SAN JOSE, CA – Clear-Com's WBS 680 UHF analog wireless system was recently used by a non-profit theatrical organization Angels On Stage for show communications on their production of Disney's Aladdin. Angels On Stage gives children with Down Syndrome an opportunity to become performers in a fun, judgement free environment. For many of the "angels," this is their first time on stage, so it is important that the stage crew creates a safe environment to work and to relieve performers' anxiety.
"Clear communication with the entire staff helping guide the children is really important to a successful Angels On Stage production," said DeAnna Pursai, founder of Angels On Stage. "The children are going to explore the stage area. If someone does go where they do not belong, or if a child has a medical issue, a member of our staff is on the Clear-Com system and is able to instantly alert someone to go and help out. It's so reassuring to be able to use effective equipment that's going to aid us in helping the angels stay safe and to illuminate their abilities. We really appreciate the portability of the Clear-Com wireless beltpacks as well as their effectiveness in communicating clearly."
The tech crew and other staff members on stage are on WTR 680 wireless beltpacks. Their entire WBS system has been integrated with Clear-Com's Encore PartyLine System, which is already permanently installed at the Evergreen Valley College Theater, the venue for Aladdin. The director of the production used a MS-702 Main Station connected to the Encore system to communicate with the staff and tech crew in the booth.
For the recent Aladdin production, performers were waiting in rooms backstage prior to their entrances. This required some staff members to tend to the needs of the performers as they brought them on stage. Simultaneously, the tech crew was coordinating set changes and light cues to ensure that the show was of professional quality. By operating on a two-channel system, the tech crew was able to get cues from one channel without interfering with the communication between the staff members assisting the angels and vice versa. The system also provided the ability for both groups to communicate with one another when needed. As stage manager Nina Anderson Duncan explains, being wireless is particularly helpful when handling the angels' entrances and exits.
"I think one thing that was really helpful for me personally was to be able to be on stage with the angels dealing with anxiety or helping put the actors in place right before their cue," Anderson Duncan explains. "With the wireless beltpacks, I could easily walk off right as the curtain was opening. The ability to be there with the children was a big relief and I think it really sets the children up for success when they feel like the staff can stay with them. We don't have to worry about being tethered or being stuck in one position as you would with a wired intercom."
For more information, visit www.clearcom.com.
