Escaping Into Audacious New Worlds with Spiegelworld

A circus company that builds entire worlds does not stop at the stage. We're joined by Spiegelworld CMO Lindsay Sanna to unpack how immersive live entertainment becomes real fandom when every detail is intentional, from the moment you walk in to the last sip of a cocktail. We talk about what makes Spiegelworld experiences like Absinthe feel like true escapism, why intimate venues create a kind of connection that arenas cannot touch, and how “surprise and delight” turns guests into repeat visitors who bring their friends.

We also get into the wild headline that says it all about their creative ambition: Spiegelworld bought Nipton, CA, a tiny town in the Mojave Desert, and is using it as a spiritual and creative center for dreaming up what comes next. From there, we trace how the brand expands beyond shows into hospitality without losing its DNA, and why the best live experience marketing treats food, drinks, and service as part of the same story world.

On the practical side, Lindsay breaks down customer journey strategy, ticketing, and point-of-sale tech, including how their CRM approach helps reduce friction, bundle upgrades, and set pricing expectations before guests arrive. We also compare marketing Las Vegas versus Atlantic City, and tackle the listener question: who is an “adult circus” really for, and how do you message edge while staying inclusive?

Subscribe for more conversations on fandom and live experiences, share this with a friend who works in entertainment or hospitality, and leave a review so more listeners can find the show.

Recorded Thursday, March 26th, 2026
Host: Damian Bazadona, CEO & Founder, Situation
Guest: Lindsay Sanna, Chief Marketing Officer, Spiegelworld
Producer: Peter Yagecic, Founder, A Mind at Work

https://situationinteractive.com
https://intix.org
https://amindatworkconsulting.com

Transcript

Welcome And Meet Spiegelworld

Peter Yagecic 0:04

You're listening to Fandom Unpacked from Situation and INTIX, the podcast series where we unpack modern fandom with some of the brightest minds in sports and entertainment. I'm producer Peter Yagecic, and joining me for today's QA is Situation CEO and founder Damian Bazadona. And our guest today is Lindsay Sanna, the chief marketing officer for Spiegel World, the genre-defying live entertainment hospitality company behind shows, bars, and restaurants all over the U.S., from Vegas to Atlantic City. Their mission is to make the world a more art-filled, inspired, and playful place, one unforgettable memory at a time. Damian, I like to think we can be pretty playful. How about you get us started and prove me wrong? Thank you, Peter.

Damian Bazadona 0:42

And thank you, Lindsay, for joining us. I'm a big fan of Spiegel World. I've been looking forward to this.

What Spiegelworld Actually Creates

Lindsay Sanna 0:46

Yes, absolutely. Thanks for having me.

Damian Bazadona 0:48

All right, for someone who may not know about the amazing universe of Spiegel World, how would you best describe it?

Lindsay Sanna 0:56

Well, for us, it's honestly so difficult to put into words because we are so intentional about what we do to create these spectacular experiences. And I think if you kind of go and start to discover us, even you know, online through our website and our social media, what we really try to do is create fully immersed worlds that we're bringing our customers, our guests, and our fans into. So at the heart of all, it's we're storytellers. And so whether it's absent at Caesar's Palace or Super Freako at Cosmopolitan between shows and restaurants, we really try to create an environment for people to escape. Everything is done with intention and purpose. And so it really sets us apart from a lot of what else is out there so that you see these wonderful circus shows that are just so thoughtful and well produced. And the entire venue is you know, from point A to point B. Like as soon as you hit that floor, you've like left Las Vegas Boulevard behind. And you were in a completely different world that we've built. And it just amazes our fans and our customers, like with utter delight to see something so spectacular and jaw-dropping that you're truly not going to get anywhere else.

The Intimacy That Builds Fandom

Damian Bazadona 2:11

Well, I've seen a lot, I think you guys use the language in your marketing of like step into the world of. And as a fan, as someone who's gone through the experience, it totally delivers in that way. You do feel like you're, it's like the sense of sort of escapism. You are stepping into another world, which is what live entertainment's supposed to do. That's kind of at its best. When when you think of a Spiegel World fan, what's stand what stands out to you about them that that may be different from fans of other live entertainment brands?

