How long before holograms on Broadway?

[macbeth]

Posted: 7/4/23 at 6:36am

https://deadline.com/2023/07/dolly-parton-ai-hologram-after-death-1235429779/

makes me wonder how long before we'll see them on Broadway given how well the ABBA show seems to be doing in London. I'm intrigued. 

[Impeach2017]

Posted: 7/4/23 at 8:06am

I would prefer hologram audiences.  Instead of physically going to the theater, one could rent a "viewer" spot and enjoy the entire show without worrying about rustling candy wrappers, deranged wingnuts, or mucus-spewing disease spreaders.  Of course, prices will depend on the seat selection desired.  

[Dylan Smith4]

Posted: 7/4/23 at 8:08am

I’m seeing ABBA Voyage next weekend and could not be more excited. I do however like the idea of holograms for musical artists that are no longer with us. What I do to see a holographic show for George Michael or The Beatles. As for Broadway, that should not happen. Broadway should be the last place where AI or holographic performances end up. That’s just me.

[pablitonizer]

Posted: 7/4/23 at 9:10am

macbeth said: "https://deadline.com/2023/07/dolly-parton-ai-hologram-after-death-1235429779/

makes me wonder how long before we'll see them on Broadway given how well the ABBA show seems to be doing in London. I'm intrigued."

I see ABBA's Voyage coming to Vegas imo. I don't think Broadway audience is the right audience for that type of show

[Dylan Smith4]

Posted: 7/4/23 at 9:40am

It’s more of an arena concert than a stage show. I thought the original plan was to send it on tour across the US. 

[SisterGeorge]

Posted: 7/4/23 at 12:24pm

macbeth said: "https://deadline.com/2023/07/dolly-parton-ai-hologram-after-death-1235429779/

makes me wonder how long before we'll see them on Broadway given how well the ABBA show seems to be doing in London. I'm intrigued."

I just saw the Ryuichi Sakamoto virtual reality concert at the Shed. While it was interesting and a novelty, it was nowhere close to HD and it would have to be improved greatly before you'd want to see a whole show this way.

[bwaydreamer]

Posted: 7/4/23 at 12:26pm

Never. Next question.  This is live theatre.  Is anything safe from these people?

[Dollypop]

Posted: 7/4/23 at 12:56pm

A portion of the Boston Tea Party museum is a hologram presentation. I honestly thought they were real actors until they "mosaic-ed out" at the end.

[BrodyFosse123]

Posted: 7/4/23 at 1:38pm

Heck, locate a billionaire who loves Broadway history and fully fund holograms of the original Broadway productions of GYPSY, WEST SIDE STORY, FUNNY GIRL, and countless others. Have surviving folks from these productions consult on the recreations, etc. 

[willep]

Posted: 7/4/23 at 3:44pm

Impeach2017 said: "I would prefer hologram audiences. Instead of physically going to the theater, one could rent a "viewer" spot and enjoy the entire show without worrying about rustling candy wrappers, deranged wingnuts, or mucus-spewing disease spreaders. Of course, prices will depend on the seat selection desired."

So you want to watch a livestream. No thanks, I prefer live theatre.

[Jarethan]

Posted: 7/4/23 at 4:27pm

I saw the ABBA show about a month ago and enjoyed it.  The holographic images were incredible, but I viewed it as I would a concert, not a theatre piece, which it is not.  Vegas, yes; NYC, no.  

Of course the venue was nowhere near the west end, and was to me a pain in the ass to get to , although at least one poster here disagreed with me.  So, if someone wants to open a production in a theatre in the Meadowlands, go for it…just don’t put it in the theatre district.  Maybe, if they can get it to work financially, they can open it in that theatre used for the Tony’s this year.  Mind you, the venue in London was built to house the show, so I assume production drove venue design.

I remember there being a little bit of spoken word, which didn’t seem as well done as the singing parts, so it may not be ready for a lot of dialogue scenes.

[Kad]

Posted: 7/4/23 at 5:06pm

A lot of these “holograms” aren’t technically holograms at all- Star Wars-like holograms are currently impossible, and most practical applications of true holograms are very limited and generally can only be still images. Things like ABBA Voyage are merely updated versions of a very old theatrical illusion called Pepper’s ghost that basically used misdirection to show the audience a reflection of something on a reflective surface they hadn’t noticed. The illusion isn’t used much in theatre these days, since it takes a lot of space to do, and most Broadway shows have too many moving, variable elements- moving ensembles or set pieces will very easily destroy the illusion. You can’t really mix the reflection with corporeal elements- ie a projection of, say, Carol Channing as Dolly dancing with a real ensemble of waiters isn’t feasible due to the limits of the illusion. 
 

But these modern “holograms” have roots in theatrical tradition nevertheless. 

[kdogg36]

Posted: 7/4/23 at 5:34pm

bwaydreamer said: "Never. Next question. This is live theatre. Is anything safe from these people?"

I get your drift, but I think that's a little too absolute. A production could cleverly include holograms in the same way current ones include projected photographs. Of course it would have real people in it too! (ETA, following Kad's comment: this would be when such a thing is possible in a live production.)

Updated On: 7/4/23 at 05:34 PM

[Impeach2017]

Posted: 7/4/23 at 6:59pm

willep said: "Impeach2017 said: "I would prefer hologram audiences. Instead of physically going to the theater, one could rent a "viewer" spot and enjoy the entire show without worrying about rustling candy wrappers, deranged wingnuts, or mucus-spewing disease spreaders. Of course, prices will depend on the seat selection desired."

So you want to watch a livestream. No thanks, I prefer live theatre."

aside from your lack of humor, no, I'm talking about something completely different.

[BrodyFosse123]

Posted: 7/4/23 at 7:26pm

 

[chrishuyen]

Posted: 7/5/23 at 2:28pm

I could see a show utilizing holograms to create a ghost, or as part of the plot or something, but I think it'll be a long long time (if ever) before all actors are replaced by holograms.

[Unormands]

Posted: 7/6/23 at 9:50am

While it's difficult to predict an exact timeline, advancements in technology and the success of productions like the ABBA show in London could certainly pave the way for holograms on Broadway.

[pablitonizer]

Posted: 7/6/23 at 9:55am

Has any one ever seen "S1M0NE" movie from 2003? Who knew it could become a reality one day lol

Updated On: 7/6/23 at 09:55 AM

[Knoton1948]

Posted: 7/16/23 at 11:28am

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Updated On: 7/16/23 at 11:28 AM