NTPA Immersive Theatre Logo

What is NTPA Immersive Theatre?

Immersive theater blurs the line between audience and performer, transforming traditional storytelling into a fully interactive experience. Through sets, technology, and live actors, audiences step into a world where they don’t just watch the story—they become part of it.

You may have already encountered immersive theater in haunted houses, theme parks, or murder mystery dinners. Now, NTPA is bringing this thrilling, dynamic format to life for our students and audiences!

Auditions

View all upcoming auditions!
Guests travel through an immersive theatrical space
Character actor interacts with child
patron walks past a screen in an immersive environment
Guests travel through an immersive theatrical space

Workshops

A Unique Learning Experience for Students

NTPA’s immersive productions offer a unique learning opportunity, equipping students with real-world skills for careers in theater, film, themed entertainment, and haunted attractions.

Actors will develop:

  • Advanced improvisation skills
  • Heightened spatial awareness
  • Deeper emotional engagement in a non-traditional setting

TechTrack students will gain hands-on experience with:

  • Practical effects and environmental storytelling
  • Atmospheric sound design
  • Immersive lighting techniques

2025 Season

Make plans to join us for FOUR exciting shows in our 2025 season!

  • April 17-20: Black Hollow: The Final Verdict

  • August 14-17: Ever After: A Grimm Fairy Tale

  • October 16-19: Monstrous: Terror in Black and White

  • December 12-14, 18-20: Once Upon a Winter’s Night: The Legends of Midwinter

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FAQs

Like most of our stage auditions, actors will submit a video audition through the Google form on the audition webpage. Students should review the posted audition requirements for each show to prepare for their video audition. In-person callbacks may be requested, if needed.

Students interested in participating in the technical side of our immersive theatre shows should sign up for our TechTrack program.

Actors will develop skills unique to immersive theatre including:

  • advanced improvisational skills
  • heightened spatial awareness
  • deeper emotional engagement as they interact with audiences in a non-traditional performance setting

Like all of our productions, the rehearsal process will begin with a parent meeting to help educate parents on the upcoming process, volunteer roles, and what to expect. Just like our stage shows, parent volunteer support is crucial for making the show a success! Many volunteer roles will be similar to our stage productions including Show Manager, Costume Coordinator, Ticket Coordinator, and more.

Our Immersive Theatre productions will each be a 2-week intensive. Actors will learn scripted lines and dive into character work and they rehearse improvisational skills to prepare them for an interactive audience experience. Students will rehearse on evenings and weekends for two weeks leading up to the performances.

Performances will take place on evenings and weekends with a 3-hour performance time. Tickets to the event will be timed entry, so guests will have an assigned entry time to the event at rolling intervals throughout the 3-hours performance block. Guests will walk through the performance exhibit moving from room to room as they engage with the immersive sets and performances.

For more than three decades, NTPA has been developing the character of youth through performing arts education and family entertainment. Immersive Theatre provides a new avenue for students to “take the stage” and build critical life skills such as teamwork, self-confidence, and love for one another through an emerging performance art form.

Immersive Theatre also continues to grow in popularity in the professional world through theme park exhibits, art installations, escape rooms, and more. By giving our students an opportunity to explore this art form, they will gain skills and experience that are valued in these professional industries, and can give them a leg up on future employment applications.

Character actor interacts with child

Meet Our Director – Melissa Winton

Melissa Winton

Melissa Winton is an industry professional with extensive experience in immersive storytelling within the Haunted Attractions Industry. Known for designing emotionally charged, full-sensory experiences that place audiences inside the narrative, Winton brings years of expertise in practical effects, scenic design, costume and makeup design, and interactive performance to NTPA’s debut immersive show. Her work has spanned haunted attractions and large-scale experiential storytelling through interactive escape room experiences.

“This is a chance for audiences to experience theater in a way they never have before. We’re not just telling a story—we’re making people feel like they’ve stepped into another world. Whether it’s a ghost story, a children’s fairy tale, or an interactive adventure, immersive theater has the power to connect audiences emotionally in a way that traditional performances can’t.” (Melissa Winton)

Location

Plano

Willow Bend Center of the Arts
6121 W. Park Blvd. B216
Plano, TX 75093

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