Interview: CATHARSIS Set to Bring a New, Immersive Haunted Experience to Orlando

With events ranging from horrific to not-so-scary, Halloween is a special time in Central Florida. Orlando's theme parks provide tried and true attractions for Halloween obsessives of all ages, but this fall there is a new seasonal experience in town that is unlike anything else in town.

Over the past two summers, Pseudonym Productions has brought Orlando two thrilling experiences, THE REPUBLIC (read BWW's review) and WHEN SHADOWS FALL (read BWW's review). These events strove to bring together the unique worlds of immersive theatre, live-action video games, and interactive performances.

After being delayed by Hurricane Matthew, Pseudonym's new experience, CATHARSIS, opens on Thursday, October 13th. Unlike traditional haunted houses, CATHARSIS features no waiting in lines, the ability to venture in alone or in a small group, and personalized terrifying experiences.

Pseudonym is the brainchild of designer Sarah Elger, who has helmed the creation of all three experiences. Recently, BroadwayWorld Orlando spoke with Elger and fellow designer Ricky Brigante about what Central Florida can expect from CATHARSIS.

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BWW: Most of the press materials that you have released for CATHARSIS are purposely vague, however, from your social media and website, it's pretty clear that this is pretty different than the immersive experiences that you have created the last two summers. What are you actually able to share about this new event?

Ricky Brigante: It is definitely different than what we've done in the past, but it has some similar threads that are interwoven throughout. It is, as we've described it, an immersive, haunted experience; it is definitely not your traditional haunted house by any means.

It will be a 30-minute experience in which we aim to go beyond the standard "jump-scare" that people are used to from your traditional haunted house, and reach people on a deeper level.

That's always the intent with our productions; to find unexpected forms of entertainment that you will leave talking about; you'll leaving having felt something. It's more than just straight, in your face visceral; it's to unnerve and creep you out.

BWW: This past summer, your production of WHEN SHADOWS FALL introduced players to a deeply integrated secret society hidden in Central Florida. From those vague materials, it seems like CATHARSIS might be building on that world. So, does this new experience have a connection to Penumbra?

Sarah Elger: We are definitely still inside the world of Penumbra; we don't want to abandon that concept yet. It seems like a lot of people have become attached to this society (that) we've created. So, CATHARSIS takes place inside Penumbra. However, this is definitely post-WHEN SHADOWS FALL in the timeline, and things have gone a little interesting in Penumbra.

Does that mean that people who are interested in checking out CATHARSIS need to have gone through the WHEN SHADOWS FALL experience to appreciate this new story?

S.E.: The story is very different. There are a lot of elements that I'm sure that people from WHEN SHADOWS FALL will be able to appreciate; I guess Easter Eggs we can call them. But, someone who doesn't know anything about WHEN SHADOWS FALL, or has never heard of Penumbra before, can also come in and get a big picture of what the story is, and what we are trying to convey. But, yea, there are some elements in there that are definitely taken from WHEN SHADOWS FALL.

R.B.: As is the case with a lot of haunted attractions, and certainly the experiences that we've put together, we've created a tremendous backstory behind CATHARSIS that does follow directly in line with where we left off with WHEN SHADOWS FALL. It's something that we are building upon, but you don't have to have that prior knowledge to enjoy the new experience.

S.E.: This experience, like Ricky was saying earlier, we're not a standard haunted house, we're not about jumping out and "Boo!" scaring you every few seconds, that would get very exhausting after 30 minutes. We really want to draw you into this darker, creepy, seductive world, and see how you fare from there.

BWW: Keeping with the mysterious, secretive world that you're creating for CATHARSIS, the only character that we know from this new world is the owner of the Deadly Sins Bar & Lounge, which is where CATHARSIS begins. So, who exactly is Selena Blackwood?

R.B.: Well, that's the big mystery, isn't it?

BWW: Well, you tell me, I don't know! I just ask the questions, Ricky!

R.B.: You will most definitely have an encounter with Selena Blackwood, and she will reveal her true nature to you, very quickly.

S.E.: And, there will definitely be one main character from WHEN SHADOWS FALL that does take (the) form of our supreme villain.

BWW: Ok, so that sounds like more than just Easter Eggs. On another topic, your previous shows haven't necessarily been family-friendly, but this one seems to be more adult-oriented, even sexier. Is that because the story is more sensual, or is it just it because it's happening around Halloween?

R.B.: It's definitely both sides of things. One, yes, it's Halloween, and to stand out in the world of Halloween, you have to do something over the top. So, that is one of the ways that we are doing that, but more importantly, we're building off of a story, WHEN SHADOWS FALL and Penumbra, was founded in the world of harmonious living and virtue, and the avoidance of sin. So, what happens when that idea fails?

Well, it 180s, and sin takes ahold of everything, and so, we explore what does that mean. We're not talking about just lust, which is what most people think of when they hear sin, but really, all of the Seven Deadly Sins, with an emphasis on the word deadly.

