Performance Playground: Bellevue College Students Use VR to Tackle Stage Fright

Three Bellevue College students stand in front of the Meany Studio Theatre entrance at the University of Washington. They are smiling and dressed casually, with a guitar case positioned in front of the student in the center. Behind them is a sign that reads “Welcome – Performing Arts Session” as part of the Undergraduate Research Symposium.

This spring, students from Bellevue College’s DMA 294/295: XR Development & Client Collaboration course are tackling an age-old challenge for performers: stage fright. Their solution? Performance Playground—a virtual reality (VR) experience that helps music students practice performing in front of an audience, all inside a simulated environment.

The project was selected to be showcased at the 28th Annual Undergraduate Research Symposium at the University of Washington, held Friday, May 16, during the Performing Arts Session at Meany Hall Studio Theatre.

Three Bellevue College students present their project on stage at Meany Studio Theatre during the UW Undergraduate Research Symposium. One student speaks at a podium while the other two stand behind him, smiling. A slide projected behind them reads “Long-Term Design.” Nearby, a classical guitar and a VR headset sit on a table, reflecting the blend of music and immersive technology in their project. Stage lighting equipment is visible at the front of the scene.

Performance Playground is more than just a classroom project. Built in the XR Lab, the VR application immerses users in a concert-like space where they can rehearse music or presentations with realistic audience simulations. Distractions like movement, noise, and lights are included to simulate the stress of a live performance. The goal is to help users build resilience, boost confidence, and reduce anxiety over time.

The team behind the project—Tusker Howard, Christi Clausen, and Katherine Lusiano—wanted to explore how immersive environments could support music education and mental preparedness. By placing performers in a virtual space that feels real but is safe to fail in, they’ve created a learning tool that bridges emotional experience and technical rehearsal.

The students have also made their project openly available on GitHub, encouraging others to try it, use it, and build on it. This open-source approach reflects the collaborative and forward-thinking mindset we champion at the XR Lab.

We’re incredibly proud of the team for presenting their work at UW’s prestigious research event. Their project highlights the growing impact of extended reality in creative disciplines and education—especially in building confidence through practice.

Four people stand smiling outside the entrance to Meany Studio Theatre at the University of Washington. A sign next to them reads “Welcome – Performing Arts Session” as part of the Undergraduate Research Symposium. The group includes three Bellevue College students and an instructor, with one holding a guitar case, indicating their participation in a performance-based research project.

Last Updated May 20, 2025