Sound Design Examples

Here is a selection of sound design examples that shows a range of cues across different venues and styles.

Please remember that these are stereo reproductions of complex files- the only real way to appreciate these was in the theatre, with a full speaker rig. I believe that directionality is an extremely important part of sound design, and speaker placement is an integral part of the process.

But these will give you a good idea of my style, and some design challenges.

The 39 Steps
Little Theatre of the Rockies, Langworthy Theater, 600 seats

This section of the show featured an actor running in place across a completely blank stage, until a small shadow puppet entered the scene. It was all about sound.

Beth
University of denver, JMAC Black Box- 35 seats

In Beth, John, a serial killer, locked in a straightjacket, talks to the audience about his last kill, and the one that affected him most- Beth.
At the beginning of this cue, John has stalked his prey, and kills the young woman. In the next 90 seconds, we see a series of vignettes (and cover a host of quick changes) that show the aftermath of the killing, including the death, the killer in a blood-spattered dress, and the return of the ghost of Beth.

This one is recorded fairly low, since onstage it was very violent and VERY loud.

Left: John remembers Beth. Right: Beth returns to talk to John after her death.

Treasure Island
Colorado Shakespeare Festival, Mary Rippon Outdoor Theatre, 1000 seats

Near the beginning of the show, young Jim Hawkins meets Billy Bones, a pirate running from his previious associates. In this sound cue, Billy Bones is tracked down by his fellow pirates.

This is a shortened cue that includes a fight scene, as Billy Bones fights off the pirates. Also included is the entrance of the sinister Blind Pew, who threatens Jim. At the end of the scene, soldiers show up, and Blind Pew is run over by a coach.  So much in one cue sequence!

Richard 3
Colorado Shakespeare Festival, Mary Rippon Outdoor Theatre,
1000 seats

A very short cue, but important. The director wanted a recurring motif that would signal "impending death" for a character. It needed to be short, interesting, audible to all members of the 1000 seat house, but not overpowering. The sound would begin in the rear speakers, and fade across the audience to the stage.

Henry IV Part 1
Great River Shakespeare Festival, 450 seats

The Fight scenes in Henry IV changed dynamically for each performance, depending on the needs of the onstage combatants. I devised a series of loops and battle cues that rose and fell as individual battles (and individual chunks of dialog) entered and exited the stage. This is a short compilation- it lasted about 7 minutes.

Escanaba In Da Moonlight
Little Theatre of the Rockies, Langworthy Theater, 600 seats

He's not an alien, he's a yooper...

The Mess of Us
Systryst Theatre Company, 45 seats

After her husband died, Anne retreated to her house, and became, well, a hoarder. Now she has a new boyfriend, and she asks her family to help her clean out the house and start a new life.
One of her big problems is her plumbing. In this sequence, Anne and her son realize that her new beau has not been told that the upstairs plumbing is... dangerous...