LINKS

https://www.ortainteractive.com/
Orta Interactive is an award-winning creative studio based in Pittsburgh, specializing in crafting interactive games, immersive experiences, and compelling visual storytelling. Their portfolio includes collaborations with institutions such as Carnegie Mellon University, the University of Pittsburgh, and the American Shakespeare Center. Projects include the VR experiences Sweet Sorrow, Nanotechnology Lab VR Training, and the Blackfriars Tour, as well as educational AR apps such as Little Pizzeria and a range of interactive museum exhibits.

https://americanshakespearecenter.com/
The American Shakespeare Center (ASC) is a theater company in Staunton, Virginia dedicated to performing the works of William Shakespeare and his contemporaries using early modern staging practices. Its home, the Blackfriars Playhouse, is a re-creation of Shakespeare’s original indoor theater. The venue offers audiences an immersive experience that mirrors the conditions of 17th-century performance. In addition to year-round productions, the ASC offers educational programs, workshops, and scholarly resources. The company is a key collaborator on the Shakespeare-VR Project.

https://www.etc.cmu.edu/
The Entertainment Technology Center (ETC) at Carnegie Mellon University is a world-renowned interdisciplinary graduate program that combines art, design, and technology to develop innovative interactive experiences. Students collaborate in teams to produce cutting-edge projects in fields such as game design, theme park experiences, and virtual reality.

https://www.optimaacademy.online
Optima Academy Online (OAO) is a pioneering virtual reality public charter school based in Florida. Serving students in grades 3–8, OAO delivers a classical liberal arts curriculum through immersive VR environments using Meta Quest headsets. Students participate in live, teacher-led instruction within virtual spaces that replicate historical and cultural settings, enhancing engagement and learning. As part of their humanities curriculum, OAO uses Sweet Sorrow to introduce students to Shakespeare.

https://booksnake.app/
Booksnake is an augmented reality (AR) application developed at the University of Southern California that brings digitized archival materials into users’ physical spaces. By leveraging AR technology, Booksnake allows users to explore items such as books, manuscripts, and maps from institutions like the Library of Congress directly on their iOS devices. Named after the weighted strings used by archivists to hold fragile materials in place, Booksnake aims to make cultural heritage more accessible and engaging.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8OdqVyeuAoQ
Created by the immersive theatre company Roll the Bones, King of Infinite Space is a 2017 VR adaptation of Hamlet filmed at a historic site in Tipperary, Ireland.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TfM8zH5P-uQ
Developed by the Commonwealth Shakespeare Company in collaboration with Google and Sensorium, Hamlet 360 is a full-length VR adaptation of Hamlet released in 2019. The viewer takes on the role of King Hamlet’s ghost, observing scenes staged in a derelict theatre setting.

https://www.playtheknave.org/
Developed by Gina Bloom at UC Davis, Play the Knave is a customizable Shakespeare karaoke video game that uses motion-capture technology to allow users to stage scenes from Shakespeare’s plays. Players choose avatars, select scenes, and perform using their own voices and gestures, which are animated in real time. The project serves both as a scholarly research tool and an educational platform.

https://news.uoguelph.ca/2022/08/shakespeare-meets-virtual-reality-in-u-of-g-created-hamlet-experience/
Peter Kuling, a theatre scholar at the University of Guelph, has developed multiple VR Shakespeare projects focused on immersive, interactive adaptations for classroom and research contexts. These include the Hamlet VR Experience, which places users in the role of a castle guard, and the Macbeth VR Experience, in which users embody one of the witches. Both were developed with SimWave VR and are distributed through eCampusOntario for educational use.

https://www.unimelb.edu.au/newsroom/news/2019/august/social-shakespeare-chatbot-meets-julius-caesar
Prof. David McInnis at the University of Melbourne has led several VR projects that reimagine Shakespeare for digital platforms. One project, 360 Shrew, presents a 360-degree video adaptation of The Taming of the Shrew. Another, #ItWasGreekToMe, uses a chatbot interface to engage users with scenes from Julius Caesar.

https://8xr.io/s/DSB-Gallery/view
Developed by David Sterling Brown at Trinity College, Visualizing Race Virtually is a VR art gallery that complements his book Shakespeare’s White Others. The exhibition features 39 digitized images from the Folger Shakespeare Library, scenes from eight plays, student video analyses, and a virtual resource room. It is accessible via web browser or VR headset and encourages reflection on race and representation in Shakespeare.

https://tenderclaws.com/tempest
Created by immersive media studio Tender Claws, The Under Presents: Tempest is a live, interactive VR adaptation of Shakespeare’s The Tempest. Premiering in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic, the experience brought small groups of participants together in a virtual environment with live actors who guided them through a 40-minute reimagining of the play. The production blended scripted performance with improvisation and audience participation, delivering a unique theatrical experience in VR.

https://www.undiscoveredcountryfilm.com/
Grand Theft Hamlet is a 2024 British documentary directed by Sam Crane and Pinny Grylls, chronicling the endeavor of staging Shakespeare’s Hamlet entirely within the video game Grand Theft Auto Online during the UK’s COVID-19 lockdowns. Crane and Oosterveen used the game’s virtual environment to rehearse and perform scenes, navigating the unpredictability of an open-world multiplayer setting. The film, shot entirely in-game, explores the blend of classical theatre and contemporary digital platforms. It premiered at the 2024 SXSW Film Festival and won the Grand Jury Award for Best Documentary Feature.