Out Damn Robot!

by:

Joe Patti

First it was cars and real estate, now the Japanese are making a move on our arts industry! Back in April, I wrote about the Honda robot</at that conducted the Detroit Symphony.

Now Mitsubishi is attempting to build a better actor. Actually, Mitsubishi built the robot. Osaka University developed the software to allow the robot to interact with others on stage.

According to the BBC article, “In the play, the robot complains that it has been forced into boring and demeaning jobs…”

Sounds to me like the robot has already immersed itself in the daily life of an actor.

I guess Futurama had it right and one day we will be treated to performances by the likes of Calculon.

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Author
Joe Patti

I have been writing Butts in the Seats (BitS) on topics of arts and cultural administration since 2004 (yikes!). Given the ever evolving concerns facing the sector, I have yet to exhaust the available subject matter. In addition to BitS, I am a founding contributor to the ArtsHacker (artshacker.com) website where I focus on topics related to boards, law, governance, policy and practice.

I am also an evangelist for the effort to Build Public Will For Arts and Culture being helmed by Arts Midwest and the Metropolitan Group (details).

My most recent role is as Theater Manager at the Rialto in Loveland, CO.

Among the things I am most proud are having produced an opera in the Hawaiian language and a dance drama about Hawaii's snow goddess Poli'ahu while working as a Theater Manager in Hawaii. Though there are many more highlights than there is space here to list.

Art Is Cake

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