The approach to creating a project like this has proven to be atypical to the way a work of theatre would normally be created. Generally, a theatre production is dictated by the script, and design/technical elements are then determined from there.
But we’re exploring uncharted territory, with a technical focus, and thus technology is driving our decision-making process. What is the available hardware capable of? What types of effects can they produce successfully? We’ve been spending this week putting the AR hardware through its paces. The results of these tests will help us make a decision as to which story/characters we can most believably bring to life on stage with AR.
The team put together a list of all conceivable interactions that an animated character could have with both a human actor and a physical set. Our programmers are then taking a handful of these interactions and creating simple prototypes to determine their viability.
By next week, at the 1/4-way-through mark of this project, we should have more definitive answers about which platforms can accomplish which interactions/effects, and be able to make an informed decision about how to move forward with story and casting.