Windy City Playhouse has announced a world-premiere immersive theatrical production, SOUTHERN GOTHIC, premiering February 7, 2018 in an open-ended engagement. Written by Leslie Liautaud and directed by David H. Bell, SOUTHERN GOTHIC plans to give audiences the opportunity to be a “fly on the wall” at a cocktail party in Ashford, Georgia in the 1960s where four couples gather together to celebrate a birthday. From the press release: “As the evening progresses, tensions rise and longtime relationships are tested as they soon realize that even the best of friends keep the darkest of secrets.” The audience size for each performance is limited to 25 patrons, giving audiences freedom roam every room of the home at will, exploring various spaces and eavesdropping on conversations. The cast will not interact with the audience, leaving patrons free to watch the scenes happening around them like an invisible guest, traveling from room to room and sampling cocktails and food throughout the duration of the performance.

“Since the Playhouse’s debut in 2015, our goal has been to re-imagine the theater-going experience, always looking for ways to break down barriers between the audience and the performers. Immersive theater is something we’ve wanted to do for a long time, since it seems like such a natural extension of that mission,” said Artistic Director and SOUTHERN GOTHIC Co-Creator Amy Rubenstein.

The cast of SOUTHERN GOTHIC includes Brianna Borger, Paul Fagen, Sarah Grant, Brian McCaskill, Michael McKeogh, Mickey O’Sullivan, Christine Mayland Perkins and Ariel Richardson. The creative team includes Carl Menninger (Dramaturg and Co-Creator), Amy Rubenstein (Co-Creator), Scott Davis (Scenic Design), Elsa Hiltner (Costume Design), Jeffrey Levin (Sound Design) and Logan Boyd Jones (Production Stage Manager).

For more info, visit windycityplayhouse.com.