BWW Blog: Cheyenne Dalton - Why Sound?

One day, I was in rehearsal, and one of my friends asked me, "Why sound?" And that's when I really started to think about why sound?

First off, I have a complex relationship with attention. As a female, I am taught from my earliest consciousness that my value is inherently measured in the realm of the physical. Without outward beauty, or even the right kind of outward beauty, I may as well give up on any sort of happiness or lifelong fulfillment. Girls are taught that being pretty means one cannot also be skilled or well studied, and yet we are driven to believe that the ideal woman (a heterosexual man's ideal) has both "beauty and brains" (but not too much brains). So with that, girls are taught to be attractive but not allowed to revel in their own attractiveness. We must remain modest and unaware of our beauty. A woman who likes herself too much is vain, frivolous, and selfish.

"Why sound?" my friend asked me. A harmless question, sure. And yet my own answer screamed back, "I am tired of being looked at." I am tired of people watching me. It has been my experience in technical theatre that women have rather low levels of feminine visibility. Granted, the physical requirements of being a stagehand, stage manager, electrician, sound engineer, etc., tends to eliminate any frivolities such as heels, dresses, and excessive jewelry. It's true that such looks are impractical, but what correlation could wearing lipstick possibly have to someone's ability to do their job? My appearance has nothing to do with my work itself, but has everything to do with how I am perceived by others.

"Why sound?" I don't think that's all there is behind the seemingly harmless question. I think there's subtext, whether its intended or not, " Why is someone like you designing sound?" Leave technical theatre to the men and defeminized women, it says. You can't be competent with technology and wear cute shoes. You cannot be skilled, well studied, and pretty, remember?

"Why sound?" Because, like acting, it can have a profound emotional effect on the audience. A well placed bass throb or birdsong or ambient underscore can turn perceived emotion into real life emotion. Humans have the capacity to be triggered by sound.

"Why sound?" Sound is a powerful tool for the inspiration of a refreshing sadness. People are strongly moved by what they hear. A deep, solemn foghorn or a distant train whistle at night might remind you of being alone, or having the desire to find something or someplace. While going through old voicemails, someone discovers the long-gone voice of a loved one who has passed away. An ice cream truck cruises innocently by, the music blaring, and suddenly reminds you that the freedom of childhood is gone forever. A vinyl record crackles in a silent loop, as if a message is being sent from the universe saying, "All things must come to an end."

So that's, "why sound?"