#13 Emotional realism, being first, and the infinite learning curve
- Amy Rubenstein of Windy City Playhouse -
“It takes this insane amount of collaboration. Everyone is doing things they’ve never done before, and pushing limits, and borders, and dreaming bigger than ever before”
-Amy Rubenstein
LISTEN ON...
Bonus Episode:
Because the Windy City Playhouse has so much on the horizon, we put together this bonus episode dedicated to a discussion of the new edge of immersive theatre in Chicago, as led by the Windy City team. As a result of Southern Gothic’s success, 3 more immersive theater productions are coming down the pipe, with another just recently launched in early July.
Amy Rubenstein hints at an upcoming collaboration with a famous chef for an immersive dining experience. She speaks to their first interactive theater piece ‘Every Brilliant Thing’ -recently announced for a September launch-, and also touches on the promenade show, ‘The Recommendation’.
Episode #13 Notes- Amy Rubenstein is in many ways the metaphorical tip of the spear within the burgeoning world of immersive theatre in Chicago. As the artistic director of Windy City Playhouse, Amy explains the path to creating a bracingly lifelike visage of 1960’s Georgia in their recent show, Southern Gothic.
If immersive theater can be thought of as practical magic, the show Southern Gothic, can be thought of -explicitly- as a time machine. Of an initial expected run of about 3 months, Southern Gothic has extended to more than a year of continuing performances; marking a turning point for the immersive landscape in Chicago.
In this show we talk about world building, the experience of an immersive actor, and why voyeurism and emotional intimacy are not always oppositional concepts.
Make it immersive:
James Cameron’s Avatar: [19:22]
Selected links:
Show Notes:
Favorite Fictional World [2:20]
What is Southern Gothic? [3:03]
What is an artistic director? [6:23]
The only long run & site specific immersive theater in chicago? [10:14]
What was the most fun in doing this first Sandbox show? [11:41]
The experience of the actor [13:35]
Detail & the infinite learning curve [15:59]
Make it immersive: Avatar [19:22]
Actors as the Avatar: The gift of new shoes [22:40]*
No pressure audience [24:10]
Those who don’t love traditional theater [25:55]*
Intense moments in 1960’s Georgia & takeaway [27:23]
Watching one show 5+ times [30:47]
Historical fiction & emotional realism [31:39]
The Value of play [36:13]
Where to find Windy City Playhouse [38:57]