Lindsay Sanna 2:37

Yeah, I know I think with us, it's we really are a circus company at heart. And so the root of all of that is, you know, this idea of community and connection. And so for Spiegel World, it's really important. Like we don't have massively large venues. Our venues are really intimate. Our biggest venue is Absence. The tent there is capacity 600. So what you're getting when you come to us, that the fans really appreciate, is this intimacy and connection that you're not going to get, you know, in the same way in a King's Arena when you go to a show. So we are kind of set apart in that we want to build on this spirit of connectivity and the idea that everything is so thoughtfully produced at the highest quality for you that you're feeling the joy and the love that went into it. And yet we're able to put that spin on it in the brand that we're very much known for across Spiegel World, where it's very audacious, it's very big, uh, you know, it's completely unexpected. It always has, you know, a bit of dull, you know, humor tied to it, but with heart. And, you know, it's also with us, like just people know they're going to get something that's of the highest quality. And I think our fans have found that in us in a way that speaks to them and makes them find a place where they can have this moment where they can just completely escape from all the nonsense that's happening in their day-to-day lives and really take 90 minutes to just be present and to enjoy and feel that idea of just that like jaw-dropping wonder and wow that a lot of people just are missing in their day-to-day.

Damian Bazadona 4:20

So, in prep for this meeting, I read a headline that you guys acquired a town. So this seems to be kind of on brand of step into a world or step into a town, uh, which was a kind of a mind-boggling headline. Tell me more on that.

Lindsay Sanna 4:34

Yes, absolutely. So, yes, we are the proud ambassadors, if you will, of Nipton, California. So it's this really small, beautiful town in the middle of the Mojave Desert, has really like interesting history to it. Um, and it's currently right now the kind of like the spiritual and creative center for Spiegel World. Um, it's home to Nude, which for us is the Nipton Office of Design. And so it's where a lot of our in-house creatives kind of come together to assemble and dream up what's next for us as a company. It's a place where a lot of our artists can come out and have a little reprieve from the noise of Vegas to reset, think creatively. So at the moment, it's it's really like the Speaker World headquarters in a way. Um, but we have plans and hopes as we upgrade the infrastructure and everything else. And Las Mollison, our Inquisario Extraordinaire, has a big vision in how we can in the future go ahead and introduce some guests and welcome folks to join us there in really interesting ways that you know we're in development on now.

Damian Bazadona 5:45

I would imagine you get a lot of questions about this town.

Lindsay Sanna 5:47

Sure do. All the time. Yeah. No, I mean it's just so interesting because you know, a circus company's bought a town. What are you going to do with that? And there's the inevitable, we get a lot of comparisons to like the shit's creed scenario and things like that. It's it's just, but it's when you get there and you feel like the presence of being there in Nippon and you see how beautiful it is. And like at night, like the sky just opens up in the gorgeous way that it does in the middle of the desert. Like, you know, it's it makes so much sense for us. And to be able to know, like, that we've got that space and we want to get it right and we want to be thoughtful with it. And, you know, it's just a really important, you know, piece of who we are now and where we're going.

Damian Bazadona 6:34

At what point does a first-time guest stop being sort of just a visitor and start becoming more of a repeat fan or advocate? And I'm just curious the the kind of the order of operations. If my memory serves me correctly, you start from the show, you started from the show universe first, but have sort of expanded obviously into all these other hospitality platforms. But what's the order of how a fan normally enters into that ecosystem and how you think about that?

