What character has worn the most body mics at once?

[morosco]

Posted: 6/9/06 at 3:22pm

I'd have to guess Peggy Sawyer in the recent revival of 42nd STREET who wore 4. Two on the head (one was a back up) and one on each tapping foot.

[munkustrap178]

Posted: 6/9/06 at 3:24pm

Well, why would someone (other than tappers) wear more than one mic - possibly two for safety?

[CurtainPullDowner]

Posted: 6/9/06 at 3:26pm

most leads wear two.
one as a back-up.

[morosco]

Posted: 6/9/06 at 3:26pm

I think that the green witch in that certain show wears 3. Two for her head (one's a backup) and one in her hat because the hat blocks the other mics.

[munkustrap178]

Posted: 6/9/06 at 3:26pm

Yes - that's why I said one mic, maybe two for safety.

[gumbo2]

Posted: 6/10/06 at 3:17am

I know that Noah Racey in Never Gonna Dance (is that what it was called?) Had like, 4 because he was tapping and moving around so much during the show.

Posted: 6/10/06 at 11:38am

Why do performers need to wear mics?

[JustABroadwaybaby2]

Posted: 6/10/06 at 11:46am

Theaters are often large.... Yes, people CAN project alot, but sometimes not enough for all of the audience to hear.

[LaVieHilary]

Posted: 6/10/06 at 11:48am

Well this wasn't a lot of mics but it was weird. I saw Spelling Bee last night and Rona Lisa Peretti had one right at her hairline that looked like a huge mole. I seriously didn't realize it was her mic until the second hoalf of the show.

[everythingtaboo]

Posted: 6/10/06 at 12:00pm

I thought that when I saw Christina Applegate as Charity, she wore what looked like three - two together from her forehead, and another coming from around her ear, I'm guessing to be closer to her mouth?

[secret-soul]

Posted: 6/10/06 at 12:12pm

when i saw the Frogs the first time, Burke Moses had a mic on his hairline and one in the lion mask which he then gives to Nathan Lane. When he took the mask off, the mic on his hairline cut out and for the scene he stayed close to Nathan so he could be picked up. But Burke had his solo coming up, so the sound op called up to the PSM and they decided they'd lower the mics in the orchestra for the song so that Burke could be heard with the music. Fortunately the acoustics in the Beaumont are really good so it worked.

[TabooPhan1]

Posted: 6/10/06 at 12:12pm

My theory on body mics and projection has to do with the renovating of theatres. It is TOTALLY just an estimate, but my feeling is that as sound systems evolved in the theatre to the extensive systems they are, and theaters have been renovated, many of the theaters have been designed to support the amplified mic system rather than support the acoustics of the human voice. You would also have to have UNBELIEVABLE stamina to fill a theater like the Gershwin every night (8 times a week). To produce acoustics to fill that theater, you would have unbelievable echoing without control of the sound, whereas an older theater like the Shubert was designed as a small theater to support the acoustics of the voice. I'm not supporting one method over another or saying that it makes more sense one way than the other, but I am offering my theory on the designers' placement and choices in sound reinforcement.

[icantbelive]

Posted: 6/10/06 at 12:14pm

Obviously not in RENT they didnt. Mimi's mic died in Christmas Bells and they had to bring out a regular visable mic.

[whatyouown223]

Posted: 6/10/06 at 12:27pm

Yeah one time when I saw Rent, they did that with Roger in I Should Tell You.

[morosco]

Posted: 6/10/06 at 12:36pm

"You would also have to have UNBELIEVABLE stamina to fill a theater like the Gershwin every night (8 times a week)."

It would take more than just stamina. Show's are orchestrated completely differently nowadays. So even if someone DID have the stamina to fill the Gershwin without a microphone the orchstrations of the show (and most any other modern musical) would have to be completely redone. Listen to the orchestrations of shows before mics became so necessary and you'll notice that they allowed for a voice to be heard over the musicians when a character is singing.

[TabooPhan1]

Posted: 6/10/06 at 4:41pm

That is also very true, but I think a lot of that also comes from synthesizers and electric instruments. I doubt Cole Porter was writing for electric bass :P

[ThankstoPhantom]

Posted: 6/10/06 at 4:50pm

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Updated On: 7/23/06 at 04:50 PM

[lifeisacabaret]

Posted: 6/10/06 at 5:12pm

Elphaba has three- one in her hairline/forehead, one in her sideburns/cheekbone and one in the hat. The hairline one is the main, the cheekbone is the back-up, and the one in the hat only for use when the hat is on.

This is because the reflections on the soundwaves caused by the hat radically effect the EQ of the sound, and this cannot be adequately compensated for at the sound desk, therefore a different mic in a different position, with its own EQ and processing at the desk are required.

Also, the phantom christine and raoul wear two. One main, one back-up.

A point of interest for the technically minded amongst us- the majority of the mics are sennheiser mke-2's or DPA 4061's, but the countryman B3 has become more prevalent recently, especially since Tony Meola used it for Wicked. The actual transmission/receiving systems are overwhelmingly Sennheiser (SK50 or SK5012).

[lancerpanz]

Posted: 6/10/06 at 8:40pm

how much do these body mics cost? individually and the entire system in general?

[PalaceRent06]

Posted: 6/10/06 at 8:56pm

i like that they use mics...to me it helps an actor be more dramatic in his/her voice instead of always having to shout and sound (ect.) angry all the time.

[Joshua488]

Posted: 6/10/06 at 9:13pm

everythingtaboo, you're almost completely right... Christina Applegate wore two body mics in Sweet Charity; one on the forehead and one by the ear as a backup.

[lifeisacabaret]

Posted: 6/11/06 at 3:55am

A mic head or capsule as its called is usually about $400, with the transmitter pack upwards of $1500 and the receiver (depending on what system is used) can be up to $2500. However, very, very few shows buy them, so instead they rent them from the sound companies who supply their other bits of equipment. Notable sound companies for Broadway Theatre are Masque Sound, Pro Mix Electrotec and PRG Sound.

Any more questions?

[parker russel]

Posted: 6/11/06 at 10:30am

I have no problems with body mics in shows...however, there really is nothing more glorious than to hear the voice in its most pure and un-altered state. Like, Scott Seigel's Broadway by the Years, and Broadway Unplugged. Its also interesting to see how much stronger one's acting becomes when a mic is taken away and how much better behaved audience members become.

At a performance of Bare, Katherine's mic went out for her big number and every one in the audience got real quiet, paid amazing attention, and got so much more wrapped up in the story.

Mics are fine, but in certain shows completely unneccessary.

[Elphabuff2]

Posted: 6/11/06 at 12:19pm

I dunno' if this is somewhat off-topic, but why does RENT use the obvious, visible mics instead of the body mics? I kinda' feel it blocks the willing suspension of disbelief.

lifeisacabaret- Do the performers have to be very cautious when singing/speaking very close to each other(ie, "As Long As You're Mine")? How come we don't hear a performer on another performer's mic, even if they are very close...or, do we actually hear them as they blend? Thanks.

[TabooPhan1]

Posted: 6/11/06 at 12:44pm

Parker Russel- I really want to agree with you, I really love the sound of a pure voice without electronic enhancement. However, as idealistic as that is, I recall a performance of Anything Goes when I was playing Billy in a theatre where the pit was directly in front of the stage and reinforced with somewhere between 8-10 mics. One night RIGHT before "All through the Night" my mic blew out. It was an 800 seat theater. It was not fun.