Wireless Mic & Projector Rental for Into the Woods

Written By

Into the Woods at Burke High School

Starting point: Most productions of Into the Woods need 16 to 20 wireless channels. Our starting point is the Standard 20-channel system. Into the Woods JR. usually fits in 12 to 16 channels.

This is our suggested starting configuration, not a requirement of the show or its licensor. Your count depends on your edition, your staging and your crew.

How we got to 20 channels

In the opening sequence nearly every principal sings in quick, overlapping lines, so each needs a dedicated channel. A typical plan:

  • Core principals (10): Narrator, Baker, Baker’s Wife, Witch, Cinderella, Jack, Jack’s Mother, Little Red Ridinghood, Cinderella’s Prince, Rapunzel’s Prince

  • Supporting roles (6 to 8): Rapunzel, Mysterious Man, Wolf, Stepmother, Florinda, Lucinda, Granny, Cinderella’s Mother, Steward

Productions that double roles, such as the Narrator and Mysterious Man or Cinderella’s Prince and the Wolf, save channels. Sharing packs between different actors is hard in this show because so much of the cast is on stage at once.

This count assumes: every listed role has its own transmitter; your venue covers big ensemble numbers with area or choir mics; and there are no pack swaps. Doubling roles or swapping packs lowers the count. Miking ensemble members individually raises it.

Doubling, pack swaps and your sound operator

Two actors can share a transmitter only if they are never on stage at the same time and a crew member has time offstage to move the pack, re-fit the mic and check it. Every channel also needs attention at the mixer: one operator following a marked script can run a show this size, but bring them into rehearsals before tech week.

Recommended package

  • Wireless: Standard, Good (Shure SLXD), 20 channels, with Broadway lavs: $1,995/week. Book this exact system at Broadway Media →

  • Better microphones: the same 20 channels in Better (Shure QLXD or Sennheiser EW-DX) is $2,995/week, and Best (Shure ULXD) is $3,995/week. Better → Best →

  • Protection plan (required): choose one at checkout at Broadway Media: a Damage Waiver at 10% of the rental ($199.50 on the Good system for one week), your organization’s certificate of insurance, or a security deposit. Compare the options →

  • Shipping and longer runs: shipping is charged at checkout at Broadway Media. Each extra week is the same weekly rate, with no multi-week discount.

  • You provide: a mixer with 20 free mic inputs and a sound system. Economy is the only system that includes a mixer, so a Standard system connects to yours. Check your venue →

  • Range: add a wireless expansion pack (from $195/week) for each 8 channels if performers work more than about 50 ft from the rack, such as in the house aisles. View expansion pack →

  • Projector: The woods, the cottage and the tower all suit projected scenery. Start with your screen width, then check mounting distance and stage light on the projector page. Compare projectors →

Mic notes for Into the Woods

  • Overlapping lines: Sondheim’s lyrics carry the plot, so plan for an operator who can follow a script and bring mics up and down quickly. Consider the Better or Best tier if clarity is a priority and the budget allows.

  • The Witch’s transformation: rehearse the change with the mic on so the pack and cable survive it.

  • Milky White: usually a non-speaking role played with a prop or puppet, so it rarely needs a channel.

Projecting the woods

Scenery is licensed separately from the projector rental. Search Broadway Media’s catalog for your version of the show, then rent a projector to run it. Search scenery at Broadway Media →

Timeline

Pick a start Monday on or before the first rehearsal that needs mics. Broadway Media targets delivery by 5 p.m. local time that Monday, so plan setup and a full test during business hours that week, and book an extra week if you need the gear sooner. Book at least 9 days ahead; orders placed within 4 weeks of the start date may carry a rush charge. How renting works →

Request a quote for your Into the Woods production →

Into the Woods is a trademark of its owners. Rent Stage Gear is not affiliated with or endorsed by the show’s licensor. Photo: Into the Woods at Burke High School, from Broadway Media’s production gallery.

Next

Wireless Mic & Projector Rental for The Little Mermaid