Beta Test.2 is the second annual festival dedicated to performance innovations. Designed to introduce and develop experimental student performance work and artists at UTD this year’s festival will include a wide selection of performance art, video, digital, audio, animation and hybrid medium presentations. There are more than 20 presentations, so they will be alternating each evening (see the schedule of works below). Plan on attending twice to see them all!

The festival was developed and produced by A&H’s Artistic Director Thomas Riccio. The selection committee includes Dean Terry, video and digital artist, Greg Metz, visual and installation artist, and Venus Opal Reese, playwright and spoken word artist. All are professors within the School of Arts and Humanities. Beta Test.2 is a joint collaboration between UTD’s Performance and Visual Arts and the Institute for Interactive Arts and Engineering.

Comments from Thomas Riccio, Artistic Director

"A school with so much talent needs a venue of expression, which serves as a focus point to which students and artists can work. Last year I created Beta Test as a venue specifically designed to give voice to performance innovations. It needs to be an annual event and will always be in a state of evolution, that is its nature. What Beta Test is will depend on who and what is involved. Last year we were more involved with live theatre or performance art presentations. This year it will take on more of a festival feel, with two programs, mixing spoken word, performance art, digital art, and more conventionally styled, but innovative, theatre presentations. For this year we’ll have about 30 offerings, ranging from animation, to experimental music, to hybrid performance that mix live and video, and experimental theatre. The only criterion is that it explores and investigates its medium or content in an innovative way or with a new perspective. And, it must have the participation of a UTD student or alumni. I serve as producer and organizer and along with a curatorial committee of Dean Terry, Greg Metz, and Venus Reese, we decide on what is of quality and how bet to present it. This year we were all overwhelmed by the amount and quality of talent. " - July 2004

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SCHEDULE A
September 17, 19, 25
Friday, Sunday, Saturday

I Video Shorts (35-45 min)
“La La” by Maryam Baig
“Devil’s Playground” by Ninja Monkey (Elizabeth Alavi et. al.) - description
“Distraction” (Grid of Images) by Greta Poulsen
“K7” by Tim Christopher
“Presents” by Anthony Tyler et al.

II Theatre
“The Blank Page” by Elizabeth Coker (40 min) - description

III Video and Interactive Digital Narrative
“Dumb Larry” by Digital Simian (Deter Brown et. al.) - description
“Tribute to My Friends” by Donald Pahmiyer
“ A Teacup Full of Sand” by Monica Evans, Anthony Tyler et. al. - description

SCHEDULE B
September 18, 24, 26
Saturday, Friday, Sunday

I Video/Music Shorts and Sound Art
“Julie the Enforcer” by Donald Pahmiyer
“System Overload: Breakdown Music” by Donald Pahmiyer
“Untitled” (sound art—performed live), by Patrick Murphy - description
“Harbor of Philadelphia” by Nicholas P. Ippoliti - description
“Local Honey” by Kelly Brown - description

II Video Shorts and Theatre
“Jabari: The Conspiracy Theory” by Kyle Kondas - description
“Untitled” by Kirsten Macy
“The Miss Catherine Project” by Rebecca McDonald - description

III Video Shorts, Theatre and Spoken Word
“Blood Quantum” by Adrian Cook
“Eclipsing Bodies in the Melting Pot & Over Loudspeaker” (theatre) by Margaret Athene Chaplin - description
“Bang Bang!” (Spoken word) by Jonathan White

Lobby Presentations (each night)
“Venerable Harmony” (DV video) by Jessica Fuentes - description
“Digital Vision” (Video Projection) by Elizabeth Alavi - description
“Pressure Puzzle” (Interactive Flash Animation) by Kathryn Klaene - description
“Poetry” (Interactive Flash Animation) by Kathryn Klaene - description
“Size Small” (Computer Animation) by Kathryn Klaene - description
“Grid One” (Interactive Digital) by Gail Leija - description
“Do You Really See Me?” by Melvin Macklin