BWW: (Laughs) That's not ominous at all. Sarah, when we spoke at opening night of WHEN SHADOWS FALL, you were already discussing expanding the world of Penumbra. Is this the beginning of that world expansion, to make this an experiment that moves forward in perpetuity after each individual experience?

S.E.: I think that with WHEN SHADOWS FALL, and now with CATHARSIS, we're learning so much about how this interactive theatre, experimental design, how all of that works, and how we can move forward with it.

So, I'm still really in this world of Penumbra, and I love this world that all of us have created together, so I really haven't given up on it yet, and I still think there's so much there to play with, to explore.

I really want to take, not only the flow, the structure, the story of WHEN SHADOWS FALL and of CATHARSIS, and I want to rearrange it, and change it, and see what we can do to really take it in different directions; what works, what doesn't work? Really experiment with it.

So, I have no plans to end this at all. I would love to keep going, and after CATHARSIS, I would love to keep pushing out different ideas and different storylines, and seeing how structurally we can take people through an experience, and how we can give them decisions, and have them make choices and feel empowered.

BWW: One of the reasons that you can continue to expand this world is because you seem to be building a fairly fervent fan base. How do you maximize giving those people something new, while still creating experiences that are unique and satisfying?

R.B.: I think it's what Sarah was just talking about; it's about not coming back and doing the same thing again. If after CATHARSIS, we were like, "Hey, it's WHEN SHADOWS FALL all over again," I'm sure people would enjoy it still, but it wouldn't be new anymore.

Also, you are correct that we have a wonderful, avid fan base that is growing rapidly, and we've been engaging with them in fun ways directly and indirectly to make sure that they stay, not only interested, but very much entertained and immersed in the world they love.

BWW: So does that mean that you are actively taking input from your audiences, and maybe even the actors that you work with? I know that putting together one of these immersive experiences is a significantly labor-intensive project, so how does that collaborative process work in the worlds that you're creating?

S.E.: For example, while we are in heavy process of creating CATHARSIS, I am also simultaneously working with our writer to create, potentially, what's next. We're at the very Early Stages of that, but we started at the very beginning.

We actually looked to what characters the audience and our fans connected with most, and which of the actors did we connect with most. Who really helped us develop a very specific character, and a direction that is the most entertaining and the most insightful?

So, we'll take a lot of that, and we'll take everything we've heard. We do really listen to everything that people have been saying about the world from both the acting standpoint as well as the audience standpoint, and we'll try to keep moving in the direction, obviously, of what people are really enjoying, and what they are connecting with.

BWW: Halloween is an exciting time of year on Orlando, how do you make something like this stand out from Halloween Horror Nights and Mickey's Not-So-Scary, especially when it's the first time you've done it?

S.E.: That's a great question, it's something that we're hoping that we are different and unique enough that Orlando will latch on to someone trying to create a completely new experience, a new haunted experience.

You can go to Halloween Horror Nights, you can go to all of these other local haunts and haunted houses, but we are also hoping that you will come to us to see what's new and different in this world.

BWW: Before we finish up, what do you want people to know about CATHARSIS, whether it is to convince them to come, or to prepare them for what to expect?

R.B.: Let me answer it two ways, it depends on if you are a big haunted house fan, or if you are just the average person who is like, "Yea, I can go to a Halloween thing, because it's that time of year."

For those who are big haunted house fans, this is an opportunity for them to get a lot more personal attention, longer scenes, a longer overall experience, and not be pushed through a conga-line which they are used to with your traditional haunted house; that is usually the biggest complaint about those, they love the scenery, they love the sets, they love the world, they love the characters, but they just move too fast and with too many people. So, we want to get that more personal connection, for sure.

On the flip side of that, those who think (CATHARSIS) is a very scary thing, shouldn't necessarily. This is not a quote-unquote "extreme haunted house." We're not going to dump gallons of blood on you and lock you in a corner for six days, or something.

It has theatrical elements to it, it is approachable, it is accessible. It is meant to unnerve you, it is Halloween after all, but we're not going to torture anyone. We do want everyone to have a good time with us, even if they were severely creeped out.

S.E.: On a personal note, I personally am a giant wuss, so designing this has been very interesting, because I've never designed a haunted attraction before.

But, for those that aren't necessarily interested in the horror genre, but are intrigued by this, I definitely recommend coming, because we've tried to make this experience something that is unnerving, and more thought-provoking... it's about what does horror, terror mean to you on a personal level.

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To schedule your visit to CATHARSIS, visit their website.

Are you excited to venture back into Penumbra? Let me know on Twitter @BWWMatt. And, "Like" and follow BWW Orlando on Facebook and Twitter using the buttons below. You can listen to Matt on BroadwayRadio or on BroadwayWorld's pop culture podcast Some Like it Pop.

Banner Image: CATHARSIS Facebook