Behind the Scenes

	Natan Samuels

Name:  Natan Samuels

Birthplace:  Miami

City of Residence:     Miami

Occupation:     Sound Designer

Credits and awards:
Curtain Up nomination for Betty’s Summer Vacation at Mad Cat.  Various credits include Match, 2.5 Minute Ride, and Dealer’s Choice at Mosaic Theatre, Matt & Ben, Waiting for Godot, and Painted Alice at Mad Cat, and American Buffalo with the Alliance Theatre Lab.

How long have you been a sound designer?
Professionally since July 2004.

What got you interested in sound?
I’m a trained musician, but I have always had a bizarre fascination with different types of sounds.  For instance, as a child I would hold objects close to my ear all the time—especially things that made gooey or squishy sounds, like food from the dinner table.  Mom was ne’er too pleased about that!

What is involved in creating the sounds in a show?
My girlfriend was directing a play at school and asked me to come aboard.  I was involved in sound recording and remastering at the time, so it was a small step.

How much of your direction for sound is in the script and how much is
of your own design?
Depends on the script and the director.  In scripts that are sound heavy, more of my overall effort is put into realizing the sounds and music that are called for.  In those cases, I normally don’t add cues.  But in scripts that are sparse sound-wise, I’m always looking for places to add sounds.  Many times the director will also have particular sounds they’d like to have added in.  However, whether the sound is called for in the script, or I add it in, I still have to design every single cue individually!

Do you collect sounds, the way John Travolta's character did in Blow Out,
the only film I can think of that dealt with a sound man?
Never saw the film, but yes!  I recorded the sound of a banana getting peeled just the other day!  Actually Rhett Butler, Clark Gable in Gone With the Wind, was a sound designer, but it barely came out in the film….

What shows present the biggest challenges?
The ones with directors, of course.  Just kidding!  Technically speaking, the biggest challenges occur when there are many sounds happening at once.  All theatres have different equipment in varying states of technical ability.  So what might be easy at one theatre is difficult in another.  In the latter case, it’s up to me to resolve the issue any way that I can.

What inspires you?
Great art.

What are the hallmarks of good sound?
Good sound keeps the audience intently focused on the action of the stage.  Furthermore, it they should forget they’re actually watching something onstage in the first place, as opposed to witnessing a series of spontaneous events.

What do you consider your proudest professional moment?
The playwright Stephen Belber came down from New York to watch the regional premiere of his play Match last season at Mosaic Theatre.  When I met him afterwards, he told me how much he enjoyed my musical choices.  That was a very gratifying moment.

What show or project have you most enjoyed working on and why?
Waiting for Godot at Mad Cat, simply because it’s Godot!  Opportunities don’t come along every day to take part in a production in which the playwright is a Nobel Prize winner.  Working on the project was so enjoyable because I love and respect the script.

What is the best thing about working in South Florida theatre?
The theatre community here is relatively small and close-knit.  As a result, it’s easy to form good working relationships in a short amount of time.  To me, this pays off in production meetings and rehearsals because I feel more willing to speak my mind with the directors, producers, actors and other designers involved.  Overall participation from everyone always makes for a better experience for the audience.

Current and Upcoming projects?
The “Summer Show” at Mad Cat (as yet untitled), and Red Light Winter, 9 Parts of Desire and a TBA at Mosaic Theatre.