The nature of “liveness” is the subject of much theoretical debate as our culture plunges deeper into the act of recording and reproducing performance. Theorists like Philip Auslander and Peggy Phelan have tried to define liveness as it opposes this “mediatized” condition, but as a millenial who has experienced a digital as well as physical existence, I ask why can’t liveness encompass both worlds? I turn to renowned scenic designer Robert Edmond Jones to explain the theoretical lens I employed in my design capstone project Random with a Purpose XXVI: Multiverse (RWAP). Using projected camera feeds, layered projection surfaces, and a system of live video mixing I sought to illustrate the multiplicity of self as it spans the live and mediatized. Regarding the sole performer as multiple allowed the audience to connect with them on a deeper level and experience a truly “live” event.

BarnStorm Theater is a student-run theater company at The University of California, Santa Cruz. The theater functions as a community space where students support one another’s production in return for support on theirs. The undergraduate students who participate in BarnStorm are accustomed to the resources readily available in an educational setting. As the Managing Director for the 2017-2018 Season, I implemented a post-academic model for the majority of the productions, moving theory into practical action, so that participants experience the struggles they will face in future projects after graduating.