Parade: Horrible Sound

[nmartin]

Posted: 7/27/23 at 7:00am

I posted this in the Parade thread, but that thread is so long that I started a new one. I'm hoping someone can tell me whom to contact about the situation below. Also, please let me know your experience with the sound and where you sat. Thank you!

Original Post

Tuesday I was in Mount Carmel Cemetery in Queens visiting graves. As I was about to leave, I remembered that I had seen on the internet that Leo Frank is buried there. I visited his grave, which gave me the motivation to buy a ticket to Parade.

I went tonight.

The sound mix in Act 1 was absolutely appalling. 70+% of the lyrics were unintelligible. I was in the center mezzanine, seat 101. During intermission people were voicing their displeasure. I turned to the people behind me and joined their conversation. My final comment as Act 2 started was "I think there's a good show in there somewhere, but who knows if you can't understand the lyrics. The first number in Act 2 saw an improvement in the balance. As the act continued, the mix became much better. By the closing number, I finally heard the lyrics that I should have heard at the beginning of the show. 

Having flown from New Orleans, I am extremely disappointed; therefore, I just bought a ticket for Friday night: orchestra center, row G, seat 101.

This brings my Parade investment to $568. I hope my experience Friday is much better.

If anyone knows whom I can email to voice my displeasure, please let me know.

Since the sound mix got markedly better, I assume this is not a regular issue

[Impeach2017]

Posted: 7/27/23 at 8:00am

Oftentimes as we age, we may not realize that we suffer from undiagnosed hearing difficulties.  I would recommend making an appointment with a competent audiologist before spending more of your precious funds.

[nmartin]

Posted: 7/27/23 at 8:05am

I actually wondered about that, but at intermission the others around me were also complaining about the horrible sound. Also, the sound improved markedly in Act 2. I truly believe that it was a mixing mishap that I assume was unique to last night's performance, particularly Act 1.

Edit: I had no sound problems this summer with Chicago, Sweeney Todd, and Good Night, Oscar.

Updated On: 7/27/23 at 08:05 AM

[Wick3]

Posted: 7/27/23 at 8:31am

If this happened to me, I’d talk to the house manager during intermission. See if he/she knows of a technical issue though I have a feeling loads of people would have complained during intermission if there really was a sound issue.

 

[Lot666]

Posted: 7/27/23 at 8:33am

We sat in center orchestra, I believe it was row K, and the sound was excellent. Like night and day from our previous night's experience at Sweeney Todd, where we were able to understand 20% of the lyrics at most.

Updated On: 7/27/23 at 08:33 AM

[FANtomFollies]

Posted: 7/27/23 at 8:35am

Lot666 said: "We sat in center orchestra, I believe it was row K, and the sound was excellent. Like night and day from our previous night's experience at Sweeney Todd, where we were able to understand 20% of the lyrics at most."

I'll never understand how Sweeney won the Tony for best sound design. It was quite literally the worst sound I've ever experienced at a Broadway show.

[nmartin]

Posted: 7/27/23 at 8:40am

Thanks for the responses.

Since the others around me were complaining at intermission, there definitely was a problem. Perhaps it had to do with that section of the mezzanine. I'll post after Friday's performance about my experience in Orchestra Center, G-101.

Lot 666, sorry to hear about your Sweeney Todd sound issues Your experience at that show certainly mirrors mine at Parade.

[bwayphreak234]

Posted: 7/27/23 at 9:11am

I saw the show from the rear mezzanine back in March, and I thought the sound was superb.

[All So Ozmopolitan]

Posted: 7/27/23 at 11:00am

I had a similar experience back in April. I was seated in the front row of the rear left mezzanine. The speaker directly in-front/above us had a crackling sound and the tambourine/percussion was overpowering everything else. During the parade sequences especially, you really couldn't hear much else... Missed most of the lyrics. At intermission, most of us in that section moved to open seats in the front center section and that made all the difference! The sound was a lot more balanced and sharp.

I saw the show again last month from the side orchestra and didn't have any sound issues. I think it was a faulty speaker in the mezzanine. 

[nmartin]

Posted: 7/27/23 at 12:54pm

Ozmopolitan, thank you!

I will be in Orchestra Center, Row G, Seat 101 tomorrow night. Your post makes me think the sound will be far superior from that seat.

Edit: One of the people behind me last night who said he also could not understand most of the lyrics made a comment about the speaker near to us.

Updated On: 7/27/23 at 12:54 PM

[Wick3]

Posted: 7/27/23 at 2:01pm

FANtomFollies said: "Lot666 said: "We sat in center orchestra, I believe it was row K, and the sound was excellent. Like night and day from our previous night's experience at Sweeney Todd, where we were able to understand 20% of the lyrics at most."

I'll never understand how Sweeney won the Tony for best sound design. It was quite literally the worst sound I've ever experienced at a Broadway show."

Tony voters tend to sit in the best seats in the house so my guess is the sound was excellent from those seats.

[Phillyguy]

Posted: 7/27/23 at 2:31pm

The only issue I had was with the opening sequence. I couldn't understand anything the young solider was singing. It was all very muddled. It was 4 seats into front side orchestra. 

