It’s easy to perceive a childhood of solving puzzles and completing scavenger hunts as just fond memories. But for Abby Fitzgerald, it was the training ground for a lifelong passion and a burgeoning career in the world of escape rooms. Her journey, from a fan of a little-known TV show to designing her own immersive experiences, is a testament to the power of creative inspiration and a hands-on approach to building entertainment.
It all started with a short-lived 2012 reality show called “The Great Escape.” Hosted by Rich Eisen, the series dropped teams into elaborate, movie-like scenarios, challenging them to escape locations like Alcatraz and the USS Hornet. For a young Abby, the show, which only aired for one season, sparked a fascination with the thrill of the escape. This, combined with the elaborate scavenger and treasure hunts her grandfather would create for her, ignited a passion for puzzles and problem-solving.
This early love for interactive challenges blossomed into a hands-on hobby. Before escape rooms became a mainstream phenomenon, Abby’s mother created a birthday party escape room for her when she was just ten years old. This experience, a precursor to the industry’s boom, further solidified Abby’s interest. She soon began designing her own board games and puzzles, laying the groundwork for what would become her professional calling.
Listen In
The full interview with Abby is available to listen to below. I was blown away by Abby’s folder of ideas for escape rooms. And like a freestyle rapper, she’s able to create a custom escape room experience for any occasion.
Crafting the Experience
Abby’s early attempts at escape room design were characterized by a charmingly DIY-esque personal touch. One of her first creations, designed for a church youth group retreat, involved handcuffing her friends to a bunk bed, forcing them to work together to reach a key. This early puzzle highlights a key element that continues to influence her designs: the importance of collaboration. She finds a certain magic in separating groups and forcing them to communicate to solve a larger puzzle, a theme that has appeared in many of her creations.
Her design process is a blend of imaginative storytelling and practical resourcefulness. She draws inspiration from a variety of sources, from the strategy of board games like Catan and Ticket to Ride to the simple fun of video games like Halo. However, her most unique ideas often come from everyday life. An overnight stocking job led to the ingenious use of discarded shrink wrap to create a surprisingly realistic snow effect for one of her rooms. It’s this ability to see the potential for a puzzle in the mundane that sets her work apart.
When it comes to building her rooms, Abby relies on a combination of her own ingenuity and the handiwork of her mother. Together, they transform everyday objects and materials into the building blocks of her imaginative worlds. From a massive paper-mache dragon’s head named Bert to a secret door cleverly disguised as a game of tug-of-war with a stuffed dog, her creations are a testament to what can be achieved with a bit of creativity and a can-do attitude.
Introducing Abby’s Antics
This passion has now evolved into a business venture called “Abby’s Antics.” Recognizing the desire for personalized and unique entertainment, Abby offers a mobile escape room experience. She can bring one of her existing, well-tested rooms to a client’s location or, for a truly special event, design a brand-new experience from scratch. Imagine a birthday party where the puzzles are themed around the guest of honor’s life, or a corporate event with challenges tailored to the company’s industry.
Her portfolio of rooms showcases her playful and often humorous storytelling. In “Night of the Missing Pepsi,” players must break into a witch’s hut to reverse a curse brought on by stealing her last can of soda. Another room, “Construction Zone,” locks players in a breakroom and tasks them with escaping before they’re late for their shift. These scenarios, brought to life through intro videos she writes and stars in, demonstrate her knack for creating engaging narratives that draw players into the world of the game.
Forging Her Own Path
Having experienced close to 50 escape rooms herself and worked as a game master at a “Breakout Escape Rooms” location, Abby has a deep understanding of what makes a successful escape room. She admires the high-tech, immersive experiences offered by places like “The Sanctuary Escape” in Oklahoma City, known for its multi-room adventures and detailed set design. However, she also recognizes the value of simpler, more reliable mechanics. While high-tech puzzles can be impressive, they can also be prone to technical difficulties, which can detract from the player’s experience. This is why she often favors the tangible satisfaction of a well-placed lock and key.
Her time as a game master has also given her valuable insight into player behavior. She’s learned to observe how different people approach puzzles and has adapted her designs accordingly. If she notices a common sticking point, she’ll make subtle adjustments, like adding a visual cue to help players make a connection they might have otherwise missed.
For those looking to follow in her footsteps, Abby offers this advice: get out there and network. Sharing your passion with friends and family can lead to unexpected opportunities. And most importantly, be confident in your creations. For Abby Fitzgerald, what started as a childhood pastime has become a unique and exciting career, proving that with a little imagination and a lot of heart, you can turn your passion into a profession.