Bethel University Magazine Spring 2021

12 %(7+(/81,9(56,7< ('8̌0$*$=,1( 0DUFK %HWKHO 8QLYHUVLW\ŠV 7KHDWHU GHSDUWPHQW SHUIRUPHG Flux and The Obelisk, a pair of one-act plays written by junior $XWXPQ 2ZHQV D GRXEOH PDMRU LQ WKHDWUH DQG EXVLQHVV $̃HU navigating an entirely virtual show through their 2020 production RI 7ZHÕK 1LJKW WKH GHSDUWPHQW VRXJKW D ZD\ WR DOORZ WKH DFWRUV to practice physical distancing while still interacting with each RWKHU RQ VWDJH +RZ ZDV WKLV DFFRPSOLVKHG" 7ZR ZRUGV JUHHQ screen. 7KH LGHD FDPH WR 6WDF\ %RQH ş WKH VKRZŠV VFHQLF DQG OLJKWLQJ designer, who had considered working with green screen ever since WKH SDQGHPLF ƃUVW KLW 6HWK &ROH Š YLGHR GLUHFWRU IRU WKH SURGXFWLRQ H[SODLQV Ţ:H ZHUH MXVW WU\LQJ WR ƃJXUH RXW KRZ ZH NHHS DFWRUV VHSDUDWHG ZLWKRXW PDVNV DQG KRZ ZH PDNH >WKH VFHQH@ ORRN LGHQWLFDO :H ZDQWHG the actors to be in separate spaces but appear as if they were all in WKH VDPH VSDFH DFWLQJ WRJHWKHU DQG WKDWŠV ZKDW ZH SXOOHG RƂ ZLWK JUHHQ VFUHHQ ţ So, for the show, the Everest-Rohrer Auditorium stage donned three separate rooms entirely wrapped in green screen, with props to match. Each room had two cameras, providing both wide-shot DQG FORVH XS RSWLRQV &DVW PHPEHU (ODLQH +RROH\ D MXQLRU JUDSKLF design major, designed graphics that overlapped the green screen, setting the scene. The live shots were then layered together with the graphics to give the illusion that the actors were interacting with each other in the same room. Using the green screen method required extreme attention to detail from the cast and crew. Throughout rehearsals, Owens rewrote aspects of both plays, with The Obelisk posing more of a challenge in consolidating the onstage presence from eight FKDUDFWHUV WR WKUHH Ţ, FKDOOHQJHG P\VHOI E\ ZULWLQJ D ORW RI >WKH FKDUDFWHUV@ LQWR YRLFHRYHUV ţ 2ZHQV VD\V For Adam Foster, a junior liberal arts major, who directed The Obelisk, the main challenge was training the cast to act with each other when, in reality, they were acting to a camera. Foster GHVFULEHV WKH DGGHG GLƅFXOW\ GXH WR WKH OD\HUHG YLGHR ZLWK JUHHQ screen. ,I WKH DFWRUV SRVLWLRQLQJ ZDV RƂ HYHQ D OLWWOH WKHQ WKH\ PLJKW RYHUODS ZLWK DQRWKHU FKDUDFWHU DQG WKURZ RƂ WKH VFHQH Ţ7KH actors had to be very technical in order to hit the same mark every VLQJOH WLPH ţ KH VD\V The show was a hit, giving the audience the option to experience the play via livestream or in person. Ţ,ŠP H[WUHPHO\ WKDQNIXO WKDW WKH 7KHDWUH 'HSDUWPHQW LV ZLOOLQJ WR WDNH ULVNV OLNH WKLV ţ )RVWHU VD\V Ţ:H FUHDWHG WKHDWUH LQ D QHZ PHGLXP D XQLTXH PHGLXP DJDLQVW D YDULHW\ RI REVWDFOHV ţ )RU PRUH LQIRUPDWLRQ DERXW SHUIRUPDQFH UHODWHG &29,' SUHFDXWLRQV YLVLW %HWKHO8QLYHUVLW\ HGX 7KHDWUH $UWV CAMPUS L I FE THE ARTS 1 2 Pandemic Creativity Leads to New Theatre Medium BY ,"3*4 ,*/%*/(&3 (1) The green screen that allowed the show to go on. (2) $FWRUV SHUIRUPHG LQ VHSDUDWH VSDFHV VKRZLQJ WKH ƃQDO product on the screen.