Liam Karry

Liam (he/him) is the founding and current artistic director of the Single Thread Theatre Company, bringing over 20 years of experience as an immersive theatre director, producer and dramaturg. He is the Artistic Producer of the Kick & Push Festival, which he co-founded in 2015, as well as the Artistic Producer of the Kingston Theatre Alliance. He has trained at Queen’s University, Director’s Lab North, Tarragon Theatre and with Punchdrunk Enrichment in the UK. Liam is a staunch advocate for the Performing Arts Sector in Southeastern Ontario, and currently represents the sector on several advisory committees and working groups, including that of the City of Kingston’s Creative Industries Strategy, the Simcoe County Theatre Festival and the St. Lawrence College Hospitality / Event Management Program.  Recent directing credits include: Unless, a site specific immersive experience produced in Bangkok, Thailand, and Collider, a live VR performance, which was co-presented by foldA and the rEvolver festival in June 2021 and by the SummerWorks Festival and World Stage Design in 2022.

Here is an interview with Liam Karry, where he shares his insights on the metaverse and his perspectives on virtual worlds.

"The metaverse is a series of interconnected virtual worlds where users, as avatars, can explore these spaces much like they would in real life. (...) In this environment, you can be anything—a pickle, a talking pizza slice, a person. You can be tall or small. It unshackles us from the constraints of reality, whether that be geography separating us or the question of identity. That can be terrifying, and it raises important conversations—what does it mean? How do we keep people safe? Those discussions are exciting, but so is the incredible freedom this provides—an unprecedented opportunity for communal storytelling and shared existence."

"When the audience looked into the world, the world was looking back at them, reacting to their actions—honestly, organically—like a living being with a brain. Knowing that there’s a consciousness observing and adjusting to you, acknowledging your presence—that’s something profound. (...) Some see XR technology as dehumanizing or distancing. Perhaps it can be, but its real strength is in how it brings us together. That’s what we, as artists, should be striving for."

"The Canadian humanism that espouses equity and inclusion—a compassionate outlook with a dedication to community and skill development—could greatly benefit the XR sector. Institutions may seem like natural caretakers of this emerging form, but that shouldn’t be the case. There should be room for individual creators and artists to engage with this space, much like the early internet once allowed. Whether that’s still possible remains uncertain. (...) We are at our strongest when dreaming together in a positive way. That’s when humans are at their best."

— Liam Karry

Check out more details about the PXR Conference, the live XR performance conference founded and produced by Liam Karry: performanceandxr.com

This panel discussion explores virtual worlds as an artistic platform, with Liam Karry in conversation with Keram Malicki-Sanchez and Gabriel Menotti.