A unique experience

Rosie Siman is a recent addition to our integrated planning team and our resident social & emerging media strategist. When she’s not writing for H/H, you can find her on Twitter (@rosiesiman) & Tumblr.

A few weeks ago I had the pleasure of attending the dress rehearsal for Sleep No More, a performance by the theater group Punchdrunk, which left me feeling especially inspired. [Thanks, Katie!]

Punchdrunk has transformed a four-story space in NYC into a stage for what they call “an immersive theater experience.” They have taken the art of live theater, and made it interactive, whereby each audience member discovers their own plot through their exploration of their McKittrick Hotel.

Over 100 rooms and environments have been created and guests are encouraged to use all five senses as they wander, opening drawers (and even letters!) to better understand the plot happening around them. Part murder mystery, part installation art, Sleep No More is an inquisitive person’s playground.

While word on the street is that celebrity attendance has been out the roof, you’re unlikely to come back with stories of touring the hotel with said celebs as you’re required to wear a mask as you wander.

Complete with Inception style wall-walking, full-frontal nudity and even a candy shop where you can fill your pockets, I can promise this will be nothing like you’ve ever experienced before. I left with my heart racing, eager to encourage friends (and yes, even total strangers) to attend.

I was recently asked how I think we can keep talent in our industry motivated, and to me, it’s very simple: Get them out of the office. Not just out of the office to the Starbucks downstairs for a brainstorm, but out of the office experiencing culture around them.

We work in an industry where the late hours are going to be inevitable at times, but let’s not judge people based on how late they stay or how many weekends on which they work. Instead, let’s challenge colleagues and people who work with us to explore the city they’re in, bringing their excitement and enthusiasm back to the agency.

If you’re looking for something new, something exciting, something that will leave you feeling inspired, I highly suggest you have a visit to the McKittrick Hotel. You can purchase tickets for $75 (a steal!) online or follow Sleep No More on Twitter if you need more convincing.

Tags: @sleepnomorenyc, experiential, eyes wide shut, immersive, inspiration, installation art, interactive, live, masks, McKittrick, motivation, Punchdrunk, Rosie Siman, rosiesiman, sleep no more, theater