BRIAN DO
A Monster Calls (dir. Chelsea Curto)
By Patrick Ness (Baylor Theatre Fall 2022)
A Monster Calls was a technically challenging and rewarding process for Brian. It is a play about a child (Connor) whose mother is dying of cancer. In denial, he begins seeing a monster who gives him fantastical nightmares. As the play goes on, the fantasy world begins to mesh with the real world as he begins to experience derealization.
The most influential concept of the sound design is that the music betrays what Connor is feeling in every moment, subtly showing the audience his shifting mental state. And since the music is all in his head, whenever he is in the real world, the music is more electronic and artificial. Detached so to say. Conversely, the nightmare/dream world is more fantastical, featuring more natural/instrumental songs. To achieve all these goals, Brian met with their director each week to discuss their music choices along with the feeling of each scene.
Story 2
This story is set in a fantasy Victorian-London type town. A place where nature is being overtaken by machinery. Factories and their smoke stacks pollute the land. The conflict of this dream centers around a Priest, his sick family, and the Apothecary who refuses them treatment.
01
Mom
Connor's Mom is the person to whom he is the closest, therefore Brian wanted her motif to feel soft, bright, warm, and comforting. Additionally, they are the only pieces that feature instruments such as the piano.
02
Grandma
Compared to his mom, Connor despises Grandma's presence and so her music is more ominous, more abrasive.
03
Dad
Dad is a character that lies between Mom and Grandma, being Connor's parent while not being in his life. And so, his music has more of a distant forlorn feeling.
04
Lily
Lily's motif is one of the only bits of brightness in the show as she is Connor's only friend, fighting his bullies for him. This translates to very bubbly and warm underscoring whenever Connor has his focus on her.