The collaboration began with a visit to the ETC by both Kaplan and Chris Smith, the artistic director of the Magic Theatre, and director for the play. They were introduced to a variety of technologies and the concepts in development around those technologies, and finally to Ruth Comley, who was recruited to design and create the avatar who would be Charliebot. Ruth started in January with several photographs of the actor who played Charlie. By mid February, she, along with the Location based entertainment group sent off not only the avatar, but tutorials, documentation, the equipment and software needed for Charliebot to be puppeteered live backstage by a novice. It was a challenge and a bit nervewracking to have to send the package to the Magic Theatre without the human support.

Ruth recently returned from SF where she was able to see her handiwork on stage and to enlighten the audience with her process in a before performance panel that dealt with the technology behind the animated character. Ruth made clear that "œthe need for theatre to be spontaneous and live lead to the decision for Charliebot to be more than a videotaped avatar, and instead be fully puppeteered."� Having a puppeteer gives the character the ability to react in real time to the actors on the stage. This ultimately, was the decision which made Charliebot more than just an avatar, but instead a living believable actor in the play.

"BOT"� a presentation of The Magic Theatre / Alfred P. Sloan Foundation Science & Technology Project runs through April 1.