Running concurrently in the UK, Singin’ in the Rain and Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat contrast in musical genre and storylines but share ‘virtually identical sound design’. Each uses LR proscenium hangs of d&b Y-Series line arrays with point source centre clusters, E6 delays and front fill, and V-Subs.
‘The Y-Series has all the hallmarks of a great d&b product,’ Owen says. ‘It’s a powerful system delivering great audio quality in a compact box. It’s the power-to-size ratio that makes this such a versatile product. We proved this when, for Back to the Future [currently running at the Adelphi Theatre in London] we incorporated a couple of Y point sources into the iconic DeLorean. I didn’t think they’d deliver the necessary output for the sound effects, but they did. It’s incredible.’
Directed by Jonathan Church CBE, Singin’ in the Rain is an homage to 1920s Hollywood, featuring dazzling dance and delightful orchestral music, while Joseph and the Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat, directed by Laurence Connor, with music by Andrew Lloyd Webber, is an energetic adventure boasting earworm worthy pop tunes and colourful costumes.
Both productions have special elements that Gareth Owen had to take into consideration with his sound design – 14,000 litres of water pour onto the cast of Singin’ in the Rain, not only soaking the cast and the first few rows of the audience, but the loudspeakers too. ‘During the water scenes the front fills and backs of the line arrays get their fair share of water on them, but thanks to the renowned d&b quality they are super robust, handling the “bad weather” very well,’ Owen says.
All standard Y-Series cabinets are constructed from marine plywood and have an impact and weather protected PCP (Polyurea Cabinet Protection) finish as standard, and are loaded with 8-inch and 1.4-inch drivers. ‘It is those features that made the Y-Series well suited to reproduce the nuances and pureness of the voices of the 24-strong children’s choir in Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat just as much as the subtle notes of the live orchestra for Singin’ in the Rain,’ Owen explains.
Doing justice to the orchestral nature of Singing in the Rain was also a priority for Musical Director and Supervisor Robert Scott. ‘I wanted the show to sound authentic – a real big band feel – so it had to sound as acoustic as possible. This was made more difficult as the band were situated,behind the action, as they could not be in the pit as they would have got wet.’
For David Andrew Wilson, Head of Music at The Really Useful Group, working with Gareth and using d&b is a trusted choice. ‘I have worked with Gareth many times over the years, including on Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat. I work very closely with the sound department on any show to ensure that the music is delivered at the highest possible standard. Gareth’s expertise in live sound is excellent and he always has various solutions to discuss with me to achieve the vision for what we are trying to do musically.’
Both Wilson and Scott are happy with the audio results: ‘All of the sound department were acutely aware of how I wanted it to sound and the end result was fantastic,’ Scott says. ‘So much great feedback from the audience too.’
In addition to the outstanding sonic qualities, the Y-Series is ‘extremely easy to deploy’ according to Matt Peploe, associate for Singin’ in the Rain. For Andy Green, associate for Joseph, the Y-Series is a very attractive product: ‘It’s a great piece of kit to own. If I were a rental company, I’d buy loads of it.’
‘The Y8s and Y12s are our most popular line array boxes that effortlessly deliver to the highest industry standard. We first purchased them in 2015 and hardly see them in our warehouse as they tend to be out on some tour or other all the time,’ confirms Phil Hurley, Managing Director at Stage Sound Services.
More: www.dbaudio.com
