Wireless Mics and Projection for Guys and Dolls

Show guide · Full-length · 12 principals plus a large ensemble · Reviewed by Stage Gear staff, October 2026

Stage Gear supplies wireless mics, rentals and projection to school and community theatres across the U.S. Our staff work in theatre; this guide is how we'd mic Guys and Dolls.

Who gets a mic

We counted roles that sing solos or carry lines over music: Nathan, Adelaide, Sky, Sarah, Nicely-Nicely, Benny, Rusty Charlie, Arvide, Harry the Horse, Big Jule, Lt. Brannigan and General Cartwright. That is 12 body mics plus 2 spares, for 14 channels.

Borderline: Brannigan, Big Jule and General Cartwright. Brannigan and Big Jule mostly talk, but their scenes often run over underscoring, and Cartwright joins the Mission numbers. On a 12-channel budget, cover Cartwright and Brannigan with area mics. We have not shared any packs here; check your blocking first.

Bigger budget: add the Mission Band singers (Agatha, Calvin, Martha) and Mimi for about 18 channels. That helps "Follow the Fold" and the Hot Box scenes sound fuller.

Mic plot

Every Bodymic is wired for one transmitter family: Shure, Sennheiser, Audio-Technica, AKG, MiPro or Creative Audio. Build your Bodymics to match the packs you own. Cast Pack: every 4 Bodymics of the same style and capsule size earn a 5th free. This plot is a starting point; change any row to suit your cast.

The ensemble

The Hot Box Girls, Mission Band, crapshooters and Havana dancers work as groups. Cover them with 2–3 area or choir mics along the stage edge, and stage group singing downstage when you can. If a Hot Box Girl or Mission Band member has a featured line, hand her a spare body mic rather than adding a channel.

Show notes from our team

• Fedoras everywhere. Most gamblers wear hats. Mount hairline mics low at the forehead, under the brim, and test with hats on. A brim that rubs the element will sound like wind.
• "Fugue for Tinhorns". Benny, Nicely-Nicely and Rusty sing overlapping lines from the first minute. Have all three faders up and balanced before the show starts, or the opening sounds lopsided.
• The Mission bass drum. Arvide plays a bass drum on stage. A drum hit beside his mic can overload it. Keep his fader low during drumming and position the drum away from his head.
• Sewer and Havana. "Crapshooters' Dance" and the Havana sequence are big dance scenes. Use mic belts and tape cables firmly. A little reverb in the sewer helps the space sound underground.

Projection

Times Square, the Save-a-Soul Mission, Havana and the sewer crap game all suit projected scenery, and the Havana night scenes benefit most. Most school auditoriums need 7,000–10,000 lumens with the right lens; smaller black boxes need less.

Our sister company Broadway Media makes Scenic Projections for Guys and Dolls. Not sure which projector? Read Stage Projectors for Digital Scenery.

Rent it for the run, or own it

Buying for a school? U.S. public schools can pay by purchase order. How school ordering works.

Common questions

How many wireless mics does Guys and Dolls need?

Plan on 14 channels: body mics for Nathan, Adelaide, Sky, Sarah, Nicely-Nicely, Benny, Rusty Charlie, Arvide, Harry the Horse, Big Jule, Lt. Brannigan and General Cartwright, plus 2 spares.

Do the Hot Box Girls need body mics?

Usually not. Adelaide carries the Hot Box numbers, and 2–3 area mics along the stage edge pick up the girls. Give a spare body mic to any Hot Box Girl with a featured line.

How do you mic actors wearing fedoras?

Use a hairline mic placed low on the forehead, just under the hat brim, and run the cable back under the hat. Test with the hat on, since a brim touching the mic makes rubbing noise.

Can we rent mics just for our show week?

Yes. Stage Gear rentals run Monday to Monday around tech week, so you have mics for rehearsals and every performance. Systems arrive tested with return labels, and school purchase orders are welcome.

Stage Gear is not a show licensor. Guys and Dolls is licensed through Music Theatre International (MTI); production rights come from them. Stage Gear sells and rents the equipment. See you on stage!