The Game(ing) Show – Catalyst For Thought

A couple of weeks ago I had the pleasure of attending a live theater event here in Raleigh called The Game(ing) Show.  You can read more about their vision by visiting the Kickstarter project.

The show featured a cast acting out scenes in a play intermingled with the audience coming forward to play games.  The game contestants not only had the chance to win something (usually a can of beer) but also affected the direction of the play.  For example, if the contestant lost the game, a member of the cast might have to walk backward for the rest of the play.

The outcome of the game affected the outcome of the play.  It was completely dynamic and random, and amazingly fun to watch.  In speaking with one of the actors, there were thousands of possible variants for how the play could have gone, and no one knew how it would end.

What Does This Signal For The Future?

While the play was obviously live theater, it would seem to me there are a number of kinds of entertainment which could benefit from this model.  I don’t mean a simple “choose your own ending” kind of voting thing, or even the simple “reality TV” examples like American Idol or The X Factor.  I think we will see live and recorded TV embracing the concepts I saw at The Game(ing) Show.

• Audience members holding indirect sway in the storyline of a show.
• Audience members authoring pieces of a show.
• Performers interacting with audience members in new ways to make the show more creative and spontaneous.

What Are The Challenges?

In short, they are numerous.  You have time zones to cross, multiple streams of data to coordinate and possibly co-mingle during a show, live vs. recorded, and on and on.

While The Game(ing) Show was experimental theater, for me it provided a glimpse into the near future.  I fully expect to see elements of what was demonstrated popping up in mainstream media soon.

What do you think?  Would you have any interest in being a part of a show where you could help in determining not only the outcome but the path to the outcome?