FSEM 100Q8 | Mechanisms of Storytelling: Entertainment Design & Technology

What does the band Genesis have in common with classical Greek theatre? The area of entertainment design and technology has a rich history of development extending back as far as the first performance. However, as each technology was developed, there arose discussion and criticisms as to how to best employ these technologies. Against this background, students will investigate past technologies and how they advanced the storytelling of the day. Not only will students investigate the past, students will explore contemporary theatre companies and how they utilize today’s technology. The current entertainment industry is undergoing a period of expansive technological innovation, and, as in the past, discussions and criticisms regarding the use of these technologies in contemporary storytelling abound. We will attend several local theatre productions, both in Fredericksburg and Washington, D.C., in addition to having a “movie night” where we will watch a colossal production of “Das Rheingold.” These shared experiences will serve students as they discuss current trends and innovations.

Photo of Michael Benson, Assistant Professor of Theatre

Michael Benson, Assistant Professor of Theatre

Since 1987, I have been involved in theatre in a variety of roles: musician, actor, designer, technical director, scenic painter, and carpenter. I graduated from Baldwin-Wallace College in 1991 and spent the next 17 years working across the country: from Las Vegas to Vermont and everywhere in between. I was awarded my Master of Fine Arts from Penn State University in Scene Design in 2011. My specialty is digital technologies for the theatre, specifically CAD modeling, drafting, imaging, audio, and projections. One of facets of theatre that I love is its dedication to traditions that extend back hundreds, if not thousands, of years, yet it is constantly reinventing itself with new technologies and performance practices.