Waking Wonderland: An Immersive Adventure

CL Critic Kevin C. Madigan Recommends: Alice’s granddaughter Anna takes the lead in this animated tale that ventures beyond the “Looking Glass” to rendezvous with chromatic characters in hypnagogic spots. Using interactive props and motion tracking, visitors are immersed into a magical realm where they get to meet the Cheshire Cat, have tea with the Mad Hatter and confront the Queen of Hearts, “creating a stimulating multisensory experience taking full advantage of Illuminarium’s unique technological platform and environment.” Canadian musician Lights Poxleitner-Bokan, known mononymously as Lights, composed a “dynamic, spatial” score for the show.
“Waking Wonderland” is a co-production with tech content studio Secret Location, developer of “premium experiences on emerging platforms.” Its chief Ryan Andal says he and his crew have long dreamed of transporting audiences into the “fantastically impossible” world of Wonderland. “When we started on this journey, the technology for what we wanted to create didn’t really exist. The idea of making audiences feel like they’ve stepped into a storybook was both beautiful and daunting.” — KCM