It's time we talked about immersive theatre.

"Dear PDX directors and producers: just because your cousin's friend's aunt from Canada went to Sleep No More one time and told you about it, doesn't mean you can slap the "immersive" label on any and all productions. Making an audience stand for a show that could have been done from a stage is like a meeting that should have been an email."

"Sure, standing and watching can be one part of an immersive experience, but it alone does not make something immersive. Let go of your need to control or maybe take a workshop or two. Maybe see what groups across the country are doing with an even smaller budget than yours. And stop name dropping Sleep No More in your advertising!"

"If no one is allowed to touch a prop, the set might fall down at any second, no one can follow a character, gets any kind of interaction, or you don't have characters that do something when they aren't part of the main scene; you are not in the vicinity of that show. You're creating a diluted embarrassment. Immersive can mean many things, but just standing around and occasionally facing a different direction is not it. Dream bigger. Do better."

Labeling any production 'immersive' solely because audiences stand or because someone saw Sleep No More is inaccurate. Forcing audiences to stand for shows that could be staged is superficial and avoids true immersive design. Immersive experiences require meaningful interaction, opportunities to follow or influence characters, and sets that encourage tactile or spatial engagement when appropriate. Control-heavy productions that forbid touching props, prevent following characters, or limit character activity outside main scenes dilute immersion. Smaller-budget groups can innovate with genuine immersion and deserve attention. Creative teams should pursue workshops, broaden influences, and aim for bolder, more authentic immersive work.

Read at Portland Mercury