EMILY WAS HERE: A Unique Experience Where The Brooklyn Bridge Is The Stage

BY RJ FROMETA | July 19, 2022

VENTS caught up with the creators of Emily Was Here, the first groundbreaking immersive interactive experience that is available right now, on the famous Brooklyn Bridge in New York.

Hey guys! Welcome to VENTS. Thanks for taking the time to chat with us. Before we dig deep, tell us a bit about yourself.

Hey! So, I am Alba Albanese, an actress, writer, and director. I founded an independent production company BrooklynGirl Productions and is a founding member of Actors Theater of NYC. I also wrote, developed, and created several immersive theater experiences, and interactive shows with emerging technology. I live in New York City and work in film, theater, immersive theater with tech and TV.

Hey guys, and I am Phil Olarte, an actor turned tech entrepreneur who founded and created ChalkNotes, a platform for creators to tell stories with the power of mixed reality technology. Last fall I produced Wherefore Art Thou Juliet, an augmented audio experience showcasing NYC’s Theater District. I am working at the forefront of a new type of theatrical storytelling where the story digitally integrates with the world around us.

We are excited to learn about ‘Emily Was Here’ on the Brooklyn Bridge. Can you tell us about it and when and how can people participate in ‘Emily Was Here’? 

Alba: 

Emily Was Here XR (extended or mixed reality) is an original interactive storytelling experience on a national landmark, the Brooklyn Bridge where you will experience several stories while walking across the Bridge. The interactive experience includes a personal journey guided by Emily Roebling, dozens of poems both classic and modern performed with a multidisciplinary cast, and an original New York City love story – all while discovering AR (augmented reality) visual moments throughout the bridge. Emily Was Here is designed specifically for an audience who walks across the bridge – binding elements of the story to different locations on the Bridge. 

Phil: 

What is mixed reality? It is when digital integrates with the real world. We use our phones as a window to this new world. Emily Was Here brings together both audio of actors performing, maps to guide you, and visual 3D objects – all related to your real world surroundings – all made visible through the ChalkNotes app. You unlock more and more of the story as you walk across the Bridge, moving from location to location. Unlike traditional theater, there is no start or stop time, but it does have a venue – the Brooklyn Bridge. You buy a ticket for access at newyorkcityxr.com or in-app, go to the Bridge, and start on your schedule on the ChalkNotes app. The first location gives you a tiny audio orientation and off you go! The length of the experience is up to you. It can be anywhere from thirty minutes to spending your whole afternoon on the Brooklyn Bridge.