Speakeasy Dollhouse

Everything Cynthia does is infused with enchantment. Please do yourself a hugely pleasurable favor, and go. Your heart will get bigger and prettier and luckier.
I’m totally serious!

My wife and I enjoyed the first act but the show got old fast

What a disappointment. I’ve seen other interactive theater productions including Sleep No More and Then She Fell which I absolutely loved. This show was a complete amateur-​hour. Even for $ 47 on Groupon it’s absolutely not worth it.
Theatre was packed over-​capacity where it was very difficult to catch the main acts. The sets are minimalist, and there are very few areas to wander and discover. The entire production takes place in 3 rooms.
Dancing and singing was mediocre… on par with what you might expect from cruise ship or Atlantic City theater.
You’re given a role and a passport, which sounds like an interesting concept but turns out to be completely useless to the plot… I get the sense that the actors aren’t trained well on how to incorporate the roles into the act and seem confused when you approach them.
Too many other awesome shows that pull off the interactive theater style more effectively. I’m truly surprised at the positive Unilocal reviews… My guess is that those reviewers aren’t aware of the other better quality shows out there.

The best experience ever. I went for Ziegfeld’s midnight follie and it was a very immersive experience as an audience member. The actors never once got out of character and that was a really fun factor. Many hidden surprises to look out for. Had a great time and would strongly suggest a visit!

This show was a HOTT MESS!
we went with a party of 11. they sat us in the back with huge giant poles blocking our view. there was no crowd control. so the whole time every single person stood in front of our table.
i was so disappointed… it was my friends birthday and it was a mess… we ended up leaving super early. really bummed out and this was not a cheap mess.

FANTASTIC one-​of-​a-​kind show! I found tickets through LivingSocial and had such a great time!!!
A truly unique experience — a must-​see!

The best off Broadway/​Broadway show experience in NYC! I can’t say enough good things about this interactive show! It’s in a Speakeasy, you dress like you’re apart of the 1930s, you watch and are involved in the show (not in a scary/​nervous way), and you get to drink out of tea cups and mugs! When you arrive a gypsy gives you a slip of paper describing your roll. I had to relay a message to a character. The character makes you feel comfortable and interested in what you have to say. So fun how different scenes happen in different parts of the Speakeasy that you’re being guided to check into from different characters. There’s also a burlesque show that happens as well!
A must see!!!

I’ve seen lots of immersive theater and this doesn’t compare! Don’t waste your money! I can’t believe the reviews are so good. WHO ARE YOU PEOPLE?!
My favorite part about this show was the burlesque and the fact that it took place in an actual speakeasy– the décor was pretty cool, too.
Other than, it was really cheesy acting. People were laughing it was so bad. I kinda felt bad for the actors. It’s not their fault they suck, right?
I didn’t feel immersed. I felt like I had to try to hard to enjoy the show and just flat out wasn’t entertained. Plus it’s super small and there isn’t much to investigate or see.
Also, there are lulls where they try to get you to the bar to buy overpriced drinks. First the bartender said $ 18 for two drinks and then gave us $ 1 back. For the second round he said $ 20. Hm, inflation in 20 minutes?!
Oh yeah. Did I say the acting was bad?
I’ve seen Queen of the Night, Sleep No More and Then She Fell. This doesn’t even compare to any of them.

I have been to this twice already. Amazing experience and without providing any information here, so it doesn;t kill your experience — I would highly recommend try this out.
Go there, be inquisitive — talk to actors and try and follow the clues.

