Unconventional ‘Space Opera’ experience in Old City combines theater and role-playing games

Unconventional ‘Space Opera’ experience in Old City combines theater and role-playing games

PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — A “playable theater” experience in Philadelphia combines performance with the interactivity of role-playing games.

The game begins in a faraway solar system, where an empire has just crumbled and communities have to work together to manage their new society.

“What happens next is determined by the players at the table,” said Ari Gass, one of the game designers of “Space Opera” and a worker and owner of Obvious Agency, the collective presenting the event.

They said the audience — or players — are split up into five societies, and the decisions they make as a group create the narrative. Gass said they want to blur the lines between audience and performer.

“What we want is for the audience to feel empowered to create alongside and to be welcomed onto the stage,” said Gass. “The core game mechanic of making group decisions together, the reason we wanted to build that is because … we need that skill right now, today, in the city and across this country.”

The game has already begun — the first play session took place last weekend, and it continues this Saturday, July 21, and next Saturday, July 28.

Joseph Ahmed, another worker and owner of Obvious Agency, said there are many ways for new players or even observers to jump in.

“We’re making sure that each day has its own sort of satisfying arc. Really think of them as full episodes, so we kind of get this trilogy by the end of it,” he said. “We’ve also built in a way for people to have a lower-stakes engagement with it. … On each day of play, we have 90-minute to two-hour slots where people can come and they can observe what’s happening.”

Ahmed is also a performer-facilitator in the game. After each round, performer-facilitators use improv to show what happened and add in new elements.

“If that roleplay feels a little scary, that’s why we have performer-facilitators who, if you have a really great idea, can help you bring it to life,” added Gass.

Regular player tickets are for a seven-hour session, which includes a catered meal. “Space Opera” takes place at the Arch Street Meeting House in Old City.

“Space Opera” is suggested for ages 16 and up. Masks and COVID-19 testing are required (and available at the door). Sliding scale tickets and a “know-before-you-go” guide are available on Obvious Agency’s website.