"From the Fire to the Family"

Newton's Forge current project, "From the Fire to the Family", is an educational theater experiment. It is our goal to perfect a new kind of theater play and take it on tour for America to experience. In order to reach our production goal we have to practice and to practice this kind of theater we need an audience. We will hold plays the first year to educate our troupe with the audience experience. Our shows will improve from day to day, with experience and trouble shooting we will perfect this theater environment to be most effective with audience interaction and suspension of disbelief.

This project is an innovative style of theater production that will require many hours of work and creative intelligence. Newton's Forge is currently recruiting the proper staff to engage our audience and this new improvisational style will be perfected to the point of optimal performance and story quality.

We appreciate any support or constructive feedback to help take this troupe on tour with our improv stories.

Z in the Middle Background History

Z in the Middle started out as Emerald Coast Live Action West in March of 1999. As Emerald Coast we ran four shows a month for over two years at various Lubbock locations including Texas Tech and Mad Hatter's House of Games. Thanks again for the space. In 2000, our co-founders returned to Florida and I took over full management responsibility. Soon after the name was changed to Z in the Middle. I hired new people and we shortened the shows to twice a month in 2001, for another year and a half. June of 2002, we began our first screenplay, "Sight". After almost a year in research for proper formatting and distribution, the story began to take form and in November of 2004 the pre-production draft was finished. Due to school, time and money constraints the script has yet to leave it's notebook. As part of our business plan, we will make "Sight" a reality by year end of 2008. Presently we are organizing a new acting troupe, Newton's Forge. This company is slated for an original play in the modern form of Comedia del Arte, "From the Fire into the Family".

Along side these major projects Z in the Middle is producing and coordinating other works, an anthology of original short stories and poems, “Minute Shorts", screenplays "Birthday Box" and "Documentary: William the Bastard", and a one woman play, "One Day".

We have created two newsletters, designed numerous flyers and business cards. We have designed advertising promotions, letterheads, office documents, set blueprints, lighting arrangements, and costumes for other independent businesses. We ran a soda fountain, set up private party performances and organized many private group activities. We also plan parties and events for private households, including casino nights and interactive theater. With our production company we provide a myriad of different services for events, plays, films, and private parties.


In an effort to expand our production capabilities we are currently working on a sound team and composing original soundtracks for our plays and movies. Also, we will be adding an advertising department for greater media expansion.

Newton's Forge Project Notice

Z in the Middle Productions
is proud to present the
Newton's Forge Theater Company
in
"From the Fire into the Family"

Introduction:
Our troupe will enlighten even the most jaded theatre aficionado to a new kind of improvisational audience interaction. Armed with our organized and well established arsenal of plot progressing scenes, we will entice the audience to put on the fabled actor robe and become part of the story. Each ticket holder will be provided with a card stating their role in the performers actions and bound by duty and sheer excitement the audience will now decide the fate of our mischievous heroine. From their actions and the guided reactions of our troupe the story progresses in two hours time to reveal a paradigm shift that will promise to awe our active guests. Thus resulting in a powerful conclusion of improvised mediation and admonition.

Project Study: Understanding Interview Techniques

"Primary responsibility for initiating and directing the course of an oral history falls to the interviewer."


Basic Techniques

Investigative Interview Suggestions

Oral History Interview Techniques
(The Center of Military History contact information)

A Study of Interviewing Techniques

I - The Basic Interview

1) Learning the Subject

• Find the story in your subject.
• Define story progression.
• Create a quick history timeline.
• Draft questions that will elicit useful information.
• Be aware of gaps and inconsistencies in the available source materials.
• Create questions to clarify and confirm available records.

2) Preparing for the Interview

• Make an appointment with the subject.
• Define desired structure of interview.
• Define desired goals and topics.
• Write your questions down before the interview.
• Be prepared to take a different path of questioning.
• Create clear questions.

3) Supplies

• Standard cassette recorder.
• Extra batteries.
• Extra tapes.
• Pen and paper.
• Any film equipment necessary.
• Make sure to test all equipment.

4) Conducting the Interview

• Be on time.
• Be friendly, courteous and casual.
  
• Ask questions clearly.
• Don't interrupt!
• Precisely define the issue.
• Ask specific, thought-provoking questions. Avoid yes/no answers.
• Stay focused, but if something interesting comes up go with it.
• Take good notes.
• Ask the subject to repeat comments if necessary.
• Don't volunteer information unless it is relevant to your goals.
• Obtain all the information needed before ending the interview.
• The interview should be carefully planned out and structured to achieve the desired goals.
• All similar questions should be covered in their entirety before moving to another topic.
• Encourage the subject to focus attention on one particular area at a time.
• Vague questions may cause the subject to exhibit misleading behavior.
• Careful thought should go to covering all important areas.
• Ask necessary follow-up questions.
• Observe the subject’s verbal and nonverbal behavior.
• Thank the subject for his/her time.
• Get contact information for further questions.
  

A Study of the Effects of Low Frequency Sound and Infrasound

Low frequency sound (LFS) and particularly infrasound have intrinsically mysterious effects as they generally bypass the ear mechanism and are predominantly felt and not heard. This coupling of sound directly to the body may be responsible for feelings of anxiety due to a lack of cognitive resolution within the individual.

As a Military Weapon:

Borderlands.com

In a Concert Environment:

Audioasylum.com

As Physical Therapy:

Trauma Thesis

Notes:
General Sound Information
a) Sound perceptible to humans 20Hz - 20kHz
b) Pain begins about 120dB, eardrum ruptures at 160dB
c) Frequencies above 20kHz = ultrasound, below 20Hz = infrasound (LFS)

Qualities of LFS
a) Inaudible
b) Undetectable on most barometric equipment
c) Invisible (of course, it is sound)
d) No solid barrier known to change the frequency
e) Can be disrupted by opposing sound waves
f) Travels along the ground - Low frequencies "hug the ground"
g) Long wavelength
h) Low material absorption
i) Travels vast distances
j) Almost impossible to pinpoint origin of LFS

LFS Effects on Humans
a) Nausea
b) Disorientation
c) Fear
d) Deep Sorrow
e) Nervous Feelings
f) Revultion
g) Gagging
h) Strong heat in areas with pocket air (mouth, ear, between fingers)(165dB)
i) *Range of Death* 3-7 cycles/second

LFS *Range of Death* Effects
a) Extreme physical pressure
b) Pain in ears and eyes
c) Simply- you get vibrated apart

LFS Human Tolerances
a) Non-lethal 40 - 100 cycles/sec

b) 100 cycles/sec Effects
i) mild nausea
ii) giddiness
iii) skin flush and tingle

c) 60 - 73 cycles/sec Effects
i) coughing/choking
ii) inability to breathe and sternal pain
iii) abdominal pain

d) 43 - 73 cycles/sec Effects
i) intelligence falls to 77% of normal ability

Questions Posed?
1) Research Tesla's LFS Energy Board
2) Research Test for Fear Frequency
3) Is there a LFS generator available?
4) Is there a LFS detection machine available?
5) Could Theatre Acoustics change the sound outcome?
6) Is there a frequency that raises blood pressure but does not cause nausea?
7) Is LFS legal to experiment with?
8) Definitely become more educated about LFS before experimentation.