A Day in the Life of a Stage Manager, of the opera variety
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 30 ก.ย. 2024
- What does an opera stage manager do in a day during tech week? Come along and find out. Utah Opera was gracious enough to let me film a proper "day in the life of" video during their production of Tosca in March of 2022. I shared what a stage manager does to prep for tech, a bit of what the ASM's do in tech and that life isn't always perfect.
While this isn't my usual content, please let me know if you have more stage management questions I could answer for you!
Fantastic ASM's Insta's are here:
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Alex - / aeba.20
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![[Live] ศึกมหึมันส์มวยไทยสังเวียนเดือด เวทีมวยชั่วคราวสวนสยาม | จันทร์ 30 กันยายน 2567](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/pM1k6f7JXUc/mqdefault.jpg)
A huge thank you to Utah Opera for letting me film this awesome day! Another shout out to my awesome ASM’s Alex & Sarah for being willing participants.
And yes, this video was filmed in March of 2022, that is why my hair is blond, long and straight and why it had just snowed in Utah.
Thank you to the Utah Opera for the permission to create this. Wonderful work. Well done.
- Cathy (&, accidently, Steve), Ottawa/Bytown/Pimisi
i was wondering about the snow...
Lady, YOU FREAKING ROCK!! What an amazing job, and your personality fits so well, the energy you have fits so well! I once, a very long time ago, was an assistant costumer for the Nutcracker in AZ and I was astounded by it all, the production, the stage props, curtains, costumes...... I wish I had stayed in that field, but life has other options, doesn't it?? Thank you for sharing that bit of magic here.
Happy to share my side of the curtain! And the Nutcracker is a wild little piece, I am sure that was challenging.
You're like an air traffic controller for opera! How cool!
Pretty much! It is a lot to manage.
As a professional costumer, ve worked with stage managers and you are awesome amazing people!
Aww thanks! I do love stage managers!
Okay, WOW. I had no idea what you did for your “job-job”. I am impressed. There’s no way I could do what you do.
Many years ago, I was at an Opera Pacific production of Tosca. After Tosca jumped off the wall, I heard a young boy ask, “Grandma, do you think they used a stunt diva?”
Yup! I do love it! Stage Managing that is. Opera is great, but I just like being behind the scenes making sure everything goes well.
“Stunt Diva” is my new dream job, and a t-shirt that I would 100% wear.
I worked almost every backstage job there is when I was in college. Though I was never a stage manager. Building costumes, building sets, working at the light board, building props, and occasionally even acting were the sum total of the many jobs. Oh, and a couple of times i actually directed. But the SM job is by far the hardest and you have my deepest respect for doing it so well. The amount of organization one must have to do the job is something I lack. Thank you for sharing this.
Wow, this seems like hard work but also a blast. Fascinating!
Aww thanks! I love it and relish in the stress (not sure what that says about me...)
Stage Managers are the shit! Literally can't run a show without them. Perhaps one day we will get to work together!
Right?!! I started out SMing, but physical limitations have put the kibosh on that for me. I get my theatre jollies with costumes mostly nowadays (and every once in a blue moon I get cast - woot!) But SMs are absolutely worth their weight in platinum.
So interesting!! I loved the backstage shots of the jump onto the safety mat. Would love to see another video like this if you ever get the chance.
For sure!! But to be honest, finding a company and crew willing to do this is quite difficult. So I don't know if the stars will align again.
That was fascinating! I had a very rough idea of what stage management was (let us not talk about the Hornsby High "Bye Bye Birdie"), but it is so much more involved! More of these, please. (Even a "this is what you *don't* do one).
Thank you! It is a rare occasion to get a company to agree to let me film. I had to get clearance from the opera, the union, and all my colleagues. I don't know if I will be able to get to do it again, but it certainly was fun!
That was wonderful! When I voted for this video, I had no idea Tosca was the opera! That was one of my favorite roles. A shout-out to SMs, ASMs, Props, and Set People everywhere. That jump was always my scariest part of the whole opera. Thanks to the wonderful people behind the scenes, I never even got a bump or scratch. This Sop terrified of heights was very grateful.
Oh the jump is always nerve-wracking. Even for the SM’s that check the mat.
