This all happened at the Immersive World Adventure.
I didn't know what to expect or what I'd find, and i guess that most epic adventures begin this way: with trust and just one step.
20 years ago... the album one giant leap provided a soundtrack of an expanding consciousness I could only begin to imagine. at the same time I first learned transcendental meditation, a practice which would lay the potential for perceiving immersion 20 years later, just as Meisner foreshadowed it would take an actor to be, here I was privy to a space exemplifying immersion and its utmost ability to teach and transform through experience.
Guests, actors, speakers were all as an ensemble putting together an experience that would become a summit, a conference, a retreat..
Within all was this story about AI and the afterlife. Was it all a simulation? A son going into the jungle to find his deceased father in the underworld. Slightly based on Hamlet, the titular inspired character Amit went to through fire and cenotes to find him. Working with the actors Sunny and Raj (playing Amit and his father respectively) running their lines of reconnection, along with being present to their scenes, I cathartically experienced a reconnection too. My father was always all about connection.
The biggest literal Easter egg cameo happened the day before Easter (the weekend when this all took place); My mom many years ago who actually has a new book out now told me that in a past life I was John the Baptist. I never looked too deeply into that because it didn't exactly end well for the guy and also it just seemed like a lot.
Writer Sean Stewart and I were looking at characters to play monks of the Cenote this afterlife underworld, a lead in to director Steve Boyle's epic workshop on becoming the hero of your journey. John the Baptist's name came across my searching and when reading about him. I was shocked when I read his wikepedia. This is a photo of me circling this in excitement sending it to Sean asking "did you know he was called that?"
"The Forerunner?" he said. "No keep reading!" I replied.
In a time when the word "immersive" is as ubiquitous as synergy once was, this seemed very prescient.
So, John the Immerser I played.
The lines ended up being "My name is John, I was behead by Herod Antipas in the reign of Tiberius Casear. Although I immersed many in my life, I only served as the forerunner. I cannot help you on your journery."
A little more context here: Sean was helping Steve write this story, and at this point in their quest, the guests needed to become heros in order to continue their journey into the underworld. Each monk (Sean and I) were unable to help them due to not being able to specifically help them on their journey to becoming a hero. Steve cathartically played himself, or rather a him that might not have lived (a longer story privy to those who meet him) and he subsequently was the third monk amongst Sean and I, and was able to help them through his workshop.
The punchline here is not that Steve was Jesus (as the forerunner might suggest) but Steve served as the holy spirit. Meaning the guest was the chosen one.
So in effect, by baptising themselves in the Cenote, the guests became immersed, and the heros in their journey.
IMMERSIVE!
Beyond this, speaking on a panel with these luminaries of the immersive world (Sean, Joanna Garner, Tom Pearson, Steve!) was a huge highlight for me. Working with the cast, shepherding the guests, connecting with the fantastic local talent, and most importantly trusting Steve and believing in his vision.
To have all the scripts of my life synthesized into one weekend immersive adventure forever marked me, and now much like 1 Giant Leap I feel like I was a part of the perfect immersive representation of its same ideals of connection. Thank you Steve, and thank you epic immersive, and thank you all.
YOU ARE IMMERSED!
Your story continues...