Woodshed Collective’s newest immersive theatre piece, Empire Travel Agency, is a bizarre and exhilarating quest through the streets of Lower Manhattan. This theatrical experience takes four people at a time on a “Hidden City Excursion” to various sites around the Financial District: the Elevated Acre, a storage unit, an art gallery, the 4/5 train and several abandoned buildings. The object: To collect items to use as bids for an auction in which the formula to a secret substance called Ambros is being sold. This Ambros, long held by Empire Travel Agency (ETA) as the key to New York City’s vitality, is being auctioned by a mysterious party, what the ETA believes is a turned agent.

Along the way, more than 20 actors and musicians come in and out of play, driving you around, giving directions to the next place, providing instructions to nonsensical games, and ultimately confusing the hell out of you. And you are just there for the ride, being carted around, running away from the “bad guys,” and strolling through a crowded subway saying ridiculous statements.

This kind of theatre is best experienced in a holistic way, meaning if you try to piece together every little detail, you will almost certainly miss the forest for the trees. It’s not about solving a puzzle. This is about experiencing New York City in all its glory and grit. In fact, along the way, something starts to happen: You begin to notice the little things. Empire Travel Agency is not only immersive; it forces you to live in the present, to be aware of your surroundings, to always be on the lookout for the next agent, the next place, the next contact. Who on the real streets of Manhattan is an actor and who is just going about their business?

Unlike some other immersive theatre pieces, Empire Travel Agency is very hands-on and relies heavily on the participation of its audience, which may not be for everyone. With such a small audience group (four max), it doesn’t allow you to just sit back and be a spectator. You are asked questions, given things to hold on to, sent on missions, and generally have to be turned on the entire time. It’s not exactly a relaxing theatergoing experience, but that’s all part of the fun.

All this is meant to make you appreciate New York City more. The concept of Ambros that Empire Travel Agency plays with can be a metaphor for all the people who make up this city. They are the life, the beating heart, the ones who make this city great. They are the artists, but also the bankers. They are the young and the old, the rich and the poor. And that is something that cannot be sold at auction.

For more information on Empire Travel Agency, visit https://empiretravelagency.com/