Sound for 'The Producers'

[AndyW69]

Hi, has anyone designed or operated the sound for this show, I've seen the film but not the show, I was wondering how many radios I'm going to need? No script yet as the show is in may

 

Andy

[SoLiEn]

Company ive worked with did this few years back with 24 radio mics.

 

Max x 1

Leo x 1

Ula x 1

Hold me touch me x 1

usherettes/Ensemble/Grannies/jury/Street folk/auditionees/incidental lines x 9

ensemble/accountants/judge/jury/Street folk/auditionees/incidental lines x 8

Roger De Bris x 1

Carmen Ghia x 1

Franz x 1

 

If thats any good

 

Its a full on score too, so hope you've got a good MD!!

[Gareth Owen]

Why don't you drop Davy Ogilvy at Orbital an email? He was the sound designer for the last major UK tour and hes a very nice guy too.

[AndyW69]

Hi, thanks for the info, any possible shares in the chorus?

 

Its a lot of mics to get on our likely budget

 

Andy

[chelgrian]

Its a lot of mics to get on our likely budget

 

It's a lot of mics full stop without a site specific license, it's possible to do at the moment in most areas due to the ability to use channels 38, 69 and 70 concurrently. However after 2012 with only channel 38 and 70 available and 70 full of crud from new deregulated usage then it won't be possible.

 

Plus if you are in the unfortunate position of having to mic your band then you may run out of channels on your FOH desk.

 

However flicking through a perusal copy of the vocal book I just happen to have to hand there is very little where you actually must have a single chorus member doing incidental stuff. For example there are always two usherettes singing as far as I can make out and the grannies are an unspecified number people.

 

I'd have to go through it properly to be sure but if you didn't mic stuff with more than one person singing and will put up with swaps then it's possible you might get away with 10 or 11 channels of radio depending on what minor parts are being doubled by which cast members in the chorus.

[GridGirl]

We did the show with a cast of 22 and mic'ed 20 of them (two were primarily dancers). However, with shotguns/boundary mics/etc you could probably get away with fewer than that. It will also depend if you want to mic dialogue or not - if not, then that will make things easier! There are six leads (Max, Leo, Ulla, Franz, Roger and Carmen) who I'd want to have mic'ed the entire time; some solos - the Lead Stormtrooper in Springtime for Hitler, the two Usherettes, a solo line or two in Opening Night and Springtime, 3 "lead" little old ladies in Along Came Bialy, 4 members of "Roger's Team" in Keep it Gay and maybe the accountants and Girls in Pearls in I Wanna Be A Producer- but other than that, it's the kind of show where you can probably get away with not mic'ing the chorus if you have decent area mic'ing. Have fun with it - it is the most mental, bonkers, mad, ridiculous, insane show I have EVER done, but also the show which has been about the most fun I have ever had in the theatre! I'd do it again at the drop of a hat and I envy you getting to work on it!

 

E2A: The other thing worth noting is that you're supposed to use Mel Brooks's voice for the "Don't be stupid, be a smarty, come and join the Nazi party!" line in Springtime (I think it was a condition of the rights when we got permission to do the show) - but they don't supply you with a recording of it!

[AndyW69]

Thanks for all your input, much appreciated

 

Andy