Theatre Meets Tech
NYT & Microsoft's Digital Accelerator
The Collaboration
National Youth Theatre partnered with Vital Culture UK and Microsoft to create a unique digital storytelling experience. Over two days in Manchester, we transformed traditional theatre-making by integrating AI tools and live streaming technology.
The Experiment
At Contact Theatre and Pac-Man Live Experience Arcade, participants:
Co-created scripts using ChatGPT and Copilot
Designed digital assets with accessible AI tools
Built live-streamed performances where audience votes changed the story in real time
The Performance:
"Love in the Trenches" - A World War II romantic comedy where:
Twitch chat voted on key plot decisions
ChatGPT appeared as an in-story Games Master
Pre-recorded scenes blended with live improvisation
Our Approach
Vital Culture UK focused on:
Making technology feel approachable through hands-on play
Designing accessible workflows that kept energy high
Framing ethical questions about AI in creative terms ("When should the AI get writing credit?")
Balancing structured learning with space for surprise
What Emerged
Participants who'd never used OBS built complete live streams
The group developed their own shorthand for tech troubleshooting
AI became a creative partner rather than just a tool
The arcade environment inspired playful risk-taking
Participant Voices
"What stayed with me was realizing tech doesn't have to be perfect to be powerful. Our glitches became part of the story."
"I'll never watch a live stream the same way again - now I know how much collaboration happens behind the screen."
Why This Matters
This project revealed that:
Young artists want to work with tech when it serves their stories
"Imperfect" digital elements often create the most authentic moments
Hybrid spaces (theatre + arcade) spark unexpected creativity
Let's Build Together
Interested in creating your own version? We design bespoke programs that put artists in dialogue with technology.
See Our Other Tech+Arts Projects here
This project was made possible through support from Microsoft's Responsible AI initiative and National Youth Theatre's digital programme
