September 20, 2021 – Odeon Theatrical, a project that is integrating modern theatrics with extended reality (XR) technology, has recently announced its ‘Production Pilot Program’, giving audiences around the world the ability to watch live theatrical performances blended with augmented reality (AR) visuals, including digital characters and immersive effects. The project is formed of a partnership between Sunchaser Entertainment, Hexagram, and the Shubert Organization.
Odeon’s ‘Augmented Theatrical Venue’ is what the company refers to as a “smart theater venue, freed from real-world constraints.” It transforms any location into a stage by integrating traditional production elements such as light, sound, and sets with augmented reality content, according to the company. The platform works with a range of existing theatrical software and runs on multiple audience-facing hardware platforms, including mobile devices or head-mounted displays. Odeon stated that this allows original or revival productions to find new life in existing assets, as well as to create additional revenue streams within a Covid-compliant alternative venue. Once its build is complete, an Odeon show can be duplicated and installed anywhere in the world with multiple shows performing concurrently.
“Artists and audiences have been exploring new immersive technologies, and they are more open than ever to ways of combining them with live performances in powerful new ways,” said founder Stephanie Riggs of Sunchaser Entertainment. “Through Odeon we can seamlessly integrate these technologies with live shows to create magical and intuitive ticketed performances.”
Odeon’s Production Pilot Program has been launched to help existing productions explore the opportunities of the Augmented Theatrical Venue. Interested partners are being offered two tiers of service: Consulting, in which Odeon’s team works directly with the production to design an Odeon experience based on their IP; and Development, expands on the Consulting tier to build a comprehensive XR presentation that integrates with existing show control systems and includes optional ticketing and marketing support.
“How we make live theatrical more accessible to more people is incredibly important; Odeon is a great step toward making that expansion a reality. The more artists have flexibility in when and where they create, the more great theatre will be created across all stages proscenium and beyond,” said Kyle Wright of the Shubert Organization.
“The Odeon platform offers theatrical productions an exciting opportunity to make their incredible talents more visible than ever,” added Jamil Moledina, CEO of Hexagram. “We couldn’t be more excited to be working alongside this incredible team and to help them bring any show to any location.”
For more information on how to work with Odeon Theatrical and its Production Pilot Program, please visit the company’s website.
Image credit: Odeon Theatrical
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About the author
Sam is the Founder and Managing Editor of Auganix. With a background in research and report writing, he has been covering XR industry news for the past seven years.