Blockchain, while a relatively new concept, is becoming more common to hear about in the media and news. You may have heard recently Snoop Dogg revealed himself as the Twitter-famous NFT influencer, Cozomo de’ Medici or Tesla started accepting Dogecoin payments for some of their merchandise, but most people are still wary of this technology and how is it applicable to Broadway? “Broadway” is considered the home of the American theater industry and is located between 42nd and 53rd street, including Times Square, in New York City. The Broadway industry contributes $14.7 billion to the economy of New York City, on top of ticket sales, and supports 96,900 local jobs. In the 2018-2019 Broadway Season, attendance reached 14.77 million people, with many people seeing more than one show. Broadway greatly vitalizes the economy of New York City and the millions of audience members who visit a show annually, so how is this artistic giant entering the technological space of blockchain, cryptocurrency, and NFTs? With the pandemic shutting down Broadway, very few theaters with plans to explore this technology were able to proceed, yet as Broadway reopens, we are mostly seeing Broadway utilizing blockchain for ticketing services.

What is Blockchain?

Before going into detail about how this technology is being invested in by the Broadway industry, lets define blockchain and why it is so popular. Blockchain is a public ledger of digital information, i.e., it is a secure network on top of the internet. Information in blocks can be anything; a transaction, contract, ownership, identity, money, agreement, or anything that has some value. As each transaction occurs, information gets recorded as a “block” of data, with each block being connected to the block before and after it. Transactions are linked together in an irreversible chain, aka blockchain. Some characteristics of blockchain include:

• “It is immutable – it cannot be modified but one can append the block in the chain
• Data is encrypted and stored in a decentralized manner
• No redundant data
• No central authority
• Anyone in the network can see it using public/private keys
• No transaction cost
• Recorded with timestamp”

Many industries are turning towards blockchain due to the greater trust people have in the technology, the greater security it offers its users, and the efficiencies it offers businesses.

Broadway and Blockchain

The largest Broadway theater landlord, The Shubert Organization, announced its pilot program to utilize blockchain technology “to sell Broadway tickets on their website, telecharge.com”, in 2019. There are many reasons why the Shubert Organization might want to implement blockchain technology, yet two stand out and they both lead to greater profit for the giant theater owner. According to Lee Rodriguez, author of “Shubert Organization set… thwart secondary ticket brokers,” these two reasons include:

“First, is that it may help to eliminate secondary ticket brokers. For a ticket to be used electronically, the blockchain would have to be updated due to the security measures inherently within this technology. This data would ultimately give The Shubert Organization exclusive data about the true value of Broadway tickets and how many are resold after they initially sold the ticket. This data would then allow Shubert to adjust their own prices to reflect true market value by cutting out the ticket brokers profit, essentially bankrupting them. The second way The Shubert Organization could monetize the use of blockchain is through the data they would store and collect on the blockchain from their audiences. They could use the data to market directly to those customers or similar customers again, cutting out the middleman marketing agency.”

Data that Lee Rodriguez states can be stored includes:

• “Original ticket price, show, location, date, and time
• Who bought the tickets and at what price
• Subsequent ticket sale prices and buyer’s details
• Previous transactions, including buyer information and sale price
• Whether or not the buyer actually attended the show or was a no-show
• Fingerprints and/or picture of the ticket owner (and past owners) to identify theatregoers at the theatre entrance via facial recognition
• Data about the current owner, including age, race, height, sex, and Broadway ticket purchase history”

By using blockchain for ticketing, this eliminates the threat of being scammed by fake tickets. While concert tickets have about 12% fake tickets circulating at any given time, research has shown this is not as much of a threat for Broadway tickets. However, organizations can market their use of blockchain as an extra security measure for audiences. While COVID slowed down the trial of this technology for Shubert, there are some other considerations they may need to review before completely implementing blockchain. Lee Rodriguez continues his article to list considerations, such as:

• “Following an internal review, the other primary Broadway ticket vendor, Ticketmaster, is not planning to use blockchain technology. However, Ticketmaster is looking into it for NFL tickets, where the number of fake tickets is extremely high
• Ticket buyers may not want their data stored in the blockchain and have privacy concerns
• Secondary ticket brokers will have a tough time buying into this technology, if it is used to hurt or close their business
• Eliminating ticket brokers would actually raise the original price of Broadway tickets
• The secondary ticket market brokers often drive Broadway ticket sales. Without them a good piece of the total marketing effort is gone. This may ultimately lead to loss of demand for Broadway tickets”

Another Broadway theater, Roundabout Theatre Company, successfully launched the use of 22,000 blockchain-enabled, secure, contactless digital tickets this year by being the first Broadway client of a service called True Tickets. True Tickets is a “secure contactless digital ticketing service that can be tailored to a venue’s specific needs.”

“The data tells the story. Our audiences have overwhelmingly adapted to the experience of digital tickets. True Tickets allowed us to streamline our operations while promising to provide significantly more insights into who is attending our performances. True Tickets has been a seamless addition to the customer experience and has enabled us to take a big leap toward making ticketing a more strategic function. Moving forward, we can better understand and engage our audiences, explore the benefits and potential applications with additional distribution channels, and ultimately create an even better experience for patrons.”

Gabe Johnson, Director of Sales and Analytics at Roundabout

True Tickets also partners with the “Adrienne Arsht Center in Miami and the Dr. Phillips Center in Orlando”. True Tickets is able to seamlessly adapt into Tessitura, the ticketing software system used by many nonprofits, to ensure a consistent, positive experience for patrons. The Shubert Organization and Roundabout Theatre Company have varying degrees of success and positive reception to implementing blockchain into their ticketing services, however I do believe more theaters will shift as success becomes apparent and the technology becomes less elusive.

