by Venus in Fur sound designer Will McCandless
As
a sound designer, it is my job to produce the sound and music for a production.
At A.C.T., I designed the sound for Venus
in Fur, Napoli!, 4000 Miles, and Higher, as well as numerous Conservatory shows. With each new production, my entryway into a
play relies on clues in the script. My preparation begins with reading the
script several times, allowing my mind to imagine what the world of the play
sounds like: natural soundscapes, sound effects and musical textures that might
support the play. Every once in a while, however, the playwright gives music
clues that transcend setting and music and reach into the characters.
Venus in Fur, we are introduced toThomas, a playwright and first-time
director holding an audition for a stage adaptation he has written based on
Leopold von Sacher-Masoch’s Venus in Fur.
He has decided to direct the show himself (“within an inch of its life”) since
his previous plays have been “misguided” in the hands…