S7E9 - Captain of Heartfelt Shenanigans: Andy Crocker, Immersive Performance Director

"I think being silly is really important."

Playing pretend together is powerful stuff, and Andy Crocker knows this better than anyone. If you’ve experienced heartfelt shenanigans at Ghost Town Alive, or exchanged thrilling secrets in the engineering room aboard Star Wars Galactic Starcruiser, chances are you’ve come across Andy’s work.  As an Immersive Performance Director, Andy’s work involves creating unscripted moments that gives the audience a chance to dig into their inner silliness. 

In addition to her work with Interactive Performance at theme park experiences, Andy is also one half of Mister and Mischief. They create what they call “fun-forward interactive experiences designed to delight audiences and turn strangers into pals.” Escape From Godot definitely fits the bill as a play that suddenly becomes an escape room. Their more recent 40 Watts from Nowhere turned the guests into pirate radio DJ’s reliving the memories of Sue Carpenter, a kickass radio rebel. 

Andy takes the business of being silly very seriously. Her enthusiasm for spreading the joy of make-believe is palpable. She designs her experience to create a safe space for the audience to indulge in childlike joy. The power of make-believe is real, and no one believes in it more than Andy Crocker.  If you want to see the magic for yourself, don't miss Andy's talk at RECON this August, and make sure to get tickets for Escape From Godot.

 

Timestamps & Full Show Notes

 

Episode Sponsors

Thank you to our sponsors Morty, Buzzshot, COGS by Clockwork Dog, & RECON, the Reality Escape Convention: 

Morty

Morty is a free app for discovering, planning, tracking, and reviewing your escape rooms and other immersive social outings. 

Morty News:

• Morty now features haunt attractions
• Morty for Android is here

Special Badge for REPOD listeners:

You can learn more at morty.app/REPOD to sign up and get a special badge for our listeners (works for existing users also).

 

Buzzshot

Buzzshot is Escape Room Software, Powering Business Growth, Player Marketing, and improving the Customer Experience. They offer an assortment of pre and post game features including robust waiver management, branded team photos, and streamlined review management for Yelp, TripAdvisor, Google Reviews, and Morty. Buzzshot now has integration with the other REPOD sponsors: Morty and COGS.

Special Offer for REPOD Listeners:

REPOD listeners get an extended 21-day free trial plus 20% off your first 3 months, with no set-up fees or hidden charges. Visit buzzshot.com/repod to learn more about this exclusive offer.

 

COGS

COGS by Clockwork Dog is an easy to use software/ hardware platform for running interactive events, including escape rooms, and other immersive experiences. They have plug & play hardware that seamlessly integrates with their software so you can create a show with lighting and sound cues without having to write a single line of code. Map all kinds of inputs to outputs by building up simple logic steps which determine what you want to happen and when.

Special Offer for REPOD Listeners:

REPOD listeners can get the COGS Starter Set for only $130 + free shipping to the USA. This bundle is usually valued at $257. You can learn more and purchase your Starter Set at cogs.show. Use code REPOD at checkout.

 

RECON - The Reality Escape Convention

Our convention, RECON, will be in Universal City, California on August 18th & 19th, 2024.

RECON offers a curated collection of talks and experiences exploring the business and art of escape room and immersive game creation. All are welcome at this event that is crafted around professionals and aspiring professionals.

Tickets are on sale now at RealityEscapeCon.com

 

Production Credits

Hosted by David Spira & Peih-Gee Law

Produced by Theresa Piazza

Supported by Lisa Spira, Richard Burns, and Tommy Honton

Edited by Steve Ewing of Stand Inside Media 

Music by Ryan Elder

Logo by Janine Pracht