Keep it:

Blindly leading the audience. It worked really well, and I think we should continue to explore options in blurring the performer/audience. Madeline was talking about only doing the leading for a few people, and I think thats an interesting idea to explore–only having a few people participate in each of the pieces while the rest observe. I really like experimenting with form, and I want to continue that. I also want to keep the concept of failure (but I think we should expand outward and get more than just that–someone was talking about relationship between failure and success and i think that would be cool).

Leave it:

The museum exhibit style showing was a bust and I think it’s gotta go (at least in the form it last took). I do like the idea of working in a space like the directing studio rather than a real theatre because it further distorts audience/performer relationship, but I’d be open to explore other options. I think if we do keep the same space, we should avoid showing videos on ipads–it created a weird space where not everyone was in tune to their surroundings. It just felt off. In general, the more static work i think just doesn’t have a place anymore as objects in an of themselves. That being said, they explore really interesting ideas and it would be good to use them as stepping stones to new pieces or incorporate them into performances.

Want it:

I think there should be one on one performing. When we separated people from the group (like jackson’s closet), it became a much more personal experience. I also want more of a unifying aesthetic and general direction. Because we’re experimenting with form (which i really like), I don’t know whether having a narrative would just complicate things in a bad way. That doesn’t mean we shouldnt have a general path or message or experience that we want the audience to see. I also think it’s time to stop creating work individually and in small teams of students–our work is very disjointed because of individual creations, which was cool in the early stages; but if we want create a more unified piece, it would help to have smaller groups of students. Probably not splitting the class in two–not everyones voice is heard in larger groups. I think perhaps we should look at creating pieces with context in mind–say we decide on a theme, a narrative. The david carter stories are great, but as others were saying in their posts, it didn’t present the way we were hoping so perhaps using those stories as a basis for a performance would be interesting. It would create much more flow if we are thinking as we make it WHERE we want to take the piece next.

My Thoughts; what worked/didn’t work

• the whole thing seemed not necessarily too long, but too disjointed and with too much “dead air” in between– there were these awkward lull periods between performances and because the structure was so loose and story line weak, it was hard to keep people; i noticed people leaving throughout the event
• it was better when we gave people things to do than let them just do whatever because many would get confused and didn’t feel comfortable participating; the things that invited people (enter here, drink this, etc) worked well; also things where we directed them without words created a similar, open environment
• people were confused about “the point” or the general motifs or “story” of the show; I think there needs to be more cohesion or at least natural transitions
• In doing Carina’s juxtapositions, it didn’t go as quickly as we wanted because we had to go through one door–perhaps if we were to do it again, we’d fine 2-3 routes we could take people into the same space so there is less waiting around inside the gallery space
• people were gathering around the david carter reading–i wished we’d had a picnic blanket or something
• I think we made an good event given the little time we had to put it all together, but more time would have proabably helped with cohesion.

Friend’s Reflections; what worked/didn’t work

• Bailey’s box was strange and weird, and one person liked the piece (and in general likes the pieces that made them feel a bit disoriented and uncomfortable); my other friend was freaked out by it and did not want to be fed bread
• They both liked being led and blindfolded into the space with music and clapping
• The student films felt very “student filmy”– they did not particularly like sitting and watching videos or the genesis room
• the Syrian Refugee Crisis was confusing–they weren’t sure what they were watching, and because it wasn’t on the schedule, they were confused if it was a part of another performance
• there was an awkward lull after many of the performances where they didn’t know what to do (and neither did we, it seemed), so perhaps more clarity and intention would help in the future
• favorites were omar’s slam poetry, law and order, carina’s juxtapositions, david carter story, bread box (one person)
• Kimmy’s piece didn’t really resonate with one person ( I think the new viewing circumstances may have affected the impact), and the albinism seemed strange and out of place for the other person.
• Thought the federalist papers piece was uncomfortable in the bad way because people were just speaking over each other and they didn’t see the point in the whole of the show
• The gallery showing was too long. One person wholy preferred the live performances to the gallery showing, the other liked the gallery too.
• they could not find a connection between the pieces and did not know how they were related
• In general, they both thought it was a really cool experience
• One person thought the show was too long

Overarching Themes

Justice/Criminal Activity
Kimmy- like I’m 5, black panther party
Kimmy- 5 senses, waving rights
Phoebe- show don’t tell
David- like I’m 5, Gregor MacGregor
David- 5 senses, GW Plunkitt

Travel
John- juxtapositions, hotels
John- 5/50, Midnight NYC
Omar- 5/50, Osaka red light district
Carina- 5/50, Berlin
Molly- like I’m 5, cartography

