"Friends" experience in Auburn Hills immerses fans in hit show
AUBURN HILLS, Mich. (CBS DETROIT) - If you're a fan of the hit sitcom "Friends," there is an exciting event opening to the public this week that makes you feel like you're part of the show.
"It's honestly like stepping into your own episode of Friends," said Annie Dempsey, brand marketing manager for The Friends Experience.
Lights, camera, action … "Friends" fans get ready because The Friends Experience at Great Lakes Crossing in Auburn Hills is like you're on the set of the sitcom.
"You'll be able to see recreated sets, original props, costumes, and get to relive some of your favorite moments from the show," Dempsey said.
From outfits for each character, the 18-page letter (front and back) that Rachel wrote Ross … Friends fans, you get it … to Chandler and Joey's apartment, there are well-known scenes throughout the immersive experience for fans to enjoy.
That includes the forever famous "pivot" scene where fans can re-enact the classic moment with the iconic couch creating the perfect photo opportunity.
"I think Friends resonates as a show so much because it's about that time in your life when your friends really are your family, and I think that everyone can kind of connect to that rather you're looking back on that time in your life, or you're excited for that time in your life to come," said Dempsey.
It's the show's passionate fanbase that Dempsey says keeps the momentum going.
"It's timeless, there's definitely a new generation with streaming that has found the show, and so the fan base is only growing, and there's definitely an appetite to immerse yourself in the show," Dempsey stated. "This is definitely the place to be if you are a Friends fan."
The Friends Experience opens to the public on June 30 and runs until Sept. 24 at Great Lakes Crossing in Auburn Hills.
Tickets start at $27 per person. The event is also open to private parties. Click here to learn more.
The Friends Experience was created in collaboration with Warner Brothers in 2019 to accurately portray the show.
"We were working with Warner Brothers on the 15th anniversary of Friends, so we came up with a pop-up that we set up in New York City. It was 30 days, and we sold it out, line down the block. And so we saw that fans had an appetite for this. We decided to create The Friends Experience, which is bigger and better, and it's on tour throughout the U.S.," said Dempsey.
The event also has a lot of exclusive merch specific to Detroit. That retail shop is open to guests with and without tickets.
