Sound on-stage has always been part of the theatre experience. Today the usage of microphones to amplify speech is very common and has become more of a rule rather than an exception. This study investigates amplified speech in live theatre. The goal was to understand the sound engineers’ choice in how, when and why they would apply certain techniques when amplifying speech in live theatre. Six theatre sound engineers were interviewed using a semi-structured form and the analysis was of a grounded theory. The interviews were conducted via skype where both video and audio were recorded. Four main categories were created; microphones, voices, aesthetics and technical, and subcategories were developed from the interviews. The research showed that theatre engineers strive to optimize the illusion for the theatre audience to believe that during the performance, they’re located in the same world as the actors are located in.

Foley, a term named after Universal Studios sound pioneer Jack Foley, is an allencompassing word for the creation of sound effects with materials that can emulate the sound of real world occurrences. While it is used heavily in the film and television world, Foley does not see much direct use in live theatrical performances. The widespread availability and use of prerecorded sound effects has altered the field of theatrical sound design. With thousands of audio files at a designer’s disposal, the need to create custom sounds is reduced. However, certain scripts do call for the use of live Foley. While most of these plays are staged radio dramas, Donald Margulies’s Shipwrecked! An Entertainment… is a brilliant theatrical work that focuses on the art of storytelling. His request for a Foley Artist is a request to stay true to the essence of the play. This thesis will detail the production process for a theatrical Foley designer by outlining the research, design, and execution phases and detailing the experimental nature of adding Foley to a live theatre performance.