Be part of the action at these immersive theatre shows in New York

Discover all the immersive experiences you can attend in New York right now, in which audiences don't just watch a show, but are also an active part of it.

The best theatre makes you feel like you've entered another world without ever leaving your seat. But sometimes, watching that world unfold from a distance isn't enough — and that's where immersive theatre comes in. Immersive shows dissolve the barrier between performers and audiences, inviting you to become part of the action.

These shows vary in degree of immersion — some just involve following the characters around, while others allow audience members to make choices that inform the plot. Immersive shows can also differ by dress code — you may or may not be encouraged to dress to theme. Almost every immersive experience, though, completely transforms its venue into the world of the show. And those settings are as varied as any other type of theatre, from nightclubs to old-fashioned mansions to old hotels and more.

Discover all the immersive shows in New York below, and check out our guide to what to expect and prepare before attending immersive theatre.

Sleep No More

This immersive experience has been a New York staple since 2011 when the abandoned 1930s-era McKittrick Hotel reopened to the public as a theatre venue. (Okay, that's a fictional backstory for the former warehouse complex, but it's much more thrilling.) Shakespeare meets Alfred Hitchcock at Sleep No More, a noir, movement-based retelling of Macbeth.

Audiences don masks and enter the five-story building that's yours to explore. Follow the characters or wander around on your own — you never know what or who, you might find in a hidden corner. The event is three hours long, but the show resets every hour so that you can experience multiple different characters and storylines on one visit. Afterward, the lobby turns into a functional bar and jazz club where you can enjoy a post-show drink.

Get Sleep No More tickets now.

Life and Trust

From Emursive, the company that produced the long-running Sleep No More, comes its latest show: Life and Trust. The show is adapted from the legend of Faust, a man who is dissatisfied with his life and makes a deal with the devil to gain unlimited knowledge and pleasures.

In Life and Trust, this action takes place in a refurbished bank building and is set right before the 1929 stock market crash that ushered in the Great Depression. Audiences have free reign to walk throughout the massive space and interact with the characters — just be careful not to sign your own soul away in the process.

Get Life and Trust tickets now.

Drunk Shakespeare

Get in on the boozy, bawdy fun of this long-running New York hit. In Drunk Shakespeare, five actors perform an abridged version of a Shakespeare play, except one takes five shots of liquor first. You, the audience, remain in your seats, but as the performers keeps the drunk actor's antics in check and the play moving forward, they're talking directly to you and performing among you. You can even purchase a special package that lets you sit on a throne, enjoy champagne and caviar, and make decisions at certain points in the show. And of course, anyone can order a drink for themselves.

Get Drunk Shakespeare tickets now.

Photo credit: Sleep No More. (Photo courtesy of production)