Why Was Mary Martin Such a Big Star? - Now with Stage Miking Discussion- Page 3

[Gypsy9]

Posted: 12/23/08 at 7:45am

Nobody Home has many interesting posts on the use of sound amplification in Broadway theatres. I started going to the theatre when I was 13 and the show was PETER PAN. Mary Martin was mesmerizing, especially when she was flying. Back then the pit orchestras were definitely not amplified; the sound was more natural. I don't recall voice amplification back then, but there may have been stage apron mikes--certainly no body mikes.

Through the years amplification has become the norm and often for the worst in my opinion. In RAGTIME, the female lead, Audra McDonald, who had a beautiful trained soprano, was so over-miked that the sound was distorted. What a waste of good talent. More recently, I saw GYPSY with Patti LuPone in May. LuPone has a big voice. So why was the ending of "Everything's Coming Up Roses" over-amplified, producing a screeching sound? That messed up ending spoiled my favorite song in the show.

On the other hand, artful sound design can be transparent so that it is un-noticeable. Two examples: I saw FOLLIES in London in what I consider to be a fine production. At intermission I went back to the sound booth to congratulate the sound men and marveled that even the pit orchestra had a slide switch for every separate instrument. But there was absolutely no distortion from any of the speakers in the theatre throughout the show. The second example is the current SOUTH PACIFIC. The sound design is the best I have ever heard, from the orchestra to the principals. If anything, Kelli O'Hara could have been a little louder. But better too little than too much. All that was necessary was to LISTEN carefully, something that theatregoers had to do in the past. It's really not that hard.

[Mamie]

Posted: 12/23/08 at 10:02am

It never occurred to me (until reading this thread) that miking the performers is probably the main reason theatres have so much trouble today with audiences making noise. I'm not talking about cell phones going off - but people talking amongst themselves during the show, papers rattling, etc. If audiences had done that in the past, they themselves would have missed the dialogue and music coming from the stage. They were forced to keep still. Today they can hear above the rustling candy wrappers. The noise may be irritating as hell, but they can still hear above it, so they rattle away.

[Reginald Tresilian]

Posted: 12/23/08 at 11:01am

Mamie, I definitely think we've forgotten how to listen. And unfortunately, miking (and over-miking) has conditioned us to think that if something isn't loud, we can't hear it.

(I think similarly that as a result of air conditioning, we think we're hot if we don't feel cold air blowing on us during the summer.)

But I also believe that there's simply been a deterioration in the distinction between public and private spaces. People go to the theater (or movies) and act like they're at home. They take their shoes off, answer their cell phones, talk at conversational levels. And then, generally, act offended if someone objects.

[nobodyhome]

Posted: 12/23/08 at 11:07am

Truth is that people always did some of the things we find objectionable now. People always talked at the theatre, especially during the overture, some people always ate during a show, and so on. But it does seem as if more people do all these things now and those who do it also do it more, they feel less (if any) compunction about doing it.

And I agree that if shows weren't so heavily amplified, people would talk less. Other people just wouldn't put up with it.

[Gypsy9]

Posted: 12/23/08 at 1:08pm

Legendary pit conductor Lehman Engel once became so angry at the talking that went on during the overture of his show that he brought the orchestra to a sudden stop, waited for the talking to die down, and then started the overture again from the top. Would that today's pit conductors follow Engel's example.

[Scripps2]

Posted: 12/23/08 at 5:13pm

Getting back to Mary Martin, I've never understood why there isn't more respect for her on this board, in the way that there is for her contemporary Ethel Merman.

She was also a hugely popular above-the-title star in the West End as well, originating both the roles of Nellie Forbush and Dolly Levi in the OLC of South Pacific and Hello Dolly respectively. I'm not old enough to have seen her in either but my parents saw her on their honeymoon in South Pacific, along with Larry Hagman, and June Whitfield (Edina's mother in AbFab, and recently in the ENO On The Town) and Sean Connery in the chorus line.



Mum and Dad were so proud to have seen this with that cast.



You can just make out Larry Hagman's name at the bottom right.


This is one of the most historic and important theatre programmes I own.

Updated On: 12/23/08 at 05:13 PM

[Reginald Tresilian]

Posted: 12/23/08 at 6:40pm

Scripps, what a wonderful artifact (and a wonderful memory for your parents)!

Martin just doesn't seem to inspire the devotion that Merman does, does she?

Though why that should be I don't know.