FUTURE DIRECTIONS

A lot of the project is based on my process of discovering the narrative of Pasadena's history through research and writing. The other major component was in collaborating with directing other people in materializing and executing my ideas. Ironically, the outcome of the work seems anti-climatic to me, as the most exciting part of the work was finding the city's hidden narratives and figuring how to execute them in three-dimensional space.

I have considered how I could carry this idea on the larger scope. What would I do if I could apply this project in other cities? It would be attractive to highlight various cultures of a city's past in a three-dimesional form and find different ways to tell their stories. I feel like I've discovered the beginnings of my process in finding the narratives of a city, but the applications could vary through a myriad of performative elements. In the design intervention/performance I created as a trial run, I depended on costumes to portray the story I was telling. However, this could also be better integrated with the environment, with actual set pieces, and other components traditionally used in live shows.

Another possibility is to investigate more complex sites to stage these designed theater events. An important factor in my selection process is to consider the different variables that makes the place unique. It is not only about finding a deserted location to perform in. A major element of this work is locating an existing audience that are there for an intended purpose, and receive the benefit to witness something unexpected and relevant to the city they reside in. The randomness of these events happening is essential, as it's the antithesis of most existing theatre productions. This isn't a structure and staged affair, but a serendipitous event, meant to be arbitrarily experienced because one happens to be at the right time and the right place.

Another consideration is looking at the existing routines within a city's infrastructure. I'm intrigued by the idea of transportation waiting areas because of the audience already gathered with little to do, and they are programmed into the urban space on a regular basis. Places like airports or train stations have potential performance space and windows of opportunity in time. Even the possibility of incorporating some of the workers to collaborate in more elaborate productions in executing an event would foster community and dialogue between the city and the people who work and live there.

Using people to inform the next event could be an interesting iteration. Taking feedback right after a performance to use their suggestions on what they'd like to see in the next performance could activate the community in being more proactive about maintaining their culture and city's identity, as well as create opportunities for rich creative material. Using the residents to author their own narrative content would make it easier to find content and themes to create the next production.

I've learned from my process the interplay between design research and implementing that information into public spaces to relay historical narratives. I've also challenged the status quo on design and implementing theater as a means to communicate a series of complex stories and symbols implemented in seconds. My hope is to inspire more interest in creating experimental design methodologies and in projects that celebrates forgotten city culture. It also could be an interesting start to an event which people could contribute their own ideas and dialogue to.