Stephanie, you're amazing! I'm so awed by your professional achievements & respect you for bringing such incredible art to our stages. Darling, you rock ❤
Thank you so much! ❤
I was the costume designer for several plays at my local theater a few years ago and this video brings back a lot of memories for me! Thank you!
Happy to bring back memories!
I have been lucky enough to work in the opera world as the assistant to the wig and makeup designer. This was fun to watch, thanks for showing a little bit of what most people never see. Funny story, our costume supervisor was taking costumes to the laundromat after a Tosca performance. She got stopped by a police officer, he saw the bloody clothes and told her he needed to search the trunk 😂
No idea why this was recommended to me but I'm glad it was. This was fascinating. It must have been quite difficult to film while all that was going on so thank you very much that you did.
No clue why it was recommended either, but glad you came over and watched! It was certainly a challenge (as you saw I forgot and entire intermission), but it was super fun.
This is brilliant! I love going to the opera and it's fascinating to see how a show works. I would definitely watch more content like this!
Thank you! It was truly a "stars align" moment. It is rare to get all parties to agree to do this.
Oh my goodness! This brings back sooo many memories. I was the master lighting designer and board tech for a theater back in the early/mid 80s. So long ago that nothing was computerized. If a light on the stage was turned off and on, I did it with little levers up in the sound booth. In the main theater I worked for, I had a two level preset board. Another theater that I took over as light board tech when the flu took out most of the tech staff. My first night there was in the middle of the two-week run (small theater that only had two weeks per show) and before a live audience. Nerve-racking, but tons of fun. I would have loved to be backstage just soaking it all up with you.
Dude, that's even worse than my lighting horror story! In my case, the light board operator was up all night fighting a wildfire that took out a buddy's house, and she didn't get to the theater until 20 minutes before curtain. The poor light board volunteer we had hadn't work a board before and was quaking in his boots! (this was 1990s tech)
Congratulations on kicking ass!
oh DANG! I am in awe of the lighting techs i work with. Good for you!
This was AMAZING! I have never done anything related to stage/performance things - and outside of watching one amateur panto that our small community theatre did one year, I've only been to a live play once .. over 30 years ago. I see these things on episodes of Midsomer Murders and the like, but it's never been part of my life. This was a whole new world!!
Happy to share a big part of my life with you!
This is so interesting! You go girl😀🙌🙌🙌 I’m an opera singer, and i am doing my masters at the Conservatory at the moment.
You got this! Who knows maybe we will work together in the future!
Fantastic! Brings back memories of my theatre days (or is it daze...?) I hope the performers appreciate the gem of a TD they have in you! No wonder you like vintage sewing...it's therapy!
Thanks! We had a great time on this show. And just so you know, I am the PSM, the TD (technical director) is basically me but for all the scenic aspects.
That was so interesting Stephanie. It’s nice to see some thing about your real life. What an interesting mix your job is. It’s like you are the technical backbone of a very creative process in which you don’t get to be really creative per se lol. Although I bet some of your problem solving skills reach a creative level that’s unbelievable. Fascinating look behind the curtain.
Actually PSM’s really get to be a large part of the creative process by bringing in our sense of timing and artistry to the call.
Thank you for the behind the scenes peek! I try to catch the live broadcast of The Met each month of the season at the theater when they stream. It was cool seeing some of how the magic is made in a production 🌻🍄
I love the Met's broadcasts! I think they have made opera more approachable. I am glad to show a bit of a rougher look behind the scenes.
When calling opera, does it help/is it necessary to know how to read music? ❤ Theatre people are my favorite people 🎉
For opera, music reading is VERY helpful. While I will not say it is mandatory (since I know quite a few SM's who don't but still call beautiful shows), it is seen as an extremely helpful skill to have when discussing with the musicians.
Loved those beads one of the women was wearing at 15 til.
This was interesting, thanks Stephanie. I was surprised to see that people are still wearing masks. I'm in Australia and that isn't a thing here now
This rehearsal was in early 2022, but with the need to protect the singers (who are non-replaceable-these artists are booked years in advance. If they get sick, they cannot be replaced. How would you feel is you bought a ticket to see Taylor Swift and she was replaced last minute with an understudy? Not what you paid for, right?)
Yes, this was March of 2022, but I do know lots of big opera houses in the US still require them. We do not have cover roles most of the time, and we also don't have the time to re-teach the entire show to someone else. So we wear masks to keep our show moving forward.