Our party of four all agreed that Speakeasy Dollhouse was a «different» immersive theater experience. You buy your tickets and don’t hear a thing about the location (102 Norfolk street in the Backroom bar) until a few days before the show is about to kick off. You will get a series of documents emailed to you that are helpful to read so that you have a sense of the timeline and a sense of the story and characters. You’re not given TOO much information and there is still a lot that happens that isn’t included in the documents, but is easy to follow. The actors did a great job of interacting with the «audience» by saying, «Did you hear that blah blah blah happened?!» or «Do you know what happened to_​_​_​_​?! Let me tell/​show you!»
The Backroom is a great venue for the show with it’s velvety wallpaper, dark red couches and a secret bookcase that leads into a room where scandalous things may go down (wink wink). Drinking bourbon out of tea cups is kind of fun and you can buy some coffee or cannolis on your way in.
Advice: The actors WANT to engage with you. Talk to them. Seek them out. Fulfill your role which could be anything from finding out a secret from Mary or telling Anna your a priest and she needs to confess her sins. Hit on a dancer. Sit down for a game of cards. Go and immerse yourself! That’s what this show is all about. My favorite character was Dutchy (although he’s a bad guy — I thought he was one of the most responsive and fun characters, and certainly the most boisterous). I also loved the cigar smoking Judge who sent me on a mission to deliver a message for him in which I got my palm greased with a little speakeasy cash.
I found the general flow of the show easy enough to follow. I didn’t feel like I had to fight my way through to see anything although certain scenes (the shooting, the funeral) were more crowded than others. Going with friends meant that we talked and laughed in between things going on and were well entertained for 2 straight hours. The music and dancing were a highlight for all of us. Dress up in 1920/1930’s garb if you feel like it! Not everyone was, but most people were at least wearing «nicer» clothes (dresses, beads, heels, vests, etc) which definitely helps makes you feel part of the show going on around you.
The doors opened at 5 and when we walked in, things were in full swing. The show was over by 7:10.
Speakeasy Dollhouse is headed to an off-​Broadway theater in April. Not sure what this means for the current show but it sounds like they may have a lot more tricks up their sleeve making for an even more fun night out on the town.

I love immersive theater (Sleep No More and Here Lies Love, more recently.) So when I found out about Speakeasy Dollhouse’s The Bloody Beginning, it was a no brainer — ticket up and go! Do the same and let your inner child out to play. It’s fun! It’s hilarious! It’s surprising.
Talk to the actors and they’ll talk back. Don’t worry if you’re lousy, they’ll make you feel like a pro or at least take you seriously. Too shy to start a conversation? Never fear, there are plenty to eavesdrop on and you can do it shamelessly and unabashedly, or covertly — sidle up with your themed-​drink in a mug and get an earful. Perhaps someone will tell you a secret. Perhaps you’ll be witness to something atrocious and be called to testify. Volunteer to do it! And if you do, show up by squeezing yourself to the center of the action.
There are shows in the show. Burlesque. Jazz musicians. Singers with voices that will melt your cold heart. Have a cannoli, as you listen. Drink it down with a «special» coffee. Don’t forget your role. Hunt down the people you’re instructed to look for and ask for «it.» Even if you think the moment’s wrong. Especially then.
Is some of this cryptic? Yes, of course. You should journey into a mystery. This is your chance to be a walking piece in a live action set of «Clue» — except in a cooler setting and a lustier story with a gorier title: The Bloody Beginning.
Also, if you get as lucky as I was, the big reveal will turn out to be that you spent part of the night with the talented and sweet writer/​creator/​director, Cynthia von Buhler. She also created the miniature dollhouse on display in one of the rooms — make sure you don’t miss it.
Friends’ schedules conflicted, so I went to this play alone — heck, why not? It was awkward at first, like I’d showed up to a party where I knew absolutely no one. And then it started, and Cynthia and her cast just *made* the experience. The crowd eased into it and the story gelled. There *is* a story — and then there’s *your” story, the one you leave with it and remember. More intimate than Sleep No More and just as memorable: go while you can! I just might go back for a second helping — and bring some friends this time. But if I don’t, I’ll definitely see Cynthia and her cast at Broadway!

Classy, elegant and suspenseful. I’ve seen this amazing immersive show twice and hope to go again. Love love the burlesque! Since the audience interacts, it’s never the same twice. Beautiful venue too.

