Rent

By: Jonathan Larson

University of California Irvine - Claire Trevor Theatre
June 2023
Sound Design: Costandina J. Daros

The Design

The design approach for this production of Rent, is to be a period piece that is still revolutionary. Staged in a proscenium theatre, the scenic elements feel reminiscent of the traditional story we all love while still having a fresh perspective.

The sound design goal is a blend between a rock show approach and an immersive theatre experience. With a spatialized system, the sound design works to have a strong concert-like base without sacrificing clarity of the vocals. The design also incorporates tracking of the actors on stage to provide subtle separation between sources, decreasing listener fatigue while increasing clarity and coherence between the sonic and visual images.

Photo Credit: Paul Kennedy

Photo Credit: Paul Kennedy

The Breakdown

Cast: 19 actors

Band: 6 musicians
Keys 1 and 2, Guitar 1 and 2, Bass, and Drums

The Technology

This show was a heavy programming feat in terms of spatalization. Using Meyer Spacemap Go, I spatialized channels through snapshots and OSC commands, all controlled via QLab 5.

The mixing console itself was the Allen & Heath dLive system running on the DM48 with a S7000 surface. The other huge challenge with the system was the interconnection of different audio types. This system navigated between Dante, MADI, and AVB audio streams in order to execute the design.

The Paperwork

Photo Credit: Paul Kennedy

The Team

Director: Telly Leung
Music Director: Zachary Dietz
Choreographer: Andrew Palermo
Scenic Design: Andrea Corona
Costume Design: Marcy Froelich
Lighting Design: Diana Herrera