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Sound Designer
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As Its Written
Written by Caroline Hull
Play Synopsis
Parker is a successful screenwriter and director whose latest film just hit box offices across the country — her husband, Ethan, being one of the lead actors. She seems to have it all put together…or does she? While people seem to enjoy her new thriller, it always seems to come back to the first film she ever wrote, a tragic love story called Not Exactly Friends. As the story progresses, we are shown Parker’s relationship with her ex-best friend, Robin, develop and change in both the past and present. It becomes clear that being famous is not all it’s cracked up to be, and that Parker would do almost anything to return to a place where she felt at home — if she doesn’t have to admit how she feels. As It’s Written centers around themes of internalized homophobia, the pressures of fame and social anxiety. But, above all, it is the story of a queer woman navigating the concept of acceptance and comfortability in her own skin.
The University of Central Florida's Pegasus Playlab is a festival dedicated to developing plays by emerging playwrights where over the course of 4 weeks audiences can attend three staged readings or “workshops”, experience a full production of a new play. Theatre UCF Students work on these new plays to create design concepts that helps the cast and creative team understand what the play may look and sound like while they continue to develop the story and characters.
Design Response
Creative Team
Director: Vivian Majkowski
Stage Manager: Victoria Torres
Assistant Stage Manager: Rami Amm
Dramaturg: Reme Elias
Scenic Design Response: Syd Deines
Sound Design Response: Erica Fox
Lighting Design Response: Stevie Bleich
Costume Design Response: Katherine Polgar
Character Playlist
In order to allow the actors to understand more about their characters Erica created a playlist for the 2 main characters that they would listen to both in their past selves as well as present.
Virtual Reading
UCF Celebrates The Arts 2022
UCF's Project Spotlight produced the full production of As Its Written for the 2022 UCF Celebrates the Arts at the Dr. Phillips Center in Orlando, Florida. This production took place within the Pugh Theater for a one night show with limited tech time within the space.
Creative Team
Director: Jordan Zauha
Stage Manager: Shannon Motherwell
Assistant Stage Manager: Emma Baumer
Dramaturg: Gian Arellano
Scenic Designer: Adam Laws & David Jackson
Sound Designer: Erica Fox
Lighting Designer: Emily Duncanson
Costume Designer: Valeria Cole
Graphic Designer: Keaton Jadwin
Sound Mixer/QLab Operator: Billy Banks
Soundscapes & Effects
Before Parker appears on Live TV for an interview we have a listen to the anxiety ridden nerves she has just before walking on.
Parker's Agent calls her and the phone call is missed. Robin then listens to the voicemail aloud. The audience is to perceive it coming from the phone within the actor's hand on speakerphone.
The last scene takes place in an airport. Sound was a support in helping set the scene for the audience to make up for what we could not accomplish with scenery.
Production Photos
Photos taken by Project Spotlight Marketing Team
A remount of As It's Written was done at Penguin Point Productions in Oviedo, Florida. This space was smaller is size in comparison to the previous production space at the Pugh. With this smaller venue and limited equipment our design team had to adjust our designs to meet the space. In the scope of sound, the actual files were not changed however the programming of the show and audio levels were adjusted to fit the space.
Creative Team
Director: Jordan Zauha
Stage Manager: Cristina Neely
Assistant Stage Manager: Taylor Brown
Scenic Designer: Adam Laws & David Jackson
Sound Designer: Erica Fox
Lighting Designer: Emily Duncanson
Costume Designer: Valeria Cole
Props Designer: Reme Elias
Sound Board Operator: Justin Rotolo
Penguin Point Productions
Production Photos
Photos taken by Caroline Hull
As You Like It
Written by William Shakespeare
Play Synopsis
When Rosalind is banished from the increasingly dangerous court of her usurping uncle, she and her cousin, Celia, flee to the Forest of Arden with the court jester in tow only to discover a myriad of memorable characters inside a classic Shakespearean plot featuring melodic songs, beautiful poetry and comedic situations. Will Rosalind and Orlando declare their love? Will Sylvius stop pining for the girl who scorns him? Will Touchstone win Audrey away from William? Will Celia find anyone? As You Like It is one of Shakespeare’s timeless comedies where “All the World’s a Stage” and love is manifested in its glorious forms.
Creative Team
Director: Vivian Majkowski
Stage Manager: Rami Amm
Scenic Designer: Raylen Farries
Sound Co-Designers: Erica Fox & Casey Dieter
Lighting Designer: Richard McWhorter
Costume Designer: Auzsa Carberry-Walters
Hair & Make-Up Designer: Katherine Polgar
Design Statement
This production of a Shakespeare classic was set in the growing world of 1930s Europe, where dictatorships spread their ideals and malicious behavior. While the language was Shakespearian we wanted the audience to understand the play and make it feel relevant to todays time. We see this vicious and harsh court with Duke Fredrick's ruling creating a strict environment and banishment. This world of exile is represented with a very realistic approach to the environment, with the use of atmospheric sounds to expand the stark, controlling, winter court. As the play moves into the forest and outside of the control of the courts we feel a sense of freedom and fantasy slowly mix into the realistic world of trees. As the love blossoms between each of the couples and the seasons change to spring we hear the magic of the forest come alive and bring the audience into the fantasy world, allowing them to feel enveloped into the story.
Soundscapes & Effects
As Duke Fredrick enters the courtyard he is welcomed with a flourish of Trumpets to establish his dominance.
We reveal to the audience the bright colors of the stage and the life of the forest as spring arrives and the love in the air is blossoming. This sound would start playing in the back center of the audience and track around the audience and up to the farthest upstage point as the lights were brought up on the colorful trees.
Hymen's entrance in the final scene is the appearance of a god, one that is to marry the couples. Her entrance is magical and brings life to the stage.
Paperwork
Speaker Plot
Sound Workbook
System Block Diagram
Sound Cue Sheet
Awards & Accolades
Erica's sound design for As You Like It was nominated for the Region IV Kennedy Center American College Theater Festival. In February of 2023, she presented her design at the Region IV Festival to a panel of judges along with other student sound designers that were nominated. She became the National Finalist for Region IV and was invited to the national festival in Washington D.C. hosted at the Kennedy Center. While Erica did not win an award at the national festival she had the opportunity to strengthen her design and overall professional skills with workshops and simulation design meetings that were held.