The Shit of Everyday Life
Sophia- juxtapositions, job hunt of david carter
Carina- failure
Phoebe- 5/50, Stop motion ganesha
Omar- 5/50, whats in a name? puns probably
David- the grand old job hunt

Childhood
Bailey- 5/50, spy kids
David- 5/50, toy story
Phoebe- juxtapositions
Kimmy- 5/50, don’t forget your mission
Madeline- 5/50, Seidman dead squirrel

The Idea of Playing your Part
Carina- Juxtapositions
Bailey- Show don’t tell, hiccups
Omar- show don’t tell, music puns
Sarah- show don’t tell, federalist papers

Memory
John- 5/50, Remember me Please?
Phoebe- like I’m 5, how memory works

Love
Paige- genesis of love
Paige- 5/50, Us
Gabrielle- 5/50, dates and a wedding
Gabrielle- Love is..
John- 5/50, You and me

Things Made My Others that Interest Me:
-Bailey’s Show not tell, in a box!
-Carina’s Juxtaposition
-Jackson’s Show not tell
-John’s “Remember me Please?” object

*I really like the first three because I think they make such interesting use of space and our sense of orientation within it. Each piece made me feel a bit uncomfortable but in a way that

Things Made by Me that Interest Me:
Show not Tell, How Memory Works
5 senses, Sight

*I think both play with expectation, and really mess with it in an cool way which is why I really like both of them*

Object 1: Mesh

Object 2: soundscape

Object 3: Performance w/ Madeline

Act 1: The Beginning

Pixar lamp video

(spoken over the video)
and then one morning
I woke up and felt alive.
my senses had opened
and suddenly, I felt happier.

Act 2: Upside Down

*at the same time

Act 3: Are you Happy?

*2 minutes of Pokemon card trading*

“Who changed cards?
Who kept the same?
Are you happy with what you have?”

To understand how memory works, lets start with the functions of different parts of the brain:

The prefrontal cortex processes short term memory, such as a sign on the highway or the room number of a hotel room.
The amygdala helps store conscious and unconscious emotions. It also stores emotional memories.
The hippocampus is used for transferring memories from short term to long term.

Now what is the difference between short term and long term memory anyway?

Short term memory lasts about 15 to 30 seconds and is supported by regular brain activity in the prefrontal cortex.
Long term memory actually has a physical presence in the brain, stored in the prefrontal cortex so that it can be accessed later.

There are two categories of long term memory:
Implicit– remembered habits and skills
Explicit- things that we are actively trying to remember. There are two types of explicit memories: episodic memories (things that happened to you) and semantic memories (general knowledge)

How does the brain actually store these long term memories?

a process called encoding. The hippocampus links all relevant information together into one memory by connecting neurons so that signals can pass from one to the other. Basically, it’ll connect elements of one event into single episode or memory so you don’t have separate memories of how that event smelled, looked etc. It also decides what information is important to keep in the long term memory. Priorities include memories with strong emotional components and memories rehearsed repeatedly in short term memory (which is how you retain the information you study, for example).

Once a new memory is formed, the neurons with that memory stay in the hippocampus for a while before moving further in the cortex. Long term memories are stored based on the strong component of that memory–for example, a spoken memory will probably be stored near the language centers. You can also have memories stored in multiple places.

Why are some memories stronger than others?

Whenever you think about a memory, you make that memory stronger in your mind. By reactivating the memory, you can cause the memory to be stored again in different part of your brain, literally increasing it’s “rent space” in your brain. Due to this factor, memories are always being changed and updated, so you won’t remember your memories as you did the day before (if you’re thinking about them).

If our memories changes, how can we be sure that we remember them correctly?

The answer is that we can’t be sure. Because our memories can evolve as we think about them, it’s very easy for them to change based on our thoughts. Studies have shown that many innocent people confess to crimes they did not commit because of a false memory that was implanted in their head. These people have no reason to confess–in fact, they have much more reason to lie; and yet, they are still convinced they committed a crime. As our memories are subject to change, they are by nature unreliable.

Sight

video here

Smell &Taste
*I presented them in class together so I have rerecorded it in the same manner*

Video here
*in the cup is melted plastic*

Touch

    *all aboard the party express*

Hearing

Sight, Hearing, Touch (together)

and then one morning
I woke up and felt alive.
my senses had opened
and suddenly, I felt happier.

Video

People escape their lives with a single drink,
a single song.
They wait for their troubles to be washed away,
in a run of keys,
tip well, please.

video

video

It was 11PM,
A Tuesday evening.
There were people packed into stadium seats,
Singing, yelling, reclaiming their youth.
I sat in my youth,
Mouth open,
Eyes closed,
drool running down my chin.