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Winter—and the future of theater—is coming. The Shed will host the world premiere of An Ark, the first play ever created for and in "mixed reality," beginning January 9, 2026, for an exclusive seven-week run.
Sounds cool! But, uh, what is "mixed reality"? According to a press release, "the ensemble of actors appear in a headset to speak directly to each audience member. Though the actors will not be physically present, this radical reimagining of live theater is made possible by the magic of mixed reality." Oh, okay.
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An Ark will be confined to The Shed's Level 2 Gallery and an audience of just 200 per performance, all donning headsets to watch the production unfold in that mixed reality.
The play traces the arc (get it?) of a human life over the course of 47 minutes, and stars Ian McKellen, Golda Rosheuvel, Arinzé Kene and Rosie Sheehy (on a screen, obviously). Written by Olivier and Tony Award winner Simon Stephens and directed by acclaimed UK Theatre Award winner Sarah Frankcom, the production was conceived and produced by Todd Eckert of Tin Drum, the company behind 2023’s Kagami, the world’s first mixed-reality concert.
"In An Ark, we sit face to face with actors of astonishing power in a way that is completely new. For the first time, we are invited to join the circle of human connection, with a truly magnificent intersection of cast, script, and direction,” said Eckert in an official statement.
“Throughout my professional life I’ve defined myself as a theater artist, and I’ve historically only ever been interested in working in the live medium," director Frankcom said in a statement. "However, I’ve become very excited about how mixed reality might take an audience into a remarkable relationship with a group of actors and create completely new opportunities to experience a play and make theater. This new medium creates a magical space for an extraordinarily intimate and mesmeric encounter with actors and story.”
An Ark opens January 9 and runs through March 1 at The Shed (545 West 30th Street). Tickets go on sale November 20, with member presales beginning November 12 and Mastercard cardholder access on November 18. For more information, visit theshed.org.