Abe Jacob

Abe Jacob returns as creative consultant to the Broadway Sound Master Classes (BSMC). Considered by many to be the “godfather” of contemporary sound design, he will be delivering opening remarks to kick off the sessions this Saturday, May 16 at NYU Tisch School of the Arts in New York.

The BSMC actually starts Friday evening with a performance of Hair. Having designed sound for the original production, Jacob will participate in a panel discussion Designing Hair: Then and Now, with sound designers of the current production Nevin Steinberg and Sten Severson of Acme Sound Partners.

Jacob started his career mixing sound for such 1960s rock stars as Jimi Hendrix; the Mamas and the Papas; and Peter, Paul, and Mary; and designed the sound system for the Monterey Pop Festival. His credits range from Jesus Christ Superstar, A Chorus Line, and Pippin to Chicago, Cats, and Evita. As the audio go-to guy for these and other seminal Broadway shows, he virtually created the sound designer position. He continues to actively design, remaining the in-house sound guru at New York City Ballet and Opera. In the past 15 years, Jacob helped secure a charter for sound designers within IATSE (Local 922). In 1993, he helped the Local achieve its first collective bargaining agreement with the League of American Theaters and Producers. In 1999, he helped merge sound designers with Local One. In 2008, he was honored by the United States Institute of Theatre Technology (USITT) for his lifetime achievement , as well as recognized in a USITT monograph USITT Presents: The Designs of Abe Jacob.

The Broadway Sound Master Classes will be held May 15 to 17 at NYU Tisch School of the Arts in New York and includes a ticket to attendthe revival of Hair on Broadway on Friday evening, May 15.

Check out full Broadway Sound Master Classes course information here.