I like this play so much I have seen it twice and will probably go again when I’m next in NYC. The producers have done an amazing job of recreating an authentic speakeasy ambience in an old LES tenement. I felt like I’d stepped back in time and loved that so many participants dressed up and took their roles seriously. On my first visit, I was cast as Dominick’s teacher and I loved my role. Both Mary Spano and her son, Dominick, made me feel as if I was really part of their story. It’s hard for me to think of them as actors because I so thoroughly identified with them and their story.
Stepping back, though, all the actors were terrific and very welcoming. They seamlessly absorb the crowd in the story. But Mary Spano and Dominick’s performances really stood out. I felt for both these characters and especially for Mary. I was there when she was in labor, holding her hand and praying with her.
On my second visit, I was cast as Dutch Schultz’ girlfriend. Dutch was very quick with the improvised repartee we exchanged and handsome to boot; so I enjoyed that role and got to confront his wife by the bar. Still my favourite spot was in Mary’s room — where a lot of the key action unfolds, including the secrets we learn about the Spano marriage. Mary and Dominick delivered poignant performances each time. And the atmosphere inside the Speakeasy is sexy and fun. Highly recommended for a great evening out.

If you want to have a truly entertaining evening in the city, this is the place to go to.
Unpredictable and fast-​paced, this play will carry you away back in time. Pasha Pellosie is terrific as Frank Spano. Actors are naturals and you will get the best feeling of being able to act and improvise yourself.

We had so much fun here! A bunch of us went in varying levels of 20s-​ish clothing (I totally rocked my vest) and after a brief wait, were admitted into what looked and felt more like a party than a bar. We were encouraged to interact with the actors, but I was more than content to play a few rounds of cards (as per my role) and let much of the story unfold before me as I sipped my sazerac (served in a teacup and saucer, no less!)
Granted, the vignettes that told the story were of varying quality, and strict historical accuracy was out the window, but all in all, it was a great time. Also, a pigeon landed on my head, which was pretty neat.
Sad to knock a star off for the second sazerac — part of mixology is, you know, mixing, and this other bartender didn’t seem to have that down. But that was my only gripe for an otherwise delightful, tasty night!

Last night i traveled back in time — or at least it felt incredibly like it. I saw the immersive play «Speakeasy Dollhouse» by Cynthia Von Buhler for the 3^rd time. I had seen the show twice in early 2013 and had wanted to go back ever since. Each time I went it was a new and different experience because depending on where you were in the Speakeasy, you could see different aspects of the show from various perspectives.
I loved that the theatergoers are encouraged to wear clothes from the era and it was sometimes hard to distinguish the actors from the audience. It is a great opportunity to get «dressed to the nines». The audience is also asked to not be shy and interact with the actors. The «bootleg cocktails» were served in tea cups and live jazz was played through out the night. The beautiful and talented Burlesque stars Delysia La Chatte and Kat Mon Dieu performed during the show, as well as opera singer Katie Kat and an accordion player. The bar and adjoining rooms are beautifully decorated with large paintings and comfortable couches. There is also a secret room hidden by a trick bookcase where some of the more intimate scenes are played out. It was a truly unique and fun event and I am so glad that I was able to experience it.

Speakeasy Dollhouse is a truly fun immersive theater event where you can be as involved or as uninvolved as you prefer, and all the action/​romance/​violence/​intrigue happens in the space around you. You arrive through a relatively creepy outdoor alleyway guarded by some probably-​corrupt policemen. If you get there early enough, you’ll witness what appears to be an assault of some kind (more on that later). After passing through a tiny Alice-​in-​Wonderlandesque door, you find yourself in the 1920s. It’s hard to tell at first what’s going on and where to look, but if you ask around, you’ll eventually find Frank Spano, the proprietor. From there the love triangle surrounding him becomes apparent, and story starts to unfold.
There’s good swingy jazz, varied drinks (served in teacups or paper bags, a la prohibition style), a lot of good looking people, and a fair amount of pageantry (burlesque, singing, fighting, a funeral, gunplay, a murder trial, etc.). Look to get paid off by local mobsters to lie in court, gossip with local crooked politicians over poker and whiskey, walk in on an illicit affair or marital spat, or get into the smuggling business by brokering a deal between Spano and the local authorities to release his impounded truck full of Canadian Club. If you’ve got a strong back, become a pallbearer at Frank’s funeral. Don’t miss seeing the nude corpses in the medical examiners office, including the person on the losing end of the assault I mentioned earlier. Not for the faint of heart.
The best part of the story is that its all based on actual events in creator Cynthia von Buhler’s family history. Truth is indeed stranger than fiction, but whether or not it’s all really true, you will have fun one way or another. My advice is not to come with people you haven’t seen in a while, because I t’s better if you have to strike out on your own a bit to mingle and become a part of the story. Even if you just go for a night out on the town with no intention of talking to anyone other than your SO, dress up in your 1920s finest so you can be an extra in everyone else’s fantasy, which is a great way to spend a Saturday evening.

