Theatre as a Reality and a Passion – Part 2, by Hermes Kondor
Second Life is really a fascinating place to meet new, and amazing people.
This is a continuation of a compelling interview by Hermes Kondor with Bajoy, a playwright and author in real life and an actress and director of theatre in Second Life. The first part of this interview was featured in the September 2023 issue of FOCUS Magazine. Here Bajoy explains the technical aspects of theatre in SL, what motivates her and advice she has for people who are interested in participating in SL theater.
Hermes: What are some of the communication and coordination challenges you’ve faced while directing in a virtual environment, and how have you overcome them?
Bajoy: Good communication between team members is essential for a successful production—
One challenge is working with actors who speak languages other than English (as our plays are performed in English). When communicating with actors in general, it’s important for them to realize that every part is important to the overall play, whether it is large or small.
Set designers also need to realize that the set and other items on the stage need to meet the needs of the play. The golden rule is—if something is on the stage, the audience expects it to be used—so only put on the stage those set pieces that help to forward the story.
When working with choreographers, too, it is important for them to remember that the dances serve the play. The dances must fit naturally into the action. Sometimes a song, whether it is sung or danced, may need to be abridged from the original.
Hermes: How does audience interaction and engagement differ between traditional theater and virtual performances in Second Life?
Bajoy: One big difference is that audience members often feel free to text comments about the play as it is being performed. This often takes the form of reacting to certain scenes or characters in ways that can be encouraging, humorous, and, on occasion, annoying.
The theatre-goer in SL has the advantage of being able to cam or zoom into the stage and view the performance from different angles. While in traditional theatre, the director and set designer always need to be aware of sight lines for the audience. In a virtual environment this is still important, but not critical, because the audience member can choose which of their camera angles to use when watching a performance. This fact has implications for how the costumes are worn and how the sets are designed.
In a virtual environment, there are more opportunities for the audience to be distracted by outside factors (such as incoming messages or interruptions in real life). This may effect the concentration of the audience member or even cause them to log out unexpectedly during a performance.
It’s possible that a random visitor may arrive during a play, sometimes even on stage, and might need support to find a seat or be politely asked to leave.
Hermes: What do you find most rewarding about connecting with audiences in a virtual space?
Bajoy: I think bringing a variety of theatre experiences to an audience in virtual space is exciting. ACT has produced original plays, poem performances, and musical adaptations. Different plays appeal to different audiences, so we have concentrated on a diverse range of shows to attract diverse audiences.
Hermes: Can you elaborate on the technical aspects involved in producing a play or performance within Second Life? What kind of virtual stage setups, lighting, and effects do you use to enhance the experience?
Bajoy: Being an actor in virtual space involves a number of special skills that develop over time.
Not only does a virtual actor need to know some of the basic principles of traditional theatre , like where upstage and downstage are, for example, but they also have the added responsibility of embodying the avatar and making it ‘live’ through the animations they choose and how they manipulate them during a production. They need to be able to ‘control’ themselves, but also interact with other virtual avatars who are involved in this same embodiment process.
ACT has at its disposal three different types of stage—a standard proscenium arch stage, a Greek style amphitheatre, and a thrust stage (i.e., replica of Shakespeare’s Globe). In addition, there have been productions where formal stages have been abandoned and an environment created instead.
Use of particles and special effects are used when appropriate. In ACT’s latest production, ‘A Tribute to Angela Lansbury’, written, directed and choreographed by Hollie Aluveaux, sparkles of gold dropped from above at the conclusion of one of the dance numbers. Also, there have been productions where characters, such as the Darling children in Peter Pan, have flown above the audience. Also, spaceships maneuvered in and out during ‘Heart of Gold’, an adaptation of ‘Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy’.
One of the key factors that set designers need to keep in mind is the allocated prim count. For this reason, sets for the various scenes are usually kept in rez boxes and only brought out when they are needed.
Moving sets from one location to another takes careful planning. On occasion, ACT has toured to other sims and to SL events such as Fantasy Faire. Set designers take the fact that their sets may have to travel to other venues into consideration in their construction.
ACT has yet to experiment extensively with lighting and controlling the camera view of the audience, as some theatre companies do; nor has it experimented with moving the audience through the scenes, instead of having the scenes change. All of these may be areas of exploration for future productions.
Hermes: How do you ensure smooth technical execution during performances to avoid potential glitches or interruptions?
Bajoy: The ACT philosophy involves ‘going with the flow,’ making the magic of theatre happen no matter what occurs. For example, during a performance, an actor may crash (i.e., unintentionally be logged out by a technical or other glitch). For this reason, all actors are encouraged to set their ‘home’ to backstage to ensure an easy return and re-entry into the play.
To minimise potential glitches, ACT pre-records its shows and streams the soundtrack into the virtual theatre. This involves voice actors recording their lines for individual characters in their own real life space and then emailing their interpretations to the voice co-ordinator (me). I then interweave the voices into the play master soundtrack for each scene, adding music and sound effects as needed.
