Theatre Design & Technology - Summer 2010 - 18

Jack was still using a bank of mixers
with rotary controls and, for some reason,
professional mixing consoles did not become widely used in the U.S. until well into
the 1970s. Yamaha introduced their 8-input, 2-output PM200 in 1972, but it was the
PM1000 (16 into 4 with a 4 x 8 matrix) that
was to become the most popular console in
the American theatre after it was launched
in 1974. Jack Shearing of Masque Sound recalls that the first really big studio console
they
ever provided for a musical was one
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they shipped over from the british company,

The soundman of 1960 would be amazed at what can
be achieved today with modern digital technology: the
number of radio-mikes that can be used in a single show
without hissing and crackling, the possibility of equalizing
just about everything, the digital delay, the smaller and
more powerful loudspeakers, and the memory mixers.
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theatre

design

technology

S U M M E R

2010

Trident, for the broadway production of
Cats. And that was not until 1982.
For some reason, british mixing desk manufacturers were some years ahead. A number of
companies, including Soundcraft and Midas,
produced touring consoles ostensibly for the
rock concert market during the early seventies;
and I installed an Alice console for the london
production of Company. Within two years we
had installed mixing desks and bozak speakers
on six musicals in the West End; although there
were still a few shows where, for budgetry reasons, we were forced to use the old systems.
I did not meet Jack again until 2002 when
undertaking the long process of research for my
book. He was long retired, but as enthusiastic
about theatre sound as ever and we had a great
chat about the past. I then had the enormous
pleasure and privilege of hosting a seminar with
Jack in 2009 when his significant contribution
to theatre sound was finally recognized and he
received from USITT the burris-Meyer distinguished Career in Sound design award.
The soundman of 1960 would be amazed
at what can be achieved today with modern
digital technology: the number of radio-mikes
that can be used in a single show without hissing and crackling as they drift off frequency, the
possibility of equalizing just about everything,
the digital delay, the smaller and more powerful loudspeakers, and the memory mixers. but I
sometimes wonder whether it is entirely necessary to spend thousands of dollars on a sound
system for a broadway show and to have such
enormous consoles taking up so many expensive seats in the auditorium. I remember seeing
My Fair Lady with Julie Andrews and Rex Harrison at the enormous drury lane theatre and
being overwhelmed by the performance; and
a few months later being stunned by the sheer

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Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Theatre Design & Technology - Summer 2010