“ There’s lots of places in the world you can gamify.”

Emma Rochon and Melissa Eapen were young game masters working at a local escape room company over 12 years ago. They loved this “new” genre of entertainment, and asked the owners how they could get more involved in growing the business or designing new rooms. The owners replied with “There’s no growth in [escape rooms]. Also though, if you try to make your own company, I’ll sue you”.

These famous last words spurred Improbable Escapes co-founders Emma Rochon and Melissa Eapen to quit and start their own company. While looking for locations, they mapped out all the known escape rooms in Canada at the time, and settled on the charming city of Kingston. They chose it primarily for its qualities as an escape room wasteland, because it didn’t have any notable existing escape rooms.

Today, they’ve certainly built out enough games to put Kingston, Ontario, Canada on the map of any escape room enthusiast. They have built and designed over forty different games and experiences, including escape rooms, outdoor escape rooms, large event “podium games,” and even a board game café. They also started a sister company called Visual Menace Creative that builds sets, props, and immersive activations for brands, film, television and music videos.

Emma Rochon joins us on REPOD to share her escape room journey in the industry. I was simply mind-blown by these two young women who built an escape room empire out of nothing but sheer determination and passion. I love stories where someone is told “no” and they proceed to prove nay-sayers wrong in the most epic way possible.

If you enjoyed this episode and you want to hear more from Emma, she will be speaking at this year’s Reality Escape Convention about deconstructing escape rooms, and how to literally think outside the box when it comes to designing interactive puzzle games.

Thank You to Our Sponsors

We are immensely grateful to our sponsors this season: REA Patreon Backers, PG’s Playhouse, and Buzzshot. We truly appreciate your support of our mission to promote and improve the immersive gaming community.

Support Room Escape Artist on Patreon

Love escape rooms as much as we do? At Room Escape Artist, we’ve been analyzing, reviewing, and exploring the world of immersive games since 2014.

By becoming a Patreon supporter, you’re not just backing a blog — you’re fueling a mission to make the escape room and immersive gaming community stronger, more thoughtful, and more connected. You can also access exclusive Patreon content such as the Bonus Aftershow, Spoilers Club, and get early access to escape room Tour tickets and REA articles.

Your Patreon support goes toward our mission: paying our contributors, funding our infrastructure, and supporting deep research and industry advocacy.

Buzzshot

Buzzshot is proud to announce their new “all-in-one” Booking System designed from the ground up for one type of business, escape rooms.

Offering:

• Easy to use booking UI with no fees or hidden charges.
• Customer waiver capture
• Branded Team Photos
• Player Messaging
• Review Managment
• Automations
• Customer Surveys
• Broadcast Emails

Special Offer for REPOD Listeners:

REPOD listeners get an extended 21-day free trial plus 20% off your first 3 months, with no set-up fees or hidden charges. FREE Trial Account with full features^* including SMS messaging, and ‘Buzzshot Bookings’ trial upon request. Visit buzzshot.com/repod to learn more about this exclusive offer.

PG’s Playhouse Podcast

If you love wordplay, puzzles, and trivia, this is the podcast for you! PG’s Playhouse recreates a fun game night with friends, all in a short, 30-minute format. Of course, what’s game night without making new friends? We bring on different guests for the different episodes!

Topics Discussed in this Episode

• 00:00 Sponsor Break: RECON – The Reality Escape Convention
• 04:31 Origin Story and Lawsuits
• 07:53 Exploring Improbable Escapes’ Games
• 09:36 Unique Mechanics
• 12:18 Motherhood and Leadership
• 14:57 The Mysterious Miseries of Franklin N. Stein
• 19:23 Down the Rabbit Hole
• 21:24 Sponsor Break: Buzzshot, Escape Room Marketing Software
• 24:04 Outdoor Escape Rooms
• 26:43 Kingston Tourism and Expansion
• 32:28 Wonderland Board Game Cafe
• 34:48 Community and Sales Trends
• 38:19 Sponsor Break: Room Escape Artist Patreon – Bonus Episodes, Spoilers Club & More
• 40:45 Visual Menace Creative
• 46:20 Sponsor Break: PG’s Playhouse – Puzzles, Pals, and Trivia
• 47:51 Podium Games Explained
• 52:21 Designing Museum Installations
• 54:21 What Comes Next
• 59:23 Bonus Story: Unbirthday Party

Leave a Voicemail

Got a question or thought for the podcast? You can submit a voice recording by calling the Room Escape Artist not-so-hotline that always goes straight to voicemail (551-227-7273).

Resources Mentioned in this Episode

• Improbable Escapes Website
• Visual Menace Website
• Chris Ramsay Solving an Improbable Escapes Puzzle
• Room Escape Artist Reviews
  • The Mysterious Miseries of Franklin N. Stein
  • Neverland: Heist on the High Seas
  • Seven Dwarfs: Mining Mission
  • The TriWizard Trials
  • Legend of the Mayan Temple
  • The Undersea Overthrow [Hivemind Review – Online Implementation]
  • Neverland: Heist on the High Seas [Hivemind Review- Online Implementation]
  • The Hot Chocolate Incident [Hivemind Review – Online Implementation]
  • Seven Dwarfs: Mining Mission [Hivemind Review – Online Implementation]

About Emma Rochon

Instagram: @improbableescapeshq @improbableescapeswonderland @visualmenacecreative

Emma Rochon is co-owner of Improbable Escapes in Kingston, Ontario, one of Canada’s longest-running escape game companies. Having spent over a decade creating immersive entertainment, her lead design credits extend across 40+ projects ranging from traditional escape rooms, outdoor adventures, museum installations, remote games and more.

Support REPOD

• Subscribe to Patreon for bonus content.
• Please rate and review our podcast!

Thanks for listening!

Support Room Escape Artist’s Mission

There are lots of ways to support Room Escape Artist, like buying from Amazon or Etsy after clicking into the links included in this post or backing us on Patreon.

The money that we make from these helps us to grow the site and continue to add more value to the community that we love so much.

The post Gamify the World: Emma Rochon of Improbable Escapes (REPOD S11E2) appeared first on Room Escape Artist.

“One of the highlights of the Finnish larp is heavy, hard emotions. Crying is very much associated with Nordic style and Finnish style larping.”

Have you ever wanted to trauma bond with a hundred strangers aboard a spaceship while fleeing an alien threat? Do you want to be emotionally devastated while making hard choices about love, sacrifice, and humanity? Then Finnish larp is for you!

Laura Kröger is the lead producer and narrative director of Odysseus, a large-scale sci-fi larp run in Helsinki, Finland in 2019 and 2024, in both Finnish and English.

Built for 104 players, it’s set in an original science fiction universe inspired by classics such as Battlestar Galactica. Each participant has a pre-written role with past relationships, loyalties, secrets and fears, but the choices and emotional journeys are in the hands of the players.

Beyond the script, the set of Odysseus is mind-blowingly realistic, considering it was built into an elementary school as a temporary installation during summer break.

Laura talks to us about all the logistics of running such a massively complex larp, including how food and lodging is handled, costuming, and emotional support. I especially enjoyed hearing about how battles and “injuries” are handled. There is even a medical bay with some very graphic special effects “injuries” where “surgeons” are operating. (You can see more photos of Odysseus here).

Odysseus is currently running an Indiegogo campaign because they are trying to build a permanent installation so they can run Odysseus continuously without having to constantly build it and tear it down. If you’re interested in experiencing this yourself, consider supporting their campaign for a chance to attend.

Thank You to Our Sponsors

We are immensely grateful to our sponsors this season: REA Patreon Backers, PG’s Playhouse, and Buzzshot. We truly appreciate your support of our mission to promote and improve the immersive gaming community.

Support Room Escape Artist on Patreon

Love escape rooms as much as we do? At Room Escape Artist, we’ve been analyzing, reviewing, and exploring the world of immersive games since 2014.

By becoming a Patreon supporter, you’re not just backing a blog — you’re fueling a mission to make the escape room and immersive gaming community stronger, more thoughtful, and more connected. You can also access exclusive Patreon content such as the Bonus Aftershow, Spoilers Club, and get early access to escape room Tour tickets and REA articles.

Your Patreon support goes toward our mission: paying our contributors, funding our infrastructure, and supporting deep research and industry advocacy.

Buzzshot

Buzzshot is proud to announce their new “all-in-one” Booking System designed from the ground up for one type of business, escape rooms.

Offering:

• Easy to use booking UI with no fees or hidden charges.
• Customer waiver capture
• Branded Team Photos
• Player Messaging
• Review Managment
• Automations
• Customer Surveys
• Broadcast Emails

Special Offer for REPOD Listeners:

REPOD listeners get an extended 21-day free trial plus 20% off your first 3 months, with no set-up fees or hidden charges. FREE Trial Account with full features^* including SMS messaging, and ‘Buzzshot Bookings’ trial upon request. Visit buzzshot.com/repod to learn more about this exclusive offer.

Reality Escape Convention

Our convention, RECON, will be in Laval, Quebec Canada on August 16th & 17th, 2026.

