{"id":27576,"date":"2016-04-01T12:07:03","date_gmt":"2016-04-01T16:07:03","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/emu.edu\/now\/news\/?p=27576"},"modified":"2017-02-07T09:19:37","modified_gmt":"2017-02-07T14:19:37","slug":"distant-witness-adapted-from-journalist-andrew-carvins-book-immerses-audience-in-arab-spring","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/emu.edu\/now\/news\/2016\/distant-witness-adapted-from-journalist-andrew-carvins-book-immerses-audience-in-arab-spring\/","title":{"rendered":"‘Distant Witness,’ adapted from journalist Andrew Carvin’s book, immerses audience in Arab Spring"},"content":{"rendered":"

\u201cDistant Witness: Social Media, the Arab Spring, and a Journalism Revolution,\u201d an immersive, multi-media play based on the events of the Arab Spring, will make its full stage debut April 8-10 and April 14-16 at Eastern Mennonite University\u2019s Mainstage Theater in Harrisonburg, Virginia.<\/p>\n

The production is based on the book of the same name by Andrew Carvin, a Washington D.C.-based journalist who covered the seismic political and cultural shifts in the Middle East via social media as they were unfolding from 2010 to 2012.<\/p>\n

Carvin participates in process<\/h3>\n

The Carvin connection came through former EMU professor Paulette Moore, who met him at a conference and invited him to Skype in the fall of 2014 with EMU students in her social media class. Justin Poole<\/a>, assistant professor of theater, was intrigued by the connection with Carvin.<\/p>\n

Poole had worked with an Arab cultural organization in Philadelphia earlier in his career and had traveled to Egypt shortly before the Arab Spring took off. He\u2019d thought for several years that those events would make for powerful theater.<\/p>\n

EMU theater<\/a> and social media classes, led by Poole and Paulette Moore<\/a>, initially adapted the book for the stage in the fall of 2014. To this process, Poole brings years of academic and professional experience: One of his specialities is devised theater and ensemble play development.<\/p>\n

\"Director<\/a>
Director Justin Poole adapted ‘Distant Witness’ from Andy Carvin’s book in a collaborative process with his classes over the course of 18 months. One of Poole’s academic specialities is devised theater and ensemble play development, which describes the collaborative nature of ‘Distant Witness.’<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\u201cI would come in with an outline, we would improvise some pieces, I would go back and write, and it just started to evolve,\u201d Poole says. \u201cWe took recordings Andy Carvin did and blog posts outside his book and combined them to make the actual performance. The students have been a huge part in helping to shape what this piece has become from the beginning until now.\u201d<\/p>\n

A workshop performance of the play<\/a>, with student actors reading from scripts, took place on campus in May 2015 with support from the Arts Council of the Valley and EMU\u2019s Center for Justice and Peacebuilding<\/a>. Carvin was on hand to provide comments and suggestions. Poole made adjustments after that, including some changes in the script and the addition of a second video camera on stage.<\/p>\n

Multi-media<\/h3>\n

The resultant play is framed via a reporter who is interviewing Carvin, while a Greek chorus-style group speaks the Tweets from Carvin\u2019s reporting and video images flash on three screens and even on the floor. Actors often speak directly to the cameras and sometimes go through the audience. A live score by Jim Clemens, which whom Poole has collaborated on a number of projects, helps to balance the intensity with more reflective moments.<\/p>\n

VACA professor Jerry Holsopple\u2019s motion graphics class created the cyperspace visualizations that play on two screens.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis adds to the complexity of the show, as we experience the constant flowing information, much of which we don\u2019t understand,\u201d Holsopple says. \u201cThis confluence of information, confusion and intensity should keep the viewer on edge. The third screen will be a live camera from the stage itself, so in a way everything is mediated with screens.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s a very immersive theatrical piece,\u201d Poole adds. \u201cThe audience should feel very much in the midst of it as Andy Carvin was as he was following all these events. All the people who appear in the play are real people, and 90 percent of the dialogue is from tweets, blog posts, and other sources. It\u2019s kind of a big, epic piece.\u201d<\/p>\n

