Where Hamilton hides its mics

Step behind the curtain of Hamilton with A2 Anna-Lee Craig. In this episode, Anna-Lee Craig takes us backstage at the Richard Rodgers Theatre to reveal the intricate world of Broadway microphone craft. From custom-built head rigs made with galvanized steel and fly-fishing line to mics hidden inside the crowns, every piece of the audio setup is hand-fitted to each performer for a nearly invisible fit. Anna-Lee explains how the show manages understudy swaps, mid-show costume changes, and RF interference from Times Square, all while keeping the mix clean for the front-of-house engineer. Alongside house A2 Dodi, she walks through the signal chain from transmitter to mixing console, the transition from head-worn mics to booms for the women's ensemble, and what it means to be the mechanic changing wheels while the bus keeps rolling. Featuring: Anna-Lee Craig - A2, Hamilton on Broadway Erik Dodenhoff - House A2, Richard Rodgers Theatre 0:00 Backstage Tour 0:37 Mics in the Hats 2:11 The Two-Transmitter Harness 4:11 Head Mics vs. Booms 5:38 Understudy Swaps & Mic Assignments 6:32 "ALC Special" Custom Rig 7:52 Boom Rigs & the Broadway Shift 8:58 Dodi & Stage Left Operations 10:46 Listening Station & Signal Flow 12:47 RF Interference in Times Square 15:35 Sweat Outs & Cotton Fixes 16:43 Donald Webber Jr. Returns 18:21 Why Broadway Sound More about me: https://dallastaylor.com This video series grew out of my Webby and Ambie Award-winning podcast, Twenty Thousand Hertz, where we’ve spent a decade uncovering the stories behind the world’s most recognizable and interesting sounds. Listen wherever you get podcasts, or start here: https://pod.link/1171270672 This series is a passion project from my sound agency, Defacto Sound. We produce, mix, and fund these stories through our client work in post-production sound for trailers, ads, TV, film, YouTube, museums, immersive experiences, and more, including work for Netflix, Disney, HBO, global agencies, premium brands, cultural institutions, and thoughtful creators. Working with Defacto Sound helps us keep making videos like this. Learn more: https://defactosound.com Camera: DJI Osmo Action 5 Mic: DJI Mic 2 Handle: DJI Osmo Action Multifunctional Charging Handle Edited in DaVinci Resolve Mixed in Pro Tools by Defacto Sound 🤘