RECON offers a curated collection of talks and experiences exploring the business and art of escape room and immersive game creation. All are welcome at this event that is crafted around professionals and aspiring professionals.

PG’s Playhouse Podcast

If you love wordplay, puzzles, and trivia, this is the podcast for you! PG’s Playhouse recreates a fun game night with friends, all in a short, 30-minute format. Of course, what’s game night without making new friends? We bring on different guests for the different episodes!

Topics Discussed in this Episode

• 00:00 Sponsor Break: RECON – The Reality Escape Convention
• 03:41 What is Larp
• 05:17 Finnish Style and Secrets
• 07:35 Laura’s Larp Journey
• 08:04 Odysseus Concept and Tone
• 08:59 Battlestar Galactica Episode 33 Inspiration
• 15:17 Origin of the Name & Cost to the Player
• 20:02 Sponsor Break: Buzzshot, Escape Room Marketing Software
• 22:21 International Runs and Language
• 23:31 Building a School Spaceship
• 25:03 Bridge Simulator and Fighters
• 28:49 Developing the Lighting and Sound
• 31:39 Diegetic Audio and Ending Music
• 34:09 Room Escape Artist Patreon – Bonus Episodes, Spoilers Club & More
• 36:10 Uniforms and Gear
• 38:48 Special FX Wounds and Deaths
• 40:22 Away Missions Logistics
• 43:10 Keeping Everyone Involved
• 44:49 Food and In-World Meals
• 45:44 Emotional Gameplay Core
• 48:28 The Decisions Made by Normal Characters
• 50:08 Runtime Control and Rails
• 52:51 Sponsor Break: PG’s Playhouse – Puzzles, Pals, and Trivia
• 54:16 Management and Logistics in Production
• 56:02 How Odysseus Compares to Other Larps
• 57:36 Sustainability and Future Plans
• 01:00:28 Future Plans to Bring Odysseus Back
• 01:02:31 Where to Follow and Thanks
• 01:04:53 Credits
• 01:06:35 Final Split-Second Call

Leave a Voicemail

Got a question or thought for the podcast? You can submit a voice recording by calling the Room Escape Artist not-so-hotline that always goes straight to voicemail (551-227-7273).

Resources Mentioned in this Episode

• Ellarion Tales Linktree
• Ellarion Tales Website
• Odysseus—First Light IndieGoGo Campaign
• Join Ellarion Community Discord
• Photos from past Odysseus runs

About Laura Kröger

Facebook @ellariontales

Instagram @ellariontales

Laura Kröger is a Finnish larp designer and producer who has worked with larp since 2000. She has been involved in numerous projects ranging from small events to large-scale productions. She was the lead producer and narrative director of Odysseus, a large-scale sci-fi larp run in Helsinki in 2019 and 2024. The volunteer-driven project gained wide recognition for its scenography, technology, and intricate clockwork design, drawing attention from national media and the international larp community alike. In addition to designing larps, Laura has lectured at multiple events on larp production and design, sharing insights from more than two decades of experience in the field. Laura is a co-founder of Ellarion Tales, a company aiming to continue the legacy of Odysseus by building a permanent spaceship set—and expanding the narrative universe beyond just the story of Odysseus.

Support REPOD

• Subscribe to Patreon for bonus content.
• Please rate and review our podcast!

Thanks for listening!

Support Room Escape Artist’s Mission

There are lots of ways to support Room Escape Artist, like buying from Amazon or Etsy after clicking into the links included in this post or backing us on Patreon.

The money that we make from these helps us to grow the site and continue to add more value to the community that we love so much.

The post “They cry” Laura Kröger on Odysseus & Finnish Larp (REPOD S11E1) appeared first on Room Escape Artist.

Disney, Trivia Contests, Escape Rooms, Stephen Sondheim, Crosswords, and Puzzles

Eagerly awaiting the next season of Reality Escape Pod? Great news! Season 11 is just around the corner. While you wait, enjoy a special compilation from Season 10. Our editor Steve Ewing, has chosen a memorable clip from every episode. It’s the ideal way for new listeners to get acquainted with the podcast, and the perfect trip down memory lane for our devoted fans.

This season featured a variety of talented creators, escape room owners, designers, game makers, and even a live audio escape room that first debuted at RECON Remote in 2025. 

One of our dream guests launched the season: Puzzlemaster Will Shortz. This episode was filled with fascinating stories about his time working at Games Magazine and his early years editing the puzzle section for the New York Times.

Other veteran creatives this season included Jim “The Oz” Olivia, who helps run the World’s Largest Trivia Contest, and Doris Hardoon whose years as an Imagineer at Disney yielded many insights for us into what it took to create “the happiest place on earth” at EPCOT and later at Shanghai Disney Resort.

We uncovered the parlor game and puzzle obsessions of Broadway legend Stephen Sondheim with author Barry Joseph, who has published an in-depth look at a little-examined facet of Sondheim’s genius. 

Adam Bellow detailed the process of developing escape room-inspired educational kits for classrooms all over the world through the work of his company, Breakout EDU.

Of course, we had many standout escape room owners share their trials, tribulations, and moments of triumph. Will & Kim Rutherford, owners of Escape Artist Greenville, Stephen & Stevie Kristof of 60 to Escape in the Chicago area, and Jonathan Driscoll & Sacha St. Dennis of Escaparium in Montreal, where RECON will be held in August of 2026. 

Zach Sherwin will be at RECON Montreal, running his hilarious act The Crossword Show. He joined David & Peih-Gee to chat about its development, and what it’s like to be a comedy rap star on YouTube! And we caught up with Rita Orlov & Lauren Bello of PostCurious to learn about their latest collaboration in the world of boxed puzzle games. 

As always, we featured a couple episodes that were pure fun. Yannick Trapman-O’Brien & Lyra Levin played Mark Larson’s audio escape room: BLOT. On our Holiday Special, REA team members Theresa Piazza and Andrew Reynolds tested their mettle against Peih-Gee’s Playhouse word puzzles.

Finally, we received the yearly industry report from RoomEscapeArtist.com Editor-In-Chief Lisa Spira. She walked us through her data analysis concerning escape rooms in 2025, including trends in booking times, revenue, and the growth of challenge arcades.

If you want even more podcast episodes, consider joining our Patreon. For only $5 a month, you’ll get access to our Bonus Aftershow, which is a more casual conversation with each guest.

Thank You to Our Sponsors

We are immensely grateful to our sponsors this season: REA Patreon Backers, PG’s Playhouse, Buzzshot, and COGS. We truly appreciate your support of our mission to promote and improve the immersive gaming community.

Support Room Escape Artist on Patreon

Love escape rooms as much as we do? At Room Escape Artist, we’ve been analyzing, reviewing, and exploring the world of immersive games since 2014. We help players find the best experiences, and push the industry forward with well-researched, rational, and reasonably humorous escape room and immersive gaming content and events.

By becoming a Patreon supporter, you’re not just backing a blog — you’re fueling a mission to make the escape room and immersive gaming community stronger, more thoughtful, and more connected. You can also access exclusive Patreon content such as the Bonus Aftershow, Spoilers Club, and get early access to escape room Tour tickets and REA articles.

Your Patreon support goes toward our mission: paying our contributors, funding our infrastructure, and supporting deep research and industry advocacy.

PG’s Playhouse Podcast

If you love wordplay, puzzles, and trivia, this is the podcast for you! PG’s Playhouse recreates a fun game night with friends, all in a short, 30-minute format. Of course, what’s game night without making new friends? We bring on different guests for the different episodes!

Each episode features a puzzle packed with wordplay and trivia, a short chat with the guest, and a segment exploring an interesting topic. I hope you’ll take a listen and play along with us at PG’s Playhouse.

Buzzshot

Buzzshot is Escape Room Software, Powering Business Growth, Player Marketing, and improving the Customer Experience. They offer an assortment of pre and post game features including robust waiver management, branded team photos, and streamlined review management for Yelp, TripAdvisor, Google Reviews, and Morty. Buzzshot now has integration with the other REPOD sponsors: Morty and COGS.

Special Offer for REPOD Listeners:

REPOD listeners get an extended 21-day free trial plus 20% off your first 3 months, with no set-up fees or hidden charges. Visit buzzshot.com/repod to learn more about this exclusive offer.

Topics Discussed in this Episode

• 00:46 – Will Shortz, The Puzzle Master
• 05:51 – Barry Joseph, Matching Minds with Sondheim
• 11:43 – Will & Kim Rutherford, Escape Artist Greenville
• 19:06 – Sponsor Break: Buzzshot, Escape Room Marketing Software
• 20:55 – Jim “The Oz” Olivia, The World’s Largest Trivia Contest
• 27:26 – Stephen & Stevie Kristof, 60 to Escape
• 32:31 – Adam Bellow, Breakout EDU
• 36:59 – Jonathan Driscoll and Sacha St. Denis, Escaparium
• 41:58 – Rita Orlov & Lauren Bello, PostCurious
• 49:04 – Doris Hardoon, Disney Legend Imagineer
• 56:10 – Zach Sherwin, The Crossword Show
• 1:00:58 – Yannick Trapman-O’Brien & Lyra Levin Play BLOT
• 1:06:00 – Holiday Special featuring The REA Team
• 1:10:14 – Lisa Spira, The State of Escapes
  

Leave a Voicemail

Got a question or thought for the podcast? You can submit a voice recording by calling the Room Escape Artist not-so-hotline that always goes straight to voicemail (551-227-7273).

