Improvisation in Theatre Rehearsals for Synthetic Actors

Although the use of computers to create otherwise impossible characters has long been a staple of film, corresponding use in live stage performance is uncommon, and such characters have typically been only electronic puppets. Computer theatre experiments over the last decade have ranged from digital scenography and virtual reality, to semi-autonomous computer, or synthetic, actors. Improvisation is an essential part of rehearsals for a live stage (scripted) performance, providing development of character and plot; in addition, the rehearsal process provides a training ground for the actors involved with the performance. The author aims to develop synthetic characters capable of taking full part in this process. Initial experiments (dynamically adding an affect component to scripted speech) have been promising, and form the beginnings of the larger system, which will autonomously build up a model of the character that the synthetic actor is portraying, with the aim of presenting continually improved performances.