@@StephanieCanada That was my thinking. Heck, the First Lady just tested positive for COVID again!
I always enjoy the Utah Opera when I get the chance to go. Thanks for sharing your job with us! I hope if you ever manage a production in Utah again, you'll let us know so we can come to see the show and support the arts.
Oh fun! And yes, if I go out again, I will post to my community posts about the show.
This was super fun. I really enjoyed this.
I am so glad you enjoyed it!
no, I totally didn't say "thank you hour" "thank you half" "thank you act 2" involuntarily, idk what you're talking about.
fun fact: if you catch me at the right level of sleep and yell a number at me, I will repeat it with Thank You attached
Same. HARD same.
I have a feeling that some of the announcements would trigger that in theatre workers.😂
Holy buckets...full of catfish!!! Why? Because holy buckets just was not enough. And I felt like I had been run through a wringer directing a 1 minute news blurb when I was with AFKN many decades ago. I imagine you must feel like you have been main lining expresso during the dress rehearsal. And then experience an equally massive wave of exhaustion about an hour later.😵💫
I had to run the music for a wedding my husband was officiating once and I nearly had a heart attack from the anxiety of clicking ONE THING! I was certain that "Big Booty Ho" was going to play instead of "Here Comes The Bride". You are amazing!
Thank you for doing this video. My hubby has done many stage crew positions over the years. I am only very familiar with the black shirts since I'm not allowed backstage. He has done lighting, sound, and even stage manager for many small theater productions. He is about to do Jazz Fest here in New Orleans in a few weeks
AAAHHHHHH!!!!!
I got to help assistant stage manage tosca last october, and now I am filled with excited nostalgia ❤❤❤
AMAZING!!!
You are fricking amazing!!! Thank you for sharing your job with us! This was so interesting, and I knew you were cool, but I never imagined this level of cool!!! ❤
Hey, Stephanie, just wondering if you'd let us know what mic you use for your videos?
Also, super interesting to see a stage production from this angle! I've always been in the pit orchestra and never really seen much of the backstage shenanigans.
Can I ask dumb question? Utah Opera? Don't you live in Florida?
Not a dumb question. In opera we typically fly in and out per show. I have worked in many different states doing my job with different companies.
@StephanieCanada oh! I assumed you would be an employee of a specific Opera company. Fascinating!
Awesome! I'm in the middle of career planning and I love these kinds of videos
Oh VERY cool! I never did do that, I just knew I loved organizing and so this is where I went. 😂
This was amazing! I loved seeing what happens behind the scenes - I hope you do more of these (costume design & creation? set building?) I came for the sewing bits, but I stayed for the show> Cheers!
Thanks for making this video!! I've worked wardrobe on a bunch of opera shows & the SMs work so hard!! It's nice to see those of us in blacks getting some screen time.
How do you study and train for this kind of job?? I think it would be so thrilling and I love the perfect organization of it all! So engaging from start to finish too, absolutely no opportunity to be bored.
Very interesting Steph. I have no experience in this, obviously, so I learned something new. Your hair is straight!
I live so close to SLC. I would have bought tickets if I had known you were managing this opera. It would have been fun to say "I know people back stage" 😂
If I head back I will make sure to do a community post about the show.
@@StephanieCanada thank you!
I never ever was part of a theater experience and this is so fascinating to be behind the scenes for tech! Neato!! Much appreciated. I voted for this. I do safety for construction so you know what I do. This is way cool. I’m a sewing follower but glad to have voted to see this.
This is your Day Job Stephanie. I have watched so many of your videos but not realised this is what you do. Thanks for sharing.
Never done Tosca.. magic flute twice, marriafe if v Figaro twice. I have huge respect for sm's
That was super cool!! Really informative!
I am glad it was informative! I realized that without explaining most folks wouldn't understand what they were looking at.
I did musical theatre for 15 years and I think the most fun I had was as an ASM and having the SM let me call a show... scary but so much fun. I miss it a lot
This is fun! I like seeing different sides of people and also like to be reminded how terrible I would be at certain occupations. 😂
This was fascinating. Thanks for the peek into your job - looks like such controlled chaos!
