Fans Step Up To Create THE LOST HALLOWEEN, An Emergency Benefit For NYC's Immersive Theater Professionals

When theaters shut down in March 2020 due to a worldwide pandemic, all of the performers, creatives, and support staff from NYC's popular immersive theater community suddenly lost their jobs.

The performing arts were one of the first sectors of the economy to shut down and are on track to be one of the last to return. A group of friends who met through attending NYC-based immersive theatre got together and decided: it's time for immersive fans to give back.

The Lost Halloween is a fundraiser to directly benefit immersive theater professionals, paired with a FREE virtual showcase event to bring the immersive community together. The virtual event, which will feature dozens of NYC's immersive performers, will be held on October 30, 2020, at 9:00 PM ET. Both the fundraising page and the ticket page are live at losthalloween.com now and everyone is invited to attend! An online art auction will also raise funds throughout the month of October.

100% of the funds raised will be distributed directly to immersive artists and workers who are in need because of the pandemic. Artists and workers from the immersive theater industry can apply for funds through the link on the website.

The Lost Halloween is organized by a small group of NYC theater fans who are spread coast-to-coast from NYC to Oregon, North Carolina, and California. KaeLyn Rich and Zack Waffle, a couple who live in Rochester, NY, came up with the idea to throw a fundraiser for immersive workers. They asked their fellow theater-loving friends to pitch in and solicited early feedback from performers in the immersive scene. A week later, The Lost Halloween was born.

Zack Waffle (he/him) said: "We came up with this idea because, like many NYC theater fans, we were missing live performances. What made us even sadder was thinking about the professionals who lovingly made these immersive experiences. From cast members to stage managers to bar staff, workers formerly employed in NYC's theatre industry are unsure when their next payday is coming, are no longer receiving unemployment stimulus assistance, and have no idea when theaters will open their doors again."

KaeLyn Rich (she/her) added: "Immersive theater lays bare our need and longing for authentic human connection. From intimate experiences built for one person to six-story buildings built for 400 guests; in candle-lit closets, reimagined historic buildings, and surreal fantasy landscapes sealed into old warehouses, immersive shows help us connect to our deeper truths. We decided we have to do something to give back to the creatives, performers, crew, and staff of these shows that meant so much to us."

Kelly Bartnik (she/her), an immersive performer, choreographer, director, and producer whose work is included in The Lost Halloween said: "The entire premise of The Lost Halloween is indicative of the impact immersive theater can have on its audiences. That a group of people would spend their time, energy, and money to offer support to immersive theater artists who are struggling with a lack of work right now is not only incredibly generous and kind, but showcases the level of connection that seeps outside of the realm of a performance and engages people in an elevated way."

The free, virtual showcase event will be live-streamed on Zoom on October 30, 2020, at 9 pm ET. Performers will be announced on Instagram and the website in the days leading up to the show. Gifts to the fund are being accepted now. The goal is to give a minimum of $250 per person, with the hope to fund all requests received. If that isn't possible, preference will be given to BIPOC, people with disabilities, and those with housing, food, or medical needs.

Check out losthalloween.com for more info, to give or request funds, to reserve a free ticket, and for information on the October 30th showcase event.

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