Reset Your Mindset” was conceived as an immersive theater experience designed to help participants reflect on, process, and let go of the emotional aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic. The core concept emerged from our collective desire to provide a space for social and emotional healing, using the metaphor of a “reset”—a fresh start after 987 days of global upheaval.
We built a hybrid immersive experience combining physical interaction, projection mapping, and symbolic rituals. The journey was structured around three phases: past, present, and future. Using light, video mosaic floors, and a custom-designed hologram, participants navigated through symbolic spaces. They took part in activities like “jumping over memories” in a gamified floor projection and symbolically “burning” emotional burdens by casting away bracelet tabs. We also extended the experience online with a 3D VR room and a countdown to the symbolic 1000th day since the start of the pandemic.
The project was developed as part of the Expanded Media Master’s Program at Hochschule Darmstadt and presented at the Midsummer Magic Festival.
After the shared trauma of isolation, fear, and uncertainty brought on by the pandemic, we saw an opportunity to use art as a healing ritual. Our aim was to transform passive spectators into active participants, guiding them through an emotionally charged but playful experience that encouraged reflection, release, and reconnection. Instead of retelling pandemic stories directly, we tackled the broader emotional landscape of anxiety and change—something still very real in the summer of 2022.
The performance was a powerful success, attracting 110 participants and receiving overwhelmingly positive feedback. It allowed audiences to reconnect with themselves and others through a deeply emotional yet playful experience. The immersive installation has since been archived alongside other notable Expanded Media projects, serving as a benchmark for what emerging immersive theater can achieve.
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