Escape Room Boom

New locked room games require problem-solving skills and teamwork

By Grace Huseth

Don’t know what to do with friends and family on winter weekends? It’s perfectly fine, even trendy, to lock them in a room.

In an escape room game, players are locked in a room and must use clues to solve a series of puzzles and riddles to escape within a set time limit. The thrilling game takes teamwork, and cleverness, to figure out clues in order to earn freedom.

In a less than a decade, escape rooms have taken off as entertainment venues around the country and in the city, including Room Escape Atlanta, Breakout Games, Mission: Escape Atlanta, Paranoia Quest and Escape the Room Atlanta.

Room Escape Atlanta on Auburn Avenue has rooms that let people participate in a simulated, but realistic reality TV show called “The Rescue” where players must save four hostages before time runs out. “Trapped in a Room with a Zombie” is a Walking Dead-like scenario to outsmart a zombie before all the participants are eaten.

Marina Sky, creative director at Room Escape Atlanta, previously created set designs for short films and music videos. Now she designs Jigsaw’s lair from the “Saw” movies and heartpounding paranormal sets for the various escape scenarios.

“The interesting thing about Room Escape is that you have to get into the psyche of the participants. It’s an ongoing process of marrying critical thinking and creative spin,” Sky said.

Solving the first clue in a room is a pivotal point in which participants subconsciously establish their role in the game. Team members start filling roles: the most competitive may assert themselves as leader. Another may serve as organizer, collecting clues such as a list of numbers on a bank statement, a black out light, or an assortment of keys that will be used later in the game. Some accomplices may serve as communicator, ensuring that one person’s observation is communicated to another person trying to crack a tricky code.

Joy Christina, owner of Room Escape Atlanta, said the designers hone the room escape mindset by constantly brainstorming. Each room is a product of collaborative effort where there are no bad ideas. The creators add elements to make participants constantly evaluate between coincidence and calculated placement. The papers in the filing cabinet may include a clue in code, or they may be a red herring.

Not surprisingly, real-life escape rooms evolved from video games, such as “Crimson Room,” where players virtually find clues to make their escape.

“We have cultivated the mindset of being game designers,” Christina said. “We focus our energy on how the clue relates to the room and put a lot of thought into coming up with puzzles that support the overall theme. Everything and anything can strike up an idea.”

The Atlanta Jewish Film Festival (AJFF) will return for 23 days of foreign and independent movies from Jan. 24 through Feb. 15.

The 2017 AJFF will include 76 featurelength and short films from around the globe. While the full lineup and official schedule will be announced on Jan. 6 at AJFF.org, the first wave of films set to premiere at the 17th annual event has been announced.

Titles include the topical documentary “The Freedom to Marry,” Russian hit “Paradise,” the award-winning “Harmonia” from Israel, a documentary called “The Last Laugh” exploring humor and the Holocaust and “Bang! The Bert Berns Story” about the legendary singer and songwriter.

There will be also be discussions with the filmmakers, actors, academics and more before and after the screenings.

The festival will be held at multiple theater venues across Atlanta, including the Lefont Sandy Springs, Regal’s Perimeter, Woodruff Arts Center, Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre. Georgia Theatre Company’s Merchants Walk location, Regal’s Tara Cinemas and Atlantic Station theaters and the closing night event at Atlanta Symphony Hall.

For more information and tickets, visit AJFF.org.

Your family’s most comprehensive online guide to arts and cultural entertainment Visit AtlantaPlanIt.org for more upcoming events.

V isual Arts

Lonnie Holley Solo Exhibition: New at the Contemporary are Lonnie Holley’s totemic sculptures made from found objects, drawings and site installations. Opens Jan. 12. Free. atlantacontemporary. org

Shuttered: The Art of Abandoned Spaces: Photographer Jeff Milsteen offers rare glimpses into abandoned and decaying locations at this solo exhibit. Opens Jan. 12. Free. callanwolde.org

A Play on Color & An Exploration of Joy: TEW Galleries brings together two painters whose visions, while very different, share a verve for life and a love of nature. Closes Jan. 14. Free. tewgalleries. com

