The entertainment industry is always looking for the next big thing. With the rise of immersive theatre, it’s clear that this new format has a lot of potential. But how does immersive theatre actually work? Who does it benefit? And how can we best use it to create engaging and accessible theatrical experiences for everyone?
Let’s explore how immersive theatre is reshaping the stage — and how stage managers are a critical part of making it all work.
What Is Immersive Theatre?
Immersive theatre is a form of live performance that draws the audience into the story. This might mean placing them in the middle of the action, or having them observe from behind a one-way mirror. The goal? To create such deep immersion that audiences forget they’re watching a show at all.
This style has surged in popularity because it offers something traditional theatre often can’t: total audience engagement. At productions like Sleep No More, viewers roam freely through a multi-story hotel, uncovering fragments of a reimagined Macbeth. Each experience is unique — and deeply personal.
Meanwhile, Broadway’s Come From Away embraced immersive elements by allowing audiences to walk through a realistic airport terminal recreated with period artifacts, reinforcing the show’s emotional gravity.
A New Kind of Experience — and a New Kind of Challenge
For performers, immersive theatre introduces a major shift: less control over the audience experience. Unlike proscenium theatre, where the fourth wall creates structure and distance, immersive performances invite unpredictability. Audience members might wander, speak, or act in ways that affect timing and energy.
This loss of traditional control can be uncomfortable — even scary — for actors and creatives used to strict blocking and timing. But it also unlocks something powerful: agency for the audience, and a sense of spontaneity for the performers.
The Role of Stage Management in Immersive Theatre
This is where strategic stage management becomes essential. In immersive productions, the stage manager’s role expands. They must account not just for lighting and cues, but for audience flow, tech flexibility, and real-time problem solving. Tech rehearsal becomes a crucial testing ground for interactive elements and accessibility accommodations.
Stage managers can also help improve the accessibility of immersive experiences. While the format offers exciting engagement for many, it can pose real challenges for those with mobility issues, sensory sensitivities, or other disabilities. Productions often rely heavily on sightlines, movement, and sound — making it difficult for everyone to participate equally.
Creating accessible, inclusive immersive theatre may require rethinking space, offering sensory-friendly performances, or consulting with specialists. Resources like HowlRound Theatre Commons provide excellent insight on community-led and equitable practices.
Where We’re Headed
Immersive theatre is still a growing form, but it’s making waves across the performing arts. It’s not just for indie installations or experimental shows anymore — it’s influencing Broadway, theme parks, and even interactive storytelling in video games.
The key to its success? Collaboration. Directors, designers, and technicians must communicate openly. And stage managers — who often act as the hub of production — are the ones who ensure everything connects.
Whether you’re a performer adjusting to a looser format, a designer considering 360° environments, or a production manager trying to plan your production schedule with shifting variables, immersive theatre offers an invitation: to break boundaries, to invite risk, and to deepen connection with your audience.
Ready to explore more theatre innovations? Check out our thoughts on micromanagement and how it actually supports creative collaboration backstage.t together!