How to Automate Stage Doors for Harvey at Tennessee Stage Company—Servo or Electromagnet?

Hello-
I'm a set builder for the Tennessee Stage Company in Knoxville. I'm tasked with building a set for "Harvey" that requires 2 doors to open and close by themselves.
My first thought was to use servos, which I know nothing about. A friend of mine who does work with R/C servos told me he was having difficulty with the project because of the size of his servos.
My next thought was using electromagnetics in some way. You guessed it...I now nothing about this either. (Hey, I'm a wood guy!)
I believe that there may be a way to do it using a system similar to propelling a roller coaster, but on a smaller scale.
Can anyone here, please, put me on a path towards success with this project.
Tennessee Stage is a small company with little money and we're trying to up our game with the quality or our sets.
You're help is greatly appreciated and will get you your name paced in our program with special thanks!!
Thank you, all.
--David Silverthorn
Tennessee Stage Company
910-200-4797

What is the mass of the doors, how quickly do they need to operate. That will help in deciding where and how much mechanical force must be used to operate them. This will then allow you to decide what sort of transducer can be used to do the work required. Funnily enough, pneumatics may be your answer. Places like FESTO have all sorts of air driven devices, that are electrically controlled, they may well solve your problem. I have used them in a number of electro-pneumatic machines to move mechanical assemblies,
cheer,
Richard

Thinking of conventional indoor house doors, I suggest a pneumatic piston (or two or three ?) in the wall behind the hinges, pushing on the hinge side of the door. (Similar to a chain type door closer.)
This would provide good concealment. An electrical control system for this would be very simple.

Another thought: check with the manufacturers of self opening doors used in shops and offices, see how they work.

Shop doors usually use a toothed belt, chain, or a wire driven by a DC motor,
cheers,
Richard