Michael Shapiro: Sounds for the theatre

How I got started doing theatrical sound

I began preparing sound effects and incidental music tapes for theatrical productions in 1964, the summer before I started graduate school in electrical engineering at Purdue University. I volunteered at the civic theater in South Bend, Indiana, originally to help paint sets for their next production. As I talked with Dave Little, the technical director of the production, we discovered that I had the experience to help with another task. I had partially paid my way through college by working at radio and TV stations, doing audio engineering. I knew how to dub and edit tapes. Dave asked if I would like to do the recorded sound for the show. I said sure and proceeded to dig in.

The show was Auntie Mame. (This was the comedy, predating by several years the later musical Mame.) Well, to date it has still turned out to be one of the more complicated shows I have done. Fortunately, friends at WSBT radio let me use their production studio and library. (WSBT radio announcer Mike May even read a line --- as a radio announcer.) The show turned out great --- including my sounds --- and I was off to college in a few weeks.

When I got to Purdue that fall, I picked up a brochure for the University Theatre. I saw that the first show of the season was Auntie Mame. I quickly volunteered my help and tapes. The staff got me involved, and I've been making sound tapes ever since (for nearly 500 shows in over 38 years). By the way, I've helped on four different productions of Auntie Mame over the years.

Continue this tale of my early experiences

Return to theatre sound home page

This page revised January 13, 2003