THE SOUND OF INSPIRATION: MEGAN SLABACH

For this blog entry, I had plans to explain my process of selecting music and creating and finding sound effects, but I’m not yet able to put it into words that would make sense to most people, especially since I’m trying something very new this time around, soliciting input from the actors about what type of music elicits what emotions from them as I attempt to create the “soundscape” of this world.

Instead of trying to explain with words, I’m going to show you one of the pieces of music that gives me serenity, clarity, and joy. The name of this song is Phenomenon (from the movie Phenomenon with John Travolta and Kyra Sedgwick) and it was the first score that I heard as a kid that made me see that working, creating, and playing music was in my bones. This music has a direct line to my empathic heart and it is pieces like this that drive me when I'm working to enhance a connection on stage.

The example of nature in this video is my second source of serenity and joy. My pairing of mountain tops and rolling green hills with this song was to showcase the combined power of visual and audible art. When I travel to these places and see masterpieces of nature I am moved to tears in the same way that I am when I listen to this song. These elements don’t need each other and they can be successful works of art independently. However, when you put these 2 beautiful components together it has the power to reach into the heart of the observer in a way that might not be possible when they are separated. I am obsessed with this phenomenon and ache for it. Maybe it’s becoming more clear why I’m not able to put into words my chaotic process, because I’m searching for something that I can only know when those two works come together. I know; these are lofty goals I’ve made for myself, but I’m working to immerse you in this space and if you walk out of the theater feeling that connection and I was able to be a part of that I will consider all of these chaotic thoughts a success.