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Theatrical sound design emerges from an open and imaginative interaction between creativity and technology. In dialogue with the director and the other designers, it begins with a playful consideration of the acoustic elements that serve the creative intentions of a production before then determining the best tools and techniques with which to create these sounds.
With an appreciation of the unique contributions of sound design to theater productions, Jim Swonger approaches this creative process with a commitment to the collaboration. Through active listening, and drawing upon a comprehensive knowledge of music and theatre history, he offers suggestions of the types of sound that would enrich the performance of the play under consideration. Then, after determining the technology and techniques best-suited to the production, Jim creates nuanced acoustic effects and soundscapes reflecting the creative desires of his director and the creative team.
• For further details about the principles shaping Jim’s sound designs, please click here.
Using this approach, in both large regional theaters and in small “pop-up” venues across the United States, Jim has designed sound for a diverse range of productions in a career spanning almost three decades. Each production remains a unique expression of Jim’s personal artistry and the creative conversations shaping its performance, reflecting Jim’s growing appreciation of theater and music history as well as his ongoing exploration of new technologies of sound production.
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• For a partial list of Jim’s production credits, please click here.
• For specific examples of Jim‘s work, please click here.
Further information on Jim’s theatrical sound designs is available upon request.
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