Lindsay Sanna 6:59

Yeah, it's really interesting because you're right. Um, Absinthe, we are this year celebrating the 15th anniversary of it at Caesars here in Las Vegas. So we're really proud of that. You know, it has a long legacy here in town, it's one of the top shows. And it started a couple years before that in New York, um, down at the pier, you know, and it did really great there before it came here. So historically, a circus company and show has has been where we've been most closely tied to and known for. But, you know, the last couple of years, as we've moved into this area of hospitality with Superfrico at Cosmopolitan and the Ski Lodge, which is our squeaky easy connected to Super Frico there, it's so fascinating because now we do see a little bit of a break where so many people knew Absence and then went on to discover new Sleagal World experiences because of their love for that show. But right now, we have a lot of people who are discovering us through Ski Lodge and Super Frico and just falling in love or the hospitality concepts because we're bringing something so different to that space that still has our DNA in it. And so they're able to still see though, we're creating these unique experiences across all our venues. They're all tied to the things we love, which is creating these amazing moments and kind of twisting your expectations as you're going through the door on what you're going to be experiencing. And I think that's where we're creating those repeat visitors from and building the fans because people come in thinking they know what's to come. And then it becomes so much more what they were expecting that they fall in love with it. And then they go on to share it with their friends and family, coworkers, everybody else. And then they want to see what else is there. What else can we do to like build on this? And so it's really an amazing thing to be a part of and see because we're able to have such unique experiences for people, and yet everything we do is so speak a world that they feel really connected and want to keep exploring with us.

The Brand System Behind Expansion

Damian Bazadona 9:10

Hey guys, Damien here. I just want to take a quick moment to say if you're enjoying this podcast right now, odds are you're in the business of selling live experiences. And if you don't know my team at the advertising agency situation, you most definitely should. Aside from just being an awesome group of human beings, they're a global team of professionals covering a brand base in sports, arts, theater, culture, museums, or any live experience that requires people coming together. Big, small, all shapes and sizes of brands. You can hit them up at the information below in the show notes. What's the driving force, would you say, behind the success and your non-show business? And and I really asked that. Like I had the chance to meet Ross. We had an office in Vegas in 2008, seven or eight, and I got a chance to meet Ross a few times, like many years ago.

Lindsay Sanna 10:04

Yeah.

Damian Bazadona 10:04

Watching the growth of the company is incredible. And by the way, you yeah, you know this. Succeeding in the live entertainment side is hard enough. Never mind kind of going, let me expand to all these platforms. If watching the growth, and I think the clarity of the brand and the way that you guys treat things is is extremely impressive. What's the driving what but going to another line of business is hard. Like, what's the driving force? You guys had success. What do you think is the driving force behind that? Is that the consistency of the brand? Like, I'd love to know the spiegelness, spiegliness. Yeah. Yeah.

Ticketing Tech And The Customer Journey

Lindsay Sanna 10:34

The spiegelness. It's the spiegelness. Yeah, no, I mean, I think Ross in particular has so much passion for this. And, you know, we have through that and the guidepost of who we are at Spiegel World. I I think it's a real testament to the team here and just how brilliant and committed people are to make sure we're staying true to those basics. And, you know, that we want to make sure everything is really intentionally done. That, you know, every whether it's the menus or the cocktails, the food on the plate, the entertainment before you, that it's all a piece of the full 360 puzzle. Like, you know, it's done so that you're not just sitting at the show having concession stand food. It's produced and thought to integrate into the world that we've created. You, when you're going to somewhere and we're expanding into Super Rico or Ski Lyze or Dyna Ross, which is our steakhouse at the link, you know, those are done in a way where it's with the purpose of the world that's been defined and that the team has fully committed to. So one of the things that's really stressed upon is also we never stop. Like, you know, it's it's great, but like what's the next thing? And I think that's what keeps people so enthusiastic about what we do is we're always building on that because there's so much more creativity to be had in ways to surprise people, right? So for us, it's not like going into restaurants and bars was a huge shift to what we've been doing because, like over at Absent, like how we were producing the cocktail was always really important and what we're serving people. It more became like, what do people want and how can we connect with them? We love food, we love cocktails. How do we blend this all into what's important and vital to Spiegel World? And, you know, how are we bringing moving that forward to what delights us? Um, and we know that if we succeed at that, it's gonna find the audience.

Damian Bazadona 12:51

Yeah. Uh, Peter, I know you there's a listener question. We have a couple, right?

