International Competition
Webscene

In the autumn of 2000 Theaterfestival SPIELART Munich initiated, in cooperation with the Cultural Office of the City of Munich, the Ars Electronica Center Linz, Stadtforum München and the Medienforum München, the international concept competition webscene as a stimulus for the theater and performance scene to examine the Internet as a medium and creative means, and to offer artists the opportunity to realize a "Net" production as part of the Theaterfestival SPIELART Munich.

The jury consisted of Marie Zimmermann (Wiener Festwochen), Gerfried Stocker (Ars Electronica Center Linz), Gisela Müller (Medienforum München), Cornelia Albrecht (Stadtforum München) and Gottfried Hattinger (Theaterfestival SPIELART München), and they awarded prizes to two of the submitted concepts: The first prize, the Stadtforum Prize, went to the group Gob Squad, with Anette Schäfer and Miles Chalcraft, for their concept under the working title "Missing." After further developing their concept they named it "The Finalists," and it will be produced and presented by SPIELART. http://thefinalists.aec.at

The Medienforum München Prize was awarded to the trio of artists Evert/ Wenig/ Wolters for their concept "FLUCHTEN!" ("Escapes!").
This Internet road movie deals with the question of whether one can escape in Bavaria: "Birth of the Cool" cannot repay their small business loan. As a last resort they rob a branch of the Sparkasse, the Munich savings and loan company. Afterwards they are on the run with three millions marks in their possession.
Nothing happens today that is not monitored or observed. So, where can they escape to? Where can they hide? Utilizing the fleeting medium of theater, the stories of the escapes of several, very different people during a weekend will be told. "FLUCHTEN!" is an Internet road movie presented in the real space of Munich, and it can be viewed simultaneously in the virtual reality of the Internet. And although "FLUCHTEN!" is conceived for an online audience, it is sure to attract the attention of coincidental passersby in the city as well.
"FLUCHTEN!" will be realized in 2002 in collaboration with the Stadtforum München and the Münchner Kammerspiele.
Preview: www.fluchten.de

Competition: Theaterfestival SPIELART München, in collaboration with the Ars Electronica Center Linz, the Stadtforum München, the Medienforum München and the Kulturreferat der Landeshauptstadt München.

From 17 November (starting at 4:00 p.m.) to 2 December (ending at midnight).
On the Internet:
www.spielart.org/webscene

Live streaming:
17, 18, 24 November, 4:00 p.m.
26 November, 10:00 p.m.
Festival Center, Muffathalle
Free admission

Gob Squad with Anette Schäfer and Miles Chalcraft

The Finalists

http://thefinalists.aec.at

"The Finalists," four Internet identities, lay out their trails on the World Wide Web: On different home pages they will develop fictitious characters during the festival with the expressive forms of the Internet - favorite links, videos, photos, chats. Biography, age, gender, communication behavior and life style are the building blocks used by these Internet personalities to construct a new self, piece by piece and interactive with the Internet surfers. Past, future and present are simultaneous. During the live streaming phases "The Finalists" will communicate with each other and with the audience. The unlimited possibilities bring obsessions, self-destructive acts and bizarre fixations to light. The viewers can chat with them and take part in the identity game and in the battle for attention in the Universe of Unlimited Possibilities ...

"The Finalists" can be viewed around the clock during the entire SPIELART festival on the Internet - there will be free access to the Internet at many of the festival venues and on many of the monitors in Munich. The artists will intervene at the posted times (live streaming) - in the Festival Center and on the Internet.

Live streaming:

17 November, 4:00 p.m.
"I am a Finalist"
Come and meet the Finalists in an exclusive chat. Find out what kind of people they are, who's the most outrageous one, who's going to beat the others. Which one is your favorite?

18 November, 4:00 p.m.
"Look at me now"
Here they go again. Set on their mission, nothing can stop them.

24 November, 4:00 p.m.
"Now or never"
Join the Finalists and share with them the moment they've been living for. You can be right there and watch.

26 November, 10:00 p.m.
"I was a Finalist"
What happens once the game is over? Learn about the lives of Ex-Finalists.

Production and realization: Theaterfestival SPIELART München, in collaboration with the Ars Electronica Center Linz, the Stadtforum München, the Medienforum München and the Kulturreferat der Landeshauptstadt München, with the support of M"net Telekommunikations GmbH and Servecast (Deutschland) GmbH, Streaming Service Provider.