Two Second Life plays begin finals week, virtual performances available online

By: Glennis Siegfriend

Posted: 12/5/08

The Kent State Second Life Ensemble is set to perform its first play, which will run Dec. 9-12.

More information about the practices:
&bull Dec. 9, 4 p.m. Virtual performance
&bull Dec. 10, 7 p.m. Live and virtual performances with talk-back session
&bull Dec. 11, 4 p.m. Virtual performance
&bull Dec. 12, 4 p.m. Virtual performance with talk-back session
&bull All take place in E. Turner Stump
Theatre

The plays include "The Creation" and "The Second Shepherd's Play," both from the Wakefield Mystery Cycle. It will be held in the E. Turner Stump Theatre. For audience members who are not part of Second Life, the performance will be screened in the theater for them to watch.

Members of Second Life will be able to view the play within the virtual world at the Theatre Eternal on http://secondlife.com.

On selected dates there will be a live performance and a special talk-back session in which audience members can ask the performers questions.

Steve Zapytowski, professor of design and technology, heads the project with Mark Monday, assistant professor of theater, who is the director of the production.

"It will be interesting to see how the audience deals with this in a conventional theater setting," Zapytowski said of the upcoming performances. "It will be an interesting experience."

-Glennis Siegfried