I first became aware of the work of sound designer David Remedios at Maine's Portland Stage. In a two-character dream play, "Mary's Wedding," Remedios infused over 300 individual layers of sound that seamlessly trespassed into the world of dreams, transporting the action from the past to the present and back to the past.
Rolling thunder, clock chimes, automatic gunfire, pounding rain and the chortle of frightened horses were dubbed and overdubbed in an evocative undulation that underscored all of the action. It compellingly illustrated the illusion of two actors caught in the matrix of an ever-changing dream.
Brilliant sound design strums the strings of consciousness in a complex way, subtly eliciting emotive responses that sometimes affect us almost imperceptibly.
Of all the artists who participate in the collaborative chemistry of the theater, it was often true that practitioners of sound were recruited from the rank and file of the production team. This, however, has changed. The “effects man” has evolved into an integral part of the design team, and the role of the sound designer has become integral to stage magic. Boston’s David Remedios is a leading exponent of this current breed of stage artists who have, with advancements in technology, transformed the theater-going experience.
Remedios began his theatrical interest in high school as an actor and musician, then studied music and classical guitar in college along with American studies and theater arts at California State University, Fullerton. Here his interest and experience in the world of sound were incubated. He moved east to join the sound production staff at Harvard’sAmericanRepertoryTheater (A.R.T.), designing sound for over 50 productions during his 16-year residency.
His first forays as a full-fledged sound designer were with A.R.T.; he’s currently a freelance sound designer for Boston’s Huntington Theatre Company, Lowell’s Merrimack Repertory Theatre and Maine’s Portland Stage, among others.
As this issue of artscope approached press time, Remedios was completing work on the world premiere of “The Luck of the Irish” with the Huntington Theatre, then traveling to Portland Stage for their production of “Marie Antoinette: The Color Of Flesh,” which runs through May 20. He was also continuing work on the new incarnation of “Car Talk: The Musical!!!” with Underground Railway Theater at the Central Square Theater (which will run from June 14 through July 15), and planning Commonwealth
Shakespeare Company’s production of “Coriolanus,” destined for the Boston Common on summer evenings in July and August.
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