By Justin Lafeen

From left to right: Kent Hadfield, Marina Hall, Kevin Doyle, Cassandra Orr and Mark Damen pose before the first recording of Synecdoche, Utah Public Radio's new arts entertainment program. / Photo courtesy of Fran Titchener

Synecdoche (sen ek de-ke) is a figure of speech in which a part is used to represent a greater whole -- for example, ‘all hands on deck' in reference to sailors or 'fifty sail' for fifty sailboats. In addition, it's the name of a new radio entertainment program which broadcast for the first time Tuesday on Utah Public Radio (UPR).

The program showcases original short stories written by local authors and read by local actors, and was created from the collaborative effort of Utah State's departments of English and theatre arts, UPR, and Chapter Two Books.

"We are trying to raise the profile of USU, the great creative work that we do here, and the things we support," said Marina Hall, English department faculty member and producer of Synecdoche.

"You would be hard-pressed to find someone who doesn't like to be read to," declares Hall, "it's a very nurturing thing."

The program was recorded on Sunday at Chapter Two Books, a Logan bookstore whose ambiance provided the perfect setting for the recording –complete with a live audience.

Theater professor Mark Damen, who directed the readings, said, "We couldn't have done it anywhere else. This is the most relaxing and rewarding experience I've had working with original pieces."

Performing the narratives were local actors Kent Hadfield and Cassandra Orr, and Associate Professor and actor Kevin Doyle. Yet, according to Damen, who has worked extensively with original works at USU, "One of the advantages to narrative theater is that it allows the audience to focus on the story and this highlights the author's work. The real stars here are the authors."

Synecdoche is unique entertainment in a presentation style that was popular long before television and yet allows for a more personal reflection on broad social issues from the viewpoint of individual experiences.

The types of writings presented are "small forms, and contained within themselves, but they address larger, more universal meanings and themes," said Hall in the Tuesday broadcast.

The writings were chosen from winners of USU's 2003 Creative Writing Contest (also headed by Hall) and included in Tuesday's broadcast were two modern-fiction pieces, The Island Story by Sheldon Lawrence and Rule of Thirds by Joanna Hooste, and also presented was a third piece, Globs of Oobleck by John Engler, based on true events in Cache Valley.

When asked about the six-person volunteer production team, Hall said, "There was an unbelievable commitment from everyone. We didn't have any problems."

Hall hopes to continue producing the program quarterly and perhaps in the future on a monthly schedule. She intends to keep it in the region with local writers and actors, and in the future take it to the larger market, beginning with public radio stations in neighboring states.

The next broadcast, set to run in November. will feature work from the Great Salt Lake Book Festival, which is planned for next month. For more information about Synecdoche and how you can support the program, email Marina Hall at mhall@english.usu.edu.

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