ACT ONE: JUSTINE
Introduced Spring 2018
Remounted Fall 2018
Your friend Victoria has invited you to a pizza and drinks party. But under the surface of this pleasant event, some of the guests have secrets. Not all is what is appears and it’s up to you to figure out what is really going on here.
Press Release:
Captivated: An Obsession in 3 Acts, debuts for a limited run with Chapter One: Justine
They Played Productions adds a new sort of show to their repertoire. Presented in an unconventional manner and reminiscent of classic tales of horror, Captivated: An Obsession in 3 Acts promises to be immersive, intriguing, and intimate.
LOS ANGELES – Erik Blair and Thea Rivera want to bring you and your friends to an intimate gathering of a few more friends to enjoy pizza, drinks, conversation, and story.
On the surface, this is simply a chance to have some fun for an evening. But once you start looking deeper, you’ll begin to notice that some pieces of the story don’t quite add up. Through group and individual scenes and moments, you will begin to realize that this party isn’t just for fun. It’s a modern retelling of a classic horror story, one based on obsession, drive, pride and just a few dead bodies.
Captivated is just beginning. This is Chapter One: Justine. It’s a small pizza and drinks dinner party for you, your ‘friend’ Victoria, and a few other people. Drinks and food will be provided.
“Justine” is the first act of a 3-part story. Audiences can enjoy each part individually or experience all 3 in order to have the fullest possible immersive narrative. This chapter’s story is told through the various perspectives and interactions of the guests at a dinner party. Each of them has what they appear to be on the surface and another story happening underneath. Through each of the 3 acts, we will be exploring need, love and the true depth of what someone is willing to do to achieve their goals–at any cost.
This is an immersive experience designed for audience members 21+, as both food and drinks will be offered to audience members. It will take place in an actual apartment, although depending on audience choices, there may also be a car ride. Additional story elements such as Instagram posts, slack conversations, questionnaires, and more will begin to come to light soon after tickets become available on 2-26. Some details will be available to the public and some special insights will only be given to ticket holders.
Captivated is the first fully immersive production of They Played Productions, and their third live project. They Played Productions, was launched by entertainment veterans Erik Blair and Thea Rivera. Blair has directed and performed in over 100 productions all over the country and has worked on the other side of the industry with Sony, Disney and Warner Brothers on various projects. Rivera has focused on a career in technology but has worked 20 plus years in theatre, in all capacities. The two formed They Played Productions in 2017 to create content for all forms of visual entertainment. They were behind last year’s Nothing Bad: A Werewolf Rock Musical, are behind God: The Apologies Tour for Fringe this year, and are working to build themselves a solid foundation of productions of many types.
Captivated: An Obsession in 3 Acts
Written and directed by Erik Blair
Starring: Stepy Kamei, Asia Ring, Josh Ritz, Dave Smith and Erik Blair
Produced by Thea Rivera and They Played Productions
SYNOPSIS:
It’s been a while since you had pizza and drinks with your friend Victoria, so you’re excited that she’s invited you to hang out tonight!
She’s promised an intimate evening of just a few people at her place, including her friend since childhood, Ely, and his new girlfriend. Although you’ve never met either of them, Victoria promises they’re perfectly wonderful people.
Then, of course, you get there. And you decide to look a little deeper…
Conversations will ebb and flow within the group as a whole, individually, in sidebars, balcony discussions, car chats, and whispered asides. The dark story weaves around relationships, friendships, loyalty, and other pitfalls of social interaction. The friends (our intimate audience members) will need to listen, question, explore, and dig deeper if they dare. There is more to these new friends than is on the surface, for as they say… Los Angeles has all sorts. Once your evening concludes, it’s up to you to compare notes with your entourage to know what else was said and fill in missing pieces to the puzzling tale. You can’t be everywhere at once.