What is the AIPP?

The AIPP’s mission statement: Build and support a vibrant and diverse community to promote and grow the field of Interactive Performance through education, collaboration, and ethical exploration.

The Association of Interactive Performance Professionals (AIPP) exists because there are many people creating interactive performance in different professional fields who would benefit from knowing about each other’s work and experience. The AIPP advances the field and grows best practices based on communicating with each other to build a stronger connected community.

communicating with each other to build a stronger connected community

AIPP is a community-building organization that caters to individuals involved in all forms of interactive performance. Whether you’re a writer, director, performer, producer, or have a keen interest in interactive performance, the AIPP offers a welcoming space for networking, exchanging ideas, and fostering professional growth.

The AIPP functions as a hub for interactive performance professionals to connect, collaborate, and learn from one another. Members of the organization come from diverse backgrounds and have varying areas of expertise, creating a vibrant and dynamic community. By joining the AIPP, professionals gain access to a network of peers who share a passion for interactive performance, enabling them to form meaningful connections and forge lasting partnerships.

One of the key aspects of the AIPP is its commitment to providing educational resources and fostering professional development. The organization offers a comprehensive range of workshops, symposiums, and online discussions on topics crucial to interactive performance. These educational programs cover best practices, ethics, cutting-edge techniques, and emerging trends in the field. By participating in these events, members can stay up-to-date with the latest developments and enhance their skills, knowledge, and expertise.

The AIPP also serves as a platform for showcasing and celebrating interactive performance works. It organizes regular events, festivals, and showcases where members can present their creations, receive feedback, and engage with audiences. These events provide valuable opportunities for artists and performers to share their work, gain recognition, and connect with potential collaborators and supporters.

Furthermore, the AIPP actively advocates for the recognition and growth of interactive performance as an art form. The organization works to raise awareness about the unique qualities and potential of interactive performance, engaging with policymakers, educators, and the general public. By promoting interactive performance as a legitimate and valuable art form, the AIPP contributes to its broader acceptance and integration into mainstream culture.

promoting interactive performance as a legitimate and valuable art form

Whether you’re an experienced professional or just starting your journey in this field, the organization provides a supportive and nurturing environment for growth, collaboration, and artistic expression. By joining the AIPP, you become part of a dynamic community dedicated to advancing the art of interactive performance.

Community Partners

Our Current Board of Directors

Kenneth Ingraham

President

Kenneth Ingraham is proud to be a co-founder and to serve as the first president of the AIPP. In addition to working as an Inter-actor for over a decade, he pioneered the production of many forms of Interactive Performance. Over his varied career, he has produced interactive performance projects for Walt Disney Imagineering as well as showcase events at the Florida Film Festival and South By Southwest. His company, Interactor Simulation Systems, provides simulation, training, and consulting services utilizing Inter-Actors in the Orlando area. Kenneth’s interests include race car driving and playing the cello.
www.interactorsimulation.com

Jeff Wirth

Treasurer

Jeff Wirth is the director of the Interactive PlayLab, a training and production lab for live interactive performance. Jeff’s work has been presented at Lincoln Center and the South by Southwest festival. His clients have included Cirque du Soleil, Blue Man Group, Disney Imagineering, and Meow Wolf. He wrote the book, Interactive Acting, and served on the faculty of the University of Central Florida for 10 years, where he ran the Interactive Performance Lab. Jeff’s eclectic background also includes ballroom dancing, computer programming, and clowning for the Ringling Brothers Barnum & Bailey Circus. www.InteractivePlayLab.com.

Dana Mott

Secretary

Dana is a storyteller, media designer, and audience advocate with nearly two decades of experience developing immersive and interactive products for themed entertainment, education, and therapy. She specializes in interactive Art Direction, which provides opportunities for the audience to collaboratively contribute to stories supported by narrative-rich objects and media. She also works in live theater as a video designer, creating animated backdrops and special effects for a wide variety of performances.

