Ivy Tech students to perform cross-disciplinary theatre project

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
November 29, 2012

Ivy Tech students to perform cross-disciplinary theatre project

Ivy Tech Community College-Bloomington students in philosophy, architecture, and theatre courses collaborated to write four plays exploring the topic of the influence of technology on contemporary social life. Theatre students will perform the four plays on Thursday, December 6 from 6 to 8 p.m. on Ivy Tech’s main campus, in the Connie and Steve Ferguson Academic Building at 200 Daniels Way.

The following questions appear in student-designed promotions for the plays:

• “Has technology ruined your life, or the life of a loved one?”

• “Do you trust technology more than you trust yourself?”

• “Do you control technology or does technology control you?”

The objective of Ivy Tech’s cross-disciplinary theatre project was for students to develop storylines that reflected philosophical perspectives on a digital society. Students in Professor Natasha Jacobs’ philosophy class discussed how philosophical questions about the nature of reality, freedom versus determinism, the human condition, and existential alienation applied to their own lives within a digital culture. From their philosophical discussions, they developed stories, characters and dialogue into 16 individual plays.

Students in Professor Gustave Weltsek, Ph.D.’s theatre courses then wrote four comprehensive plays to combine the themes, issues, and philosophical perspectives found in the 16 plays written by philosophy students.

Students in instructor Vanessa Shirazawa Babcock’s architecture course examined the architecture of Ivy Tech-Bloomington’s campus and determined the best spaces in which the plays should be performed. Architecture students created ground plans for sets using digital imaging and sent the plans to theatre students, who made the final decision on location and set design.

“Cross-disciplinary projects are yet another component of the comprehensive education students receive at Ivy Tech-Bloomington,” said Chancellor John Whikehart. “Ivy Tech’s increased course offerings in both theatre and the humanities reflects our growing population of students who transfer to four-year institutions. Almost 55% of Ivy Tech-Bloomington students enroll with intent to transfer to a four-year institution, which is the reason we prepare them with a comprehensive, liberal arts education.”

About Ivy Tech Community College

Ivy Tech Community College (www.ivytech.edu) is the state’s largest public postsecondary institution and the nation’s largest singly accredited statewide community college system serving nearly 200,000 students annually. Ivy Tech has campuses throughout Indiana. It serves as the state’s engine of workforce development, offering affordable degree programs and training that are aligned with the needs of its community along with courses and programs that transfer to other colleges and universities in Indiana. It is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission and a member of the North Central Association.