Magic Tree House Exhibit: Get whisked away on a journey through American history with siblings Jack and Annie at this kids exhibit. Closes Jan. 16. $14.95. childrensmuseumatlanta.org

Boundless: Artists Todd Monaghan, Larry Jens Anderson and Elision Roshi explore the human psyche and condition through unconventional painting. Closes Jan. 20. Free. kailinart.com

Mash-Up!: Atlanta Collage Society members present what they describe as a “mash-up” of their personal histories at Gallery 72. Closes Jan. 20. Free. ocaatlanta.com

The Future of Food: Explore cuttingedge developments in sustainable food and how the farm of the future might operate. Opens Jan. 21. $5 to $10. museumofdesign.org

Works on Paper: 1980-2013 Women

From the Permanent Collection: View contemporary drawings created by female artists in MOCA GA’s collection. Tuesdays through Saturdays. $5 to $8. mocaga.org

Performing Arts

The True Story of the Three Little Pigs by A. Wolf: See the story of what really happened to those houses made of straw, sticks, and bricks, along with the three little pigs. Jan. 3 to 22. $20.50. puppet.org

Naked Boys Singing: The hilarious offBroadway smash-hit musical hits the road with six guys, 16 songs and zero clothes. Jan. 4 to 22. $35 to $50. 7stages.org

Doctor Faustus: Atlanta Shakespeare Company rearranges its stage for an in-theround version of this devilish play. Jan 5 to 29. $15 to $46. shakespearetavern.com

The Crucible: As paranoia and superstition grip the tight-knit community of Salem, reason takes a back seat to fear. Opens Jan. 21. $20 to $40. actorsexpress.com

In The Mood – A 1940s Musical Review: The brassy, all-singing, all-dancing, all-American musical revue celebrates 24 years on tour. Jan. 22. $22 to $62. cobbenergycentre.com

Alonzo King LINES Ballet: Georgia-born choreographer Alonzo King returns to his home state with his visionary choreography and extraordinary LINES Ballet dancers. Jan. 14. $32 to $42. arts.gatech.edu

Troubadour: This feel-good romantic comedy with original music by Sugarland’s Kristian Bush is a world-premiere about 1950s Nashville and country music. Opens Jan. 18. $20 to $72. alliancetheatre.org

The Music of David Bowie: Atlanta Symphony Orchestra pays tribute to David Bowie one year after his passing alongside a full rock band. Jan. 20. $19.50 to $89.50. atlantasymphony.org

Orpheus Chamber Orchestra: Performing without a conductor at Emory University, Orpheus Chamber Orchestra combines the passion of music with the power of democracy. Jan. 20. $10 to $60. arts.emory.edu

Atlanta Community Choral Festival: Atlanta Master Chorale welcomes local high school students in a collaborative concert at Emory’s Schwartz Center for Performing Arts. Jan. 21. Free! atlantamasterchorale.org

Disney’s The Little Mermaid: Set under and above the high seas at The Fox Theatre, this is the story of an adventurous young mermaid who defies rules and follows her heart. Jan. 12 to 15. $33.50 to $128.50. atlanta.broadway.com

Run The Jewels: Duo El-P and Killer Mike bring their “Run the World” tour to Atlanta’s Tabernacle. Jan. 21. $35.50. tabernacleatl.com

Free Community Concert with Indra

Thomas: Atlanta Chamber Players present a free concert at Spelman College with soprano Indra Thomas and other local musicians. Jan. 22. Free! atlantachamberplayers.com

The Beach Boys: As The Beach Boys mark more than a half century of making music, the group reunites for a national tour. Jan. 25. $46 to $86. cobbenergycentre.com

Jazz Masters: Ramsey Lewis, Jimmy Cobb, Richard Davis, and Lou Donaldson: Four of the National Endowment for the Arts official “Jazz Masters” unite on one stage. Jan. 26. $38 to $84. rialto.gsu.edu

Raiders of the Lost Ark with Live Orchestra: Watch the Steven Spielberg film at Symphony Hall while the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra performs the score live. Jan. 27 and 28. $27 to $64. atlantasymphony.org

Don Henley: Don Henley performs songs spanning his entire career from the Eagles and his vast solo catalog. Jan. 22. $51 to $191.50. foxtheatre.org