wood Foundry, a British pub at 401 East 76th.  Seating is arranged by the restaurant host and reservations for the 40 seat room are required.  Doors open at 7PM and running time is from 7:30 PM to approximately 10PM.  Your $60 ticket includes a delicious glass of house wine or draft beer and a choice of a crispy fish sandwich or chicken Caesar salad.  There is a menu of snacks and desserts to add at an extra charge.  Entrees are served after Act 2.  The space has steps and is not fully accessible. Visit https://www.joneswoodfoundry.com/2026/01/28/an-interactive-shakespeare-night/ for bookings and more information.

Isla

Immersive Experience, Musical, Off-Broadway, World Premiere August 17, 2026 Leave a comment

With both the plight of the neighboring island of Cuba and the struggles of refuges worldwide in the headlines, the appearance of the Hit the Lights! production Isla couldn’t be more timely.  Portraying her own aunt, Lulu, HTL Co-Artistic Director Samantha Blain shares the immigration story of the Blain sisters from Cuba to Miami to New York in 1969.  Thanks to the three scrims that make up the set, dragons and mermaids occupy the same space as Russian missiles and mom’s home cooking.  With its blurry time line and illusory digressions, the narrative is as obscure as a genuine human memory. Yet the feelings — love, fear, and determination — remain evident.

A scene from Isla featuring a shadow puppet by Casey Scott Leach; production photo by Rebecca J Michelson

The story begins in 2018 when Blain decided to begin recording members of her family in order to better preserve their legacy.  After introducing the players, Blain transforms in full view of the audience with a simple change of wardrobe and hairstyle (Costumes by L.A. Clevenson).  She is joined onstage by Daniela Delahuerta as older sister Carmen and Tiffany Iris as younger sister Alina, Blain’s mother.  Drawing on HTL’s multi-disciplinary ensemble work, performance occurs both behind and in front of the screens under the co-direction of company members Roman Sanchez and Mikayla Stanley.  Dialogue in both English and Spanish is minimal and some of the recordings are difficult to hear.  But the three women move gracefully, have sweet singing voices, and lend gravitas and sensitivity to the fabulizing.  

The sisters’ private world is expanded by the Latin jazz music of Claron Hayden — who remains on stage throughout — and most strikingly by original shadow puppets designed by Casey Scott Leach.   Though black and white, they are the most colorful characters.  Leach is assisted in his artistry by puppeteers Erica C. Knight and Jessie March as well as by the resourceful lighting design of Vittoria Orlando.  Mia Sempertegui is the understudy for all three principle roles.

With its reliance on evocative imagery, Isla is more a work of art than a play.  It is intended to be a family entertainment, though a certain amount of maturity is highly recommended. One could imagine this work having life as a museum installation.  (Throughout, I was often reminded of “Meta/Physical Therapy,” Shana Moulton’s performance project that was featured at The Museum of Modern Art in the spring of 2024.)  If you are unfamiliar with the Cuban Revolution, Operation Anadyr, and the Freedom Flights from Havana it is doubtful Blain’s work will offer enough history or explanation, but the images of a rich island life brought into decline will linger.

This World Premiere continues through August 29 at the WP which provides discounted space to Women+ at 2162 Broadway, 4th floor.  The performance on August 17 includes a special talkback about shadow puppetry.  Tickets are three “pick your price” tiers from $34 – $94.  Accessible seating is available only in row A.  Running time is approximately 75 minutes with no intermission.  Advanced purchase is available at https://www.hitthelights.org/.  Late seating and rebooking are not guaranteed.

Lennox Mutual

Immersive Experience December 4, 2025 Leave a comment

Post pandemic lockdown, I have taken an interest in theater that can be enjoyed from home.  There are many people with mobility, childcare, and transportation issues who deserve to be thoroughly entertained.  So when I was told about an award-winning performance conducted entirely on the telephone, I was excited to learn more.  I booked three calls — the recommended minimum — with Lennox Mutual.  This fictional “life en-surance” company would have a customer service representative reach out at the agreed upon times.  Beyond that description, I did not know what to expect.

Normally, I don’t insert myself into my reviews or reveal details.  It is impossible to write about Lennox Mutual without doing a little of both.  However, I don’t believe these to be spoilers.  Each interaction with the work is dependent upon your personality, your decisions, and to some extent the actor on the other end of the phone.

Photo by Candle House Collective

My confirmation email from Lennox Mutual insisted that I remain open and honest throughout my engagement.  The only way to approach the exchanges with my “scene partners” was as Me.  Me is risk-adverse: When given the choice between a door that has obviously witnessed catastrophe and one that has music playing beyond it, I will avoid the scorch marks.  Me is also a problem solver.  When being told a descriptive, somewhat rambling story, Me listens for clues that could unlock more pieces of the puzzle rather than simply finding joy in the narrative.  

My first contact — who by coincidence or plan also conducted my final session — did a wonderful job of guiding me through the sprawling maze of story even while maintaining her AI inflection. The in-between rep seemed to do his level best to goad me into filing a complaint.  Consequently, by the end of that second sitting I felt deflated, frustrated and not at all sure I was spending my time wisely.  

Lennox Mutual was created by Evan Neiden, Olivia Behr, and Joel Meyers, and directed by Neiden along with Jacob Leaf.  It’s hard to imagine what the script looks like, but the audition process must have been a bear.  There are elements of improvisation, puzzle making, psychodrama, guided meditation, and interactive gaming, plus pure gut instinct.  Each call lasts between 20 and 25 minutes and comes from an unknown number.  You will need to be somewhere you can be alone and in dim lighting when you answer.  You should also be prepared to sing, respond to unusual questions, and complete potentially disturbing scenarios.  You will receive multiple reminders about your appointments and a safe word you can use if the conversation gets too intense.  Recordings of any kind are prohibited.

In the 1990s, I took a vacation with a friend who believed that the journey was the destination.  We would leave the hotel with my carefully crafted itinerary for the day complete with lunch reservation and well-researched potty breaks.  She would turn a corner and say, “that bus looks cool; let’s get on and see where it goes.”  If you are like her, you should definitely visit https://www.candlehousecollective.com/tickets/lennoxmutual and explore Lennox Mutual’s ticketing options.  Around the same time as that trip, I had a co-worker who loved playing Myst and The 7th Guest for hours on end.  If you are like him, you should consider the Lennox Mutual Eternity Plan with unlimited calls. Even if you are a risk-adverse completionist like Me (I had him tell me the plots once he’d completed the games), keep an eye on the Candle House Collective.  They are evolving a new theatrical art form.  These things take time.