Third Rail Projects
Third Rail Projects is a Brooklyn-based immersive theater company that designs and produces site-specific, multi-sensory theatrical experiences, VR works, and educational programs for arts audiences, academic institutions, corporate clients, and arts organizations.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2001
- HeadquartersMamaroneck, United States
- Headcount51–100
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingServices
What Third Rail Projects does
Third Rail Projects, founded in 2001 in New York City by Tom Pearson, Jennine Willett, and Zach Morris (25th Anniversary forthcoming in 2026), is a private LLC operating as a sponsored project of Fractured Atlas. The company designs and produces site-specific and immersive theatrical experiences in which audiences participate as active co-creators of the narrative, drawing on multi-sensory environmental design, sound, choreography, and dramatic writing.
The product portfolio comprises (i) live immersive productions such as Then She Fell, The Grand Paradise, Ghost Light, Ikaros, and Confection, deployed at venues including Lincoln Center Theater, La Jolla Playhouse, Denver Center for the Performing Arts, and Folger Shakespeare Library; (ii) the VR experience Wolves in the Walls, co-developed with Fable Studios and Oculus Story Studio; (iii) experimental short films, notably The Night Garden, distributed via Vimeo On-Demand at 2.99 USD rentals and 9.99 USD purchases; (iv) educational workshops and multi-week academic residencies priced at 300 USD per 4-session series (with subsidized 200 USD tier); and (v) professional consultation services covering concept development, dramaturgy, audience experience design, choreography, and staging for external clients including Ecstatic, Adventure Lab, China Dream Entertainment, Google, and Fable Studios.
Revenue is generated across five streams: ticketed live performances, workshop registrations, consultation fees, Vimeo digital content transactions, and donations/foundation grants channeled through Fractured Atlas. Capital structure is non-equity, with no disclosed venture funding or parent entity, and ownership and creative direction are concentrated among the three co-artistic directors. The company holds no patents or trademarks, and its principal intangible assets are a 20+ production content library, a Peabody Award (2023), an Emmy Award (2019), and multiple Bessie Awards and Drama Desk recognition.
Third Rail Projects firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Third Rail Projects
- Legal name
- Third Rail Projects LLC
- Website
- https://thirdrailprojects.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2001
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 51–100 employees
- Short description
- Third Rail Projects is a Brooklyn-based immersive theater company that designs and produces site-specific, multi-sensory theatrical experiences, VR works, and educational programs for arts audiences, academic institutions, corporate clients, and arts organizations.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Third Rail Projects industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Immersive and Site-Specific Theater
- NAICS
- Performing Arts Companies (7111), Theater Companies and Dinner Theaters (711110), Motion Picture and Video Exhibition (51213)
- SIC
- Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900), Services-Motion Picture & Video Tape Production (7812)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Musical Theatre (Non-Broadway/Fringe) (MPAGABAG)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Performing Arts & Music Lessons (Dance, Drumming, Instrument Lessons, Theater) (THAJAKAC), Alternative Content Exhibition (Live Broadcasts, Concert Films, Sports, Opera) (MPADAKAG)
Keywords
Where Third Rail Projects is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Mamaroneck
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Third Rail Projects business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others
Revenue model
- Performance Tickets and Admissions: Revenue from live immersive theater performances presented at venues, festivals, and site-specific locations. Productions like Then She Fell, The Grand Paradise, Ghost Light, and others were presented as ticketed live experiences.
- Education Workshops: Fees from immersive theater workshops including the 'Immersive Makers' series ($300 for 4 sessions) and 'Writing for Immersive Theater' programs. Private workshops and residencies for institutions are also offered.
- Consultation Services: Professional consultation services for creative projects, including concept development, dramaturgy, audience experience design, and staging. Services develop into deeper collaborations with various clients.
- Streaming and Digital Content: Revenue from Vimeo rentals ($2.99 for 48 hours) and purchases ($9.99 for streaming/download) of documentary and short films including The Night Garden, Between Yourself and Me, and As Time Goes By.
- Donations and Fundraising: Individual donations and institutional support for research and development, rehearsal space, performer compensation, and materials. The company is a sponsored project of Fractured Atlas (non-profit arts service organization).
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Multi-year contract | Immersive Makers Workshop Series - 4-week series |
| Transaction based/ take rate | Pay-as-you-go | The Night Garden Streaming |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels5 records
Third Rail Projects product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Third Rail Projects creates and presents immersive, site-specific theatrical productions in which audiences become active participants in the narrative. Beyond live performances, the company sells educational workshops on immersive theater creation, academic residencies, and creative consultation services for external projects. It also distributes experimental films via Vimeo and offers published poetry collections by its co-founder.