About Steve Ewing

Steve is passionate about all things audio-visual. A childhood King’s Quest compulsion became a zeal for escape rooms. A high school NPR habit evolved into a podcast addiction. A lifelong love for PBS science shows became a career filming and editing for National-Geographic/ Lindblad Expeditions.

He is thrilled to lend his talents as an editor for the Reality Escape Pod, Club Drosselmeyer, and Morty.app.

Steve loves to be surprised by an escape room that’s off-meta. Flip the script on any element — the way you build a set, open a lock, or even give a hint and you’ve got his attention. He’s even been suckered in by a fake refrigerator door.

Support REPOD

• Subscribe to Patreon for bonus content.
• Please rate and review our podcast!

Thanks for listening!

Support Room Escape Artist’s Mission

There are lots of ways to support Room Escape Artist, like buying from Amazon or Etsy after clicking into the links included in this post or backing us on Patreon.

The money that we make from these helps us to grow the site and continue to add more value to the community that we love so much.

The post REPOD Season 10 Key Moments: Editor’s Choice by Steve Ewing appeared first on Room Escape Artist.

“ I love shining a light on escape room creators and telling their stories.”

For the last 10 years, Lisa Spira of Room Escape Artist has been tracking the growth of the US Escape Room industry and publishing industry reports. For our Season 10 finale episode, Lisa joins us to talk about this year’s annual report.

New this year is a collaboration with previous REPOD sponsor Morty, an app that tracks individual games as well as escape room companies. Through this collaboration, Lisa was able to look at additional metrics, including revenue.

The 2025 Industry report is available on the Room Escape Artist website, and Lisa shares deeper analysis on this episode.

Some interesting trends noted include consolidation of ownership, and expansion of immersive gaming business models. We also talk about some interesting stats, including which days might be better for an escape room company to go dark; it’s not what you would expect!

We close out the episode with some musings on exciting new design trends in escape room design, trends we don’t care for, and where we think the escape room industry is headed. Whether you’re an escape room owner, aspiring to work in the escape room industry, work in the immersive entertainment field, or just a data-loving enthusiast, the REA US Escape Room Industry Report is a must-read.

This is the last episode of Season 10. Thanks so much for listening. We’ll be back with a new season of REPOD in the spring of 2026. Meanwhile, consider joining our Patreon for access to our library of Bonus Aftershows and Spoilers Club episodes.

Thank You to Our Sponsors

We are immensely grateful to our sponsors this season: REA Patreon Backers, PG’s Playhouse, Buzzshot, and COGS. We truly appreciate your support of our mission to promote and improve the immersive gaming community.

Support Room Escape Artist on Patreon

Love escape rooms as much as we do? At Room Escape Artist, we’ve been analyzing, reviewing, and exploring the world of immersive games since 2014. We help players find the best experiences, and push the industry forward with well-researched, rational, and reasonably humorous escape room and immersive gaming content and events.

By becoming a Patreon supporter, you’re not just backing a blog — you’re fueling a mission to make the escape room and immersive gaming community stronger, more thoughtful, and more connected. You can also access exclusive Patreon content such as the Bonus Aftershow, Spoilers Club, and get early access to escape room Tour tickets and REA articles.

Your Patreon support goes toward our mission: paying our contributors, funding our infrastructure, and supporting deep research and industry advocacy.

PG’s Playhouse Podcast

If you love wordplay, puzzles, and trivia, this is the podcast for you! PG’s Playhouse recreates a fun game night with friends, all in a short, 30-minute format. Of course, what’s game night without making new friends? We bring on different guests for the different episodes!

Each episode features a puzzle packed with wordplay and trivia, a short chat with the guest, and a segment exploring an interesting topic. I hope you’ll take a listen and play along with us at PG’s Playhouse.

Buzzshot

Buzzshot is Escape Room Software, Powering Business Growth, Player Marketing, and improving the Customer Experience. They offer an assortment of pre and post game features including robust waiver management, branded team photos, and streamlined review management for Yelp, TripAdvisor, Google Reviews, and Morty. Buzzshot now has integration with the other REPOD sponsors: Morty and COGS.

Special Offer for REPOD Listeners:

REPOD listeners get an extended 21-day free trial plus 20% off your first 3 months, with no set-up fees or hidden charges. Visit buzzshot.com/repod to learn more about this exclusive offer.

COGS

COGS by Clockwork Dog is an easy to use software/ hardware platform for running interactive events, including escape rooms, and other immersive experiences. They have plug & play hardware that seamlessly integrates with their software so you can create a show with lighting and sound cues without having to write a single line of code. Map all kinds of inputs to outputs by building up simple logic steps which determine what you want to happen and when.

Special Offer for REPOD Listeners:

REPOD listeners can get the COGS Starter Set for only $130 + free shipping to the USA. This bundle is usually valued at $257. You can learn more and purchase your Starter Set at cogs.show. Use code REPOD at checkout.

Topics Discussed in this Episode

• 00:00 Sponsor Break: Buzzshot, Escape Room Marketing Software
• 04:12 Big Announcement
• 06:25 The State of Escape Rooms: Industry Insights
• 09:12 Tracking Escape Room Data: Methodologies and Challenges
• 13:08 Trends in Escape Room Industry: Consolidation and Growth
• 20:19 Trends for Challenge Arcades
• 22:27 New Data Collaboration with Morty
• 26:35 Analysis of Booking Time Data
• 28:37 New Learnings from Revenue Data
• 33:58 End of Year Highlights and Awards
• 36:49 Sponsor Break: PG’s Playhouse – Puzzles, Pals, and Trivia
• 39:05 What Escape Room Should People Be Talking About More?
• 42:08 Is There an Underappreciated Game Mechanic?
• 46:10 What Do Other Escape Room Fans Care About More Than You Do?
• 51:31 Sponsor Break: Cogs By Clockwork Dog, Interactive Show Controls
• 52:54 What Content Are You Most Proud of This Year?
• 01:03:53 Hopes for Escape Rooms in the Coming Year
• 01:07:06 What Comes Next?
• 01:15:05 Credits
• 01:17:45 Escape the Elevator

Leave a Voicemail

Got a question or thought for the podcast? You can submit a voice recording by calling the Room Escape Artist not-so-hotline that always goes straight to voicemail (551-227-7273).

About Lisa Spira

Co-Founder of Room Escape Artist

Whether she is editing REA’s content, leading the Hivemind, or wrangling the logistics for RECON or the Escape, Immerse, Explore Tours, Lisa is the reason that everything runs like clockwork. As a linguist and data expert, Lisa also leads our Industry Data efforts and is responsible for our annual Industry Reports. Lisa is the heart of REA and also bakes all of our escakes.

Support REPOD

• Subscribe to Patreon for bonus content.
• Please rate and review our podcast!

Thanks for listening!

Support Room Escape Artist’s Mission

There are lots of ways to support Room Escape Artist, like buying from Amazon or Etsy after clicking into the links included in this post or backing us on Patreon.

The money that we make from these helps us to grow the site and continue to add more value to the community that we love so much.

The post REPOD S10E13: Lisa Spira & The State of Escapes appeared first on Room Escape Artist.

“A very twist ending. I don’t think we were expecting it to go quite that way.”

The scent of cedar and cloves drift through the air, and all around the lights are twinkling. Boughs of holly and mistletoe decorate the rafters, and you’ve gathered friends and loved ones to celebrate.

It’s our first REPOD and PG’s Playhouse crossover Holiday Special! To celebrate, we’ve invited our Podcast Producer, Theresa Piazza, and Room Escape Artist Contributor, Andrew Reynolds to join us for games, trivia, and merriment. Today’s game is “It’s Not Elf on the Shelf”, inspired by an actual toy Snoop on the Stoop. Each answer is a celebrity paired with a rhyming location in the house.

We all share some recommendations for games, puzzles, and shows that we’ve been enjoying. Then David takes us down the rabbit hole of mistletoe trivia, which has sexier origins than any of us imagined.

I hope you enjoyed this fun PG’s Playhouse-style episode! We’re grateful for all of our loyal listeners, and we’re thrilled that you’ve stuck with us for so long. Happy holidays, everyone!

Thank You to Our Sponsors

We are immensely grateful to our sponsors this season: REA Patreon Backers, PG’s Playhouse, Buzzshot, and COGS. We truly appreciate your support of our mission to promote and improve the immersive gaming community.