GO GO GO ! ! !
Absolutley fabtastic!!!
If you desire to forget about your daily routine and fancy exploring time traveling with a group of friends dressed in 1920’s attire this is the place to go.
From beginning to the end you are drawn into proper corruption and drama (with a tea cup of champagne in your hand) you will be witnessing and being part of the whole story.
Besides the contiues changes of entertainment from burlesque dancers, singers, family Spano, the good and the bad guys, all actors are superb and really making this show an unforgettable experience.
The venue is authentic and creates the perfect ambiance for this true story which hapened Downtown Manhattan 100 years ago.
Great late afternoon out for a special occasion, or just escapism into another world, it was brilliant!!!

Let me preface this with a warning: do not attempt to experience this show sober. The fact that it has «speakeasy» in the title should be a tip-​off, but I’ve been to other immersive theater (Sleep No More, Then She Fell) that absolutely did not require inebriation. Naively, I thought this would be a good activity for «Sober September» (which is a thing you occasionally have to do as a New Yorker so you can become a cheap date again).
So, Speakeasy Dollhouse is sort of the same idea as Sleep No More, except that instead of doing beautiful dances the actors yell a lot and keep pulling you aside to gossip. Everyone is drunk and Italian, so it’s not unlike Christmas with your friend’s dysfunctional family in Long Island.
Speakeasy Dollhouse is also not a recommended experience for introverts (particularly sober ones). I’m pretty extroverted, but being approached immediately upon arrival by a crying pregnant woman asking me to find out if her husband was sleeping around was definitely not the irreverent night out I was expecting. My introverted husband was straight-​up mortified.
I’m embarrassed to admit this, but after about 45 minutes we decided we had to cut Sober September short by a few days. Of course, the second we get our fancy overpriced cocktails (whatever, it’s Manhattan) in teacups, they shoo everyone outside to watch a scene, and we’re told we can’t bring drinks. Doh! I tried to stand on the stairs to watch said (pivotal) scene because I am five feet tall, but was hustled to the ground, where I was able to witness absolutely nothing, and also couldn’t hear because I was standing next to the wall and they didn’t cut the music inside. I missed my drink.
Speakeasy Dollhouse still gets three stars because it’s a cool concept: it was fun to watch everyone get a slip of paper and become really single-​minded about accomplishing their task over the course of the evening. Also, some of the actors were genuinely engaging and talented (I especially liked the Medical Examiner), it’s a beautiful space, and the costumes were fun.
But seriously, don’t try to see this sober. Definitely take the «coffee» at the door. Possibly get a drink beforehand. Or maybe two. Or five.

If you like the speakeasy era you will love this place! Unlike Sleep No More, you can actually interact with the actors and also become one yourself! A good tip I got was to dress the part and mingle, so I did. As it turns out the patrons really thought I was part of the cast. After a few drinks from the full bar, I really got into it.
We went as a group of 8 and everyone dressed up. I highly recommend going. One thing I will mention though is that we had VIP tables which we didn’t even use because we were walking around the place all the time. If you really want a table get it up front rather than the back. Also no one knows that the tables are reserved so they just sit where ever.
I wouldn’t mind going back!