The play runs about 90 minutes with no intermission, and a 15-minute talkback session follows each performance. The show includes some profanity and violent imagery due to its real-life content.<\/p>\n

All performances are at 7:30 p.m. except Sunday, April 10, which will be a 3 p.m. matinee. Tickets are available at the EMU Box Office or by calling 540-432-4582.<\/p>\n

Cast and Crew<\/h3>\n
\"Distant<\/a>
Cast and crew members Bryce Hagan, MaKayla Baker, Rose Sanicola and Jeremiah Hines.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Director and Adaptor: Justin Poole<\/p>\n

Video Design: Jerry Holsopple<\/p>\n

Music Composition: Jim Clemens<\/p>\n

Scene Design: Phillip Grayson<\/p>\n

Costume Design: Holly Labbe<\/p>\n

Lighting Design: David B. Vogel<\/p>\n

Sound Design: Ethan Eldred<\/p>\n

Stage Manager: Ezrionna Prioleau<\/p>\n

Assistant Director: Rachelle Kratz<\/p>\n

CHARACTERS<\/strong><\/p>\n

Makayla Baker: Reporter<\/p>\n

Clara Bush: @angryarabiya<\/p>\n

Bryce Hagan: Mo<\/p>\n

Jeremiah Hines: Tom MacMaster<\/p>\n

Caitlin Randazzo: Perditta<\/p>\n

Rose Sanicola: Asmaa<\/p>\n

Celeb Townsend: Andy Carvin<\/p>\n

Rachel Cardwell,\u00a0Macson MacGuigan,\u00a0Kara Painter, Damon Pyles:\u00a0 Camera Operators<\/p>\n

Kaylin Richardson: Video Switcher<\/p>\n

PRODUCTION ARTISTS<\/strong><\/p>\n

Assistant Stage Managers: Hailey Holcomb, Kara Painter, Katie Taylor<\/p>\n

Technical Director: David B. Vogel<\/p>\n

Dramaturge: Derrick Turner<\/p>\n

Assistant Costume Designers: Grace Eldred, Belen Yoder, Cela Hoefle<\/p>\n

Cyberspace Creative Team: Jacob Brown, Jonathan Bush, Rachel Cardwell, Claire Fry, Madeline Martinez, Kaylin Richardson, Caleb Townsend<\/p>\n

Master Electrician: Jonathan Nofziger<\/p>\n

Lighting Crew: Jeremiah Hines, Elisha Keener, Yesly Lim, Caitlin Randazzo, Rose Sanicola, Isaac Tice, Rein Wenger<\/p>\n

Light Board Operator: Luis Longo, Angel Mallard<\/p>\n

Live Sound Mixer: Josh Miller, Evan Knappenberger<\/p>\n

Sound Board Operator: Ethan Eldred<\/p>\n

Construction Supervisor:\u00a0 Shannon Dove<\/p>\n

Construction and Technical Crew: Jeremiah Hines, Hailey Holcomb, Elisha Keener, Yesly Lim, Kara Painter, Ezrionna Prioleau, Caitlin Randazzo<\/p>\n

Public Relations Coordinator: Ezrionna Prioleau<\/p>\n

Cast Photographs: Kara Painter<\/p>\n

House Manager: Christian Parks<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

\u201cDistant Witness: Social Media, the Arab Spring, and a Journalism Revolution,\u201d an immersive, multi-media play based on the events of the Arab Spring, will make its full stage debut April ... read more about ‘Distant Witness,’ adapted from journalist Andrew Carvin’s book, immerses audience in Arab Spring<\/span><\/a><\/p>","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":27579,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[7931,12503,5147,12507],"tags":[17094,6795,16868,6012,15040,11711],"feature":[],"class_list":["post-27576","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-arts","category-cjp","category-theater","category-vaca","tag-david-vogel","tag-diversity","tag-holly-labbe","tag-jerry-holsopple","tag-justin-poole","tag-phillip-grayson"],"yoast_head":"\n'Distant Witness,' adapted from journalist Andrew Carvin's book, immerses audience in Arab Spring - 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