What is Beyond the Veil?
Beyond the Veil is the conceptual design of an “Impossible Project” that invites guests to spend two nights and two full days exploring an interactive, immersive story-based train hotel experience. Developing from the basic idea of creating a pitch deck for an “immersive hotel”, Beyond the Veil grew to include a developed main storyline centered on a murder mystery in the 1890s. Comprehensive characters with their own secrets, backstories, and added key artwork build a visual world aboard the Lavender Empress, the project's vessel. Among the key art pieces are prop designs, costume design, graphic art, and environmental show scene representations.
On board the “inaugural run” of the Lavender Empress train, guests encounter ghosts of the past and must interact with a rich cast of characters to uncover the truth behind the mysterious death of Ada Post, daughter of the Post Locomotive Company proprietor, Damon Post.
During the two night, two-and-a-half-day train trip, guests are transported to the 1890s at the peak of spiritualism where they will be invited to take part in a séance that reveals the train is haunted by Ada’s ghost. Guests are then implored to discover clues by solving escape-room style puzzles to put together the pieces of the mystery. Will they expose the dark secrets hiding among the cars of Lavender Empress, or will Ada be trapped aboard forever?
Casting Prerequisites
A series of characters and cast members will carry the narrative of Beyond the Veil. These characters will be casted prior to the immersive experience and will assist participants with solving the murder mystery 6 main characters and 1 attached character that will be casted for specific roles.
Ada: young female, early 20’s, attractive heroine
Victor: young male, early 20’s, attractive hero
Damon: old male, late 60’s, cold features, wealthy demeanor
Norah: middle age female, mid 50’s, soft/nurturing features
Viola: old female, mystical presence
Howard: young male, early 30’s, attractive but rugged
Zita: young female, early 20’s, a pretty face
As the 7 casted characters have scripted dialogue for the story, a dozen or so additional cast members will be hired to assist guests with clues and traveling needs. A few specific roles for cast members will be:
Bartenders
Game Managers
Maids
Servers
Chefs/Cooks
All cast members will take shifts or have specified areas within the train that they will service