Sense and Sensibility
by Kate Hamill. Adapted from the novel by Jane Austen. Produced by Mira Costa College. Directed by Tracy Williams. Composition by Paul Durso.
Sense and Sensibility began as a conversation, which led to another conversation, which led to working on a play thematically about conversations and the frustration of communication and desire.
My process began by recording several hours worth of improvisation on piano, which I would then sort through, refine, and turn into realized pieces with added chamber string arrangements.
In the play, the character of Marianne expresses her emotions musically, juxtaposing the face she presents to others. I worked closely with the actor, developing music her character would play on a prop fortepiano, expressing joy, anger, and redeeming love as subtext to the scene. She sent me lyrics and a melody which I turned into a full song she performed nightly. I built a sampled instrument out of recordings of her voice, used in the song Marianne’s Storm, which played during a climactic choreographed movement piece while simulated rain engulfed the theatre.
I also consulted on several practical sound effects performed live by the actors, inspired by the work of Jimmy MacDonald and early Disney animation.