Wow fascinating Stephanie! Understanding the lingo was difficult at first but then when you started in I believe your eyes fully dilated! 😮 Opera is the best! ❤
Sorry it was hard to understand at first! I tried my best to explain things.☺
@@StephanieCanada no no don't be sorry. You did well to explain, it was just so different than what I sitting in the audience would hear! Lol 🩷
Thank you so much for this video!! It’s so interesting to see this side of the curtains.
Thank you for taking the time to watch and comment!
That was brilliant! More videos like this please Stephanie!
Aww thanks! It is VERY rare to find a company willing to do this.
Loved this Stephanie! And yes, Alex and Sarah rock!
I had to stop here because the orchestra has started playing is a nice change from the usual " trash day / leaf blowing / airplane overhead reasons.
Amazing ! So interesting! Cool job.
Thank you! I do love my job. It is the BEST!
Lol there was a meme going around about how a director could have a perfect dress rehearsal... oddly until me no one said " hand the show over to the sm and get tf out of the way.
So cool, Stephanie! Were you living in Utah in 2022, or do you travel to do your SM work?
I am a huge fan of opera. I was for many years a subscriber to Chicago’s Lyric Opera and I’ve taken my mother to performances at La Scala and the Sydney Opera House.
For opera stage managers, it is rare to live and work in the same city. I flew into Salt Lake City for the duration of the show and then flew home.
I thought I had the best job in the world, but you give mine a run for its money...
So helpful! I'm a undergad going into calling my first opera piece with a history of ballet, thank you!!
Best of luck! Opera is challenging but you can do it!
Oh memories! (Former costumer, dresser, and stagehand here)
Hopefully good ones! ❤
Very much so. Thanks so much for sharing this snippet of your 'real life' and profound skill. 🙏💖
I remember when U told us U had this footage. I was like YES, bring it on, being curious + interested in this side of U. Women are so capable + multi-faceted! I remember the cape challenge too! Neat vlog, thx 4 sharing. Ciao.
Yup! it took me FAR too long to make this work, but glad I could share it with you.
That was amazing! Thanks for the look at backstage opera.
Oh my goodness, how in the world do you learn how to do that. It’s so high stress and scary ?
Wowser.... that's amazing! Your management skills are fabulous.
Aww thanks!
Is this your " day job"? How cool!
It is! Even thought it has been a year since I have done an opera, it never leaves my body. ❤
Very interesting. I've been in on wardrobe and quick-change, but not really anything to do with stage management (except by fast and quiet do you don't get a note.)
I am happy to provide some insight! Glad you enjoyed it!
Very very interesting, thank you for showing us!
Snow?? Ok, this must be an old video, your hair is really long.
Wow! This is so informative and cool!!
Yes, you got it! This was in March of 2022. It just took me that long to figure out how to make this work.
How did you end up stage managing a show in Utah when you live in Florida? I’m so curious.
I had the opportunity to stage manage a community theater show, but did not have those monitors, I just had to go by my sight line from the side of the stage. I would have loved a front of stage monitor!
In opera we fly into the companies we work for. Very rarely do you live and work in the same place. I had worked there once before so this was my second time back. And monitors are a must for all safety issues!
Wow! I didn’t realize all that was involved. Thank you for sharing this, and thanks to Utah Opera as well
You are so welcome! I truly love my job.
That was amazing! Thank you for sharing. 💕
I am so glad you enjoyed it! It was fun to do for sure
Absolutely fascinating! Thank you for sharing such an interesting job!
Thank you so much for watching!
Yup. Im a costume designer for opera...
Seeing things behind the scenes is always really cool to see. Thank you for sharing!
Thank you for watching and commenting! ❤
Question: do stage managers and other tech have a permanent position with an opera company? Or is it like film (and what I understand of Broadway) where you are hired for the show, and after it wraps you go out and try to get hired for another show?
In opera, very rarely does a company have a resident stage manager position. Most of the time we fly in and out for each show.
Great video. Something you would think you would never see. So happy you got to share this with us.
It really was the stars aligning. It is very rare to get a company AND theatre to agree to something like this.
Tosca is my favorite opera. Thanks for sharing your very interesting job.
Thank you so much for watching! And yes, Tosca is a GREAT opera to watch and work on.
How cool!! Thanks for taking us along!
I was so happy the company agreed to let me film this! The stars truly aligned.
Cool! Thanks for the literal peek behind the curtain! Super interesting
You are so welcome! It was fun to do, just wish I had more footage.
Wow! Super fantastic!
