Behind The Scenes: Sound Design
There’s a saying in the theatre that says, “if you think a production crew isn’t important to a show, good luck performing naked on a bare stage in the dark.”
In this series of articles, called Behind The Scenes, which will run throughout the next few months of Ghost Light, we will take a look at a variety of local specialists like costumer designers, stage managers, choreographers, set builders and more who help bring your favorite productions to life.
Sound Design
Ghost Light interviewed sound designers Tamara Heagy and Wayne Landon to get their perspective on the way a sound designer supports a production – and some of the challenges they experience in doing so.
Q. What is the basic responsibility of a sound designer?
TH: It depends a lot on play vs. musical as well as the type of theater. Plays are a little less challenging and often involve transitional music and sound effects. Musicals typically need audio reinforcement far beyond that. Microphone selection and placement for both the actors and pit are very important. For example, if you have more cast members than body microphones, you have to form a flow chart of who needs which microphone and when. Plus, in all cases, you need to know a script and score almost as well as the cast.
Q. What do you consider the most important part of what you do?
WL: At the heart of it, it comes down to the patrons enjoying the show. It’s always nice to hear someone say that they enjoyed the sound, but you hope that the sound just fits in with the production.
TH: Yes. Often, if you notice the sound in a production, there’s probably a problem.
WL: Another important element is ensuring the sound equipment is maintained in excellent working condition. If there’s an issue, it’s my job to troubleshoot it quickly.
TH: Again it all depends on what part I am doing. If I am just designing a show and passing it on to the crew, I think the most important part is getting the director and stage manager all on the same page. There’s also an element of education involved, especially if the designer is handing off the actual operation to someone else.
Q: What has been your biggest challenge as a sound designer?
WL: I had the pleasure of working on Open Stage's recent production of Fun Home. In this production, we had a 7-piece band located in a separate room, not in the theater. So there were lots of instruments to "mic", route to the sound board, and then blend with the performers who were all wearing wireless microphones – all of which to provide a mix that sounded as if the band was on stage with the performers.
TH: During Theatre Harrisburg’s production of The 39 Steps, there were more than 250 sound cues that ran very quickly sometimes or had to be pre-programmed to run one after the other on a single click of a button. The technical run-through for that one was a monster. I wasn’t able to do the actual running of the show, so I had to teach it to the Stage Manager. She was the perfect choice though because she was already calling the show and she did a great job. Plus…I had a cold…which affected everything I heard…or didn’t hear.
Q. What is the one thing you wish audience members knew about what you do?
TH: My main job is to make sure you don't notice my audio and that it blends into the play/musical and makes it a more immersive experience. As I said, if you notice the sound, there’s probably something wrong.
WL: The hours can be long to get things just right and some productions can be technically challenging, but it’s worth it. I enjoy working with the cast and crew to ensure patrons have a wonderful experience.
Tamara Heagy has been the sound designer for Harrisburg Area Community College Theaterworks for 12 seasons. She has also designed and operated the audio program for Theatre Harrisburg productions like Dreamgirls and The 39 Steps, as well as performed live Foley sound for plays and radio shows.
Wayne Landon has been producing concerts and musicals since the early 1990s. He one of the co-founders of Houston-based Standing Room Only Productions (SRO), an award-winning sound design company recognized for producing exceptional-sounding musicals. SRO won several theater awards - including Best Musical in 2015, 2016 and 2017. He is currently the resident sound engineer for Open Stage of Harrisburg.