Cynthia von Buhler's Speakeasy Dollhouse's series continues with its goal for photorealistic immersive social events with Ziegfeld Midnight Frolic. Having enjoyed the Players Club performance of The Brothers Booth, I was excited for another intricate and spontaneous event. Ziegfeld Midnight Frolic took multiple steps forward in ambition from that downtown iteration. However, in this progress of ambition the events guiding framework sadly slips through the cracks.

The immersive experience in theatre is unavoidable today and it’s easy to see its appeal. Immersion lends itself to the immediate and ethereal nature of live theatre which, thus far, is irreproducible in any other media. Though, with such innovations so quickly turning to gimmick, the challenge which Cynthia von Buhler faced with her Speakeasy Dollhouse: The Brothers Booth, presented by Stageworks Media at The Players, was how to add more than “just water” to the site specific trend.