A New York play uses AR headsets to let live audiences interact with digital actors, including Ian McKellen, in a mixed-reality theater experience.

A new mixed-reality play titled "An Ark" has opened in New York, blending live audiences with virtual characters using headsets that overlay digital performers into physical space. Designed specifically for immersive technology, the production features prerecorded actors—led by Ian McKellen—who appear life-sized and make eye contact with viewers through gaze-tracking systems. Set at The Shed, the play creates an intimate, shared experience where digital figures interact in real time with audience members, blurring the line between theater and digital storytelling. The format, combining live performance with augmented reality, represents a significant experiment in how technology can reshape audience engagement and narrative delivery in the performing arts.