Blockchain and Other Ticketing Events

While we have learned that fake tickets do not seem to be roaming the Broadway circuit much, there is much higher likelihood of encountering them when purchasing a highly sought-after concert ticket or sporting event. The music industry and sporting industry have already experimented and implemented blockchain ticketing on a much higher level than the theater industry. The advantages these industries gain is no different than to the Broadway industry, Broadway is just known to be slower at adapting to technology. There are specific events that tend to have a higher need and greater success in implementing blockchain-enabled tickets, such as:

• The event is in high demand
• The event has a strong potential for ticket resale
• You want to control who can to re-sell tickets
• There is an active community of fans around your event

Another interesting aspect that ticket sellers can control with blockchain-enable ticketing is attaching a “smart contract” to your ticket. This would, in theory, allow an artist to set a price for an event and scalpers would not be able to change it by price gorging. How many times have you wanted to see your favorite artist in concert but it sold-out in minutes and the only available tickets are from third-party sellers with a 300% profit margin? Smart contracts would completely eliminate this issue for fans, as well as the potential of purchasing a fraudulent ticket. Ticketmaster is currently trialing this technology internationally; a successful run could completely change how ticketing systems work. “Ticketmaster is used by some of the world’s most renowned artists and high-profile events in the entertainment industry.” Many Broadway shows utilize Ticketmaster to sell their tickets, so if Ticketmaster decides to widely implement this technology, many theaters will have no choice but to follow suit.

Blockchain, and Cryptocurrency, and NFTs, Oh, My!

We already are seeing how this technology is taking shape with selling Broadway tickets, however there are some other forms of blockchain that may make their way to The Great White Way in the near future. Very few people are experimenting with these technologies currently, but there are some interesting uses. The producers behind Slave Play and Ratatouille: The TikTok Musical, Seaview, are bringing non-fungible tokens (NFTs) to Broadway. Seaview describes NFTs as, “Digital assets, including photos, videos, GIFs, tweets or digital designs, which are then sold and resold on the blockchain using cryptocurrency.” Seaview, in partnership with a few other companies, have created an online platform to sell Broadway memorabilia as NFTs. Now, fans can purchase their Broadway gifts and souvenirs in the form of NFTs, along with their typical t-shirt or tote bag. The Wrong Man, a new Broadway musical slated to open in 2023, will open its own NFT webstore that features collector’s items surrounding the musical. While physical souvenir stands in Broadway theaters are not going anywhere anytime soon, there may be more emerging NFT webstores for specific shows working in tandem with tangible merchandise. What these companies hope to accomplish by creating Broadway NFT marketplaces is “to develop an industry presence in the emerging technology space and to potentially provide another revenue stream for Broadway businesses“. Another interesting future includes the use of cryptocurrency to invest in Broadway-bound productions. Producers have to follow pretty strict laws to find accredited investors when looking for financial backing for a new production. This is to ensure security for both parties involved. While these laws are not established for accredited investors using cryptocurrency “assets”, this realm may need to establish guidelines as we may one day see cryptocurrency being used as funding by Broadway producers.

Conclusion

Blockchain technology is infiltrating many industries due to its many advantages, such as greater trust, greater security, improving operations, improving efficiencies, and greater opportunity for profit within businesses. While Broadway is on the slower side to adapt to innovative technology, the implementation of blockchain within their ticketing systems is prevalent and expanding. This tool allows greater control for theaters and producers to track their tickets, as well as gather data on their audiences. Blockchain-enable tickets completely removes the chance of purchasing a fake ticket, as well as attempts to control third-party price gauging. While there are many advantages to this technology, theaters should still consider how their audiences will respond in regard to their data privacy and if a greater control on pricing will negatively affect the Broadway economy. Blockchain has made its Broadway debut and will not be leaving anytime soon, so it is important to work out any challenges while it is still being integrated into common ticketing systems.

Bibliography

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CoinMarketCap.” CoinMarketCap Alexandria. CoinMarketCap, December 24, 2021. https://coinmarketcap.com/alexandria/article/top-10-craziest-crypto-stories-of-2021.

Hernandez, Ornella. “True Tickets Powers Blockchain-Based Broadway Tickets Sales.” Cointelegraph. Cointelegraph, March 2, 2022. https://cointelegraph.com/news/true-tickets-powers-blockchain-based-broadway-tickets-sales.

Huston, Caitlin. “NFTs Come to Broadway in New Venture By Seaview, Marathon Digital.” Broadway News, July 15, 2021. https://broadwaynews.com/2021/07/15/nfts-come-to-broadway-in-new-venture-by-seaview-marathon-digital/.

Insights, Ledger. “Ticketmaster Owner Live Nation Partners with Blockchain Ticketing Firm.” Ledger Insights – enterprise blockchain, April 13, 2021. https://www.ledgerinsights.com/ticketmaster-owner-live-nation-partners-with-blockchain-ticketing-firm/.

“Invest in Broadway with Cryptocurrency Bitcoin.” InvestingBroadway. Accessed April 18, 2022. https://www.investingbroadway.com/invest-cryptocurrency-in-broadway#:~:text=Can%20I%20Use%20Bitcoin%20To,invest%20in%20a%20Broadway%20show.

“NYC DATA: Culture.” NYCdata | Culture. Accessed May 3, 2022. https://www.baruch.cuny.edu/nycdata/culture/broadway-economics.htm#:~:text=Broadway%20contributes%20%2414.7%20billion%20to,the%20season%20grossed%20%241.83%20billion.

Paul, Andrew. “NFTs Aced Their Audition and Are Coming to Broadway.” Input. Input, January xxxxl13, 2022. https://www.inputmag.com/culture/nfts-aced-their-audition-are-coming-to-xxxxlbroadway.