Product overview
Third Rail Projects is a New York City-based performance company specializing in immersive, site-specific, and experiential theater. The company's portfolio includes a diverse range of offerings: immersive theater productions (Then She Fell, The Grand Paradise, Ghost Light, Ikaros, Behind the City), educational workshops and residencies for artists and institutions, creative consultation services for external projects, experimental films (The Night Garden), VR experiences (Wolves in the Walls), and published poetry collections (Still, the Sky, The Sandpiper's Spell). The company is led by co-founders Tom Pearson, Jennine Willett, and Zach Morris, and operates the Global Performance Studio for international cultural exchange programs.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Global Performance Studio: An international program for cultural listening and exchange founded by Tom Pearson, which cultivates opportunities for artists from different cultural backgrounds to engage in diplomacy through shared practice, dialogue, and community building.
Products and services
- Immersive Theater Productions Site-specific and immersive theatrical performances presented at theaters, festivals, and non-traditional venues, where audiences become active participants rather than passive viewers. Targeted at adult arts and culture audiences and presenting institutions such as Lincoln Center Theater, La Jolla Playhouse, and Denver Center for the Performing Arts.
- Educational Workshops Online and in-person workshops teaching immersive theater creation methodologies, writing for immersive performance, and audience experience design, led by Third Rail Projects co-founders. Targeted at individual artists, students, and institutions.
- Academic and Partner Residencies Customized multi-week or multi-month residency programs for universities, colleges, and partner organizations that culminate in original performance work by participants. Targeted at academic institutions and arts organizations.
- Consultation Services Professional creative consultation services for external organizations covering concept development, dramaturgy, audience experience design, performance design, choreography, and staging. Targeted at arts organizations, theaters, entertainment companies, and brand clients.
- The Night Garden An experimental 28-minute movement-based short film shot entirely on smartphones, featuring surrealist vignettes and poetic imagery. Available for rent ($2.99 for 48 hours) and purchase ($9.99) on Vimeo On-Demand, and winner of more than 20 awards at over 40 international film festivals.
- Wolves in the Walls (VR Experience) Immersive virtual reality experience based on Neil Gaiman's book, featuring choreography from Third Rail Projects and created with Fable Studios and Oculus Story Studio. Winner of a Peabody Award and a 2019 Emmy Award for Outstanding Innovation in Interactive Media.
- Still, the Sky A poetry collection by Tom Pearson exploring Greek mythology themes of Icarus and Asterion, combining poetry with multimedia artwork. Winner of an Indie Reader Discovery Award in Fiction and a Readers' Favorite Book Award in Fiction-Mythology.
- The Sandpiper's Spell A poetry collection by Tom Pearson exploring littoral and urban landscapes, life, death, and memory. Selected as one of Kirkus Reviews Best Indie Books of 2019.
Quantifiable outcome
- Won a Peabody Award in the new category of Immersive/Interactive and a 2019 Emmy Award for Outstanding Innovation in Interactive Media for Wolves in the Walls VR experience
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Third Rail Projects
Customer profileNamed customers6 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Third Rail Projects technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
Third Rail Projects partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Fable StudioscoreCollaborative partner on 'Wolves in the Walls' VR project. Fable Studios invited Third Rail Projects for choreography and motion capture work, which won both Peabody and Emmy Awards. The collaboration was pivotal to the project's success.
- Oculus Story StudiocorePartner on 'Wolves in the Walls' VR project that won a Peabody Award and Emmy Award. The project was available on Oculus Quest platform.
- Emily Harvey FoundationminorProviding artist residency support for 'High Rise' project by Tom Pearson during acqua alta (high water) and Carnevale season in Venice, Italy, beginning early 2026.
- UIUC/Illinois Theatre - Daniel J. Sullivan Artist in Residence ProgramminorProvided initial development support for 'There's a Ghost in Everything' by Zach Morris, designed as a touring production for black-box theaters.
- Albany Park Theater ProjectminorLong-standing collaborative partner on immersive productions including 'Learning Curve' and 'Port of Entry' exploring immigrant stories in Chicago.
- La Jolla PlayhousecorePresented 'Ikaros' at the 2019 Without Walls (WOW) Festival. La Jolla Playhouse is a major regional theater presenting Third Rail Projects' work to new audiences.
- Denver Center for the Performing ArtsminorPresented 'Sweet & Lucky' immersive theater production, described as 'unlike anything you've seen before' with extensive local media coverage.
