OnBoardXR Season 3: ‘Mythos & Monsters’
The third showcase of OnBoardXR, premiering Octover, 2021 and partnering with FIVARS festival to explore pre-seating a larger event with its own built-in audience and press outreach.
Production & Sponsors
The Jigsaw Ensemble and Active Replica continued their informal partnership to produce the event and absorb overhead costs. Michael Morran stepped up as Techincal Director and Stage Manager to expand the
cue systemwith experimental features intended forNon-Player Characterand organized aPaper Techsystem for all participants to submit a cue sheet without learning javascript. Participants submitted prototype proposals via an open-submission process, however the season was saturated primarily by returning participants which cultivated a stronger sense of community and collaboration.Artistic Director: BRENDAN BRADLEY
Technical Director: MICHAEL MORRAN
Dramaturg: L. Nicol Cabe
Creative Technologists” MICHAEL MORRAN ROMAN MILETITCH
Stage Management: MICHAEL MORRAN STEPHEN FLACH
House Management: TYLER GRAHAM
3D Design Optimization: ANAIS RON
Emcees & OnBoarding
Our Pirate Emcees helped greet and troubleshoot attendees prior to showtime, performed by Dasha Kittredge, Ari Tarr, and Tyler Graham. In an experiment for narrative dramaturgy, the pre-show transitioned into the first Act of the actual event.
Pier to Peer
A high-hat, black hat pirate - in more ways than one - steals away aboard a nautical vessel in search of new exploits and coin, but instead finds themselves unmoored on an offbeat voyage of self-discovery alongside a newfound crew. Created by Braden Roy, Ari Tarr, and Dasha Kittredge with Dramaturgy by L. Nicol Cabe.
The Aquaians
Get an up-close look at the new technology “feeding” the underwater cities of our future. You and a few specially-selected guests will be the first to visit the set of the new reality show, “The Aquaians.”
Water Horse
Water Horse explores the folklore of the Each-uisge, a water horse from Scotting folklore. The piece takes place in a 360 dance on film featuring Oscar Lozano, Daydie Price & Siena Simas. A live performer guides the audience through the experience.
Living Tables
Less a show, more a space in between shows. The space will react to the presence of the people, encouraging them to explore. From Roman Miletitch and Regis Lemberthe.
NPC: Let’s Get To The Bottom
A friendly octopus invites the audience on a singalong into the deepest corners of themselves. Written & Performed bt Brendan Bradley with musical arangement by Maurice Soque Jr. and Technical Direction by Michael Morran
Deeps & Shallows
An unconventional home office with a history, submerged in a sea of conflicting selves and voyaging for connection. Autobiographical improv supported by Arts Council England, the OnBoardXR community and Beyond The Ridiculous.
Mrs. Nemo
An immersive musical that aims to set the record straight about Jules Verne’s iconic character, as he fights off the giant squid. Creative team: David Gochfeld, Daniel Lock, Mary Stewart-David with Vivian Belosky as Mrs. Nemo. Executive Producer Cristobal Catalan. Character Design by Clara Capaldo. Animator Guy Schofield. Musical Arranger Simon Walters.
Unwanted Waters
Inspired by the old myth of Rusulka, this live mocap dance performance tells the story of unfriendly water spirits who have suffered from harassment and exclusion. How will they react to the audience disturbing their peace? Tech and performance by Clemence Debaig, character design by Neal Coghlan and Music by Christina Karpodini.
Cue System
Michael Morran took over Technical Direction and Stage Management as part of his engagement on Non-Player Character, bringing new features, like grouped cues and avatar manipulation to the cue system and introducing his own Paper Tech workflow to allow Creators without coding experience to complete a Google Sheet with the data fields necessary to develop theatrical cues on behalf of another Creator.
Reception & Analysis
The third OnBoardXR had double the attendance of previous seasons with more tickets “sold” prior to the opening show than total attendance of any other OnBoardXR series. Almost half the audience attended in standalone HMD with a healthy 5% still on mobile phone or tablet. Even with repeat customers, 25% of attendees reported the show as their first ever vitual reality or live virtual reality experience. This increased to 50% when we include attendees who reported only having ever attended one live virtual reality performance prior to OB3. Our partnership with an existing festival, like FIVARS, appeared to assist this metric, with participants naming blogs or publications as how they learned about OnBoardXR.
One hundred percent of attendees chose to pay something for their ticket, with FIVARS attendees showing the willingness to pay $45 for a festival badge and two of our own audience members electing to pay $50 and $100 respectively. Overall, 1/4th of our audience was comfortable paying $15+ for the show, with a total average of $12.15 per ticket.
Many participants and attendees noted the elevated experience, crediting the familarness and supportiveness of return creators and the support from active team members like Michael Morran and Anais Ron to assist in programming and design.