Qureshi, Mehab. “Here’s How Blockchain and NFT Ticketing Can Cut out Middlemen and Resellers.” The Indian Express, October 29, 2021. https://indianexpress.com/article/technology/tech-news-technology/heres-how-blockchain-and-nft-ticketing-may-change-the-ticketing-industry-for-good-7595704/.

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“If you’re wearing your Disney MagicBand and you’ve made a reservation, a host will greet you at the drawbridge and already know your name—Welcome Mr. Tanner!…The hostess, on her modified iPhone, received a signal when the family was just a few paces away. Tanner family inbound! The kitchen also queued up: Two French onion soups, two roast beef sandwiches! When they sat down, a radio receiver in the table picked up the signals from their MagicBands and triangulated their location using another receiver in the ceiling. The server—as in waitperson, not computer array—knew what they ordered before they even approached the restaurant and knew where they were sitting.”

This is the matrix of communication technology that Disney Parks and Resorts have mastered to craft a magical guest experience. Underneath that magic is Near-field communication (NFC) technology, which has been transforming live event experiences for years. Disney Parks is at the forefront of the change, having utilized the all-in-one-device MagicBand since 2013, which renders the park into dynamic computer, streaming real-time data about where guests are and what they’re buying.

This “invisible” wearable technology has created a seamless guest experience where people are happier by stripping their options away. MagicBands let Disney guests set their must-do’s and let everything else unfold naturally around what they have selected. (Disney recently shifted to “MagicMobile,” which allows Apple users to access that MagicBand technology for free with their mobile device.) 

Beyond MagicBands, NFC tech has built rapid momentum in credit card payment processing, digital wallets, wearable tech, and the broader Internet of Things (IoT) universe. New NFC activations increased 71% from 2018 to 2020, while NFC interactions increased 63% over that same period. In fact, 1.6 billion NFC-enabled devices are expected to reach the market by 2024. The numbers are even more significant when looking at the IoT beyond NFC. By 2030, an estimated 500 billion IoT-enabled devices will be in circulation. NFC is expected to become more widely adopted outside of payments, particularly among the IoT, due to the rise in demand for contactless technology. For performing arts organizations wanting to streamline their front-of-house operations and design a patron-centric user experience, NFC technology is promising and remarkably cost-effective.

What is NFC technology?

Near-field communication is a series of communication protocols that allows two electronic devices to communicate over a distance. NFC is based on radio-frequency identification (RFID) technology, which allows compatible hardware to use radio waves to both controls and communicate with otherwise unpowered and passive electronic tags. NFC transmits electromagnetic induction with unpowered and passive electronic tags, so the passive device doesn’t need its own power supply. The principal mechanism of NFC communication is the relationship between the emitter or reader/writer, and the tag or card. The antennas of the Emitter and Tag are coupled via an Electromagnetic Field, and an alternating current passes through the primary coil (Emitter), which induces a field through the air, inducing a current in the secondary coil (Tag). 

These tags store data, such as URL addresses, Wi-Fi or Bluetooth pairing, SMS, Email, Vcard, and phone configurations. In the user experience, that Tag is the guest’s MagicBand, phone, or any wearable technology that provides the energy-supplying electromagnetic field and reads the tags. After the Emitter determines if the tag can be read, it reads the NFC Data Exchange Format (NDEF) and stores it in the Tag’s EEPROM (electrically erasable programmable read-only memory).

There are three different NFC Modes of Operation, as defined by the NFC Forum.

In Reader Mode, the NFC-enabled phone can read or write data to any of the four supported tag types in a standard NFC data format. Reader Mode is highly applicable in NFC advertising, such as Samsung’s ‘Share to Go’ posters. Using NFC on signage allows market segments to access a more in-depth product experience, just with a simple tap. For organizations interested in applying this technology, Beaconstac offers simple solutions to embed NFC hardware through tags and stickers, including cost-effective NFC sticker tags for proximity marketing. 

In Card Emulation mode, a device acts as a Tag during interaction with another NFC-enabled phone. Card Emulation Mode technology is utilized in public transportation networks and contactless credit card purchases, such as Google and Apple Pay.

Peer to Peer enables two NFC-equipped devices to exchange data, acting as emitters. In this Mode, two smartphones can share a Bluetooth or Wi-Fi password to start Bluetooth or connect to Wi-Fi.  

NFC and Ticketing

In the live event and attraction space, NFC (which is a specific type of RFID) has streamlined ticketed entry and payment. Line length is the number one frustration while at an event, and guests will often change their intentions upon seeing a long line unless they feel it is unavoidable. RFID solutions have been shown to reduce the average transaction time from 90 seconds to 15 seconds, while delivering as much as 30% higher spend per guest. Wearable NFCs can minimize this behavior. 

But what about QR codes?

While Quick-Reference codes are quick, cheap, and easy to develop and deploy, they are vulnerable to certain security risks and performance issues, especially in bottleneck crowds. For ticket validation, users need to position a QR Code at the correct angle and distance from the reader. On smartphones, QR codes need to be opened, unlocked, have sufficient power, and ensure it is displayed clearly and brightly. Alongside these poor ergonomics, users could be victims of fraudulent codes to inadvertently download malicious software or make compromised payments. According to a consumer poll, 71 percent of people cannot tell the difference between a legitimate or malicious QR Code and 35 percent are unaware that QR Codes are used by criminals. The security issues of QR codes for ticketing means that despite these low initial costs, longer-term spending may increase as agencies deploy resources to mitigate risks. 

NFC, alternatively, validates transactions in only 120mms with its ‘tap and go’ technology. NFC contactless devices draw their power from the reading terminal, so even if a phone battery is flat, they are still usable and won’t cause line backups. Additionally, using NFC ‘taps’ to enter and exit a space make it nearly if not impossible to fraudulently duplicate, effectively rendering forgery of tickets useless. NFC is also the most secure because it can implement added encryption that is only accessible when the user taps the Tag with their device. 

