The art and psychology of acting in virtual theatre

The text discusses the question of redefining the art of the actor, in the context of the two virtual projects staged by Mark Reaney and Ron Willis in Kansas, USA, in 1995 and 1996: The Adding Machine and Wings. The subject of technology pushing forward the frontiers of knowledge is addressed, while art, as always, is invited to reflect these new experiences. Virtual theatre implies, therefore, a redefinition of the actors’ performance, the role of the technicians, the function of the directors and the relationship with the audience. The study discusses, at the level of the theatre, the existing relationships between the corporal, the psychic and the artificial, the multidisciplinary training of the actor, the question of the diminished actor, the question of a new performer, and the concerns that generally arise during the process of staging where new technologies are used. The work is addressed to specialists in theatre and new technologies, as well as to the theatre and virtual world enthusiast.