Support Room Escape Artist on Patreon

Love escape rooms as much as we do? At Room Escape Artist, we’ve been analyzing, reviewing, and exploring the world of immersive games since 2014. We help players find the best experiences, and push the industry forward with well-researched, rational, and reasonably humorous escape room and immersive gaming content and events.

By becoming a Patreon supporter, you’re not just backing a blog — you’re fueling a mission to make the escape room and immersive gaming community stronger, more thoughtful, and more connected. You can also access exclusive Patreon content such as the Bonus Aftershow, Spoilers Club, and get early access to escape room Tour tickets and REA articles.

Your Patreon support goes toward our mission: paying our contributors, funding our infrastructure, and supporting deep research and industry advocacy.

PG’s Playhouse Podcast

If you love wordplay, puzzles, and trivia, this is the podcast for you! PG’s Playhouse recreates a fun game night with friends, all in a short, 30-minute format. Of course, what’s game night without making new friends? We bring on different guests for the different episodes!

Each episode features a puzzle packed with wordplay and trivia, a short chat with the guest, and a segment exploring an interesting topic. I hope you’ll take a listen and play along with us at PG’s Playhouse.

Buzzshot

Buzzshot is Escape Room Software, Powering Business Growth, Player Marketing, and improving the Customer Experience. They offer an assortment of pre and post game features including robust waiver management, branded team photos, and streamlined review management for Yelp, TripAdvisor, Google Reviews, and Morty. Buzzshot now has integration with the other REPOD sponsors: Morty and COGS.

Special Offer for REPOD Listeners:

REPOD listeners get an extended 21-day free trial plus 20% off your first 3 months, with no set-up fees or hidden charges. Visit buzzshot.com/repod to learn more about this exclusive offer.

COGS

COGS by Clockwork Dog is an easy to use software/ hardware platform for running interactive events, including escape rooms, and other immersive experiences. They have plug & play hardware that seamlessly integrates with their software so you can create a show with lighting and sound cues without having to write a single line of code. Map all kinds of inputs to outputs by building up simple logic steps which determine what you want to happen and when.

Special Offer for REPOD Listeners:

REPOD listeners can get the COGS Starter Set for only $130 + free shipping to the USA. This bundle is usually valued at $257. You can learn more and purchase your Starter Set at cogs.show. Use code REPOD at checkout.

Topics Discussed in this Episode

• 01:29 Game: It’s Not Elf on the Shelf
• 12:16 Recommendations for Games and Shows
• 12:56 Free Games on the Epic Game Store
• 13:49 Outer Wilds
• 16:49 One Up, Strange Jigsaws & Twenty Small Mazes
• 18:24 Music Channels: Musora, Drumeo & Family Jules
• 21:57 Topic: Mistletoe

Leave a Voicemail

Got a question or thought for the podcast? You can submit a voice recording by calling the Room Escape Artist not-so-hotline that always goes straight to voicemail (551-227-7273).

Resources Mentioned in this Episode

• FLEB Puzzles (Maker of Strange Jigsaws)

About Theresa Piazza

Reality Escape Pod Producer & Escape Room Reviewer

Theresa’s byline on REA

Theresa has been an avid escape room (probably, over-) enthusiast since 2015. She’s played over 300 rooms, and has been known to hop flights just to escape. She enjoys puzzle hunts, collaborative board games, crosswords, jigsaw puzzles, and most other immersive entertainment. In addition to writing for REA and producing REPOD, she’s also COO at The Great Gotham Challenge.

While not puzzling, Theresa can be found outside soaking up the sunshine, SCUBA diving, birding, paddle boarding, rollerblading or listening to podcasts.

About Andrew Reynolds

Escape Room Reviewer

Andrew’s byline on REA

By day, Andrew is a history and special education teacher. By night…and weekends…and afternoons if he can swing it, he is an avid escape room player. Since playing his first room in 2017, he has expanded his range of interests to include immersive theater and just about any puzzle he can get his hands on.

He loves games that include elements of spectacle to create memorable experiences. Mechanically, in both board games and escape rooms, Andrew looks forward to cooperation. He especially enjoys when an escape room splits the team into different spaces and demands clear communication to advance.

When he’s not puzzling, he can be found talking to his cat or staring at his oven waiting for something delicious to finish baking.

Support REPOD

• Subscribe to Patreon for bonus content.
• Please rate and review our podcast!

Thanks for listening!

Support Room Escape Artist’s Mission

There are lots of ways to support Room Escape Artist, like buying from Amazon or Etsy after clicking into the links included in this post or backing us on Patreon.

The money that we make from these helps us to grow the site and continue to add more value to the community that we love so much.

The post REPOD S10E12: Holiday Special (ft. The REA Team) appeared first on Room Escape Artist.

“ I appreciated your janitor’s slow decline into madness.”

BLOT needs our help! The Bureau of Legitimate and Otherworldly Troubles has suffered a breach in their laboratory, and they need someone to clean up the mess. In the lab, there’s a chalkboard to the left,  a table with beakers and test tubes to the right and a small computer desk. The room is covered with a strange, gunky substance all over the walls and floor. What would you like to do?

BLOT was the official game for RECON Remote 25, available to play for all Community, Pro, and Champion ticket holders who opted in. It was created and run by Mark Larson, who was a guest on REPOD S5E11. On this episode, Yannick Trapman-O’Brien and Lyra Levin join us to play BLOT.

Lyra was a featured speaker for RECON Remote 25 with her talk, Make Stuff Fast: Rapid Prototyping for Interactive Experiences, now available on YouTube. Yannick originally appeared on REPOD S8E7 to talk about his incredible show for one, Undersigned. They joined us on REPOD for an actual play of BLOT. Lyra and Yannick are both experienced improvisers, and I’d never laughed so hard watching a play-through. Scroll down to the timestamps to follow along with game images.

If you missed playing this game during RECON Remote 25, or if you want to relive your glory moments, join us for this final play-through of BLOT.

Thank You to Our Sponsors

We are immensely grateful to our sponsors this season: REA Patreon Backers, PG’s Playhouse, Buzzshot, and COGS. We truly appreciate your support of our mission to promote and improve the immersive gaming community.

Support Room Escape Artist on Patreon

Love escape rooms as much as we do? At Room Escape Artist, we’ve been analyzing, reviewing, and exploring the world of immersive games since 2014. We help players find the best experiences, and push the industry forward with well-researched, rational, and reasonably humorous escape room and immersive gaming content and events.

By becoming a Patreon supporter, you’re not just backing a blog — you’re fueling a mission to make the escape room and immersive gaming community stronger, more thoughtful, and more connected. You can also access exclusive Patreon content such as the Bonus Aftershow, Spoilers Club, and get early access to escape room Tour tickets and REA articles.

Your Patreon support goes toward our mission: paying our contributors, funding our infrastructure, and supporting deep research and industry advocacy.

PG’s Playhouse Podcast

If you love wordplay, puzzles, and trivia, this is the podcast for you! PG’s Playhouse recreates a fun game night with friends, all in a short, 30-minute format. Of course, what’s game night without making new friends? We bring on different guests for the different episodes!

Each episode features a puzzle packed with wordplay and trivia, a short chat with the guest, and a segment exploring an interesting topic. I hope you’ll take a listen and play along with us at PG’s Playhouse.

Buzzshot

Buzzshot is Escape Room Software, Powering Business Growth, Player Marketing, and improving the Customer Experience. They offer an assortment of pre and post game features including robust waiver management, branded team photos, and streamlined review management for Yelp, TripAdvisor, Google Reviews, and Morty. Buzzshot now has integration with the other REPOD sponsors: Morty and COGS.

Special Offer for REPOD Listeners:

REPOD listeners get an extended 21-day free trial plus 20% off your first 3 months, with no set-up fees or hidden charges. Visit buzzshot.com/repod to learn more about this exclusive offer.

COGS

COGS by Clockwork Dog is an easy to use software/ hardware platform for running interactive events, including escape rooms, and other immersive experiences. They have plug & play hardware that seamlessly integrates with their software so you can create a show with lighting and sound cues without having to write a single line of code. Map all kinds of inputs to outputs by building up simple logic steps which determine what you want to happen and when.

Special Offer for REPOD Listeners:

REPOD listeners can get the COGS Starter Set for only $130 + free shipping to the USA. This bundle is usually valued at $257. You can learn more and purchase your Starter Set at cogs.show. Use code REPOD at checkout.

Game Timestamps

• 00:00 Sponsor Break: Buzzshot, Escape Room Marketing Software
• 09:27 The Game Begins…
• 11:40 Science Lab

• 13:10 Lab Table

• 13:19 Lab note

• 15: 42 Keypad

• 16:15 Keypad 2

• 17:01 Keypad 3

• 17:43 Keypad 4

• 17:57 The Anvil and the Splotches
• 18:12 Closet Note

• 20:14 Chalkboard with Black Gunk

• 28:37 Sponsor Break: Room Escape Artist Patreon – Bonus Episodes, Spoilers Club & More
• 29:48 The Lab Computer
• 32:53 The Broken Chalkboard

• 33:56 The New Room
• 34:25 Computer Note

• 38:03 Sponsor Break: PG’s Playhouse – Puzzles, Pals, and Trivia
• 40:01 Outside

• 42:07 Create Note

• 01:04:58 Sponsor Break: Cogs By Clockwork Dog, Interactive Show Controls
• 01:06:43 The Creature Appears

• 1:07:04 The Creature

• 01:32:57 Credits

Leave a Voicemail

Got a question or thought for the podcast? You can submit a voice recording by calling the Room Escape Artist not-so-hotline that always goes straight to voicemail (551-227-7273).