Erica McCay

Board Member. Editor In Chief of the AIPP Journal

Erica McCay (she/they) is a creative director, writer, and designer of stories that connect people and place.

For the last 11 years between Universal Creative and Valtech Themed Entertainment Studio, Erica has designed large-scale, physical interactive experiences for theme parks around the globe, including bringing stories to life where guests cast magical spells across the Wizarding World of Harry Potter, become heroes of a real-life video game in Thea Award winning SUPER NINTENDO WORLD, and prove they are the greatest villain of all time (maybe) by leveling up in Illumination’s Villain-Con: Minion Blast.

Erica has an MFA in Creative Writing, was Editor-in-Chief for Obra/Artifact literary magazine, develops and teaches play-based curriculum to children, designs sets for live theatre, writes and directs immersive theatre productions, and is named on multiple patents for her creative experience designs. She captured her design process in the Medium article “7 Principles for Creating Immersive Worlds.”

Kate Ingraham

Board Member

Kate Ingraham, Ph.D., is the Program Director at the Center for Research in Education Simulation Technologies (CREST) at the University of Central Florida. With over a decade of experience, she leads the TeachLive Interactor team, pioneering interactive performance in virtual environments. Kate’s innovative work integrates instructional technologies with immersive simulations, enhancing training and research across education, healthcare, and law enforcement. She has contributed to multiple patented technologies and has conducted extensive research on the use of avatars and simulations for educational purposes. Kate’s research interests include using performance and technology to prepare professionals through realistic and engaging simulation experiences.
https://ccie.ucf.edu/crest/

Morgan Russell

Board Member

Performing audience interactive street shows at Disney, touring the US and UK, Morgan learned the craft and art of loving the audience. In 1991, she and her friends founded the SAK Comedy Lab continuing to explore original work and improvisation. In LA, she played with Impro Theatre (including an improvised long form Shakespeare show). She’s also performed with Comedy Warehouse, Dickens by Candlelight, and Orlando Shakespeare Theatre (where she does Shakespeare with Heart seasonally). She joined the iTeam at UCF; delving into deeper regions of interactive performance. She’s starred in Simulifes, an interactive Disney Imagineering playtest, and the development of TeachLivE and DramaRama. She’s an innovative, empathy-driven TEAM player who now specializes in immersive learning simulation with ETU (Empower the User). Her experience spans from system development to scenario design, team training and delivery of high-stakes simulation applications. She believes in the power of play to improve human interaction.

Terence Leclere

Board Member

Terence is an immersive actor, creative consultant, and founder of Metaforyou—a company specializing in interpersonal dynamics design for live events, brand activations, and immersive experiences. Through their work with agencies like NVE, Giant Spoon, Campfire, iheartcomix and m ss ng p eces, and on projects for brands such as Amazon Prime Video, Peacock, FX, Paramount, HBO, and Netflix, he has led casting, talent direction, and interaction strategy to elevate guest experiences.

His core passion lies in audience engagement and acknowledging the transformative power of co-created moments, values that directly align with AIPP’s mission. He has also spoken on panels including Immersive World Adventure, Gatherverse, and Next Stage Immersive, and regularly advocates for best practices in interactive performance design.

Team Members

Amanda Meyers

Social Media Manager

Amanda Meyers is a recent graduate from Emerson College with a BFA in Theater & Performance, specializing in Interactive Theater. In 2022, she founded A Party at Anna’s, a production company in Los Angeles facilitating queer and interactive storytelling with Emerson alumni. Alongside founding A Party at Anna’s, Amanda has honed videography and editing skills as a content creator for dancers, musicians, and theater practitioners since 2020. She has also worked as a production assistant on sets for Fox Sports and Tyler the Creator, refining her professionalism and on-the-job learning. In her corporate role, Amanda excels as a Sales Development Representative for On The Stage, leveraging industry knowledge and communication skills to forge B2B partnerships and drive growth. With expertise in creative direction, videography, and strategic sales, Amanda continues to innovate in both the artistic and business realms of entertainment.