Caitlin V. Arndt
Creating
Writing - Composition
Belong is a radio play I wrote in 2021. It is a story of intimacy, friendship, trauma, loss, love and platonic soulmates. It centers around best friends Taylin and Casey, through times of connection and disconnection. The play is told through phone calls, voicemails and music. Currently I am adapting the play for film.
Belong: A Radio Play
Written by Caitlin Arndt
Composed by Caitlin Arndt and Alex Shelbourne
Directed by Lily Webb
Taylin played by Kalala Kiwanuka- Woernle
Casey played by Molly Stern
Adrian played by Alex Shelbourne
Writing - Acting
Directing - Composition
Coping the Musical is a short musical I wrote and composed alongside Tomantha Sylvester in 2020. A human receives a traumatic letter and awakens the "trauma responses/coping mechanisms" in her brain. Snap (Rage), Crackle (Disassociation) and Pop (Anxiety) work separately and then together to handle the stress. Originally this was to be performed live, in person but needed to move online due to covid.
Coping the Musical
Written by Caitlin Arndt and Tomantha Sylvester
Composed by Tomantha Sylvester and Caitlin Arndt
Human played by Kerry Sullivan
Pop played by Caitlin Arndt
Crackle played by Tomantha Sylvester
Snap played by Cailey Calisi
Devised Work
Sonnet 29 Project
My Sonnet 29 Project was a devised work created under the guidance of Michael Corbidge. It was inspired by Shakespeare's Sonnet 29 and my father who is a Vietnam combat war veteran. When my father was scared during the war he would recite Sonnet 29 to bring him comfort. In this project, I play a child version of myself and I find a note containing sonnet 29 while playing pretend with an "army jacket". This note places the "character" of me in my father's body in Vietnam in 1969. After that experience, I speak directly to the audience about my father. The video behind is home videos of me and my family during my first few years.
The performance had some technical difficulties that were mostly edited out for the sake of this video.
When, in disgrace with fortune and men’s eyes,
I all alone beweep my outcast state,
And trouble deaf heaven with my bootless cries,
And look upon myself and curse my fate,
Wishing me like to one more rich in hope,
Featured like him, like him with friends possessed,
Desiring this man’s art and that man’s scope,
With what I most enjoy contented least;
Yet in these thoughts myself almost despising,
Haply I think on thee, and then my state,
(Like to the lark at break of day arising
From sullen earth) sings hymns at heaven’s gate;
For thy sweet love remembered such wealth brings
That then I scorn to change my state with kings.
Devised Work
Body Insecurity Project
The Body Insecurity Project was a devised work based on interviews, audience participation, shadows, and Buffoon Clowning. I wanted to see how we all connect on this human insecurity and challenge the audience to be active members of this performance rather than passive. I believe body dysmorphia and insecurity is something we all face at one point or another and this was a way of starting to tackle it, together.
This video is not of the project in its entirety, but an edited down version containing the most important parts.
As a jumping off point, I interviewed people, and recorded their answers based on the following questions:
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How old were you when you first remember feeling insecure about your body?
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What was/is your body insecurity?
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Do you remember your parents, siblings or family members talking badly about their bodies?
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Have you ever been bullied or made fun of about a physical feature?
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What are your favorite physical features on yourself?
In the beginning I am dancing around in a large inflatable suit, but by the end I strip down until I'm in essentially underwear praising my body.