About Mark Larson

Mark Larson is a designer of interactive experiences, puzzles, escape rooms, and tabletop games. His work focuses on combining narrative storytelling, engaging gameplay, thought-provoking puzzles, and a healthy dose of fun. He’s best known for his series of Audio Escape Adventures, including Escape from Escape Island for RECON Remote 21 and The Shop of Theseus for RECON Remote 23. You can view a sample of his work at mrklrsn.com.

About Lyra Levin

Lyra Levin is a performer and producer of immersive experiences that lower barriers to empathy. In her work, participants find agency in a blend of fantasy and reality. Whether she’s bridging between entertainment and civic engagement (Democracy & Dragons, Civic Salon), cultivating creative ecosystems where hundreds of artists find their voices (Enemies of Time, Dovetail), or building architectural marvels for international audiences (Sonic Sphere, Megabots), Lyra uses her diverse backgrounds in circus, immersive theatre, and mechanical engineering to execute ambitious visions. Worlds with consequences are ones in which our actions matter; Lyra invites others to those worlds, in every medium and language. lyralev.in

About  Yannick Trapman-O’Brien

Instagram: @lil.janjohn

Yannick is a Performer, Theatermaker, and Creative Hand for Hire. His practice centers on exploring the exchanges and spaces we are willing to make with strangers, and the exploration of unorthodox applications for performance. He is the creator of a series of critically acclaimed immersive experiences, including the award-winning and long-running telephone experience The Telelibrary. His works have been official selections at La Jolla Playhouse’s Without Walls Festival, as well as the Denver, True/False, and Overlook Film Festivals, and cited as a “North Star” in the industry for creating responsive and deeply personal encounters for audiences of one at a time.

People pay him to act, which he has done in Shakespeare, devised work, performance actions and immersive works, as well as amphitheaters, basements, historical mansions, forests and one time on a bike. Yannick received his BA in Theater from NYU Abu Dhabi, training at The Experimental Theater Wing in New York, The Studies in Shakespeare program at RADA in London, and The International Theater Workshop in Amsterdam. The process was needlessly complicated and overly optimistic, as are most things he ascribes to and enjoys.

As a consultant, he helps organizations shape engagement and think critically about the exchanges they make with their constituents, from single events to workshops to BFA programs. He is a Project Specialist at Monument Lab, recently serving as Programming Coordinator for the Pulling Together Exhibition, part of the Beyond Granite initiative on the National Mall.

Past credits include include training and work with Theater Mitu, Witness Relocation and the Interactive Playlab, collaborations with Al-Bustan, Guerilla Science and NYU Open Arts, and consulting with The Temple of the Stranger, along with appearances at The Walnut Street Theater, The American Czech Theater, New Light Theater, the Franklin Institute, and Morris Jumel Mansion, and collaborations with Public Movement (2016) and Amalia Pica (2017) at the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum.

Occasionally, he sleeps. yannickto.com

Support REPOD

• Subscribe to Patreon for bonus content.
• Please rate and review our podcast!

Thanks for listening!

Support Room Escape Artist’s Mission

There are lots of ways to support Room Escape Artist, like buying from Amazon or Etsy after clicking into the links included in this post or backing us on Patreon.

The money that we make from these helps us to grow the site and continue to add more value to the community that we love so much.

The post REPOD S10E11: Yannick Trapman-O’Brien & Lyra Levin Play BLOT appeared first on Room Escape Artist.

“ The joy of live performance is that we’re all experiencing the same thing together and it unites us as a community.”

When I think of crossword puzzles, I think of a quiet, cerebral exercise. It’s often a solitary activity, maybe occasionally yelling out if anyone knows a four letter word for “milk’s favorite cookie.” When Zach Sherwin considered crossword puzzles, however, he thought, okay… but what if it also had comedians, rap, music, and just a little bit of chaos, all wrapped up in an epically funny live show?

Zach Sherwin has long had a way with words. He cut his teeth performing sketch comedy and honing his rapping skills as MC Mr. Napkins. He eventually found his way to Epic Rap Battles of History, which found a way to make nerdy, boring history feel fun and – dare I say – cool.

His love of wordplay and puzzles led him to create The Crossword Show. Zach Sherwin presides as two guest comedians solve a crossword puzzle live onstage, with everything displayed on a big screen so you can follow along. As the solvers decipher the clues, Zach takes the show down rabbit holes of comedy, music, wordplay and trivia, all inspired by the answer words. Everything ties together at the end for a grand finale. It is clever, hilarious, and had me awestruck at the mental gymnastics Zach goes through over the course of the show.

Zach joins us on REPOD to talk about how he turned a quiet nerdy activity into something funny, thrilling, and interactive. I really enjoyed hearing him talk about the secret sauce of crafting this show, from how he adjusts the difficulty of the clues, to what makes a live show special. He was a delightful guest.

Are you intrigued by how a live crossword stage show works? Zach will be performing at the Reality Escape Convention in Laval in 2026. This is a show you won’t want to miss.

Thank You to Our Sponsors

We are immensely grateful to our sponsors this season: REA Patreon Backers, PG’s Playhouse, Buzzshot, and COGS. We truly appreciate your support of our mission to promote and improve the immersive gaming community.

Support Room Escape Artist on Patreon

Love escape rooms as much as we do? At Room Escape Artist, we’ve been analyzing, reviewing, and exploring the world of immersive games since 2014. We help players find the best experiences, and push the industry forward with well-researched, rational, and reasonably humorous escape room and immersive gaming content and events.

By becoming a Patreon supporter, you’re not just backing a blog — you’re fueling a mission to make the escape room and immersive gaming community stronger, more thoughtful, and more connected. You can also access exclusive Patreon content such as the Bonus Aftershow, Spoilers Club, and get early access to escape room Tour tickets and REA articles.

Your Patreon support goes toward our mission: paying our contributors, funding our infrastructure, and supporting deep research and industry advocacy.

PG’s Playhouse Podcast

If you love wordplay, puzzles, and trivia, this is the podcast for you! PG’s Playhouse recreates a fun game night with friends, all in a short, 30-minute format. Of course, what’s game night without making new friends? We bring on different guests for the different episodes!

Each episode features a puzzle packed with wordplay and trivia, a short chat with the guest, and a segment exploring an interesting topic. I hope you’ll take a listen and play along with us at PG’s Playhouse.

Buzzshot

Buzzshot is Escape Room Software, Powering Business Growth, Player Marketing, and improving the Customer Experience. They offer an assortment of pre and post game features including robust waiver management, branded team photos, and streamlined review management for Yelp, TripAdvisor, Google Reviews, and Morty. Buzzshot now has integration with the other REPOD sponsors: Morty and COGS.

Special Offer for REPOD Listeners:

REPOD listeners get an extended 21-day free trial plus 20% off your first 3 months, with no set-up fees or hidden charges. Visit buzzshot.com/repod to learn more about this exclusive offer.

COGS

COGS by Clockwork Dog is an easy to use software/ hardware platform for running interactive events, including escape rooms, and other immersive experiences. They have plug & play hardware that seamlessly integrates with their software so you can create a show with lighting and sound cues without having to write a single line of code. Map all kinds of inputs to outputs by building up simple logic steps which determine what you want to happen and when.

Special Offer for REPOD Listeners:

REPOD listeners can get the COGS Starter Set for only $130 + free shipping to the USA. This bundle is usually valued at $257. You can learn more and purchase your Starter Set at cogs.show. Use code REPOD at checkout.

Topics Discussed in this Episode

• 00:00 Sponsor Break: Buzzshot, Escape Room Marketing Software
• 06:24 The Concept of the Crossword Show
• 09:46 The Origin of The Crossword Show
• 15:30 Collaborating with Crossword Constructors
• 18:56 The Crossword Show Experience
• 21:50 Sponsor Break: Room Escape Artist Patreon – Bonus Episodes, Spoilers Club & More
• 23:24 Differences Between the Show and a Normal Crossword
• 27:36 The Makings of a Great Onstage Guest
• 31:36 Aspects of a Good Audience
• 32:42 Sponsor Break: PG’s Playhouse – Puzzles, Pals, and Trivia
• 34:19 The Various Versions of The Crossword Show
• 37:12 Behind the Scenes: Tech and Production
• 39:45 When the Show Has Gone Wrong
• 42:21 Editing and Material Management
• 45:37 Sponsor Break: Cogs By Clockwork Dog, Interactive Show Controls
• 47:12 Origin Story: Becoming a Rapper
• 49:50 The Evolution of Mr. Napkins
• 54:57 Epic Rap Battles of History
• 01:05:16 Zach’s Escape Room Journey
• 01:11:09 Future Plans and Reflections
• 01:15:21 Credits
• 01:17:41 The Escape Room Birthday Kid

Leave a Voicemail

Got a question or thought for the podcast? You can submit a voice recording by calling the Room Escape Artist not-so-hotline that always goes straight to voicemail (551-227-7273).

