Above: Theaters of all sizes
rely on intercom systems
to provide critical cues to
production staff for various
needs ranging from follow
spotlights to emergency
evacuation instructions
Right: Clear-Com’s HelixNet
beltpack and headset at State
Theatre New Jersey
VOICE COMMUNICATIONS
CLEAR-COM
Live
connection
As live performances deliver more high-tech
dazzle, real-time voice communications systems
have become mission-critical tools
W ith captivating effects and
spectacular stagecraft,
West End performances
represent the pinnacle
of theatrical immersion.
London’s Palace Theatre transforms into
Hogwarts and related realms of wizardry each
night as the curtain opens on Harry Potter
and the Cursed Child. Tony Award-nominated
set designer Christine Jones has created a
mesmerizing production, with imaginative
takes on iconic elements of the series, including
a moving staircase and Myrtle’s Fountain – all
without the use of wands and incantations.
As the pressure builds to deliver exceptional
experiences like this, that showgoers cannot find
on iPhones or home screens, live performances
are growing ever more complex. West End
and Broadway designers are the vanguard,
weaving in high-tech elements like projection
mapping, motorized lifts, pyrotechnics and
flying harnesses. With so many intricate
moving parts, real-time voice communication
is considered mission-critical kit for production
crews. Lighting and sound designers, carpenters,
camera operators and all stage managers need
the ability to communicate clearly and easily,
with no interference.
Blank slate
No audience member in a West End or Broadway
theater would suspect that each show starts as a
blank slate. “Many shows are just four-wall
rentals,” explains New York-based sound
designer Kenneth Goodwin. “You are essentially
renting space and an empty stage. We spec
everything ourselves.”
A graduate of the Yale School of Drama,
Goodwin’s career highlights include head of
production sound at The Public Theater in New
York City for the recent Under the Radar Festival.
He also served as the assistant sound designer
on the USA tour of Hedwig and the Angry Inch, a
high-octane fan favorite.
Balancing act
The start-from-scratch model is both a logistical
and financial challenge. Designers like Goodwin
carefully budget for every piece of the sonic
puzzle, from wireless microphones to closedcircuit
video to intercom systems. The key is
to spec solutions that balance budgetary and
performance needs. Marrying artistic fidelity
and technical precision is the goal.
Goodwin is currently the production sound
mixer for Socrates at The Public Theater, where
his team uses legacy analog systems, including
Clear-Com’s PL-Pro partyline intercom series,
as well as a UHF wireless system.
Two other shows running concurrently, in
the same venue, utilize Clear-Com’s HelixNet,
an IP-based intercom system with partyline
functionality plus the option for deployment
via the IT network. Even under the same roof,
equipment lists “are on a case-by-case and
project-budget basis”, Goodwin adds.
48 AUDITORIA 2019 VOLUME ONE