This. Was. Riveting. Thank you for the fun diversion!
Happy to provide the diversion!
I love this! Thanks for sharing this amazing content! 👍❤️
Thank you so much for watching!
Definitely got a few flashbacks over here! I did nearly every tech theatre position at least once for my degree, but stage manager was always beyond me - definitely one of the hardest jobs in the business!
Same! I had to cycle through all the positions in college. Glad I was able to give you a flashback (hopefully good ones).
@@StephanieCanada Definitely good! My college actually shared a campus with a professional theatre, so I had the good fortune to have my work study job in that theatre for 3 1/2 years. After college I focused on film. Sometimes I forget how much backstage can feel like home. So it was nice to "be" backstage again.
loved this...thanks for putting this up...very cool!
Thank you for taking the time to watch and comment! It helps the video SO much!
That was great! Good job!
Thank you so much!
You’re cool and should feel cool. Thanks for that behind the scenes from an opera, I had no idea.
Aww thanks!
Loved the video, you were pitting notes in your script so do you read italian, if not how do you know where the cues come on?
I fluently read music (as I have played some kind of instrument since I was 6). I also do understand Italian as I took 3 years of it in college and lived there for two summers. Bonus is I am really good at memorizing music, so for some shows I barely use the score.
I noticed that everyone backstage is wearing a face mask. Wow. I had no idea you are trained to do this.
This video was from March of 2022 and masks were still mandated backstage. In opera, they are still encouraged as we do not hire cover roles (someone else to learn the lead roles). So wearing masks keeps the whole show moving forward.
What an interesting and exciting job! Thank you for the insight 😊
Thank you for taking time out of your day to watch!
That was fun. I’m almost 60, so that gives you an idea of how long ago I was in college. I was very active in theatre back then, for all 4 years, so this brought back some terrific memories of fun and friendship. Thank you for that.
Wow! I had no clue how all the stage magic happens!! Thank You for that peek behind the curtain and into your “other” life! I haven’t seen a lot of opera, but I’ve seen dozens of Broadway musicals and plays. I assume they do the same kind of routine to make everything run smooth from the audience perspective. Looks like Basic Black is the uniform for all backstage crew! Totally enjoyed this video!!!
Yep, that's pretty much the way it happens across all theatre (there are aspects that are different, depending on the type, but overall pretty similar). Yes, all black clothing is almost always required for backstage crew so you have less chance of being seen/noticed by the audience if a curtain/set piece accidentally shifts, or if you have to go onstage while the curtain is open.
Happy to provide a sneak peek! Actually, in opera, stage managers rarely have to wear all black, but in this one case, my ASM absolutely did!
@@StephanieCanada Yeah, I've had a couple of theatre shows where I didn't have to wear all black to SM, but I'm usually doing (very) small community theatre, so I end up doing double or triple duty as SM/costume chief/stage crew/whatever else is needed.
Thank you! As someone who’s only ever watched stage productions from the audience, that was fascinating. My god, I can just imagine the job of the stage manager at the royal danish opera now, in between sets, as they don’t change set dressings - they swap out their entire stage. The whole thing is on rails and they have five full-size stages they can swap in and out as the play progresses. That backstage area is *wild*! :D
Fascinating, despite the absence of Bugs Bunny in drag.
Yeah, but we usually do have "pants" roles that are Mezzo's that were male style clothing and play a young boy.
Loved that! As a former Assistant Conductor at a major opera company, I have huge respect for Stage managers and ASMs. Sounds like that was a really great rehersal!
Really interesting! Thanks for sharing it with us.
Thank you so much for watching!
I'd love to know what you studied to be able to do this job and have the credentials to get hired. Fascinating to watch you. Thank you so much for this.
I went to a conservatory where I was specifically trained in Stage management and have been in the opera space since 2012.
Thank you for your answer. I had no idea about that major!@@StephanieCanada
Gosh it's hard to believe it snowed in Utah. While the rest of the country is boiling in the heat. Extreme in some places, while where I am dwelling in the Pacific Northwest under mostly mid seventy to mid eight degree weather. Our summer strangely has been kind. I guess the forces beyond my reach have heard my disgust about the ridiculous warmer than usual summer last year. I am still reeling from the Sunday of October 16, 2022 where the weather was not only ridiculously sunny but hotter than it had a right to. It was eighty eight degrees Fahrenheit, a record setter. Yikes😬.Don't believe me ask Lady Rebecca Fashions. A lot of us suffered. I think needlessly. Enjoy the snow while you still can andbe careful.
