JFI Productions has resurrected its cult-favorite immersive theater event The Willows, and this new version may be the company’s most ambitious yet. The show, which reopened Sept. 25 at Los Angeles’ Beckett Mansion, mixes gothic melodrama, interactive storytelling, and intimate dinner theater into what co-founder Justin Fix calls “The Willows 2.0.”
The production arrives during JFI’s 10th anniversary season, marking a decade of inventive and unsettling live experiences.
My Night at the Willows
I attended a preview night, and it was like nothing I’ve done before. From the moment I stepped into the mansion, it felt as if I had been transported back in time to a secluded, rural estate with secrets lurking in every corner.
The cast didn’t just perform, they lived their roles. A watchful maid, an unsettling butler, and an eccentric family drew us into a chilling narrative that unfolded room by room. Dinner was served with unease, the basement felt dangerous, and each guest was whisked into different spaces to uncover fragments of the story.
At times it was impossible to piece together the entire narrative, but that mystery fueled conversation. Strangers compared notes after the performance, eager to share what they’d witnessed, exactly the kind of communal spark immersive theater thrives on.
Cinema for the Stage
Fix explained that this revival isn’t just a restaging of the original 2017 run, which sold out more than 1,200 shows and drew celebrities like Anna Kendrick and Olivia Wilde.
“We like to call it the 4K version,” Fix said. “We’re in a new home, with spaces and scenes that have never been seen before. It’s really The Willows 2.0.”
The show features seven narrative pathways, giving guests the potential to return multiple times and still uncover something new.
“The Willows asks a lot of its audience,” Fix added. “We want people to be present, active, and in a state of play. That’s when emotional arcs land the deepest.”
A Decade of JFI Productions
This season also highlights JFI’s growth as one of Los Angeles’ defining immersive theater companies. Its flagship show Creep LA has consistently sold out for nine years, and now the company is looking toward a permanent home for its productions.
“We hope The Willows can continue outside the Halloween space and become a flagship on the West Coast,” Fix said. “People are craving experiences that don’t just look good, they make you feel something.”
JFI is also developing a Hollywood noir-inspired murder mystery for 2026, further expanding its storytelling repertoire.
For now, The Willows is back, and Los Angeles audiences once again have the chance to sit down at a dinner party where the family secrets are more terrifying than the food.
Tickets are on sale now at www.jfiproductions.com
