TAT Capstone Takes Students Out of this World

Janelle Pelzel, Staff Reporter

janelle_pelzel@csumb.edu

Feb.19, 2008

In a galaxy where space pirates comb the planets marking them for repopulation lives an unlikely hero named Bob.  Bob, a human being, is captured and brought to space during Captain Gorgonzola’s raid on Earth. Now with little time to spare Bob must make it back to Earth and save the humans before it is too late. 

Fugitive Spaceship, which debuted on Feb. 7, with a second showing Feb. 8, is a multimedia theatrical production written and directed by William Campbell. As Campbell’s capstone, the play combined multiple forms of media including improvisation, audience participation and a live green screen feed from the Teledramatic Arts and Technology (TAT) Studio to the World Theater. Campbell a TAT major, said he got the idea for his capstone from a play he was in six years ago. “My freshman year the World Theater put on a TAT production of “A Midsummer’s Nights Dream,” with three giant projectors; where they showed pre-taped footage. I had to do a taped monologue for that play…I remember it was so awkward not doing it live. So I thought what would be a better way to showcase what I have learned then video and theater live.” 

Fugitive Spaceship is a capstone that was three semesters in the making. Campbell stated that there were major setbacks due to miscommunication and unpreparedness delaying the production from Fall 2007 to Spring 2008. In the end Campbell believes the delays worked out for the best, he just wishes the performance would have taken place later in the semester. With TAT students busy filming their capstones; Campbell said it would have been easier to get help later in the semester, “it is hard to get people to commit this early on.” 

There are many challenges that arise out of a production of these proportions. Switcher, Dana Maldonado, a recent graduate of CSU Monterey Bay (CSUMB); mentioned that the audio went out during a performance. Audio was the main component keeping the live performance in the theater in step with the live footage from the green screen in the studio. Maldonado mentioned she had a hard time matching up the script between the actors on stage and the actors in the TAT studio, which was run like a television station for the performance. Another challenge was the actors running between the stage and the studio. Campbell said he made sure he left enough room in the script for the actors to run across the parking lot to the TAT Studio. 

No matter the technical difficulties the audience responded well to the Sci-Fi themed production. Josh Manley a freshman majoring in Biology Pre-Med at CSUMB said he really liked the costumes. Both Megan McNicholas and Ashley Thompson, freshman majoring in Business agreed that Fugitive Spaceship was both interesting and original. Sarah Guerrero, freshman also majoring in Business, thought the lighting was cool. All the hard work and set backs led to a great outcome for William Campbell, making his capstone a unique success.