Automation and motion control system

A method to provide motion to a theatrical object, the method comprising:

• providing the theatrical object;
• providing a plurality of nodes in communication with each other over a real time network, each of the plurality of the node corresponds to a device for control of at least one of the theatrical objects, each node of the plurality of nodes comprising a microprocessor and a memory device, at least one node of the plurality of nodes further comprises a stored control path submodule, a manual control submodule and a reactive control submodule,
• generating independent control signals with each of the stored control path submodule, the manual control submodule and the reactive control submodule;
• generating a summed control signal in response to the independent control signals from the stored control path submodule, the manual control submodule and the reactive control submodule;
• providing the summed control signal to a node process;
• and
• controlling the at least one device with the summed control signal to provide motion to the theatrical object.