The Technopraxis Group

01/12/2025

Another sound design of mine is now live! "The 39 Steps" by Patrick Barlow is a comic thriller that's been described as part film noir and part Monty Python. It's a great play, and the sound design is quite complex. More than 225 cues utilizing more than 90 audio assets create a rich soundscape for this play. More information, including a link to a demo reel for the design is available at

Complete and turn-key sound design for Patrick Barlow's comedy who-dun-it "The 39 Steps." All the sound effects and musical transitions to make your sound easy!

11/26/2024

For anyone wondering, the vocals you are hearing in Wicked were captured LIVE. Simon Hayes is a freakin' genius at capturing a live performance. Here's a very interesting rundown on how they managed to keep the live feeling and emotion in an amazing sound track.

The vocals you hear from Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande was recorded live on set.

11/06/2024

Another new sound design posted! This time it's a bouncy and jazzy design for Neil Simon's classic "The Odd Couple." The design features the great original tunes from the motion picture and television series, composed by Neal Hefti. Now available for theaters everywhere!

I was busy with quite a lot of travel in September and October. Now that I'm back at my desk, I've been able to get several new sound designs online and packaged for use by theaters. Today I'm pleased to release my design for Neil Simon's Classic comedy, "The Odd Couple." This light and jazzy

11/03/2024

It's been a busy week. Another new sound design is up. This one is for "Blithe Spirit" and I'm quite proud of it!

A lovely new sound design for the Noel Coward classic "Blithe Spirit."

10/31/2024

By Request! I've finally gotten around to creating a design specifically for the Competition Version of "Radium Girls." The design retains the original character of the original award winning design, with documentation specific to the one-act competition version! More information at

This design for the one-act competition version is based upon our AACT award winning sound design for the play. This is a beautiful piano-centered enhancement for "Radium Girls." This turn-key sound design includes musical and sound effect transitions for each scene. Ticking clocks are used througho...

09/06/2024

Theatrical sound design is a pretty esoteric 'wonky' thing. It's always hard for me to explain to people exactly what it is that I do. It's even harder to express the overwhelming feeling of joy when a design item clicks into place. I've been working on a design for what I believe is an important new play. I have been STRUGGLING with the ending. Nothing I tried seemed to work. It sounds silly, but it is so discouraging to have something in your head that you just can't make happen. Until it does. Something goes 'click'... and it is all there, all of the sudden. And it's perfect. It feels so, so, so good! I'm so lucky to do what I love to do, with people who trust me with projects they love. You should definitely make a plan to come and see the world premier of "Tree of Life," Victor Wishna at The White Theatre at The J in Overland Park, Kansas from September 14 - 22nd.

05/22/2024

It's taken almost seven months. I finally have a Grand Rights license in hand for the use of several pieces of music in one of my sound designs, from one of the three largest music publishing companies in the world. It can be done. You can legally license the music you want to use in your productions. But, you had better not need to get it accomplished quickly! I sure wish we had a system similar to what happens in the U.K. A (very affordable!) blanket annual license paid by the producer covers any music used from curtain up to curtain down. So much easier!

04/11/2024

I'm very pleased to release a new sound effects package for the musical "Anastasia." It is designed as a stand alone package, but also matches perfectly with the spectacular digital video projections available through Broadway Media. I hope you will take a moment to give it a listen!

A complete, turn-key and easy to use sound effects package for the musical "Anastasia."

02/19/2024

My sound design for "Born Yesterday" by Garson Kanin is finally live. This design was actually kind of an orphan! It finally found a home and will premier in May at the Gallo Center for The Arts in Modesto California. All the best and broken legs to the cast and crew of the Gallo Center Repertory Company!

I'm pleased to release a new sound design for Garson Kanin's classic comedy "Born Yesterday." This design features the flavor of 40's jazz for underscoring and transitions. Tense cinematic underscores are for Harry's violent outbursts are included. A cool walking bass line that plays as Billie and P...

09/21/2023

New blog post. Time to renew your performance licenses for ASCAP and BMI through the AACT - American Association of Community Theatre!

It's that time of year again. Time to renew your ASCAP and BMI performance licenses through the American Association of Community Theatres. This is the license that allows you to play music before your show, during intermission, and after the show. It doesn't cover music used within a play, but in m...

08/29/2023

A new sound design live at TechnPraxis.org. "Sleuth" by Anthony Schaffer is a Tony Award winning mystery thriller that premiered on Broadway in 1970. This sound design was originally created for ICTRep - Wichita Repertory Theater's inaugural production in August, 2023. More information at t.ly/UBhfS and listen to a preview at https://vimeo.com/859145553.

“Sleuth” is a Tony Award winning mystery thriller by Anthony Schaffer that made it’s Broadway premier in 1970. This rich, orchestral sound design was originally created for the inaugural production of ICTREP, the Wichita Repertory Theater in August of 2023. The sound design features lovely orc...

06/23/2023

Wishing all kinds of broken legs for a great opening night to the cast and crew of "Oliver" at the Great Plains Theatre tonight!

06/18/2023

Thank you very much to the AACT - American Association of Community Theatre for recognizing my sound design for "Radium Girls." I'm humbled!

05/05/2023

Congratulations to the Greenville High School Theatre in Greenville, Michigan on a successful opening of "Radium Girls." Great review in the local paper! Break all the legs this weekend!

Yellow Jacket Theatre’s production of “Radium Girls” captures the essence of a horrifying historical period without reducing it to cliché. D.W. Gregory's fact-based two-act play, directed with both a light touch and an impassioned spirit by Danielle Verway.

04/30/2023

Making a mic repair with 5 minutes to places! Gotta love it!

04/07/2023

A new post on Technopraxis.org! Copyright for Theater. Getting the right information can be tricky. Here are the basics. https://technopraxis.org/copyright-for-theater/

Using music legally in a play or other dramatic presentation requires licensing, but not in the way you might think. A primer on Grand Rights.

04/03/2023

New post on the The TechnoPraxis Group blog.

Why is sound (for theaters) so complicated? https://technopraxis.org/why-is-sound-so-complicated/