Student/EMT is Making (Sound) Waves in Theatre Field
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William O'Brian
Burns |
In addition to his classroom work, Sam Houston State University
theatre major William O'Brian Burns puts in three long shifts
per week as an emergency medical technician and does award-winning
theatre sound design in his spare time.
"I always get involved in the underdog thing," he
said. "Something people don't put a whole lot of emphasis
on."
Meaning, the doctors and nurses usually get the credit for
saving accident victims, not the EMTs who scoop them up from
the roadsides. The playwrights, actors and scenery designers
tend to overshadow the people like Burns who aren't noticed
unless a production's sound is not quite right.
In a typical week Burns works two 24-hour shifts, on Tuesday
and Thursday, and a 15-hour shift on Saturday. On Monday,
Wednesday and Friday he goes to class.
Fourteen months ago he was introduced to the area of theatrical
sound design, and he already ranks as one of the top students
in that area in the United States.
He was recently honored for his sound design work at the National
Kennedy Center College Theater Festival in Washington, D.C.
"His success is remarkable," said Penelope Hasekoester,
who chairs the theatre program. "William has learned
enough about sound in the short 14 months since he began that
he has totally redesigned and rebuilt the SHSU theatre sound
system."
In only his second sound design effort, Burns handled that
aspect of the SHSU production of "Smokey Joe's Café,"
which was first performed at the Texas State Kennedy Center
American College Theater Festival hosted by SHSU.
Here he received the Excellence in Sound Design award and
was entered automatically in the Region VI Festival. His accomplishments
at Region VI earned him an all expenses paid trip to the National
Festival, where he earned his most recent honor.
As a participant at the National Festival, he was awarded
an O'Neill Design Fellowship and will attend the O'Neill Playwrights'
Conference for six weeks this summer as assistant to the resident
sound design staff.
While the emergency medical services may eventually lose Burns
to the theatre, right now he's not ready to declare a clear
favorite.
"I really enjoy working on an ambulance and helping
people out," said Burns. "But I may enjoy the theatre
more. It is always providing a learning experience for the
audience."
Now a sophomore, Burns obtained his emergency medical certification
while still a senior in high school. In order to maintain
his certification, he must be re-tested every four years.
"I wouldn't mind working full time in theatre,"
he said, "but I've put so much into my emergency medical
training I think I'd like to maintain that as well."
- END -
SHSU Media Contact: Frank
Krystyniak
May 25, 2005
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