Immersive Theatre Hits Oklahoma City with ‘Those Who Lie Beyond’ (Q&A)

19th Century Hound and Factory Obscura mix together immersive theatre and art

BEYOND is a new immersive art experience created by the artist collective Factory Obscura, which now finds itself host to an immersive theatre experience being put on… inside of the art installation. Those Who Lie Beyond is an immersive performance piece about the journey of two young women, all taking place inside of the art exhibit BEYOND; it’s a collaboration between 19th Century Hound and Factory Obscura which promises “a mysterious world filled with creation, illusion, awakening, and transformation.” What exactly does that mean? We spoke to creator Ronn Burton, director of the piece, to find out more.

This interview has been lightly edited for clarity.

No Proscenium (NP): Could you tell us a little about yourself and your background?

Ronn Burton (RB): I’m Ronn Burton, the Artistic Director of 19th Century Hound, and the director/creator of Those Who Lie Beyond. A native Oklahoman, I left Oklahoma Cityto attend college at Shenandoah Conservatory (BFA in Theatre), and then landed in New York City.

I’ve worked as a director, actor, filmmaker, and teaching artist for at places like Carnegie Hall, Second Stage Uptown, Union Square Theatre, and Disney, and I’m a member of the Lincoln Center Theater Directors Lab. I’ve spent more time back in OKC the last few years, and now split my time between NYC and OKC.

NP: What, in a nutshell, is Those Who Lie Beyond?

RB: In one sentence, Those Who Lie Beyond is unexpected, electric, on-your-feet, in-your-face theatre.

NP: How did the project come about? What’s the show’s relationship with BEYOND, the immersive art installation?

RB: I’ve been a big fan of immersive theatre for quite a few years now. Some of my most visceral theatrical memories as an audience member were productions like Sleep No More and the New York Classical Theatre’s production of Henry V.

In early 2017, three theatre companies had to close their doors in the Oklahoma City arts community. I knew that I wanted to give OKC artists more opportunities to create, but realized we already had some wonderful traditional theatre companies in town…so what could I do that would introduce something fresh into the community? Also, how could I work without a building of my own, or a large budget to rent a theatre space? Immersive theatre seemed like the perfect avenue.

I was introduced to Factory Obscura in early 2018 when I was invited to an Artist Panel and Mixer they hosted during the run of their first art installation SHIFT. I was enthralled with the visual art, and knew I had found a perfect collaborator to work with to present some immersive theatre. We could add new layers to the stunning immersive art they created by bringing it to life with actors and a narrative. So we began discussions for the show while Factory Obscura was planning their next installation BEYOND.

The creation of Those Who Lie Beyond has been exciting. Factory Obscura really wanted something brand new, not an adaption of another story, like a Frankenstein or a Macbeth. So I decided to devise the show with my company, creating the show together in the rehearsal room. It was kind of like writing a show based on a set design in which you had no input. We as a cast responded to the exquisite and detailed environment the Factory Obscura artists immersed us in…building the show around their creativity. We utilized a lot of European theatre techniques that have been used to create shows like Harry Potter and the Cursed Child (Frantic Assembly), The Laramie Project (Tectonic Theater Project), and SpongeBob SquarePants (Viewpoints). The actors improvised scenes, not only with words but using physicality and movement. In this process, my job as a director was not the conventional “You stand here. You walk over there on this line.” I encouraged our performers to explore their full range and respond instinctively. Then my job, alongside Alex Prather — our “Writer in the Room” — was to take these explorations and work out the narrative like a sculptor with a lump of clay. You scrape bits off…you make a mistake and fill it in, and suddenly a form started to emerge.

NP: What elements from the immersive palette can patrons expect? For instance: how is the team approaching designing around audience agency?

RB: The show is promenade theatre — the audience moves through multiple rooms and levels (though the entire experience is ADA wheelchair accessible … that was very important to the creators in designing the space.) The performers needs the audience to assist in order for the story to move forward — answering questions, solving puzzles. There are opportunities for one-on-one interactions between audience and performers. But everything has been created with audience consent at the front of our minds.

We worked with my friend and colleague Tonia Sina, founder of Intimacy Directors International (who has been getting a ton of press on her own with the #MeToo movement. Google her! She’s amazing and changing the industry for the better.) We collaborated with Tonia to safely create the intimate moments not only with the performers, but also the audience — ensuring audiences were invited to participate at their own level of comfort and never forced into any moments of the show. We’ve gotten tremendously positive feedback from audiences so far.

NP: What’s surprised you so far during the development of the show?

RB: The differences in audience attitudes between Oklahoma and New York has been unexpected for me. When you go to Sleep No More in New York, you’ll find audiences running down a hallway after a performer to keep up with them. Audiences in Oklahoma are a) more reserved and polite as human beings than tough, hardened New Yorkers, and b) have never experienced this kind of immersive theatre before. So we’ve had to adjust some of the script to really direct and train the audiences that it’s okay to for them explore a bit on their own, and not just stay glued to wherever they end up in a room. But it’s been a fun challenge, and I think it’s made our show better for it.

NP: What do you hope participants take away from the experience?

RB: I hope they want to come back and see what else we have to offer! Immersive theatre is here to stay, all over the world and now in Oklahoma City!

We have plans to take well-known theatre titles that everyone will recognize, and present them in fresh, exciting, immersive ways. Stay tuned to 19thCenturyHound.com for more info, and follow us on social media @19thCenturyHound.

Those Who Lie Beyond runs at Factory Obscura, 1522 S Robinson Ave, Oklahoma City, OK through November 17; our fingers are crossed for an extension.

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This month we’d also like to thank The Johnny Carson Center for Emerging Media Arts for sponsoring our features.

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