Morningstar (Photoshop, Flash, Illustrator, etc.) Morningstar, written and produced by Nick Alba, was a new musical based on the life and times of Lou Gottlieb’s commune of that name. It was performed in May of 2008 at the Spreckels Performing Arts Center in Rohnert Park, California. The show was rooted in local history—a conflict between (placed people) immigrant settlers and a new wave of counter-culture settlers going “back to the land.” It dramatized the conflict between “hippies” and “normals.” Set in the late 1960s, the play draws directly from interviews and historical documents (including newspaper clippings, commentary, photo submissions, and statements of belief) published as a collection by the former residents of the Morningstar commune situated in the hills just East of Occidental (North of San Francisco). As the Digital Media Arts designer, I used digital images to lend an air of historical authenticity and help modern day audiences connect to the social/political times, as well as to give a sense of importance to the role of the actual place in the creation of this place-based community (the beauty of the land which inspired people to want to settle there, thus forming the commune). On three walls of the open ¾ seating arrangement, screens projected a timed series of images depicting: images of the land today, historical photos of life on the commune, newspaper clippings documenting the court battle, and artistic renderings and animations interpreting the religious and other ideology of the times. |
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Adam and Eve |
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| Due to the lack of nudity in the staging, I reintroduced the nude element indicated in the script (and in history) via photoshop collage in the Adam & Eve sequence. We posed the actors in a studio and I shot landscapes and collaged them in; also using famous paintings, and drawings by songwriter/author Alicia Bay Laurel. | ||
Flash/Illustrator
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| Religious symbols morphing into each other for interfaith song. | ||
Archival |
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| It took a long time to digitize all of the archival images of life on the commune and Bay Area newspaper headlines from the 1960's surrounding the court case. These were well received by audiences , helping them connect the songs etc. to the historical and cultural significance of the local events . | ||
Interactive Sound Visualized |
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| The Divine Mother character sings and her voice shapes the psychedelic animation behind her. | The spirit of John Butler's rhythmic epilogue and the Morningstar mandala collage animated. | |
Site Photography |
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| Originally, I had hoped to broadcast from the land of the once commune. But since this was not possible, I spent several days photographing the place for projections. I also visited a local May Day celebration to observe the culture for my character. | ||
| Production Photos | ||
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