[Lot666]

Posted: 7/27/23 at 3:18pm

Phillyguy said: "The only issue I had was with the opening sequence. I couldn't understand anything the young solider was singing. It was all very muddled. It was 4 seats into front side orchestra."

This was true at the performance we attended as well, and we attributed it to his being a mush-mouth with poor enunciation, as the rest of the show was crystal clear.

[Sutton Ross]

Posted: 7/27/23 at 3:38pm

He sounded perfectly clear and amazing when I saw it so nah, nothing "mush-mouth" (rude) about him. 

[nmartin]

Posted: 7/27/23 at 3:46pm

Sutton, where were you sitting?

Edit: If anyone has sat in Orchestra Center, Row G, Seat 101 or one near to it, I would appreciate you letting me know if the sound was excellent from this area.

Updated On: 7/27/23 at 03:46 PM

[Voter]

Posted: 7/27/23 at 4:26pm

Sutton Ross said: "He sounded perfectly clear and amazing when I saw it so nah, nothing "mush-mouth" (rude) about him."

People having personal opinions on a performance is not an attack on you directly.... just a thought!

[Sutton Ross]

Posted: 7/27/23 at 5:40pm

Why would I think that? What a bizarre thing to say. I just think it's always funny that so many people can't understand people on stage unless it's a basic tri-state accent. Amusing.

nmartin said: "Sutton, where were you sitting?

Edit: If anyone has sat in Orchestra Center, Row G, Seat 101 or one near to it, I would appreciate you letting me know if the sound was excellent from this area."

I have sat front row mezzanine seat 101 and the exact seat you have. Both were excellent seats and the sound was crisp. I'm sorry for your initial experience but you'll have a great time on Friday, I guarantee it. 

[Robbie2]

Posted: 7/27/23 at 7:46pm

Phillyguy said: "The only issue I had was with the opening sequence. I couldn't understand anything the young solider was singing. It was all very muddled. It was 4 seats into front side orchestra."

 

100%! Everyone we know says the same thing that the young dude in the opening -prologue could't understand a thing he was singing! We all looked at one another while he was singing with the expression wtf? Other than that the sound was terrific for the show far better than Sweeney!

Updated On: 7/27/23 at 07:46 PM

[nmartin]

Posted: 7/27/23 at 10:08pm

Sutton, thank you for your post!

I suppose this means more to me than it should, but I really think that this show will be a major theatrical experience for me. I feel much more confident about tomorrow night after your post!

I went to see The Cottage tonight and very much enjoyed it.  Laura Bell Bundy is a treasure!

[Sutton Ross]

Posted: 7/27/23 at 11:17pm

Oh absolutely, it is truly "event" theater. When I saw it a few weeks ago I was so overcome by the incredible energy during "It's Not Over Yet". The applause was insane and went on for a long time. I gave them my own standing ovation from the mezz and Micaela beamed at me. Very special show and the performances are all outstanding. Every single one.

Have the BEST time! 

[Wick3]

Posted: 7/28/23 at 12:16am

Robbie2 said: "Phillyguy said: "The only issue I had was with the opening sequence. I couldn't understand anything the young solider was singing. It was all very muddled. It was 4 seats into front side orchestra."



100%! Everyone we know says the same thing that the young dude in the opening -prologue could't understand a thing he was singing! We all looked at one another while he was singing with the expression wtf? Other than that the sound was terrific for the show far better than Sweeney!"

I think part of it is he's trying to sing with a southern accent. Some words were shortened (not pronouncing the last letter or two, etc.) For someone who doesn't know the lyrics, it definitely sounded confusing.

If it helps, use Galapro app on your phone for closed captions.

[SisterGeorge]

Posted: 7/28/23 at 6:10pm

Wick3 said: "FANtomFollies said: "Lot666 said: "We sat in center orchestra, I believe it was row K, and the sound was excellent. Like night and day from our previous night's experience at Sweeney Todd, where we were able to understand 20% of the lyrics at most."

I'll never understand how Sweeney won the Tony for best sound design. It was quite literally the worst sound I've ever experienced at a Broadway show."

Tony voters tend to sit in the best seats in the house so my guess is the sound was excellent from those seats."

I sat in excellent orchestra seats and have talked to several press members who saw it from press comp seats and we all commented on the lousy sound. That Tony was simply a tone deaf award.

[nmartin]

Posted: 7/28/23 at 11:37pm

I'm back from Parade and very happy to report that the sound was very, very much better. I even understood the shirtless boy.

Ben Platt was very good. I was glad to see Howard McGillin again. The last time I saw him was in 1985 in The Mystery of Edwin Drood.

Micaela Diamond is something special.

[RWPrincess]

Posted: 7/29/23 at 12:20pm

I was there last weekend and sat Rear Center Orchestra and didnt have any sound issues.

As for the opening number, it took me 2 visits and a listen to the cast recording with captions to fully understand what the young soldier was singing. 

[Pashacar]

Posted: 7/30/23 at 5:58pm

This is a longstanding issue, especially in the mezz but not just there. I've had many friends who have said they could barely understand the lyrics, and the one time I sat in the mezz all you could hear was percussion. I wrote an email to the lead producer but didn't hear back, nor does it seem they've fixed anything.