[jowday]

There are immersive theater-type events that can scratch the same itch, although they tend to focus much less on participation than LARP events like this. The Starcruiser is probably much closer to poorly-executed immersive theater than live action roleplaying. Really well done immersive theater can be incredible - Sleep No More in NYC is one of the most mindblowing experiences I've ever had (although it closed earlier this year). Legitimately felt like I was stepping into a David Lynch movie every time I went. It only had limited, somewhat improvised audience participation with the actors.

In my experience, the best immersive theater experiences find very clever ways to make the atmosphere work. In Sleep No More and other Punchdrunk shows, all of the guests are given masquerade masks to wear, the venue is fogged, and the lighting is dim. The dim and foggy atmosphere hides stuff that would otherwise take you out of the dreamlike 1920s noir setting of the show - that the other guest walking next to you is wearing a graphic tee, for example. The masks cast the audience as a shuffling horde of vengeful spirits haunting the characters for the sins they commit throughout the show - so when you see a big crowd following a character, it doesn't instantly feel at odds with the setting the way I imagine seeing a 5 year old in a Pokemon t shirt on the Starcruiser would.