AI joins the production team for freeFall’s latest show

The new show at freeFall Theatre, opening Friday, is a unique blend of theater arts, improv and what earlier generations might have termed science fiction. There are six live actors onstage, and a seventh member of the cast: Generative AI software the show’s creators have named the House of Future Memory.

The production happens to be called The House of Future Memory.

“In a sense,” says freeFall musical director Michael Raabe, “it’s a collaboration between artists, actors and the audience using AI for some elements, and it’s a completely different show every night.”

Raabe and the company’s artistic director Eric Davis came up with the outline, which includes several original songs. Davis, a boundary-pusher since the theater’s early days, liked the thought of “collaborating” with AI. “He thought ‘what can we do that’s exciting, exploring new avenues’? Raabe recalls.

The jumping-off point was Shakespeare’s “The Seven Ages of Man,” from As You Like It. “Eric thought that would be a good framing device, to keep the structure the same every night.”

Here’s how it works. After an opening song or two and some scripted moments, the actors take suggestions from the audience (like an improv comedy show. So far, so good).

“We work with the audience to see what they’d like to see,” explains cast member J. Elijah Cho. “‘What would you like to see tonight?’ We have six incredible performers, an amazing team of designers … it’s more of an abstract way into story creation.”

That’s when things take a hard left. This information is then fed into the House of Future Memory, which purees them all into an outline for the production’s 60-minute second act.

(The AI isn’t like some robot, or Big Brother-y Hal from 2001: A Space Odyssey. “It’s kind of this looming overhead presence,” Raabe explains.)

“There are improv elements, but it’s a full-on structured narrative. A fully laid-out story that’s happening every night. The audience is literally helping to create the character and the setting. The narrative has a beginning, a middle and an end. And the House of Future Memory is collaborative in that.”

However things play out, the actors will need to be on their toes. Raabe: “I wrote a love song, a melody to the Shakespeare sonnet ‘Shall I compare thee to a summer’s day?’ And AI is generating new lyrics every night, based on the narrative that’s happening.”

“This troupe, all of them are amazing improvisers,” Cho enthuses. “Even though some of them said ‘I don’t do this very often …’ But it’s been a very fun kind of shared strength training.”

The story, the characters and their relationships can go into unexpected directions. “It’s scary but it’s exciting, in a way,” says Cho. “I’m someone who likes to have an idea and be ready before I start.

“But when you’re with friends, being able to explore and come up with things, there’s a freedom there that’s really exciting as an artist. How often do you get to do that?”

The mix of script, song, skill and surprise, Raabe believes, is “really cool back-and-forth. The actors are bringing their humanity, their past experiences, their humor and their singing skills, and their improv skills, and that’s really fun to watch unfold.”

For showtimes and tickets, visit this link.