Emma Watkins, an English major pursuing certificates in Theater, Music Theater and Environmental Studies, traveled to Wales in the summer of 2017 to study the storytelling traditions of her ancestors and to hike through “the green chapels” of their mythology. Her research will culminate in a new storytelling venture of her own that will serve as her senior thesis: an immersive music theater retelling of the life of Rhiannon, an empowered woman in Welsh mythology who, when falsely accused of eating her own son, is forced to become the reluctant storyteller of a violent act she did not perpetrate. Watkins hiked along Wales’ coastline and through its mountains, visiting landmarks mentioned in Rhiannon’s story and recording the natural soundscapes at these sites for use in her musical compositions. Her creative work is inspired by Welsh folk music festivals, a course of study at the Bleddfa Week of Storytelling, and Welsh language classes. She also conducted interviews with artists, musicians and historians who, together, serve as the keepers of Welsh culture and identity.
