Ethan Bardoe ’26
Contributing Writer
Lily Bulman ’25, theater and global media & digital studies double major, performed her I.S., “Reflected Desires: An Immersive Myth” in Wishart Hall’s Wise Studio on Sept. 26 and 27 at 7:30 p.m. Her I.S. told stories through the method of puppetry and by creating a physical environment for the audience to explore. The performance included an anthology of Greek stories performed by puppets, created and piloted by Bulman, whose shadows were projected onto the exhibit’s walls. Each projection was accompanied by an interactive set establishing the environment of the story, from the raging ocean to the heights of Mount Olympus. Lighting, sound and set design took center stage in this sensory-encompassing masterpiece.
Inspired by exhibits like “Immersive Van Gogh” and the British theater company Punchdrunk, Bulman and her designers created an experience that the audience was expected to walk through and interact with. The sounds of a woodland clearing and soft music created a calming effect as 20 people meandered through the performance, looking at the four tableaus. In the middle of the stage, there was a fountain with potted plants and benches to rest. Visitors were encouraged to touch everything (except the projectors), running their hands across the ferns or kicking their feet through the fallen leaves. This experience emphasized the audience feeling as if they were being encompassed by the story while including objects of symbolic significance. It allowed each visitor to engage with the art at their own pace. Between its open setting and the shadow puppets dancing across the screens, the viewers felt transported to a performance somewhere else.
Bulman said she chose multiple stories because she “didn’t want to focus too much on [a] story that it wouldn’t highlight the design.” Instead of one long story, she ultimately focused on a few condensed common myths. From there, she turned her focus to puppetry, designing puppets of gods, mortals and animals. Her favorite one to develop was the Narcissus puppet, but she preferred working with her rabbit puppet because it was easier to use. Bulman’s puppets were simple designs, reminiscent of the figures on an ancient Greek vase and clearly distinguishable from each other. Each had a distinct style of movement that was engaging to watch, but that didn’t distract from other puppets or the beautiful set design.
Bulman recorded her process of creating the piece in a series of vlogs as the Global Media and Digital Studies element of her double major. Next semester, she will continue working on making a documentary of the process by editing the footage collected. This film will provide a more condensed and focused perspective while still capturing the immersive experience of the play.