ABSTRACT
Theatrical form is an expression of contemporary thought processes; the world changes, and so too do our ways of representing it. Virtual technology has transformed modes of creating and viewing art, thrusting the art world into a state of fl ux where live art events often occur in unfamiliar environments and where the attendant may not be able to judge the work by utilizing conventional analytical modes. An understanding of physiology and neurology of the human body as a receiver of outside stimuli can assist the artist in using sensorial stimuli to compose a live theatrical event and create an in-between state of experience and awareness. Likewise, the attendant can be aided in the process of restructuring those stimuli through cognitive thought processes for a visceral analysis of the event. I will explore how application of theories drawn from cognitive science and physiology affect live art practice and the attendant’s experience of the performance. To be an “attendant” of a live theatrical performance does not necessarily imply conscious awareness of sensorial stimulation. Whereas our bodies are constantly attendant to the world around us, they note change and decide whether or not to respond. Mimesis, then, stimulates our brains. As Michael Gazzanga argues, to stimulate the brain is to constantly remodel its neural pathways to accommodate and store new information.1