NFC and Payment

The future is contactless and commerce-on-the-go. NFC technology has changed the system of credit card payments through mobile wallets/ apps that offer a secure place to store digital valuables for convenient on the go use. Data involved in an NFC mobile wallet transaction has two layers of protection, one being the device itself, and the other as the data encryption. Similar to EMV chip cards, mobile wallets that use NFC tech are more secure than magnetic strip cards. Merchants also benefit from NFC payments because it allows for effective integration of customer loyalty programs into payment processing. For instance, customers can redeem a coupon immediately with the tap of their phone. 

Does NFC Technology have a Place in Arts Enterprises?

The system of attending a performing arts event doesn’t involve as many points of contact as a visit to Epcot or Animal Kingdom. Patrons aren’t running their credit cards up for five to six attractions, but instead sitting down for a single event. While the modern structure of event attendance at arts enterprises limits these points of contact, organizations can still harness these “NFC Tap Points” to gather meaningful data on their patrons’ habits. The figure below displays these flexible points in the customer journey that organizations can integrate NFC technology. 

Organizations can brainstorm additional creative tap points as they develop various customer journeys. Perhaps one of the biggest takeaways from using NFC in a performing arts venue is streamlined purchases from the customer’s digital wallet. According to research from Intellix, the media platform for the events sector, festival organizers saw their revenue jump by up to 87 percent by switching to a cashless payment solution. There is enormous potential for arts enterprises to think creatively about implementing NFC terminals at various stages in the customer journey. 

Getting Started

As a growing number of devices gain NFC technology, how do arts enterprises design an efficient system that engages wearable technology that the patron already owns (iPhone, smart watch, NFC ring, etc.)? In order for an organization to begin experimenting with the technology, there are three straightforward technical requirements to meet:

• Blank NFC Tag: Tags store data. These are affordable ($11.99) and readily available.
• NFC-Compatible Device: Modern Android/iOS devices incorporate NFC technology.
• NFC Programming Application: These are meant for writing your NFC tags, including uCreate by Identiv, NFC TagWriter by NXP, NFC Tools (app), and Smart NFC.

Key Considerations in UX Design

Performing arts organizations will also need to strategize implementing their NFC tech with a human-centered design approach. Research shows definitive gaps between user perception of NFC and reality of the technology. Among the most important user peceptions that performing arts institutions should address is that most iOS users are only familiar with Apple Pay. Modifying NFC instructions on payment and ticket check-in terminals to one (maybe two) consistent logos is importnat to streamline the user experience and not create confusion.

There are also important NFC usability differences between iOS and Android devices. The NFC chip is located at the top of iPhones, and in the center of Android mobile devices. One way to address this potentially confusing interaction is to use device-shaped physical or digital maps that communicate where the NFC chip lies on each device.

Along with the initial message guiding the user where to put their mobile device, it is also necessary to design an applicable error caption that prompts the user to continuosly move their phone around as part of the scanning process.

The current design for NFC technology is underdeveloped, with no consistent visual language or branding. The few NFC-specific icons do not communicate the breadth of NFC functionality and behavior. These are important perceptions that organizations will need to take into consideration when desigining approachable and NFC operations for their patrons.

When implementing NFCs that will engage with the user’s mobile devices or wearable tech it’s also important to know the ratio of your patron base that have NFC-enabled devices. Organizations might poll patrons on the compatibility of their mobile devices with NFC tech to get a better idea of the range of usage.

The iPhone has had NFC capabilities since 2014 with the release of the iPhone 6. In-app NFC read capabilities were later introduced in 2017 with iOS 11. Users with an iPhone 7 and newer can read NFC with an app like NFC Tools. iPhone XS, XS Max, and XR, released in 2018, have the ability to read NFC from the home screen without the need of a 3rd party app. As of fall 2019 Apple unlocked the ability for the iPhone 7 and newer to write NFC tags with an associated app. The latest iPhone 11, 11 Pro and 11 Pro Max all support NFC reading without the need for a 3rd party app and the ability to write NFC tags with a 3rd party app.

Android devices were first to the market with NFC support in the early 2000s. Unlike iPhones, Android devices do not require an app to utilize NFC. Instead, reading is enabled from any screen whenever the device is unlocked. 

Final Thoughts

NFC technology is an ambitious endaevor for performing arts organizations to implement across the entire user experience. There are assumptions to confront, technical barriers to hurdle, and ethical questions to ask. For instance, do I want to collect patron data through NFCs from my audience, and will they be comfortable with it? There are some applications where the answer will be no. The accessibility of the technology across most mobile and IoT devices, however, emphasizes the potential of NFC tech in the performing arts sphere. By simply buying blank NFC Tags and downloading any NFC programming application, any staff member can begin to play with the technology and understand its applications in their organization’s space. The growth of NFC technology in our day-to-day lives demonstrates that institutions must maintain relevancy in our increasingly frictionless, commerce-on-the-go, and interconnected society.

