Sound help for the play Marisol by Jose Rivera

[AlexandriaMarie]

Posted: 2/16/11 at 2:53pm

I'm a high school student who is new to working with sound. My theatre department is putting on Marisol in a few months and I need to come up with a sound plot but I have no idea how go about this task. Does anyone know of a company who can produce custom sound effects or even better, has anyone done this play before? I love to consult with you.

[TheatreDiva90016]

Posted: 2/16/11 at 6:37pm

They put you in charge of sound and you have no clue as to what you are doing?

Rotsa Ruck.

[iluvtheatertrash]

Posted: 2/16/11 at 9:05pm

I've directed Marisol three times.

I can tell you the most important sound effect you'll need (and if it's cheesy, you'll kill it) -- the wings of an angel. The current ANGELS IN AMERICA revival does this beautifully, if you're able to check it out.

I'm a little perplexed as to what high school teacher in their RIGHT MIND would direct Marisol... but that's another story.

TheatreDiva, I guess you pissed the part about Alexandria being a STUDENT. I now design lights, sound, costumes. I direct, act, sing and play piano. I would've never learned how to do most of those things unless someone had said - Here. Do this.

Marisol is a beautiful play, if done well. I don't believe in telling you (or "consulting") on what to do. It's just not that kind of a play. You really need to feel it all on your own and find your own pulse.

[TheatreDiva90016]

Posted: 2/16/11 at 9:15pm

"TheatreDiva, I guess you pissed the part about Alexandria being a STUDENT"

Nope. I didn't 'piss' a thing.

When I was a student, I researched and did the work myself.

[iluvtheatertrash]

Posted: 2/17/11 at 11:24am

HA! What a typo! That's what I get for lurking on BWW on painkillers after dental surgery, I suppose....

I totally understand where you're coming from, but Marisol is a difficult play, especially for someone around 16 or 17. If the poster came here asking for help on designing sound for The Diary of Anne Frank, I'd probably respond more like you...

[TheatreDiva90016]

Posted: 2/17/11 at 11:38am

It's not the difficulty of the play that I'm talking about.

To come here and say they have no idea what they are doing and can someone help them, just seems like something they should be asking their teachers. Isn’t that what school is for?

At least she’s not directing a show and is asking for help there.

Oh, wait, that’s another thread…

[iluvtheatertrash]

Posted: 2/17/11 at 11:59am

Updated On: 2/17/11 at 11:59 AM

[Jon]

Posted: 2/17/11 at 12:12pm

I don't know what the big mystery is. 99% of the sound effects you could ever need for any play are available on Itunes for 99 cents each. Download them, then burn them onto a CD. If you have to creat your own effects, there is lots of easy "mp3 maker" digital sound editing software available for cheap. I got mine for $20 at Best Buy.

[morosco]

Posted: 2/17/11 at 1:25pm

Here's a nice site to find free sound effects.
The Free Sound Project

[AEA AGMA SM]

Posted: 2/17/11 at 1:28pm

"To come here and say they have no idea what they are doing and can someone help them, just seems like something they should be asking their teachers. Isn’t that what school is for?"

In theory, yes, that is what school is for. But, as I'm sure most of us are aware, many high school drama programs are severely under-funded and under-staffed. Many times they are being run by an English teacher with little to no knowledge of anything technical. It is not uncommon for high school techies to be entirely self-taught in an almost entirely student-run area of their drama program. Point being, many times the teachers in these areas have about as much knowledge as the students they are supposed to be teaching.

[AlexandriaMarie]

Posted: 2/17/11 at 2:51pm

Okay... I am learning because as iluvtheatertrash pointed out, I am a student. I did have an idea of what to do, I just didn't know where to get the effects. And yes, this play is a little...advanced so I wanted to make custom sounds. I did do research. I was just using broadwayworld as another resource. But I already found a wonderful website and a wonderful friend who is going to help me produce them. I know what I’m doing now. I just needed a little help starting. My director is extremely busy because yes, we are underfunded so we have one director taking care of U.I.L, One Act Play, Musical, Drama Club, Sketch Club, and anything that happens in our auditorium which is open to the public. I have to teach myself. Thank you so much to those who have helped me. I’m usually a stage manager but I wanted to try sound for once. I’m very excited and I think my sound plot is going to be great. ?

[TheatreDiva90016]

Posted: 2/17/11 at 3:04pm

Here, Let me Google SOUND EFFECTS for you.

[iluvtheatertrash]

Posted: 2/17/11 at 5:16pm

Alexandria -- Do you go to a PA high school or a regular public school? Still very perplexed by your teacher's choice of Marisol. Not that it isn't a stunning play, but it's just--- well, it's not really high school fare.

If you have questions, feel free to PM, but I often forget it's there so it might take me a while to get back.

[AlexandriaMarie]

Posted: 2/18/11 at 4:32pm

Thank you TheatreDiva90016 for being such a huge help. You’ll have to excuse me since I obviously do not have the innate knowledge of EVERYTHING the way you do.

iluvtheatertrash- I go to a regular public high school. I completely see where your coming from but my director has cut it quite a bit and has tired to make it as pg 13 as possible lol The concept and theme are very deep and complicated but the main participants in my drama club consists of mainly seniors who are in the top of our class. My director also took our first week of rehearsal to teach the play to us as a piece of literature. Its coming along very nicely. I’m really really excited about making the angle wings though. My boyfriend is an engineer major and is going to help me make them light up and move.

[iluvtheatertrash]

Posted: 2/18/11 at 4:43pm

Very cool, Alexandria. Not sure about your teacher's concept, but the angel wings should not be too overdone. Simple is best. Two of the times I directed it, we used simply the wooden frame without any feathers. But that had a lot to do with the vision of the piece.

It's not so much that I don't think you guys can understand it, it's more that the material is just so.... adult. They're making stinks about RENT being performed in high schools, or TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD, even... but no one complains about MARISOL...

[TheatreDiva90016]

Posted: 2/18/11 at 4:53pm

"Thank you TheatreDiva90016 for being such a huge help."

I'm so glad that I taught you how to Google.

[SNAFU]

Posted: 2/18/11 at 6:45pm

Theatrediva's favorite game growing up!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AKfY6SzB9D8

[TheatreDiva90016]

Posted: 2/18/11 at 6:58pm

Maybe I should teach.

[SNAFU]

Posted: 2/18/11 at 7:01pm

"23 High School theatre students found hacked to bits and stuffed in garbage bags"


Maybe not?

Ha!

[TheatreDiva90016]

Posted: 2/18/11 at 7:08pm

I would only hack them to pieces if they cheated on their homework.