UC San Diego

In this paper I will discuss how video design can be used as a tool for expressing the mental state of a character when used in live performance. Video as a medium in American theatre has been evolving and expanding in recent years. Designers are searching for a way to integrate this discipline into their work that enriches storytelling. The medium of video can feel at odds with live performance, yet it can also be a successful tool for investigating a character’s psyche. I will touch on artists whose work explores the use of video as a storytelling medium and breakdown two productions I designed during my time at UCSD. Those productions are Branden Jacobs Jenkins’ Everybody directed by Daniel Jáquez in 2022 and Charles Mee’s Orestes 2.0 directed by Joseph Hendel in 2020.