Step outside the stream of time.
Choose your adventure.
Save the theater.
"The heavy mahogany doors of historical ballroom didn't just open; they seemed to unseal, releasing a low, pressurized hiss of fog that smelled of ozone, fresh cotton candy, and expensive gin.
Silas Finch adjusted his brass-rimmed spectacles, looking out over the bustling floor. It was a spectacular sight—a grand World's Fair frozen in a localized loop. To his left, patrons cheered at a midway game where a clockwork automaton challenged them to a test of strength. To his right, an eccentric inventor demonstrated a device that claimed to bottle starlight, while guests lined up at the open bar to sample an 'Electro Bolt' that crackled with static electricity.
But Silas knew the carnival was just the prelude. He tapped his pocket watch, looking toward the massive, dormant Chronosphere at the center of the ballroom.
'The Midway is a marvel, yes,' Silas murmured to a newly arrived traveler, handing them a gold-foiled passport. 'But do not lose your focus. At eight o'clock, the real experiment begins. You are here to witness the opening of the 13th Hour itself. And would you kindly keep your paddle ready? When the rift fractures, it will take every bit of our collective energy—and our generosity—to stabilize the timeline before it vanishes forever.'"
THE 13TH HOUR
AN IMMERSIVE OTHERWORLD THEATRE GALA
CELEBRATING 13 YEARS OF OTHERWORLD THEATER
The 13th Hour is a living, breathing immersive theater event celebrating Otherworld Theater's 12th Season. It is engineered to be enjoyed at whatever comfort level you choose:
A World’s Fair of the Future-Past
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Before the main event begins, guests will experience The Temporal Midway - an immersive carnival inspired by the grand, breathtaking scale of the 1893 Chicago World's Fair and the floating plazas of Columbia.
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Play the Games: Test your skills at custom-built, retro-futuristic carnival stalls run by traveling temporal castaways.
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See the Oddities: Marvel at mysterious "lost technologies" and sci-fi gadgets on display throughout the ballroom.
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Feast and Drink: Enjoy a premium open bar featuring alchemical specialty cocktails and a themed, multi-course dinner fit for the grandest exhibition hall.
Choose Your Level of Play
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Once the clock strikes 8:00 PM and the main event begins, the story is entirely "opt-in," allowing you to enjoy the night at your own comfort level:
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The Active Investigator (Opt-In Gameplay): Drop your real-world identity and assume the role of a Chrononavigator. Interrogate characters, hunt for temporal artifacts, decode clues hidden in the ballroom's architecture, and work alongside Otherworld artists to piece together the secret lore of the night.
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The Casual Voyager (Zero-Pressure View): Prefer to relax? Simply sit back, sip your cocktail, enjoy your themed dinner, and watch the high-concept sci-fi story unfold around you like a spectacular, live-action movie. No acting required!
The Mission: Why We Fundraise
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While our story is set in a localized temporal rift, the real-world stakes are very real. This gala is Otherworld Theater's most vital fundraiser of the year.
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As a non-profit storefront theater, we reject the idea that art must exist in a vacuum or rely on corporate grants alone. We are fueled entirely by our community.
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Within our story, the Rift is volatile and requires energy to stabilize. In the real world, that energy is your patronage.Every ticket purchased, every live auction bid, and every dollar donated during the gala directly funds our upcoming season. You are providing the literal fuel needed to keep the stage lit and secure the future of science fiction and fantasy storytelling in Chicago.
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DONATING AN IN-KIND DONATION?
Give a gift to keep the magic alive at Otherworld Theatre Company!
Interested in becoming a sponsor?
If you or your organization is interested in becoming a sponsor of THE 13th HOUR: AN IMMERSIVE OTHERWORLD CELESTIAL GALA, please email our Director of Development Dylan Schaefer at dylan@otherworldtheatre.org, or click below.