LOS ANGELES—As producers continue experimenting with new, safety-first event formats, one that’s been a welcome addition is the walkthrough experience, which allows guests to fully immerse themselves in an environment while still respecting social distancing. A recent standout example of the format? The appropriately named DiscOasis, a walkthrough theatrical experience that’s billed as a “glittering sonic fantasia for the soul."
Taking over the South Coast Botanic Garden near Los Angeles, the public, ticketed experience, which kicked off July 17 and runs through Labor Day weekend, is a walk through the garden. Along the way, guests explore six different sonic areas, each featuring a different photo op-friendly art installation that’s inspired by a specific disco song, as well as a live actor interacting with guests. The path is all leading to a final area with a disco-inspired roller skating rink, a colorful dance floor, retro arcade games, food trucks and other fun, interactive details.
The event is a collaboration between Los Angeles-based experience studio Constellation Immersive (an affiliate of Creative Artists Agency) and Grammy Award-winning musician Nile Rodgers, who curated the soundtrack as the DiscOasis’ official “groovemaster.”
“After we opened our holiday drive-through experience last year, ‘The Elf on the Shelf’s Magical Holiday Journey,’ we brainstormed ideas for the spring or summer that we could stage outdoors and that we felt would resonate with audiences after a year of living through COVID and lockdowns,” explained Constellation Immersive’s Thao Nguyen and Marty LaSalle. “We decided that music was a universal element that brings people together, and aligned behind a music-inspired outdoor experience.”
Scroll down for a look inside the experience, and to learn more about how the team is pulling off a safe, impactful gathering right now.