Home / Arts and Entertainment / Bowie Rocks Broadway: Dog Day Adaptation's Sonic Boom
Bowie Rocks Broadway: Dog Day Adaptation's Sonic Boom
14 Apr
Summary
- The Broadway adaptation of Dog Day Afternoon features a powerful sound system.
- David Bowie's music is prominently featured in the stage production.
- Sound designer meticulously curated 14 songs from 150 experimented tracks.
The new Broadway adaptation of the 1975 film Dog Day Afternoon offers a sonic experience that rivals a concert, a surprising element for a drama focused on character complexity. Sound designer Cody Spencer meticulously crafted the soundscape, drawing inspiration from 1970s mainstream and college radio to evoke a gritty New York atmosphere. Playwright Stephen Adly Guirgis specifically requested the inclusion of David Bowie's music, with "Queen Bitch," "Moonage Daydream," and "Aladdin Sane" featured.
Marvin Gaye's "Inner City Blues" and "Trouble Man" contribute to the tense environment within the bank heist narrative. Avant-garde jazz, including the sampled "The Edge," also features, alongside an intentional anachronism with Talking Heads' "I Zimbra" due to its perfect fit for an actor's entrance. Spencer experimented with 150 songs, narrowing it down to 14 final selections, with many transitional cues lasting only eight seconds.
Spencer utilized cutting-edge L-Acoustics technology to ensure an immersive sound experience, tuning the system for optimal listening from every seat. Miniature subwoofers were mounted to ceilings, a first for a play, to add extra impact. Over a thousand sound effects were employed to simulate the bustling exterior of the bank, creating a sense of an outside presence for the audience.
