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a pit, that there is an orchestra, that they’re in live theatre. At the
same time, because we write with a more pop sensibility, with
amplification and hearing vocals sung in a certain way — we
don’t have an Ethel Merman any more, someone who can simply
belt to the back of the house without amplification. We have a
lot of really wonderful performers now who sing in a much more
contemporary way, so you’ve got to figure out how you hide
those mics and balance that sound. The soundman has obviously
evolved to one of the prime design positions, along with
the set designer, costume designer and lighting designer.
How much are you involved with the
sound designer on a show like Little
Mermaid or Sister Act?
I’m very involved — sometimes directly,
and sometimes through my music supervisor.
In my experience, the poor sound
designer often is the last one given the time
to really do his or her work in the theatre.
The sound and lighting designers seems to
be the ones who are always fighting to have
time to hone what they’re doing. You’re
already well into previews, if not even past
your opening, and the sound designer is still
needing to do the work — all the honing of
riding the vocals and riding the orchestra
and placing the speakers.
Sherie Rene Scott as Ursula
What work did you do with the sound
designer on Little Mermaid?
I have to say that the sound designer,
John Shivers, was really successful on Little
Mermaid. It’s just been the normal process
of hearing more of this vocal, the orchestra’s
a little bit down here…. You’re still going
to balance the needs of the dramaturgical
against the musical. The musical might want
to hear big sweeps of an orchestra, and
the sound is overwhelming you. Then the
director and the book writer will say they
really need to hear the words. That sounds
very basic, but that often becomes a very
common debate. How far forward do you
need the vocals to be without diminishing
the power of the orchestra? Some of that
has to be dealt with through panning —
placing the orchestra in speakers where
you don’t have the vocals so they’re distinguished
from each other. That’s not my area
of expertise. I’m the one who will go back
and whine at the sound designer, or praise
the sound designer, and they will have to
figure out how to proceed.
My sound designer on Sister Act and
Leap of Faith is Carl Casella, whom I’ve
known forever. I knew him back when
he was an engineer. He’s worked on live
shows, and he helped me put together
my screening room. He’s a pal and has
become a top sound designer.
www.stage-directions.com • January 2008 17