Immersive Work and the Benefits of Tactile Experience with Vance Garrett

What does it mean to truly be present? In your body, in a space, in a story? In this episode of Too Much, Denise sits down with Vance Garrett, award-winning creative director, immersive experience pioneer, and founding team member behind Sleep No More, Museum of Ice Cream, and 29 Rooms — to explore how immersive storytelling, tactile design, and embodied experience are reshaping the way we connect, create, and live. Vance breaks down the evolution of immersive entertainment from its nightlife roots to its next frontier, and why the most powerful experiences are the ones that pull you out of your head and into your body. This conversation goes far beyond the world of experiential design, it's a masterclass in presence, intuition, collective joy, and why your imagination might be the most radical tool you have right now. In this episode, we cover: What actually makes an experience "immersive" — and why the definition matters The evolution from immersive theater (V1) to Instagram-driven experiences (V2) — and what comes next How phones changed our relationship to live experiences and presence The power of pre-verbal, sensory-first storytelling  Why tactile, multi-sensory design creates deeper awe than visual spectacle alone The role of ritual in rebuilding collective identity and community How immersive principles apply to everyday life, creativity, and even the political landscape What "being in your body" actually means — and why it matters more than ever Vance Garrett is a cultural architect and immersive experience creator whose work has reached over 3 million guests. He is the former Chief Creative Officer of Constellation Immersive (a CAA-affiliated studio), former VP of Experiential at Westfield, and a founding team member of Sleep No More, Museum of Ice Cream, and Refinery29's 29 Rooms. His awards include Cleo Awards, Biz Bash honors, and the Tribeca Film Festival Storyscapes Award. You can follow him @vancegarrett and his Substack newsletter Advanced Experiences  You can follow this podcast @toomuchwithdlh and Denise @deniselovehewett Email [email protected] for any suggestions or advice. Keywords: immersive experience design, tactile storytelling, experiential entertainment, embodied presence, collective joy, immersive theater, sensory design, creative direction, Vance Garrett, Sleep No More, Museum of Ice Cream, Disco Oasis, ritual and identity, flow state, somatic experience, multi-sensory storytelling, location-based entertainment