In the summer of 2021, I was the sound designer and mix engineer for a production of The Addams Family with Cedar Summerstock Theatre.  This was the first time the company was in this space in this season, so part of my job was to set up the sound system, which included moving the sound board, setting up receivers backstage, setting up monitors, and patching in the microphones to the board.  As the designer, I worked from the script and with the director to create a world that fit the director’s concept.  As the mix engineer, I controlled the microphones during performances, as well as ran the sound effects. 

Although I had taken two sound courses at MNSU prior to this experience, they occurred during the pandemic and were online.  This meant I had the knowledge to set up a sound system, but had never done it before.  I had to do some research to find the different manuals I needed to remind myself how it all works, and how this particular brand of sound equipment worked.  As different problems arose throughout the process, I looked at various sources of information to try to troubleshoot the problem.  For my design, I had to do research to make sure I was creating accurate sounds.  An example would be the effect that went when Pugsley throws a grenade offstage.  I conducted some research into what a grenade sounds like so that the audience believed what was happening on the stage.  Another effect that I did a lot of research for was the storm effect at the end of Act I.  After research and building an initial sound, I presented my concept to the director for feedback.  I took his feedback to further build my soundscape.  Since I was working with sound, I had to learn how to pose my research questions in a way that could get me the answers I was looking for.  I had to be able to describe what the sound was I was going for without using any of the actual sounds.  I also learned how to take what other people were describing to me from their research and create a sound based off of that. 

This production gave me insight into how research in professional theatre works in several ways.  First, I was able to learn more about the process of sound design as a whole.  This will help give me a better understanding of what the designer has to go through when I am not in this position, but attending the production meetings in a different role.  I was also able to learn more about unconventional research.  I can tie this into my work as a lighting designer because I do not work with a solid substance.  This means my research looks different than that of the costume designer and the scenic designer who have physical materials to play with.  For lighting and sound, I have to have a solid set of research questions so that I find the exact answers that I want.

As I continued on into my junior and senior year, The Addams Family would give me a strong foundation of skills on how to conduct research in my field.  I would continue on to use these skills for production such at In the Next Room (Or the Vibrator Play), which I was the sound designer for in the Fall of 2022.  This was a period play, so historical accuracy was extremely important.  This show went up in a three-week timespan, and my summerstock experience can in handy with this.  Both productions required accurate research to be done quickly.  This will be a skill that I can use for the rest of my career.