An augmented reality theater production called An Ark brings holographic performers to a live audience at The Shed in New York City. Using Magic Leap 2 glasses, viewers experience virtual actors including Ian McKellen in an intimate setting. The show, running until April 4, explores themes of life and death through mixed reality.
At The Shed in New York City, audiences enter a carpeted room barefoot, donning Magic Leap 2 AR glasses for An Ark, billed as the first play created for mixed reality. The production, produced by Todd Eckert—who previously led content development at Magic Leap—features volumetrically captured performances by Ian McKellen, Golda Rosheuvel, Arinzé Kene, and Rosie Sheehy. These holographic actors appear in a semicircle of four chairs, making direct eye contact and sharing personal stories that evoke a sense of intimacy and shared witnessing among the seated crowd.
The nearly 50-minute experience unfolds as a meditation on the liminal space after death, with virtual presences that feel haunting and emotional yet distant, lacking live performers. Attendees, including CNET writers, noted the ambient audio uniting the room, though individual fields of view limit shared visuals. Eckert's prior works, such as The Life with Marina Abramović and Kagami with Ryuichi Sakamoto, also utilized Magic Leap hardware for immersive theater.
Priced at $45, the show requires travel to Manhattan's west side and accommodations for prescriptions, with inserts available up to -5 diopters. While the novelty of AR glasses drew curiosity, participants emerged feeling more connected to the physical world, appreciating the ritual of communal viewing in a dedicated space. An Ark challenges perceptions of theater, blending virtual acting with real togetherness, though its long-term appeal beyond the tech's novelty remains uncertain.
