Sound as Story: A Call for Change in Musical Theater

At Arrival Arts Initiative, we believe that sound is not simply a technical consideration—it is a core storytelling device. And yet, in musical theater (and related media), the sonic dimension of narrative often receives the least thoughtful attention in the production process.

Even as productions invest heavily in infrastructure—state-of-the-art sound systems, wireless rigs, and complex playback—the final mix too often comes together in a rushed and reactive process, driven more by circumstance than intention. There is rarely time allotted to refine the interplay between dialogue, vocals, orchestrations, and ambient elements. And the conversations that should shape this process—the ones between composers, orchestrators, conductors, sound designers, and mixers—are often fragmented or absent altogether, reduced to last-minute negotiations under pressure, while the broader creative team waits to “sign off.”

This is not a matter of resources. It is a matter of priorities and workflow. When sound is treated as a finishing touch rather than a foundational layer, the work suffers—clarity diminishes, nuance is lost, and the emotional potential of music and voice is undercut.

Arrival Arts is committed to addressing this imbalance. We advocate for a reimagined process in which sound is integrated earlier and more deeply into the creative dialogue. We support workflows where mixers and sound designers are not merely technicians but collaborators—where musical storytelling is shaped not only at the piano or on the page, but in the mix itself.

By fostering more thoughtful timelines and more open channels between departments, we believe we can help usher in a new era of sound-forward storytelling—one in which the ear is treated with the same care as the eye, and the mix is not an afterthought, but an artform.