[SML] Noises Off Dilemma

Tue May 1 02:41:24 UTC 2018

What about putting realistic program sound monitors "backstage"?  Maybe
even put video monitors as well.  I have done many productions where the
audio and/or video was broadcast backstage so the offstage cast could hear
and/or see what was happening on the stage.  That could be a "high tech
addition" to the show.

*Tracy Nunnally*
Owner
 - Vertigo

Email: tracy at getvertigo.com
Office/Fax: (888) 359-4255
Mobile: (815) 762-0181
getvertigo.com

On Mon, Apr 30, 2018 at 2:00 PM, <stagecraft-request at theatrical.net> wrote:

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> Today's Topics:
>
>    1.  Noises Off Dilemma (Wayne Rasmussen)
>    2. Re:  Noises Off Dilemma (Jerry Durand)
>    3. Re:  Noises Off Dilemma (Bruce Purdy)
>    4. Re:  Noises Off Dilemma (Stephen Litterst)
>
>
> ----------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> Message: 1
> Date: Mon, 30 Apr 2018 12:08:46 -0400
> From: Wayne Rasmussen <rasmuw at blair.edu>
> To: Stagecraft <stagecraft at theatrical.net>
> Subject: [SML] Noises Off Dilemma
> Message-ID: <7b655b14bd1c9f1d1fb9b6d15be321d1 at mail.gmail.com>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="utf-8"
>
> Noises Off will open at my school on May 10.  The play will be performed in
> our black box theater.  The space is surrounded by concrete block, a sheet
> rock ceiling, and a vinyl tile covered concrete floor.  It measures 50? by
> 35? by 23? high.  One 35? wall has velour curtains on it.  The one large
> window is concealed by a lined black velour approximately 10? high by 25?
> wide.  Acoustics for the shows we have done for 20 years have been
> reasonably good, not requiring the use of microphones.
>
>
>
> The set I have constructed spans the 35? width and is 22? in depth. It is
> 16? at its highest point, probably averaging 14? high.  Rather than
> rotating the set or moving wagons around, I have chosen to have the
> audience sit on one side of the set for Acts 1 and 3, and move to seats on
> the ?backstage? side for Act 2.   The seating accommodation will be 74 on
> each side, with the front row of the audience at the edge of the playing
> space.
>
>
>
> The director is concerned that during Act 2, the actors on the backstage
> side of the set will be unable to hear the lines that the actors on the
> front of the set are saying?when the audience is laughing.  Lines are
> easily heard in rehearsal.  The director has approached me about finding a
> way to enable to actors to hear the lines over laughter, so that their
> backstage movements will be coordinated with the lines being spoken on the
> other side of the set.  I have responded that I don?t think I can find a
> way to make that work.  In one scenario, if I were to somehow place
> speakers so that the actors can hear, the audience will hear those same
> speakers.  The sound will not emanate from the proper source (the other
> side of the set).  In scenario two, if the actors were to somehow know what
> lines were being spoken (in-ear monitors) and responded appropriately to
> their cues, the laughing audience won?t be able to hear the same lines and
> the subsequent movements won?t make sense to them.
>
>
>
> If you have any suggestions how to solve the problem, I would appreciate
> your response.  If the scenarios I have considered are flawed, I would
> appreciate a correction.  If you have other reasons to reinforce why there
> is no solution, please add them.
>
>
>
> Thanks,
>
> Wayne Rasmussen
>
> Blair Academy
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> ------------------------------
>
> Message: 2
> Date: Mon, 30 Apr 2018 09:20:06 -0700
> From: Jerry Durand <jdurand at durandinterstellar.com>
> To: Wayne Rasmussen via Stagecraft <stagecraft at theatrical.net>
> Subject: Re: [SML] Noises Off Dilemma
> Message-ID:
>         <364b3ef9-d8bd-1289-4720-a2187c69140e at durandinterstellar.com>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="utf-8"
>
> 1. make sure act 2 isn't funny?
> 2. place microphones to pick up the lines (doesn't have to be good ones)
> and feed speakers hidden next to doors.? Only turn this on for act 2
> (maybe the speakers plug in so aren't even there during act 1).
>
> On 04/30/2018 09:08 AM, Wayne Rasmussen via Stagecraft wrote:
> >
> > Noises Off will open at my school on May 10.? The play will be
> > performed in our black box theater.? The space is surrounded by
> > concrete block, a sheet rock ceiling, and a vinyl tile covered
> > concrete floor.? It measures 50? by 35? by 23? high.? One 35? wall has
> > velour curtains on it.? The one large window is concealed by a lined
> > black velour approximately 10? high by 25? wide.? Acoustics for the
> > shows we have done for 20 years have been reasonably good, not
> > requiring the use of microphones.?
> >
> > ?
> >
> > The set I have constructed spans the 35? width and is 22? in depth. It
> > is 16? at its highest point, probably averaging 14? high.? Rather than
> > rotating the set or moving wagons around, I have chosen to have the
> > audience sit on one side of the set for Acts 1 and 3, and move to
> > seats on the ?backstage? side for Act 2.? ?The seating accommodation
> > will be 74 on each side, with the front row of the audience at the
> > edge of the playing space.?
> >
> > ?
> >
> > The director is concerned that during Act 2, the actors on the
> > backstage side of the set will be unable to hear the lines that the
> > actors on the front of the set are saying?when the audience is
> > laughing.? Lines are easily heard in rehearsal.? The director has
> > approached me about finding a way to enable to actors to hear the
> > lines over laughter, so that their backstage movements will be
> > coordinated with the lines being spoken on the other side of the set.?
> > I have responded that I don?t think I can find a way to make that
> > work.? In one scenario, if I were to somehow place speakers so that
