Blog Prompt 6

In my personal opinion, there is no way that the use of new technology will dilute theatre into an entirely obsolete form of performance. There is a clear desire for our culture move towards these newer mediums, but theatre is held together but something that makes it entirely unique. New technology can never take presence away from theatre. There is an important bond between a performer and an audience that only occurs when the two are sharing the same space. There is no other medium in the world that can match a face to face experience. While there is a demand for instant gratification, there is also a strong demand for honesty and believability in our art forms. The idea that we are witnessing something raw and untarnished first hand is very powerful, and it is because of this that people will always be drawn to stage performance. This does not mean, however, that these new mediums should not be introduced and blended with the events happening before our eyes. I believe the best way to use this tactic is in the form of an illusion. Any film based artistic work grew out the spectacle of film being real, and also not real. I imagine that if we reintroduce the novelty of other mediums into film, it could have a very powerful effect. Imagine a girl on stage stands in front of a mirror, and the girl in the mirror is identical to the former. Then imagine the girl who is present in the space begins to play with her hair, but the mirrored image does not reproduce her actions. She instead points, and laughs. This is an idea that can only be brought to life by a new medium, and using ideas like this we can improve theatre in a way that makes it more impactful for the audience. The use of new mediums in theatre can enhance a performance by providing more information that puts the audience in the mind of the character. The second part of this prompt brings to mind those "save a starving child" add you often see during commercials. I personally have no experience with starving children, or with a world where it seems impossible to receive the care and nourishment necessary for survival. However, I still am filled with enormous guilt and sympathy when that commercial comes on. Rather, this is how I feel at first. After seeing the same commercial over and over again, the impact becomes less and less. I think if I were to see the poor starving child in person, that experience once could do more to move me than one hundred ads of the same scenario.