AI Meets the Stage: Can AI and Theatre Coexist?

We caught a local Fringe Festival show recently called Nothing is OK; Everything is Fine, and let me tell you—it stuck with me (great job Lauren Frost). The performances, the story, the emotion. It had all the things that make live theatre unforgettable.

And it got me thinking.

We talk a lot about how AI is changing business, marketing, customer service—you name it. But what happens when AI collides with something as human and emotional as theatre?

Will AI replace actors? Not likely.

Let’s be real: No AI is going to replace a jaw-dropping live performance anytime soon. That moment when an actor delivers a line and you feel it in your chest? Yeah, that doesn’t come from code.

But here’s where it gets interesting—AI can actually enhance the creative process. Think of it as a behind-the-scenes player. Tools that help playwrights brainstorm, generate dialogue, or even outline a scene. Set designers can use AI to mock up ideas faster. Directors can analyze pacing, lighting, and blocking in new ways.

And maybe… just maybe, AI will play a role in making theatre more accessible. From real-time translation and captioning to interactive digital playbills and marketing automation, there are real, tangible ways AI can support the arts without stealing the spotlight.

When AI goes mainstream, will we crave real even more?

In a world that’s increasingly digital and automated, maybe live theatre becomes more valuable, not less. Maybe the craving for connection, for real human storytelling, gets stronger.

As AI becomes more embedded in our everyday lives—from the tools we use at work to the voices we hear in customer support—there’s a good chance we’ll start seeking more moments of genuine human experience. Eye contact. Imperfection. That electric energy in the room when a performance hits just right.

There’s something deeply grounding about it all.

Alexis Ohanian Sr. (co-founder of Reddit, Inc.) nailed it in an interview with Jay Shetty when he said:

“AI is not going to kill sports. AI is not going to kill theatre. In fact, it’s going to make us appreciate them even more.”

He makes a compelling case that as artificial experiences grow, our hunger for real, unscripted, human moments will grow too. It’s a great clip—worth a watch.

I’m with him.

Real Talk with the Local Arts Scene

I recently sat down with Nathan Flavel from Kelowna Actors Studio. Our conversation wasn’t just about AI—it was about resilience, creativity, and what keeps audiences coming back.

We talked about how live performance is one of the last remaining spaces where people come together, distraction-free, to share something meaningful. And while technology continues to evolve, theatre holds steady as a space that thrives on human nuance. Nathan shared how their team constantly adapts, innovates, and even embraces technology—but never at the expense of storytelling.

It was a great reminder: even as AI finds its place, community-driven creativity still reigns supreme.

Curtain Call or New Act?

AI can help write the script. It can speed up production. Maybe it even helps get butts in seats. But the standing ovation? That still belongs to the people on stage and the ones behind the scenes.

Let’s not look at this as a threat. It’s a chance to get creative with the tools at our disposal—and keep telling the stories that matter.

Because in the end, AI might be smart… but it’s not human. And sometimes, human is exactly what we’re all craving.

So what do you think? Will AI bring new life to the stage—or is this a line it shouldn’t cross?