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Fun Things to Know about Theatre
Fun Things to Know about Theatre
How do you do sound effects on stage?
How do you do sound effects on stage? Sound engineers record all the sounds and music needed for a play onto one tape. They make sure the audience hears the right sounds at the right moments in the play.
Sounds needed in a play must be chosen ahead of time. A special sound, like a gunshot or a crack of thunder, may be a very important part of a play.
  • Live sounds are sounds made during the performance.
  • Pre-recorded sounds are put on a tape and played back during the performance.

Music is sometimes used to set a mood in a play, even if it's not a musical.

In a musical, the actors perform the music live onstage.

As a sound effect, a thin sheet of metal might be wobbled to make the sound of thunder.

Mix it up
Pre-recorded sounds are plugged into a machine called a mixer. The sound crew can use the mixer to make sounds louder or softer, or to fade sounds in and out.

Technical in a box
During the performance, the lighting technician and sound crew sit in the technical box, usually at the back of the theatre. From there they can operate the lighting and sound needed for the play.

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