Peter Yagecic 12:55

Well, before we get to the listener question, I actually want to channel my best Maureen Anderson, uh, founder of Intix, because she was really bummed that she couldn't be here today. Uh so I'm gonna pick a question that I think would be normally in her lane. She often describes ticketing as the first handshake with a guest, with a fan. And I know that you have broadened beyond just the show component, you know, show tickets, but there's also uh restaurants. And there's also, as you just mentioned, like drink orders and what people like from the food and beverage. So I guess my question is um, you know, how has the access control and/or ticketing or point of sale technology evolved, especially as you've broadened into all of these other different types of hospitality? And, you know, how do you how do you ensure that there's a strong post-purchased or post-visit relationship with your fans? Do they all talk to each other in the way that you wish they would? Or if not, what what's on your wish list if you could wave your magic wand to bring all that together?

Lindsay Sanna 13:58

Yeah, I think this is something that's been really important to us the last several years. We have developed what we in-house call Krakenworks, which we think of as our digital tech system on the marketing side. And it's basically how we can think of our customer journey through all of our digital tools in order to create a, you know, more frictionless experience for them so that we can bring together those worlds and experience easily. Um, you know, I think you look at our website, and one of the things that was really important to us there is how we can keep everything branded to us. So we've been able to work together with some of our partners on the ticketing end and some of our other digital platforms to create where, you know, when some a guest is going in and they're looking to purchase their tickets, we're also to make essentially itinerary suggestions for them. Like, let us help you make a reservation to one of our restaurants, and here's going to be the recommended time so that you can get to the show, you know, in in time and not miss a thing. Or, you know, hey, while you're here, we'll here's your upgrade options in order to have a drink package. So that's all preset and easy to go for you. I think us, like many others, are probably finding, you know, people are worried about pricing when they go out and, you know, unexpected costs at any given night. And, you know, yeah, going to a movie isn't just buying your movie ticket anymore, right? And so how do you kind of help ease that expectation by allowing them to build the experience up front as much as possible so they know what they've invested in. And they're not showing up at your doorstep worried about, oh gosh, like I wasn't expecting cocktails to be this or, you know, anything else. But like they know, oh my gosh, I can come here and I can get burgers and tots and a great cocktail, and I've already got it preloaded and packaged for me. I'm good to go because I did that when I bought my ticket. So that's really where our mindset is right now is how can we use the tools available to us to keep improving and creating that best, most ideal customer journey through all of our digital assets. And then following their experience with us, how can we keep letting them know, like, what's new? You know, what's what are those extensions to maybe come back or now get to share in one of the other speaker world experiences? Because, you know, we know you've just gone and you've enjoyed a fantastic time at Dinah Ross, but you're seriously now going to need to go check out Ski Lodge because you know, you've got to see what's next. So we've been really intentional with how we've created that in the last couple of years.

Damian Bazadona 16:38

You operate in two very different markets, like between, I mean Las Vegas and Atlantic City. And I guess in some respects, they're both desk. Obviously, Las Vegas is a big destination market.

Lindsay Sanna 16:47

Yeah.

Damian Bazadona 16:47

And Atlantic City to an extent. How does what have you, what's how do you operate? Just I'd love to talk about those just different cities and how you operate in them and how they're different in terms of how you're recruiting and nurturing fans.