Resources Mentioned in this Episode

• The Crossword Show Website
• The Crossword Show Mailing List
• Epic Rap Battles of History You Tube
• Mohonk Mountain House Wonderful World of Words
• Preaching Escape Rooms Talk at Mohonk Wonderful World of Words

About Zach Sherwin

Instagram: @zachsherwin

In THE CROSSWORD SHOW, host Zach Sherwin (“Epic Rap Battles of History,” “Crazy Ex-Girlfriend”) presides as a panel of guests solves an actual crossword puzzle live onstage, with everything displayed on a big screen so the audience can follow along. As the solvers decipher the clues, Zach takes the show down rabbit holes of comedy, music, wordplay and trivia inspired by the answer words, and everything ties together at the end for a grand finale that’s as satisfying as it is mind-blowing. You don’t need any crossword expertise to be dazzled by this joyful, brainy, one-of-a-kind experience! “Tons of fun.” –New York Times. “Nerdtastic.” –Washington City Paper. “Jaw-dropping.” –SFGate. 

ZACH SHERWIN is a Los Angeles-based comedian. His writing for the web series Epic Rap Battles of History has received numerous Streamy Awards and Emmy nominations, and the Epic Rap Battles in which he’s co-starred have amassed over half a billion YouTube views and an RIAA-certified Gold record. His own YouTube videos have been viewed many millions of times, and his other writing credits include Crazy Ex-Girlfriend (The CW) and MAD Magazine. As a performer, Zach has appeared on shows ranging from Totally Biased with W. Kamau Bell (FX) to America’s Got Talent (NBC), and he has also worked extensively as a TV audience warm-up comic, including at the last three years of the Scripps National Spelling Bee Finals. In 2025, he published his second crossword puzzle in the New York Times.

Support REPOD

• Subscribe to Patreon for bonus content.
• Please rate and review our podcast!

Thanks for listening!

Support Room Escape Artist’s Mission

There are lots of ways to support Room Escape Artist, like buying from Amazon or Etsy after clicking into the links included in this post or backing us on Patreon.

The money that we make from these helps us to grow the site and continue to add more value to the community that we love so much.

The post REPOD S10E10: Comedy, Rap, and Crosswords: The Crossword Show with Zach Sherwin appeared first on Room Escape Artist.

“Guests have become more sophisticated and our product needs to follow suit.”

Disney Theme Parks have always been at the top when it comes to large scale, interactive entertainment attractions. Doris Hardoon is a legendary Imagineer, and we don’t use that term lightly. Her creative vision has graced every Disney Castle Park on the planet, from EPCOT to Disneyland and Disneyland Paris to Disney’s Animal Kingdom, Disney Cruise Line, and beyond.

Doris took a break from Disney to run her own design firm working on museums and other interactive design, but she returned to Disney as the executive creative director and producer for Shanghai Disney Resort. Her career at Disney theme parks and entertainment design has spanned over four decades. She joins us on REPOD to share her design philosophy and some life advice for aspiring designers. She’s had a very interesting path in her career, starting with working as a model and becoming a well-known folk singer in Hong Kong in the 1960s and 70s.

I especially enjoyed hearing her talk about working on the global theme parks and how “It’s important to culturally understand who you’re creating the happiest places on earth for.” She talks about how to design spaces that appeal to the local audience while still maintaining an authentic Disney experience.

She’s now turned much of her time to mentoring the next generation of entertainment designers. In this episode, Doris shares some reflections and advice on how to build the right team to support your creative vision. She also talks about how to manage corporate politics, especially when it comes to large creative companies like Walt Disney Imagineering. Doris Hardoon is a true legend, and I hope you find this episode as inspiring as I did.

Thank You to Our Sponsors

We are immensely grateful to our sponsors this season: REA Patreon Backers, PG’s Playhouse, Buzzshot, and COGS. We truly appreciate your support of our mission to promote and improve the immersive gaming community.

Support Room Escape Artist on Patreon

Love escape rooms as much as we do? At Room Escape Artist, we’ve been analyzing, reviewing, and exploring the world of immersive games since 2014. We help players find the best experiences, and push the industry forward with well-researched, rational, and reasonably humorous escape room and immersive gaming content and events.

By becoming a Patreon supporter, you’re not just backing a blog — you’re fueling a mission to make the escape room and immersive gaming community stronger, more thoughtful, and more connected. You can also access exclusive Patreon content such as the Bonus Aftershow, Spoilers Club, and get early access to escape room Tour tickets and REA articles.

Your Patreon support goes toward our mission: paying our contributors, funding our infrastructure, and supporting deep research and industry advocacy.

PG’s Playhouse Podcast

If you love wordplay, puzzles, and trivia, this is the podcast for you! PG’s Playhouse recreates a fun game night with friends, all in a short, 30-minute format. Of course, what’s game night without making new friends? We bring on different guests for the different episodes!

Each episode features a puzzle packed with wordplay and trivia, a short chat with the guest, and a segment exploring an interesting topic. I hope you’ll take a listen and play along with us at PG’s Playhouse.

Buzzshot

Buzzshot is Escape Room Software, Powering Business Growth, Player Marketing, and improving the Customer Experience. They offer an assortment of pre and post game features including robust waiver management, branded team photos, and streamlined review management for Yelp, TripAdvisor, Google Reviews, and Morty. Buzzshot now has integration with the other REPOD sponsors: Morty and COGS.

Special Offer for REPOD Listeners:

REPOD listeners get an extended 21-day free trial plus 20% off your first 3 months, with no set-up fees or hidden charges. Visit buzzshot.com/repod to learn more about this exclusive offer.

COGS

COGS by Clockwork Dog is an easy to use software/ hardware platform for running interactive events, including escape rooms, and other immersive experiences. They have plug & play hardware that seamlessly integrates with their software so you can create a show with lighting and sound cues without having to write a single line of code. Map all kinds of inputs to outputs by building up simple logic steps which determine what you want to happen and when.

Special Offer for REPOD Listeners:

REPOD listeners can get the COGS Starter Set for only $130 + free shipping to the USA. This bundle is usually valued at $257. You can learn more and purchase your Starter Set at cogs.show. Use code REPOD at checkout.

Topics Discussed in this Episode

• 03:08 Doris’ Early Career in Hong Kong
• 07:45 Transition to the United States
• 10:12 Joining Disney Imagineering
• 26:17 Sponsor Break: Room Escape Artist Patreon – Bonus Episodes, Spoilers Club & More
• 28:09 Designing for Global Audiences
• 38:09 Freelance Career and Return to Disney
• 44:03 Sponsor Break: PG’s Playhouse – Puzzles, Pals, and Trivia
• 45:38 Returning to Disney: Changes and Challenges
• 49:46 Balancing Creativity and Business
• 52:33 The Importance of Knowing Your Strengths and Weaknesses
• 53:15 Learning Design and the Role of Emotional Intelligence
• 57:15 Navigating Failure and Respect in Team Dynamics
• 59:31 The Impact of IP on Theme Parks
• 01:01:20 Advice for Current Park Designers
• 01:02:55 Mentoring the Next Generation
• 01:06:32 Sponsor Break: Cogs By Clockwork Dog, Interactive Show Controls
• 01:07:16 Receiving the Disney Legend Award
• 01:09:58 What Comes Next
• 01:13:49 Credits

Leave a Voicemail

Got a question or thought for the podcast? You can submit a voice recording by calling the Room Escape Artist not-so-hotline that always goes straight to voicemail (551-227-7273).

Resources Mentioned in this Episode

• Doris Hardoon LinkedIn
• Walt Disney Legend Award
• Doris Hardoon Folk singing album from 70s

About Doris Hardoon

Doris Hardoon began her illustrative career as a graphic designer at Marine World Africa USA, a privately owned family theme park in Northern California. This invaluable experience introduced her to the world of entertainment design.

In 1979 Hardoon was hired by Disney Legends Marty Sklar, John Hench and Rolly Crump as a junior designer at WED Enterprises (current Walt Disney Imagineering), quickly evolving into lead designer, creative director and producer on projects, not exclusive to the Land Pavilion and seven World Showcase cultural galleries at EPCOT Center, Disneyland Anaheim, Walt Disney World, Tokyo Disneyland, Disneyland Paris, Disney’s Animal Kingdom, Disney Cruise Line, Hong Kong Disneyland Resort, Shanghai Disney Resort, and Disney urban entertainment centers, nationwide.

