Long before we got caught in the web of Zoom calls, New York-based immersive theatre company PopUp Theatrics had devised a way for viewers to globetrot from the comfort of their homes. Co-founder Ana Margineanu shares that their virtual production, Long Distance Affair (LDA), was born in 2011, out of their desire to create a platform that allows theatrewallahs across the globe to work together without travelling, and yet transport the audience to different cities. “When you travel, you only have access to the ‘touristy’ part of the city; you don’t get to experience how locals live. Through LDA, you travel straight to someone’s kitchen,” she explains.

Barbie Wu representing Portland during rehearsals