UC Irvine

Sound design is a comparatively young member of the theatrical design family. Computer technology for sound and music, much of which emerged over this past decade, continues to become cheaper and more widely available, making intricate sonic designs more accessible now than in the past for designers and theaters alike. While this is a big step for the art of sound design, the field is still adolescent in comparison to the scenic, costume, and lighting design fields. Sound design has become a regular part of the creation of modern theatre; that said, modern sound designers might collaborate with other theater professionals who trained without significant collaboration with or influence from sound designers and sound design. As such, collaborative practices between a sound designer and the rest of a theatrical team continue to develop. Through this thesis, I hope to provide a comprehensive snapshot of the role of sound design and sound designers in modern theatre, and to illuminate important strategies for successful collaboration between sound designers and a theatrical team.