About EXPLORE

EXPLORE the Stories Behind the Art is a project of the Seanchai Library, designed to promote virtual worlds as platforms for real world institutions to develop audience outreach and learning tools to support their live performances and programs.  This project based learning approach can be relevant for Schools, Universities, Senior Programs, both Performing and Visual Arts, Library Systems,  . . . and more!

Theater ~ Music ~ Visual Arts ~ Humanities ~ Language Arts ~ History . . . EXPLORE is an opportunity to offer an additional unique experience for all these, while still focusing on the importance of live performances, live interaction, and real world events.

"My daughter just came home from the theater and she was raving about this!" 
                 ~ Parent of a Student attending Tacoma Little Theater's opening night performance

"With a wealth of interactive elements throughout, including links to the Tacoma Little Theatre, resources that explore the story of the Great Gatsby in more detail, and the opportunity to really immerse yourself a a piece of truly great American literature, Explore the Great Gatsby is very much worth taking the time to visit – and if you haven’t already done so, I’d urge you to so"
                 ~  Inara Pey, Living In a Modem World -  "Of Mansions and motifs"


"(Tacoma Little Theatre has) . . . teamed up with Seanchai to create a learning experience, which is perfect for people of any age. This is certainly not the first literary sim in the metaverse, not even in OpenSim; both OSGrid and Craft have had some lovely didactic builds. . . But while it may not be an original idea - if such a thing even exists- it is an exquisitely executed one. Caledonia Skytower and friends have put together the fabric of the story, the bricks and mortar if you like - in an original and beautiful way."
                   ~ Thirza Ember, pings from the afterlife - "Goodbye to Gatsby"

The focus of EXPLORE is to provide a visual framework around real-time, live activity - readings of source material or related literature, discussion forums, continuing education programs, etc.  EXPLORE creates a virtual environment which anyone can access from an average home computer with internet service.  The environment allows for the self-selected experience by the user: attending/listening/participating in live programs, exploring the environment and clicking on objects linked to online resources related to the featured work or project.

The recent EXPLORE The Great Gatsby pilot project was open from January 16 - March 1, 2015, and included:
  • Ten hours of live voice presentations from the novel.
  • Three tours to virtual world exploring groups with participants from all over the world
  • Exposure to over 1500 TLT patrons and guests through TLT performances - preshow and at intermission
  • Over 100 Hypergrid visitors nationally and internationally, including visitors from Italy, Switzerland, Germany, France, The Netherlands, and the United Kingdom.
  • A full region, custom built environment inspired by the places and events of F. Scott Fitzgerald's novel: The Valley of Ashes; East Egg (The Buchanan mansion); West Egg (Gatsby's mansion and Nick Carraway's rental cottage).
  • A custom built interior replica of the the commissioning partner's (Tacoma Little Theater) lobby and theater, including links of relevance to their stage production and the company in general.
  • A gallery space linking to the text or information on the entire canon of written works by F. Scott Fitzgerald, in addition to links to a variety of biographical sources on the author
  • Curatorial links through out the build to social and economic issues, art deco, early jazz, major events, flappers, prohibition, and other information or significance to the story.
  • Additional information on the website as to characters, plot and other supporting information.
  • A welcome center and orientation area for those new to virtual worlds.
  • "How To" information via the tabs on this project website.

Imagine making your educational materials available to a broader audience, not just to students.  
              Imagine creating access without significantly burdening your staff or facility
                             Imagine extending your organization's reach beyond your local sphere to 
                                     an international audience.
                                                  Imagine a classroom experience that utilizes current technology 
                                                              with a live interactive presence
That is what EXPLORE is all about.  

We offer a service that includes:
  • Custom built virtual environments
  • Live online programming and event management 
  • Educational support services (Study Guides)
  • Cooperative marketing
Contact us to discuss a project or get a project quote. thedede at comcast (dot) net

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