> > the actors can hear, the audience will hear those same speakers.? The
> > sound will not emanate from the proper source (the other side of the
> > set).? In scenario two, if the actors were to somehow know what lines
> > were being spoken (in-ear monitors) and responded appropriately to
> > their cues, the laughing audience won?t be able to hear the same lines
> > and the subsequent movements won?t make sense to them.? ?
> >
> > ?
> >
> > If you have any suggestions how to solve the problem, I would
> > appreciate your response.? If the scenarios I have considered are
> > flawed, I would appreciate a correction.? If you have other reasons to
> > reinforce why there is no solution, please add them.?
> >
> > ?
> >
> > Thanks,
> >
> > Wayne Rasmussen
> >
> > Blair Academy
> >
> > ?
> >
> > ?
> >
> >
> >
> > ____________________________________________________________
> > For list information see <http://stagecraft.theprices.net/>
> > Stagecraft mailing list
> > Stagecraft at theatrical.net
> > http://theatrical.net/mailman/listinfo/stagecraft_theatrical.net
>
> --
> Jerry Durand, Durand Interstellar, Inc.
> www.DurandInterstellar.com
> tel: +1 408 356-3886
> @DurandInterstel
>
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> ------------------------------
>
> Message: 3
> Date: Mon, 30 Apr 2018 12:31:11 -0400
> From: Bruce Purdy <bpurdy at rochester.rr.com>
> To: Stagecraft <stagecraft at theatrical.net>
> Subject: Re: [SML] Noises Off Dilemma
> Message-ID: <7AA2F636-88E5-407A-90B1-71785314B294 at rochester.rr.com>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="utf-8"
>
>
> > On 30Apr, 2018, at 12:08 PM, Wayne Rasmussen via Stagecraft <
> stagecraft at theatrical.net> wrote:
> >
> > The director is concerned that during Act 2, the actors on the backstage
> side of the set will be unable to hear the lines that the actors on the
> front of the set are saying?when the audience is laughing.  Lines are
> easily heard in rehearsal.  The director has approached me about finding a
> way to enable to actors to hear the lines over laughter, so that their
> backstage movements will be coordinated with the lines being spoken on the
> other side of the set.  I have responded that I don?t think I can find a
> way to make that work.  In one scenario, if I were to somehow place
> speakers so that the actors can hear, the audience will hear those same
> speakers.  The sound will not emanate from the proper source (the other
> side of the set).  In scenario two, if the actors were to somehow know what
> lines were being spoken (in-ear monitors) and responded appropriately to
> their cues, the laughing audience won?t be able to hear the same lines and
> the subsequent movements won?t make sense !
>  to them.
>
>
> General area mikes pick up the ?On-stage? side, which feed speakers hidden
> in the set on the ?Backstage? side. Since they are pointed away from the
> audience in acts I & III, and the volume shouldn?t be too high (just
> ?fill?) it shouldn?t me a problem.
>
>         Alternatively, can the set be surfaced in a more ?sound porous?
> Material? (scrim-like material.)
>
> Bruce
> -----
> Bruce Purdy
> Central New York Magic Theatre Co.
> http://brucepurdy.com
>
>
>
>
>
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> ------------------------------
>
> Message: 4
> Date: Mon, 30 Apr 2018 14:48:10 -0400
> From: Stephen Litterst <litterst.stagecraft at gmail.com>
> To: Stagecraft Mailing List <stagecraft at theatrical.net>
> Cc: Wayne Rasmussen <rasmuw at blair.edu>
> Subject: Re: [SML] Noises Off Dilemma
> Message-ID: <5b30b3a4-022b-e327-01a9-6d91dbde5b2f at gmail.com>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=utf-8; format=flowed
>
> On 4/30/18 12:08 PM, Wayne Rasmussen via Stagecraft wrote:
>
> > The director is concerned that during Act 2, the actors on the backstage
> > side of the set will be unable to hear the lines that the actors on the
> > front of the set are saying?when the audience is laughing.? Lines are
> > easily heard in rehearsal.? The director has approached me about finding
> > a way to enable to actors to hear the lines over laughter, so that their
> > backstage movements will be coordinated with the lines being spoken on
> > the other side of the set.? I have responded that I don?t think I can
> > find a way to make that work.? In one scenario, if I were to somehow
> > place speakers so that the actors can hear, the audience will hear those
> > same speakers.? The sound will not emanate from the proper source (the
> > other side of the set).? In scenario two, if the actors were to somehow
> > know what lines were being spoken (in-ear monitors) and responded
> > appropriately to their cues, the laughing audience won?t be able to hear
> > the same lines and the subsequent movements won?t make sense to them.
>
> Why is this only a problem in Act 2?  Acts 1 and 3 have plenty of funny
> moments that require hearing what's on the other side of the scenery.
> Not knowing your space, I'm willing to bet the actors will hear just fine.
>
> In your first scenario, if the actors can't hear sound through the wall,
> neither can the audience.  So the speakers shouldn't be an issue.  If
> the audience can hear the speakers through the wall, then the actors can
> hear their costars and the speakers are not necessary.
>
> Do you have time in your production schedule for invited dresses or
> previews?  A farce really requires a few trips in front of an audience
> because their laughter really impacts the pacing of the action onstage.
> If an actor enters off a line, that may step on the audience reaction,
> letting some of the funny escape.
>
> Steve L.
> --
> Stephen Litterst            Technical Operations Supervisor
> litterst at udel.edu           Mitchell Hall
> 302/831-0601                University of Delaware
>
>
>
>
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> End of Stagecraft Digest, Vol 44, Issue 24
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