Body Mics for Original SUNDAY IN THE PARK WITH GEORGE?

[WigWerk]

Posted: 12/1/20 at 6:48pm

Does anyone know if body mics were used on the entire company of SUNDAY IN THE PARK WITH GEORGE on Broadway in 1984? A reliable source? 

[joevitus]

Posted: 12/2/20 at 10:42am

I've been waiting for someone to answer this because I think it's an interesting question, but no one has. I'm going to guess and say no. Mostly based on the video recording, where I don't remember ever spotting any. I could be totally wrong about that--I haven't watched the video since the days of videotape. I'm not sure if body mics were all that common in 1984 (although some shows were already utilizing them--Lloyd  Webber's starting with Evita, obviously). They might have been. I think it's a good question. 

[Tag]

Posted: 12/2/20 at 3:27pm

Lavs aren't visible in the professional recording.  But that doesn't mean that they just didn't do the filming without them.

[AnythingYouDo]

Posted: 12/2/20 at 5:35pm

According to Sondheim in the video below (at 33:20), Sondheim and Lapine tried going without mics, but it affected the performers, who were used to getting feedback.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dHDE0dZRU0o&t=33m21s

[uncageg]

Posted: 12/2/20 at 5:48pm

AnythingYouDo said: "According to Sondheim in the video below (at 33:20), Sondheim and Lapine tried going without mics, but it affected the performers, who were used to getting feedback.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dHDE0dZRU0o&t=33m21s"

 

Thanks for the link. This entire interview with he and Barbara Cook is wonderful.

 

[bowtie7]

Posted: 12/2/20 at 5:48pm

Body mics were common by 1984 though I have no specific information on Sunday in the Park with George. The comment that Mr. Sondheim makes in the interview linked makes it clear that at least some reinforcement of sound was used, but does not specifically address body mics. Considering how often performers are facing upstage or the wings, I would assume some amount of mixing was needed.

[BrodyFosse123]

Posted: 12/2/20 at 6:18pm

Streisand wore a body mic in FUNNY GIRL. That was 1964.

Streisand was mic’d for FUNNY GIRL on the stage—which meant all of her costumes were fashioned with a small buttonhole for a microphone to poke through. Ray Diffen, who assisted Irene Sharaff on the Funny Girl costumes, wrote that “the aerial was wound around her body, the microphone was fixed to her bra and the battery pack was taped to her leg, or the small of her back. The battery pack then was quite unwieldy, as big as a packet of cigarettes.” 

Diffen further explained the technology: “all [costumes] had a small buttonhole for the mic to poke through. This had to be found by the dresser, in the dark in a hurry. It was a nightmare! In Boston we lost three outfits that couldn't be changed in time.”

Updated On: 12/2/20 at 06:18 PM

[WigWerk]

Posted: 12/2/20 at 9:37pm

Thank you for attaching that video interview. I have watched the PBS recording over and over again to see if/where they were mic-ed. The only time I ever see a wire is when the Boatman lays down and you can see the black wire come apart from his head. Side tangent, but I would really like to see Broadway hiding microphones better on performers. I know this definitely doesn't matter to all audience members, and although I completely understand and respect the artistic choice for the "Britney Spears" microphone i.e. RENT, Waitress, Moulin Rouge, etc., I would really like to not have to see the wire so exposed on the forehead. This is very picky, and obviously no disrespect to the sound designers or assistants who help mic actors, but I just look at the musicals of the 80's and 90's and it seems like they all hid their mics incredibly well. I don't know, there's just a sense of magic about the whole thing. BUT, I want Broadway back. So I'll take the mic placement anyway I can get em at this point haha! 

[Call_me_jorge]

Posted: 12/2/20 at 10:56pm

AnythingYouDo said: "According to Sondheim in the video below (at 33:20), Sondheim and Lapine tried going without mics, but it affected the performers, who were used to getting feedback.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dHDE0dZRU0o&t=33m21s"

Wonderful conversation between Cool and Sondheim. I liked what Sondheim had to say about the orchestra pits being covered more and more often.

[lemiz3001]

Posted: 12/3/20 at 12:22am

There is a soundboard recording of Mandy & Bernadette’s final performance, and the orchestra is isolated to the right ear and voices to the left. The voices are extremely clear so my thought is they definitely used body mics.

I remember them saying in the PASSION director/cast audio over the PBS recording they DID use body mics but they were not miked for the filming.

[joevitus]

Posted: 12/3/20 at 4:09am

BrodyFosse123 said: "Streisand wore a body mic in FUNNY GIRL. That was 1964.

Streisand was mic’d forFUNNY GIRLon the stage—which meant all of her costumes were fashioned with a small buttonhole for a microphone to poke through. Ray Diffen, who assisted Irene Sharaff on theFunny Girlcostumes, wrote that “the aerial was wound around her body, the microphone was fixed to her bra and the battery pack was taped to her leg, or the small of her back. The battery pack then was quite unwieldy, as big as a packet of cigarettes.”

Diffen further explained the technology: “all [costumes] had a small buttonhole for the mic to poke through. This had to be found by the dresser, in the dark in a hurry. It was a nightmare! In Boston we lost three outfits that couldn't be changed in time.”"

Wow. Of all people in the world I would think need not be mic'ed, Streisand would have topped the list. Interesting. 

[batboysings]

Posted: 12/3/20 at 3:00pm

Sorry for the shameless plug, but it seems topical, but we've just made a podcast about 'Carrie' (1988) which has some hilarious anecdotes from the dancers about how their giant mic packs were hidden for a very scantily-clad shower scene at the top of the show. The podcast is called 'Out for Blood' and there's a trailer out now so you can subscribe! /shameless plug over

[WigWerk]

Posted: 12/3/20 at 3:51pm

joevitus said: "BrodyFosse123 said: "Streisand wore a body mic in FUNNY GIRL. That was 1964.

Streisand was mic’d forFUNNY GIRLon the stage—which meant all of her costumes were fashioned with a small buttonhole for a microphone to poke through. Ray Diffen, who assisted Irene Sharaff on theFunny Girlcostumes, wrote that “the aerial was wound around her body, the microphone was fixed to her bra and the battery pack was taped to her leg, or the small of her back. The battery pack then was quite unwieldy, as big as a packet of cigarettes.”

Diffen further explained the technology: “all [costumes] had a small buttonhole for the mic to poke through. This had to be found by the dresser, in the dark in a hurry. It was a nightmare! In Boston we lost three outfits that couldn't be changed in time.”"

Wow. Of all people in the world I would think need not be mic'ed, Streisand would have topped the list. Interesting."

Well, if you were singing that score 8 times a week, you would definitely need a mic. All that belting! 

[WigWerk]

Posted: 12/3/20 at 3:52pm

batboysings said: "Sorry for the shameless plug, but it seems topical, but we've just made a podcast about 'Carrie' (1988) which has some hilarious anecdotes from the dancers about how their giant mic packs were hidden for a very scantily-clad shower scene at the top of the show. The podcast is called 'Out for Blood' and there's a trailer out now so you can subscribe! /shameless plug over"

That's so awesome! I will be sure to check it out! Thank you!