Michael Counts Email & Phone Number

Brooklyn, Ny, Us

New York, Ny, Us

Immersive Experience Concepts, Design, and Production

Creative consultant and stage director for The Walking Dead Escape, an immersive theatrical extension of the Walking Dead Comics and AMC television show, produced by Skybound EXP, at The Hartford Xfinity Theater and Petco Stadium at the San Diego International Comic Convention.

Counts directed, designed, and co-produced Play/Date, an immersive theatrical experience at Fat Baby (a 4 level nightclub on Manhattan’s Lower East Side). The show has been described as “unique, funny and a great night out” by Eric Sassen of the Wall Street Journal and as a production that “set a new bar for immersive theater in New York” by the Village Voice. The show features 17 playwrights, a cast of 18, and offers scenes set throughout 3 levels of Fat Baby, as well as a first-of-its-kind use of social media, extending the show into multiple media platforms and beyond the temporal and spacial confines of traditional theater.

Served as Creative Director for the Michael Kors brand launch Jet Set event in Shanghai, China – a one-of-a-kind immersive theatrical event designed to offer the “jet set” experience and transport people to the “world of Michael Kors.” The design featured one of the largest high-resolution video projections ever done and the largest eyeliner projection screen ever made among countless theatrical special effects. As a result of its success for the Kors brand, the production is being re-purposed for upcoming brand launches in Tokyo, Rio, and other market throughout 2015 and 2016.

This production of "Rossini's Moses In Egypt" was the first-of-its-kind opera production using CG animation coupled with traditional stage technology to create an immersive experience – a production about which the New York Times said, “The opera world has been talking about the potential of video to make possible a new kind of old-fashioned spectacle. This production pointed a way” and also named the production on the NY Times Top Ten List of events in the world of music for 2013.

New York, New York, Us

"Philharmonic 260" was the first-of-its-kind immersive concert experience with Alan Gilbert and the New York Philharmonic Orchestra – a production the New York Times heralded as “one of the 20 most notable cultural events of 2012.”

New York, New York, Us

Conceived, designed and executive produced a first-of-its-kind immersive theatrical experience that was launched in New York’s Times Square with the participation of some of Broadway’s top producers and creative talent – a production that has received immense international media coverage including national television coverage on Regis and Kelly, The Today Show, Kelly Rippa and countless press features. The Ride was recently nominated for a Drama Desk Award for the “Special Theatrical Experience” category alongside shows like Cirque Du Soleil, among others.

This production of "Monodramas" was a new production featuring the works of John Zorn, Arnold Schoenberg and Morton Feldman – a production that has been widely regarded as a seminal moment for NYCO and opera at Lincoln Center and was called “an engrossing, surreal and visually beautiful production,” by the New York Times.

Created, directed and designed a video billboard that can interact with people on the street – an entertainment attraction with significant Out-of-Home media value – that was developed in partnership with Blue Man Group, Clear Channel Spectacolor (a division of Clear Channel Outdoor) and J&J’s Accuvue Contact Lenses, as a founding sponsor.

New York, Ny, Us

With Mobile apps in a nascent stage of development and text messaging penetration at under 50% in North America, Counts Media was engaged by Blue Man Group for use of its Mobkastr publishing platform to create a interactive element to their first ever arena tour, "How to be a Megastar". With paid participation over 10% and completion of the mobile experience at 96%, Counts Media had created and launched one of the first entertainment applications of mobile technology.

Created as an extension of Yellow Arrow that merged the theatrical elements of Counts’ past work in immersive theater with mobile technology and online interactive media, this project was a multi-day experience that started in the magazine and lead people out into reality and the “media sphere” – online, mobile, print, out-of-home – and into an extensive live and virtual narrative over the course of a week.

In an opening night party of Art Basel Miami Beach at the newly opened Casa Casaurina, Counts and the Yellow Arrow Mobile App/Global Public Art Project, created an immersive installation and exhibition for Piaget. The event was regarded as a “Who’s Who of the art and society worlds, which earned Piaget prime placement in WWD‘s social column” – the Rummormill online.

Founded by Counts with his long time collaborator, Michelle Stern, in New York City to develop and produce Counts’ concept of immersive theater. Initially using empty office space in Manhattan’s Financial District, GAle GAtes produced two major works – 90 Degrees from an Equinox? Where are We? And Where are We Going? using the 65,000 sq/ft 51 st floor of 55 Water Street, followed by Wine-Blue-Open-Water during their 9 month residency at 67 Broad Street in partnership with the Lower Manhattan Cultural Council. Following critical acclaim that the latter production garnered, Counts and the company made a presentation to the developers of the area of Brooklyn’s waterfront now known as DUMBO, in which they explained the value to real estate development that leading edge art, theater and entertainment could provide. This presentation lead to a partnership with Two Trees Developers and a six year residency at 37 Main Street, a 40,000 sq/ft ground floor retail space. GAle GAtes is credited by many as being the creative catalyst to the birth of DUMBO as one of the cultural and creative epicenters of New York City.Other productions have included "The Field of Mars," "So Long Ago I Can't Remember - A Divine Comedy," and "The World. An Immersive Installation Performance."