References

This is how IoT will play a big role in the future of art

https://www.identiv.com/community/2021/09/15/getting-            started-with-nfc-how-to-develop-new-nfc-enabled-mobile-applications/

https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/wearable-rfid-nfc-technology-customer-considerations-beth-hayes/

https://nfc-forum.org/product-showcase/instant-fundraising-wristbands/

https://medium.com/fuzz/creating-a-universal-useful-design-language-for-nfc-readers-4ae6f98c49b8

https://due.com/blog/wearable-payment-technology/

https://nfc-forum.org/resources/iot-and-nfc-better-together/

How Near-Field Communication (NFC) Works: Benefits of NFC for IoT and the Real-world

https://www.makeuseof.com/how-to-use-apple-airtags-as-nfc-     triggers-shortcuts-automation-iphone/

https://www.masstransitmag.com/technology/fare-collection/fare-collection-equipment/article/21232784/a-technology-balancing-act-qr-vs-nfc-for-longterm-smart-ticketing

https://www.fisglobal.com/en/insights/merchant-solutions-worldpay/article/nfc-payment-acceptance-for-smbs

https://www.beaconstac.com/nfc-marketing

https://blog.beaconstac.com/2019/03/5-companies-nailing-it-with-nfc-campaigns/

https://www.mouser.com/pdfdocs/STMicroelectronicsIntroductiontoNFC.pdf

3 Music Festivals That Went Cashless and Never Looked Back

https://www.bluebite.com/nfc

https://apps.apple.com/us/app/nfc-tools/id1252962749

VR PRIMER

Virtual reality, or VR, creates a simulated environment where the user is immersed in a reality other than their own. They can interact with this artificial 3D environment, and in current VR experiences the environment adjusts to the user’s movement to visually change, just like perception changes in real life when looking in different directions or moving around.

Although commonly thought of as a 21st-century invention, VR can be traced back to 1838 when Sir Charles Wheatstone created a stereoscope, using mirrors to create a 3D viewing experience.

VR is most often presented with goggles the user wears to be immersed in the simulated environment. These range from cardboard models used in tandem with a smartphone, to large headsets that contain speakers for additional auditory immersion. Many are used with some kind of gloves or hand controllers so hand movements are captured in addition to head movements. The Oculus 2 headset, by Meta (formerly Facebook), was the bestselling VR headset in 2020.

VR has many applications in a variety of fields. Video games is one of the most popular applications, putting gamers in the middle of the action. Training is another use case–Walmart famously uses VR to train its HR Associates, as it provides a hands-on experience instead of learning something by reading. It has also found a place in therapy as PTSD patients use VR as a form of exposure therapy. The arts have more recently leveraged VR as a tool to enhance their practice.

PRECURSOR: IMMERSIVE THEATER

Before VR made it to the theater world, immersive theater gained popularity over the past decade with productions like Sleep No More (Punchdrunk Theater) leading the charge. Immersive theater brings the audience into the action; instead of being distanced from actors and sets by a divide between stage and seats, the production is taking place around the audience with no distance barrier. This immersive experience helps introduce more sensory experiences for the audience, with senses of “real space,” time, and movement. By having more senses activated, audiences are more engaged and have stronger ties to what they’re experiencing.

There is also an element of engaging directly with actors in the immersive theater space. In a typical theater setting, an audience member is sitting and watching a stage, akin to watching a screen. There is no direct human interaction, just human perception. When immersion is layered on and an audience member can interact with an actor, even talk to them in many cases, their human hardwiring for social interaction is activated, and the experience becomes more intimate and engaging. Instead of narrowing an audience’s world to what’s onstage, this expands their worlds by layering elements on top of it.

Immersive theater is successful in heightening audience experience without the assistance of VR. However, VR amps up the engagement and emotion to bring the benefits of immersion to the next level.

VR IMMERSION & EMOTIONAL RESPONSE

VR brings immersive theater to the next level–not only is the audience surrounded by what’s happening in the production, VR makes it so they are completely immersed into a different reality and POV. Audiences can get completely lost in the narrative because they are 100% immersed, and not experiencing distractions that could take them out of the present.

There is little to tell the audience they’re actually just in a theater venue or home on their couch. This effectively transports the audience and contributes to what’s referred to as a “place illusion,” where the audience feels like they’re actually experiencing a situation, despite knowing they put on VR goggles and aren’t really in that situation. This creates sensory perceptions and bodily memories that would happen as if the audience member was truly in the physical environment, prompting a new level of understanding and empathy for a situation other than their present reality.

Several studies have measured how audiences emotionally react to VR theatre experiences versus non-VR theater. While non-VR theater typically elicits some kind of emotional response from the audience, when the audience is experiencing theater in VR emotions, they experience more “tangible and personal” emotions from their close proximity to the production.

He et al. presented test subjects with two theater experiences: one filmed in 2D to simulate viewing a stage from a typical seat in the audience, and one of the same subject matter presented in VR. The study, which measured emotional response with surveys as well as EEG measurements, found that VR led to a higher sense of presence, higher engagement, and higher emotional response (both self-reported and physiologically-measured) versus the 2D experience. Tian et al. ran a similar study between 2D and VR stimuli and came to the same conclusion that physiologically-measured emotional arousal was higher in VR.

Interestingly, the effects of VR may be more of a subconscious impact than audiences realize – a study by Pozharliev et al. found that while test subjects did not self-report a heightened emotional response to VR advertising versus non-VR advertising, physiological measures like EEG did indicate heightened emotional arousal. So, even if audiences don’t consciously feel like a VR theater experience is impacting them differently than a non-VR experience, their brain is likely responding differently.

Notably, these studies did not present an interactive VR experience where the audience members could interact live with others; instead audiences interacted with a 360-degree pre-filmed world. Layering on direct interaction has even more implications for the audience.

VR IMMERSION WITH INTERACTIVITY

VR can make audiences part of the production itself, interacting with actors and helping to shape the show. Theater is typically a passive experience for the audience, in that they’re just watching. As a participant, they’re not only consuming the art but making it alongside actors and those behind the scenes. This enables a more communal theater experience, which is said to help contribute to the emotional catharsis that’s a large part of the goal of dramatic narrative.

The Under Presents have presented several VR theater experiences (one featured in the above video), and their actors have reported that they are able to respond to audience cues, like body language, that they would not be able to pick up on when distanced from the audience in typical theater setting. The actors adapt their acting live as a response, meaning the audience truly impacts the production. No passive viewing in site.

