As Paradise Valley Community College prepares for the summer renovations of its Center for the Performing Arts (CPA), the fine arts faculty saw an opportunity to foster creativity and innovation. The result? An interactive theater escape experience called Escape the Simulation, which opened to sold out audiences and received rave reviews.
The groundbreaking idea formed when Dr. Lisa Tolentino, video game production co-director, and Theatre Director Andrea Robertson, tasked their Fall 2023 classes with creatively transforming three different spaces on PVCC’s campus. Students in the Fall Introduction to Scenography class devised three unique concepts, which were then presented to the Game, Culture, and Aesthetics students. Together, students selected the most compelling storyline.
“A lot of care and love was put into writing the script, designing the puzzles, and directing the actors and actresses,” said Matthew Hebert, who co-wrote the concept with Jayden Neil-Abe and their other group members. “I couldn't have imagined that the concept would turn out the way it did, with so many different creative collaborators working together to make an idea into reality. I'm excited to see how this or other escape room stories and experiences evolve over time.”
Throughout the Spring semester, Game Studies (GST) students developed a variety of escape room puzzle concepts based on the chosen storyline and room layouts. As the narrative solidified, Ryan Stone, PVCC creative writing faculty and video game production co-director, joined the project. Stone directed three of his students’ capstone courses to write the script, crafting the intricate lore behind the fictitious "College University" and penning various scenes of the escape room. The cast of actors brought these characters to life, continuously adapting the writing and action sequences as the puzzle and room designs evolved.
“One of my capstone students – Tim Heiser – began as a lead writer, but became so much more to the project,” said Stone. “Tim continued to help rewrite, as well as assist in directing, creating puzzles and puzzle maps, and stage managing. I couldn’t have done it without him.”
Jessica Parsons, a PVCC adjunct faculty instructor for the Introduction to Photoshop class and Associate of Arts, Fine Arts Theatre graduate, added the final touches with a student-led design of College University’s logo, which encapsulated the collaborative spirit that defined the project.
“Escape the Simulation was a massive collaborative effort that spanned multiple departments, showcasing the creativity, positive energy, and community spirit of PVCC’s students, staff, and faculty,” said Robertson. “This innovative escape room experience stands as a testament to what can be achieved when diverse talents come together with a shared vision.”
Looking ahead, Robertson hopes to continue the simulation project on an annual basis; each year new students put their own mark on the project.
For more information about PVCC’s Fine and Performing Arts, visit our website.