Wireless Mics and Projection for Hadestown: Teen Edition

Show guide · Teen Edition · 8 principals plus a Workers chorus · 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 Hadestown: Teen Edition.

Who gets a mic

Every named role in Hadestown sings and carries dialogue over music, and Hermes narrates over underscore for most of the show. That gives body mics to Hermes, Orpheus, Eurydice, Hades, Persephone and the three Fates: 8 mics plus 2 spares, for 10 channels.

Borderline: the Workers. The Teen Edition turns the original five Workers into a flexible SATB chorus, but many directors still hand a few solo lines to individual Workers. Cover those with a spare body mic rather than a new channel. If your band plays onstage, its instruments need wired mics or direct boxes on separate inputs; they don't use wireless channels. Almost everyone is onstage for most of the show, so we have not shared any packs.

Bigger budget: add 2–4 body mics for featured Workers, for 12–14 channels. Coordinate frequencies with us before you go past 12.

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

Concord asks for at least six Workers, and they sing as a full SATB chorus in numbers like "Way Down Hadestown" and "Why We Build the Wall." Cover them with 2–3 area or choir mics along the stage edge, and hang choir mics overhead if your set puts the Workers on an upstage level. When a Worker gets a solo line, move a spare body mic to that performer instead of opening an area mic for one voice.

Show notes from our team

• Onstage band or tracks. A live onstage band bleeds into every body mic. Use a drum shield or electronic kit, keep amps low and aimed away from the cast, and set vocal gain before band levels.
• Hermes never stops talking. Hermes narrates over music across the show, so his channel must never fail. Use fresh batteries each act, keep a spare fitted and ready to swap, and mix his lines from the script.
• "Chant" and big group scenes. "Chant" puts most principals and the Workers together with overlapping lines. Program mixer scenes or mute groups so only the people singing in that moment are open.
• Balance the Fates as one. The three Fates sing tight harmony while moving constantly. Match their mic placement and EQ, then put them on one fader or DCA so they blend as a single sound.

Projection

Hadestown usually plays on a single unit set, so projection works best for color and texture: the shifting seasons, the descent to the underworld and the long walk out in Act Two. 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 Hadestown: Teen Edition. 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 Hadestown: Teen Edition need?

Plan on 10 channels: body mics for Hermes, Orpheus, Eurydice, Hades, Persephone and the three Fates, plus 2 spares. Add 2–4 more if your director gives featured Workers solo lines.

How do we mic the Workers chorus?

Use 2–3 area or choir mics along the stage edge, plus hanging choir mics if the Workers stand on an upstage level. When a Worker has a solo line, move a spare body mic to that performer.

Can we do Hadestown: Teen Edition without a live band?

Yes. Concord's Teen Edition includes dialogue and music adjustments for productions using performance tracks. With tracks, plan a clean playback setup and good stage monitors so the cast hears the music clearly.

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. Hadestown: Teen Edition is licensed through Concord Theatricals; production rights come from them. Stage Gear sells and rents the equipment. See you on stage!