Hardoon went on to become a senior executive creative director, producer, and creative portfolio lead for several theme parks and resorts, such as the designed-but-never-built WESTCOT Center in Anaheim and Long Beach DisneySeas projects. Hardoon is one of the few creative executives to have contributed her design and leadership skills to all six Disney Magic Kingdom theme parks in the world. During her career at Walt Disney Imagineering, Hardoon was also one of a few creative executives responsible for the design and implementation of large-scale, non-Disney installations such as Autry Museum of the American West and Port Discovery, the Baltimore Children’s Museum.

Upon successfully leading her team to completing the original Hong Kong Disneyland concept and actively participating in the signing agreement with the Hong Kong Government, Hardoon left Imagineering for nine years to spend time with her family while continuing her design career in the entertainment industry as the co-founder and owner of Taft Design + Associates. In 2009, she was invited to rejoin Imagineering as one of the executive creative leaders on the Shanghai Disney Resort project.

In her role as executive creative director and producer for Shanghai Disney Resort, Hardoon provided overall design, creative direction and team guidance which included designers, artists, writers, architects, operators, and consulting partners in developing the overarching concepts for specific areas within the theme park and overall resort. Her leadership directive included Bob Iger’s design philosophy “Authentically Disney and Distinctly Chinese” throughout the resort. Once the concepts have been defined, she then followed through with internal talent and valued global consulting teams in bringing the ideas into reality, while always maintaining the vision of the original concepts throughout the process.

Upon recent retirement from Walt Disney Imagineering after four+ decades, Hardoon launched her D•Design Consultancy Studio so she may continue to influence her creative acumen with emphasis on innovative artistry and design for present and future generations in the entertainment industry. Additionally, Hardoon continued to expand upon her initiative, the Global Connections Collective by building upon relationships and connections with various professionals and academic institutions for the benefit of the emerging next generation of talent.

Hardoon is of Eurasian descendant, born and raised in Hong Kong with family roots in Shanghai, China. She graduated from California College of the Arts with a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Graphic Design with Distinction. Hardoon is the first Eurasian woman recipient of the 2022 TEA Buzz Price THEA Lifetime of Distinguished Achievements Award and was honored by The Walt Disney Company as the first Walt Disney Imagineering Eurasian Creative Executive with the 2022 Disney Legends Award.

Support REPOD

• Subscribe to Patreon for bonus content.
• Please rate and review our podcast!

Thanks for listening!

Support Room Escape Artist’s Mission

There are lots of ways to support Room Escape Artist, like buying from Amazon or Etsy after clicking into the links included in this post or backing us on Patreon.

The money that we make from these helps us to grow the site and continue to add more value to the community that we love so much.

The post REPOD S10E9: Disney Legend Imagineer Doris Hardoon appeared first on Room Escape Artist.

“Screenwriting is like a puzzle that the writers are putting together.”

When a television screenwriter who loves puzzles and immersive experiences turns her attention to creating a boxed puzzle game, the result is beguiling and thoroughly engrossing. The Morrison Game Factory has a deeply intimate and emotional story that pulled at my heartstrings while still engaging my puzzle brain.

Screenwriter Lauren Bello created The Morrison Game Factory as puzzle challenge during the pandemic. It would have remained a small one-off game played only by her friends until Rita Orlov of PostCurious played it. She fell in love with the game, and worked with Lauren to produce the game under the PostCurious brand.

We originally interviewed Rita of PostCurious on REPOD S2E7 when her award winning game Light in the Mist had just come out. Since then, PostCurious has continually produced hit after hit, including the charming puzzle-focused Ministry of Lost Things series, along with longer epics like Emerald Echoes and Threads of Fate, which is a remake of the first game that Rita became known for.

PostCurious games are impeccably produced. All the games have authentic-feeling props, heavyweight paper, and a beautiful artistic flair. The puzzles are intriguing, and range from light and playful to complex and layered. The storylines are always interesting and tie into the gameplay.

Rita Orlov and Lauren Bello talk about their collaboration. We also spend some time dissecting all the new PostCurious games to hit the market since we last had Rita on Reality Escape Pod. I really enjoyed learning about Lauren’s writing process, especially when she described it as a series of waveforms, layering the different plots, storylines, and vibe that she’s trying to achieve. If you enjoyed this episode, make sure to check out The Morrison Game Factory and PostCurious’ newest game on Kickstarter, Ministry of Lost Things – Case 2: Finders Keypers.

Thank You to Our Sponsors

We are immensely grateful to our sponsors this season: REA Patreon Backers, PG’s Playhouse, Buzzshot, and COGS. We truly appreciate your support of our mission to promote and improve the immersive gaming community.

Support Room Escape Artist on Patreon

Love escape rooms as much as we do? At Room Escape Artist, we’ve been analyzing, reviewing, and exploring the world of immersive games since 2014. We help players find the best experiences, and push the industry forward with well-researched, rational, and reasonably humorous escape room and immersive gaming content and events.

By becoming a Patreon supporter, you’re not just backing a blog — you’re fueling a mission to make the escape room and immersive gaming community stronger, more thoughtful, and more connected. You can also access exclusive Patreon content such as the Bonus Aftershow, Spoilers Club, and get early access to escape room Tour tickets and REA articles.

Your Patreon support goes toward our mission: paying our contributors, funding our infrastructure, and supporting deep research and industry advocacy.

PG’s Playhouse Podcast

If you love wordplay, puzzles, and trivia, this is the podcast for you! PG’s Playhouse recreates a fun game night with friends, all in a short, 30-minute format. Of course, what’s game night without making new friends? We bring on different guests for the different episodes!

Each episode features a puzzle packed with wordplay and trivia, a short chat with the guest, and a segment exploring an interesting topic. I hope you’ll take a listen and play along with us at PG’s Playhouse.

Buzzshot

Buzzshot is Escape Room Software, Powering Business Growth, Player Marketing, and improving the Customer Experience. They offer an assortment of pre and post game features including robust waiver management, branded team photos, and streamlined review management for Yelp, TripAdvisor, Google Reviews, and Morty. Buzzshot now has integration with the other REPOD sponsors: Morty and COGS.

Special Offer for REPOD Listeners:

REPOD listeners get an extended 21-day free trial plus 20% off your first 3 months, with no set-up fees or hidden charges. Visit buzzshot.com/repod to learn more about this exclusive offer.

COGS

COGS by Clockwork Dog is an easy to use software/ hardware platform for running interactive events, including escape rooms, and other immersive experiences. They have plug & play hardware that seamlessly integrates with their software so you can create a show with lighting and sound cues without having to write a single line of code. Map all kinds of inputs to outputs by building up simple logic steps which determine what you want to happen and when.

Special Offer for REPOD Listeners:

REPOD listeners can get the COGS Starter Set for only $130 + free shipping to the USA. This bundle is usually valued at $257. You can learn more and purchase your Starter Set at cogs.show. Use code REPOD at checkout.

Topics Discussed in this Episode

• 00:00 Sponsor Break: Buzzshot, Escape Room Marketing Software
  04:20 Rita and Lauren’s Collaboration Journey
  06:38 Lauren’s Beginnings as a Screenwriter
  11:12 The Concept of a Puzzletale
  12:47 The Art of Box Design
  14:52 The Morrison Game Factory  
  17:07 Revisiting The Tale of Ord
  20:47 Sponsor Break: Room Escape Artist Patreon – Bonus Episodes, Spoilers Club & More
  22:25 Emerald Echoes: A Sequel’s Story  
  24:43 Lauren’s Go-To Writing Style  
  27:25 Collaborating with Ted Ed on Pandora’s Legacy
  32:28 The Ministry of Lost Things Series
  36:44 Sponsor Break: PG’s Playhouse – Puzzles, Pals, and Trivia
  38:31 Kickstarter Tips for Game Creators
  43:56 Supporting Other Creators and Market Research
  47:04 The PostCurious Pipeline 
  48:51 Sponsor Break: Cogs By Clockwork Dog, Interactive Show Controls 
  50:26 Deciding on the Right Idea 
  52:43 The Evolution of Game Length and Puzzle Difficulty
  56:37 Bringing on a Collaborator 
  58:09 The Joys of Stained Glass Crafting 
  59:46 Future Plans and Upcoming Projects 
  01:03:48 Credits

Leave a Voicemail

Got a question or thought for the podcast? You can submit a voice recording by calling the Room Escape Artist not-so-hotline that always goes straight to voicemail (551-227-7273).

Resources Mentioned in this Episode

• PostCurious Website
• Ministry of Lost Things – Case 2: Finders Keypers Kickstarter
• REA Reviews
  • Ministry of Lost Things: Finders Keypers
  • Ministry of Lost Things: Lint Condition
  • TED-Ed + PostCurious – Pandora’s Legacy
  • The Morrison Game Factory
  • Emerald Flame
  • Emerald Echoes
  • Threads of Fate
  • Adrift
  • The Light in the Mist

Golden Lock Award winner

About Rita Orlov

Instagram: @postcurious and @ritaorlov

Rita Orlov is the founder and creative director of PostCurious. A designer and maker with a background in escape rooms, illustration, and object design, Rita lives for the “aha” moments and the journey of discovery that can be created through puzzles and gamified storytelling. She strives to create unique experiences that will challenge, surprise, and bring joy to players. When she’s not making or solving puzzles, you’ll find her playing board games or obsessing over a new craft.

