4.48 PSYCHOSIS

directed by Shawn Ketchum Johnson

an immersive audio installation

february 2025

A fragmented dream play with a constantly shifting reality focused on an individual who suffers from depression and clinical psychosis, 4.48 PSYCHOSIS was the final work of Sarah Kane. This production was developed by Shawn Ketchum Johnson as an immersive audio installation — a 65-minute listening experience inside a sound-isolated environment. Sound-designed and composed by Johnson for a custom multichannel surround system (10 channels, 11 speakers) and featuring a cast of 18 voice actors, this production's premiere was hosted by Cornell College.

For archival purposes, the project has been mixed for binaural listening to approximate the original experience, and combined with a production video. It can be viewed here:

View Project

4.48 PSYCHOSIS
4.48 PSYCHOSIS
4.48 PSYCHOSIS
4.48 PSYCHOSIS
4.48 PSYCHOSIS
4.48 PSYCHOSIS

AUDIENCE RESPONSES FROM THE PREMIERE RUN:

"Haunting..."

"...compelling..."

"A strangely meditative experience."

"...powerful..."

"Beautifully done."

"Just.. wow!"

"...the immersive experience was wild!"

"Experiencing the disembodied voices in surround sound instead of physical actors actually made the material feel...somehow more immediate."

"The surround audio was so effective at putting us inside the head of another person."

"...very original experience."

"This show gives a voice to the aspects of mental health that are so often relegated to happening in silence. It goes to great lengths to make those voices heard."

"Equal parts meditation and anti-meditation..."

"I encourage audiences to come see it, especially those who are on their own journeys of mental health and self-discovery, because you will leave the show with new perspectives."

"...has given me a much deeper understanding of myself."

-->