East Rutherford, NJ (April 12, 2019)—The recent Broadway revival of Falsettos led to five Tony Award nominations and now a national tour of the production, with sound design by Dan Moses Schreier, using audio gear provided by East Rutherford, NJ-based Masque Sound.
While playing different rooms every few days or weeks can be a challenge for a sound engineer, it’s just as much a test for Ashley Diaz, the tour’s A2 located backstage during performances, who is responsible for maintaining RF for the show. “Unlike a Broadway production, a touring production is particularly susceptible to changes in frequencies from city to city, so flexibility was key,” said associate sound designer Joshua Reid, noting that the production is carrying Shure Axient Digital wireless microphone systems. “The ability of the receivers and transmitters to switch in various bands relatively easily, especially under show conditions, is a huge advantage.”
The show tours with four Axient receivers, which can handle up to 16 ADX1M, micro-body pack transmitters. Each of the seven main characters are double-miked with DPA d:screet 4061 mini omnidirectional microphones; the remaining two transmitters and mics are used for back-up.
“Equipping each performer with a backup ensures that the show appears flawless,” said Reid. “It’s comforting to the performers to know that we can easily switch to mic #2 remotely if needed without interfering with the production.”
Diaz works with a Shure AXT600 Spectrum Manager and AD610 Diversity ShowLink Access Point rack-mounted with the four Axient receivers to help her deliver a smooth production. The ATX600 delivers UHF spectrum scanning and analysis along with compatible frequency coordination while the AD610 enable real-time wireless remote control of the transmitters.
“We worked with Scott Kalata at Masque for the Broadway production and it was logical to continue the relationship for the touring production; they are extremely knowledgeable and offer state-of-the-art technology,” said Reid. “When they suggested the Axient system, it made perfect sense and has proven to simplify using wireless from venue to venue. We are extremely pleased with the end result.”
Masque Sound • www.MasqueSound.com
