I often have mixed feelings about technology. I am tremendously appreciative of the many ways I benefit from my gadgets. I love being able to reach people quickly, by phone, by text, by email or Facebook. Traveling is accessible and relatively convenient. Research takes a fraction of the time it used to require. Creative work is savable and sharable. It is a balm to have instant entertainment in my bag at all times. I am amazed to see how effective online political action can be (and fast! just look at the Susan G Komen/Planned Parenthood story).
Moderation works for me, as well. I get fatigued seeing 8 out of 10 people around me navigating a touch screen instead of looking at their surroundings or being present where I am and they are. I feel anxiety when I know I have a backlog of messages to sift through and address. I enjoy long stretches of time with people I love without any electronic interruptions.
At times, multimedia theatre projects thrill me. For the right piece--for example, a show with a theme that is supported by the addition of technology--layered use of modern media can say something complex in a way that straightforward drama cannot. Or it can say something very specific about the time we live in right now. I find, however, that I'm not so interested in using technology for extras that really are just extras. I don't care to follow a character on Twitter or watch back-story videos on YouTube or read actors' blogs through the process. I know, I know, some creative show could really integrate such material in a meaningful way, of course. But it still feels like marketing to me. With or without the technology, I still want the event to be about what's happening in a room with the people who are there.
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