Off-Broadway Haunts with Sound and Sight

Off-Broadway is presenting two new shows that masterfully blend storytelling with innovative sensory experiences for Halloween thrills. "A Ghost in Your Ear," an Audible production at the Minetta Lane Theater, utilizes a unique binaural microphone shaped like a head to deliver surround sound directly to audience headphones.

This aural technology, influenced by previous theatrical innovations, places listeners within the chilling narrative. Sound designers Ben and Max Ringham skillfully employ stereo effects, making voices and footsteps seem to emanate from specific directions, enhancing the spectral atmosphere of the tale.

While "A Ghost in Your Ear" explores the eerie power of narration and hauntings, it is noted for not fully exploiting its binaural capabilities or thematic potential. Nevertheless, these productions showcase how sound and vision combine to create compelling and frightening theatrical experiences for the season.