Secret society Penumbra offers tours of its hidden community to Fringe patrons

Central Florida has long been a breeding ground for utopian dreams. From the artist colony founded in Maitland, to the more recent New Urbanism communities of Baldwin Park, Celebration and Harmony, Central Florida has had its fair share of unique communities dedicated to creating the ideal life. Now, there’s a new interactive experience in Orlando that plays up to these utopian ideals. 

Orlando’s newest immersive, interactive theatrical experience known as “When Shadows Fall” goes something like this: Pseudonym Productions, the brains behind last year’s hugely popular "The Republic" experience, have transformed a 15,000 sq. ft. warehouse into a living world called Penumbra. The plot line shifts and evolves based on how guests interact with the space.

Like The Republic, Penumbra will be a fully fleshed out world with numerous characters, evolving storylines and interactive elements. Similar to escape rooms, “When Shadows Fall” will require guests use everything around them to help dive deeper into the story. Specific details on what to expect in the full-scale experience are still slim but there is an ever-growing online presence for the experience.
A sneak peek of the “When Shadows Fall” will take place this weekend as part of Fringe. Attendees will be picked up near The Shakes and taken on “an intense ride to Penumbra.” This limited preview will only offer a small glimpse into the world of Penumbra.

A more in-depth interaction with residents of Penumbra will take place at MegaCon (May 26-29). There MegaCon guests can meet characters, experience unique interactions and participate in giveaways at When Shadow Fall’s booth (Booth #600).

The full scale experience will launch July 7. Players (what Pseudonym calls guests) will be able to select one of 14 different roles, each with its own nuances. Based on their role guests will only experience one small part of the dystopian Penumbra.

Five of the central characters have now been revealed; Penumbra's Silas (Oracle), Nikolai (Vice President of Innovation), Cain (Vice President of Strategy), Thea (Gold), and Florence (Nameless).

Tickets are now available for the first 6 weeks of When Shadows Fall, with 5 set show times each week on Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays. Ticket types include standard Entry to Penumbra ($59-$69), Repeat Player Discount (Entry to any 3 shows for $175), and VIP Upgrade ($149) which offers special personalized experiences from the moment players arrive. Education and Group discounts are also available.

Fringe preview tickets are selling out fast with certain time slots already fully booked. Like other regular shows at Fringe the Enter Penumbra tickets also require a Fringe button.