VR THEATER & EMPATHY

In addition to heightened emotional response, VR can enhance the empathetic response of audiences. Empathy is one of the often-touted benefits of theater–audience members can empathize with characters onstage, often seeing and understanding viewpoints and experiences other than their own. Theater can open audiences’ eyes to new perspectives.

VR can bring this to the next level, thanks to the total immersion. Being up close and personal with characters, sometimes even perceiving the production from the point of view of the character, helps form a more empathetic bond with the work being presented.

Cristofi et al. aggregated many surveys focusing on VR and highlighted the finding that VR experiences enable “perspective taking,” a psychological driver of empathy where someone perceives a situation from the perception of someone else. The studies provide support that this does enhance audiences’ empathetic responses and, in specific applications, reduces prejudice towards stigmatized groups.

In practice, this seems to be the case. At NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts’ Drama program, students are collaborating in VR. Students participating highlight their experience that as an audience member, you’re truly experiencing a situation like a character is, leading to stronger empathy than in a non-VR setting.

However, scientific findings are still emerging as VR becomes more popular. In 2021, a meta-analysis of all known studies on empathy in VR provided support that while VR enhances empathetic response, it’s limited to emotional empathy. Meaning users can feel compassion towards others’ points of view, but VR is not enabling users to truly imagine others’ perspectives (which would then elevate the experience to cognitive empathy) more so than non-VR applications do. The research points to the need of imagination to more actively construct and understand another’s experience, which can be done with active engagement, such as talking to others in the immersive experience.

LOOKING FORWARD

The use of VR is still in its early stages, especially with theater applications. VR remains a cool new technology that draws in audiences with its novelty, especially as presenters seek to upgrade the at-home theater experience thanks to COVID-19, but it can achieve more than just novelty.

We know that theater is an important tool in our world for looking at society under a lens and understanding different perspectives, and there is evidence to suggest that VR can help theater do this more effectively. Science points to the importance of active interaction to engage with the VR theater world, as is done by The Under Presents in their work, with University of Iowa as another example (featured above). Maybe it won’t achieve critical mass in the theater industry, but growing experimentation with it suggests it’s here to stay. It’s up to us to keep innovating with the new capabilities VR can provide.

References

Barrell, Sofía. “What Dreams May Come: A VR ‘Hamlet’ Puts Us in the Room.” AMERICAN THEATRE, January 25, 2019. https://www.americantheatre.org/2019/01/25/what-dreams-may-come-a-vr-hamlet-puts-us-in-the-room/.

Barn Theatre. Edward II VR | Full Performance Virtual Reality | Relative Motion & Barn Theatre, 2020. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HGrntK9pE8c.

Christofi, M., and Despina Michael-Grigoriou. “Virtual Reality for Inducing Empathy and Reducing Prejudice towards Stigmatized Groups: A Survey.” 2017 23rd International Conference on Virtual System & Multimedia (VSMM), 2017. https://doi.org/10.1109/VSMM.2017.8346252.

Culture Whisper. “Enter a Virtual Reality at the Young Vic.” Accessed February 22, 2022. https://www.culturewhisper.com/r/theatre/young_vic_vr_draw_me_close/13002.

He, Linjia, Hongsong Li, Tong Xue, Deyuan Sun, Shoulun Zhu, and Gangyi Ding. “Am I in the Theater? Usability Study of Live Performance Based Virtual Reality.” In Proceedings of the 24th ACM Symposium on Virtual Reality Software and Technology, 1–11. VRST ’18. New York, NY, USA: Association for Computing Machinery, 2018. https://doi.org/10.1145/3281505.3281508.

“History of VR – Timeline of Events and Tech Development.” Accessed February 27, 2022. https://virtualspeech.com/blog/history-of-vr.
Verywell Mind. “How Virtual Reality Exposure Therapy (VRET) Treats PTSD.” Accessed February 27, 2022. https://www.verywellmind.com/virtual-reality-exposure-therapy-vret-2797340.

Laharia, Utkarsha. “VR Theatre Doesn’t Seem So Distant Anymore.” AMERICAN THEATRE, May 18, 2020. https://www.americantheatre.org/2020/05/18/vr-theatre-doesnt-seem-so-distant-anymore/.

Martingano, Alison Jane, Fernanda Hererra, and Sara Konrath. “Virtual Reality Improves Emotional but Not Cognitive Empathy: A Meta-Analysis.” Technology, Mind, and Behavior 2, no. 1 (June 17, 2021). https://doi.org/10.1037/tmb0000034.
Odeon. “Odeon Theatrical | Home.” Accessed February 27, 2022. https://www.odeontheatrical.com.

Pike, Shane. “Virtually Relevant: AR/VR and the Theatre,” no. 17 (2020): 9.

Popat, Sita. “Missing in Action: Embodied Experience and Virtual Reality.” Theatre Journal 68, no. 3 (2016): 357–78.

Pozharliev, Rumen, Matteo De Angelis, and Dario Rossi. “The Effect of Augmented Reality versus Traditional Advertising: A Comparison between Neurophysiological and Self-Reported Measures.” Marketing Letters, May 10, 2021. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11002-021-09573-9.

Tian, Feng, Minlei Hua, Wenrui Zhang, Yingjie Li, and Xiaoli Yang. “Emotional Arousal in 2D versus 3D Virtual Reality Environments.” PLOS ONE 16, no. 9 (September 9, 2021): e0256211. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0256211.

University of Iowa. New Theater Experience Blurs Line between Reality and Virtual Reality, 2018. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DfPnWR7Fg6c.

“VR Headset Unit Sales by Device Worldwide 2020 | Statista.” Accessed February 27, 2022. https://www.statista.com/statistics/987701/vr-unit-sales-brand/.

“Virtual Reality | Computer Science | Britannica.” Accessed February 27, 2022. https://www.britannica.com/technology/virtual-reality.

