Spring Awakening Mics

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Spring Awakening Mics

Posted: 5/16/07 at 8:29pm

WHy do they use old-school/concert mics for snging. why not the typical broadway mics

"I mean, sitting side by side with another man watching Patti LuPone play Rose in GYPSY on Broadway is essentially the equivalent of having hardcore sex." -Wanna Be A Foster. "Say 'Goody.' Say 'Bubbi.'" ... "That's it. Exactly as if it were 'Goody.' Now I know you're gonna sing 'Goody' this time, but nevertheless..."

re: Spring Awakening Mics

Posted: 5/16/07 at 8:32pm

For the visual effect mostly. I'm pretty sure they wear body mics for the straight scenes though.

re: Spring Awakening Mics

Posted: 5/16/07 at 8:32pm

Ask the director. The jury is out on this one :-/

re: Spring Awakening Mics

Posted: 5/16/07 at 8:33pm

That flat-out annoyed me. For me, it detracted from the show. Like "Oh, we have to get a mic to them, so we'll have guy/girl X walk casually across the stage and hand it to the person."

In all honesty, I'm not sure that "concealed" mics would have made me like it a LOT more, but it would have helped.

Experience live theater. Experience paintings. Experience books. Live, look and listen like artists! ~ imaginethis
LIVE THAT LESSON!!!!!!

re: Spring Awakening Mics

Posted: 5/16/07 at 8:35pm

It's supposed to be representing the fact that what they're saying is their own inner thoughts. Hence why everyone who is not singing during the song is frozen.

re: Spring Awakening Mics

Posted: 5/16/07 at 8:35pm

This will answer all questions.

I am a firm believer in serendipity- all the random pieces coming together in one wonderful moment, when suddenly you see what their purpose was all along.

re: Spring Awakening Mics

Posted: 5/16/07 at 8:39pm

Exactly what Andrew said. Michael Mayer has said before that when characters have microphones, it is supposed to represent their inner thoughts.

MerMaggieGalinda, that explanation was totally wrong.

Updated On: 5/16/07 at 08:39 PM

re: Spring Awakening Mics

Posted: 5/16/07 at 8:43pm

thanks, and interesting, andrew.

re: Spring Awakening Mics

Posted: 5/16/07 at 8:50pm

So when they aren't holding the microphone, are we supposed to go back to the typical conventional theatre delivery of music, like it is just happening? It makes me wonder then that if this technique is going to be utilized, what does that make the other song deliveries? Not in their minds but just there?

#10

re: Spring Awakening Mics

Posted: 5/16/07 at 8:56pm

"So when they aren't holding the microphone, are we supposed to go back to the typical conventional theatre delivery of music, like it is just happening? "

When the they don't have the hand held mics, it goes back to what is actually happening at that time. I don't know if that made sense.

#11

re: Spring Awakening Mics

Posted: 5/16/07 at 9:00pm

i think an easy way to see it is the mics are like they are pausing the action to speak about what is going on.

it's not what is physically happening, it's their thoughts about what is happening

#12

re: Spring Awakening Mics

Posted: 5/16/07 at 9:02pm

that spring awakening abridged is SO hilarious! one of the funniest things i've ever read. seriously....haha

#13

re: Spring Awakening Mics

Posted: 5/16/07 at 9:02pm

well said

when the hand held mics come out
the show stops for the character to sing his or her "thoughts"

"and in the end the love you make is equal to the love you take"

#14

re: Spring Awakening Mics

Posted: 5/16/07 at 10:06pm

Do those mics even work? Or do they just use the ones on them?

#15

re: Spring Awakening Mics

Posted: 5/16/07 at 11:57pm

I'm pretty sure the hand-held mics are live. There's definitely a much different sound quality from them.

#16

re: Spring Awakening Mics

Posted: 5/17/07 at 12:01am

I saw it at the Atlantic and am positive the mics were live.

Just give the world Love. - S. Wonder

#17

re: Spring Awakening Mics

Posted: 5/17/07 at 12:24am

wonderfulwizard11, that website it genius! LOL!

Call the understudy / I can't go on tonight / I'm drinking with my buddy / I'm getting good and tight / Before they raise the curtain I'll be higher than a kite / So call the understudy I can't go on tonight

#18

re: Spring Awakening Mics

Posted: 5/17/07 at 12:26am

And as an audience we are suppose to grasp that idea watching the show?
Give me a break.

I talked to the sound designer during previews and he was going crazy, because there are three different sound sources, the body mics, the hand held and stage mics.
And for anyone who thinks this show has a low weekly nut, the mics alone cost a fortune.

Updated On: 5/18/07 at 12:26 AM

#19

re: Spring Awakening Mics

Posted: 5/17/07 at 12:55am

"We like to snark around here. Sometimes we actually talk about theater...but we try not to let that get in our way." - dramamama611

Updated On: 5/17/07 at 12:55 AM

#20

re: Spring Awakening Mics

Posted: 5/17/07 at 12:59am

It was a neat concept that could have worked if it had been more consistent.

I forget - does Wendla hold a mic when she sings the opening - MAMA WHO BORE ME?

#21

re: Spring Awakening Mics

Posted: 5/17/07 at 1:27am

No, she doesn't. There are several other instances where mics are lacking during a number, such as most of "Touch Me" (except for Melchior and Moritz halfway through), "Word of Your Body," and "Song of Purple Summer," off the top of my head.

I had no trouble grasping the concept of the musical numbers being inner monologues... I can see how the involvement of the mics within that concept was used inconsistently, though.

#22

re: Spring Awakening Mics

Posted: 5/17/07 at 2:06am

So MAMA WHO BORED ME is not an inner monologue?
That concept is just a wash out.
I think it's called pretention.

#23

re: Spring Awakening Mics

Posted: 5/17/07 at 2:35am

MAMA WHO BORE ME seemed like one of the more internal monologue moments.

But maybe I just don't get it. I suppose I'm just too low for high art (and too low for a chair tacked up to a wall...)

#24

re: Spring Awakening Mics

Posted: 5/17/07 at 12:37pm

it's been said..

because the songs are more inner monologues to contemplate the matter at hand.. not as much to move the story forward. so the hand mics kind of represent a switching to inner thoughts. and since the music is very contemporary.. it goes along with that as well.

hear my song; it was made for the time when you don't know where to go, listen to the song that i sing, you'll be fine..

#25

re: Spring Awakening Mics

Posted: 5/17/07 at 6:40pm

Dramaqueen is correct. ALL the songs, with the exception of The Song Of Purple Summer (which is a message to the audience), are inner monologues. No matter what kind of mic is used, this is the case. No inconsistency there. It's my feeling that it is actually the choreography that dictates which mics are used. For example, Wendla, standing upon the chair singing Mama Who Bore Me can't put her dress on with a hand held or standing mic. The dance movements during Touch Me and Blue Mirror Night also require two hands...

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