Screen Test

Rob Roth is New York City’s modern day Renaissance man. Photographer, video artist, director and performer, Roth’s influence on the island of Manhattan can be seen in both his creative solo and collaborative projects.

Screen Test is a hypnotic masterpiece using video installation and haunting monologue developed by Rob Roth with music by Theo Kogan with her band, Theo and The Skyscrapers. It challenges the audience to define what is real and artificial, what role fantasy plays in survival and how the political and media landscapes of fear affect our current mindset. Screen Test plunges the viewer into a post-apocalyptic atmosphere full of doubt, courage, confusion and hallucination. It blurs the definitive line between reality and illusion using breathtaking imagery and serious sound that leaves the mind open to personal interpretation.

Rob Roth’s idea for Screen Test originally developed after his disappointment of the 2004 election. Roth and Kogan became friends in 2001 after Theo had performed at the club where Roth was producing ‘Click + Drag.’ It was the first time the dynamic duo collaborated and it sparked a friendship that continues to thrive today.

Roth had been experimenting with 'body projections,’ as well as music videos for some time with Kogan, so he was naturally inclined to ask her and the band to perform in Screen Test. The first version of Screen Test was shown in April 2005. Roth and Kogan received exceptionally positive feedback and soon after they were asked to grace the main stage of PS 122 to open the Winter 2006 program with their art production. Screen Test ran from November 28th to December 3rd at PS 122 to rave reviews and sold-out shows.

Roth explains, “In the first version, Screen Test was a work-in-progress and used the music that Theo and The Skyscrapers were working on at that time. In the recent version, the open monologue is the same, but everything else was custom made for the show. The music, video and end monologue was created to make the entire performance flow into a cohesive story.”

Roth is the creator and artistic director of Screen Test. The concept was developed by Roth, but the original music was written by Theo and The Skyscrapers under some direction as to what themes Roth hoped to convey. The music plays an integral role throughout the show using melodic mixes that range from enticing to evocative and takes the audience on an audible journey of momentous sound.

As the production opens, William Butler Yeats’ poem, ‘Before The World Was Made’ is recited and this poem’s message is interwoven in both the physically demanding performances and the duality of the music. Sean Pierce, guitarist, was also the creator of the ambient soundscapes and the sound effects with voiceovers done by both Roth and Pierce. Romy Ashby and Roth wrote the text for the monologues and it is evident that Rob Roth plays a very hands-on role in every step of this haunting and eerily prolific piece.

Roth commented, “I am never satisfied with anything, but I do feel we all accomplished something with this show. I feel it was a strong statement and I think Theo really shined in the best possible way to bring my vision to life and show what a great talent she is.” When asked if Roth could convey one thing about his art he stated, “I do this work to keep from going insane. I hope in the end that this piece moves or inspires people in some way.”

No matter how one interprets Screen Test, it is clear that this performance provokes both conversation and thought. It makes people question the importance of the everyday and challenges them to find “the face they had before the world was made.”

More information on Rob Roth can be found at: http://www.rob-roth.com/index.html

More information on Theo and The Skyscrapers can be found at: www.myspace.com/theo