Veal

Playwright: Jojo Jones
Director: dado

Following a violent coup, a young woman named Chelsea becomes Queen of North America. Into her new palace walk three friends from middle school — Franny, Lulu, and Noa — with whom she hasn’t spoken in years. They’ve come to ask Chelsea for a big favor, but before she grants it, she’s going to make them revisit their shared friendship — and its terrible end.

The sound design for Veal tapped into an uncomfortable, "itchy" sense of nostalgia, a trauma that couldn't be overcome but also couldn't be let go. Low, post apocalyptic drones were blended with Barbie soundtracks to remind the audience of living in painful childhood memories that one can't escape. Part of building this world was sourcing middle school appropriate horn speakers to serve as a practical reinforcement system. This not only made the very auditory space something within Chelsea's control, but really helped cement that sense of distorting the familiar into something you might not survive.