MIDDLE EAST: As the international tour of Wicked continues to captivate audiences across Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, the UAE, India and Kuwait, the production’s sonic consistency under highly complex staging conditions is being underpinned by microphone solutions from Point Source Audio. With performances spanning Riyadh, Manama, Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Mumbai and Kuwait City, the large-scale Broadway musical presents a uniquely challenging audio environment, shaped by elaborate costumes, prosthetics, rapid quick changes and demanding choreography, all of which place extraordinary pressure on microphone placement and reliability.

For Sound Designer Shannon Slaton, the scale and visual complexity of Wicked required a miking strategy capable of adapting to near-impossible constraints without compromising vocal clarity or consistency. “With all the masks, prosthetics and costumes, it was a challenge across the board trying to find a position where the mic sounded good and wasn’t being covered up by something,” he explains, citing the character of Dr. Dillamond as a particularly demanding example. With facial hair glued to the performer’s face, combined with a mask and hat, conventional placement options were effectively eliminated. The solution saw the GO2-9WL dual element lavalier microphone and transmitter pack integrated directly into the costume itself, built into the mask and hat in close collaboration with the wardrobe department to ensure the performance was captured accurately night after night.

The challenge intensified with performers undertaking multiple roles and rapid costume changes, most notably the five monkeys in the production who wear full balaclava-style head masks. “Quick changes can be brutal on mic placement,” Slaton notes. To address this, the microphones were sewn directly into the costumes, positioned on the forehead of each mask, with the transmitter packs also built into the headpieces. This approach allowed performers to remove and replace the masks quickly while ensuring the microphones remained perfectly positioned once the costume was in place, delivering consistent results throughout each performance.

Across the wider cast, Slaton relies heavily on dual-element microphones, a technique he has championed for many years to improve reliability and gain structure. Exceptions were made for the lead characters Elphaba, Glinda and Fiyero, all of whom required headset microphones due to both staging and monitoring considerations. “Elphaba in this production literally flies into the house in front of the speakers, so I needed to get her onto a headset mic,” he explains. He also notes that the demands of the show meant the three leads needed to hear themselves clearly on stage, something only achievable with headset microphones when vocals are introduced into on-stage monitoring. After discussions with the music supervisor and director, headset mics were approved to support these technical and performance requirements.

Elphaba presented an additional layer of complexity due to the dense green paint applied to the actress’ face, hairline and neck, a factor that would typically degrade microphone elements over time. However, the SERIES9 GO2 omnidirectional lavaliers and headsets are IP57 rated, allowing them to withstand such conditions while also being colour-matched for visual camouflage. Achieving the correct shade required close coordination with the wardrobe team, but the final result ensured the microphones blended seamlessly into the character’s appearance without sacrificing durability or sound quality. As Slaton observes, “Without the Point Source Audio mics, Elphaba would not have been nearly as compelling.”

The tour has already earned strong reviews during its runs in Bahrain, Dubai and the extended engagement in Saudi Arabia, where Wicked marked one of the first large-scale musical theatre productions to be staged in Riyadh. For audiences across the region, the production delivered a landmark theatrical experience, with Point Source Audio’s SERIES9 microphones playing a crucial behind-the-scenes role in ensuring every performance met the highest sonic expectations, regardless of the visual and logistical challenges on stage.