About Lauren Bello

Instagram: @daela

Lauren Bello is a television writer and game designer best known for her work on Apple TV’s Foundation and Netflix’s The Sandman. Her narrative escape game The Morrison Game Factory debuted in 2024, garnering a Golden Lock Award and an Indiecade nomination. She currently lives in Los Angeles, surrounded by stacks of 400+ boxed puzzle games.

Support REPOD

• Subscribe to Patreon for bonus content.
• Please rate and review our podcast!

Thanks for listening!

Support Room Escape Artist’s Mission

There are lots of ways to support Room Escape Artist, like buying from Amazon or Etsy after clicking into the links included in this post or backing us on Patreon.

The money that we make from these helps us to grow the site and continue to add more value to the community that we love so much.

The post REPOD S10E8: The PuzzleTales of PostCurious with Rita Orlov & Lauren Bello appeared first on Room Escape Artist.

“ We’re evolving the [escape room] experience towards something that’s more theatrical, with puzzling, gaming, and immersive art all together.”

Magnifico is currently (as of November 2025) the top escape room in the world, as voted on by experienced escape room enthusiasts. For 2.5 hours, we were transported to another world where magic is real and anything is possible. This game was a culmination of Escaparium’s signature style: epically sized and meticulously built sets with large-scale puzzles that involve the whole team, and meaningful stories told through both gameplay and theatrical moments featuring live actors.

Jonathan Driscoll and Sacha St. Denis are the owners and driving force behind Escaparium, in Laval, Canada (just outside of Montreal). Since their previous appearance on REPOD, they’ve cemented their spot as one of the top companies in world. Last year, in 2024, they captured the #1 and #3 spots on the TERPECA rankings, with their games Magnifico and Forgotten Cathedral, respectively. Wardrobe for Sale ranked at #14, and Lost Island of the Voodoo Queen ranked at #37 in the world.

It’s clearly not a fluke. Escaparium is consistently creating world-class games, year after year, and when they’re not busy opening new games, they’re renovating and remodeling old experiences. Rain Corp. has been given a make-over into Ctrl Alt Reboot. They are also overhauling their lobby once again, creating an immersive bar experience featuring a crashed space ship.

Jonathan and Sacha joined us to talk about their new games, what’s driving them, and where they’re getting inspiration. My biggest takeaway from this conversation was that they are very involved in the escape room community and industry. They are constantly traveling and playing games. They attend every convention. For them, it’s always about the details. If even one small detail inspires their next idea, Jonathan says it’s gold. That’s the mindset they instill in their whole team as well.

Thank You to Our Sponsors

We are immensely grateful to our sponsors this season: REA Patreon Backers, PG’s Playhouse, Buzzshot, and COGS. We truly appreciate your support of our mission to promote and improve the immersive gaming community.

Support Room Escape Artist on Patreon

Love escape rooms as much as we do? At Room Escape Artist, we’ve been analyzing, reviewing, and exploring the world of immersive games since 2014. We help players find the best experiences, and push the industry forward with well-researched, rational, and reasonably humorous escape room and immersive gaming content and events.

By becoming a Patreon supporter, you’re not just backing a blog — you’re fueling a mission to make the escape room and immersive gaming community stronger, more thoughtful, and more connected. You can also access exclusive Patreon content such as the Bonus Aftershow, Spoilers Club, and get early access to escape room Tour tickets and REA articles.

Your Patreon support goes toward our mission: paying our contributors, funding our infrastructure, and supporting deep research and industry advocacy.

PG’s Playhouse Podcast

If you love wordplay, puzzles, and trivia, this is the podcast for you! PG’s Playhouse recreates a fun game night with friends, all in a short, 30-minute format. Of course, what’s game night without making new friends? We bring on different guests for the different episodes!

Each episode features a puzzle packed with wordplay and trivia, a short chat with the guest, and a segment exploring an interesting topic. I hope you’ll take a listen and play along with us at PG’s Playhouse.

Buzzshot

Buzzshot is Escape Room Software, Powering Business Growth, Player Marketing, and improving the Customer Experience. They offer an assortment of pre and post game features including robust waiver management, branded team photos, and streamlined review management for Yelp, TripAdvisor, Google Reviews, and Morty. Buzzshot now has integration with the other REPOD sponsors: Morty and COGS.

Special Offer for REPOD Listeners:

REPOD listeners get an extended 21-day free trial plus 20% off your first 3 months, with no set-up fees or hidden charges. Visit buzzshot.com/repod to learn more about this exclusive offer.

COGS

COGS by Clockwork Dog is an easy to use software/ hardware platform for running interactive events, including escape rooms, and other immersive experiences. They have plug & play hardware that seamlessly integrates with their software so you can create a show with lighting and sound cues without having to write a single line of code. Map all kinds of inputs to outputs by building up simple logic steps which determine what you want to happen and when.

Special Offer for REPOD Listeners:

REPOD listeners can get the COGS Starter Set for only $130 + free shipping to the USA. This bundle is usually valued at $257. You can learn more and purchase your Starter Set at cogs.show. Use code REPOD at checkout.

Topics Discussed in this Episode

• 00:00 Sponsor Break: Buzzshot, Escape Room Marketing Software
• 03:20 Magnifico’s Circus: The Journey and Evolution
• 08:23 Pricing and Business Strategy
• 12:32 Costuming Challenges and Lessons
• 15:00 Rebuild of Rain Corp. Into Ctrl Alt Reboot 
• 22:48 Sponsor Break: Room Escape Artist Patreon – Bonus Episodes, Spoilers Club & More
• 24:21 Escaparium’s New Game: Escape Plan
• 29:38 Escape Room Travel: Business or Pleasure?
• 31:50 Facing Fears in Horror Games
• 33:58 Tourists Trends in the Escape Room Industry
• 36:34 Sponsor Break: PG’s Playhouse – Puzzles, Pals, and Trivia
• 38:43 Plans for an Upcoming Lobby Enhancement
• 43:14 Merchandising Success
• 46:03 Sponsor Break: Cogs By Clockwork Dog, Interactive Show Controls
• 47:29 Public Speaking Challenges
• 54:43 Escaparium’s Road Map
• 57:51 Building a Strong Team
• 01:01:56 Credits

Leave a Voicemail

Got a question or thought for the podcast? You can submit a voice recording by calling the Room Escape Artist not-so-hotline that always goes straight to voicemail (551-227-7273).

Resources Mentioned in this Episode

• Escaparium Website
• TERPECA 2024
• Actors as Puzzles in Escape Rooms
• REA Reviews of Escaparium
  • Magnifico
  • The Final Stop (V2)
  • The Forgotten Cathedral
  • Wardrobe for Sale
  • Bernie Block
  • The Lost Island of the Voodoo Queen
  • Tyranno Industries
  • The Blind Tiger
  • The Golden Jubilee
  • Alice and the Mad Hatter’s Mad Hat’s Hat
  • The Wizard Four and the Book of Black Arts
  • The Wizard Four and the Rise of Lord Thulsa
  • The Family
• REA Articles Featuring Escaparium
  • Escape Rooms As A Performer’s Medium – The Player’s Perspective
  • Escape Rooms As A Performer’s Medium – The Owner’s Perspective
  • The Importance of Feeling Seen in Escape Rooms
  • Defining “Premium Escape Rooms” & Why It Matters
• Jonathan’s RECON Remote 25 Talk

• Magnifico Soundtrack

About Jonathan Driscoll and Sacha St. Denis

Instagram: @escaparium

Jonathan Driscoll is the proud co-owner of Escaparium (and Ezkapaz), one of the world’s top escape room companies, based in the Montreal area. Along with his wife, Sacha St. Denis, he started Escaparium from scratch in 2016, growing it into a leader in immersive entertainment. Through hard work, learning from mistakes, and a relentless drive for innovation, Jonathan has built a powerhouse 15-person team dedicated to pushing the boundaries of escape room design.

Sacha St. Denis is a creative designer and hospitality innovator who loves bringing ideas to life through storytelling, design, and experience. She specializes in creating immersive spaces and concepts that make people feel something — such as a themed cocktail bar or an imaginative escape into another world. Sacha is hands-on, detail-driven, and a little obsessed with turning wild ideas into something real (and unforgettable).

Support REPOD

• Subscribe to Patreon for bonus content.
• Please rate and review our podcast!

Thanks for listening!

Support Room Escape Artist’s Mission

There are lots of ways to support Room Escape Artist, like buying from Amazon or Etsy after clicking into the links included in this post or backing us on Patreon.

The money that we make from these helps us to grow the site and continue to add more value to the community that we love so much.

The post REPOD S10E7 – The Best Escape Room in the World: Jonathan Driscoll and Sacha St. Denis of Escaparium appeared first on Room Escape Artist.