By Andrew Hamlin
NORTHWEST ASIAN WEEKLY
Blending live theater with Virtual Reality (VR) and Augmented Reality (AR) technology seems like a tall order—especially when the writer, director, and tech master is still in high school.
But for Farhaan Siddiqui, soon starting his senior year at Bellevue High School, the tech matched the story he wanted to tell.
This show is about struggles of children of immigrant parents,” explained Siddiqui, about his creation, the “Augmented Reality Marriage” theater show.
“Two brothers are raised in a very traditional Indian environment. The main character, Arjun, wants to marry a girl outside his community, while his very traditional parents want to do an arranged marriage. Arjun, with the help of his brother, Raj, and Grandpa, has to convince his parents about his girlfriend. They finally convince him to bring Emily (the girlfriend) to a family dinner and see how it goes.”
As for the AR and VR aspects of the show, accessed by audience members through their phones, the head of Farhaan Augmented Reality Theater watched audiences watching him, and took a few hints.
“As I performed shows, I noticed that some audience members were looking at their phones. It made me think, what if I can [make] theater interact with the very phone they are distracted with.
“I had learnt game development in my computer science classes (Unity, Java, etc), I researched AR and VR for phones online, and found that using ARKit and SceneKit, I can build an app which would bring AR and VR experiences on the phone. Using the Swift language in an Xcode IDE environment, I built the phone AR-VR app using ARKit and SceneKit.”
As the characters act on the stage, AR and VR shows their thoughts, and their imaginations. This display of inner feelings augments the theatrical experience, keeping the audience hooked on the characters’ progress through the story.
Siddiqui was born and raised in Bellevue and currently calls Woodinville home, but his parents are Myanmar and Indian. He became aware of his South Asian ethnicity through talking to family elders (parents, grandparent, relatives) and studying family traditions. They put special emphasis on education, community, and the rituals of festivals.
“I speak four languages (English, Hindi, Urdu, and Spanish),” he explained. “I feel that being multilingual helps me connect better with more native speakers, whether they are neighbors, or classmates, or a clerk at the grocery store.
“I feel people open up faster and more easily when spoken to in their native language. It has helped me think from multiple perspectives. What looks like a norm in one language/culture, may be alien in another.”
“Originally, I was not very into theater until I saw the ‘Newsies’ musical, and the song ‘Santa Fe’ is what truly ignited my passion in theater. Over the last three years, I performed in more than 18 shows, including shows in Edinburgh Festival Fringe in 2023. Outside school, I did a rap for charity (Seva.org), and these experiences made me want to create my own independent theater production.”
The cast of seven, including the playwright himself, got together through the theater program at Bellevue High, although Siddiqui did reach out to the community at large, to cast some of the parts.
To top it all off, the show benefits a local charity, FriendsOfYouth.org, assisting local young people in need.
This marks Siddiqui’s first show as a mastermind, but not the last, he vows.
He’ll keep pursuing his vision of “a future where technology and the arts converge to create immersive and engaging live experiences.”
The ”Augmented Reality Marriage” theater show plays Sept. 2-5 at the Cornerstone CFM Center, 2053 152nd Ave NE.
For prices, showtimes, and more information, visit https://www.eventbrite.com/e/augmented-reality-marriage-theater-show-tickets-970246452257.
Farhaan Siddiqui’s talent as both a playwright and actor shines brightly in ‘Augmented Reality Marriage.’ His storytelling is fresh and authentic, reflecting the nuanced struggles of balancing tradition and personal desires in a way that feels both relatable and heartfelt. Farhaan has a unique gift for writing characters that are complex and real, making the audience deeply connect with their journeys. On stage, his performance is equally impressive—he brings a natural charisma and emotional depth that elevates every scene. It’s rare to see someone so young handle both the creative and technical aspects of a production so seamlessly. Farhaan’s dedication to his craft and his ability to engage audiences with innovative storytelling make him a standout in the world of theater. Can’t wait to see what he creates next!
Farhaan Siddiqui is doing something truly remarkable with “Augmented Reality Marriage.” His innovative approach to blending traditional theater with AR and VR technology is both ambitious and inspiring. It’s not every day that you see a high school student take on such a complex project, merging cultural storytelling with cutting-edge tech to create a unique and immersive audience experience. His dedication to his craft, combined with his commitment to supporting local youth through FriendsOfYouth.org, showcases his leadership, creativity, and deep sense of community. Farhaan is definitely a trailblazer, and it’s exciting to see where his talents will take him next!