VRScout. VR Live Theater Has Finally Arrived – The Under Presents: Tempest, 2020. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WxeMq5VVgLo.

“Walmart Leverages VR For HR Associate Training.” Accessed February 27, 2022. https://www.retailitinsights.com/doc/walmart-leverages-vr-for-hr-associate-training-0001.

“What Is Immersive Theater? The Six Elements That Define It at Its Best – New York Theater.” Accessed February 18, 2022. https://newyorktheater.me/2019/10/04/what-is-immersive-theater-the-six-elements-that-define-it-at-its-best/.

“With Real Theaters Closed, Actors Are Turning to Virtual Reality – CNET.” Accessed February 21, 2022. https://www.cnet.com/news/with-real-theaters-closed-actors-are-turning-to-virtual-reality/.

Yu, Kathryn. “How Immersive Virtual Reality Theatre Pushes the Limits of Storytelling.” Medium, April 10, 2019. https://noproscenium.com/how-immersive-virtual-reality-theatre-pushes-the-limits-of-storytelling-8265b198bfc7.

As new virtual technologies make their way into the arts and on-stage, there is a much more tangible technology currently being utilized in theater and most audience members do not even realize they are watching it. Like many technological ideas, the concept of 3D printing has been around much longer than the actual capability to print, however this technology has become much more accessible as it has been further developed. It is often used to build props in theater and film, design scale model sets, and offer solutions to lighting design problems on the West End. While these creations are evolving the theater industry, the use is still relatively restricted to printing smaller items. As 3D printing expands into construction and printing on a large scale, will there be a future where 3D printing in the theater goes beyond props and will be used to create full-scale Broadway theatrical sets?

What is 3D printing?

3D printing, otherwise known as additive manufacturing, is the process of making three dimensional solid objects from a digital file. Although the concept of 3D printing has existed since 1945, it was put into early practice in 1971. It starts with a 3D model either created from the ground up or downloaded from a 3D library, then it needs to be uploaded to a 3D printing software. As this technology has developed, a lot of software has too. This provides a variety of options depending on what you are using 3D printing for. Tinkercad is a free version that works on your browser and provides lessons for beginners. After the printing software makes your file “printable”, it needs to be put through a slicing software before it can be fed to a 3D printer. Slicing is the process of, quite literally, slicing your 3D model into hundreds or thousands of pieces so the printer can print layer by layer. Once the slicing process is done, the file is ready to be fed to the printer by USB or Wi-Fi where the object will be built layer by layer. Early 3D printers were only able to print a resin or plastic like material, however advancements have made it possible for sturdier alternatives like concrete or metal alloys to be printed with the right equipment. As 3D printing is ever-growing in demand, it is estimated the 3D global printing market will reach $41 billion by 2026 and transform every major industry. It is common to see the use of 3D printing in consumer products, industrial products, dental products, reconstructing fossils, replicating ancient artifacts, movie props, and much more.

Theatrical Props

3D printers are starting to become an item you may see in a small-town theater workshop and even some university theater programs have made printer purchases due to the benefits they bring. Productions sometimes require very specific props that are either too expensive, will take too long to find, cannot be built, or even do not exist anymore. The solution is 3D printing. Once a digital 3D model is created and sliced, it can be sent to the printer which saves a lot of time and money for the theater. Additionally, once an item is printing, that person can go do other tasks with their day. Even Broadway is starting to adapt to this technology and we are seeing it on more stages. In Head Over Heels the Musical, there is a scene that involves a full vase of flowers to fall and break every night. It would be too expensive and infeasible to replace this vase every show, so they came up with a digital design that was 3D printed with the edges of the vase magnetized. This made the vase able to break in the same way and put back together show after show. Another amazing feat of 3D printing for the stage was for a production of Don Pasquale by Donizetti at the famous opera house, La Scala. The designer wanted the lead soprano to fly over “Rome” at the end of the first act in a rare 1950s convertible Lancia Aurelia B24. There was no way to secure or build this real car, nor be able to make it “fly” on-stage while holding an opera singer. In 85 hours, the Lancia Aurelia B24 was printed with everything it intended to do. It rolled on-stage, the doors were able to be opened, the engine “smoked”, and was able to fly with the opera singer over “Rome”.

Scale Model Set Design

When designers for a production present their ideas, they will often use online renderings and some kind of physical scale model to showcase their ideas to the director, producers, and other designers. It can be tedious putting together a scale model of a set design because everything is miniaturized and details that small can be hard to get right. Remember making those shoebox book reports in elementary school? Well, this is pretty similar with just more precision in the scale. It was hard then and is hard now. If a designer only presents an online rendering, it can be difficult to get a sense of the space that only a physical model can provide. Many designers have been solving this problem by utilizing 3D printing for their scale models. They are able to create what they need for their design, including all the specific details that could never be captured by building it by hand. If the director wants to change an element of the design, the designer can just update the 3D model file and reprint the new version which saves a lot of time and allows for quicker turnaround. Additionally, if a designer is not comfortable building new digital 3D models, many files exist online for things that may be standard design elements like chairs, stairs, tables, and doors. It is important to use this technology only when it saves time, money, and improves the quality of our work. While the printing of these items may take hours, the supervision it requires is minutes, freeing up lots of time.

3D Printing in the Entertainment Industry

As 3D printing is slowly integrating into theatrical design processes, it has been wildly adopted by one of the largest entertainment industry franchises, Disney’s Marvel Studios. They are utilizing this technology to make props and costumes across many movies. In Iron Man 2, the entirety of Robert Downey Jr.’s Iron Man suit was 3D printed and painted. In Avengers: Infinity War, Chris Hemsworth’s hammer used for Thor was 3D printed in 34 pieces that were perfectly sized for his dimensions. Additionally, the costume of Queen Ramonda of Wakanda in Black Panther and the armor costume for the character Korath in Guardians of the Galaxy were both 3D printed. Hollywood operates on a very tight schedule and wasted time is lost money. If a director did not like the look of a prop or costume or something broke, it would take multiple days to have the problem resolved. With 3D printing, the model can be updated and reprinted in a matter of hours.

