As part of the Arts & Humanities Brown Bag Series’ year-long exploration of creativity, SUNY Fredonia Professor of Theatre and Dance Tom Loughlin and SUNY Fredonia student Eliza Muench will give a talk titled, “Backchanneling and the Use of Social Media in The Altruists” on Wednesday, Nov. 3 at noon in Bartlett Theatre. The event is free and open to the public.
Ever since the advent of the cell phone, theatre patrons have been asked to turn them off in an attempt to reduce distractions to audience and actors. However, the forthcoming production of The Altruists at SUNY Fredonia, directed by Professor Loughlin and assisted by student director Muench, instead attempts to make creative use of new forms of communication and social media to create a stronger bond with the audience and the characters.
In their talk, Loughlin and Muench will explore two key innovative uses of new technology in this production:
- The use of social media such as Twitter and Facebook to provide a backchannel” of information about the production in real time as it unfolds on the stage. (This “backchannel” will provide a stream of meta-information about the play and its various cultural references that users can access on their wireless devices as the play takes place.); and
- The creations of Facebook pages for each character in the play, which audience members can “friend” before the play begins and follow as the characters advance in their “virtual” lives up until the opening moment of the play.
Loughlin and Muench will be accompanied by members of the all-student cast and crew.
Professor Loughlin is a Distinguished Teaching Professor and Chair of the Department of Theatre and Dance. He has directed many productions at SUNY Fredonia, including such recent productions as “La Bohème,” “Romeo and Juliet,” “A Christmas Carol,” “Damn Yankees,” “Carmen,” and “The Good Woman of Setzchuan.” He is also a well-known actor in Buffalo, having performed in many of Buffalo’s professional theatres, such as Shakespeare in Delaware Park, the Irish Classical Theatre, Kavinoky Theatre, and Buffalo United Artists. His theatrical interests include Shakespeare, using technology in theatre productions, and new plays.
Ms. Muenchis a senior Public Relations and Theatre Arts double major. Previously at Fredonia, she has assistant directed the Performing Arts Company’s production of “Talk Radio” and “Closer,” as well as the Department of Theatre and Dance’s main stage production of “Electra.” Next semester, aside from graduating, she will be the assistant director of “The Venetian Twins” and direct the Earth Week presentations at the Opera House.
The Altruists, a dark comic farce by Nicky Silver, will run at the Bartlett Theatre from Nov. 5 through 13.
The Arts and Humanities Brown Bag Lectures, which are sponsored by the Fredonia College Foundation's Carnahan-Jackson Humanities Fund and the Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, feature new, creative and scholarly work by SUNY Fredonia faculty and are typically held on the first Wednesday of the month, October through May. Each program is free, and all campus and community members are welcome.
To learn more regarding this program or the Brown Bag Series, contact co-director Natalie Gerber at Natalie.gerber@fredonia.edu or 716-673-3855.