Lindsay Sanna 16:58

Yeah, it is, they're very different. Because though they are destination markets, I think when you look at it at Linux City in particular, it has one significant peak season and it's summertime, right? When people are heading there to the shore, enjoying the beach. And so we really think about, consider how we can take the opportunity to ride that peak. But also, we're the only residency show in at Linux City year-round. So, how do we take the opportunity in the rest of the throughout the rest of the year to make sure we're engaging with the community, thinking about how we're building a regional audience and really feeling more an asset for our resort partners, Caesars, and the locals in being able to be seen as an attribute to the market overall, that they have this really amazing, high-quality production show right there on the boardwalk. You know, the venue's stunning. And the show was built and designed in a way that speaks to the legacy and the history of Atlantic City, so that it didn't feel like the Las Vegas producer was coming in and dropping a show here on the shore, but it was done with the respect that Atlantic City deserves. It's a wonderful city, it has such a history to it. And so for AC, we really went in, and as we think about the market and how we're reaching out to our customers, it's more of an ongoing dialogue about like what's new, the new acts that are coming in, you know, how how fresh the show keeps keeps changing and updating, um, so that we can build that with them. Whereas in Vengus, you know, it's highly competitive, as you guys know. I mean, the last couple of years, there's been the massive introduction of sports and larger venues across Sphere, T-Mobile, and Allegiant. And whereas our scale of production shows had been the bread and butter of Vegas Entertainment for so long, you know, that's shifted. And so now I think it's really about for us in how we're targeting and building that audience, again, going back to finding that connective tissue of kind of the humanity and the experience that you want to build with those people who are eager and hungry for something that's so unique and different that takes them out of the noise of Vegas in a way and gives them something really special, whether it is in a restaurant bar or one of our shows. Um, you know, you can go to Atomic Saloon and suddenly you're tossed into the middle of this madcap version of the old West that, you know, you never would have imagined before. And I think being able to find people who have that sensibility is what we really try to pay attention to. I think for us, gone are the days where you put a massive billboard up at the airport and along the tourist corridor, and you know, you feel like checked that, good to go. Like they're going to come because they see me now. And it's really about finding a more personalized one-on-one connection to build those Vegas audiences.

Damian Bazadona 20:18

I think the fact that you guys have a platform across all these different kinds of entities in Vegas, I think it's it's obviously very smart. And I feel like, and we spent a lot of time working in the Vegas market. It is, as you know, you know better than I do, highly competitive, yeah, extraordinarily transient, right? Of markets coming in. And so the fact that you, the the fact that you guys have not only survived but thrived and continue to grow, it's gotta just be so cool of being able to get someone in on the hospitality site in a restaurant or some bird, and then ultimately get them to connect the dots of the show. And I just think it's so I think it's really beautiful how you guys have built it out. Um uh Peter, I think you want to get that listener question?

Who Is Absinthe For Really

Peter Yagecic 20:56

Yeah, I think this listener question really does speak to that unique and different uh sensibility that you were just talking about, Lindsay. So here's what we got in from our listener. I saw Absinthe in Las Vegas and I had a blast, but I couldn't help but thinking there are some people in my life I'd feel really comfortable and excited about seeing the show with, and others that I'd be a little bit more nervous to go in there with. Am I alone? Does messaging around your show uh about who your show will appeal to inform how you communicate with fans?

Lindsay Sanna 21:27

I love this question because I think this hits on a lot of our day-to-day in a way because we are an adult circus company. You know, we have uh, you know, it there's definitely an adult sensibility, humor, you know, an unexpected edge to what we do. And so there's a lot of people who feel like, oh, maybe that's not for me. But the intention of what we do is to be inclusive to everybody and not. Nothing makes me happier than sitting in the audience. And at the start of a show, you can kind of like, or in dinner, you can sit around and you can kind of look around and you can see the person who you're like, they don't know what they're in for. And they're a little hesitant. And then I swear to you, halfway through the first act, their jaws on the floor, and they're the first one standing up, jumping and clapping. Like they're so won over. Because the way we approach it, it's it's not to be from a place of fear, it's to really just take you into a space where, like, you know, your mind's blown. Like, like you just cannot believe what you're experiencing. And so I think people do hit often with the assumption of, oh, I don't want to be in the front row because I don't want to get picked on, or oh, I can't go with Aunt Betty and Grandma Jane because that's gonna be really awkward. But I tell you what, like our talent is so remarkable that they know when they can read the room and they're they're in it to bring any everybody along together. And when you see these different groups of people getting totally won over and experiencing it at the same time with such happiness, like there's no fear on my part that what we do isn't for someone. Because I can guarantee, like, you might feel like it's gonna be awkward going with your parents, but your parents are going to delight and surprise you in how all in they're going to be. Like, you know, more than maybe you were thinking. So for us, it's it's a constant like fearlessness because we know once you're there, like it's gonna bring you all together. It's not gonna, it's not gonna make you hesitant about that at all.

