For those in the New York area seeking some real escapism, look no further. Here is our guide to some of the best immersive shows in New York over the next year.
1.Life And Trust
Mr Conwell, a banking magnate who makes a deal with the devil after losing his fortune in the stock market crash, is the subject of this immersive theatrical production which takes place over six floors of a retrofitted skyscraper in New York City’s Financial District. Emursive, the company behind Sleep No More, provide typically lavish sets including a burlesque theater, gardens, estates, offices, bedrooms, a cinema, a boxing ring, and a vaudeville house through which audience members follow the various characters as they pursue money, sex and power.
- Read: Immersive shows in London | 5 of the best shows in 2025
- Watch: Viola’s Room | What does the audience think of Punchdrunk’s latest immersive production?
2. Her Long Black Hair
Next up in our list of immersive shows in New York is Janet Cardiff’s Her Long Black Hair: a 35-minute journey that begins at Central Park South and transforms an everyday stroll in the park into an absorbing psychological experience. Each listener dons headphones and is taken on a winding journey through Central Park’s 19th-century pathways, retracing the footsteps of an enigmatic dark-haired woman. The experience of the walk also uses photographs to reflect upon the relationship between images and notions of possession, loss, history, and beauty.
To access audio walk materials, click here.
- Watch: interview about The Grand Expedition | Gingerline’s new immersive dining experience involving circus
3. Art Bath
Part of Prototype – a one-of-a-kind festival of multidisciplinary music theatre – Art Bath is an immersive performance salon that blends concert and art party, featuring an eclectic mix of opera, music, dance and fine artists in a raw and intimate setting. Held at the historic Blue Building on E 46th St.
www.prototypefestival.org/shows/art-bath
4. Nutcracker Rouge
‘High- and low-brow entertainment intermixes with lavish design to deliver sensual, decadent extravaganzas inspired by the court of Louis XIV’ says Company XIV, the organisation behind Nutcracker Rouge. This annual naughty take on the classic ballet offers circus artists, enchanting chanteuses, burlesque dancers, baroque extravagance – along with some pretty potent cocktails.
www.companyxiv.com/about/shows/nutcracker-rouge
5. Dungeons and Dragons: Twenty Sided Tavern
Concluding our survey of immersive shows in New York: there is something innately theatrical about a role-playing games like Dungeons and Dragons. And in this live, onstage game of Dungeons & Dragons, in which the audience controls the action, that sense of theatricality is taken to the next level: By calling out suggestions and making decisions on your smartphone, you’ll determine which heroes appear, where they explore, and ultimately how their story ends.