THEATER OF THE MIND

Co-created by Academy, Grammy, and Tony Award-winning artist David Byrne and writer Mala Gaonkar, and directed by Andrew Scoville, Theater of the Mind is a new theatrical experience you’ll see, feel, taste, and hear. The experience explores the intersection of art and science by engaging the audience in multisensory experiments that encourage them to interrogate their identity and understanding of the world, and question their beliefs and memories.

Termed "an immersive Science Theater project" by David Byrne, the immersive exhibition spanned different "rooms", including a funeral chapel, disco, backyard, attic, and oversized kitchen. Each location was rooted in one or more scientific phenomena or neuroscience studies and was interactive and experiential. Theater of the Mind takes place in the Reid Murdoch Building in the heart of downtown Chicago.

Credits
* Creator: David Byrne
* Writing: Mala Gaonkar
* Direction: Andrew Scoville
* Technology Designer: Heidi J. Boisvert
* VR Development: Brooklyn Research

Pariah Interactive Team
* VR Installation Specialist: Prashast Thapan

Exhibitions and Events
* The Goodman Theatre, Chicago (2026)

Selected Press
* The New Yorker: “Theatre of the Mind Invites Audiences to Revisit—and Rethink—Their Past”
* Chicago Tribune: “David Byrne’s ‘Theater of the Mind’ Will Make You See Your Own Mind Anew”
* Chicago Sun Times: “‘Theater of the Mind’ is Trippy, Unique and Will Make You Question Whether You Can Trust Your Memory”
* Playbill: “David Byrne Created an Immersive Show, Inspired by His Own Life”
* Creative Process: “David Byrne’s Theatre of the Mind”