- Lincoln Center Theater/LCT3corePresented 'Ghost Light' at Lincoln Center, described as 'Third Rail are masters of the skewed perspective' by The New York Times.
- CEC ArtsLinkminorProvided Back Apartment Residency Program fellowship supporting Tom Pearson and Marissa Nielsen-Pincus in Saint Petersburg, Russia for 'The Night Garden' project.
Scale indicators5 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Third Rail Projects competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Punchdrunk: Pioneering UK-based immersive theater company behind Sleep No More, the canonical site-specific immersive production. Closest direct competitor to Third Rail Projects given overlapping methodology (audience-as-participant, site-specific environments, dance-theater vocabulary).
- The Wooster Group: New York-based experimental theater company known for immersive, technology-driven productions and site-specific work. Direct peer given shared New York avant-garde performance heritage and overlap in sophisticated, design-forward audience experiences.
- SITI Company: Founded by Anne Bogart and Tadashi Suzuki, SITI produces devised, immersive theater with site-specific and intercultural dimensions. Direct peer given similar ensemble-driven, design-led immersive methodology and overlapping university workshop offerings.
- Elevator Repair Service (ERS): Brooklyn-based experimental theater ensemble producing long-duration, immersive literary adaptations (notably Gatz). Peer given shared NYC base, avant-garde aesthetic, and overlapping audience of experimental theater-goers.
- The TEAM: Brooklyn/NYC ensemble producing touring immersive and politically engaged devised theater. Direct peer given shared NYC base, ensemble model, civic-thematic programming, and touring presentation model.
- Pig Iron Theatre Company: Philadelphia-based physical/immersive theater ensemble producing devised site-specific work with crossover academic programming. Direct peer given shared devised-theater methodology and touring presentation at regional presenters.
- Mabou Mines: Long-running New York avant-garde theater company producing experimental ensemble work. Direct peer given overlapping NYC experimental-theater history and similar ensemble-driven production model.
Regional players
- St. Ann's Warehouse: Brooklyn presenter that has hosted immersive and experimental international touring work (notably Punchdrunk). Comparable adjacency given shared NYC immersive-theater presenting ecosystem and overlap in audience development for site-specific work.
Broad incumbents
- HERE Arts Center: New York arts venue presenting experimental, immersive, and multi-disciplinary work. Comparable given shared NYC experimental ecosystem and frequent co-presentation of works targeting immersive-theater audiences.
Others
- Fable Studios: VR/narrative technology studio that co-developed 'Wolves in the Walls' with Third Rail Projects. Strategic peer given shared immersive content IP and overlapping Peabody-recognized innovative interactive media portfolio.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Third Rail Projects social profiles
Digital presenceThird Rail Projects financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Third Rail Projects leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles4 records
Third Rail Projects funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Third Rail Projects M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Third Rail Projects
What does Third Rail Projects do?
Third Rail Projects creates and presents immersive, site-specific theatrical productions in which audiences become active participants in the narrative. Beyond live performances, the company sells educational workshops on immersive theater creation, academic residencies, and creative consultation services for external projects. It also distributes experimental films via Vimeo and offers published poetry collections by its co-founder.
Is Third Rail Projects a public or private company?
Third Rail Projects is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Third Rail Projects founded?
Third Rail Projects was founded in 2001. It employs 51 to 100 people.
Where is Third Rail Projects based?
Third Rail Projects is headquartered in Mamaroneck, United States, in the North America region.
How does Third Rail Projects make money?
Five revenue lines are on record. Performance Tickets and Admissions are the primary driver. The others are education Workshops, consultation Services, streaming and Digital Content and donations and Fundraising.
Who are Third Rail Projects's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Punchdrunk, The Wooster Group, SITI Company, Elevator Repair Service (ERS), The TEAM, Pig Iron Theatre Company and Mabou Mines. St. Ann's Warehouse is listed as a regional player. HERE Arts Center is listed as a broad incumbent. Fable Studios is listed as an others.
Does Third Rail Projects have an API?
No public API is recorded for Third Rail Projects.
What industry is Third Rail Projects in?
Third Rail Projects's product category is Immersive and Site-Specific Theater. Its primary akta.pro industry code is MPAGABAG, Musical Theatre (Non-Broadway/Fringe), with a secondary code of THAJAKAC, Performing Arts & Music Lessons (Dance, Drumming, Instrument Lessons, Theater). Its NAICS code is 7111 and its SIC code is 7900.