The Ferryman Collective show at Gray Area was an unforgettable experience – a first of its kind on so many levels, with amazing multi-character performances by actors Brendan Bradley (in San Francisco) and Whitton Frank (in Los Angeles) sharing the virtual stage 350 miles apart. It was as experimental as theater can be — in other words, entirely appropriate for the SIGGRAPH audience. As Brendan put it when one of many technological links needed a quick reset to start the show: “How exciting!”
Ferryman Collective’s “Uncanny Alley: A New Day” playing to a full house at Gray Area.
Our amazing team of volunteers from the San Francisco and Silicon Valley chapters! Front row: Brendan Bradley (Ferryman Collective) and VR participant Nathalie Mathe; Middle row: Karl Anderson (SV), Ted Selker (BayChi), Sara Alfageeh (SF), Alesh Jancarik (SV), Brent Simon (SV), Sharon Yang (SV), Cassidy Curtis (SF), Mack Cooper (SF), Nino Estrada (SF); Back row: Ken Turkowski (SV), Jay Riddle (SF), Devin Kern (SF).
Attendees transition from the pre-show mixer in Gray Area’s lobby bar to take their seats in the theater.
Ferryman Collective actor Brendan Bradley (center) prepares to don his headgear and enter the shared virtual world with participants Nathalie Mathe (left) and Ted Selker (right). On the 30-foot theater screen behind them we see a webcam view of the scene unfolding simultaneously at the Clubhouse in Los Angeles, with actor Whitton Frank on stage, wearing her headset.
The stage lighting seamlessly adapted scene by scene, to fit the mood of the virtual environment being projected on the big screen.
Ferryman Collective actor Brendan Bradley (center) with VR participants Ted Selker of BayChi (left), and Nathalie Mathe (right).
