3D Modeling The Arab’s Mouth at Factory Theatre

What is 3D Modeling?

3D modeling is the process of creating a digital three-dimensional representation of an object or scene.

MacDonald’s second solo-authored play explores the dynamics of the MacIsaac family. Siblings Pearl and Victor must deal with the fallout of their father’s will, which seeks to enforce body and gender normativity via the threat of disinheritance.
The play was first produced at Toronto’s Factory Theatre in 1990, and the play script was published in 1995. In 2005, a revised version of the play – now called Belle Moral: A Natural History – was staged at the Shaw Festival, and the new script published in 2008.
While the two scripts can be compared as literary objects, we were interested in how to map the The Arab’s Mouth as an event in a particular theatrical space.

Our mapping project included a field trip to Factory, where we were generously hosted by theatre practitioners and given an oral history of the space by Artistic Director, Mel Hague.

During our field trip, Ann-Marie joined team members to participate in memory work, as she and team leader, Neta Gordon, tried to recall details about the 1990 staging of The Arab’s Mouth.

Using a 3D LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) scanner in a process called photogrammetry as well as a 360-degree camera, team members recreated a scale 3D model of the stage.

Photogrammetry is the technique of creating accurate 3D models by analyzing and reconstructing data from multiple photographs of real-world objects. When combined with LiDAR data, accurate topographic maps can be paired with images to create a realistic rendering.

Digital Humanities methods play a crucial role in cultural preservation by using technology to document, analyze, and share cultural heritage, making it accessible to wider audiences and preserving it for future generations.

The project team sought to preserve the historic Factory Theatre space and recreate the original performance set by combining interviews with the play’s creators and original audience members.

This type of research creation approximates historical events and settings from living memory to open a conversation between 3D artists, theatre professionals, and audience members to rebuild a long-lost performance space.