Masque Sound continues its Broadway run by providing a custom audio equipment package for the groundbreaking new production of Tennessee Williams’ masterpiece, The Glass Menagerie.
For sound designer Clive Goodwin, there were two main goals: To make the play sound as natural as possible and to ensure that the whole audience, even members seated in the very back of the mezzanine, could clearly hear Nico Muhly’s beautiful composition.
“Nico’s music sets the theme for the show,” says Goodwin. “The Glass Menagerie is a memory play about the character Tom’s recollections, and Nico’s music beautifully creates that atmosphere.
“It makes it slightly surreal, so as the sound designer, I wanted to do justice to Nico’s composition and try to make it sound even more exquisite than it already is, and Masque Sound helped make that possible.”
Goodwin’s biggest challenge was dispersing the sound on stage to the back of the theater without it sounding mic’d.
In order to do this, Masque Sound provided him with an array of Funktion-One speakers, an unorthodox speaker for the Broadway stage.
“The Funktion-One speakers that Masque Sound provided really allow me to control the dispersion, especially upstairs,” adds Goodwin. “By using the Funktion-Ones, we have the most control possible and are able to minimize room reflections that would otherwise muddy the sound.”
Masque Sound’s custom equipment package also included a Midas Pro1 compact digital console, Rode RF-Bias Shotgun mics, Sennheiser wireless microphones, XTA DP428/448 audio management system, D&B E3 speakers, Meyer UMS-1P subwoofers and a Clear-Com Intercom system.
“Masque Sound has always been great to work with,” adds Goodwin. “They work very hard and go the extra mile to make me, as a sound designer, happy.”
The Glass Menagerie is currently playing on Broadway at the Booth Theatre. The production officially opens on Thursday, September 26, 2013, and its 17-week run is slated to conclude on January 5, 2014.
