How modern technology can improve our theatregoing experience.
by Alex Syiek (theatre writer/perrformer)
As our society moves forward, we find ourselves interacting more and more with digitized technology. It is only natural that the theatrical world would try to jump on board with the current social trends, in its endless pursuit to remain culturally relevant. And that pursuit, that battle, finds itself a soldier in me as well. How can I successfully incorporate modern tech elements into my theatrical writing? I will ask three different questions, pulled from three separate projects I am in the works with and show that these questions or concepts can be answered and pulled off successfully by looking for inspiration in pieces that have come and gone, or are currently being produced.
Theatre and technology meeting at their apex... :/
- Can stories told in extreme settings/locations be told in an effective way by a digital representation?
Sure can. I had the pleasure of seeing The Woman in White when it was on Broadway back in 2005, and while people (including me) have certain qualms with the material, one thing is certain: the scenic design was magnificent. The entire production's scenic elements were provided by an overwhelmingly complex projection system. This meant that the story could jump from locale to locale without adding confusion to the story.
To this date, I still haven't seen any production that matches this one in terms of sheer digital mastery of creating an environment. The 2008 revival of Sunday in the Park with George also shared some of these elements, but I prefer the design of Webber's show. It's grainy, but check out the video at 0:40 below for a cool 3D effect pulled off with projections.
- Can theatre be improved by, or even survive, with the presence of modern, strongly-non-human storytelling devices (televisions, computers, cell phones) being represented on stage?
My belief is yes. Maybe it's because of the show I am working on relies so heavily on it, but hey. For the longest time, I've heard the complaint that putting a computer or phone on stage makes the drama instantly skid to a halt, because it takes all of the physicality out of a scene. I simply think it's a matter of figuring out how this new physicality manifests itself.
Take a look at Dear Evan Hansen, by Benj Pasek and Justin Paul, book by Steven Levenson, and directed by Michael Greif. It's currently playing at 2nd Stage in New York, so catch it if you can. Its representations of digital means of communications are looking on point.
- Do pieces of modern technology (cell phones, tablets, etc.) have a place in the theatre, in terms of interacting with the audience?
With people updatin' their Twitters and their Facebooks and their Myspaces all the time, it's honestly becoming a challenge to convince an audience to keep their hands off their devices for an evening of theatre. I saw a very interesting production this past year at the Hollywood Fringe Festival called The Video Games, a take-off on that ever popular book/movie series about teens fighting each other to the death.
What I appreciated greatly about the show was that they encouraged the audience to keep their phones out the entire time and constantly tweet support for the fighters they wanted to triumph. This "tribute" system, constantly monitored by the stage manager, along with a carefully choreographed and organized fight system, allowed the show to have a different outcome every show, depending on who the audience wanted to win. I love this creativity, and hope we see more in the future.
Keep theatre alive! Move with the times!
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