Grief for Our Mortal Lives Ashlynn Miller Project Mentor(s): Cynthia Coe, PhD
Death is the one guarantee we have in this life and it is significant. Our brief existence is framed by an eternal void at both ends, but rather than fear or loathe our inevitable demise, we should accept it graciously while still maintaining that it is a sad thing. Everyone we’ve ever loved, and will love, will no longer exist when their lights burn out and this is no small thing to contend with. Death cannot be approached with indifference, and it certainly cannot be minimized, because each and every person’s death means something to someone. Each of us plays an integral role in the stories that take the shape of a human life and it is our stories that will be left behind when we blink out of existence. We matter because we’re alive—even if only for the span of a single breath—and our lives are worth mourning. We cannot stop the inevitable but we can, and should, cling tightly to this life and those we hold dear, and
when the time comes, let them fade out of existence with love. Presentation Type: Oral Presentation (May 20, 9:30am–5:00pm) Keywords: Death, Philosophy, Grief SOURCE Form ID: 193 Theatre Arts Accessibility Through Sound Design and Recording Practices ‡ Alana Fitzgerald, Robin Hill Project Mentor(s): Natashia Lindsey, PhD
Most theatrical productions staged for live audiences rely on elements of technical theatre—costumes, sets, lighting, sound—to convey themes, context, plot points, and other vital information to the audience. Post-World War II, audio-only productions declined in popularity and prevalence in the U.S., leaving this interesting theatre medium open for exploration. As sound students, we’re interested in its design possibilities; however, audio-only productions also raise several questions about audience accessibility. As creatives and theatre practitioners concerned with accessibility, we’re asking two questions: how do we communicate the same vital information to our audiences through auditory cues? And how do sound design and quality audio-recording practices impact the accessibility of theatre? Our project utilizes sound design and recording practices to produce an audio-only performance of Let the Right One In based on the novel by John Ajvide Lindqvist and adapted by Jack Thorne. We explore accessibility practices in sound design through disability studies, uncoded & coded sound theory, and affect theory. Coded and uncoded sound theory works in tandem with the affect theory notion that sound functions both within and beyond the limits of direct linguistic expression. By using specific sounds in our design, we’ve built both the environment and the non- verbal action of the play, so our audience can experience the story without needing to see it unfold. Our goal is to distribute our production to faculty in the Theatre & Film department so student theatre practitioners can have concrete and accessible examples of sound design and accessibility theory.
Presentation Type: Oral Presentation (May 20, 9:30am–5:00pm) Keywords: Sound, Design, Theatre, Accessibility, Technology SOURCE Form ID: 247
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