Damian Bazadona 23:53

That's gotta be the secret sauce of what's driven the word of mouth over all these years. It's just so surprise and delight. And I think it it uh yeah, that's that's at least what I hear in the word of mouth, how people think about it. And I get it because I've I've seen the show too about a couple times. It's like, and I get how it could feel it's adult, you know what I mean? So and the but I feel your point is exactly right though, is that the performers bring everyone along for the ride and people leave on such a high it's so it's actually that's what I think it makes it. That's why I have your guests. This is like exactly a kind of brand which I just think is just incredible. Exactly. It's so fun.

Lindsay Sanna 24:24

I've sat with so many people who like next to me, they'll you know, they'll say, I know you explained it to me, but this is so much more than I was expecting. And I was like, Yes, thank you. Like it's just, it's just, it's a great feeling, you know, and it's what we're really proud of.

The Next Era Of Live Fandom

Damian Bazadona 24:46

Hey guys, Damien here. If you're listening to this podcast, I'm gonna bet that you're probably thinking about how your team works and adapts right now in this new technology landscape. That's why the one person I always point people to is my co-host, right here, Peter Yajisik, and his company, A Mind at Work Consulting. They run smart, tech-infused workshops that help teams build new skills and actually put ideas into action. Peter is way too humble to brag, but I have no problems bragging for him. So if you're serious about what's next, talk to Aa Mind at Work Consulting. More in the show notes below. So, all right, so here's the last question. A, I just want to say thank you. I genuinely appreciate you taking the time because this is obviously time out of the day. You got a lot going on, you guys are a busy company, you've got a town in California. Um, so here the last question is looking ahead, how do you what do you think about the next era fandom and what does that look like for live experiences that I would say that blur the line between show, space, social life, hospitality? Like what and listening to this podcast or live experience operators, marketers, all that type of of that universe of in that industry. What will live brands you think need to do differently to keep earning people's time and attention as we go forward?

Lindsay Sanna 26:08

Yeah, I think, you know, this is what we're all leading in. And it's such an interesting space and time at the moment because, you know, day-to-day people are so connected to their devices, to everything that is happening, you know, that for us, I think the important thing and what we keep looking towards is not settling. And, you know, it is this sense that you're constantly aiming to create the unexpected. And, you know, like I mentioned, like absence on year 15. The show wasn't created 15 years ago, and everybody just like tapped themselves on the back and it's like, job well done. It's spectacular, it's evolved, and you know, we still are constantly like we're adding more to the hospitality experience at Absent in the Green Fairy Garden. You know, the the rotation of acts that come through are continually pushing the envelope. So I think this ability to constantly evolve by evaluating yourself in order to push forward the expectations of what live entertainment can be is the roadmap. And that's what people are looking for. I think people want that feel of connection and being together in something that's just joyful. And I think they want the surprise of something good's gonna happen here. And I think like to be able to look at live entertainment as it progresses, you know, there's so many amazing tools available to us now, but there's still something so vital about that tactile experience of emotion and sitting beside somebody and having an amazing cocktail and just, you know, feeling the like jitters of anticipation. And I think not taking that for granted is what we need to keep doing. And that, you know, there is no stopping. Like you have to keep upping your own game.

Damian Bazadona 28:13

Well, well said. I totally agree. It's like the magic alive is that it's special. That's also the responsibility is keep it special, which is reinvestment and re-engagement. Um, yeah, and I think you guys have done a masterful job. Yeah, thank you. Yo, thank you. Thank you for spending time with us.

Lindsay Sanna 28:28

Yes.

Final Takeaways And Farewell

Damian Bazadona 28:28

Uh Peter, do you want to take us down? That is gonna do it for this

Peter Yagecic 28:32

episode of Phantom Unpacked. Thank you, Lindsay, and thank you, Damien. If you liked what you heard today, please check out all the great QA interviews we've done over at fandomunpack.com or by searching PhantomUpact and following the series in your podcast player of choice. We'd also love for you to rate and review the show while you're at it. That really helps us to keep evolving and find new fans. We're gonna be back in your feed in a couple of weeks. I'm Peter Yujistic. See you next time, true believers.