Theater in the Digital Age

One of the great things about having Max Granitz as our intern this Fall is his forward-looking perspective. In this post, Max ponders the future of theater. What might the next "My Dearest Friend" or "Chapatti" look like?

Theater in the Digital Age
By Maxwell Granitz
 
Virtual reality on your mobile phone. Increasing dependence on technology. More users on social media than ever before. It is the digital age, and, really, has been since the beginning of the 21st century. Technology advances on us daily. In the year 2017, and the future, considering the above, and that criticism of the arts and calls for their defunding come from all sides, how can live theater truly enter the digital age, and remain a cornerstone of American and global culture(s)?
 
In 2011, the Menier Chocolate Factory, an independent nonprofit theater in London, known for producing new iterations of existing works, produced a modern interpretation of Stephen Schwartz’s Pippin. Drawing inspiration from the Tron films and incorporating lasers, projections and neon lights into the set, the title character’s Odyssean quest took place in a digital underground rather than the height of the Holy Roman Empire.

Credit: Menier Chocolate Factory/Knifedge Productions

In early 2016, the London production of composer Duncan Sheik’s stage adaptation of American Psycho opened on Broadway. It was generally panned by critics and closed after only 81 total performances. In images of the set, however, it comes across as something not necessarily common in Broadway theater. The design and lighting plots (shown in this image from the opening number) reflect the worldview and modern attitude of anti-social protagonist Patrick Bateman.

Credit: The Christian Post, “‘American Psycho: The Musical’ comes to Broadway”

Theater has been around since the time of Ancient Greece. It has constantly evolved and undergone in-depth change which has made it completely unrecognizable from its days in stone amphitheaters. Of course, Greek drama is still performed around in the world, and shows in general are still produced in amphitheaters. However, the nature of theater tends to change with each generation. The next logical step would be to completely change the metaphorical and physical dimensions of performing arts venues. This change would immerse audience members entirely in the world of a performance. Holograms, augmented reality, virtual reality… these may someday be a mainstream part of a night at the theater, and sooner than some may think.
 
The Perelman Center for the Performing Arts is a planned building to be added to New York’s reborn and revitalized World Trade Center complex in Lower Manhattan. It is designed to be a cultural hub for the south end of Manhattan, with Broadway to the north in Midtown. It very well could be the birth of a new iteration of American theater, with Broadway remaining the hub of what is/will be ‘traditional theater’. This image shows what a typical performance at the Perelman could be like.

Credit: REX Architecture/DBI Projects/Joshua Prince-Ramus

Of course, there will always be a demand for ‘traditional’ types of performance (opera, musical theater, dance, etc.) And spaces for these will need to be supported to provide the public with such performances. Ideally, locales like the Perelman, New York’s Lincoln Center, and similar arts centers in other cities can provide performances which will attract a wide-reaching demographic… keeping the arts up-to-date with current trends while appreciating and respecting the past.