Round and round we go: Speech intelligibility and localization for in-the-round spaces

Abstract

The directional characteristics of the human voice are a key theatrical effect in spoken word drama. Maintaining intelligibility and believable localization as performers move and reorient on the stage is a formidable design challenge for in-the-round spaces. We provide an overview of the design strategies for this theatrical form using some notable precedents. Referencing Chicago’s newest in-the-round theatre at Steppenwolf Theatre, we present the acoustic goals and the architecturally integrated design for speech acoustics. The presentation includes the key design parameters and the traditional and non-traditional intelligibility metrics used to evaluate the design options and the completed construction, along with subjective impressions of artists and audiences related to speech intelligibility and localization.