This snow was from early 2022, so it's not happening now. I remember several friends in the Portland area talking about last year. One friend, also from Mississippi originally, complained to us that he felt like he was back home (although he admitted it still wasn't as bad as it gets down here, but y'all typically don't have a/c everywhere).
Yeah, sorry about that. This was from March 2022, it just took me THAT long to figure out how to make it work.
@@StephanieCanada Thanks for the correction 😊🩷. See you in your next video.
You are in one of my favorite places! I wish i still worked there so we could cross paths. Watch out for my favorite ghost, he loves throw hangers!
Oh my! I never ran into the ghosts, but now I wish I had.
@@StephanieCanada there was a fire long ago and an usher died helping people get out of the building. If you acknowledge him he will let you know he is there😄
Somehow I doubt you and the ASMs get paid enough
You would be correct. I make approximately $20/hr if I add up my time. And this is 1099 work so I have to do my own taxes.
Bless the stage managers...
So cool! Thank you for this look behind the scenes.
Thank you so much for watching!
I LOVE THIS! Smashing good! I work in TV and your in-the-moment direction is very much like that of a technical director during a live newscast or event. My question is: how far are you physically from the stage/house? You’re giving audio cues to the technical staff - how do you keep the audience/performers from hearing YOU?
I really love your sewing and pattern-related videos too!
Not Stephanie, but I've been SM for local community theatre, & I think I can answer this although our setups were never quite this... technological. Heh. (My kingdom for monitors!) If you're lucky enough to have headsets, they're put on channels that do not go connect to the PA system that the audience hears (assuming no glitches, which. Urm. Well. That's why we have tech rehearsals.) It's usually very difficult for anybody in the audience to hear anything that's not actually on the stage in front of the curtains (and that's when there's no orchestra playing over everything). If the audience can actually hear anything behind those curtains, something has probably gone terribly wrong (or you're watching a play where it's done on purpose, & there are probably mics involved).
Back to the technical aspects: She is actually IN the theatre, usually just off the side of the stage in what we call the "wings". Often the SM desk is only a foot or two past the curtains that mark the edge of the stage visible from the audience, sometimes hidden in those curtains & everybody just learns to work around it if somebody (ahem, the director) blocks an entrance/exit there.
Staff/crew will also have headsets where they can hear what the SM says & maybe communicate back. (Notice when she was asking how "right side" and "left side" were doing? They were answering back with their status.) There are also speakers set up, generally in areas where the actors congregate but where the sound WILL NOT bleed out to the house/audience where they can hear any announcements ("chorus to stage right immediately") made through the "biscuit". The "God mic" is for announcements that need to be heard across the stage or into the audience. When audiences are present, that's what's used for those "Please silence your phones," type announcements. During rehearsals, this is how the SM/Director can address everybody without yelling at top voice.
Feel free to ask more questions. I'm sure Stephanie will correct anything I've said that applies to community theatre but not opera. (We're related worlds, but not always identical. Closest I've done to that is musical theatre, and give me a straight non-musical play ANY day of the week.)
@@moniquetroththank you! I actually did a lot of plays in high school (made it to the Thespian Society 😌) and I also did community theater, as well as a TON of choral music (soprano; never did opera, but did do oratorios, renaissance music etc).
I can still hear my high school theater director bellowing “QUIET BACKSTAGE!” because we were horsing around back there or in the wings between our scenes. Either he had amazing ears, or we were WAY louder than we thought - probably the latter!! 😂
@@aimee-made LOL, based on my own experience with large casts that include lots of high school students, I"m gonna guess the latter too. Of course, backstage chatter is more obvious in smaller theatres, so it probably depends on the size of your spaces. In college, our theatre was TINY -- almost a black box space -- so backstage chatter was very audible to the audience even if we had a small cast. The rule there was NO chatter backstage unless you were in one of the classrooms around the theatre, not even in the hallways if the audience was present.
For opera specifically, I am calling from backstage. The reason the audience doesn't hear me is because most of the time the singers are singing VERY loudly, so no amount of me talking in a headset will be heard. At this particular theatre I was 12' from stage.