Broadway Play Question

[Nightbird]

Just got back from first trip to NYC. Loved it and can't wait to go back. While we were there we say 3 Broadway plays, Beauty & the Beast, 42nd Street, and Rent. All were fabulous but we have a question.
What are the little raised dots on the foreheads of the performers?
Are these the microphones? B&TB and 42nd St. performers had them. Rent did not but the actors wore headset microphones. We found the dots distracting since we did not know what they are.
Gaston in B&TB had his right in the middle of his forehead!

Hope someone can clear up our mystery!!

Thanks,
Nightbird

 

[AngieBelle]

Yup! You're probably correct. I'm almost positive that what you saw were mics. I've done shows with those type of mics before. They are usually attatched to the wig or right behind the actor's ear. I wore one in Oklahoma last spring because I had a little solo. They're a pain to wear! hehe.

 

[musicfan]

They are mikes. The forehead kind are a lot better at picking up the sound of the voice (if you are creating your sound properly) because of the proximity to the resonance chambers in the head. Interestingly, the kind that wrap around and extend in front of your mouth are the LEAST effective at picking up sound -- they are not getting the benefit of head resonance and they also pick up a lot of spit, blowby breath hiss, and malfunction frequently.

The forehead mikes are a problem if you are bald (in which case they'll use the ear kind, which are not as good at picking up sound), and if you sweat a lot under your wig (most female characters are wearing wigs -- setting your real hair every night is bad for your hair and never looks as good, as predictably as a wig).

I'm a professional actor and have used both kinds of mikes and vastly prefer the forehead kind. Usually they are skin colored, so you really don't notice them unless you're in the first couple of rows.