Tony Gayle deploys L-Acoustics for ‘Two Strangers’ on Broadway

Supplied by PRG, L-Acoustics’ Kara II loudspeakers were used to create the sonic space for Broadway’s acclaimed play Two Strangers (Carry A Cake Across New York).

Tony Gayle's Two Strangers design features left and right main arrays, each comprised of 10 Kara II enclosures addressing the orchestra and mezzanine seating areas. Two Strangers, currently playing at NYC’s Longacre Theatre, was previewed twice in London and once at Boston’s ART theatre before making its Broadway debut.

Two Strangers follows the story of two lead characters - Robin, portrayed by Christiani Pitts, and Dougal, portrayed by Sam Tutty. The characters meet serendipitously, and the play explores their chemistry as they journey across New York.

London-based Olivier Award-winning sound designer Tony Gayle knew that the Broadway version would require a fuller, bigger sound than the previous incarnations, with only two cast members and five musicians seated on a catwalk upstage.

Having previously used L-Acoustics Kara II loudspeakers at the ART, Gayle once again specified the product for his main arrays and for many of the show’s fill enclosures.

“Kara gives me the subtlety that I need in theatre,” Gayle explained. “It can also scale up when I need it to sound like a bigger box. It’s got that range. I like the way it’s very linear with L-Acoustics.”

Above those hangs are two arrays of five Kara II per side that cover the upper balcony seating. Between those two upper arrays are three A Series loudspeaker hangs—three A10 Focus over two A10 Wide—interspersed with a pair of LF hangs, both featuring a trio of SB18 subs. Two additional SB18 are located one per side behind and beneath the main Kara II arrays.

Beyond that, two dozen coaxial X8 enclosures are spread throughout the room for various fill applications, while 65 5XT loudspeakers surround all three seating levels and line the left and right sides of the stage for 360-degree audio coverage. The entire system is powered and processed by 32 LA4X amplified controllers.

Gayle uses the surround system for subtle effects, like band reverb to make the five-piece band sound fuller. The band includes the keyboardist/musical director, a percussionist, a drummer, a guitarist, and a bassist playing a variety of genres. “It’s making sure that the songs all sit within the same world tonally so you don’t feel like something just came out of nowhere,” Gayle said.

Vocal intelligibility drives Gale’s design strategy. “There are seven hangs of speakers on the main truss: two are subs, and three are dedicated purely to vocals—no band goes through them at all,” Gayle explained. “Vocals then hit every other speaker as well, mixed with the band. I’d say vocals represent 75% throughout all the speakers. The front-fills are predominantly vocals.”

While Gayle wants the band to sound as big as possible, he needs robust vocal energy—especially with only two cast members and no pre-recorded vocals. “All those speaker hangs are there to cover the space and make sure I’ve got that headroom right.”

Gayle deployed two cardioid sub arrays on the truss to keep LF energy off the stage. While he typically prefers ground-based subs that couple with the building structure, the flown configuration worked well here. “I was able to steer the sub image, and because they’re around the same height as the band, it felt right,” Gayle said. “I was pleased with the sub coverage—it’s quite a big theater for having no subs on the floor. We’ve got six flown in two cardioid hangs of three, plus one in each side box.” The cardioid configuration keeps low-end energy focused on the audience while maintaining the punch that the show’s diverse mix of genres requires.

For Two Strangers, PRG provided the gear, and Gayle’s American associate sound designer, Tony Award-winner Cody Spencer, has a strong relationship with them. Gayle’s longtime colleague Toby Chester, Global Application Lead for Musical at L-Acoustics, helped tune the Broadway show’s system, bringing expert understanding of the gear and offering efficient ways to optimise the design.

“I’m a very pragmatic sound designer—I approach each show for what it needs,” Gayle concluded. “What I really care about is: Can I hear the lyrics, and can I hear the orchestrations and detail in the songs?”