Session 11

Eman Al-Zubeidi, Jinsil Hwaryoung Seo, and Julia DeLaney (Panel): But Where There’s Hope, There’s Life 

But Where There’s Hope, There’s Life is a multi-disciplinary collaborative project involving an evening-length theatre production based on the historical event of the Holocaust and its parallels to our current political climate. The production engages the audience members in an unforgettable experience through dance, projection mapping, and interactive visuals.

Each stage of this eight-part production takes place in one of several indoor and outdoor venues in historic downtown Bryan, Texas. Traveling between each of these spaces gives the audience a sense that they are experiencing these events alongside the performers. The projection mapping serves as a window to another world, a world that represents the loss, horror, heartbreak and rising hope born from this historical event.

The opening act, ​Hitler’s Speech,​ documents Hitler’s rise to power. The choreography consists of simple gestures and movements that progressively become more harsh and repetitive. The projection mapping elevates the dancer’s movements by transporting the dancer into a makeshift “stage” that mimics the environments of hitler’s rallies and the crowds he seduced. Because the dance is symbolic, the projection visuals are given an opportunity to take charge of the storytelling aspect of the performance as well as extend the emotions embodied by the dancer.

The visual projection team consists of a group of undergraduates participating in Texas A&M University’s Aggie Research Program lead by a graduate Masters of Fine Arts student and faculty advisors. The team’s collective effort consists of a diverse set of skills that involve ​2D traditional and digital art, 3D procedural art, and interactive media.