In this section, you will find samples of some of the sounds that were utilized for this production. Some of these include clock strikes, doorbell chimes, and a pre-show announcement that was made to sound as if it were coming through a 1950s radio. You can read more about how and why these cues were utilized in the "Director's Concept" and "Designer's Process" sections below. 

Please note that many of these cues were trimmed, looped, adjusted for volume, and/or faded within QLab 4.7. Unfortunately, to my knowledge, QLab 4.7 does not allow someone to export these altered cues as a new audio file, so these are the files I put into QLab before further editing them within that program. 

If you are listening to these cues on a mobile device, I would recommend downloading the Google Drive app for a better experience.

Pre-Show Music

Pre-Show Announcement (SCHOOL NAME OMITTED)

Please note that I omitted my school's name from this file, so there is a brief pause where the school's name was originally said.

Ticking Clock

Normal Clock Strikes

Ominous Clock Strikes

Nervous Clock Strikes

Doorbell

The Commentating Clock

The striking of the clock made up a majority of my sound cues. For the first few pages of the script, the stage directions specified both when the clock should strike and how many times it should strike for each moment. However, after the Smiths and the Martins are finally seen together onstage, the stage directions leave those details to the discretion of the creative team. 

By going back to the beginning of the script and re-reading where the stage directions specified when the clock needed to strike, I came to the conclusion that the clock was commentating on what was happening onstage. Each time the clock struck, it seemed to be trying to say something in its own language, whether that be reacting to something that was said or done by one of the characters or trying to explain why certain things are happening within the play. In a way, the clock became another character in the show as it reacted to what was happening onstage.

The Ominous Clock Strikes

As Mary ends her famous fire poem, the clock begins to sound more ominous when it strikes. Within the context of this particular production, Mary's poem serves as a prophecy, illustrating how the breakdown of communication between the generations will eventually lead to the younger generation making the same mistakes as those who came before them. As a result, the ominous clock strikes accompany the end of Mary's poem before appearing again as the Martins place themselves in the same position the Smiths were in at the start of the play.

The Nervous Clock Strikes

In between the two moments where the ominous clock strikes appear, a third type of clock strike can be heard, which I referred to as the "nervous clock strikes." These strikes signify the nervousness of both the Smiths and the Martins as the communication between them continues to deteriorate. As their communication continues to break down, the clock continues to strike, accompanying the Smiths and the Martins as they continue to shout nonsense. Additionally, the nervous clock strikes sound more modern than both the original and ominous clock strikes, signifying that the Smiths time is nearly up; soon, the Martins will take their place as the "current generation." However, because the Martins did not effectively communicate with those that came before them, the play is destined to repeat itself while the clock continues to strike.

The Ticking of the Clock

Before moving on from the clock, I would also like to touch on its ticking. When the audience first entered the theater, they were greeted with a set that was designed to look as realistic as possible. To contribute to this sense of realism, I felt that it was necessary for the clock to continuously tick throughout the entirety of the show. As a result, the clock ticking began as soon as the house was open (alongside the pre-show music) and did not stop until the lights dimmed after the final line of the play was uttered. Additionally, this constant ticking served as a "metronome" of sorts, ensuring the pacing of the play never felt too slow or too fast to the audience.

The Doorbell

The only other sound cue explicitly mentioned in the script was the doorbell, which played four different times around halfway through the play. Because it would be heard so many times in such a short amount of time, I deliberately chose a doorbell that would sound pleasant to the audience at first; however, by the time the doorbell is heard for the fourth time, the audience is likely annoyed by the sound of it, just as Mrs. Smith is annoyed with her husband, who keeps insisting that someone is at the door.

The Radio (a.k.a. The Pre-show Machine)

During our initial concept meetings, the director stated that she wanted to use a pre-recorded announcement to begin the show instead of giving a traditional curtain speech. During these concept meetings, we also came to the conclusion to utilize classical music as our pre-show music specifically because it would allow the audience to become immersed in the world by listening to what would have actually been playing in a suburban London home during the 1950s. After both of these topics were discussed, I came up with an idea: what if both this music and the pre-show announcement were part of the world of the show?

To accomplish this illusion, I would need to put certain audio effects on the tracks I selected, as well as the announcement I recorded. These audio effects would make the cues sound a bit more harsh and grainy than usual, as if they were coming through a radio from 1950s. After establishing what I would need to do to make these cues feel like part of the world of the play, I communicated this idea to both our director and scenic designer, both of whom immediately agreed with me. A radio was added to the set, allowing this effect to be fully realized.

This production of Eugene Ionesco's The Bald Soprano featured sound design by Seth Furr, who also designed this website. He is a theatre generalist, who has primarily worked as both an actor and sound designer; he also has experience in costume design, scenic construction, stage management, directing, and dramaturgy. Outside of theatre, Seth has also had the opportunity to work as a voiceover artist, camera operator, and video editor. When he is not working on a project, Seth can be found either spending time with friends or playing video games.

Seth is currently working towards his B.A. in Theatre with a minor in Digital Media. After graduation, he hopes to pursue an M.F.A. in Theatre Education so that he can teach theatre at the collegiate level. As technology continues to advance, Seth hopes to be able to teach his future students how to utilize new forms of technology in all aspects of theatre.