Northside Hollow is a play that takes place at the bottom of a mine shaft during and after a cave-in. The design team’s collective goal was immersion, and my design involved a lot of ambiance, the initial giant cave-in, residual rumbles, machinery, and small rockslides. IN the lobby before the show I had Appalachian mining anthems playing, as one proceeded into the theatre it was as if one was walking into the working mine, with localized machinery, electric, and hydraulic noises. As the play began this all came to an abrupt end with a massive explosion and rockslide. The new sound system I designed for Urbanite provided plenty of power, with the dual Fender subwoofers doing the heavy lifting.
Urbanite Theatre’s Northside Hollow page is here.
Rew Tippin’s sound design has you quaking in the darkness until you remember, yes, that’s right, this is a
play. Tippin’s realistic sound — static-y radios come from the actual radios, not speakers elsewhere — mingles
with the set and lights and contributes to the terror of immersion you feel those first few moments. That
sense of terror becomes less visceral throughout the 85 minutes, but I’ll admit a revelation about Gene’s
companion, Vincent, had me crying well before the end of the show. Those first few moments of darkness
never wholly recede; they follow Gene throughout the show, and first terrifying sound cue, too, follows.
– Cathy Salustri, Creative Loafing Sarasota
A play by Jonathan Fielding and Brenda Withers
Directed by Summer Dawn Wallace
Set Designer: Richard E. Cannon
Costume Designer: Alison Gensmer
Lighting Designer: Ryan E. Finzelber
Stage Manager: Amanda LaForge