Masque Sound Debuts Sennheiser Spectera On Broadway For Marjorie Prime

Masque Sound has partnered with Sound Designer Daniel Kluger and Associate Sound Designers Charles Coes and Kaileykielle Hoga to deliver a sound system that marries advanced technology with the intimacy of a dialogue-led play for the Broadway production of Marjorie Prime at Second Stage Theatre.

The collaboration marks a milestone as Masque Sound becomes the first company to supply Sennheiser's Spectera wideband wireless system for a Broadway show.

"Daniel and I were both excited to be working with Masque Sound once again," said Coes. "Masque was able to meet our entire system request with a few substitutions that ended up being improvements. One of the most impactful of those enhancements was the addition of the Sennheiser Spectera bidirectional ecosystem. Masque Sound saw an opportunity to bring Spectera to Broadway and see how it behaved in one of the most RF-challenging environments imaginable."

Spectera's bidirectional platform enabled the team to tweak gain, transmission quality and frequency coordination in real time without removing bodypacks from performers — a crucial advantage for a cast that includes 96-year-old Broadway legend June Squibb.

"We knew we might need to provide substantial vocal support, and Spectera gave us the confidence that we could adjust instantly if needed," added Coes. "In practice, June was an absolute pro, but being overprepared is exactly where you want to be. The Spectera's reliability also eliminated the need for backup wireless packs, reducing both RF congestion and rental costs while maintaining performance security."

An unexpected benefit emerged during technical rehearsals when understudies were introduced earlier than usual. According to Coes: "We were able to mic both principals and understudies simultaneously, disable transmission remotely and switch between them instantly, which saved battery life, streamlined tech and allowed us to work faster without sacrificing sound quality. Throughout production, Spectera proved to be both powerful and transparent. We didn't think about Spectera at all, and that’s the highest compliment I can give a wireless system."

The Masque Sound-supplied system features a d&b audiotechnik loudspeaker package, with d&b Y-Series arrays along the front truss to support a refined static delay matrix. Processing is handled by a Yamaha DME7, with a Yamaha DM7 at front of house. Figure 53’s QLab 5 dynamically manages delay zones so vocal reinforcement follows performers as they move across the stage, delivering a natural, coherent listening experience.

The cast uses DPA 6060 miniature microphones to maintain clarity and discretion. "We chose the DPA 6060 for its discreet form factor and sonic clarity, an essential consideration in the intimate Second Stage house," said Coes. "With a small cast and strong budgetary support from Second Stage, we were able to choose tools that prioritized invisibility and sound quality. DPA are wonderful mics."

Coes credits both the technology and the collaboration for the show's results. "Working with Masque Sound makes the show easy to do," added Coes. "From the moment the contract is signed, you have a team of strong technicians that stand behind you with deep institutional knowledge and unwavering support. That allows designers to focus on storytelling. Our audio team, which included Josh Davis Production Audio, A2 and RF Technician Joy Cheever, and A1 Stephen Dee, has been incredible."

Sound Designer Daniel Kluger notes the significance of the deployment. According to Sound Designer Daniel Kluger: "It was exciting for Marjorie Prime to be the first Broadway show to use Spectera. The system sounded fantastic, has worked flawlessly, and I thank Masque Sound for providing it. I’ll definitely look to using the platform again whenever possible."

Masque Sound's director of sales, Scott Kalata, hailed the achievement. "Masque Sound was looking forward to deploying Spectera on a Broadway show and we're proud to be the first to do so," said Scott Kalata, director of sales, Masque Sound. "I'm happy to say that Spectera performed flawlessly night after night. I know we’ve only scratched the surface of what this revolutionary product is capable of. It's a total game-changer."

masquesound.com