By Sara Menco Arenas, Nova Southeastern University
The Broward Center for the Performing Arts is set to launch its new Off Center Series—a bold, immersive lineup that transforms the theater experience by bringing audiences into more interactive, up-close performances, running from January through May 2026.
The new Off Center Series aims to showcase performances that blend humor, creativity, and interaction. Unlike the traditional theater experience—where audiences sit back and watch from a distance—the series offers a more casual and social atmosphere that invites guests to feel part of the performance.
In its inaugural season, the series will feature three comedy-driven shows: In Pour Taste: A Comedy Wine Tasting Experience (January 8–25), BATSU! (February 11–22), and The Office! A Musical Parody (April 16–May 3). Designed to move beyond a standard stage setup, the series uses the Abdo New River Room; a multi-purpose banquet space, to create flexible, immersive environments.
“It’s a new, fun, little atypical series where we want to bring the audience into a more immersive experience where they’re sort of part of the show and it’s a little less conventional,” said Keith Hinson, marketing manager at the Broward Center for the Performing Arts.
The idea was proposed by Broward Center CEO Ty Sutton, who stepped into the role in February 2024, and encouraged the team to explore new ways to utilize the Abdo New River Room.
Hinson explained that while concerts, plays, and musicals continue to draw audiences, there’s a growing appetite for immersive, unconventional shows that invite people to be part of the performance—a shift that led Sutton to encourage re-envisioning how the space is used.
With this in mind, the series is intended to become an annual fixture at the Broward Center, featuring a rotating lineup of new shows each season. The goal is to continue presenting a small collection of immersive productions that bring something fresh to audiences each year.
In Pour Taste: A Comedy Wine Tasting Experience (January 8-25)
To kick off the series, In Pour Taste opens the Off Center lineup with a blend of comedy, improv, and wine tasting, inviting audiences to sample wines while enjoying an evening full of quick-witted humor and interactive fun.
Led by Australian comedians Sweeney Preston and Ethan Cavanagh, the show pairs five wines with rounds of humor and spontaneous jokes, joined by a local wine expert who offers real insights amid the playful chaos. Each ticket includes all five wine tastings (with an alcohol-free option available) and a personal charcuterie board, enhancing the immersive, social experience.
“We like to make it feel like you’re just coming into our house essentially,” said Sweeney Preston. “It’s not like a lot of shows that put distance between the performer and the audience.”
In Pour Taste breaks from the traditional comedy format through improv and audience involvement, making each performance more casual, intimate and different every night.
BATSU! (February 11–22)
Following In Pour Taste, BATSU! brings a popular Japanese style of comedy known as a batsu game, where comedians take on challenges and the losers receive a punishment. Among the punishments, performers may face electric shocks, paintballs, or an egg-smashing chicken—an unconventional comedy experience that could be fairly new to American audiences.
“With BATSU!, you can jump and sign a waiver, and you can win glory or suffer BATSU! right alongside the comedians,” said Hinson. “When we say interactive, you’re not just watching in the audience, if you want to be part of the action, you can be part of the action.”
The Office! A Musical Parody (April 16–May 3)
Closing the inaugural season is The Office! A Musical Parody, a mockumentary based on the beloved TV series and a cultural phenomenon. Audiences can expect to see the familiar humor of Dunder Mifflin come to life on stage.
“You can only put the hilarity on steroids by adding music and dance,” said Hinson. “The space is going to be set up like the actual office with different areas, including the annex, the bullpen, and Toby’s area.”
The musical parody is being produced in-house at the Broward Center, and the show promises an immersive and unforgettable experience for both longtime fans and newcomers.
Together, these productions set the stage for a series that celebrates the creativity and richness of South Florida’s arts community, giving locals a chance to connect through humor and interactive theatre.
“South Florida has no shortage of live entertainment options, so I think the impact on the local community is going to be that we’re trying to do something that is maybe a little bit out of the norm,” explained Hinson. “I think it’s going to bring the audiences in to continue to believe in what we do.”
For South Florida audiences, this marks an exciting new kind of night out—one that’s immersive, unpredictable, and full of laughter.
“We know the audiences are going to be completely blown away and are going to leave talking and wanting to bring their friends back to see the shows again,” said Hinson.
Sara Menco Arenas is a student reporter in a journalism course taught by Dr. Megan Fitzgerald in NSU’s Department of Communication, Media, and the Arts.
