Tony Meola
Sound Designer of Wicked and The Lion King.
Veteran sound designer Tony Meola talks about the many issues involved in designing such musicals as Wicked and The Lion King on Broadway and around the world, dissecting such issues as changes in technology over the course of his 30 year career, whether the theatre has lost something with the rise of the amplified voice, microphone placement at the hairline vs. the jawline, and why its hard to have two performers singing a romantic song face to face, only inches apart, on stage. He also describes his own growth as a designer, from his earliest days on the electrics crew at The Public Theater on a new show called A Chorus Line to his “big break” thanks to Jerry Zaks on the 1987 revival of Anything Goes to the nuances of sound in his design of the recent revival of The Ritz to what factors he uses to decide whether to sign on to design a production.
Original airdate – August 8, 2008.
Running time – 55:52.
For more information, to listen online, or to download the episode go to Downstage Center’s Tony Meola program page.
You can also download directly the Tony Meola program (mp3).
Posted on Monday, August 11th, 2008 at 4:36 pm
by
American Theatre Wing
Filed under:
Audio,
Designer,
Downstage Center.
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October 10th, 2008 at 3:49 pm
I am a software engineering mgr in the SF Bay area, but also a part-time sound designer/engineer for the local community theater, and an avid sound buff.
I very much enjoyed Tony’s radio interview, it touched on many successes and challenges I have faced or am currently facing, and would like like to contact him if possible to request for a visit to one of his productions as a learning experience.
Can you provide contact information, or forward my contact information along?
Thank you.
John Kowtko
(Sound Engineer/Designer, Hillbarn Theater, Foster City, CA) 650-533-1222
January 20th, 2009 at 8:28 pm
Hi,
First of all, fantastic interview! it touches on many aspects that I have come accross myself in the past and also gives me food for thought on many others!
As a sound designer myself i find it invaluble to listen to other designers talking about their past experiances. I too was wondering if there are contact details for Tony or any agency he works for as I am currently in the process of designing ‘A New Brain’ and I am aware Tony has designed that previously.
Thanks a lot
Sam Palmer
Sound designer/engineer