Broadway Microphones

[BroadwayBuff4Life]

Posted: 7/8/08 at 8:12pm

Where do the actors on Broadway have their microphones? I have never seem them onstage and I have always wondered this! Does anyone have any photos of the actual microphone on the actor?

[millie_dillmount]

Posted: 7/8/08 at 8:20pm

A lot of times if actors wear wigs they somehow wire it under the wig and it is on their forehead.

[Broadway212]

Posted: 7/8/08 at 8:21pm

Some shows have it right in the middle of the forehead some shows have it on the ear and you see a long piece connecting to the mouth and some shows hold actual microphones to sing.
Updated On: 7/8/08 at 08:21 PM

[defyingravity07]

Posted: 7/8/08 at 8:39pm

You can usually see them in backstage pics, but they are photoshopped out in poduction photos.

[Patash]

Posted: 7/8/08 at 8:54pm

You've never seen one? Thanks for reminding me why I like seats somewhere way closer than back row of balcony. They are almost always visible (sometimes more than others) from close up in the orchestra.
Updated On: 7/8/08 at 08:54 PM

[BrodyFosse123]

Posted: 7/8/08 at 8:57pm

Those 2 little metallic things on her forehead are her mics:


That black stick crossing her left cheek is her mic:


That double-wart on her forehead is her mic:

That bump on her forehead is her mic:



Updated On: 7/8/08 at 08:57 PM

[CyCoSpAz2]

Posted: 7/8/08 at 9:17pm

Another reason why Spring Awakening is just SO revolutionary!

[jeff_thedancer]

Posted: 7/8/08 at 9:23pm

HAHAHA please tell me thats clay aiken and you refered to him as a her. LMAO priceless

[BrodyFosse123]

Posted: 7/8/08 at 9:31pm

Yes, that is Miss Aiken herself during her recent run in the Broadway production of SPAMALOT.

[CATSNYrevival]

Posted: 7/8/08 at 10:39pm

How are handheld mics revolutionary? We used those BEFORE body mics were invented.

[broadwayboy101]

Posted: 7/8/08 at 10:40pm

Watch it, you'll pull the claymates out of the woodwork one last time to defend her.

[defyingravity07]

Posted: 7/8/08 at 10:41pm

He was being sarcastic.

Posted: 7/8/08 at 10:52pm

I've always wondered this - where does Laura Bell Bundy have her mic in Legally Blonde?

[bwaybri2]

Posted: 7/8/08 at 10:55pm

I would assume it was on her nose -

[rich.hanson59]

Posted: 7/8/08 at 11:43pm

All cast members in Legally Blonde wear their mics under their wigs or in their hair. They're less noticible and save a lot of time when changing.

edited for appropriate grammar Updated On: 7/10/08 at 11:43 PM

[dancnqn5]

Posted: 7/8/08 at 11:54pm

First of all since this is going to bug me to no extent, it's *they're* not *their*

And the mics for Legally Blonde are most likely snaked up through the wig and placed on their foreheads. It's the most commonly used placement, and frankly the easiest and most comfortable for the actors.

[dancnqn5]

Posted: 7/8/08 at 11:54pm

*double post, sorry. my computer sometimes likes to stage an uprising* Updated On: 7/9/08 at 11:54 PM

[jeff_thedancer]

Posted: 7/9/08 at 1:13am

does clay kinda look like carrot top in that pic? LOL

[candydog2]

Posted: 7/9/08 at 5:28am

Yeah, as soon as I saw this topic I was ready to type "under the wigs and on the forehead".

It is a convenient place to put them, but they do look a little odd. When I saw the UK tour of Beauty and the Beast, Belle had a particularly large microphone, more noticeable than the rest of the cast's that was very distracting.

[michael2]

Posted: 7/9/08 at 8:37am

I have always wondered if you get a better sound if it is on your forehead rather than the side of your face. Or doe's it really make any difference I can't decide.

[Cartwheel]

Posted: 7/9/08 at 10:32am

"Watch it, you'll pull the claymates out of the woodwork one last time to defend him."

One last time? I'm not going anywhere, you turds.

[Patash]

Posted: 7/9/08 at 10:55am

Another reason for the often used middle of the forehead location is that they don't get knocked off so easily with costume changes.

[carderic]

Posted: 7/9/08 at 1:32pm

i've always wondered about the evolution of the broadway microphone. what year(s) did they start using them? were they the size of coconuts when they first started using them? when did they start looking like warts? someone should write a book....or just tell me, so i dont have to read.

[BrodyFosse123]

Posted: 7/9/08 at 1:47pm

Body mics first started being used in the early 1960's. The wires were basically taped to the actors bodies and the mics would be taped to the actor's chest, so they weren't visible as they are today. From things I've read, sometimes the frequency would pick-up interference from the police dispatchers, which obviously could be heard by the entire audience.

I have a full show audio of Barbra Streisand's final performance in FUNNY GIRL (12/65) and you can clearly hear the stage manager say "... 5 minutes till curtain call, please." over the sound system while Barbra is doing her finale' dressing room scene on stage.

[StockardFan]

Posted: 7/9/08 at 6:42pm

I'm LMAO at the calling Clay a her. Although I do think he has a great voice.