Whirlwind
Co-Sound Designer
Production Photos by Alaina Shefelton
Lynchburg, VA
This play takes place about one hour south from where I grew up and 50 years before I was born.
I'm always grateful to work on theatre that is close to home. This show gave me the wonderful opportunity to learn local history, and pull from my own memories and field recordings. Some things just sound like home.
"Are you the balls?"
This is the question the audience asked me every night. And, yes! I was the tennis balls.
Using a combination of hot-keys and traditional sound cues, all tennis bounces, racket hits, and crowd cheers were performed by myself in rhythm with the performers.
Teddy's Office
Fun fact: The voice answering the phone is myself!
Recently introduced air conditioning on a hot summer day, adding machines and typewriters, shuffling papers, and people talking build out the environment of Teddy Penzold's office at the University of Virginia.
.jpg)
Music
---
%20.jpg)
"Feel all of it and still show up the next day. Come on. Again."
- Dr. Johnson in Whirlwind, Cris Eli Blak
By Cris Eli Blak
Directed by Constance Swain
Produced by Mike Lucado
Endstation Theatre CompanyThoresen Theatre
June 2025
Co-Sound Designer: Tristin Burke
Co-Sound Designer: Stella Shoemaker
Original Music by: Jordan Sykes
Lighting Designer: Travis Smoak
Costume Designer: Olivia Green
Scenic Designer: Amanda Nerby
Scenic Charge, Props Designer: Sapphira Koerner
Stage Manager: Alexandra Baxter
Asst. Stage Manager: Reid Rasmussen
Asst. Director: Demetrius Reece
Dr. Robert "Whirlwind" Johnson: Abdul-Khaliq Murtadha
Grady Fordham: Jordan Sykes
Edmund "Teddy" Penzold, the Referee: Bill Hollingsworth
Jazz Simmons: Kenna Wells
Anne Spencer, Venita Robbins: Libby Jefferson