This Broadway Show won a Tony for best sound design. After hearing it for myself, I understand why

As a native New Yorker and former theater kid, I have had the pleasure of watching over 15 Broadway shows in my lifetime. With every experience comes the magic of a story coming to life on stage, captivating the audience. However, due to new sound technology, watching The Outsiders elevated this immersion to an unprecedented level. 

The Outsiders on Broadway tells the story of a group of teens struggling to find their place in Tulsa, Oklahoma, a tale familiar to many Americans from reading the classic S.E. Hinton novel in school or watching the 1983 film adaptation. At the 77th Tony Awards last week, The Outsiders won Best Musical, Best Lighting Design, Best Direction, and Best Sound Design of a Musical.

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As a result, I was thrilled when L-Acoustics, the audio company behind the tech used for the award-winning sound design, invited me to watch the show and experience the sound for myself. However, as someone who loves theater but is not an audiophile, I worried that I couldn’t discern what set this audio experience apart.

Before the show, I spoke with Scott Sugden, L-Acoustics Head of Product and Technology Marketing, asking him what to focus on while I watched. He told me the magic lay in not even noticing the sound — a concept that initially puzzled me. However, it didn’t take long to understand exactly what he meant.

The sound experience

The Outsiders‘ storyline delves into powerful themes of love, loss, grief, friendship, and loyalty. Watching the story unfold live brings an extra layer of resonance, and the sound design plays a pivotal role in this immersive experience.

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As the first song began, I was captivated. The Bernard B. Jacobs Theater faded into the background, and all my attention was on the stage. Despite sitting in the Mezzanine, where I could see the theater’s proscenium arch, balcony, and high ceilings, my eyes were drawn solely to the show, guided by the sound.

The second number features a sequence that introduces all the Greasers individually. As each cast member was spotlighted and introduced with a line from the song, I could immediately hear each voice clearly and distinctly, which directed my attention to the singing cast member.

This effect was no accident but a deliberate choice by the sound team. It exemplifies the power of sound design and what can be achieved with L-Acoustics technology. It was even highlighted as one of the favorite moments of Stephen Jensen, the show’s L-ISA programmer.

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“I find the number Grease Got a Hold to be such a strong showcase for Cody Spencer’s use of L-ISA because of how it helps the audience quickly associate the voice with the actor on stage,” said Jensen. “Being able to provide that solid connection between the placement of the voice and the location of the actor lets the scene be quick and rapid fire without the audience losing track of who is talking.”

“Of course there are flashier moments, such as the fight scenes, that really show off the movement of sound, but I really appreciate the subtlety of how L-ISA helps the audience connect with the Greasers and supports the storytelling without drawing attention to the technology,” Jensen added. 

My favorite moment from the show is the aforementioned fight scene, known as “The Rumble,” between the Greasers and the Socs, the privileged kids from the other side of town. The scene is unlike anything I have seen on Broadway, combining dynamic lighting, choreography, sound effects, and rain. The scene is so mesmerizing that you don’t want to blink. 

You can see a clip from the Tony Awards performance below, but it doesn’t do it justice.

One of the most incredible aspects of this scene is how the sound movement matches the choreography and punches thrown, with thunder and storm effects coming from all around, including beside and behind you. 

This careful placement of surround sound, used sparingly, adds to the scene without being a distraction. As Sugden had told me before the show began, the art of the sound lies in its subtlety. The sound is so immersive that every element feels natural and seamlessly integrated, never distracting or jarring.

Sound as its own character 

Typically, when most theatergoers squeeze themselves into the tiny seats of a Broadway theater for the show’s duration, they rate the performance based on what they see on stage: the actors’ performances, costumes, set design, lighting, choreography, and more. 

However, many overlook the art and importance of the sound design, reducing the show’s audio quality to whether or not they can hear what the actors are saying. While that’s part of it, the audio has a much bigger impact in telling the story than that.

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Cody Spencer, the show’s sound designer, describes audio as a character in the play, playing an active and pivotal role throughout the show to bring the story to life. 

“There are scenes where we never see a character, but because of sound, we know they exist like the fighting parents,” said Spencer. “With sound in this show, we are in a memory, so it doesn’t always have to be exactly as a sound would be in real life; the sounds help weave the story and keep the story moving forward.”

For another example of sound acting as a character, Spencer highlighted the train’s presence throughout the play. Although the audience never sees it, it knows it is present because of the constant sounds we associate with trains. 

“Whether it be the train whistle in the distance, the sound of a train rushing by, or the rumble of the train in “The Rumble,” the omnipresent train is a character of the show,” said Spencer. 

The tech behind the award-winning sound

In addition to Spencer’s expertise and experienced sound team, the award-winning sound was made possible by L-Acoustics’ professional audio loudspeakers, including its L, A, and X Series loudspeakers and L-ISA technology. 

“With much of the show, the audience is ‘inside’ the actors’ heads—it’s a play in which much of the action is being recalled by characters instead of happening in the moment,” said Spencer in a blog post. “Using L-ISA, we’re able to get people feeling the sound from all around them at all times.” 

So, what exactly is L-ISA? This technology refers to a combination of L-Acoustics’ sound tools and loudspeaker configurations that create hyperreal sound in venues from studios to theaters by providing precise sound localization and creating three-dimensional sound environments.

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“Traditional Broadway shows just wash the audience with sound–there is very little localization of where the vocals are, and the band is just a basic stereo mix,” said Spencer. “With L-ISA, we are able to audio what the audience is hearing to where the actor is standing onstage, and we are also able to give the band mix more depth by spreading the band across five sources. This gives the audience a more cohesive experience in their seats.” 

As a result, while the band is situated in the pit below the stage, the sound is designed to make it feel like the band is playing alongside the actors. This was done so well that, after the show ended, some audience members asked me if I knew where the band was sitting because they were genuinely confused about why they couldn’t see them but could hear them so clearly. 

L-ISA is used at concerts, festivals, raves, recording studios, and more. If you want to experience the sound today, beyond The Outsiders, you can do so at Katy Perry’s and Adele’s Las Vegas residencies, and music festivals like Coachella and Lollapalooza.