David E. Smith
Founding Director of the Theatre Sound Design Program
School of Design & Production
University of North Carolina School of the Arts
Winston-Salem, NC
smithd@uncsa.edu

ABSTRACT:
The paper seeks to uncover the conceptual process of abstraction and apply it to theatre sound design. The Author first examines the process of abstraction undertaken by Piet Mondrian in the world of fine art. Then it reveals how the concept was practiced in the scenic design by Jo Mielziner in the 1955 production of Cat on a Hot Tin Roof by Tennessee Williams. Next the Author proposes a new conceptual framework for abstraction specifically for use in theatre design highlighting examples from sound design. Lastly the paper presents an example of how this new conceptual process of abstraction was implemented by the author in the sound design for a production of The Glass Menagerie by Tennessee Williams.

FULL PAPER:
The Artistic Concept of Abstraction as Applied to Theatrical Sound Design
Publication: USITT Current Practices and Research in Sound
April 16, 2020

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