Experience the WMPAC escape room

WARREN MILLER PERFORMING ARTS CENTER

BIG SKY – Now that in its eighth winter season, the Warren Miller Performing Arts Center has a lot of different types of performances under its belt. The center has hosted ballet, comedy, percussion and a slew of creative virtual shows since the onset of the pandemic. However, its newest endeavor is certainly the most creative take on a night out at the theater—and possibly the most fun yet.

From Feb. 10 through 24, WMPAC will transform into a large-scale interactive game, akin to an escape room. The game is called “Through the Fourth Wall,” and was designed in part by the same team that created Big Sky Resort’s own escape room last year.

Creative team Jason McDowell-Green, Maya Davis, Alejandro Fajardo and Ben Truppin-Brown arrived in Big Sky last week, and immediately got to work transforming the stage into a life-size series of puzzles.

“We get to use all the elements of theater that aren’t normally in those small spaces, like an escape room,” said McDowell-Green, who has designed numerous escape rooms around the country. “Here we get to use state of the art lighting and sound, so … even if traditional theater isn’t for you, coming to this space now and being immersed in a really rich world that’s created for you is exciting.”

The game is designed for one pod of four to eight people at a time. When a group arrives at the theater, they’ll be treated to refreshments from the Hungry Moose, and then will kick off the experience. The creative team will be offstage to give hints to the puzzles if needed, but guests will have the theater entirely to themselves. The game is accessible for all ages, and is designed to last an hour.

“This is a perfect experience for families or a pod of friends,” said John Zirkle, WMPAC’s executive director. “It’s a really fun night out in a fully COVID-safe environment, since you’re only interacting with your own group. We’re turning the entire theater experience on its head and pushing the limits of this space, and I can’t wait to share this with Big Sky.”

Timeslots are available at 5 p.m., 7 p.m., and 9 p.m. Tuesdays through Sundays from Feb. 10 though 24. The game will be reset and the theater fully sanitized in between groups. Groups can be four to eight people, and tickets for each timeslot are $100, regardless of group size.

Tickets and more information are available at warrenmillerpac.org.