One vital piece of equipment that is often overlooked when discussing a production budget for an upcoming show is the headset. “But” -you say- “There is a great intercom system already in place-why can’t we just use that to communicate between the stage and the lighting booth?” Well, that idea would work great if: 1.You wanted the entire audience to overhear every conversation during the show, and 2. The lighting technician used to work as a crane operator or a doorman in a luxury apartment building, because both of those professions have learned to decode the garble and static that comes from the tiny speaker in an industrial “squawk box”. For the rest of us who work in theater, a solid and reliable method of transmitting and receiving voice cues is necessary.

Luckily, there are numerous audio companies who market multi-station headset systems. These include Clearcom, Production Intercom, David Clark, Inc. and Telex. There are two basic types of units available, and often larger tours and rental houses will combine both: the wired device which operates on standard 3 or 4 pin XLR audio cables; and the wireless which operates similarly to a two-way radio. In either case, the system can be built with following components described below.

The primary tool is the headset itself. There are three main designs: the one-ear lightweight which goes over the ear lobe; the one-ear muff which is heavier and resembles a pilot’s or telephone operator’s rig; and the two-ear “tune out the world” unit. All three choices are equipped with an adjustable boom microphone for clear speaking. The headset is then plugged into a belt pack, which connects the stagehand to the rest of the crew. There is a small DC powered light, which can be used in high-noise concerts or during a quiet moment in a drama to notify that a message is waiting. There is also a push-to-talk switch so the system remains quiet until one of the stations is activated. The third component is a volume control, which adjusts the incoming signals to prevent sudden loud broadcasts. As the term denotes, the pack has a metal clip that fastens to a belt or wall hook.

Next, the headsets are joined together by a master or base station. Usually, this controller is located in the lighting booth or stage manager’s console. It can be designed to be single channel, where everyone is linked at all times; or multi-channel that allows the lights and sound to speak independently. The base station also has a speaker, for monitoring of the conversations without needing to be on a headset. Another accessory is the wall or rack-mounted remote, which is often used for the house manager and other permanent locations such as dressing rooms. This gives the stage manager the option of giving instructions to the performers or staff such as the famous “Five minutes, please.” A telephone handset, which is the same that is found on your office or home phone, can be plugged in for privacy.

The wireless communicators function in the same manner as described above, but there are no cables. This gives the stagehand more freedom to move around during the show while still connected to the system. The antenna is located on the belt pack or in the strap of the headset itself. There is an optional adapter to plug the speaker and microphone jacks on a regular two-way radio such as Motorola or Kenwood into an existing station. This is used at television networks and ice shows where both forms of communications are required. The newest update is a full digital system, where the audio is cleaner and supports up to 60 belt packs or 20 base stations in one wired loop. This device can be seen at Radio City, Cirque de Soleil and Television City. Of course, the cost is higher than analog circuits.

The next time that you are working a follow spot, calling a show from backstage or sending updated monitor mix levels to the console engineer; remember that the thing on your head connects you to the network. If we didn’t have the advantage of multi-channel headsets, we’d still be straining our ears and losing our patience with the “fossil” speaker box!

-Rich Abrams works in Theater Operations at the Yale Drama School, and has been fondly attached to his earphones and belt pack while working backstage on special events.

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