Meyer Sound and Oceania Audio Power Fiddler on the Roof in New Zealand
Celebrated actor Chaim Topol achieved international fame and received
multiple awards for his stage and film portrayals of Tevye, the central
character of Fiddler on the Roof, one of the longest running and most
beloved musicals in Broadway history. After a lengthy hiatus from this
enchanting role, Topol returned to the stage for a series of rare
performances through Australia and New Zealand, most notably at the
spectacular Civic Theatre in Auckland, New Zealand. With sold-out
performances on the horizon, tour management wanted not only a
first-rate sound company, but also a powerful system that would ensure
clear delivery of the musical's potent wordplay and orchestral
accompaniment. The Fiddler team selected locally based Oceania Audio to
provide sound reinforcement for the Auckland dates, and Oceania chose to
supply a self-powered system based on Meyer Sound's MILO(r) high-power
curvilinear array loudspeaker.
The venue presented its share of technical hurdles. "The Civic Theatre
is quite sizeable, nearly 2,400 seats, with a very large balcony section
that comprises about two-thirds of the overall seating, so you have to
almost split the PA into two separate systems," says Richard Baker, who
shared sound design duties with Oceania Audio's Peter Hughes. "Plus, the
design of the proscenium arch gave us limited space to hang speakers
from.
"The biggest challenge was to make the show sound natural, versus
sounding amplified or overly produced," adds Baker. "The story is so
important, particularly the nuances of the dialogue and jokes between
Topol and the other principals. We wanted the audience to be able to
catch it all."
Baker and Hughes laid out the unusual configurations of the historic
theatre in Meyer Sound's MAPP Online Pro(tm) acoustical prediction
software, then used the program to determine optimal speaker placement.
To cover the theatre's extensive balcony, they hung two arrays,
comprised of six MILO loudspeakers and one M3D-Sub directional subwoofer
each. Four MSL-4 horn-loaded long-throw loudspeakers covered the lower
balcony. A center cluster of four flown UPA-1P compact wide coverage
loudspeakers proved essential to the overall design. "The center cluster
was definitely the linchpin that held our system together," says Hughes.
"It made the audience feel as if they were right there by the stage."
In the lower section, two CQ-1 wide coverage main loudspeakers were
mounted behind the proscenium to cover the stalls (orchestra seating),
while a 700-HP ultrahigh-power subwoofer and a UPA-2P compact narrow
coverage loudspeaker were positioned at the far left and right sides of
the stage to provide fill for the first few rows. Four M1D ultracompact
curvilinear array loudspeakers covered the area under the balcony.
Judging by praise from cast members, media, and theatregoers alike, the
design and performance of the system was an unqualified success. "One of
the things I really appreciated about the Meyer Sound speakers was their
quality right out of the box," says Hughes. "Their products have such a
natural sound to them before they're even tuned. Instead of spending
hours equalizing, we were able to concentrate on more important issues
with the design." Baker echoes his partner's sentiments. "Using the
Meyer gear made our job much easier," he says. "With us having to step
in midway through the production when it arrived at the Civic Theatre,
having a seamless rig ready to go was a huge advantage."