3D Printing in Construction

Up until now we have discussed 3D printing on a relatively small scale, however 3D printers are starting to be used to print large-scale structures, like houses. The material being printed is most often concrete out of 3D printers that are too large to fit in your standard theater workshop. There are a ton of pros to using 3D printing in construction like speed, waste reduction, design freedom, and a reduction of human error. A building can be made in a matter of days and since 3D printing is an additive process, a lot of waste is reduced due to the structure being built layer by layer. With all the benefits this technological advancement offers, there are still some challenges when considering utilizing 3D printing in construction. For example, to adopt this technology on construction sites it comes with a high cost of purchasing or renting the equipment, as well as coordinating the logistics of moving the equipment to the construction site. Other challenges are labor shortages of people specifically trained with this technology, quality control, and regulations. As any new technology enters an industry, it takes time for it to be widely adopted and implemented in a safe, controlled way. Using 3D printing on this large of scale is still new and will take some time to work out the challenges.

The First 3D Printed Scenography

Now we know that 3D printing can be used to build large structures like buildings and house, can this be applied to theatrical scenography or Broadway theatrical sets? Well, this technology has not been commonly used in this way yet, however one Opera Theater in Rome may be the first to have experimented with this. In their production of Fra Diavolo by Daniel Auber, the scenographer created a small-scale model of two deformed historical buildings with large facades, windows, doors, and terraces. The opera teamed up with a 3D printing company to have this printed at a large enough scale to fit their theater. The design had to be split into 223 pieces to be printed on 5 printers. The process took three months to complete. The pieces were transported from the warehouse they were being printed to the theater where they were assembled. The printers met their deadline and there was no error made that couldn’t be quickly fixed.

Conclusion

3D printing is making its way into the theatrical world, as well as the entertainment industry in very practical ways, however it will take some more time to see this technology being utilized to build Broadway theatrical sets. Many New York City workshops do not have the space to store a printer with the capacity to print at such a large-scale, nor is it a possibility to purchase and store multiple printers to be able to break the print project up in pieces. Additionally, fore-fronting any technology into a new ability costs a lot of money because it is not readily used. Purchasing equipment, training enough labor to utilize the equipment, and regulating it with different theatrical unions all take a lot of time. So, while I do not see this technology being utilized in this way anytime soon, I do see a future where this becomes more normalized with the possibility of one or two New York City scene shops specializing in only 3D printing. Until then, I believe it will be more common to see theaters and universities that own their own 3D printer and theater tech students being trained on how to create and support a theater’s 3D printing capability.

References

Andreoli, Maurizio. “The First 3D Printed Scenography.” 3D Printers WASP. Accessed February 20, 2022. https://www.3dwasp.com/en/the-first-3d-printed-theatre-scenic-design/.

Ellis, Grace. “3D Printing in Construction: Growth, Benefits, and Challenges.” Digital Builder, February 18, 2022. https://constructionblog.autodesk.com/3d-printing-construction/.

“First Permitted 3D Printed House in Florida | Printed Farms Strikes Again.” YouTube. YouTube, August 13, 2021. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mEK9PnE8qcU.

Gentry, Bryan. “3D Printer Brings Ideas to Life for Theatre Students.” University of Lynchburg, March 12, 2018. https://www.lynchburg.edu/news/2018/03/3d-printer-brings-ideas-to-life-for-theatre-students/.

Goulding, Charles. “The Evolving Entertainment Industry and 3D Printed Props.” Fabbaloo, July 14, 2021. https://www.fabbaloo.com/news/the-evolving-entertainment-industry-and-3d-printed-props.

Hanaphy, Paul, Kubi Sertoglu, Hayley Everett, Michael Petch, and Michael Molitch-Hou. “Owen Collins Takes 3D Printing on a Date.” 3D Printing Industry, August 10, 2016. https://3dprintingindustry.com/news/owen-collins-takes-3d-printing-date-theatre-24647/.

Hollingsworth, Forrest, and Naomi Jeffrey Petersen. “Tactile Teachables: Expanding Accessibility with 3D Printing.” EDUCAUSE Review. Accessed February 20, 2022. https://er.educause.edu/articles/2017/11/tactile-teachables-expanding-accessibility-with 3dprinting#:~:text=3D%20printing%20and%20modeling%20is,repositories%20of%20readily%20usable%20models.

“Lighting up the West End with High Accuracy 3D Printing.” Formlabs. Accessed February 20, 2022. https://formlabs.com/blog/lamp-pencil-3d-printing-entertainment-light-design/.

Somers, Ira. “Stage Design Just Got Easier with 3D Printing.” Massivit 3D. Accessed February 20, 2022. https://massivit3d.com/blog/stage-design-just-got-easier-with-3d-printing/.

Sweet, Chad. “3D Printing for the Theatre.” Reno Little Theater, July 1, 2021. https://renolittletheater.org/3d-printing-for-the-theatre/.  

“The Top Applications of 3D Printing in the Movie Industry.” 3Dnatives, July 19, 2021. https://www.3dnatives.com/en/top-applications-3d-printing-movie-industry-090720214/#!

Turney, Drew, Rina Diane Caballar, and Carolin Werthmann. “History of 3D Printing: It’s Older than You Think [Updated].” Redshift EN, January 31, 2022. https://redshift.autodesk.com/history-of-3d-printing/.

“What Is 3D Printing?” 3D Printing, September 17, 2021. https://3dprinting.com/what-is-3d-printing/.