During the shows, the director and/or stage manager communicates with the cast via a designated text channel that only they can see—and not the audience. In this way the actors receive their stage cues and the stage manager knows when to change the sets.
Hermes: How do you adapt traditional plays or scripts to fit the virtual environment and the unique possibilities it offers?
Bajoy: In adapting novels and plays for the virtual environment, I focus on central themes and the journey of each main character. This helps me to select which source material episodes are critical for the adaptation, because often the book has a number of sub-plots, or the play, intended for a RL audience, is too long.
I ask myself how each character develops through the book or play and focus on those scenes that show this. As interesting as it might be, if a scene does not contribute to a central theme or the journey of one of the characters, I do not include it. This is particularly important for a SL production, which benefits from a shorter performance length than a real life production. In adapting plays, stories, and poems for the stage, I try to keep the total running time under one hour. If I include musical numbers, these seem most effective if each item is kept near the two-minute mark or even under.
The key in playwriting is to ‘show’ not ‘tell’. If there is a way to show the characters’ feelings, emotions, or intentions in action, I do it that way, not by describing what he or she is thinking in the dialogue.
‘Conflict’—either external or within the characters themselves— is the cornerstone of most plays.. Each character is on a journey and a playwright discovers what this journey is and how the character grows and develops during the course of the play. This has implications for how the actors interpret the lines and how the show is staged—whether it be in traditional or virtual theatre.
I think it is important, too, to remember that a play is not a novel or a story or a film. Plays belong to a unique genre, with their own demands and possibilities. Often beginning playwrights (and costumiers and set designers) attempt to replicate what they may have read in a book or seen in a movie. Instead, I encourage them to regard an adaptation as an original creation in its own right, not beholding to any previous interpretations so as not to be overly influenced by them.
Hermes: What innovative approaches have you developed in terms of storytelling, character interaction, or audience immersion within Second Life?
Bajoy: ACT has used some approaches to audience involvement such as in ‘A Tribute to Hans Christian Andersen’, audience members (with their permission) sat on seats that included animations. At certain times in the performance, the audience members participated by providing crowd reactions as the animations were triggered by the stage manager. The audience became the crowd reacting to the Emperor’s ‘new clothes’ and also danced with the Ugly Duckling when he transformed into a swan.
ACT has also presented shows featuring the history of music, such as the ‘Sensational 6os,’ where, interspersed among the commentary, were relevant dances for the audience, triggered by the choreographer who had them all on a dance HUD.
Hermes: What are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced as an actress and director in Second Life, and how have they contributed to your growth and learning?
Bajoy: Certainly a key challenge, that many groups face in SL, is dealing with the diverse time zones. ACT works with actors from all over the world and to find a rehearsal time when everyone can attend involves careful planning. But somehow, ‘where there is a will there is a way’. Since its inception in 2015, ACT has presented 55 plays at its theatrical home at Avilion, a medieval fantasy RP sim, that is particularly supportive of the arts. Its actors come from all parts of the world, including: USA, UK, Canada, Brazil, and Australia — to name a few.
Hermes: Are there any specific moments or experiences in your virtual Theater journey that stand out as particularly impactful or memorable? Tell us a bit about that, please.
Bajoy: The most meaningful aspect of the virtual theatre journey for me is watching the development of those who become involved in theatre activities grow through the experience. Those who were shy at the beginning, now take on major roles with gusto. People who once thought they had little to offer discover or develop skills they never thought they had. The most satisfying thing for me as a virtual director is that the actors keep coming back for more, enthusiastic about the next performance and willing to try things they have not done before because they have developed the confidence to do so.
Hermes: How do you see the future of virtual theater evolving? What potential do you envision for combining traditional theater with virtual technology?
Bajoy: With each new advance in technology in real life, there are heightened possibilities for production, both in traditional and virtual theatre. For example, already in real life, the musical group, ABBA, has returned to the stage via artificial intelligence as had Michael Jackson earlier in the form of a singing and dancing hologram. Artificial Intelligence is now contributing to many film productions as well (although its inclusion is also a point of contention with actors).
In a virtual world, one sees the opportunity for actors to use even more natural movement as avatars develop. Already, it is possible to use lip movements with the new generation of avatar heads, to make the acting experience even more realistic for the audience.
In the future, ACT will continue to produce many of the same types of shows that we do now. However, we will also explore new ways to engage the audience through ‘immersion’ and ‘interactivity’ and to maximize the use of new technological developments to enhance the theatrical experience for audiences.
Hermes: What advice would you give to aspiring actors and directors who are interested in exploring the world of virtual , especially in platforms like Second Life?
Bajoy: I think the most important thing is find a supportive theatre group and ‘give it a go.’ You don’t have to have any past experiences with theatre in real or virtual life. Just jump in and have a great time participating as part of a group in putting on a play.
Thank you Bajoy, for your time and for sharing with all of us your passion for Theatre in SL in this so motivating and engaging interview. I hope our readers will contact you to learn more about it, and perhaps participate in your plays and shows themselves!
