The Sound Commission provides a center for intercommunication, information exchange, and project activity for people who are interested in the use of sound as a part of dramatic, theatrical, and entertainment presentations. The Commission works actively with other USITT Commissions as well as with members of the profession throughout the entertainment industry.

USITT/TSDCA Sound Documentation Recommended Practice

Commissioner Leadership:

Commissioner (Sound Lab): Jeff Polunas
Commissioner (Communications): Michelle Ohumukini
Commissioner (Programming): Carolina Perez
IDEAS Representative: Jing Zhao
H&H Representative: Curtis Craig
International Representative: Brad Ward (OISTAT)
Mentorship Representative: Christopher Plummer
Volunteers Coordinator: Jeff Polunas
DAA Coordinator: Brad Berridge
Publication Coordinator: Vincent Olivieri

Updated: Oct. 20, 2023

The Commission also works to promote the professional stature of sound designers and engineers in many ways, including recognizing outstanding careers through Distinguished Achievement Awards. Among those honored have been John Bracewell, David Collison, Don and Carolyn Davis, Jonathan Deans, Dan Dugan, Abe Jacob, Jack Mann, Tony Meola, John & Helen Meyer and Charlie Richmond.

Projects

Student sound portfolio guidelines

Sound Graphics Project

• The USITT Sound Graphics Guidelines are intended to serve as a common starting point for students studying sound design.
• The Sound Graphics Guidelines are currently being updated in collaboration with TSDCA. This process will be discussed at the March 2018 conference with a working draft released for comments later in the year. The subcommittee members are:
  • Josh Loar, Michael Backhaus, Nicholas Drashner, Sam Kusnetz, and Joanna Lynn Staub.
• Examples of sound system block diagrams prepared according to the current recommended guidelines:
  • Medium Sized Musical Theater System
  • Very Small System
  • Larger Musical Theater System
  • Small Non-Musical Theater Production

The OISTAT Sound Working Group works with the Scenography Commission to include sound design into that Commission’s, and OISTAT’s, membership and activities.

The Commission is very active in the Prague Quadrennial Scenofest.

The Sound Commission provides Student Portfolio Reviews at the Annual Conference & Stage Expo.

The Commission presents awards to those who have had outstanding careers in Sound (Harold Burris-Meyer Distinguished Career in Sound Award) and for outstanding student achievement (Robert E. Cohen Sound Achievement Award).