NEW YORK — Based on Sara Gruen’s 2006 critically acclaimed bestselling novel, Water for Elephants premiered at Atlanta’s Alliance Theatre last year before landing on Broadway’s Imperial Theatre on March 21st to glowing reviews. The New York Times calls it “a gorgeously imaginative Broadway musical” and Variety hails it as a “seamless integration of theatrical and cirque artistry.”
This breathtaking production entertains with daring acrobats, knife throwers, and visually stunning puppetry. The producers and design team, including Walter Trarbach (sound), David Bengali (projection), Bradley King (lighting) Takeshi Kata (scenic), turned to technology partner PRG to provide comprehensive services, including audio, video, lighting, scenery and automation for this stunning spectacle.
Alex Donnelly, PRG VP and General Manager for Broadway said, “We have a long relationship with the producers who reached out to us before the show even went to the Alliance Theatre. So, from the beginning, we were working closely with the creative, design, and production teams on the technology and solutions that would allow them to achieve their creative goals. For example, we hosted materials and products tests in our NJ shop and supported a multi-week rehearsal on a soundstage to hone the audio system. Being involved in a show early like that is invaluable not just for PRG, but for the show as well.”
A key challenge lay in the sound design, which incorporated the bustling energy of a circus, locomotives, puppetry, and of course, the voices of the performers. When asked about approaching the particulars of this project, Walter Trarbach replied, “I was fortunate to partner with Angela Baughman, a sound effects specialist and John McKenna as system architect. We rehearsed on a sound stage for three weeks before joining the cast and the rest of the creative team to start working on vocal mixes and implementing sound effects. From there, we began layering in ambient sounds, like people working at a circus tent site and general crowd ambiance at a speakeasy. We used these effects to establish different locations and moods for the audience. We used train whistles and tones to increase tension or ghostly whooshes to help cement certain emotions with the audience.”
Integral to the story are three puppets—a horse, a little dog and Rosie, the elephant—each treated as individual characters with distinct emotions. Working with the puppet director, the sound team synchronized animal sounds to puppet movements in order to bring them to life. Trarbach incorporated KV2 ESR215 MKII, Meyer Leopard and L-Acoustics 5XT and X8 loudspeakers to deliver precise and high-quality sound for every aspect of the performance.
When asked about working with PRG on this elaborate and technically challenging production, Projection Designer David Bengali said, “I’ve worked with PRG on several design projects over the years. Even before we started our out-of-town run in Atlanta, Rob Harris, Alex Donnelly and the rest of the PRG team were there to support us, bringing in different products for us to compare and giving us time in the shop to test and evaluate. They really understand the unique needs of theatrical designers,” said Bengali.
Now people can witness the magic for themselves…
For more details about the sound design for Water for Elephants, visit: https://fohonline.com/articles/theater-sound/water-for-elephants-on-broadway/
Learn more about PRG’s work on Broadway: https://www.prg.com/en/markets/theatre.
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AUDIO GEAR for Water for Elephants (PRG Supplied)
- LOUDSPEAKERS
(30) Meyer Sound Leopard
(4) Meyer Sound UPQ-2P
(2) Meyer Sound UPA-2P
(10) Meyer Sound UPJunior
(10) Meyer Sound UPM-1P
(2) Meyer Sound 900-LFC subwoofer
(2) Meyer Sound 600-HP subwoofer
(2) KV2 ESR215 MKII
(32) Alcons Audio VR8
(22) L-Acoustics 5XT
(18) L-Acoustics X8
- PROCESSING
Meyer Sound Galileo 616
- WIRELESS MICS
(30) Shure ADX1M micro transmitter
(4) Shure AD3 plug-on transmitter
(4) Sennheiser SK6212 mini transmitter
(4) Lectrosonics SSM micro transmitter
- FOH CONSOLE
(4) DiGiCo Quantum 7T
