"playful, tasteful and profound.... a straightforward and unapologetic criticism of the modern, super-achiever culture that demands “high performance” in everything..."
Assemble is a guerrilla, choose-your-own-adventure performance that transforms the mundane spaces of a well-known store into a series of worlds, fantasies and meditations.
Participants download an app to their phones and are invited to join Jane as she considers life at 40.
Participants are prompted to navigate and interact with the store through a series of choices and tasks. The resulting experience is part immersive theatre, part audio tour and an entirely unique experience for each person.
In January 2020, ASSEMBLE was presented in Brooklyn as part of the Exponential Festival.
Team included: Jess Kaufman, David Blackman, Johanna Kasimow & Christopher Ross-Ewart
Creative Process
The devising process took place within the Brooklyn IKEA store, unbeknownst to the staff, allowing us to map the store’s spaces and our corresponding storylines onto existing showrooms. When the store changed its layouts, we would have to quickly adapt with new or alternative story pathways. Jessica Kauffman and I co-wrote the experience and script, focusing on the story, dramaturgy, audience experience and technical integrations. David Blackman utilized Twine technology focussed on creating the tech integrations and interactions.
We prototyped the experience, holding two invited development showings before premiering the work to the public as part of New York’s Exponential Festival in February 2020 and redeveloping the work in October 2021.
After purchasing a ticket, audiences were told the location was in Brooklyn. One week before their date, they were given the neighborhood of Red Hook, and one day before, they were given the location of a bar to meet Jane, for her birthday.
The bar was in on it.
We set up a makeshift birthday party with signs, balloons, and cake. After signing in, we led audience into the store four people at a time so as not to raise suspicions. After the experience, audiences were invited back for a drink and a slice of cake on us. And each evening, we drew a crowd who compared their experiences.
We prototyped the experience, holding two invited development showings before premiering the work to the public as part of New York’s Exponential Festival in February 2020 and redeveloping the work in October 2021.
After purchasing a ticket, audiences were told the location was in Brooklyn. One week before their date, they were given the neighborhood of Red Hook, and one day before, they were given the location of a bar to meet Jane, for her birthday.
The bar was in on it.
We set up a makeshift birthday party with signs, balloons, and cake. After signing in, we led audience into the store four people at a time so as not to raise suspicions. After the experience, audiences were invited back for a drink and a slice of cake on us. And each evening, we drew a crowd who compared their experiences.
Press Coverage
- Guerrilla Audio Experience Lets You ‘Assemble’ Your American Dream: A walk through a retail store becomes a meditation on life
- 17 Plays & Musicals to go to in NYC This Weekend, New York Times
- Assembly required: Exciting new show turns a furniture store into a stage, Brooklyn Paper
- Project Assemble, A Secret Guerrilla Choose Your Own Adventure Will Take Place This Month in NYC, Untapped New York
- An Interactive performance is secretely taking place inside this famous furniture store, Time Out
- The Best Things To Do in NYC this Weekend, Gothamist
- The Ten Best Cheap Things to do this week, Brokelyn