The Map of Now promises to be simple to navigate and easy to enjoy. It will be hosted festival-style on an interactive online platform called Gather.Town. Before each show, audience members will create their own online avatars, who then set out on a digital map of Chicago to choose their own adventures. After an audience member navigates their avatar to their chosen venue, enters the digital space and finds a virtual seat, they’ll discover each venue virtually rendered in such a way that represents the actual physical space, but in more of a retro, game-like world. Once “seated,” a simple click on an icon will launch a video of an original short performance, likely recorded in that same venue. “In addition to dreaming up a new platform to showcase Chicago’s diverse artists and venues, The Map of Now will explore community connectivity in an all-new way,” says Lucky Plush founder and artistic director Julia Rhoads.