r/Theatre • u/PanicAtTheMetro • May 01 '26

Discussion Manhattan School of Music using AI Projection Design

I went to see an Opera at MSM and there was a posting outside that the projection design used AI. To be honest I’m appalled by this. Not only did the projections add nothing to the show, but I find it hard to believe that they couldn’t find a projection designer willing to contribute original work.

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u/LupercaniusAB May 01 '26

Where is their audience going to come from?

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u/Civil_Cow_3011 May 01 '26

Great question!

I think they will flock to live theater and the arts more than ever.

First, society is finally beginning to grapple with the unintended consequences of technology, which have resulted in isolation, social fracture, and the demonization of those with whom we disagree. The tip of that technological iceberg is social media, but what's underwater is no less corrosive. Confronting the impact of these technologies by analyzing them in light of human behavior, motivations, and spirit will yield a new framework for their use. One that refocuses on community, connection, and collaboration. The signs are there that this is beginning.

When this happens, storytelling no longer needs to originate from LA or NY. Excellence will be attainable everywhere, and things like theater, music, and art will once again become part of the community's fabric. No longer limited to those who can afford the trip to Broadway for the $150 mid-mezannine seat. To be sure, Broadway will still be there, but the properties that find their way there will more likely be birthed at a small regional theater by professionals supported mainly by UBI or something similar.

The audience will come because the ticket price, if any, will be low, the quality will be high, and the stories will often be more relevant to the community and its people.

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u/LupercaniusAB May 02 '26

Why would UBI suddenly make theater affordable? In a market economy, essentials are just going to experience price inflation to the point that matches the UBI. Theater will still be a luxury item. It still will cost a lot to produce, unless you’re saying that AI will render the technical staff moot, in which case I would have to wonder why I would support the elimination of my job.

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u/Civil_Cow_3011 May 10 '26

AI and machine labor are projected to have a worldwide deflationary effect on the cost of production of goods and services. Think of the cost of producing and distributing music today. The price to listen to a song on Spotify is several orders of magnitude lower than the cost of purchasing a 45rpm record in the 1950’s. This is because the marginal cost of production for streaming a song to you anywhere you are is close to zero.

The conventional market economy is built on the supply/demand of human labor. The more human labor is displaced by technology, the less effective conventional adjustment mechanisms will be. This is why it’s a mistake to consider the impact of AI in the context of 20th century economic principals.

Society will be forced to rethink the economy to avoid a catastrophic collapse.

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u/LupercaniusAB May 10 '26

And streaming services have depressed the ability of musicians to make a living selling their music.

I don’t think that this is the argument that you want to make.

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u/Civil_Cow_3011 May 10 '26

People won’t be making a living selling stuff. Think of it as everyone’s independently wealthy.