Experiments in Digital Storytelling: Open Rehearsal with Double Eye Studios
Presented by Double Eye Studios
In two open rehearsals Double Eye Studios will share their process developing a new work of VR theatre, Pandora X. Director Kiira Benzing and her team at Double Eye will work with an actor wearing a VR headset as they perform in and create a virtual world. Rewinding, Double Eye will also share their most recent explorations in VR theatre with Loveseat at the Venice Film Festival, and flash forward to where they are going with CultureHub and their future production Pandora X, which tells the story from Pandora’s POV, asking how her destiny could be altered if her curiosity was celebrated. Actors, technologists, and directors will test early concepts with the collective audience. The open rehearsal will be followed by a Q&A with the audience.
Experiments in Digital Storytelling is an initiative by CultureHub and La MaMa that explores the potential of emerging technologies to create dynamic and engaging live storytelling experiences.
ABOUT THE ARTISTS
Double Eye Studios builds interactive and immersive storyworlds through emerging technology. Founded by Kiira Benzing, Double Eye Studios has been developing a process for performing to Live and Virtual audiences simultaneously. In defining and refining VR Theater, their goal is to push boundaries and to provide meaningful experiences. Their work has been exhibited at some of the most prestigious film festivals around the world including: Venice International Film Festival, Sundance, Tribeca, SXSW, and the New York Film Festival at Lincoln Center.
ABOUT CULTUREHUB & LIVE LAB
CultureHub was founded in 2009 in partnership with the Seoul Institute of the Arts in Korea and La MaMa Experimental Theatre Club in New York City to serve the global arts and technology community by offering services such as livestreaming, telepresence, and video and projection design. We connect artists from diverse disciplines and cultures and provide them with environments in which to collaborate, experiment, explore and advance the work of artists experimenting with emerging technologies and fostering new artistic forms.
Click Here to Learn More About CultureHub
CultureHub is deeply committed to the use of open source and consumer-based technology to make electronic media art accessible to artists and audiences. In the past year, CultureHub collaborated with resident artist Olivia Jack to produce LiveLab, an open source video call software designed specifically for artists, educators, and cultural organizations. The LiveLab toolkit provides a flexible and artful environment for producing multi-location performances, workshops, and cultural exchanges. Built as an alternative to hardware video conferencing systems, LiveLab is customizable, free of cost, and as easy to use as Skype or Google Hangouts.
Click Here to Learn More About Live Lab
Experiments Play Reading Series
For the 23rd season of La MaMa Experiments we will focus on theatrical works in progress addressing mental health issues. No one is more familiar with the need to create greater access to mental healthcare than our New York audience, who come face to face with this crisis on a daily basis. After 3 years of a global pandemic, all of us are feeling the upsurge of anxiety and depression, but these trends have been on the rise long before Covid-19. The works this season shed light on important, personal stories and deal with this subject matter in many different and unique ways. From tongue in cheek comedies to absurdist tragedies, Experiments hopes to create a season that will destigmaify, enlighten and, yes, even entertain.
Online Happenings
Presented by La MaMa and CultureHub, La MaMa is exploring ways to respond creatively to a situation that is potentially changing how we gather as a community in our theatres. La MaMa is working with CultureHub to provide online streaming of select productions and events on Howlround Theatre Commons.