Recently, during my internship, I had the privilege of serving as a microphone operator for a musical performance. I picked up some useful tips on the use of wireless microphones in American musical theater, so I've summarized them and would like to share them with everyone.
Ensuring and setting up microphones for each actor is a crucial step before the musical ensemble begins. The image below shows the microphones prepared for the musical "Evita."
Wireless microphones are commonly used in musicals and plays. Before donning the microphone, the designer or director decides whether to make the microphone "disappear," that is, to minimize the presence of the microphone. Different musicals have varying requirements for the concealment of microphones, such as in the Broadway musical "A Chorus Line." Most actors wear tight-fitting or backless costumes, not only using the microphone but also securing the microphone wire and pouch to achieve a concealed effect. Additionally, in the musical "Rent," the microphones are clearly visible to the audience, with the actors' microphones visible at the edges of their mouths, which was also the intent of the entire design team.
Next, there's the issue of placing the phone wallet. Actors typically wear belts, with some actresses sewing a pouch behind their bras. For actors wearing wigs, a pocket can be stitched onto the wig, allowing the wallet and any extra microphones to be concealed beneath the wig. This also addresses concerns with microphones in backless dresses or special costumes. Below is the wallet on the wig cap.
Microphone placement options include the center of the forehead, between the hairline, near the cheekbones, around the temples, and by the mouth. Each location requires different manufacturing specifications. For microphones worn on both ears, similar to what actors in last year's romantic supernatural drama wore, the microphone is definitely by the mouth, as shown in the following image.
Another microphone comes with exposed wire, which is not ready to use and must be customized according to specific needs. First, the exposed wire in front of the face needs to be wrapped around with fine iron wire to form a circle, which gives the part of the microphone a slight "fleshy" feel for better fixation in the required location. Although tape is usually used to reinforce the fixation, when excessive sweat makes the tape unstickable, the "fleshy" texture plays a significant role, and the presence of fine iron wire allows for easy bending into various angles. The following image shows the fine iron wire connected with an ear clip.