Blog

Aniba Entertainment celebrates its 10-year anniversary in live entertainment. A decade shaped by creativity, collaboration, and a shared ambition bringing live experiences to audiences of all ages. From intimate theatrical moments to large-scale park productions, Aniba has built a diverse portfolio of shows driven by one thing: talented people.

As the industry continues to evolve in a world increasingly influenced by artificial intelligence and digital experiences, one thing remains unchanged: live entertainment is a people-driven craft build. But what makes it so enduring? And what does the future hold? To reflect and look ahead, we spoke with two of our team members: Benjamin Murck and Jacomijn van der Maten.

Growing through doing

Without a background in entertainment, Jacomijn joined as a Halloween Supervisor, drawn to the energy and dynamic nature of the industry. Ever since, she has grown into her current role as Project Coordinator. At Aniba the focus is simple: putting people in their strength. By focusing on what someone enjoys and where their talent lies, growth becomes a natural process. Through training, feedback, and continuous development opportunities, people are encouraged to evolve, within and beyond their roles.

Benjamin’s journey at Aniba started ten years ago, marking his very first professional acting role. With a background in the musical theatre, he quickly recognized what makes Aniba unique: productions that combine strong musical elements with deep focus on audience connection. From the very beginning, there was space during rehearsals to contribute ideas and shape characters personally. This creative freedom allowed him to grow, experiment, and develop his skills. Throughout Benjamin’s years at Aniba, he grew into his current function as Team Coordinator & Show Creative.

The power of real connections

What makes live entertainment fundamentally different from digital experiences is not the scale or the technology, it’s the connection you create between people. “At Aniba, we constantly balance storytelling with audience interaction,” Benjamin explains. Actors are trained to engage, to adapt and never overlook the audience. Whether it’s on stage or beyond, for example during street entertainment, guests become part of the show. From the moment they enter the park to the moment they leave, a continuous story unfolds. Every interaction contributes to that experience. Jacomijn sees the same from another perspective. “When something happens right in front of you, it hits differently,” she explains. “It’s unexpected, it’s real. That creates impact.” In a world where digital interaction increases, the demand for real human connection grows stronger. Live entertainment offers something we should cherish: the chance to step into a story, to reconnect, and to feel something genuine. The power of sharing emotional interactions with friends or family adds to this by creating experiences that create lasting memories.

A human craft in a digital world

With the rise of artificial intelligence, the question is inevitable: what role will it play in live entertainment? Both Benjamin and Jacomijn see AI as a tool, but never as a replacement. Because at its core, it cannot feel. It can replicate, but it cannot truly connect. Jacomijn sees it as a way to add depth to an experience. “But, the emotion, the magic, that comes from people.” While performances are scripted, you don’t just perform once and close the curtains. “You build a connection with your audience throughout the entire day. Every moment is a chance to try something new,” Benjamin adds. Rather than replacing live entertainment, technology may actually strengthen the importance of it. The more digital the world becomes, the more valuable real human interaction will be.

Looking ahead

As technology continues to evolve, the value of human connection will increase. We strongly believe that the need to feel and connect will only increase the importance of live entertainment. Both agree the future looks bright. In the next ten years we hope to bring live entertainment to even more places, allowing even more people to escape reality and experience special moments. While tools, technologies, and trends may change, the core of live entertainment remains the same: It’s all about people.