Hofstra Drama 20 – Sound for the Theatre

1. Broadhollow Theatre – 2/07/18 – 3pm
2. Farthest: Singing coming from the theatre
3. Medium: Acapella music coming from my coworker’s laptop, typing, opening drawers
4. Closest: Router running, chair wheels moving, humming
5. Level: Quiet to Medium
6. Description: Lull
7. Important sounds: Acapella music on the computer, router running, and music from inside the theatre

1. 3/2/17 9:56 p.m, In the green room of the playhouse
2. Farthest: oak ash and thorn is being sung above
3. Medium: people talk in the dressing rooms
4. closest: shuffled footsteps walk by me, the air conditioner is blowing air right above me.
5. there is quite a bit of sound here, however it is all very different.
6. relaxed
7. the play going on above, and people moving by me.

March 4, 7pm, Adams Playhouse dressing room

1) Farthest sounds: People (Sampson?) yelling orders upstairs from the stage. Sam Kamelhar handling the long chain on the ladder leading to the trapdoor.

2) Medium range: Laughter in the neighboring dressing room. Jean being interviewed for the Chronicle outside the door. The sink running, or a toilet flushing.

3) Dressing room banter. Tom spraying his hair white, and Jordan unzipping/unbuttoning his street clothes to get into costumes. The clanging of the gold jewelry I wear for Richard. Clothes hangers being pushed aside on the rack.

Sound level remains pretty consistent and buzzing. It has the energy of excited people trying to not give over to nerves.

One-word description: Buzzing.

Three sounds: Orders from upstairs, hairspray, handling of clothing

Golden Theatre, 7:02pm, 2/19/15: A 7pm performance of “A Delicate Balance” on Broadway

Farthest: Sirens from outside, the soft tread of actors’ feet on the stage behind the curtain. A woman down in the orchestra section seems to fancy herself a big star and laughs heartily so the whole room hears her.

Medium: A woman twenty feet away from us asking quite loudly if the people sitting in front of her can “sit back a bit, please.” An impatient usher giving directions to the bathroom. Hushed chitchat about what the show might be about, or about what celebrities might be in attendance tonight.

Closest: The stranger on my left is taking his sweet time unwrapping his Kit-Kat and the sound is driving me CRAZY. Michael gushes to me over how excited he is to see Glenn Close onstage. The person directly behind us has forgotten to turn his phone off — it rings loudly, and he scrambles to find it buried deep in his bag.

Sound levels: generally people trying to keep their volume down and not draw attention to themselves as the show was just about to begin. last-minute arranging and chitchat before the houselights go down.

One word: Tingling

3 essentials: Unwrapping a candy bar, hushed chitchat, cell phone ringing & subsequent fumbling.

1- March 5, 2014, 12:20pm, Student Center Theatre

2- Identify and list the sounds farthest away from you.

Furthest away from me, I can hear the sounds of the congregation singing the communion song and enjoying the atmosphere of the church community.

3- Identify and list the sounds at a medium range from you.

At medium range from me, I can hear the cantor singing and playing the piano to the communion song.

4- Identify and list the sounds closest to you (You can include internal sounds if noticed or relevant).

Closest to me, I can hear the sound of my voice and the voice of the girl sitting next to me as we join the cantor and the congregation in singing the song.

5- Describe the general sound level and amount of sound activity.

The sound level of the room is reverent and peaceful.

6- Assign a one word description to the “sound environment”.

Calming

7- Select and list 3 sounds which are essential to the sound environment. Note: you need to try and figure out what sounds make up this environment and which of those sounds need to be there for the feeling of the environment to stay intact.

Three sounds that make up the sound environment are the sound of the congregation around me, the keyboard and the cantors voice, as well as the girl sitting next to me.

1- 3/9/11 Adams Playhouse 7 pm.

2- Slight sound of wind outside, people talking backstage.

3- Fight Call onstage, people talking in the audience.

4- My own breathing, a slight crackle through the speakers.

5- Loud, banging from fight call, people yelling to each other.

6- Chaotic.

7- Swords banging, people yelling back and forth, a slight crackle through the speakers.