It is clear that the Builder’s Association attempted to create a play where media have a pivotal role in the storytelling. They sought to present the plights of Americans during the Dust Bowl in the context of the modern economic slump. The presence of media was very evident in “House/Divided”. Images and live video feed of the performer was often projected onto the stage throughout the performance. Media was used in other interesting ways as well. In the performance, narration of The Grapes of Wrath was provided in the form of prerecorded voice audio. The actors also had to actively spin the reel for the narration to play. Although these dynamic forms of media were put alongside the live acting in order to enhance the performance, the play did not completely succeed in this respect.

As Auslander suggests, media can be used to improve the experience of live performance if used correctly. However, in the case of “House/Divided”, media only served to distort the already confusing plot of the play. Although media was used in surprising and interesting ways, it still took away from the performance. I do not necessarily agree with Phelan’s view that media should be kept separate from performances, but in this case, he is right. The premise of the play was seemingly nonintuitive and hard to follow as it jumped back and forth from the past to the present. The addition of media only added to this confusion, and as a result, I was lost. I would have understood “House/Divided” better if it had been presented in a more traditional fashion, free of media.