FAQ

What’s your plan to hold an in-person event during COVID-19?

Our COVID-19 Policy is available here.

What’s a scenario?

We wrote a whole article about it right here!

What’s a scenario festival?

A scenario festival is a celebration of participatory storytelling games. Throughout the weekend you will have the opportunity to try a wide variety of scenarios, from fully live-action scenarios in which you move about the play space in real time to tabletop scenarios in which you share a story together scene by scene, and everything in between.

We’ll be offering established styles of narrative games, including chamber larp, Nordic larp, American freeform, and curious hybrids of all of the above!

Why host a scenario festival?

Because there is no event quite like this is the USA. Not everyone can travel to Europe on a regular basis to play scenarios, so instead, we are bringing them to an American audience.

Many of us have been moved and inspired by the narrative game design traditions that developed in Scandinavia over the last twenty years, and we want to share our enthusiasm with you!

How is Make a Scene! different from other gaming conventions?

We think Make a Scene! is special in a number of ways. A big part of what we want to accomplish with Make a Scene! is to inspire people of all identities to create beautiful, expressive works by harnessing the vivid and sensory power of the play medium. We’ve combined our favorite features of other events and put our own twist on it to make something that’s truly “homegrown,” so to speak. We’ve done that by focusing on…

  • …the scenario style. You can find roleplaying scenarios at other events, but no other event in the US explores and celebrates this kind of game specifically.
  • …social inquiries and social justice. You’ll see this value expressed in our code of conduct and in our programming that features works by and about the experiences of people that belong to often marginalized communities.
  • …fostering a compassionate discourse community. Again, this is first-and-foremost in our code of conduct, but in addition to that, we are programming scenarios that ask players to think and feel deeply about their subject matter.
  • …accessible play. The scenarios we offer are easy to learn, easy to play, and easy to create (relatively speaking!). We also put your preferences first when building your schedule.
  • …making participation easy. We are offering sliding scale admission, serving vegan meals on site, providing snacks and beverages throughout the event, scheduling time to socialize, leaving adequate time for sleep, and making quiet spaces available because all of those things make participation easier – and more enjoyable – for everybody.
  • …actively calling for new works, specifically from new designers and people who belong to frequently marginalized communities. Yes, some other events do this too, but it’s a lot less common than we’d like to see!

While you’re at it, please get acquainted with our vision.

Why is play important?

If we may get a bit philosophical for a moment…

We believe in the power of play. When we play we connect to each other by fulfilling an integral role within the group, by sharing in a beautiful passing moment. When we play we reconnect with ourselves by expressing our spontaneous creativity, by trusting our instincts and honoring our truths. When we play we connect with the experiences of others by staying present for the full impact of their stories.

When we play we follow each other into the unknown and find ourselves.

What are the basic details again?

Date: August 16-18, 2024

Venue: Center For Performing Arts, 3754 Pleasant Ave, Minneapolis, MN 55409

How do I register?

Registration for the festival will open April of 2024! Click here for more information about how to register. Only 75 tickets are available regardless of price point.

What’s this about sliding scale admission?

We want Make a Scene! to be as inclusive as possible. That’s why we offer admission at various price points. Pay whatever you feel best suits your situation.

Please note that reduced and free admission may be limited. Please write us if you have any questions.

Make a Scene! is an entirely volunteer-run organization.

I have dietary considerations. Can you accommodate me?

Our volunteer cooking staff can accommodate many but not all dietary needs. Just reach out to us in advance and we’ll see what we can do. You can learn more here.

I have an accessibility consideration. How do I participate?

Make a Scene! strives to be as accessible as possible. We also must acknowledge that some aspects of the event experience are beyond our control.

Bathrooms: Wheelchair accessible, single stall, gender neutral.

Doors: Doors are 3 feet wide, and have automatic door opening buttons. There is an elevator available for movement between indoor floors.

Climate Control: The building has AC.

Sensory Overload: We will have a designated quiet area.

Childcare: This is an 18+ event. There will be a dedicated lactation area and fridge space set aside for lactating parents. We can help connect parents with others interested in offsite childcare: you can opt-in during registration.

Biking: Several streets with bike lanes pass this building or nearby.

Public Transit: Several bus routes have stops within a few blocks, including

  • the 4, connecting Richfield, downtown Minneapolis, and Columbia Heights
  • the 18 E/C/D, connects Bloomington to downtown Minneapolis, nearest stop at Nicollet and 38th
  • the 23, which links St. Paul’s Highland neighborhood with Uptown Minneapolis, intersecting the Light Rail Blue Line at the 38th Street station
  • the 113, connecting NE and South Minneapolis

See https://www.metrotransit.org/ for trip planning, maps, and further public transportation details. Their app is also quite good!

Content: Descriptions for each scenario include content warnings for certain potentially troubling content as well as the level of physical activity required for participation so you can opt-in to the scenarios that will work best for you. We can’t account for everything that might happen in play though, so if you are unsure please ask.

We want to hear from you in order to accommodate you. If you have questions or would like assistance selecting scenarios that best suit you, please don’t hesitate to write us a message.

What should I bring?

You don’t need to bring much! We plan on providing everything you need to participate. However, we do recommend the following:

  • A water bottle. Please hydrate!
  • Comfortable, flexible clothing. You might be inspired to move around or adopt unusual positions. No costuming required.
  • A cell phone or watch. A device that connects to the internet is best, if you have one.
  • Whatever else you need to be happy and healthy. Medications, mobility devices, your favorite snack, maybe a book or something to help you relax if you take some time to yourself, etc.
  • Your well-rested self!
  • A curious attitude!

Please note that the following are not allowed on site:

  • Weapons of any kind (props are ok with permission).
  • Drugs or other controlled substances (prescribed medication is ok).
  • Pyrotechnics or explosives.
  • Alcohol.
  • Glitter.

This is so cool! How can I play more scenarios?

There are a number of events around the world where you can play scenarios and similar activities! Here are a few: