Mic Concealment for Shirtless Actors

[Darcie]

Hello everyone.

I am currently working on a production of Heathers The Musical. There are several instances where actors need to be shirtless on stage and I'd like to conceal their mics as best as possible. I am using Shure QLXD1 transmitters with Countryman B3 Omni Lavalier mics. I plan to mount them on their hairline.

What is the best way to hide the cable running down their back? Just tape the heck out of it? There is also an instance where an actor gets the shirt ripped off of him and then lays on his back with another actor on top of him (During the number Dead Girl Walking, it's a sex scene.) Two of the actors will also be in basically tighty whities and have some light dancing with their microphones on.

They are currently wearing a mic belt for rehearsals. My biggest issue is the cord being visible down their backs.

LASTLY, I am using a light colored element and one of my actors has very dark skin, making the element very visble. Any advice on how to disguise the color?

 

[themuzicman]

First, I'd probably just not fight seeing the cable. When I've super needed to hide mics like that, I've often turned to the makeup department for a prosthesis that hid the mic down the back, or I had the actor wear a wig and put the mic in the wig.

As for making the mic match the skin -- the typical trick is to use Meltonian shoe polish sprays, and some prismacolor or Copic markers.

 

[jkowtko]

Nexcare makes a natural colored tape that you could try.

 

[Dionysus]

Hey I just did Heaters The Musical last year (and I've done Rocky Horror 3 times), so I may of had to do this a few times...

Firstly I am curious about a few things as they really effect the end result in my opinion; mainly being what is the size of the venue, and what kind of budget do you have?
With more distance between the actors and the audience (or the bulk of them) the easier it is for the audience to not notice the mics. Honestly only sometimes do I think you have to go to extreme degrees to hide them... anyways...

Colour of the mic and the "cable" is very important. I usually start with your typical "skin tone" mic depending on what is available (budget and make)... Countryman B6 comes in Tan, Light Beige, Cocoa, White & Black (edit: just checked, and the b3 comes in the same colours, best safe than sorry). Choose whatever is closest to the actor's skin tone.
Using markers, makeup or such is also sometimes necessary in the hair or over skin to help match it. You can find several great options and comments by searching this forum.

I usually use TRANSPORE tape, however there are lots of different tapes out there. I really like that I can easily tear it into exactly the size pieces I want (narrow, or not, long or whatever). It also is DESIGNED to stick well to human skin. Sometimes a little alcohol first to the skin (let it dry) will help with a particularly sweaty actor (it prevents sweating for a time). The alcohol is also great for cleanup before and after.


During Dead Girl Walking in our production of Heathers, we did the scene on a raised platform so they were quite far away from the audience comparatively (which is great as he had to climb up there). We did go full shirtless on both the actress (bra still on of course) and actor. However neither pointed their backs directly downstage at any time, were either sideways of facing the audience.
For Veronica the mic line was clipped several places in her hair, taped at the bottom of her neck (top of back), ran under her bra strap, had another tack of tape partway down her back (so his hand was unlikely to move it when she was "on top") and ran to the transmitter in a belt on her hips with her skirt on top (waist). Sitting in the front row, especially with the way the scene was lit you would not notice her mic at all.

Running the scene over a few times after the actors are miced for the first time before tech or dress rehearsal I think is very important as they are stripping, to music, and of course the scene has to have some very definite energy. Should only take a few goes, but with a little work you should not have any problems.

 

[Darcie]

Thank you for all of the suggestions! I bought a super waterproof cushioned tape that has been working so far, but we haven't done a full dress rehearsal yet so we'll see how it goes.

The venue is a roughly 400 seat raised proscenium theatre, so there's definitely space between the audience and the stage. My budget is the cheapest method possible. I am an undergrad student so I do not have any direct purchasing abilities but I can definitely request things within reason. Our mics are all the second lightest shade which works well for most of our actors. We are using toupee clips that match the actors hair as well as Tegaderm tape on everyone to hold it to their forehead and the base of their neck.

Our Dead Girl Walking scene is directly downstage center, but the actors are turned profile so very few people will be able to see the actors mics. Veronica does rip open her shirt, but it doesn't come completely off so her back is never visible.

My main concern is Kurt and Ram who, after they die, are in their underwear all of the second act. Kurt is in just tighty whities and socks, and Ram is in a white tank top/undershirt, white boxers, and socks. However, my actor paying Ram has a much darker skin tone than our mics. I have not attempted painting any mics yet, but I plan on using the shoe polish method. I can permanently paint it, but I prefer not to if possible.

 

[Dionysus]

Yeah my Kurt and Ram were very "white". I just treated them like anyone else in Rocky Horror or whatever. Condomed the transmitter and hid them in their "tighty whities" (they wore two layers). I find as long as the wire is close enough in colour its typically not much of a problem. You just have to give it enough "support" so it is not going all over the place and thus getting caught (or looking awful).

Condoms are a must for this one.