To Bot or not To Bot: Integrating a Social Robot into the Actor’s Rehearsal Process

Effective theatrical rehearsal is essential for actors’ character development, involving intricate cognitive, emotional, and physical processes. Despite well-established traditional techniques that combine individual practice and partner interactions, rehearsal often requires significant time and resources. Emerging digital and robotic technologies present novel opportunities to enhance rehearsal methods; however, their potential as interactive rehearsal aids remains largely unexplored. This research examines the role of a social robot in supporting actors during pre-rehearsal or solo preparation of two scenes from Tennessee Williams’ The Glass Menagerie (1944). Thirty actors with different levels of experience participated in three rehearsal settings: solo practice, rehearsal with a robot playing one character, and rehearsal with the robot alternating between two roles. We evaluated the robot's impact via qualitative responses and self-reports. Thematic analysis indicated that robot-assisted rehearsal improved participants’ experience compared to solo rehearsal, especially among less experienced actors. The robot's role-switching capability offered additional depth appreciated mainly by seasoned performers. These outcomes highlight the promise of social robots as rehearsal tools adapted to the experience of actors.