Directing Telepresent actors for the stage

This research project Directing Telepresent Actors for the Stage investigates how the theatre director can aid the telematic actor in their performance, through detailed exploration into actors monitoring their performances, the blocking of scenes and rehearsing instances of virtual touch. Through a four week rehearsal period that draws on existing telematic performances and the directing methodology of director Katie Mitchell and the theatre company Imitating the Dog, a cast of five undergraduate actors learn how to perform on the telematic stage, culminating in a production of Jennifer Haley’s The Nether which was performed across two separate theatre venues connected via the internet at the University of York, 29 September 2021.